Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been extremely kind and loving in giving me the chance of being a student in His Institute (and hopefully for life too). I would like to share personal experiences with Swami and thoughts that He has inspired via many episodes through this blog.
An artist's impression of the second coming of Jesus Christ
Christianity is a fascinating religion in many ways. One of the special things about Christianity is that a lot of it is derived through the writings of the apostles of Christ. The religion offers the aspirant different perspectives or views of the same master, Jesus Christ, through the eyes of many. Thus, we have the Gospel according to Mark, Gospel according to Matthew, Gospel according to John and so on. Each is the Truth in itself and we battling by quoting one against the other would be akin to blind men fighting over their respective descriptions of the elephant!
“Munde Munde Matir Bhinnah”, says my Master and Lord, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In spirit, this translates into ‘there are as many interpretations of the Truth as there are heads’ because everyone is allowed an opinion. And so, when I read through the description and interpretation of the same master through ‘different heads’, rather than get confused and upset at things that do not match my perspective and opinions, I celebrate the grand diversity and beauty of the Master. The Master’s concern is always for the individual and therefore, there are as many ways to God as there are individuals. The Master allows the aspirant to seek a path most suited for him/her to progress spiritually. Thus, I try to enjoy the perspectives and interpretations for none of them are wrong - all are right in their own sense because, ultimately, there is only One Truth and nothing else.
Among the different things I was reading, one subject that interested me tremendously was that of the second coming of Christ. Why did that interest me? Simple. I would love it if God were to come on earth in physical frame once again! I have been blessed to have enjoyed the proximity of dear Swami and I know how wonderful, holy, elevating, uplifting, sanctifying and fun Divine company can be.
{By the way, my notion that the 24th April 2011 (Easter Sunday) is a day of Swami's‘departure’ was shattered through a miraculous experience that happened exactly a year later - on the 24th of April, 2012. Swami showed that it is a day to mark His ‘arrival’ into our homes and heart(h)s!}
You just have to search the term, “The Second Coming” on the internet and, in a span of seconds, you will see nearly a billion results hit your computer screen! That should suffice to say that it is an intensely debated and discussed topic. There are interpretations galore. So abundant were the interpretations offered that I decided to go to the actual Christian ‘Book of Revelation’, the final book of the New Testament, credited to the apostle, John. Again, there are so many versions and I referred to the King James’version of the Bible, chapter 19. What I found there simply thrilled my heart. The reference to the descent of the “King of Kings and the Lord of Lords” was so wonderful.
And here, I shall present these as stated in the Bible along with my interpretation and understanding. (The relevant passages from the Revelations have been presented in bold.)
19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba as the Second Coming - an impression of the artist - Alexander Prowse.
According to the Hindu concept of time and ages, God incarnates from age to age to establish righteousness on earth. In the present Kali age, the incarnation is that of Kalki, a Kshatriya riding a white horse. The similarity of the description struck me and I remembered that one of the photographs Swami materialized was of Himself riding a spotlessly white horse! Many artists and painters have depicted Him that way too! Also, "faithful and true" indeed seems like a translation of the word "Sathya".
Swami indeed is here, waging a war - a war like one that the world has never seen before. Just like a buffalo imagines God to be a large buffalo, we imagine war to be one with destruction and demolition. But Swami says that the weapon He has come armed with is that of Love. As He revealed during His Shivarathri 1955 discourse
“In this Avatar, the wicked will not be destroyed, they will be corrected, reformed and educated and led back to the path from which they have strayed. The white ant infested tree will not be cut: it will be saved.”
Prof.Sudhir Bhaskar with his Swami in the Kodaikanal hills.
Noble money or noble wealth?
In a world which seems increasingly susceptible to corruption and dishonesty, the terms “tainted wealth” or “tainted money” are often encountered. These terms carry stigma and a definite negative connotation whenever and wherever they are used. In fact, the Bible has a proverb which says,
“Tainted wealth has no lasting value.”
Does that mean that ‘tainted’ money holds any less value than ‘just money’? Come on, lets face it. Whether money is ‘tainted’ or not, it’s value remains the same right? There is this famous anecdote of a college lecturer holding up an American dollar note and asking,
“Who wants this dollar bill?”
Several students raise their hand. Seeing this, the lecturer furiously crushes the bill and asks again,
“Who still wants this bill?”
The hands continue to remain raised.
“What if I do this?”
He throws the bill to the floor, stamps it, soils it and then holds it up, all dirty and crumpled.
