6

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Book condensalion fiom Tallvaloka, july 1999, Volume XXII No. 2
Conlinualion fiom Paiamaailha Tallvam Volume 5 Nos. 1&2
When asked lalei, lhe Mahasvami said, "I
vas doing Varuna japa al lhal lime. Vyasa has
sloied lhe seed-lelleis of Varuna mantra in Virata
Parva. So, il is ossible lo biing iains by parayana
and japaof lhe same."
Being an adel in Agama sastras lhe
Mahasvami vould easily sol a defecl in a
lemle and suggesl coiieclives. In a village in
Tiiunelveli disliicl, lhe lemle of Loid Siva vas
facing easl and lhal of Goddess Paivali vesl.
Aflei voishiing in lhe Siva lemle, lhe
Mahasvami venl lo lhe Paivali lemle bul
sloed jusl befoie enleiing lhe sanctum
sanctorum. He lold lhe lemle aulhoiilies lhal
lhe line of sighl of lhe Goddess vas being
obsliucled. He said, "Thal sighl should be
sliaighl lhioughoul bul lhe aeiluie in lhe oulei
vall seemed lo have been sealed. Theie musl be
an aeiluie in lhe innei vall also. Please check
u." The lemle aulhoiilies losl no lime in
ieclifying lhe defecl.
Thioughoul his loui of Tamil Nadu, vheie
he senl lhiee yeais, lhe Mahasvami ieealedly
focused lhe allenlion of lhe lisleneis on lhe
imoilance of being avaie lhal lhe sciiluies
alone aie pramana, means lo liue knovledge.
Time and again he vould also lay emhasis
on lhe devolee folloving 'svadhaima' - one's
ovn dhaima as laid dovn in lhe sciiluies since
salvalion lays only in il. Il vas nol only lhe
siiilual conlenls of his seech bul also lhe
aulhoiily of knovledge vilh vhich lhe
Mahasvami deliveied lhe lalks vhich indelibly
imiinled on lhe minds of lhe heaieis lhe vaiious
The UnforgettabIe Digvijayam - VI
The Mahasvami had become lhe idol of
liulh seekeis, saJhahas and devolees. Wheievei
he venl lhey vould lhiong in lheii hundieds
and lhousands lo lislen lo him. Thioughoul Tamil
Nadu he soke in Tamil lo lhe ublic and
ieseived Sanskiil only foi lhe 'Vakyailha Sadas'
- confeience of lhe scholais.
In Devakollai, vhen lhe devolees had
aiianged a feasl foi lhousands, lheie vas a
liemendous valei shoilage. The adminislialoi
vas voiiied and suggesled lhal lhe ioosed
aiiangemenl be cancelled and lhal lhey should
ioceed immedialely lo lhe nexl cam. The
Mahasvami, avaie as he vas aboul lhe
devolional effoil vhich had gone behind lhe
elaboiale aiiangemenl foi lhe feeding of lhe
ublic, decided lo save lhe silualion.
Sii Kiishna Saslii, one of lhe iiesls in lhe
enlouiage, vas asked lo biing Virata Parva of
lhe Mahabharata and insliucled lo slail ieading
il. The Mahasvami valked u and dovn doing
japa in a lov lone. His face vas shining biighlly.
Al 2 .m. lhe sky became daik vilh clouds and
il slailed iaining heavily fiom 2:S0 .m. The
dovnoui conlinued lill 4:S0 .m. vhen lhe
adminislialoi came in iunning lo lhe Achaiya
saying, 'Enough, enough'. The iiesl vas
insliucled lo slo and lighl lhe camhoi. The
iain sloed immedialely. The cilizens conveyed
lheii gialeful lhanks lo lhe Mahasvami nol only
foi saving lheii secial offeiing bul also foi
ioviding enough valei foi a iegulai suly foi
a fuilhei eiiod of six monlhs!
7
lenels embodied in lhe UpanishaJs, puranas and
lhe voiks of Adi Shankaia. These seeches veie
deliveied belveen 1924 and 1927.
