Sri Sathya Sai Baba is a Guru, a God and Pure Love, all in one. He is an Avatar, that is, God himself in human form. He has said:
“The Lord has come in human form and moves about among men, so that He can be listened to, contacted, loved, revered and obeyed. He has to speak the language of men and behave like human beings, as a member of the species. Otherwise, He will either be negated or feared and avoided.”
Baba announced that he was an Avatar in a letter he wrote to his brother on 20th October 1940. In that letter he wrote:
“I have a task: to foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of Ananda. I have a Vow: to lead all who stray away from the straight path, again into goodness and save them. I am attached to the work that I love: To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack. I have a reason to be proud, for, I rescue all those who worship and adore Me, aright. I have My definition of the devotion I expect: Those devoted to me have to treat joy and grief, gain and loss, with equal fortitude. This means that I will never give up those who attach themselves to Me. When I am thus engaged in My beneficial task, how can my name ever be tarnished, as you apprehend? I would advise you not to heed such absurd talk. Mahatmas do not acquire greatness through someone calling themselves so; they do not become small, when someone calls them small. Only those low ones who revel in opium and Ganja but claim to be unexcelled Yogis, only those who quote spiritual texts to justify their gourmandry and pride, only those who are dry-as-dust scholars exulting in their casuistry and argumentative skill, will be moved by praise or blame.
You must have read life-stories of saints and Divine personages; in those books, you must have read of even worse falsehoods and more heinous imputations cast against them. This is the lot of Mahatmas, everywhere, at all times. Why then do you take these things so much to heart? Have you not heard of dogs that howl at the stars? How long can they go on? Authenticity will soon win.
I will not give up My mission, nor My determination. I know I will carry them out; I treat the honour and dishonour, the fame and blame that may be the consequence, with equal equanimity. Internally, I am unconcerned. I act but in the outer world; I talk and move about for the sake of the outer world and for announcing My coming to the people; else, I have no concern even with these.
I do not belong to any place; I am not attached to any name. I have no ‘mine’ or ‘thine’. I answer whatever the name you use. I go wherever I am taken. This is My very first vow. I have not disclosed this to anyone so far. For me the world is something afar, apart. I act and move only for the sake of mankind. No one can comprehend My glory, whoever he is, whatever his method of enquiry, however long his attempt.”