Bhagavan, Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the incarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi. He announced it in 1940 at the age of 14, at Puttaparthi where no one had until then heard of that Divine Phenomenon which entered Mahasamadhi in Shirdi in 1918. 'I have my work; my Bhaktas are calling me', He said, by throwing away his school books. This means that the Bhakthas were already here! The phrase indicates that 'Sai Bhaktas' primarily and all persons moved by Bhakti, secondarily. 'I have my work', He said; the work was already laid down, the work which He had left off at Shirdi, and which He had resolved to continue. The nature of the work was summed up at Shirdi thus: " I will lead lakhs of people to the Subhra marg ( pure path) and take them to the goal, right up to the end", and 'My business is to bless'.
This is the work which Sathya Sai Baba has been doing for us, since 1940, taking more and more of us under His loving care, and blessing those who cling to Him with health, holiness and hope everlasting.
Baba declares that He was Shirdi as Sai Baba, that He had there assured that He will come again, 8 years after His Mahasamadhi, and that He has come to save and sustain mankind. Though referred to as Sathya Sai He is the same Sai in this new Shirdi, Puttaparthi.