This is what happened at the beginning of the 2000s, the number of visitors increased dramatically. People could hardly fit in the main temple. Due to the huge influx of people, Sathya Sai Baba became very inaccessible.

In the ‘90s, it was effortless to have direct contact with Sathya Sai Baba, or so it seemed to us. When we came to the program, it was not difficult to find a position in the front rows allowing us to see Sathya Sai Baba up close every day.

In those years, Sathya Sai Baba quite often invited me for personal conversations; this time is now remembered with joy. He interacted especially with Russian-speaking groups. People in the ‘90s believed with enviable confidence that if they came to the ashram, they would definitely have the opportunity to personally communicate with Sathya Sai Baba. These were truly golden years!

Quite often, groups visiting for just a month would get several face-to-face meetings with Sathya Sai Baba. These conversations were called interviews.

When I arrived in India, I already knew English; most Russians did not speak English, which is why I began to translate during personal meetings between Sathya Sai Baba and Russian-speaking devotees. In addition to me, there were several other people who also translated during personal meetings.

When I was given the opportunity to be Sathya Sai Baba's interpreter for the first time, I was happy and could hardly believe it. A couple of weeks later, when the next interview took place, I was also a translator. After this, such chances began to present themselves more and more often. It was a divine and unique opportunity for close and direct communication. My prayer to Sathya Sai Baba was that he would allow me to communicate with him personally as much as possible, and he fully satisfied my desire.

As an interpreter for Sathya Sai Baba, I often had the opportunity to communicate with him closely. In addition, during the audiences, as a translator, I always had the opportunity to sit very close to him, next to his chair, from where I would enjoy his vibrations of love and universal harmony.

Frequent communication with Sathya Sai Baba allowed me to witness many interesting situations. People came with a variety of questions and problems. Sometimes they were questions related to difficult life situations, and sometimes high philosophical topics were discussed.

It was very interesting to see how people asked their questions and how Sathya Sai Baba reacted to them. Sometimes he could give completely different, even opposing answers, to very similar questions. Each time, his reaction and answers depended on the spiritual level at which the person who asked the question was located. Sometimes, he refused to answer questions at all. These questions were usually not sincerely asked or were simply far-fetched.

From watching Sathya Sai Baba communicate with different people, I was able to accumulate great and valuable spiritual information. When he gave amazing lectures to an audience of thousands, he knew those present were at various levels of spiritual development and had different life interests. His lectures were varied and designed for the vast levels of understanding across the audience.

After the large gatherings, conversations were usually held with a small group in a private, intimate room. These meetings were deeply personal. That is why Sathya Sai Baba could individually respond to people's questions and behavior, wisely consider their situations, and give them detailed and personal instruction.

During communication, Sathya Sai Baba could be quite tough on those who tried to be smart and make a good impression. Some visitors tried to ask difficult spiritual questions, but Sathya Sai Baba's reaction to such visitors was very harsh. This happened if the person was not sincere. Sathya Sai Baba always saw through such people who aimed to show their alleged spirituality and instead pointed out the hidden vices to the clever men.

In his presence, people fell into the purest divine vibrations of love and goodness, and their spiritual transformation took place instantly. Sathya Sai Baba's stern and, at the same time, loving gaze was enough to turn a person from pretension to instantly realizing his ignorance and modestly falling silent in the bliss of God's closeness.

People often ask questions about items materialized by Sathya Sai Baba such as rings, rosaries, amulets, earrings, watches and more. Why did he do it? Why did he give rings and rosaries to some, and not to others? Is it true that only weak and insecure people received gifts from Sathya Sai Baba, or vice versa, only high souls of advanced spiritual understanding?

I think everything is much more complicated but at the same time also much simpler. It is difficult to say for sure why he materialized rings or rosaries for some, yet not for others.

One of the greatest American mystics of our time, Wayne Dyer, who highly revered Sathya Sai Baba, jokingly said one of the greatest mantras in the world that destroys the small ego and reunites us with eternity is the seemingly simple phrase: “I don’t know.” Indeed, it is extremely difficult for the ego to say, in the presence of other people, these simple words, "I don't know."

When we reflect on the life of Sathya Sai Baba, it is important to say these golden words, “I don't know” as often as possible. In fact, this is true, we do not know anything about him and cannot know. Who can understand the mysterious craft of the Avatar? Who can realize the infinite reality of God?

It is impossible to fully understand the behavior and intention of the Avatar. Each of his actions has deep meaning and he knew exactly what was useful and necessary for whom. People expressed all sorts of suggestions about why Sathya Sai Baba gave materialized objects to some, and not to others. There can be no logical explanation for it.

It can hardly be argued that Sathya Sai Baba materialized items only for weak people who needed his constant presence. It would also be irresponsible to assume that only those who were at higher spiritual levels of development received such gifts from him.

Ordinary human logic is powerless to understand such subtle divine intention. We understand the events of life from our limited understanding, while the wisdom of Sathya Sai Baba remains limitless and perfect.

There are many videos showing how Sathya Sai Baba materialized many treasured items. In most cases, he made materializations in his room, but sometimes they happened among a large crowd of people.

It is difficult to say why, but at different times the process of materialization outwardly took place in different ways. Perhaps it depended on the energy that Sathya Sai Baba wanted to put into this or that object. Quite often materializations were accompanied by bright flashes of light and sometimes popping sounds similar to that of electricity discharges.

Sathya Sai Baba materialized objects from his right hand. Before creating another object, he made circular movements with his right palm. Then it became clear to everyone present that a miracle was about to happen.

After several rotational movements of the right hand, the object did not just appear from the center of the palm, it quickly jumped out of it. Sathya Sai Baba deftly caught the object when it was already flying from the middle of his palm. After that, he showed the object to everyone present. At that moment it was not yet clear to whom exactly he would give it; momentarily, he’d turn to the future lucky owner and present the gift.