“When I am with men I am a man, when with women I am a woman, with children I am a child, alone I am God.”

This perhaps explains why we are not always able to comprehend Him. This also perhaps explains why He comes down to our level, in order to raise us and transform our hearts. Every pilgrim to Parthi, has his own tale to tell.

“I first give you what you want, so that one day you may want what I have come to give.”

The relationship which Sai Students share with Him is unique.  He is at once a patient teacher, a loving mother, a strict father, while also being the Divine who resides in our hearts. He is the force within us - all of us merely His instruments. To us, who have basked in His love, He is our friend, our guide – our goal. 

“Since I move about with you, eat like you and talk with you, you are deluded into the belief that this is but an instance of common humanity. Be warned against this mistake. I am also deluding you by my singing with you, talking with you and engaging myself in activities with you.  But, any moment, my divinity may be revealed to you; you have to be ready, prepared for that moment.  Since divinity is enveloped by humanness, you must endeavour to overcome the Maya that hides it from your eyes.  This is a human form, in which every divine entity, every divine principle – that is to say all the names and forms ascribed by man to god-are manifest.

How fortunate you are that you can witness all the countries of the world paying homage to Bharatha – you can hear adoration of Sathya Sai’s name reverberating throughout the world even while this body is existing - not at some future date, but when it is with you before you….. Do not be misled into error and loss. The time will soon come when this huge building or even vaster ones will be too small for the gatherings for those who are called to this place. The sky itself will have to be the roof of the auditorium of the future”.

Those of us, who are witness to the glimpses of His divinity while relating to him as a mother, a father, guru or even a friend, realize this. We, who come to Him as pieces, are sculpted into masterpieces. He is the ‘One’ that assigns us – ‘zeroes’, a value.

What we constantly need to remind ourselves, is that the Divine descent is for our ascent.