Selected Facebook comments and posts of mine in June 2016

Last updated on 21st April 2020

21st April 2020 Update: I had an inner urge to name-snip the names of some person(s) in this post and so have done so.

A few of my comments made on Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915, which have not been captured as separate FB posts:

Ravi S. Iyer wrote on June 8th 2016:
Well, I have a different view here. I have to do what I see as my duty to Bhagavan. You may have to do what you see as your duty to Bhagavan. Perhaps the key difference is that I have been through the wringer in this matter at Puttaparthi. So I am too deeply involved in it to put my feet up and watch the game. I guess I have to play my part in the game. Thanks. Jai Sairam!
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on June 8th 2016:
Of course, MDH persons deserve to be happy. I have never ever said otherwise. But there seems to be some shake-up going on in PN now which does create some unpleasantness for some PN people. So I felt it appropriate to suggest a possibility for UNITY which will remove such unpleasantness.
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I mean unpleasantness for PN people with MDH leanings.
...
And I am not the guy doing any shake-up. I simply come to know of it.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on June 8th 2016 (slightly edited):
Well, the human mind can react very irrationally at times of great stress. It is quite educative to know how conditions like war or terrible disease or economic stress can affect the logical mind. It can simply come apart under such stress..... So I think some people got carried away by emotion under that Mahasamadhi stress and rather lost their discrimination power. .... Today I think Parthi is in safe hands. No encouragement is given to dilution of Swami's teachings or mediums/communicators. However, the Sai university needs to regain its spritual thrust. The impression I have is that it has become more focused on scientific research rather than spirituality. There are other institutions in India which can focus on scientific excellence. Sai university must be focused on spiritual excellence along with certain level of competence in the academic fields that they are involved in. So the right balance has to be struck.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on June 8th 2016:
Sathya Sai never interfered in running of Shirdi Sai sansthan. Whereas, if VSBS is to be believed, we now have people in PN system who interact with Madhusudan Rao Naidu!!!
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My FB post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1751093305107239,  dated June 8th 2016

Withdrawing Madhusudan Rao Naidu's communication act may pave the way for Muddenahalli group to unite back with Prasanthi Nilayam and become one Sai family again

A comment I made on brother Rajen Rajen's Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915, is given below (slightly edited):
I honestly think that Shri B.N. Narasimhamurthy (BNNM) and Shri Indulal Shah (IS) were worried about Swami's mission in the months after Mahasamadhi. That concern would have been GENUINE. After all they both are veterans of the Sathya Sai mission with tremendous access to and interactions with physical form Swami.
So the intentions were NOBLE but somewhere down the line I think BNNM lost his way. And then Madhusudan Rao Naidu came along and made it worse, even though it seemed to click BIGTIME for some months as many people got caught up in the new sensation. However, reality caught up over time. Now I think they should find a respectable exit strategy to withdraw Madhusudan Rao Naidu's communication act, and also ensure that there will not be a relapse into BNNM Swami dream instructions for the mission (Swami dream instructions for the individual is fine, of course). Once that is done, the path will be clear for Muddenahalli group to unite with Prasanthi Nilayam and become one Sai family again.
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My FB post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1751214821761754, dated June 8th 2016

BNNM & IS have served Bhagavan with ENORMOUS DEDICATION prior to Mahasamadhi; Immediate post-Mahasamadhi chaos & trauma at PN seems to have led them astray

A comment I made on brother Rajen Rajen's post, https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915 is given below (slightly edited):
Shri B.N. Narasimhamurthy (BNNM) and Shri Indulal Shah (IS) have served Swami with ENORMOUS DEDICATION prior to Mahasamadhi. Perhaps you are not aware of their services. After Mahasamadhi at PN there was tremendous power vacuum and so tremendous trauma. Some unfortunate incidents happened in Prasanthi Nilayam then. The media had painted PN black; the govt. seemed to have doubts about PN management. There was SERIOUS TALK of govt. taking over PN.

It was a very unpleasant state of affairs. It is in this situation that BNNM & IS decided to start off a separate trust to keep Swami's mission flag flying high. You may not know the details as you were not living in Puttaparthi then. But I was and so I know how chaotic the situation was.
BNNM got dreams and he frankly stated what his dreams were. He also said that those who want to believe can believe them and those who don't may ignore it. Very clear ... no compulsion.
Given the chaos in PN, many in the Sai fraternity, including then Sai university vice-chancellor --Name1-snipped--, chose to believe in BNNM Swami dream instructions.

