Why were some unpleasant/unethical people present around Sri Sathya Sai Avatar?
One answer I have heard is that He was keeping all the Rakshasas with Him as if they were in society outside there would be havoc!
Another answer is that there is darkness even at the foot of a candle.
But here's my take on the matter. Please feel free to disagree with me. I got some understanding of Puttaparthi setup after I started comparing it with Rama Avatar and Krishna Avatar (as recorded in Hindu scripture). I think it is the strange nature of Avatars (advents) that they need strong critics, enemies etc.
Perhaps if these critics and enemies are not there, the Avatar's role will not be played out as required. So a Ravana was essential for Rama's advent and for the Glory of Rama to be established by Rama and the monkey forces defeating the Great King Ravana and his forces. Further, Rama would not have got into this fight with Ravana, unless there was palace intrigue with Manthara and Kaikeyi forcing Rama (and Sita) to be exiled to the forests!!!
Similarly, if Kamsa and then Shakuni, Duryodhana, Dushasana etc. were not there, the glory of Krishna avatar would not have got established. They were required for Krishna to get challenged and show his great powers. Note that Kamsa was Krishna's mother's brother (maternal uncle), who was killed by Krishna as he was an evil king!
In Sathya Sai avatar too, some unpleasant/unethical people were there, though the issues were more at emotional level rather than physical violence (though that too has happened on some rare occasions). Perhaps the unpleasant/unethical people are part of the drama group that takes birth along with the Avatar!
At a higher philosophical level, the wise tell us that good and bad are two sides of the same coin. Further, the bad is needed to act as an irritant to the good, for the good to become heroic, like the foreign object irritant that lodges itself in the oyster soft inner body, triggers the defensive reaction of the oyster which ultimately leads to a pearl being formed (http://www.americanpearl.com/historyoyster.html).
So, around Swami (Sathya Sai Avatar), there were some heroically good people, some irritant unpleasant/unethical people, and many neutral types. The trick of reasonably happy living (some may say, survival) in Puttaparthi with Swami physical form, as observed by me from some distance (I was not physically close to Swami), was identifying the irritant unpleasant/unethical people (who sometimes would be in positions of authority), and being very, very careful in dealings with them. Life in Puttaparthi when involved in Swami's mission, when physical form Swami was alive, was certainly NOT for the faint-hearted. In a long period of calm & peaceful work, suddenly, out of the blue, a raging storm could hit and engulf one, which would severely test one's tolerance. Prayer to Swami was vital at this time but physical form Swami could become pretty distant at times. But then there would be other veterans who had weathered such storms that one could turn to for sage advise, which they would unhesitatingly and very helpfully provide.
Another answer is that there is darkness even at the foot of a candle.
But here's my take on the matter. Please feel free to disagree with me. I got some understanding of Puttaparthi setup after I started comparing it with Rama Avatar and Krishna Avatar (as recorded in Hindu scripture). I think it is the strange nature of Avatars (advents) that they need strong critics, enemies etc.
Perhaps if these critics and enemies are not there, the Avatar's role will not be played out as required. So a Ravana was essential for Rama's advent and for the Glory of Rama to be established by Rama and the monkey forces defeating the Great King Ravana and his forces. Further, Rama would not have got into this fight with Ravana, unless there was palace intrigue with Manthara and Kaikeyi forcing Rama (and Sita) to be exiled to the forests!!!
Similarly, if Kamsa and then Shakuni, Duryodhana, Dushasana etc. were not there, the glory of Krishna avatar would not have got established. They were required for Krishna to get challenged and show his great powers. Note that Kamsa was Krishna's mother's brother (maternal uncle), who was killed by Krishna as he was an evil king!
In Sathya Sai avatar too, some unpleasant/unethical people were there, though the issues were more at emotional level rather than physical violence (though that too has happened on some rare occasions). Perhaps the unpleasant/unethical people are part of the drama group that takes birth along with the Avatar!
At a higher philosophical level, the wise tell us that good and bad are two sides of the same coin. Further, the bad is needed to act as an irritant to the good, for the good to become heroic, like the foreign object irritant that lodges itself in the oyster soft inner body, triggers the defensive reaction of the oyster which ultimately leads to a pearl being formed (http://www.americanpearl.com/historyoyster.html).
So, around Swami (Sathya Sai Avatar), there were some heroically good people, some irritant unpleasant/unethical people, and many neutral types. The trick of reasonably happy living (some may say, survival) in Puttaparthi with Swami physical form, as observed by me from some distance (I was not physically close to Swami), was identifying the irritant unpleasant/unethical people (who sometimes would be in positions of authority), and being very, very careful in dealings with them. Life in Puttaparthi when involved in Swami's mission, when physical form Swami was alive, was certainly NOT for the faint-hearted. In a long period of calm & peaceful work, suddenly, out of the blue, a raging storm could hit and engulf one, which would severely test one's tolerance. Prayer to Swami was vital at this time but physical form Swami could become pretty distant at times. But then there would be other veterans who had weathered such storms that one could turn to for sage advise, which they would unhesitatingly and very helpfully provide.
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