The hands continue to be held high because irrespective of what is done to that piece of paper, the fact cannot be changed that it is worth a dollar.
However crumpled or stained, a dollar is worth a dollar!
What we are talking about here is not the physical ‘taint’ on money, but a moral one. Therefore, quite obviously now, ‘tainted money’ refers to money or any other form of wealth that is gained through unscrupulous means. This could be earned as blatantly as demanding a bribe to do one’s duty or as subtly as pocketing a currency note lying lost and neglected on the road. Blatant or subtle, discovered or hidden, dishonesty is dishonesty because the individual indulging in it is definitely aware. Such acts ‘taint’ the money with their dishonesty.
But hey! What do you expect me to do with a currency note that I find on the road which belongs to nobody? You want me to walk away? How is picking it up being dishonest? What should I do then? Well, those are nice questions to think about and I would definitely be enlightened by any and all the answers which the reader can post in the comments section of this article.
I shall not go into that answer here because I want to think about something that is quite the opposite of tainted money - what I would like to call as noble money!
What is noble money?
Building on the flow so far, just as ‘tainted money’ is morally inferior money, ‘noble money’ is morally superior money. Therefore, though there is no such proverb in the Bible, intuitively there seems to be a provision for this statement,
“Noble wealth is of ever-lasting value”.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, my best friend and master, offered tremendous insights into the nature and power of ‘noble money’. That becomes crystal clear when we understand the amazing correlation and connection between two experiences of a professor from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.
“Do you work commensurate to your salary?”
The blessing came out of the blue for Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar and he began to walk behind Swami, to assist Him, during the darshans in Prasanthi Nilayam.
It was the 10th of June in 1993. Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar was seated in the portico of the mandir in Prasanthi Nilayam. Alongside him were a couple of other senior professors from the Institute. They had all come to seek blessings from Swami to start two new courses in the University - MFM (Master of Financial Management) and MTech (Master of Technology in Computer Sciences).
Swami arrived for darshan from His new residence space at the head of the Poornachandra Auditorium. He completed the darshan rounds and walked up to the three professors seated in the portico. He saw the proposal and plans for starting the two new programmes in the University and blessed them. After that, in an unexpected shower of divine grace, He looked at Prof.Sudhir Bhaskar (SB) and Prof.G.V.Prabhakar Rao (GVP) and told them,
“You two, come behind me...”
That was the beginning of the greatest opportunity of SB’s life. He began to assist Swami, walking behind Him, carrying the letters He had taken, ensuring a smooth and disciplined darshan session, keeping the interview room ready, carrying messages from Him to several administrators/devotees and so on. He enjoyed this beautiful and bountiful seva opportunity for more than a decade! That 10th of June marked the beginning of this divine period.
That day, Swami returned to the portico and, in front of everyone in the portico, asked SB,
“How much salary are you getting?”
SB was taken aback. He did not know what to say. Should he just state his salary? Or should he tell Swami the truth that the actual salary he received was His love and his peace of mind? He just kept silent instead. Then, Swami asked another question,
“Are you working commensurate to the salary you are drawing?”
“Sir, I would love to lead a spiritual life in pursuit of God. But I have a problem...”
“Aha! I see... Pray what is your problem?”
“My day, sir, is filled with activities from morning till night. I have a family to tend to and a job to attend. Amidst my hobbies, social life and professional life, I don’t seem to find any time even after nightfall to dedicate to God. Time is my problem. I don’t know when to think about God...”
With a smile and his characteristic shaking gestures, Dr.Johnson replied with another question,
“My friend, I too have a problem. If you help me solve mine, I shall help you solve yours...”
“Pray what is your problem sir?”
“You see, 3/4ths of the face of earth is covered by waters.The remaining space is too full of mountains, deserts, forests, icy regions, river beds, marshes and moors. With such impossible areas abounding, space is my problem. I don’t know where to live...”
When the sky is my roof and the earth is my floor, will I ever lack in living space? But that expansive Truth dawns only when I drape myself in the Orange of sacrifice,,,
“You certainly must be joking doctor. When millions of people (the World population hit the billion mark only in 1800) have found space to live on the earth, surely you will be able to do so... “The man laughed aloud.
Dr. Johnson now smiled broadly.
“Now, what was your question sir?”
The person was smart and he understood that him complaining of not having time for God was as absurd as Dr.Johnson complaining of the lack of living space on earth.
