“I Would Be Happy To See a Real Miracle Before I Die”:

Basava Premanand

We are now moving to the end of the first volume of the series under "Science Versus Miracles". All the experiments explained here are found in books on Magic and in scientific literature. Using these methods. unscrupulous godmen and psychics have been exploiting the gullible. Even scientists like Dr. Bhagavantam. P. K. Banerjee. Venu Mukunda, Sudarshan etc., have fallen a prey to their exploitation.

Unless the government changes its education policy the country has no future. Now education is in the hands of the unscrupulous who propagate miracles, superstitions, and blind beliefs. Science is only the knowledge of nature and Universe. Unless our people are educated in Scientific Temper we have no hope. The gullible will go after miracle men for an ear solution to their mundane problems. However much we expose the godmen, the credulous will go to the next one who has yet to be exposed.

Even those who are exposed appear again when people forget the exposure and the new generation comes up. For instance, Ganapathi Satchitananda Swami of Mysore, Amritananda Mayi of Kerala, and the Sweet Baba of Satara are raising their heads and are becoming powerful. Ganapathi Satchitananda Swami was exposed by the Narasimhaiah Committee in 1970's. He himself confessed that he has no miraculous powers. Amritananda Mayi went underground in 1983 when the police confronted about 26 women who claimed to be possessed by gods and goddesses.

The Sweet Baba of Satara was exposed in 1981 `while I was in Maharashtra conducting Vijnan Jatha. He was created by some scientists who wanted to start a parapsychology department in Pune University. The scientist behind this was a colleague of Dr. Rhine of the parapsycholoy department in Duke University in the United States. Recently Sweet Baba was in the news. A UNI reporter alleges that he had investigated the Sweet Baba. made him wash his hands and when he touched something it tasted sweet. The reporter does not know the method of magicians. With a little of saccharin on his cloth after his hands are washed, and he touches the cloth stealthily he can make hundreds of people taste sweetness wherever he touches.

We have vet good laws to protect the people from being exploited by these frauds. The section 420 of the CPC is for cheating. The Medical Council Act says that none can practise medicine unless he has registered himself in the Medical Council after passing the medical examination. We also have a Medical Practitioners Act which restricts the quacks from practising medicine. We have the Magical Remedies Objectionable Advertisement Act which prohibits advertisements of magical remedies. We have a consumer Protection Act and the Monopoly Restriction of Trade Practises Act. But what use are these laws if the Law Enforcement Department does not enforce them by taking action against such crooks?

Though our ministers and the President have taken oath on our Constitution that they would protect our Constitution and Laws made under the Constitution. we find them visiting such crooks and patronising them.

When the Supreme Court has passed judgement when the Tibetans were arrested when the Chinese Premier visited India, that it is the right of even citizen to protest and agitate peacefully. We were arrested on 1.1.1986 by the Police of Andhra Pradesh when we marched to Puttaparthi to protest peacefully and explain to the people of Puttaparthi the tricks behind Satya Sai Baba's miracles. Though I had asked the State Authorities to give me protection, they protected the self proclaimed god and harassed us.

We have the press Council Act by which we can approach the Press Council if the press publishes articles without any truth in them. But the Press Council does not take any action on such-petitions when the Chairman of the press Council is also an inner circle member of the godman.

We were arrested on the plea that our peaceful protest would create law and order situation as Satya Sai Baba is very influential and his followers would get angry! That means the police would only protect the criminals and no the individual if the criminals are powerful.

When the Defence Department, Finance Department and the Home Department of the Government of India were informed of the smuggling of Indian Weapons to Uganda by Satya Sai Baba in exchange for Congo Gold, they were all silent, saying. that the matter is still under investigation Even after twelve years the investigation is not over. That means that the government also may be a party to the smuggling.

Under the Treasure Trove Act, all the things found under the earth belongs to the government. When complaint was made to the law enforcement department about an 18" inch gold Krishna Idol allegedly' taken from the earth and presented to the former Maharani of Rajkot, they were silent. When Satya Sai Baba has made gold, gold ornaments, diamonds and precious stones allegedly by his Supernatural power and presented them to influential, and even to Supreme Court Judges and their family members, when the Gold Control Act prohibits making of gold, possessing of gold and gifting of gold unless permitted by the gold Control Authority, the High Court Judge and the Bench found that Satya Sai Baba had "Materialised" gold in a split of a second and so it does not come under Gold Control Act. When the law of Conservation says that nothing can be created nor destroyed, without any evidence or record, the High Court dismissed my petition against Saga Sai Baba for contravening the Gold Control Act.

