Sathya Sai Baba The World-Avatar Teaching and Revelations

It has been suggested in a letter that, just as there are some days
which are celebrated all over the world as holy days, my birthday must
be on all-world holy day; I have been asked to bless this plan of making
it a day of Sathya Divine Ceremony, the world over. I appreciate this
attachment and devotion, but I do not encourage this adoration of just
one name and one form, or even, my present name and my present
form.
I have no wish to draw people towards me, away from the worship of
my other names and forms. You may infer from what you call my miracles,
that I am working them to attract and to attach you to me, and
me alone. They are not intended to demonstrate or publicise; they are
merely spontaneous and concomitant proofs of Divine majesty. I am
yours; you are mine, for ever and ever. What need is there for attracting
and impressing, for demonstrating your love or my compassion? I
am in you; you are in me. There is no distance or distinction. 23.11.68,
(20-361)
A word spoken in love is balm to the tired foot. You come to Prashanti
Nilayam, by road, rail or bus; you walk into the garden, exhausted and
eager. I ask from the verandah: “O, when did you arrive?” Others may
doubt, why is Baba asking this question? “Does he not know? Surely,
he must know all about him and us. Why then this query?” But you, to
whom this question is put, you are elated that Baba spoke to you, as
soon as I walked in! I seek to give you joy and so, though I know, I ask
such questions; if I do not ask, but keep quiet, you feel forlorn and frustrated,
don't you? You know that I am asking you, not for the sake of
the answer which I am already aware of, but for the sake of the satisfaction
my words give you. So also, I may ask: “How are you?”, though
I know that you are well and that is why you could come or that you
are unwell and that is the very reason that has brought you to me! This
is the spirit that charms; if it speaks, if it casts its eye, if it does something,
you derive pleasure thereby! 18.7.70, (21-174/175)
The devotee decides the form which God takes, in order to instal himself
in the heart that is cleansed by devotion. Mere formal worship or
mumbling of hymns or mechanical routine performance of rituals cannot
induce God to reside in the heart. Such a heart is encumbered by
trivia, by lumber, by cobwebs and impediments. I am not enamoured
of the devotion that desires to show off, to impress others of its depth!
I do not appreciate pompous parading of devotion; I appreciate devotion
that is too deep for words and too intense to care for publicity. (...)
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