This is the historical background to BNNM & IS starting a new trust. Further, at no stage have BNNM & IS, after starting this new trust, been publicly critical of PN. I appreciate them for this restraint that they have shown.

I am not willing to believe that BNNM & IS created a master plot and master strategy and put up an act. I think they sincerely believed in it.
However, I am of the considered opinion that they were and are misguided in their belief about Swami dream instructions for the mission and about so called subtle Swami, and that they are misguiding others as well.
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My Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1751676148382288, dated June 9th 2016

Mervyn Hughes of Muddenahalli group verbally attacks me yet again

I have given below a comment I put up yesterday on brother Rajen Rajen's Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915 (slightly edited):
A little while back I was shown a Facebook post/comment authored by Mervyn Hughes where he has again attacked me referring to me as a former lab. assistant and said that I am paid by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (to write against Muddenahalli group). [I have publicly shared the official identity cards of Sai university/Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) where my designation is clearly shown as Honorary Staff/Honorary Faculty/Visiting Faculty. This was from Jan. 2003 to Mar. 2012 when I offered free service to Sai university.]

I guess he restarted attacking me due to some of my aggressive but truthful comments on this post.
Now I was wondering how I should react. One thing I am realizing is that as a social media writer I need to develop a thick skin and learn to ignore jokers and cowards like Mervyn Hughes who hide behind an anonymous Facebook profile and write nasty comments.
But I thought about him a little. I think he may be an untruthful and unethical person by nature (follower of Asathya & Adharma) and so writes any stupid thing that he wants with a sole objective of hurting his intended targets. Or he may be delusional as he refuses to go by evidence that I have presented regarding my designation, and he makes allegations about me being paid by SSSCT without providing any evidence. The delusional bit may be an indication of underlying psychiatric problems/mental problems. Perhaps if his friends and well wishers read this comment they may want to take him to a psychiatrist and if he does suffer from delusional problems, perhaps the psychiatrist may provide him suitable medication/treatment.
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Given below are some of my comments on FB post, https://www.facebook.com/vr.ganti.1/posts/10206719163882383:

Ravi S. Iyer wrote on June 10th 2016:
I have been publicly appreciative of Muddenhalli group's social work. However by endorsing a so called chosen communicator Muddenahalli group has gone against public teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. They come up with all sorts of arguments to justify it. But I am not convinced. ..... However, if you are convinced about it, I wish you all the best. I do not want to come in the way of your faith in MDH group. I write publicly disputing the claims of MDH group as a service to the Sathya Sai fraternity as many Sai devotees are confused by these claims. Some of these Sai devotees have thanked me for my writings and have said that it helped them get a clearer understanding of the matter. .... So my writings on MDH group are more for the confused and undecided, with an objective of providing them more information to make an informed choice/decision. .... I do not make any attempts to convince MDH group believers to give up their belief. I wish them all the best with their belief. Jai Sairam!
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on June 10th 2016:
Well, that is my truthful view based on extensive analysis. I do not push the "false belief" statement onto those who do not want to read such stuff. It is only those who come to my Facebook posts (and Facebook posts of friends) or blog posts who get to read my honest views on the matter. ... Mind you, I see that as my duty to my beloved Gurudev, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I view Madhusudan Rao Naidu as somebody who is acting as an imposter. My blog & Facebook posts give my extensive analysis of why I view Madhusudan Rao Naidu as an imposter. ... How would you feel if somebody that you love very much and who has been a vital guiding light in your life and who has passed away physically, has his/her legacy diluted and corrupted by an unauthorized medium/communicator who claims to receive messages, see and interact with that guiding light? Mind you, I use the words, diluted and corrupted, based on my extensive analysis which I have extensively documented on my blog & Facebook posts. Would you not be upset with that person? Would you not want to warn others about that person making false claims?
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My FB post https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1752427788307124, dated 11th June 2016
Mervyn Hughes seems to be a political (verbal) hitman; Plan to ignore his comments unless he makes threats of physical violence against me

Given below are a few comments of mine (slightly edited) (and one of Mervyn Hughes) made on brother Rajen Rajen's post, https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915 :
I was informed that there were some more harsh words/hatred from Mervyn Hughes directed at me (perhaps as a comment in this post). I have decided to try simply ignoring Mervyn Hughes from now on. If he has the guts and openly states where he lives then I can consider filing a defamation suit against him (if he lives in India; if he lives abroad like New Orleans, USA which is what his FB profile had mentioned when I saw it in the past, it may be a problem).

