4
4
S
S
A
A
T
T
H
H
Y
Y
A
A
S
S
A
A
I
I
B
B
A
A
B
B
A
A
A
A
S
S
A
A
V
V
A
A
T
T
A
A
R
R
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………….…..6
Acknowledgements……………………..…………………….……………………..8
Table of Figures……………………………………………………………………...9
Notes on Transliteration, Translation & Referencing…………………………11
1. I
NTRODUCTION TO AN
I
NCARNATION
........................................ 17
1.1 Oriental Objectivity ................................................................................21
1.2 Indecent Descent?................................................................................. 38
1.3 Explaining Embodiment ........................................................................ 55
1.4 Incarnation & Innovation .......................................................................72
2. S
TUDIES OF
S
ATHYA
S
AI
B
ABA
............................................... 84
2.1 Shirdi Sai & Similar “Saints”................................................................. 86
2.2 Becoming Baba; Bharadvāja...................................................................97
2.3 Sathya Sai, Sects & Sociology ..............................................................115
3. A
NCIENT
A
NTECEDENTS
..................................................... 127
3.1 Sacred Sovereigns ................................................................................133
3.2 Ritual Resemblances ............................................................................147
3.3 Emanations, “Explanations” & Enumerations ......................................161
3.4 Epic Epiphanies....................................................................................177
3.5 “God” in the Gītā.................................................................................191
4. M
EDIEVAL
M
ANIFESTATIONS
............................................... 210
4.1 Proliferating Purāṇic Parables ..............................................................213
4.2 Traditional Typologies & “Technical” Terms ...................................... 225
4.3 Avatars & Advaita ............................................................................... 238
4.4 Oneness & Other Faiths ...................................................................... 248
4.5 Devotional Descents ........................................................................... 264
4.6 South Indian Influences .......................................................................281
“
“
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H
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s
S
S
t
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o
o
r
r
y
y
”
”
a
a
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d
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a
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5
5
5. M
ODERN
M
ILIEUX
............................................................ 294
5.1 The Nativity of Neo-Hinduism ............................................................ 300
5.2 Nationalism & Traditionalism ..............................................................315
5.3 Stars in the East.................................................................................. 326
5.4 Assorted Avatars ................................................................................. 343
6. D
ISCUSSION OF A
D
ESCENT
................................................. 360
6.1 Analyses of the Avatars ....................................................................... 364
6.2 Keeping up Appearances......................................................................378
6.3 Conclusions ........................................................................................ 395
E
PILOGUE
.......................................................................... 405
R
EFERENCES
/ B
IBLIOGRAPHY
................................................. 406
Primary Sources........................................................................................ 406
Secondary Sources .....................................................................................414
Miscellaneous Sources ...............................................................................421
I
NDEX
(Authors, Terms & Traditional Works) ...................... 430
6
6
S
S
A
A
T
T
H
H
Y
Y
A
A
S
S
A
A
I
I
B
B
A
A
B
B
A
A
A
A
S
S
A
A
V
V
A
A
T
T
A
A
R
R
Abbreviations
The works that I have abbreviated are some of my primary sources on Sathya Sai
Baba and various reference works (plus a few editions of the Bible that I have
found occasion to cite). Some of the abbreviations in this list, and the ways in
which I have used them, are based on a system developed by (sometime sociolo-
gist, former Sathya Sai Baba devotee, and now anti-Sai Baba activist) Robert
Priddy in his online index of Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings at http://home.no.net/
anir/Sai/NDX.html [20-3-2002]. When referring to most of my primary sources
on Sathya Sai Baba, I have affixed the volume number of multivolume works di-
rectly onto the abbreviation as it is listed below. Other numbers refer to chapter,
page and date spoken by Sathya Sai Baba, for there are many printed and online
editions of these sources, often with different paginations, and many of them do
not give ‘edition’ or even date of publication information—see ‘Works of/on
Sathya Sai Baba’ (pp.406ff. below) for what details are available in this regard and
for any indications that I have been able to give as to which versions of these
works I have used
2
.
ASN
Vijayakumari
Anyatha Sharanam Nasthi
B
Svensson, C.
Bhagavad Gita or (The Divine Song)
BLES
Mirchandani, C.D.
Baba - The Life Breath of Every Soul
BV
Sathya Sai Baba
Bhagavatha Vahini
C
Hislop, J.
Conversations with Sathya Sai Baba
CDHMR
Dowson, J.
Hindu Mythology and Religion
D
Drucker, A. (ed.)
Discourses on the Bhagavad Gita
DI
Krishnamani, M.N.
Divine Incarnation – a Mystery
DMSSB
Baskin, Diana
Divine Memories of Sathya Sai Baba
ECM
Kasturi, N.
Easwaramma: The Chosen Mother
ERE
Hastings, J. (ed.)
Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics
GC
Levin, H.
Good Chances
GLI
Karangia, R.K.
God Lives in India
GV
Sathya Sai Baba
Githa Vahini
HDH
Sullivan, B.
Historical Dictionary of Hinduism
LG
Kasturi, N.
Loving God
2
NB Priddy’s index provides some useful cross-references to different editions of various works (es-
pecially C, S, and San), but, for the sake of simplicity, I have not endeavoured to do this hereunder.