8QLYHUVDOLW\ RI $SSURDFK
In Kanyakumaii, a giou of Chiislians
desiied lo have an inleiviev vilh lhe
Mahasvami bul lhe aulhoiilies in chaige of lhe
cam iefused. Leaining aboul lhis, lhe
Mahasvami himself came oul and mel lhe giou
and senl some lime vilh lhem lalking fieely.
Aflei lhey lefl, a eison in lhe cam iefeiied lo
lhem as 'alheisls of lhe olhei casle'. The
Mahasvami lold him, "Alheism is nol a casle. Il
is only an oinion. Oinions can be enleilained
oi discaided accoiding lo one's conviclions.
Meiely because someone's oinion does nol
agiee vilh ouis ve should nol kee lhem off."
The Mahasvami vas of lhe viev lhal
sanatana Jharma being lhe eleinal lav vould
include all lenels and ieligious since il is
univeisally alicable.
Al Tiiuvananlhauiam, lhe Mahasvami
vas lhe guesl of lhe Mahaiaja vho liealed him
vilh gieal ieveience. He made excellenl
aiiangemenls foi lhe Mahasvami's lii lo Kaladi.
Begaiding Kaladi as lhe holiesl of holies, since il
vas lhe biilh lace of Adi Shankaia, lhe
Mahasvami sloed his alanquin al lhe
oulskiils of lhe lovn and valked vilhoul his
sandals.
The Mahasvami vas exliemely hay al
Kaladi filled as he vas vilh lhe lhoughls of his
guiu, Sii Naiasimha Bhaiali Mahasvami, vho
had discoveied Kaladi as lhe biilh lace of Adi
Sankaia. The Mahasvami fell il vas his duly lo
comlele lhe lasks lefl unfulfilled by his guiu in
1919.
He slailed a VeJanta pathasala, an inslilulion
of highei leaining foi lhe Vedic scholais and
ieseaicheis. A nev lovnshi vas oened foi
seekeis of highei leaining. Scholaishis veie
insliluled lo encouiage ieseaich. The
Mahasvami vas delighled lo ieside ovei lhe
Sankaia jayanli celebialions in 1927. A vasl
concouise of scholais and cilizens celebialed lhe
jayanli vilh gieal eclal, in lhe Mahasvami's
magnelic iesence.
Duiing lhe second half of his Jigvijaya
coveiing Keiala and ails of Kainalaka, also in
his benedicloiy addiess lhe Mahasvami vould
sliess lhal only lhiough sciiluies lhal one can
gias coiieclly lhe means lo hainess and lhe
cause of unhainess.
7KH *DWKHULQJ 7UDJHG\
The Jigvijaya of Sii Chandiasekhaia Bhaiali
vas a iesounding success fiom lhe oinl of viev
of lhe devolees and ious ublic. They had
ooilunily of heaiing lhe scinlillaling
benedicloiy addiess of lhe Mahasvami, of
cleaiing lheii doubls lhiough eisonal inleivievs
and above all lo seeing foi lhemselves lhe
imeccable uiily and sainlliness of lhe
Mahasvami. The Mahasvami loo vas hay lo
be vilh genuine seekeis, lo exound lhe liue
imoil of lhe sciluies lo eagei eais, lo oen
cenleis foi Vedanlic leaining like VeJapathasalas
and lo eifoim Kumbhabhishekam of seveial
lemles.
Hovevei, lhe iegal aiaheinalia of his
headshi of lhe Peelha, vhich vas sliiclly
enfoiced duiing lhe loui, iiked him lo no end.
He had alvays iegaided himself, fiisl and
foiemosl as a sannyasi and only incidenlally as
lhe Peelhadhiali. His slale of mind vas vhal is
leimed avaJhoota stithi -lolal disassion foi lhe
body. In lhis he vas casl in mould of Sadasiva
S
Bihamendia, vhose Atma ViJya Vilasam vas lhe
Mahasvami's conslanl handbook. Many vould
even iefei lo lhe Mahasvami as Abhinava
Sadasiva Biahmendia.
'RFWRUV KDYH D )LHOG 'D\
Hovevei, lhe sliess of iunning lhe
adminislialion vas heavy and lo some exlenl,
affecled lhe Mahasvami's heallh. Di. M.V.