A flaw in the story?
This was a story that often came to my mind whenever anyone asked,
“How do we find time for God? How to achieve a balance between worldly life and spiritual life?”
While the story as such seems to answer the first question, it does not go into specifics of finding time for God. Nor does it answer the second question. While there are billions of people finding living space on earth today, I really don’t know whether there are at least thousands of people who have time for God! I mean, nobody can really say how many people on earth find time for God. So, its not as if the scarcity of time is just my problem. If I had been the person in the 18th century speaking with Dr.Johnson, i would have possibly pointed out this flaw in his argument,
“But sir, are there so many people who actually spend time for God? Your comparison makes it appear as though I am an exception whereas I am more like the general case here!”
Vijay informed his parents about the chance he had got to go to Puttaparthi and be part of a drama to be staged there. They were happy. The past few years had seemed to really improve their son and his positive outlook towards Swami delighted them.
Vijay performed his role behind the scenes to the best of his ability and sincerity. As instructed, he made sure that he did not peep to get a darshan of Swami during the drama and, when the time came, he showered ‘Adi Sankaracharya’ with gold. When the drama concluded, Swami moved down the dais, amidst the children. He blessed all the actors with clothes. He also materialized vibhuti for some of the actors. Having done this, as He sat on the stage, the supreme Lord of the Universe seemed unsatisfied! He is never satisfied when it comes to giving.
He said something to the attendant boy by his side. A tray was brought from within and Swami beckoned to the actors. He handed over a wristwatch to each and every one of them. The line of actors ended but not Swami’s enthusiasm to give. He looked beyond, at the sets’ boys seated behind. Sathya Sai is a silent worker - always acting behind the scenes and giving credit to others. He definitely knows what it is to be a background worker! He beckoned to the sets’ boys too and Vijay was one among the first few to go to Him.
Swami blessing Vijay with gold chain that He materialised with a wave of His hand. This was in 2008.
(This is the second part of an interesting story. You will get maximum joy by reading it in the proper chronology. In case you have missed it, read the first part at the link below before returning to this part.
Vijay knelt before Swami. It was for the first time in his life that he was seeing Swami from such close quarters. Swami held out a wristwatch for him. But Vijay’s attention was not on the watch. He was drinking deep into the fountain of beauty that Swami is. That momentary experience was enough to make Vijay desire madly for a seat in Swami’s college. He remembered Shyam’s words that one got admission in Swami’s college only when He wills. So, he told Swami,
“Please give me admission in your college. I want a seat.”
“Ok. Take”, said Swami, handing him the watch.
Vijay did not understand whether Swami was asking him to ‘take’ the watch or the seat. He did not know then that Swami has the ability to bless two birds with the same stone! He felt that Swami wanted to get ‘rid’ of his pestering presence. He took the watch and walked back to his place.
Thus concluded the Parthi trip which triggered an insatiable thirst in Vijay to become a student of Swami.
The ‘Himalayan people’ have a high spiritual quotient
One of the first things that strike you when you travel to the Himalayan regions is the unbelievable grandeur and beauty of nature. I have made two such trips so far - once to the Garhwal Himalayas and the other to the Kumaon Himalayas - and on both the trips, my breath has been taken away by the mesmerising sights. There is another thing that strikes you with equal force when you undertake such a journey, though it might not hit you right in the beginning. That, in my opinion, is the main reason why this place, Uttarakhand, is called Daivabhoomi (the divine land). And therefore the amazingly high spiritual quotient of the people here.
The beautiful temple-complex at Jageshwar where it is believed that the central shrine houses a Jyotirlinga.
“Hey! Hold on there”, you will ask me, “how do you know that? Do you know a way to measure the spiritual quotient of people?”
No! I do not have any means to actually measure the spiritual quotient of people, though the 12 symptoms of spiritual awakening are good indicators of the same. Based on those ‘symptoms’ I have a personal rule-of-the-thumb which I use for my judgement. I know that I am myself guilty of violating the ‘10th symptom’ (i.e. A loss of interest in judging others) when I use my thumb-rule.
But anyway, here is my personal thumb rule. Whenever people who are hitherto unknown to me ask me about Swami (my Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba), I try to see through the tone of their questions. Also, when I speak about Swami to these people, I try to gauge their openness. In my opinion, the more open, the more appreciative, the more spontaneous, the less conflicting, the less critical and the less judgemental they are, the higher is their spiritual quotient. (And I hope that you are open and appreciative towards this thumb-rule and not critical and judgemental about it! Hehehehe)
A rare photo of the Jotirlinga at Jageshwar which the priest allowed me to take.
