Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Women — Dignity, Strength and Grace

Centenary Series, Article 12

“To honour womanhood is to honour God HimselfFor in her compassion, the universe finds balance”

1. The Divine Vision of Womanhood

Swami emphasised again and again that to honour women is to honour Divinity itself. He declared: “Where women are honoured and esteemed there Divinity is present with all its potency.”   In his discourse “Glory of Womanhood” he said that the scriptures ascribe seven virtues to women: Sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), santhi (peace), prema (love),  sahana (tolerance), ananda (bliss), svanubhuti (spirituality).  

Thus, according to Swami, a woman is not merely a social role-bearer, but a living embodiment of the Divine qualities — a flame of truth, love and sacrifice in action.

2. Dignity: The First Foundation

Swami’s teachings place dignity at the very heart of the role of women. In the discourse “When Women Are Honoured” He said: “A home where the woman sheds tears will be ruined. Men should give an honourable place for women and lead a respectable life.”   

(Ref: Sathya Sai Speaks-31, Ch 16,  “Woman — The Embodiment of Nobility and Virtue”)

He reminds us that “Woman is the embodiment of Shakti, the Goddess of Nature. The Vedas declare that where women are honoured and esteemed, there Divinity is present with all its potency. But where they are dishonoured, all actions, no matter how sacred, are of no avail.”  

(Ref: Sathya Sai Speaks-16, Ch  28,  “Women’s Role in Society”)

From this perspective, dignity for women means:

• Being respected and valued in the home, the community, the workplace.

• Recognising that her birth, her being, her contribution is sacred, not incidental.

• Ensuring she is not treated as a lesser or weaker vessel, but honoured as a partner, leader, guardian of values.

  
  

Swami articulates this clearly: “Woman is neither meant to surpass man, nor to be trampled under his foot. She should stand as his equal, his companion in his joys and sorrows of life.”   

(Ref: Sathya Sai Speaks-13, Ch 14 -  “The Ideal of Womanhood”)

3. Strength: The Hidden Power

While culture often highlights the gentler side of womanhood, Swami emphasises the strength inherent in women: the power of endurance, sacrifice, compassion, and leadership. As he says:

“The woman is the embodiment of sacrifice… The father will say it is alright when the children are suffering from some disease. The mother tries hard to protect them.  Women can control the whole world by themselves by virtue of their inherent qualities of love and spirit of sacrifice (prema bhava and thyaga bhava)”

(Ref: Sathya Sai Speaks-31, Ch 16 - “Woman – The Embodiment of Nobility and Virtue”)

These statements show that strength in Swami’s vision is not about domination or aggression, but about inner stability, loving power, self-less action and leadership through service.

In practical terms:

• Women in the Sai movement are encouraged to take up leadership roles (for example the Women's Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization).  

• Strength shows up in service work, in education, in uplifting communities.

• The spiritual strength of women comes from embodying the virtues Swami describes: truth, love, peace, sacrifice, compassion.

4. Grace: The Expression of Divine Qualities

If dignity is the foundation and strength the power, then grace is the expression — how the virtues manifest in behaviour, in relationships, in society. Swami uses the image of the lotus growing in mud and rising unsullied, to illustrate how a woman can live in the world yet remain centred in the Divine.  

He says: “Love alone can win it… Love that needs no requital, love that knows no bargaining, love that is paid gladly as tribute to All-loving”  

 (Ref: Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 1, Discourse 10 (1958) — “Love — The Source of Happiness”) 

Grace thus means:

• Living boldly yet humbly, acting with strength yet kindness.

• Carrying within the radiant qualities of the Divine and letting them shine through everyday life.

• Serving others with joy, forgiving, uplifting society rather than merely reacting to it.

Swami’s call is that women be “Lotus, unfolding its petals when the Sun rises in the sky, unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water which sustains it!”

That is a picture of living in the world (in the mud) but rising above, in dignity, strength and grace.

5. Relevance Today — For Women and for All

In our modern context:

• Women continue to face challenges of inequality, undervaluation, discrimination. Swami’s message offers a timeless call: recognise the sacredness of each woman, honour her dignity, enable her strength, celebrate her grace.

• For women themselves: the teaching invites you not only to ask for respect and rights, but to embody virtuous living, service, self-knowledge and spiritual depth.

• For society (men included): this is not merely a women’s issue. The dignity of women affects the entire home, the entire community, the quality of civilisation. Swami points out, “A home without a woman is a jungle.”  

• For organisations inspired by Swami: the Women’s Wing, educational institutions, service projects — all act as platforms for women to shine, to lead, to express their full potential in service, values, spirituality.  

6. Practical Steps— Living the Vision

Here are some ways to apply this teaching in the fortnight ahead and beyond:

1. Reflect: Meditate on the virtues Swami ascribes to women — truth, love, peace, tolerance, bliss, compassion. Which virtue is calling you right now?

2. Honour: If you are in a role of influence (home, workplace, society), create opportunities to honour and support the women around you — mothers, daughters, colleagues, friends.

3. Service: Undertake a small act of self-less service in the spirit of Swami’s credo “Help Ever, Hurt Never”. Let that service acknowledge the dignity and strength of women.

4. Empower: For women reading this, step forward — lead an initiative, share your voice, collaborate in projects, mentor younger women — in the spirit of grace and strength.

5. Share the Message: Use this article as a discussion point in your next Sai group, women’s circle, or community meeting. Invite reflections on how the vision can manifest practically in your context.

7. Conclusion

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s message regarding women is radiant, radical, and deeply rooted in ancient wisdom: that the feminine principle is sacred, strong and full of grace. To honour women is to honour Divinity; to empower women is to uplift humanity; to live with dignity, strength and grace is to align with the spiritual purpose of this life.

As we mark Ladies’ Day on 19 Nov 2025,  may we all — women and men alike — renew our commitment to this vision: to live in such a way that dignity is upheld, strength is awakened, and grace is expressed. In doing so, we become living instruments of Swami’s mission: ‘Love All, Serve All’ and ‘Help Ever, Hurt Never’.

— Ravinder Grover

(This pen merely moved — the Hand of God wrote every word.)

Sri Sathya Sai Global Council, New Zealand