Book excerpt: To be living as a contemporary of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is itself a unique chance, for His is the authentic voice of the Lord Himself; and He is easily accessible and eager to receive pious souls and persons afflicted with physical handicaps or spiritual confusion. His advent itself is to restore dharma in human relationships and instill courage in the hearts of spiritual aspirants and purity in the ranks of pious people (sadhus). He began this mission at the tender age of fourteen, when He announced Himself as the Saint of Shirdi, Sri Sai Baba come again, according to the promise the saint had made that He would reappear to complete His work eight years after He left His body (after His Mahasamadhi). Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba unostentatiously proclaims His divinity by a continuous manifestation of miracles beyond the reach of the laws of science. He counsels, consoles, confers boons, and, above all, encourages the faltering aspirants to march forward toward Him; for He is the Absolute, the Goal. Every word of His, spoken or written, is a great aphorism (a mahavakya); for He has the authority to make it so. This book is the translation into English of His invaluable advice to all spiritual aspirants, which was first published in the “Sanathana Sarathi” as a series of articles in Telugu by Him. Baba’s Telugu is sweet and simple and goes straight to the heart. To translate it into English is indeed to squeeze out much of its native nectarous taste. But for those unacquainted with Telugu, this is the best means of listening to His directions and so this book is presented to all such aspirants. May success come to all who read and follow the teachings of Baba and may they be led to His Holy Presence by His Grace