Coming back to the spiritual quotient of the people in these Himalayan regions, it is amazing how open, friendly and inquisitive they are. They do not disbelieve others opinions and faith. They accept all paths because spirituality, for them, consists of multiple paths leading to the single, same peak of Self-discovery. And so, each interaction regarding Swami with any hitherto unknown person in this region has left me wiser, happier and more thrilled. As we travel through some beautiful places now, it will be my endeavour to share two such wonderful interactions.
In the art of storytelling, it is important to know where detailed descriptions have to be given and where they should be avoided. The story should be long enough to cover all points but short enough to keep it interesting. Having gone into all the details of that momentous single day of Mohammad’s life in Part 1 of this story, I shall avoid the mundane details of the next 3 months. But there is one detail that has to be narrated because it inspires interest and also conveys a lesson. And that is the fact that Mohammad, in those 3 months, often kept thinking about his benefactor at the Arabian sea. As he thought more and more about him and the episode, he began to realize more and more that there was no peace or joy in the world that he was acquainted with.
There is a feeling of emptiness. A sense of dissatisfaction that engulfs us without exception. It rises and ebbs, perhaps, depending on the phase of life we are in. I doubt if this hollowness will ever be filled. It was there when we were born and it continues to grow as we age. Filling this emptiness, this dissatisfaction is possible only by spiritual means.
Though he began to make a decent living catching fish in the new motor boat, his inner world was in total turmoil. He now began to smoke even more than before in search of an escape from his mundane existence. But whatever he did, a strange sense of dissatisfaction plagued him. He remembered his fakir friend so much that he got an irrepressible urge to meet him. He decided to undertake another journey to Bombay and seek him out.
If one makes a close enquiry, one will notice that at some point in everyone's life, a sense of dissatisfaction sets in. The actual point of this dissatisfaction setting in might vary but this definitely happens irrespective of one's wealth, position, relationship status and age. This is a dissatisfaction that can be 'cured' only by spiritual means because true happiness lies only in union with God. That union can come about only when one drops one's desires and one's false sense of identification with one's body. That is precisely the reason why when anybody asked Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, "I want peace", His reply was,
"Drop the 'I' and drop the 'want'. You have peace automatically."
These statements are not only high in literary value. They are profound spiritual truths packed in a very concise manner. In that sense, though not in Sanskrit, they are mantras indeed.
The address that the fakir had given lead Mohammad to a temple in Bombay.
[Note: The building
indicated by the fakir friend was a Shirdi Sai Temple known as Shri Sai
Dhaam Mandir located near Congress House on Vithalbhai Patel Road in
Girgaum. A Christian lady, Mrs Valentine, sold the house to the
Trustees of Sai Dhaam for Rs.50,000/-. The house was then remodelled
as a temple for another Rs.20,000/- and was inaugurated on Gudi Padwa
day in 1960 by Shri Yeshawantrao Chavan, the then Chief Minister of
Maharashtra. The statue of Baba, in sitting posture, was carved by
Shri Balaji Wasant Talim]
Not finding any house, he began to make enquiries about the fakir's whereabouts. He regretted that he had not asked the fakir his name which made the task of finding him very difficult. He had to go around describing him to the people there. Finally, somebody directed him to go into the temple. (Mr. Venkatesh Prithviraj, the narrator and witness to whom Mohammad told his remarkable story, personally visited this Shirdi Baba temple in the later years.) Mohammad had never entered a temple in his life. But today, nothing would stop him from doing so. Strangely, nobody seemed to be surprised to see a Muslim enter a temple. It was as if that was normal! Walking in, Mohammad got a shock of his life. He fell on his knees and began to sob uncontrollably.
The rock in the garden in Anjaneyulu's house compound in Uravakonda which today has got immortalized in His-Story
Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam
Into the bungalow He entered like an emperor walking into his palace. He went straight to the newly born baby girl at home. Anjaneyulu and his wife came rushing to Swami. Swami picked up the baby and, looking at her, said,
“You too fell in the Maya Sai Prabha!” (I got to know later that the girl had been born on the 21st of September, 1943 and the naming ceremony had not yet been performed.)
Sai Prabha as a 55-year old. She was probably the first child to be named by Swami. courtesy: Love is My Form.
Then, He looked at the lady of the house and asked,
“Where is the boy?”
