Sathya Sai Baba was absolutely clairvoyant. He knew all the thoughts of the people before they had time to say anything. However, during personal interactions, Sathya Sai Baba sometimes asked questions from those present. What question could Sathya Sai Baba ask and why? In my opinion, the questions that he asked were aimed, first of all, at pushing and directing a person to reflection. These were questions he did not require an answer to. His questions helped people to think deeply about the essence of their lives. Once Sathya Sai Baba asked me a question. He said, “what is your name?” I answered that my name is Svyatoslav (Dubyanskiy). Then he said, “yes, that is the correct answer. Your name is Svyatoslav (Dubyanskiy).”

At that moment, I thought that he asked me this question in order to get to know me, because this was my first personal contact with him. Subsequently, I realized the significance of this question was that I did not need to receive a so-called "spiritual name."

During the following years, I visited several Indian and Tibetan yogis and received empowerments and initiations into various meditation techniques and mantras. During my travels in India, various esoteric schools tried to give me a "spiritual name" three times. The first time it happened at the Tantric Ashram in the very south of India, the second time at the Tibetan Nyingma School, and the third time at the Kriya Yoga Ashram in the Himalayas. Every time they tried to give me a “spiritual name,” I remembered the words of Sathya Sai Baba and felt I was not at all comfortable changing my real name. This does not mean that Sai Baba was against "spiritual names." I know several cases when he himself gave "spiritual names."

Giving "spiritual names" is an ancient and very deep tradition. By accepting a new name, a person changes his destiny and reveals new qualities in himself. For some, the adoption of a "spiritual name" is very beneficial, but it is not for everyone.

21. God is the Creator; therefore, it is in creativity that a person is likened to God

One day Sathya Sai Baba asked me, “what are you doing?” It seemed to be a very simple and elementary question. When I heard it, I immediately felt he was asking me about something very important, about the essence of my life. Asking this question, he stared straight into my eyes, inside me his soft voice echoed once again, what are you doing?

At that time, I traveled a lot in India and studied various systems of Indian and Tibetan yoga. Gathering my courage, I replied, “I practice yoga.” There was a pause, Sathya Sai Baba smiled slightly and said, “never tell me that you practice yoga, because you don’t even know what it is! Yoga is an endless journey!” After a pause, he added, "next time, never answer me like that." His voice was calm, but very stern.

I felt a light sweat break through me, instinctively I looked at my watch and thought that our conversation would soon end for my salvation. The question was so energetically strong that it penetrated the very depths of my inner world. And really, what do I do in this life? What is my main business in life? After this conversation, I soon went home to Moscow.

Six months later I returned to Puttaparthi and Sathya Sai Baba again invited me for an interview. In less than a few minutes, he turned to me and carefully and intently looked into my eyes. It's hard to say why, but inside me there was a feeling that he would ask “the same” question again. In an instant, I experienced horror from the fact that six months had passed, and I was still not able to understand the business of my life.

Sathya Sai Baba smiled a little before I heard his soft and melodious voice quietly ask me, “what are you doing?” In an instant, I realized that despite the fact that so much time had passed, I had not advanced a millimeter in understanding what exactly I was doing in life. There was a terrifying pause for me, I realized that the longer I was silent, the closer I was to fainting. Gathering all my strength, I whispered, "I don't know… I don't know what I'm doing in this life." Sai Baba looked directly into my eyes, and I felt infinity shining from the depth of his.

A couple of months passed, I left for Moscow, and soon returned to Puttaparthi. Suddenly, I caught myself thinking that during personal communication, Sathya Sai Baba would surely ask me “this” question again. I understood that until I gave myself a clear answer, Sai Baba would not fall behind. There was a feeling of a student who did not learn his homework.

All the people around me dreamed of an interview, it was ridiculous for me to admit to myself that I would have gladly refused. Yes, it sounds silly now, but I didn't even come to the morning programs on purpose a couple of times, in the hope that Sathya Sai Baba would invite my group, and I would miss the meeting. But what needs to happen always happens. The day came when Sathya Sai Baba invited me for an interview as part of a small group.