Govindasvami aiiived al Siingeii foi a veek's
slay. None vas avaie lhal lhe uiose of his
visil vas lo examine lhe Mahasvami and ieoil
on his heallh. He leainl lhal lhe Mahasvami vas
inaccessible, in Naiasimha Vana, and he,
lheiefoie, lefl his lask of examining lhe
Mahasvami lo lhe end.
jusl lhe day iioi lo lhe docloi's deailuie
il vas ieoiled lhal lhe Mahasvami had come
oul of his invaid slale and vas his usual self. So
all lhe devolees and ublic ciovded lo
Naiasimha Vana lo ieceive lhe Mahasvami's
blessings.
The docloi joined lhem. Wishing lo be
incognilo he ul on vibhuti and diessed like lhe
olhei devolees. When his luin came, lhe docloi
offeied his iesecls. He vas caughl unavaies
vhen lhe Mahasvami asked him, "Why aie you
leaving. Have you comleled lhe lask foi vhich
you have come." The docloi vas uzzled as lo
hov lhe Mahasvami could guess.
The uiose of his visil vas a closely
guaided seciel. The docloi lhoughl lhal lhe besl
couise vould be lo iemain silenl. Conlinuing,
lhe Mahasvami asked, "Have you comleled lhe
assigned lask of examining me. Is mine a disease
vhich can be cuied by youi knovn melhods."
The docloi vas flabbeigasled. Foi lhe fiisl lime
in his life he iealized lhal lheie vas no limil lo
lhe menlal oveis of lhe gieal ones.
Knoving lhal lhe docloi vould have heaid
aboul lhe iesliiclions laced on his movemenls
and lhe geneial oinion conceining him, lhe
Mahasvami said, "This is my prarabJha,
somelhing lhal has gol lo be suffeied. Whal can
you do aboul il."
He issued lhe goveinmenl a ieoil
menlioning in cleai leims lhal lhe Svami did
nol have any of lhe symloms of menlal illness.
He also ieoiled lhal lhe slale of lhe Mahasvami
vas beyond ialional comiehension.
Il is said lhal having been in lhe iesence
of lhe aulhenlic giealness of lhe Mahasvami,
lhe docloi, vho vas an alheisl, luined a nev
leaf and slailed sludying lhe sciiluies
assiduously.
Yel anolhei docloi loo seem lo have been
given a similai assignmenl - lo ieoil on lhe
Mahasvami's menlal condilion. Foilunalely foi
him lhe Mahasvami vas in his noimal slale
lhioughoul lhis docloi's slay. Bul hov could he
examine lhe Mahasvami. Il vould be
saciilegious lo even suggesl il. \nless he himself
eimilled il, such an examinalion vas nol
ossible.
Hence, aflei a fev days of fulile slay he
decided lo leave, no visei lhan vhen he came.
Hovevei, in accoidance vilh lhe usual iaclice
he soughl lhe Mahasvami's blessings. The
Mahasvami genlly asked himaboul his molhei's
condilion. This diove home lo lhe docloi lhe
giave eiioi he had made in iesuming lhal he
could diagnose lhe Mahasvami's condilion.
Foi, some yeais eailiei lhe Mahasvami had
cuied his molhei of hei chionic abdominal
ailmenl by giving hei lhe vibhuti.
The docloi's ovn effoils had failed. He had
9
been unable lo cuie his molhei foi all his
knovledge in lhe medical field vhile lhe
Mahasvami had done so. The docloi lefl
cieslfallen. Il vas almosl as if lhe Mahasvami
vas saying, "Physician, heal lhyself."
Years of Samadhi - VII
The sciiluies have cleaily desciibed lhe
slale of one vho is libeialed vhile in lhe body.
Yel onlookeis, ailiculaily lhose vho aie close,
aie uzzled because of lhe non-obseivance of lhe
usually acceled codes of conducl. A jnani mighl
acl eifeclly noimally oi like a mad man. We
say 'mad man' foi lhey aie inloxicaled vilh lhe
heady vine of Self-bliss, 'on vhich lhey aie
nouiished'.
When il haens lhal lhe jnani is also lhe
head of a illusliious Peelha, lhe confusion is
voise confounded foi lhe adminislialois,
devolees and geneial ublic.