“Sathyam, Dasu has not yet come from school...”
Obviously, she was speaking of Narasimha Dass with whom Swami had left for school in the morning.
“No! Where is your boy?”
I shared the lady’s bewildered look.
“What is the matter dear child Sathyam?” It was Anjaneyulu this time.
“I am not your Sathyam. I am Baba. I have come for Vishwa Shanti (World peace/welfare).”
He then walked out of the house, into the garden.
The rock on which Swami sat to deliver His first message to mankind has today been made into a shrine with a marble idol of little Sathyam and Shirdi Baba.
I stopped dead in my flight (remember, I have travelled to the past as a fly!). The immense meaning of the declaration had not hit me but still I felt a thrill travel down my wings. I was sure that something magnificent was about to happen now. Those vibes were unmistakable. It was akin to the moment just before Moses heard the ten commandments and Mohammed got the first revelation; just before Buddha received enlightenment and when Arjuna received the Bhagwad Gita. All this while, it was only me, a fly having travelled in a time machine, who was buzzing around. Soon, the whole compound would be bustling with people and buzzing with excitement. Swami actions would ensure that the excitement was kept at a crescendo.
(The story so far has been absorbing because it has allowed us to witness those episodes in Swami’s childhood life, that very few are aware of and those which led up to this epochal moment. It is thus suggested that the reader move on to this sixth and final part, having read the previous five parts. However, if pressed for time, reading this last part alone too will suffice to generate the thrill and eagerness to read the previous parts!
He walked out of the house and into the garden. Anjaneyulu, who had definitely felt the same vibes, came running out. He went to his rock shrine on which was the clay idol of Shirdi Baba. He intuitively cleared it and spread a leopard-skin carpet over it. Swami went and sat on the rock, amidst the trees. Ah! How divine and majestic He looked! Did I see a halo around His head? He had definitely chosen this moment to reveal Himself and all of a sudden, there seemed to be a never-ending stream of people in the garden. In front of the crowd, Sri Sathyanarayana Raju erupted into a song.
Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam
Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam.
(Meditate in thy mind on the Feet of the Guru. This can take you across the difficult sea of existence, birth after birth.)
A recording of Swami singing Manasa Bhajare
I wholeheartedly joined in the bhajan singing. The Parama Guhyam (greatest secret) thought to be accessible only to a select few was being doled out with love and compassion to anyone who was ready to lend even a curious ear! People started coming up to the rock with incense and camphor. They brought flowers in great abundance and offered it to Him. But He had come to collect grander flowers, the Hrudaya Pushpam (flower of the heart).
(In the Bhagwadgitha, Krishna has referred to "Pathram, Phalam, Pushpam, Thoyam" that is, leaf, fruit, flower or water that can be offered to God. I am pleased with any of these, provided it is offered with sincere devotion. What is 'pathram'? It is not the 'leaf' that you see around you. The inner meaning is that your body itself is the leaf. Flower is not the one in the plants but it is the flower of your heart, "Hridhaya Pushpam". 'Phalam' is not the ordinary fruit but 'Manophalam' (the fruit of your mind). 'Thoyam' means water but what is referred to here is not the water from the river or tap. It refers to the tears of joy welling up within you from a sincere and prayerful heart.
Soon, I saw Seshama arriving on the scene. He had a half-thrilled and half-shocked expression. He left in a hurry presumably to send a message to the parents to arrive to Uravakonda as soon as possible.
“Beep.... Beep... Beep....”
Oh my God! That must be the time machine beckoning to me. My time was over! But how? I remember that I had set the batteries on full charge to last at least a week. How could they have drained out so fast? The reason and realization slowly dawned on me. So lost had I been in the grand event of the Declaration that I had spent 3 full days in bhajans and worship in the ‘rock-garden’ at Anjaneyulu’s house! I looked at my Swami. He showed no signs of fatigue or hunger. From where did He get such strength and stamina without eating even a morsel? Did He derive energy directly from the elements?
Sri V.V.Ramulu, the photographer.
“You fool”, my heart corrected me, “it is not He who derived strength from the elements but the elements that derive their power from Him!”
As if to give proof of this, I saw a miracle of transmutation of elements right before my eyes before returning from the time travel. The instrument through whom the miracle occurred was a photographer, V.V.Ramulu. He had come to document the occasion that would give him a place in the His-Story books! He wanted to take a picture of the Guru and requested Swami to strike a pose. In His infinite love, Swami looked lovingly at the camera. There was an ugly stone that had somehow made its way in front of Swami. Ramulu asked Swami to push away that crude stone.
