Sai Baba's claimed to have been born without physical conception

The official biographer Professor N. Kasturi described the legend around Sathya Sai Baba's (Sathya Narayana Raju) birth and the essence of it is found on the Sathya Sai Organisation's official web site, as follows: "Sri Kondama Raju was a pious soul who lived out his hundred and ten years of earthly existence in the unceasing contemplation of the Lord. His wife Srilakshmamma predeceased him by twenty years. They had two sons who were both named after Sage Venkavadhootha - Pedda Venkama Raju and Chinna Venkama Raju. Pedda Venkama Raju, the elder son, was married to Easwaramma, daughter of Sri Meesaraganda Subba Raju of Kolimigundla of Kurnool district. Pedda Venkama Raju and Easwaramma were blessed with a son and two daughters in that order, Seshama Raju, Venkamma, and Parvathamma.

Some years passed and Easwaramma longed for another son. She prayed to the village gods, performed Sathyanarayana Puja and observed a number of rigorous vows. One day, an extraordinary incident occurred that heralded the descent of the divine into her womb. Easwaramma had gone to the village well to draw water. There, she noticed a strange bluish glow that transformed itself into a luminous orb. The ball of light then glided towards her and entered her being. Shortly thereafter, to the joy of her family, Easwaramma found herself in the family way."

On the question of virgin births - this is entirely a belief which has, of course, no reasonable evidence to support it. Such claims have been made for many supposedly divinely born persons. The obvious widely believed example is that of the Virgin Mary's mothering of Jesus. while other claimed virgin births include Ghengis Khan, Lao Tzu, Buhhha, Romulus, Dionysus, Alexander the Great, Zoroaster, Karna, Ra, and figures in Greek and other ancient mythologies and numerous other lesser known figures. All these stories belong to the realm of untestable religious mythology and subjective belief. Among reasons for claiming virgin birth - as in the case of the Virgin Mary - include the desire to prove the fulfilment of former prophesies, to refute claims of illegitimate birth due to adultery (as historically claimed of Mary in early texts). There are precedents in legend and myth, particularly in the Old Testament of the Bible. In the Bhagavatha Purana, Krishna is supposed to have been born by the mental transmission from Vasudeva, which is loosely referred to by many Hindus (including Sathya Sai Baba) as a 'virgin birth' but Krishna was recorded as being the eight born son of Devaki - it was a strange kind of virgin here. The same goes for Easwaramma, mother of Sathya Narayana Raju (Sai Baba), who already had a son and had suffered several miscarriages prior to the "virgin birth'.

Concerning this a Sai Baba hagiographer, M.R. Narendra, has also written:-
"The emphasis on the ‘Mana (mind) of both the father and the mother announces to us that the Avatar’s advent occurs in ultra-physical ways. The mother serves as the inaugural Vessel to contain the Cosmic Essence and allows it to unfold as its Will dictates.

The incarnation of the Buddha too was equally marvellous. The following lines are from the epic poem ‘Light of Asia’ by Edwin Arnold: ‘The Devas knew the signs and said, “Buddha will go again to help the World”. “ Yes” spoke He. “Now I go to help the World. I will go down among the Sakyas under the Southward snows of Himalaya where pious people live and a just king”. That night the wife of king Sudhodana, Maya, the Queen, asleep beside her Lord dreamt a strange dream, “that a star from Heaven, splendid, six-rayed, in colour rosy-pearl, whereof the token was an Elephant, six tusked and white as milk of Kamadhenu, shot through the void and, shining into her entered her womb upon the right”. The Buddha formed the body for Himself within that maternal niche, conferring the status of father on Sudhodana, and Maya meditated on the Sidhartha moon, in the sky of her womb until the time when all could witness the glory of the child in the cradle.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was similarly blessed. “The Angel Gabriel was sent from God to Virgin spoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David, and the Virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel said unto her, “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus”…. Then said Mary unto the angel, “How shall this be, seeing I know not of a man?” And Angel answered unto her, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And so it did come to pass as the World knows.”

Swami has often declared that this Sai Avatar descended because the Saints and Sadhus of all the lands prayed for His arrival. “I chose the mother who was to experience My closeness during gestation. The Avatar alone has this freedom of choice. In other cases Karma determines the time and space, the group and the grade.

Years later as Swami sat one day surrounded by his devotees, there was an abrupt interruption. A Pundit well versed in the holy Puranas felt a sudden urge to ask a question. “Swami; was your Incarnation a Pravesa (an entrance) or a Prasava (Enciente) ?” Shri N.Kasturi could not quite understand the relevance of the interruption that jolted everybody away from the jocular mood of the talk, but Swami knew the reason. Turning to Easwaramma seated in front, He said, “Tell Rama Sarma what happened that day near the well after your mother-in-law had warned you”. Mother said, “She had dreamed of Satyanarayan Deva and she cautioned me that I should not be frightened if something happens to me through the Will of God. That morning when I was at the well drawing water, a big ball of the blue light came rolling towards me and I fainted and fell. I felt, it glided into me”. Swami turned to Rama Sarma with a smile. “There you have the answer; I was not begotten. It was Pravesa, not Prasava”. (Thus a divine incarnation takes place by a process of impregnation which occurs by the Divine Will itself and not by the natural and normal human process).

"To get back to the period when Easwaramma was pregnant. Kondama Raju had dreams of Venka Avadhootha in which he was instructing him to be prepared - but for what he was not told. And Pedda Venkapa Raju, the father, was awakened at night by sweet musical notes emanating from the string and percussion instruments kept in the ‘rehearsal room’. Angels, Gandharvas, Kinnaras? Musical Ancestors? He knocked at the doors of astrologers. Telling them about his attempts to know what these meant, he described his tension at the time and the comforting explanation of an astrologer at Bukkapatnam was, “Is the music sweet and soothing?” he asked. “The notes and beats were thrilling,” Pedda Venkapa Raju answered. “Is there a pregnant woman in the house?” When told “Yes”, he predicted that the Gods were playing music to charm the baby in the womb. He recited a verse in Sanskrit from a book on horoscopes to please the bewildered father.

It had come at last, that moment chosen by the Lord to appear on Earth in His incarnated form. It was the month of Karthika. Monday. The day of worship for Siva, was about to glide into Tuesday, the day dedicated to Ganesh. It was 5.06 A.M. I.S.T. on 23rd November,1926, and the reigning star was Ardra. From 4 o’clock that morning Lakshamma, the mother-in-law was at the Satyanarayana Pooja at the home of the priest. She was called back home more than once as the delivery neared but she was determined not to return until she could bring back the deity’s Prasad for Easwaramma which she could procure only at the conclusion of the ceremony. At last she came, she gave. It was accepted and relished. And the son was born." (from “Pralaya 1999”, by M. R. Narendra)