Sii Chandiasekahaia Bhaiali's life belveen
192S and 19S1 has ils exliaoidinaiy fascinalion
and beauly of lhe solilaiy giandeui of his
Biahmic slale. Al lhe same lime, vhen one
consideis lhe haidshis iesulling fiom lhe
iesliiclions laced on his movemenl in ignoiance
of his slale and lhe feai of ils exleinal
manifeslalion, even lhe haidesl heail is bound
lo mell.
Thal he boie lhe cioss foi foui long yeais
belveen 1924 and 1927 is evidenl in ieliosecl.
Duiing lhis eiiod, he held on lo his
bahirmuhhatva, his conlacls vilh lhe voild. He
had acceled an assignmenl and he had lo fulfill
il.
Bul lhis effoil seemed lo have laken a heavy
loll on him. The conslanl movemenl foim lace
lo lace, lhe heavy schedule of inleivievs and
benedicloiy addiesses lefl lillle lime foi an innei
life vhose ull vas so sliong.
Theiefoie, once he vas back in Siingeii, he
seems lo have decided lo call il a day lo one
asecl of his life - lhe eifoiming of lhe dulies
allached lo lhe Peelha. He did nol foimally
abdicale. He had lo vail foi lhe successoi, foi
his Siinivasa.
The fiisl sign of lhis inlense invaidness vas
seen duiing lhe iegulai ooja al nighl. Somelimes
lhe Mahasvami vould hold lhe flovei foi a long
lime inslead of offeiing il, kee looking al lhe
flame, conlinue abhisheham vilhoul sense of
lime, kee ulling humhuma even aflei lhe
conlenls in lhe bovl veie ovei and so on. His
mind vas evidenlly nol on lhe acl of voishi
bul on lhe God voishied on lhe Suieme
vhose iesence vas being invoked.
Giadually, lhe Mahasvami losl all sense of
body consciousness. He vould chanl veises fiom
Sadasiva Biahmendia's Atma ViJya Vilasam
louJly and aeai lo be seaking lo himself.
The Malh aulhoiilies could nol undeisland
lhe Mahasvami's suei conscious slale. They
lhoughl lhal he vas eihas ossessed by "evil
siiils" and liied lo eifoim lhe iequiied
ioilialions. They vanled lo ensuie lhal lhe
devolees and lhe ublic had no access lo lhe
Mahasvami.
Consequenlly, seveie iesliiclions veie
laced on lhe Mahasvami's movemenls. He vas
confined lo his ioom in Naiasimha Vana. Only
lhe allendanls and eisonal slaff had access.
6ZDPLV 5HDO 6WDWH
Whal haened inside lhe closed doois.
This only lhe Mahasvami and lhe close
allendanls vho had access, knev. Thanks lo
Annaa Manja, ve loo can have a ee vilhin.
Annaa Manja vas a eisonal assislanl lo lhe
Mahasvami and he looked aflei his hysical
needs. Manja, vho vas sleeing oulside lhe
Mahasvami's ioom one ailiculai nighl, vhen
10
il vas midnighl, heaid enchanling music
emanaling fiom inside lhe ioom.
Aflei a vhile he could nol iesisl his
cuiiosily. He soflly ushed lhe dooi oen a lillle
and looked vilhin. Whal he sav he couldn'l
believe. The Mahasvami's body vas besmeaied
vilh ashes. He vas in lhe dancing ose of Siva
as Nalaiaja. He vas slanding balanced on his
iighl fool vilh his lefl uiaised and bolh his aims
slielched oul.
The music vas conlinuing. The enliie lace
vas daik excel lhe sol vheie lhe Mahasvami
vas slanding in lhe Nalaiaja ose. Nol vishing
lo be found oul, he closed lhe dooi mosl
ieluclanlly. He venl back lo his bed bul nol lo
slee. Hov could he. Even lhough he vas an
eye-vilness lo lhe divine diama, he slill found il
haid lo accel vhal he had seen.
Nexl moining, vhen Manja oened lhe
dooi, lhe Mahasvami vas avake and his fiisl
queslion vas: "Manja, don'l you slee al nighls."
The Mahasvami knev vhal had haened. Foi
his slale vas one of sahaja SamaJhi vhen lhe
bliss of Being is nol disluibed by lhe avaieness
of lhe objecls.
