By B.Premanand
On page 34 of the book "Modern Miracles", it is mentioned that when Sathya Sai Baba produced a sizable piece of white rock candy by a wave of his hand, Haraldsson asked him: "How do you do this". SSB's answer was: "Mental creation. I think, I imagine, and then it is there."
If the production, transformation, or vanishing a thing by SSB is just by thinking or imagining, then a question arises as to why he moves his hands and body to produce, transform or vanish a thing?
To produce, transform or to vanish one needs a hiding place. The movement of the hands and the body helps one to produce, transform or vanish a thing which can be hidden in their body or hand. This is what SSB does. Bigger things which cannot be hidden on the body you will find that he produces them from sand.
Haraldsson lost a good opportunity to examine whether, if the photo is wiped clean, holy ash would again form. (see page 20). Many places which I visited where holy ash was said to be flowing from the photos of SSB, I found that they had sprayed the ash mixed in startch solution which when dried gives an effect as if ash is forming on the photos. Another method was by using mercuric chloride solution on photos or books which has been printed with metalic Ink or paint. Then in the specially made hollow in the top frame or in the back wall which is filled with ash and when fan is put, it seems as if ash is flowing from the photo. For honey, or Amrith, a bottle of the liquid is kept at the back of the wall and a tube connected to the back of the top of the photo frame and when the tap is opened when people come to see the miracle, drop by drop honey or Amrith flows from the photo.
Neither, Haraldsson or Karlis Osis were able to persuade Baba to participate in scientific experiments. On page 41 Haraldsson mentions that Dr.Bhagwantam advised them not to pester Baba further with requests for experiments, since that might spoil their relationship with him. What Haraldsson has done is, he has collected some old stories of SSB's miracles and interviewed some inner circle members of SSB's band wagon and some old devotees who have left SSB but are afraid to talk against him for fear of black mail. Then how can this book be an objective scientific report? Read the correspondence I had with the author, you will know the truth.
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Gerald_Huber@r.maus.deLast update: 20. October 1998