Says Nimesh Pandya, president of the deceased's abode in the city, claiming the spiritual guru would rejoin his devotees to guide them on the path of self-righteousness
Says Nimesh Pandya, president of the deceased's abode in the city, claiming the spiritual guru would rejoin his devotees to guide them on the path of self-righteousnessu00a0
Two days after Sathya Sai Baba succumbed to ill health, various questions are cropping up in the minds of devotees about the godman's legacy and his deeds. In a one-to-one with MiD DAY, Nimesh Pandya, president of Dharmakshetra, Sathya Sai Baba's residence in Marol, Andheri (East) tries to u00a0answer the doubts of devotees and promises to carry on the teachings of u00a0the seer. 
Blessed above: Dharmakshetra, Sathya Sai Baba's residence in Marol,
Andheri (East). Pics/Sayed Sameer Abedi
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Will the mission of Sathya Sai Baba end, now that he has died?
Baba does not need a successor to carry on his good deeds, when his message is so universal. With the training that he has imparted to scores of followers around the globe to selflessly carry on with his three-dimensional mission, his work in the fields of free education, medicine and socio-care will continue as before.
What makes you so confident?
For years now, we have a free hospital manned by some of the best-qualified professionals, running our premises like a well-oiled machine. Our Marathi medium school has some of the best teachers, who have selflessly devoted their lives to carry on Baba's work, which went on, even when Baba was visiting his other ashrams and could not physically be involved in its day-to-day running.
With Baba no longer alive, what is next for his devotees?
What you have asked is the same question that Baba's devotees must be asking all over the world. His loss is a great deal to them. Now is the time that one must truly believe that his mission is beyond him and take it further.
What about issues involving ownership of his assets?
Baba in his infinite wisdom had foreseen such issues and had made arrangements for after his demise. His various trusts across the world will inherit all his assets and money. Baba had trained and appointed eminent people like Justice Bhagwati and others to ensure that there would be no hurdles in the allocation of his funds and assets.
In your opinion, what is the main objective in carrying out Sathya Sai Baba's teachings?
Sathya Sai Baba's teachings carry value in these days of turmoil. He did not believe in starting a new religion and asked people to follow their respective faiths to achieve their spiritual goals. He said that if one was a Hindu, then he/she should be a good Hindu and similarly if one was a Muslim, then he or she should be a good Muslim. He believed that God resided in every man and he wanted his followers to embrace the values of self-righteousness and take care of their families. He believed that if people walked on this path, the world would be a better place to live in.
What do you have to say about his theory of incarnation?
Sathya Sai Baba's true followers know that Baba will remain in their hearts and one day, he will return to be among us. He had made this prophecy that Shirdi Sai Baba was the purest form of Lord Shiva and that he was the avatar of Shirdi Sai Baba. In the course of events, the third and final avatar will be a pure form of Shakti.
Dharmakshetra
Dharmakshetra is the spiritual lighthouse established by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in May 1968, on the eve of the First World Conference of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation. The place also houses a free dispensary with mobile ambulances to reach rural Maharashtra and a Marathi medium school.
Sceptics v/s believers
Dr Narendra Dabholkar, founder president of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti said, "Scientifically, it is a proven fact that human beings cannot perform miracles. It disappoints me that our former president APJ Abdul Kalam, a scientist himself, and late Shivraj Patil, who was the minister for science and technology at the Centre, were followers of Sathya Sai Baba. Puttaparthi, like Shirdi, will soon see a temple being constructed at the site where Baba took samadhi and subsequently thousands of people from all over would visit the shrine every year, thereby increasing the income of Puttaparthi trust by leaps and bounds."u00a0(Deputy Executive Officer (DEO) Yeshwant Mane of the Shirdi Sansthan, however, refused to comment about the temple that is likely to come up at Puttaparthi.)
Deepak Pandit, a custom official from the city, said, "Baba is no less than a God to me and my family. It was only through Baba's blessing that my wife, Arushi is alive today. She underwent a heart surgery and her heart stopped beating for almost two and a half hours. Baba's blessed chain with a pendant saved her life and her heart started beating again." "We would surely visit the temple that will come up at Puttaparthi one day," he added.u00a0-- As told to Vinod Kumar Menon
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