"A Few Words About Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj"
It was late eighties somewhere around 1988 , that was the time I was studying in Delhi. One of my friends who is a Japanese girl wanted to see some religious place and requested me to take her. I thought Rishikesh is the place to show her. We started on a Sunday planning to come back in two days. We were in the bus chatting all the way and after sometime heard the conductor telling we just crossed Rishikesh. We requested the conductor to stop bus and got down.
When we got down we could see that we just landed where Sivananda ashram is there. We went into reception and asked for accommodation for two days which they kindly consented. After refreshing ourselves we went and played in Gangamayi’s holy waters. While coming back I picked up a book by the title “ Self-realisation, it’s meaning and method” written by Swami Krishnanandaji maharaj. At that time I know nothing about Gurus and ashrams. I read the book consisting of around 60 pages (approx) late into the night and completed. I was stuck by the simplicity with which the highest truth is explained. I got curious to see the swamiji. When I went to him he was busy. A simple person explaining such truths while living the simplest life ,for me, appeared real amazing. I could instantly connect to him and got enthusiasm to learn from him. That was a phase I was going through in which I constantly used to wonder about meaning of life and it’s purpose. I saw and felt humanbeings think alikeand live similar lives. I felt there should be a higher meaning for which striving is essential. I intuitively felt this swamiji who seems to be so simple and selfless would be capable of taking me on my inner journey and growth. Manytimes after that I came to the ashram seeking mantra from him.
He was busy always and had no time for me. I am not a conventional person. One day i saw swamiji walking on his way to give a lecture at the ashram. I confronted him on the road and asked him for initiation. He asked me to meet next day. The following day I attended his lecture at Samadhi mandir and after the lecture approached him. Then and there he gave mantra. After that it has been a momentous journey on spiritual path. All through I felt his presence in his books. I was unable to have contact with him personally but I have the deep belief that he would protect me always. Once I wrote an article and sent it to him. I am not a great writer. My knowledge of scriptures is very limited. All that I have is an intense devotion to Gurudev and the firm belief that moksha should be one’s ultimate goal. To my pleasant surprise I received a letter from him with encouraging words about the essay I sent him. During the last time I saw swamiji maharaj , while I was sitting in his presence, an elderly gentleman came and told him that he had swamiji’s darsan in his town and came all the way to take initiation from him. It was a glorious moment because swamiji had not left Rishikesh for a long time and this gentleman saw him in his town. It had confirmed my belief that swamiji’s spiritual presence is there with me always. They do not need their physical bodies to uplift us. During that visit I wrote a long letter expressing my love, devotion and gratitude to him. In the present website not much is found on swamiji and his teachings because there is a full fledged website on swamiji run by his close disciple. I feel it is my fortune that I met him and lived in the time he was present and for me he is one among the gods who walked on this sacred soil
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My association with my master Swami Krishnanandaji
I met my guru Swami Krishnanandaji when I was 25 years old. He is equal to thousands of Suns. His effulgence does not have a match. When I met him I strongly believe that he partook my prarabdha and led me to the goal of life i.e God realisation. I read his book ‘Introduction to the philosophy of Yoga’ wherein he stated that spiritual life has to be started here and now with a sense of immediacy and urgency. That prompted me to arrive at the conclusion that the only aim in life to be pursued with all seriousness is god realisation. The first book that led me to see Swamiji in person is self-realisation- its meaning and method. After I received mantra from Swamiji some intuitiveness arose in me. I could feel the presence of Swami Sivandanda Maharaj. I surrendered myself to Gurudev. I was not knowing how I got this deep sense of wanting to pursue spiritual aim in life. Now I realise that it is the blessing of Swami Krishnanandaji. For most part of my life I was away from his physical presence. But I strongly believed that he took away my prarabdha and initiated me into divine life. After I met him all my life and its happenings were in such a way as to crush my ego and bring me up spiritually. I have great belief that but for his grace my spiritual progress would not have happened. In my prayer I would address him as father. All his life he uplifted millions of aspirants and I am glad I am one of them. I longed for his physical presence but I was deprived of it in life. But nevertheless I supplemented this lacunae by sincerely and devotedly praying to him. Many times I experienced his spiritual presence. He would sit with me and ask me what I want. He would console me and guide me. Seeing his health condition in photos I realised that his body took upon so many karmas of so many people which led to his ill health and suffering. Thus he showed his love to all his disciples and devotees. But for meeting him, this life would have been sunk in the mire of samsara.
I liked Swamiji’s book “ Ascent of spirit”. At many places it indicated what suffering would occur in spiritual life and why so. All his books and every sentence written in them speaks of his personal experience. There was nothing in those books which he did not experience personally. His level of experience is at high level that we find it difficult to understand. That is why Swamiji used to say that one should read his books again and again.
Once Swamiji lovingly called me Big Shot. I did not understand why. But now slowly I realise that it is a blessing and he meant it to be true.
Madhava Divya Dham celebrates Swamiji’s birthday in association with Bangalore Divine Life Society at the SLS branch in Bangalore. The Aradhana of Swamiji is held at Madhava Divya Dham every year. It is my feeling that Madhavanandaji and Krishnanandaji are not separate from each other.
Swamiji led his life so selflessly and his life is his message. His last words indicated that he straight went to Brahmaloka. He is the greatest gnani who showed the path to spiritual enlightenment to all of us. We are blessed by his sojourn on earth. May be it is difficult to believe that such a person existed on this earth once upon a time. Hari Om.