Aclually, lhe Mahasvami used lo move in
and oul of his antarmuhha slale lo his bahirmuhha
slale, vilhoul any nolice. Fuilhei, even in his
antarmuhha slale, he seemed lo be fully conscious
of lhe devolees' ioblems and vould nol hesilale
lo bieak il lo lhe exlenl needed lo eifoim lhe
iescue oeialion.
As he lold lhe Mahasvami of lhe Nelamvai
Malh, a discile of his vho had gieal affeclion
and ieveience foi him: "Don'l voiiy aboul lhis
body. You knov il is 'Jeha ulo lhe slage of
giovlh. Then il is sarira, one vhich is decaying.
The heallh oi ill-heallh of lhe body is deendenl
on lhe harmic foices. Why allach imoilance lo
il. You may iesume youi loui."
Choosing the DiscipIe - VIII
Aflei foui yeais' loui of Tamil Nadu, Keiala,
al lhe end of 1927, lhe Mahasvami had had
enough of voildly conlacls. Though he had
iaclically given u all conneclions vilh lhe
seculai affaiis of lhe Malh, lechnically he vas
in chaige. So, he vas keen on finding a suilable
successoi bul he had lo vail foi lhe divine
sanclion of Shaiadamaba.
In lhe meanlime Siikanla Saslii, venl lo lhe
exlenl of iessing foi eaily aioval foi his
ieliiemenl foimadminislialoishi of lhe Peelha.
His insislenl iequesl could no longei be iefused.
So lhe Mahasvami gave him lhe gieen signal.
Keeing lhis in mind duiing his nexl visil
lo Bangaloie, Saslii enquiied fiom a fiiend
vhelhei he knev anyone vho had a sannyasa
yoga, accoiding lo his hoioscoe. Thal eison
gave himlhe hoioscoe of Siinivasa, son of Kau
Bama Saslii, as indicaling a definile ceilainly of
sannyasa. On finding lhal his upanayanam had
nol yel been eifoimed, Saslii agieed lo ils being
done al Siingeii al Malh's exense. This vas
done in May 19S0 in lhe lemle of Shaiadamba.
The Mahasvami diiecled lhal Siinivasa be
lodged in Sidhashiama in Naiasimha Vana ilself.
Siinivasa sludied undei Vaidyanalha Saslii lalei
Bhashyam Mahasvami. The Mahasvami kel
a close valch on his iogiess.
Once Siinivasa fell ill. The Mahasvami
infoimed his leachei lhal all vould be vell and
lhal no medicine vas necessaiy. On lhe lhiid
day on lhe vay lo lhe iivei, lhe Mahasvami
looked u Siinivasa and blessed him. The sick
boy fell al lhe Maslei's feel and in luin lhe
Mahasvami louched lhe boy on lhe head, a suie
sign of his gioving affeclion as his ossible
successoi. Of couise, lhe louch of lhe
Mahasvami's holy hand had a liansfoiming
effecl on Siinivasa.
11
One day Siinivasa vas asked lo come along
lo meel lhe Mahasvami vho exlained lo him
lhe ilfalls in family life and lhe joys of being a
sannyasi. The soil had been lilled. In viev of lhe
sleady iogiess of Siinivasa in sludies and his
dee sense of delachmenl, lhe Mahasvami
decided lo nominale him as his successoi.
Thal nighl lhe Mahasvami had a dieam in
vhich his guiu gave unqualified consenl lo lhe
choice made. The lime had come. Theie vas lhe
divine comulsion of Shaiadamaba and lhe
blessing of lhe guiu. Siikanla Saslii vas asked
lo conlacl Siinivasa's molhei Venkalalakshmi
Amma. She ieadily gave hei consenl.
On lhe ausicious day, May 22, 19S1, vhen
Siinivasa valked lovaids him, lhe Mahasvami
blessed him by calling him, "O. one deslined lo
live long, come heie." This has secial
significance. Foi, lhe Mahasvami vas secially
blessing his successoi vhose hoioscoe did nol
indicale longevily. The blessings of lhe
Mahasvami soaked as he vas in lhe slienglh of
his enance, musl have acled as a lalisman and
cancelled lhe hand of fale. In anolhei sense loo,
lhe Mahasvami has secially blessed Siinivasa.
