Prashna means “question”. Uttara means “answer” and Vahini indicates “a stream”. This book is the stream of the questions that have evoked answers from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Among the tasks that Bhagawan has assumed while incarnating, He has declared as basic the one, which He calls, “The clarification and purification of the religious scriptures of mankind.” Every Vahini emanating from Him has done this service to some aspect or other of the spiritual uplift of man. This Vahini is one of the earliest in the series, since it seeks to elucidate the fundamental concepts and precepts of religion, especially the technical words and expressions that seek to concretise them. Hitherto published as an Appendix to a single Vahini, the Gita Vahini, it is now placed in the hands of seekers as a key publication, helpful for readers of all the Vahinis. The Ancient Wisdom (Sanathana Dharma), the Perennial Path, has been communicated to posterity in words that have suffered distortion, devaluation, dilution, and denigration through the efflux of time and the controversies among commentators. Varna, Ashrama, Yoga, Sanyasa, Yagnya, Karma—these are interpreted by dialecticians and practitioners of varied schools and sects, in confusing and contradictory versions. Bhagawan has resolved these tangles. His exemplary love and patience sweeten not only every answer, but every question too, for He has, by posturing as the interrogator, made the clarifications full and fruitful.

Prasna means “question”, Uttara means “answer”, and Vahini indicates “a stream”. This book is the stream of the questions that have evoked answers from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Among the tasks that Bhagawan has assumed while incarnating, He has declared as basic the one that He calls, “the clarification and purification of the religious scriptures of mankind.” Every Vahini emanating from Him has done this service to some aspect or other of the spiritual upliftment of man. This Vahini is one of the earliest in the series, since it seeks to elucidate the fundamental concepts and precepts of religion, especially the technical words and expressions that seek to concretise them. Hitherto published as an Appendix to a single Vahini, the Gita Vahini, it is now placed in the hands of seekers as a key publication, helpful for readers of all the Vahinis. The Ancient Wisdom (Sanathana Dharma), the Perennial Path, has been communicated to posterity in words that have suffered distortion, devaluation, dilution and denigration through the efflux of time and the controversies among commentators. Varna, asrama, yoga, sanyasa, yajna, karma—these are interpreted by dialecticians and practitioners of varied schools and sects, in confusing and contradictory versions. Bhagawan has resolved these tangles. His exemplary love and patience sweeten not only every answer but every question too, for, He has, by posturing as the interrogator, made the clarifications full and fruitful.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba wrote a series of articles under the Vahini series, for Sanathana Sarathi, a monthly magazine being published by Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam. These precious articles are brought out now, under the title “Geeta Vahini”, in this book, for the benefit of readers. This is not a commentary or summary of the divine message that was given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna. It conveys the same message in a simpler form to us, in order to remove our delusion and confer faith and strength on us, so that we may realise our own reality. Bhagawan says, “Drawing on the Divine that is inherent in us is the lesson of Geeta… Arjuna is the jiva and Krishna is the Deva. When both are in contact, impregnable might results… Krishna had to work in and through Arjuna, so that the reign of Dharma (righteousness) is re-established. Arjuna means white, pure, unblemished. Hence, he is the proper instrument.” We too can become proper instruments in restoring Dharma, if we follow the lessons that Bhagawan teaches through this book.

Started in 1958, Sanathana Sarathi is a monthly magazine devoted to Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love) - the four cardinal principles of Bhagawan Baba's philosophy. It is published from Prasanthi Nilayam (the Abode of Highest Peace) and acts as a mouthpiece of Baba's Ashram as it speaks of the important events that take place in His sacred Abode, besides carrying Divine Messages conveyed through Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The word meaning of Sanathana Sarathi is the 'Eternal Charioteer'. It signifies the presence of the Lord in every being as the atma guiding their lives like a charioteer. It implies that he who places his life, the body being likened to a chariot, in an attitude of surrender in the hands of the Lord, will be taken care of by the Lord even as a charioteer would take the occupant of his chariot safely to its destination. The magazine is an instrument to disseminate spiritual knowledge for the moral, physical and mental uplift of humanity without any discrimination as the subject matter discussed therein is always of common interest and of universal appeal. The fifteen Vahinis - streams of sacredness - known as the Vahini Series comprising annotation and interpretation of the Upanishads and other scriptures, Itihasas like the Ramayana, the Bhagavatha and the Mahabharata, and authentic explanations on Dhyana, Dharma, Prema, etc., have been serially published in this magazine as and when they emanated from the Divine pen of Bhagawan Baba. This magazine is published in almost all Indian languages, English and Telugu from Prasanthi Nilayam and others from respective regions. Every year Sanathana Sarathi comes out with a special issue in November commemorating the Divine Birthday. The English and Telugu magazines are posted on the 10th and 23rd respectively, of every month, from Prasanthi Nilayam. This magazine has wide, ever increasing circulation in India as well as abroad, as the study of it brings the reader closer to the philosophy of the Avatar in simple understandable language THUS SPAKE SAI... Discoursing during the launch of Sanathana Sarathi... From this day, our Sanathana Sarathi will lead to victory the cohorts of truth - the Vedas, the Sastras and similar scriptures of all faiths, against the forces of the ego such as injustice, falsehood, immorality and cruelty. This is the reason why it has emerged. This Sarathi will fight in order to establish world prosperity. It is bound to sound the paean of triumph when universal Ananda is achieved.

Swami says, “When a mother is feeding her child, you can see her inducing the child to eat by means of harsh words, a smile, a joke, a threat, or a story, diverting its attention, showing the child a dog, a flower, or the moon. I have also to adopt the same tactics to make you listen and assimilate the valuable food that is so necessary for your growth. That is the reason why I relate stories, sing, recite poems, etc. in My discourses!” With this inspiration, Bhagawan’s teachings and related moral stories are compiled in the form of this book from His Divine Discourses, for better understanding of His teachings. This book should help us in getting inspired, to put His teachings into practice in our daily lives and grow spiritually better and better, with each day.

The Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1974 are no showers, but a flood. Bhagawan in His compassion and boundless love covered the whole gamut of truths, esoteric and explicit, contained in the Vedas in His discourses. While unfolding the esoteric content and explaining the technical terms, He dispelled many misconceptions in the minds of students and pundits, particularly about the term ‘Brahman’, which He established by drawing from scriptural texts, as also His own testimony as Eternal and Universal. He explained the term Bharath as embracing the whole world and not confined to the geographic entity now called ‘India’. Bhagawan has made a loving and passionate appeal to all students to take His teachings to heart and practice Dharma all the while. In fact, it can be, without exaggeration, renamed ‘The Sathya Sai Gita’.

Nooshin Mehrabani, the author of this book is a native of Iran. The author takes the readers through a guided tour of her life – her happy moments and travails seem to go hand-in-hand. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been her Guru and God, guiding her through every moment of her life. Many miraculous events happen in her life, when she feels the unseen hand of Bhagawan guiding her convincingly and continuously. She finds answers to knotty, gnarled problems by Bhagawan's grace. The compassionate Lord also grants her many interviews, guiding her life through a safe passage, ultimately leading her to settle at Prasanthi Nilayam. This book will serve as a motivating factor for both newcomers and old-timers in Bhagawan's fold, to hold on to His feet through the thick and thin of life and reach the ultimate goal of life, namely liberation.