Madhusudan Naidu - a fearful or a fearless reality?

What is all this fuss about Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s continuing mission in the subtle form? Is Madhusudan Naidu ( http://thestorydivine.com )  playing to the gallery? Or is there truly something which not all are able to fathom? What is going on here? How can so many initiatives commence on a daily basis, quite literally? Is it humanly possible? All truth passes through three stages it is said, “First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident”, said Arthur Schopenhauer. After quietly watching the internet drama for some time now, I decided to do some digging and find out for myself about all this, and of course about Madhusudan Naidu, this led to my deep urge to write, and share my thoughts with all those who still have the faculty called ‘brain’...sort of intact! 

Swami said in His own words, “I am attached to a work that I love. To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack.” When Swami was physically viable, He began the education mission for example, and the uniqueness of these Institutions is its emphasis on spiritual education along with worldly knowledge and skills, nurturing love for God and serving fellow human beings. Swami insisted that the knowledge gained by students in His Institutions, should be offered for the benefit of society, by cultivating the spirit of oneness. It is to teach this message that the Sai advent took place.

In one of the messages to passing out MBA students, Swami said, “Have the feeling that God is in You. Then God will manifest in front of you. As long as you think that God is in Puttaparthi, He remains there for you. But the moment you think that He is present wherever you are, He manifests Himself there!”

Well! These messages were rightly understood and assimilated by many. Many were inspired, transformed and invigorated. After reading the book ‘The Story Divine’, I realised that Madhusudhan Naidu was one among His students who took to these messages with utmost sobriety. The young man’s sincerity and purity probably rendered him ready to be in perfect tuning with Baba, thus allowing HIM to completely take over him. A state of oneness of HIM and him! For all the followers of Swami as God and for all those who trust in His wisdom, it is still difficult to believe that anyone can get Him to manifest in front of him/her. Didn’t Swami say during a discourse just 11 seconds is enough??

https://youtu.be/kZwl_4TT6rM

The subtle phenomenon actually began eons ago...even when Sai was in His physical form, He manifested in various places, was seen by many people, and of course everyone believed and happily reveled in a state of awe and joy! If anyone has read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahamsa Yogananda there are references of Mahavatar Babaji communicating with him. Haven’t we heard about the visitation of the blessed Virgin Mary? Now for those who may not remember..let me narrate. Mary visited her relative, her cousin Elizabeth; they were both pregnant. Mary was pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist. Mary left Nazareth immediately after the Annunciation and went “into the hill country…into a city of Judah” (Luke 1:39) to attend her cousin Elizabeth. The journey was about 100 miles, and Elizabeth was in the sixth month before Mary came (Luke 1:36). Mary stayed three months and departed just before John was born.

Catholics believe that the purpose of this visit was to bring divine grace to both Elizabeth and her unborn child. Even though he was still in his mother’s womb, John became aware of the presence of his Divine Saviour; he leapt for joy as he was cleansed from original sin and filled with divine grace. Elizabeth also responded and recognised the presence of Jesus. Thus Mary, now for the first time, exercised her function as mediatrix between God and man! Need I say more?

In August 2011 (Three months after Swami left His physical body), Swami in His subtle presence, instructed Madhusudhan Naidu and Sri B N Narasimha Murthy about an Educational Institution that needs to be established at Gulbarga (North Karnataka) and guided them to purchase a 50 acres land. I realised that when Madhusudan Naidu’s ‘friends’ were getting married and uploading their pictures all over facebook, when they were celebrating their child’s birth, their promotion, when they were getting upgraded to bigger cars, homes, position; here was Madhusudan Naidu toiling hard in arid Gulbarga to get the first campus up and running in time to keep up Swami’s promise! Since Swami left the physical frame, Madhusudan Naidu has assisted in starting 19 campuses since November 2012, and two tertiary care hospitals in India.

Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketanam, Gulbarga district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://vidyaniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Sharadaniketanam, Mandya district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://sharadaniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Divyaniketanam, Chikkamagalur district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://divyaniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Sriniketanam, Chikkamagalur district (for girls): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://sriniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Human Excellence, Gulbarga district (for men and women): Graduation – www.sssche.org
Prashanti Bala Mandira Kannada Medium Higher Primary School, Chikkaballapur district (for girls): Kindergarten, Grade 1 to Grade 7: https://pbmprimaryschool.org
Prashanti Bala Mandira English Medium Girls High School, Chikkaballapur (for girls): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://pbmhighschool.org
Sri Sathya Sai Premaniketanam, Bijapur district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://premaniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Prashantiniketanam, Chikkaballapur district (for girls): Pre-University College: https://prashantiniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Sathyaniketanam, Hassan district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://sathyaniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Vaniniketanam, Gadag district (for girls): Grade 6 to Grade 10: https://vaniniketanam.org
Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Composite High School, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur district (for Boys): www.ssslst.org
Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Kendra, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur district (for boys): www.ssslst.org
Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Pre-University College, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur district (for boys): www.ssslst.org
*Sri Sathya Sai Prashantiniketanam, Hyderabad (for girls): Pre-University College
*Sri Sathya Sai Vishwaniketanam, Hampi district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10
*Sri Sathya Sai Sevaniketanam, Koppal district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10
*Sri Sathya Sai Karunyaniketanam, Tumkur district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10
*Sri Sathya Sai Satthwaniketanam, Karwar district (for boys): Grade 6 to Grade 10

And as far at the Gulbarga Campus goes, resources surged in by the Divine will, and the Institution was christened by Swami as Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketanam. Thenceforth, the education mission of Baba in the current empyreal realm, continued to gain impetus and 19 Campuses started functioning since November 2012. These Institutions have been set up in the most naturalistic settings in the rural hinterlands of Karnataka bequeathing the gift of education completely free of cost. It is worth knowing that children from the back of beyond are brought to the front of classrooms in these Institutions. Children from impoverished backgrounds are given first priority in the admission process. Over 5000 such deserving students are recipients of this education today.

How are these Institutions any different from the ones established by Swami in His physical form?  A colligation of facts from the beginning that read about the uniqueness of Swami’s educational Institutions applies to these Institutions as well. One must see it to believe it!

In spite of such tangible humanitarian work taking wings in unimaginable propulsion, why Madhusudhan Naidu is the target of the devotees of Baba? Is he to be blamed for stepping up to the plate instead of feeling like pennies waiting for a change? Are the various questions raised by these devotees just smoke and mirrors to push the good work to the back-burner? 

For example, Madhusudan Naidu has also played his part in getting the 120,000 school going children served with fresh cooked breakfast every single morning...for all those who don’t know...it’s called the Annapoorna ( http://annapoorna.org.in )  Breakfast programme! These children who are beneficiaries will be able to stand on their feet, and even help others, for they are learning a beautiful value called ‘Gratitude’. Gratitude to society who is nourishing them.

And what have we done worthwhile in the past years other than bang our heads on the keyboard, talk and write whatever came to mind about something we have not experienced, and vehemently deny the fact that Swami can do anything? And of course accuse Madhusudan Naidu? Well, who are we mere mortals to question or even remotely fathom His actions?!

Truly, Madhusudan Naidu is a hero to many...because he chose God over everything else. How many of us have the courage to leave EVERYTHING behind and do this?! He is leading his life purposefully! So when I put my head towards all this, I questioned as to how all this can happen without some higher power guiding? And then I also realised that there is no end of rubbish thinking without actually seeing first hand! . “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”, said Mahatma Gandhi. 

Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for some time, but it aint’ goin’ away!