Before entering his room, we had to sit in front of the door for several minutes, waiting for him to complete his communication with some minister who had come from Delhi. Finally, we were invited into the room. Tension built inside me from anticipation of the denouement. Sathya Sai Baba turned to me and, as if not noticing my excitement, asked, “what are you doing?”

I did not have a pre-prepared answer, so I spontaneously answered, "I am an artist, I paint pictures."

Sathya Sai Baba smiled and said, "yes, that is the correct answer."

At that moment, my soul filled with a joyful sense of accomplishment. The creative energy of God is manifested in everything. Everything that a person does is creativity: Science and art, literature and pedagogy, finance and politics, sports and journalism. Since God is the Creator, a person reveals his divine potential precisely with the help of creativity.

Unfortunately, many people perceive the spiritual path in a rather narrow way – fasting and praying, living in the Himalayas, and studying philosophical texts. In fact, the spiritual path is the fullness of human life. Communicating with Sathya Sai Baba, I began to understand that the spiritual path is absolutely everything that happens to me, my every thought, my every word, my every action.

22. "Formulate your goal!"

One of the questions that Sathya Sai Baba sometimes asked during personal communication was, “what do you want?” Sometimes he would say, "state your goal!" The question itself contains a great spiritual message and food for thought. Hearing such a question, people were immersed in long reflections. His resonant voice remained in my memory asking the question to which the answer determined the further circumstances of life and opened up new horizons in a person.

Sathya Sai Baba was a clairvoyant, and, naturally, many had a desire to find out from him the answers to the pressing questions of life. Many wanted to consult with him about what to do and how to act in various life situations. But Sathya Sai Baba never allowed himself to impose on a person what to do in life and did not offer ready-made answers.

We are accustomed to shifting the responsibility for what is happening in life to someone else. Sathya Sai Baba never deprived people of the right to free choice, on the contrary, he inspired them to make independent decisions. Each person himself must come to an understanding of where he aspires to be and what he does in life.

23. Sathya Sai Baba always spoke personally, taking into account the needs and level of consciousness of the listener

I remember once Sathya Sai Baba was asked what spiritual practice he would recommend. To this, he advised me to repeat the mantras in Sanskrit. He said that Sanskrit is the divine language in which the Vedas are written. Sanskrit is a language with a special healing vibration that purifies both the inner world of a person and the surrounding space. He said that people belonging to different nationalities and religions can chant mantras in Sanskrit. I recall with great inspiration this beautiful answer of Sathya Sai Baba about the greatness of Sanskrit, for I have experienced the power of mantras many times in my life.

It didn't take long, maybe a week, and I came in for an interview with another band where a very related question was asked about the benefits of mantra practice. Sathya Sai Baba laughed merrily and playfully, and then suddenly announced that he did not like Sanskrit at all, and did not like people who chant mantras, for the reason that it develops pride. He said that those who chant Sanskrit mantras mistakenly think they are becoming more spiritual and getting closer to God. Listening to these words, I could not believe my ears.

Just a week ago, he spoke completely different! How was this possible? Further, Sathya Sai Baba said that in the national culture of each of those present, there are traditional prayers that sound in their native language. At that interview there were people of different nationalities and religions: Russians, Tatars, Americans, and Indians. He recommended to each of those present not to think about Sanskrit, but to communicate with God in their own language.

I had the unique opportunity of frequent communication with Sathya Sai Baba, which allowed me to observe and compare. At times, his words seemed contradictory, but in fact they were always fully in line with the needs of the person in front of him at that moment.

What he said in one meeting could be the exact opposite of what he said in another. My first reaction was great surprise and even shock, but then I realized the full depth of his individual approach to absolutely every person.

There were a lot of people around Sathya Sai Baba, hundreds of thousands and even millions. One of the most important miracles of Sathya Sai Baba was that, despite the large number of people around him, he had a unique ability to provide a personal and individual approach to each person. That is why all his recommendations and advice were deeply personal.

What might be useful to one person might not be acceptable to another. It is very difficult to quote Sathya Sai Baba because he always spoke to the personal needs of a person and took into account the level of consciousness of each listener.

24. Oh my God! How to understand Sathya Sai Baba?

I was present at an interview when several people asked Sathya Sai Baba to instruct them in the practice of meditation. Sathya Sai Baba often gave instructions on the practices of Kriya Yoga without mentioning that it was Kriya Yoga. He sometimes taught yoga breathing exercises that improved health and harmonized the internal state, relieved stress, and gave more energy for an active and productive life.