I think I need to learn some things like having a thick skin, from some of the USA politicians I am coming across in my informal-study of the USA presidential elections. Mervyn Hughes refusing to accept my official and correct designations in my Sai university stints (as against the CRIMINALLY ILLEGAL under Indian Penal Code and FALSE and very junior designation shown by Registrar and/or HOD in a university document which they hastily removed after I banged them over email on it), and insisting that I receive money from Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust without any evidence of the same, seems to me like how some USA politicians attacked USA president Barrack Obama alleging that he was not born in the USA, even after Obama provided evidence of his Hawaii, USA birth!!!

A political (verbal) hitman - that's what Mervyn Hughes seems to be. So I plan to just ignore this guy's comments unless this guy gets into threats of physical violence against me, in which case I will consider making a police complaint (in India) against him.

Brother Rajen Rajen, if Mervyn Hughes does get into any physical violence threats against me on your post(s), could you please let me know? [I don't want to know about anything else he says.] You could take a pic of his comment and send it to me over Facebook chat. Please note that as I have blocked Mervyn Hughes his comments are not visible to me when I login to Facebook.
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Rajen Rajen wrote:
Bro Ravi S. Iyer...MH's comments...
Let us not forget the times of India report. I think some of these corrupt trustee's are paying money to people like Ravi S Iyer (former lab assistant) , Terry Reis Kennedy, --name-snipped-- to write against Muddenahalli. They see the central trust in Puttaparthi as a cash cow and have no interest in following or spreading Swami's teachings. As long as the Trust coffers are filled with donations to fund their private army of goons, some people in Puttaparthi would not even hesitate to incite violence against MDH.
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[In response to Rajen Rajen sharing a couple of comments of Mervyn Hughes (on his post, I presume), including the one shared above, I (Ravi) wrote:]
Thanks brother Rajen Rajen. These comments of MH do not have any threats of physical violence against me and so I will ignore them.
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Rajen Rajen: Appreciate your request to refrain from personal attacks without proof. Personal attacks without evidence or eyewitness testimony (as is the case with Mervyn Hughes attacks on me) is character assassination and the person making such attacks can be sued under both criminal and civil law in India to both punish and extract monetary compensation, and to deter from similar actions in future..... Criticism, including harsh criticism of people, with evidence or based on eye witness accounts which one is wiling to testify in a court of law, as is the case with my harsh criticism of --Name1-snipped-- (former vice-chancellor), --Name2-snipped-- (Registrar) and --Name3-snipped-- (former HOD, Dept. of Mathematics & Computer Science - DMACS) of the Sai university, is NOT character assassination. I am completely ready to defend myself in an Indian court of law against any defamation suit, criminal or civil, that the above mentioned three persons may bring against me. In fact, I doubt they will ever do it, as they know that what I have said is the truth, and that if they go to court against me, the truth of my statements will be established in a court of law, and hurt their reputation even more.
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Brother Rajen Rajen: I have made this comment for the benefit of some readers here who may not know the background to my designation issue in the Sai unviersity. Of course, I was not designated officially as lab assistant in the Sai university as claimed by Mervyn Hughes. Teacher-Drohi --Name2-snipped-- (Registrar) and Teacher-Drohi --Name3-snipped-- (HOD, DMACS) of the Sai university colluded in CRIMINAL ACT of record tampering and malicious defamation against me (and two other visiting faculty designated individuals of Sai university - one from DMACS and one from Management department) by showing me as a Teaching Assistant in a university document. As soon as I banged them over email voicing my shock & dismay and challenging them to prove it, they hastily removed it from the university website but, as is the case with power crazy and arrogant people, they did not apologize to me about it. When I raised the matter to --Name1-snipped-- (then vice-chancellor) and --Name4-snipped-- (then director Prasanthi Nilayam campus) of the Sai university, these two fellows very SHAMEFULLY did not act on the matter, and in fact, tried to blame me! Typical behaviour of power crazy and arrogant people of refusing to look at the evidence presented and going into haughty denial. I finally ended the matter by letting them know that I will be going by the official designations on official Identity Cards issued to me and signed by Prasanthi Nilayam campus Principal/Director, Prof. U.S. Rao, which were Honorary Staff, Honorary Faculty and Visiting Faculty in the period of free service that I rendered to the Sai university from Jan. 2003 to March 2012. In disgust with the Asathya & Adharma (Untruthful and Unethical behaviour) shown by senior administrators of the Sai university, namely, --Name1-snipped--, --Name4-snipped--, --Name2-snipped-- and --Name3-snipped--, I decided to terminate my association with the Sai university (in March-June 2012). My blog post, "My May 2012 service record & record tampering related correspondence with Sai university (SSSIHL) administrators", https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/my-may-2012-service-record-record.html, provides evidence and details of the matter for those who would like to know more.