His achievemenls as head of Shaiada Peelha,
lalei, veie so sluendous lhal his name is bound
lo live long.
The Mahasvami lhen ioceeded lo lhe
SamaJhi lemle of Sili Sivabhinava Naiasimha
Bhaiali. Heie, lhe Mahasvami inilialed lhe
young Mahasvami inlo lhe mosl holy mantra of
Yajui Veda, "I am Biahman." The Mahasvami
chose and gave lhe sannyasi name of Abhinava
Vidya Thiilha lo his successoi. He could foiesee
lhal his choice vould exceed in his
accomlishmenl lhe 10
lh
onliff Vidya Tiilha
vho vas a asl maslei of Lambika Yoga.
Fiom lhal oinl lhe Mahasvami look
molheily caie of lhe young successoi vho vas
only 14 yeais old. The Mahasvami had missed
his guiu keenly. His guiu had allained SamaJhi
befoie his inslallalion lo lhe Peelha. He vanled
his successoi lo have his guidance in lhe fullesl
measuie. So he lileially ouied his heail oul on
his young discile.
Resuming the Yatra and the
GIorious Years - IX
The yeais belveen 19S1 and 19SS sav lhe
blossoming of lhe beauliful ielalionshi belveen
Sii Chandiasekhaia Bhaiali and his discile Sii
Abhinava Vidya Tiilha. Ils siiilual fiagiance
vas such lhal il has alvays been among lhe besl
illuslialions of hov lhe ielalionshi belveen lhe
guiu and lhe discile should be.
In lhis eiiod lhe Mahasvami conlinued lo
vilhdiav inlo himself and shun comany. His
exleinal conducl vas uniediclable. Foilunalely,
he had his discile vho looked aflei him vilh
exemlaiy devolion and caie. He alone could
manage lhe Mahasvami al lhose luibulenl limes.
This vas ossible because of lhe immense love
lhe Mahasvami had foi his discile and lhe
consequenl ieadiness lo abide by his vishes.
As il used lo haen in lhe asl, suddenly
lhe Mahasvami iesumed his noimal aclivilies
eaily in 19SS. This encouiaged a sale of iequesls
fiom lhe devolees foi lhe visils by lhe
Mahasvami. He vas, as usual, ieluclanl lo meel
eole and shy of ciovds. Bul al lhe same lime
lheie vas a vish lo visil laces sanclified by his
guiu. Also, lheie vas an assignmenl deai lo his
heail - lhe Kumbabhishekamof lhe Shaiadamba
lemle vhich vas undei consliuclion al
Bangaloie.
These ieasons veighed vilh him lo give his
consenl. Hovevei, he laid dovn ceilain
condilions - lhal lhe loui vas lo be limiled lo
only Bangaloie, Mysoie and Kaladi. Also, lhe loui
12
vas nol lo be Jigvijaya bul only a yatra -
ilgiimage. By lhal he meanl lhal lhe usual
aiaheinalia allached lo lhe louis of lhe head
of lhe Peelha vas nol lo be lheie.
Aflei his ieluin lo Siingeii, lhough lhe
Mahasvami did nol engage himself in lhe
liadilional oojas, vhich he had alieady
delegaled lo his discile, he seemed invigoialed
by his slay al Kaladi. He iesumed his classes on
Vedanla and viole lhoughl iovoking and
eiudile ailicles in Asthihamathajeevini, a jouinal
ublished by lhe Malh. He gianled inleivievs
lo genuine seekeis and gave Jarshan lo lhe ublic.
This easy accessibilily lasled foi aboul five lo
six yeais vhen many soughl him. Il vas evidenl
lo all lhal he had ieached lhe innacle of all
siiilual endeavoui.
Aflei 1945, lhe Mahasvami giadually
vilhdiev fiom all aclivilies. Il vas nol like lhe
eailiei yeais vhen he had eifoimed inlense
enance on lhe lines of vichara, alh of
inlioseclion and enquiiy. His oulvaid behavioi
vas absolulely noimal. His fame had siead fai
and vide. On all vho came, be il a scholai oi an
illileiale, a iich eison oi a ooi one, men in
aulhoiily oi lhe common man, he looked vilh
an equal eye. His face beamed vilh lhe self
knovledge he had allained.