In the interview, Sathya Sai Baba said that if you practice yoga breathing techniques, your health will improve, your emotional state will level out, you can feel a surge of energy and discover additional intellectual abilities. Sathya Sai Baba not only spoke about the benefits of yoga breathing practices, but also personally demonstrated how to perform these exercises correctly. I was happy to hear such detailed explanations of the basic techniques of Kriya Yoga, because at that time I practiced such exercises a lot.

Some time passed and I came with another group for the next interview, in which people asked Sathya Sai Baba a question about yoga breathing practices. He laughed and began to make fun, saying that all these exercises were completely useless and meaningless. Health from this would not be better, peace of mind could not be gained from these techniques, spirituality could not be increased. Then, after a pause, he began to parade comically, showing how some yogis do breathing exercises.

I left his room completely confused. What to do? How to understand Sathya Sai Baba? Why does he say completely opposite things? In an irritated state, I came to my room, not knowing what to do next.

I thought that if Sathya Sai Baba was really a spiritual teacher, then he should give clear and precise instructions to his students, but instead he only made things more confusing. Having calmed down, I decided to think more deeply about what Sathya Sai Baba said to try to understand why he said it. Once again, I had an amazing experience, which allowed me to see that Sathya Sai Baba was able to feel the audience and give an answer that was useful for the people who were listening to him at the moment.

Perhaps it was useful for someone to practice basic or advanced techniques of Kriya Yoga, but for someone else it was not. Sathya Sai Baba could also sometimes test the sincerity of a disciple who asked for guidance in spiritual practices. Is the person really interested in the practice of yoga and meditation? If the interest was sincere, then such people received detailed instructions.

25. Those who practiced the Gayatri Mantra a lot established a deep mystical connection with Sathya Sai Baba

Of course, everyone who came to the ashram really wanted to have the opportunity of personal communication with Sathya Sai Baba. Only Sathya Sai Baba himself made the decision to invite or not to invite someone to a personal conversation. How could one influence his decision and still get the opportunity for personal communication? Was there such a way? I think yes! There is an ancient mantra called Gayatri. This mantra occupies a special place in the Vedic culture.

Sathya Sai Baba said that the Gayatri Mantra includes the wisdom and energy power of all Vedic scriptures. One who constantly practices the Gayatri Mantra receives the fulfillment of all good desires and the destruction of all evil inclinations. Gayatri mantra reveals the divine potentials dormant in every person, this mantra develops supernatural abilities and increases intellectual capabilities. The one who practiced the Gayatri Mantra a lot established a deep mystical connection with Sathya Sai Baba, attracted his attention, and received many blessings.

During those years I practiced Gayatri very intensively and that was one of the secrets why I gained plenty of personal contact with Sathya Sai Baba. The more I chanted Gayatri, the more often he invited me to his place. If I stopped practicing the mantra, he would stop communicating with me. There were times when my practice of Gayatri turned into a round-the-clock continuous process.

I always chanted Gayatri while sitting in the temple, walking down the street, and while eating. Even when I was sleeping, I continued to chant Gayatri. During the heat of the day, I found secluded and cool places where I continued to chant the Gayatri. After several years of intensive practice, this amazing mantra began to show results. As soon as I sat in the lotus position and closed my eyes, I immediately left the physical body, and my soul in a subtle body flew away to the worlds of pure light.

If a group wanted to get the opportunity to communicate directly with Sathya Sai Baba, they began to sing the Gayatri mantra together. The circle of the rosary is one hundred and eight beads, people sat together and chanted the mantra one hundred and eight times. Literally two or three days later, Sathya Sai Baba would definitely invite them for an interview.

I remember that when this happened the first and second time, many people thought it was an accident. Then people began to notice a certain pattern between the practice of the Gayatri mantra and the number of interviews. Some took advantage of this opportunity, and most knew, but were lazy.

I remember literally running around the ashram and organizing groups to practice this wonderful mantra together. There were a lot of Russian bands that I managed to get into regular practice. I did not stop there and, at some point, organized several Russian-German and Russian-American groups to chant Gayatri together daily.