Regarding Mervyn Hughes' charges that I am paid by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, I hereby state (and am willing to do so in an Indian court of law under oath) that I have not received even one Naya Paisa (Indian cent/penny) from Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust or any institution associated with it in my ENTIRE LIFETIME. Further, nobody is paying me anything for the social media writings that I do including my criticism (and sometimes praise) of Muddenhalli group. By the kind Grace of the Lord, I lead a simple ceiling-on-material-desires life and so my savings from my international software industry career days have been enough for my limited needs ever since I retired from my commerical software career in Aug. 2002. So this charge of Mervyn Hughes that I am paid for my social media writings that are critical of Muddenahalli group is completely false.
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An update:
Rajen Rajen wrote:
Did you ever think of taking legal action against the drohis stated above bro Ravi S. Iyer?
Mervyn Hughes what duo u mean Ravi as a lab assisstant and that he's being paid by CT to do the things you allege...u hv any proof or can u pls make some sense of it??
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote:
Bro. Rajen Rajen: If the institution was named --Name1-snipped-----Name2-snipped-----Name3-snipped-- Institute of Higher Learning by now I would have pursued all legal avenues open to me under Indian law, even going up to the Indian Supreme Court, if needed, to get justice and teach these fellows some Sathya and Dharma.

However, the institution is named Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. It carries the name of my beloved Gurudev, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who gave me far, far more than I could ever dream that he would give me, in terms of spiritual education and spiritual Love that he gave me. And that too without ever charging me one single Naya paisa (Indian cent/penny). I do not want His beloved institution to get involved in an Indian court case and so have swallowed the humiliation that was heaped on me by --Name1-snipped--, --Name4-snipped--, --Name2-snipped-- and --Name3-snipped--.
Sharing these matters on social media, however, has given me some relief as I have been able to tell people the truth about these matters. Thanks.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote:
Brother Rajen Rajen: Thank you so much for challenging Mervyn Hughes for evidence to back his vicious allegations against me.
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On Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915,

Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 12th June 2016 in response to part of a comment, "But he is only against the few who betrayed him...not against d whole Uni.":
Repeating my inner-level comment(s) at this outer-level for more visibility:
Rajen Rajen: Is the first he a reference to me (in response to a comment I cannot see as I have blocked some guys)?

If so, then I am being LOYAL to the founder-chancellor of the Sai university, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, by exposing those administrators who failed him by following Asathya & Adharma. Mind you, Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara is the motto of the Sai university. My whistleblowing efforts in this regard are bound to attract criticism in the near term from some quarters (as is the case with most whistleblowers). But over time it is this whistleblowing that may (hopefully) CORRECT practices and culture in the Sai university and bring it back on the path of Sathya & Dharma. That is one of my main goals in this whistleblowing activity of mine wrt Sai university. .... Let the truth be shared by Sai unversity administrators THEMSELVES through an OPEN CONFESSION STATEMENT with the Sai fraternity about what happened in the upper echelons of the Sai university from Jul. 2011 to Nov. 2014 when --Name1-snipped-- was vice-chancellor and Narasimhamurthy, the founder-leader of Muddenahalli group, exerted ENORMOUS influence over --Name1-snipped-- and so over the Sai university, and when the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust's influence over the Sai university was marginalized by --Name1-snipped--, even though it was the mother trust meeting all expenses of the Sai university including salaries of staff.
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On Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/kpuvirajan/posts/10208454960884915,

Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 14th June 2016:
If we do not assess claims made by others then we will have to believe each and everyone who says anything and everything! We will then have to believe all the claimed mediums and communicators of Bhagavan, and even go against Bhagavan's own teachings. I think quotes of being non-judgemental are inappropriate in this context. Bhagavan has placed value on use of discriminatory power to distinguish between good and bad, truth and falsehood. .... Madhusudan Rao Naidu's claims and speeches have been analyzed and found to be inconsistent with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's discourses! I am SHOCKED at Muddenahalli Group trying to suppress open expression of these findings related to Madhusudan Rao Naidu's claims. If they don't want to read such stuff they can simply stay away from Facebook posts where such matters are discussed, and confine themselves to Muddenahalli group Facebook world. They come onto brother Rajen Rajen's Facebook post and ask us to stop criticizing Madhusudan Rao Naidu!!! What arrogance!
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 14th June 2016:
I think Mr. Vr Ganti put it very well in his comment above, "If only BNNM accompanies by Madhu goes over to PN and prove convincingly and conclusively that it is indeed Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba who is communicating with the Self Appointed Chosen Communicator, there would be no arguments and disputes. Then we would all be together - isn't it?" ... Ravi: The fact that so called subtle body and it's so called communicator have not been able to prove its claims to PN heads shows that they are not related to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, even if they managed to convince Shri Indulal Shah sir. I mean, IS is only one among many top people of PN system. No other top PN person, as far as I know, has endorsed this so called subtle body and the so called communicator matter even though over five years have passed since Mahasamadhi. That itself should be enough to show that MDH so called subtle body is not Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. .... Madhusudan Rao Naidu may be having some powers perhaps via some spirit (which is not Sri Sathya Sai Baba's spirit) communicating with him that reveals some confidential information about people including their confidential interactions with physical form Swami. That is a siddhi power which should not be confused with belief in the very extraordinary claims that Madhusidan Rao Naidu is making.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 14th June 2016 in response to part of comment, "Ravi brother, You will be surprised in the coming times when you actually come to know the people who currently believe in this even at PN." :
Well, brother VijaySai B.S., let me clarify who I mean by top people of PN. I mean all the trustees of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust excluding Shri Indulal Shah. I mean Prof. Anilkumar Kamaraju and Prof. G. Venkataraman who are viewed as top thought-leaders of PN. I am sure you are not counting any of these persons as hidden Muddenhalli group supporters. Or are you???

About people at lower levels from SSSCT trustees, I am aware that some senior functionaries as well as some lower level staff including some alumni-staff have had leanings towards Muddenahalli group in the past. If they still have such leanings I am sure SSSCT trustees would be glad if such people openly state their beliefs, and pleasantly part ways with PN.

How wonderful it would have been if the people who recently had to go through some turmoil in this regard, had honourably stated their beliefs and pleasantly parted ways with PN! I know of efforts made by some of them to re-enter PN system but PN system is not relenting, I am told! How hard it would be on such persons! ... I had hoped MDH group would give employment to the two junior persons - that has not happened, it seems. Tragic!

Sathyam Vada Dharmam Chara is what Bhagavan taught. Why don't the other people who are in PN system with MDH beliefs, HONOURABLY state their belief and part ways HONOURABLY???
Let me say that in this matter I appreciate Prof. G.V. Prabhakar Rao's openness and honesty. Why don't the others follow his example?
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 14th June 2016:
In response to comment, "I am not sure if Sai devotees living outside India have heard about Ravi S Iyer or VR Ganti before "...: Well, prior to Mahasamadhi and even today I am a low profile guy. It just so happens that sometime in early 2015 I became active on Facebook wrt MDH belief claims. I am not an important guy - just another Sai devotee with lots of flaws but who shares his views openly on some matters.

But Sai devotees can listen to Prof. Anilkumar Kamaraju, Prof. G. Venkataraman, Sri V. Srinivasan, Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Sri K. Chakravarthy, Sri Satyajit Salian - all of these people were very well known to Sai devotees internationally for many years before Mahasamadhi and are well known even now - about their views on Muddenahalli group belief matter. They have publicly stated that they do not believe in those claims.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 15th June 2016 (slightly edited):
--Name-snipped--, I do not want to disturb your faith in Madhusudan Rao Naidu's claims by pointing out to you, the inconsistencies between his speeches and Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's discourses, which I have documented quite extensively on my blog (and on Facebook). Thanks. All the best to you in your spiritual journey. Jai Sairam!
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In Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/shubha.kumar/posts/10156841811365538,
Ravi S. Iyer wrote on 23rd June 2016:
The physical departure of Lord Krishna was traumatic for the Pandavas and Mother Kunti (who gave up her body on hearing the news, if I recall correctly). ... In hindsight, it is not surprising at all that the trauma of physical absence of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, made mediums and communicators and dream-instructions persons a powerful draw to some devotees. The vacuum left behind was ENORMOUS as Bhagavan was involved in most top level decisions of Prasanthi Nilayam and managed institutions & movement. That vacuum resulted in many people taking on new roles, most with noble intentions I think, to try to fill the vacuum. Unfortunately there were too many who wanted to be generals :-(, instead of soldiers, with the result that the movement splintered off in a few ways with mediums & communicators and dream-instructions people claiming divine instructions from Swami for the mission!!! Part of the Avatar story, I guess. like the reactions of the Pandavas to Krishna's physical passing away is an important part of Krishna avatar story.
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