Swami smiled and told him to go ahead with taking the picture. I was not present to see Ramulu developing and processing the negatives but the Sathyam Shivam Sundaram (the official biography) records that when the picture was made, the crude stone had transformed into an idol of Shirdi Baba!
The photo taken by Ramulu. The 'crude stone' was transformed into an idol of Shirdi Baba when the negative was developed.
My life is my message
As I returned to my day and age, I realized with tears in my eyes that Swami had declared His mission in such a profound manner - to show humanity that God exists in everything, even a crude stone! That was the underlying message in everything that He did those 3 days in the garden. I had witnessed amazing scenes. His classmates wept when they heard that Sathya would no longer attend school, that He was much beyond their reach, that His company was hereafter only for those upon whom He showered His Grace. Many came to the garden with incense and camphor to worship Him. Some came to sympathize with the family, some to congratulate them. Some came to learn, and some, alas, even to laugh! But Swami’s message had been the same - to inspire mankind to see the common thread of divinity that runs through all. And that remains His message throughout. Even in the final act of benediction, the Namaskar through which He saluted all seated in Sai Kulwant Hall, He seemed to exude the same message - Divinity pervades everyone and everything.
And today, as I sat at that rock, I had goosebumps erupting on my being. Some unknown rock in the garden of a person living in far-flung Uravakonda has today become a shrine!
Just sitting in this temple, at the rock is such an elevating experiences. We sang that memorable and unforgettable bhajan, Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam, and it felt so very special. I had tears flow down my eyes as I narrated this beautiful story of how Swami declared the Avatarhood to my family. It was then and there that I decided to narrate this story to my extended family across the globe too so that they too would enjoy the bliss that I was enjoying.
I was unable to stop the flow of my tears.
“This was where it all began... the rock which deserves my gratitude because I would not be what I am today in any sense had it not been for that Beginning.”
I placed my forehead on that rock. I could feel a surge of strength and love course through my entire being. I recollected how Mother Easwaramma had come running to Uravakonda at the end of those three days of prayer and bhajans. Swami had said
“Here comes Maya”, on seeing her. She told Swami,
“We are in Maya. We are Maya. But you are free from Maya. And we will not interfere, we will not argue. You can be whatever you are... but... not in the Himalayas, not in the caves and hills, far away from us. Give me your word that you will remain at Puttaparthi. Let your devotees come there. We will welcome them, gladly, and treat them kindly.”
Swami had agreed. He said,
“I have chosen Puttaparthi as my kshetra (field of action). The boon is granted not to you, but to the village, nay the world itself. I shall leave this place and come to Puttaparthi on Thursday.”
As I returned to Puttaparthi in the space-vehicles, the two cars, I was filled with memories and thoughts galore.
A special experience of reliving History at the historic boulder at Uravakonda.
The power of Kshetra
Water is available anywhere on the face of the earth for those that dig deep. However, it is always easy to obtain the same from a lake or river nearby. That is my take on the magnificence and thrill of visiting these holy spots or Kshetras. The inspiration that one derives by actually being in these His-Storical spots has to be experienced. The effect is magical because, all said and done, though we are all embodiments of Divinity, I still cling on to my ‘human’ self. And my human self is heavily influenced by my mind and senses. So, when I actually see, touch, smell, feel and perceive that grand Rock, the influence on my self is mesmerising.
With one hand on the rock and the other on my heart, I prayed,
“Swami, just like you transformed this rock into your throne, make my rock-like heart also your throne. Be seated there always and teach me the ultimate message of Surrender. And as you said, let me achieve that by fixing my mind on the lotus feet of my Guru!”
I then bent low and embraced the rock close to my heart. Copious tears of joy welled down my cheeks. I was lost in thoughts of Swami and Swami alone. My heart was pounding in love for Him. That is when I realized, that without the slightest effort, I had actually offered all the four - Phalam, Pushpam, Patram and Toyam - to Him.
Ah! That is the power of the Kshetra, the place sanctified by the Avatar. What otherwise seems very difficult to achieve becomes easy by His grace that pours from the Kshetra. If you don’t believe me, make a visit to the place and see for yourselves. After all, it is just a 2-hours drive from Puttaparthi!
"Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam, Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam" The serene sanctum is a tremendous source of inspiration.
For all readers:
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