Unless the people come together to see that our law is enforced against the culprits. exploitation will continue. Otherwise people will have to take the law in their own hands. This will lead our country into chaos. This is what is happening in India. The militant activities are increasing day by day wherein thousands of innocent people are being murdered. The government cannot suppress the people without enforcing EQUALITY OF LAW AND JUSTICE and encouraging illegal activities and fraud. They have the dub to protect the citizens being exploited by the frauds. Let us hope that the government of India `will come forward in enforcing law and protecting the gullible people.

Afterword

I have been in search of miracles since I was twelve years of age. So far I have come across more that a thousand five hundred miracles and psychic phenomena. But when they were investigated, they were all tricks. From my experience I do not know whether I might yet come across a real miracle before die.

Friends. if any of you believe that you have come across a real miracle, supernatural, occult, psychic and spirit phenomenon, kindly let me know in detail what it is and where it is happening, with the address so that we can investigate it and find the truth. I would be happy to see a real miracle before I die.

Now a test for your intelligence and observation: In Gujarat a godman accepted our challenge and came forward to do a miracle. Our challenge was that he should burn a currency note which we give and produce again the -me number current note (But what he did was to take a rupee note from his pocket and ask us to see whether it was genuine or counterfeit. We were to write down the serial number of the note, burn it and give him the ash.) Then the note was burnt and the ash given to him, he mixed it with water which he drank. Immediately. he started having labour pains and through his mouth he "delivered" the same note with the same serial number. We washed it and examined it and found it was genuine.

This is the simplest trick I have ever come across.

I have put this test to thousands of people who have heard me in about seven thousand lectures. Many came forward with answers and I found that this trick can be done in hundreds of ways. I want you to think and let me know how it could be done.

B. Premanand
Convenor, Indian Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
11/7, Chettipalayan Road
Podanur 641 023 (Tamilnadu)
India

We are also making a video library of the miracles explained in this volume.

There will be more than ten volumes in this series which will explain about 1500 miracles, psychic and supernatural phenomena. A second volume is being prepared which will explain all the miracles Satya Sai Baba claims to have performed in his biography "Satyam Sivam Sundaram" in four parts.

Belief in god is a philosophy of life. When you believe that god is all powerful then he does not need the help of his followers to protect him. Nor is he a beggar. He does not need any middlemen to help him with money. You pray directly to him and if it gives you peace of mind and courage, well and good. But do not allow others to exploit you in the name of god.

Work hard to cultivate a scientific temper, humanism, and a spirit of enquiry: Educate others around you by instilling in them a scientific temper aid the spirit of enquiry. This will help our country to progress.

The Challenge 

Professor A. T. Kovoor, since 1963, had declared an award of Rs. 1, 00, 000/- for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fraud-proof conditions. This was his challenge:

I, Abraham T. Kovoor of "Tiruvalla", Pamankada Lane, Colombo-6 do hereby state that l am prepared to pay an award of 1, 00, 000 Srilanka rupees to any one from any part of the world who can demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fool-proof and fraud-proof conditions. This offer will remain open till my death or till I find the first winner.

Godman, Saints, Yogis and Sidhas who claim that they acquired miraculous powers through spiritual exercises and divine boons win this award if they can perform any of the following "miracles" 

1. Read the serial number of a sealed up currency note.
2. Produce an exact replica of a currency note.
3. Stand stationary on burning cinders for half a minute without blistering the feet.
4. Materialise from nothing an object I ask.
5. Move or bend a solid object using psychokinetic power.
6. Read the thought of another person using telepathic powers.
7. Make an amputated limb grow even one inch by prayer, spiritual or faith healing powers, Lourdes water, holy ash, blessing etc.
8. Levitate in the air by yogic power.
9. Stop the heart-beat for five minutes by yogi power.
10. Stop breathing for thirty minutes by yogi power.
11. Walk on water.
12. Leave the body in one place and reappear in another place.
13. Predict a future event.
14. Develop creative intelligence or get enlightened through transcendental or yogic meditation.
15. Speak or understand an unknown language as a result of rebirth or by being possessed by a spirit. holy or evil.
16. Produce a spirit or ghost to be photographed.
17. Disappear from the negative when photographed.
18. Get out of a locked room by, spiritual power.
19. Increase the quantity by weight of a substance by divine power.
20. Detect a hidden object.
21. Convert water into petrol or wine.
22. Convert wine into blood.
23. Astrologers and palmists, who hoodwink the gullible by saying that astrology and palmistry are perfectly "Scientific", can win my award if they can pick out correctly - within a margin of five percent error - those of males, females, and living and the dead from a set of ten palm prints or astrological charts giving the exact time of birth correct to the minute, and places of birth with their latitudes and longitudes. 