Those who began to work intensively with this mantra received interviews. Sathya Sai Baba was absolutely clairvoyant, naturally he felt the vibration of the mantra, and he sensed exactly which group was actively practicing. This principle worked more often if the whole group chanted the mantra together. For example, if half of the group chanted the Gayatri mantra and the other half of the group did not, then no miracle happened. Thus, Sathya Sai Baba showed the importance of joint spiritual practice.

26. The Gayatri Mantra is a powerful power plant, but where to direct the energy depends on your thoughts

The Gayatri Mantra has an amazing history. According to some reports, around 5500 BC, Rama Avatara lived in the north of India. However, some sources indicate that Rama Avatar lived during 20,000 B.C. Indeed, the history of the Vedic civilization is amazing and ancient.

When Rama Avatara was still a young man, he studied under the sages Vashishta and Vishwamitra. Rama was born into a royal family, but in those ancient times, even princes had to be educated by sages. Education included mathematics and astrology, literature and music, medicine and agriculture, military science and construction, as well as philosophy and meditation.

The ashrams of the sages Vashishta and Vishwamitra were located in the Himalayas. I have repeatedly visited this picturesque area in the foothills of the Himalayas on the banks of the sacred river Ganges. The climate here is very comfortable and mild winters give way to hot summers.

Vashishta and Vishwamitra lived in their ashrams with their spouses and children. The ancient sages were family orientated, thereby showing an example of a correct harmonious life. For the ancient saints, meditation was perfectly combined with family happiness and housekeeping.

Vashishta and Vishwamitra knew that Rama was not an ordinary prince, but an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, so they paid special attention to his upbringing. Rama was the first student taught by the sages to practice the Gayatri mantra. Thus, the tradition of repeating this amazing mantra dates back to those ancient times.

In the ‘60s, Sathya Sai Baba visited the Himalayas several times, including visiting the place where Vashishta's ashram was located in ancient times.

The Gayatri Mantra is written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the oldest language, from which a huge number of modern languages came out. The purity of the divine vibration of Sanskrit is perfect for people of absolutely all nationalities and all faiths.

The practice of the Gayatri Mantra is one of the main and very powerful methods by which one can work with the circumstances of life. You create a thought form of what you want to achieve or receive, and then feed it with the energy of the Gayatri Mantra. As a result of this practice, what you want begins to happen, and you achieve your goals.

Gayatri mantra has great healing power, this must be said separately. Intensive practice of the Gayatri Mantra several thousand times a day gives excellent healing results, both for the person who practices the mantra and for everyone around. It is important to remember that healing from diseases or working with the circumstances of life is a process that requires effort and time; solving problems is never instantaneous.

The Gayatri Mantra is the greatest source of energy. You need to be very careful how you use this powerful energy and where you direct it. It is like electricity, which can be used for good or for harm. The Gayatri Mantra is like a power plant, but where to direct the energy is up to you. With the help of a mantra, you can create or destroy, cure or destroy.

What determines where exactly the energy of the mantra is directed? The direction of movement of the energy of the mantra is determined by the emotionally rich thought forms that prevail in your mind at the time of the practice of the mantra. When you recite a mantra, you consciously or unconsciously experience various emotional states – images and visualizations also appear in the mind on the “inner screen.”

It is very important to be attentive and aware of exactly what thought forms and visualizations appear during the repetition of the mantra. If you start repeating a mantra in a negative emotional state, you can cause tremendous harm to yourself and others. Before practicing the mantra, you need to tune in to a positive mood and clearly imagine not what you "do not want," but what you "want."

Instead of thinking about healing from illness, you need to visualize perfect health. Instead of thinking about when failures in your personal life will end, you should visualize wonderful family relationships. Instead of thinking about how to get out of financial difficulties, you need to visualize material abundance.

While reciting the mantra, create thought forms of happiness and success for yourself, for all relatives and friends, as well as for the whole world. Before you start repeating the mantra, feel love and compassion for all the people close to you, as well as for all people in general, even if you do not know them at all.

Thought is material, the vibration of thought creates the circumstances of life. The divine consciousness thinks in images, so the strongest energy of the Gayatri Mantra goes where you yourself direct it with the help of your emotionally saturated thought form.