A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

167 satï
Ÿatäk•ï
(‘hundred-eyed’)
A name of the Goddess (DEVÏ).
Ÿata-rudriya
(‘[invocation of] Rudra with a hundred
[names]’)
A text in the White YAJURVEDA, through
which RUDRA/Ÿiva is propitiated and
asked to stay away from the sacrificer.
Ÿata-rüpä
(‘the one with the hundred forms’)
The first woman; daughter of BRAHMÄ,
mother or wife of MANU (2).
sat-guru (‘the true teacher’)
Usually identified with the supreme
being.
Sathya Sai Baba (b. 1926)
(‘true father of truth’)
A contemporary charismatic Hindu
leader, who claims to be the reincarnation
of the Sai Baba of Ÿirdi (Mahärä•flra)
who died in 1918, as well as an
AVATÄRA of Ÿiva and Ÿakti. He discovered,
as a fourteen-year-old, his miraculous
powers to cure illness by means of
an ash-like substance that formed on
the pictures of Sai Baba and that he
himself is now creating freely. His followers
number millions in India and
abroad; hundreds of Sai Baba centres
have come into existence, some large
establishments with schools, hospitals
and other facilities. He predicted that he
will live to the age of 95, and that after
his death a third and last incarnation of
a Sai Baba will appear.
Satï (‘faithful’)
A daughter of DAKÆA and wife of ŸIVA,
who killed herself out of anger at
Dak•a’s contempt for Ÿiva.
satï
A wife who ascends the funeral pyre of
her deceased husband. A satï was usually
honoured by her community through
a memorial. Satï was declared illegal in
1829, but still occurs occasionally. (See
also WOMEN.)
Bhajan attended by the contemporary guru Sai Baba (left).