I invite miracle performers like Satya Sai Baba, Pandrimalai Swamigal, Neelakanta Tathaji, Nirmala Devi Srivastava, Pujya Dadaji, Dattabal, Triprayar Yogini. Gtirudev Anandamurthi, Kamubhai, Chinmayanand, Acharya Rajneesh, Muktanand, Swami Rama, Swami Haridas, Sivabalayogi, Bhagavan Gnanananda, Gurumaharaj-ji, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, Hazarath Ali, Dr. Vadlaimudi, C. S. Teerthangar, R.P.Tiwari, Uri Geller, Ne1iya Michailova, Jeane Dixon, Sybil Leek and the numerous "professors" of astrology and palmistry, in India and numerous other gurus, swamijis, mahatrnas, acharyas, andas, babas and bhagavans who have found fresh pastures and wealthier gullibles in Western Countries, to take up my challenge and prove to skeptics like me that they are not hoaxers.

Dr. A. T Kovoor fell ill with cancer in 1976. I therefore continued his challenge after his death. 

Rules covering my offer concerning psychic, supernatural or paranormal claims:

Since claims will vary greatly in character and scope, specific rules must be formulated for each claimant. All claimants must agree to the rules set forth here before any formal agreement is entered into. A claimant will declare agreement by signing this form where indicated before a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, or notary public and returning the form to me. The eventual test procedure must be agreed upon by both parties before any testing procedures take place. l shall not act as a judge. Nor shall l design the protocol independently of the claimant. -All claimants must identify themselves properly before any discussions take place. Owing to the large amount of correspondence exchanged on this subject, all correspondence must include a stamped, self addressed envelope.

I, B. Premanand, will pay the sum of Rs. l00,000/- (Rs. One hundred thousand only) in Indian current to any person or persons who will demonstrate any psychic, supernatural of paranormal ability of any kind under satisfactory observing conditions. Such demonstration must take place under the following rules and limitations: 

1. The claimant must state clearly in advance. and the claimant and B. Premanand will agree upon what powers or abilities will be demonstrated. the limits of the proposed demonstration (as far as time, location and other variables are concerned) and what will constitute both a positive and a negative result.
2. Only an actual performance of the stated nature and scope within the agreed limits is acceptable.
3. The claimant agrees that all data of any kind (photographic, recorded written or other) gathered as a result of the testing may be used freely by me in any way I choose.
4. Tests will be designed in such a way that no judging procedure is required. Results will be self-evident to any observer, in accordance with the rules which will be agreed upon by all parties in advance of any formal testing procedure taking place. No part of the testing procedure may be changed in any way without the expressed agreement of all parties concerned.
5. I may ask the claimant to perform informally before an appointed representative, if distance and time dictate that need. for purposes of determining whether the claimant is likely to perform as promised.
6. l will not pay for expenses incurred by the claimant such as transportation, accommodation. or other costs.
7. When entering into this challenge, the claimant surrenders any and all rights to legal action against me, as far as this may be done by established statutes. This applies to injury, accident or any other damage of a physical or emotional nature and/or financial or professional loss of any kind.
8. Prior to the commencement of the formal testing procedure, 1 will give my draft for the full reward amount into the keeping of an independent person chosen by the claimant. in the event that the claimant is successful under the agreed terms and conditions, that draft for Rs. 1,00,000- shall be immediately surrendered to the claimant by the person holding that draft, in full settlement.
9. Copies of this document are available free of charge to any person who requests it and sends the required stamped, self addressed envelope to me.
10. This offer is made bye personally, and not on behalf of any other person, agency or organization, though others may become involved in the examination of claims, and others may add their reward money to mine in certain cases.
11. This offer is open to any and all persons, in any part of the world regardless of sex, race, educational background or other-factors, and will continue in effect until the prize is awarded, or until my death. My legal will states that. upon my death, the bard amount will be held in escrow and in charge of the Indian Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, 1/7 Chettipalayam Road, Podanur 641 023 (Tamil Nadu) India which is then empowered to continue the offer for a period of ten years after my demise, after which the reward amount can be used by them according to the objects of the Committee.
12. THE CLAIMANT MUST AGREE UPON WHAT WILL CONSTITUTE A CONCLUSION THAT HE OR SHE DOES NOT POSSESS THE CLAIMED ABILITY OR POWER.. This rule must be accepted by the claimant without reservation
13. The claimant should demonstrate his powers at the place, date and time fixed.

The claimant, by signing, notarizing and returning this form, signifies agreement with the above rules.

Indian Skeptic
c/o B. Premanand
11/7, Chettipalayam Road
Podanur 641 023
(Tamil Nadu) India

Posted in: Debunking,Premanand,Science versus Miracles,Scientific Temper