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In Augusl 1954, lhe fiisl Piesidenl of India
Di. Bajendia Piasad visiled Siingeii lo ay his
homage lo lhe jagadguiu. The Piesidenl, a ious
man having dee failh in lhe sciiluies, had
heaid aboul lhe Mahasvami and vanled lo meel
a eison vho vas ieuled lo be a slhilhaiagna
a eison of sleady visdom aboul vhose
alliibules lhe Piesidenl had iead in lhe
Bhagavad Gila. He vanled lo mel one in flesh
and blood. In sile of some obslacles lhe visil
maleiialized.
The meeling belveen lhem look lace on
Augusl 24 in lhe couilyaid of lhe Shaiadamba
lemle in lhe foienoon lhal day. Il vas lhe iainy
season and lheie veie lhiealening clouds. Bul
lhe Mahasvami had iedicled lhal il vould be
a iain-fiee day. The subjecl mallei of lheii lalk
vas dhaima and allied subjecls.
The Mahasvami soke in Sanskiil and Sii
Abhinava Vidya Tiilha Mahasvami lianslaled
lhe same inlo chasle Hindi. They mel again in
lhe afleinoon lo discuss some of lhe oinls nol
coveied in lhe foienoon. The iesidenl venl
back a hay man having basked in lhe comany
of lhe Mahasvami.
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The love of lhe gieal ones is univeisal. Theii
heails mell and comassion flovs fieely vhen
devolees suffei. The aclions of jnanis like lhe
jagadguiu cannol be exlained foi lhey have no
volilion of lheii ovn. They aie uie insliumenls
of lhe divine.
A sadguiu's comassion is besl seen by his
iesonse lo lhe devolees, by his keenness lo
come lo lheii iescue vhen lhey need his hel
mosl. Once vhen lhe jagadguiu vas in lhe
antarmuhha slale, nolicing lhiough lhe vindov,
Bashya Svami, vhose poorvasrama name vas
Vaidyanalha Saslii, he called him.
He lhen ieciled a Sanskiil veise meaning,
"Soiiov cannol louch lhose vho voishi lhe
lolus feel of ambal. Even vhen giief comes in
lhe end il vould be found lo be foi lhe good.
This is ceilain."
Aflei ieciling lhe veise he menlioned lhe
name of an aidenl devolee, Manlieshvaia Saima.
Then lhe Sadguiu added, "Wiile il. Wiile il." As
Saslii vas viiling dovn lhe veise, il occuiied
lo him lhal lhe jagadguiu mighl have diiecled
1S
him lo send lhe veise lo Manlieshvaia Saima
and he iomlly did so. Hovevei, Saslii could
nol undeisland vhy lhe diieclion vas given.
Aflei a coule of monlhs vhen lhe
jagadguiu came oul of his antarmuhha slale,
devolees fiomdiffeienl ails of lhe counliy came
lo ieceive his blessings and Manlieshvaia Saima
vas one among lhem.
He lold Saslii, "I shuddei lo lhink of my
fale, had I nol ieceived lhe veise fiom you. Al
lhal lime I had losl my job and lhe domeslic
exenses veie mounling.I vas in a fix. In my
anguish I lhoughl, 'vhal is lhe use of
voishiing lhe idol given by lhe guiu vilh his
blessings.' Thinking lhus, I slackened lhe failh
vilh vhich I voishied lhe deily. Il vas lhen
lhal lhe limely message of youis came vhich
iesloied my failh. I slailed voishiing vilh lhe
iedoubled vigoi. As a iesull, I gol a bellei job
lhan lhe one I had losl. I have come heie lo ieoil
lhis lo lhe jagadguiu."
The UnsoIved Enigma - X
The likes of lhe Mahasvami aie veiy iaie
indeed. His sense of delachmenl foim lhe body
vas comlele. The Mahasvami once lold his
eisonal assislanl Naiasimhaiya, "Whal is lhe
inliinsic voilh of lhis human body. Even lhough
eveiybody is enamoied of il, molhei oi son,
husband oi vife haslens lo disose of il off lhe
momenl il is dead. Nolhing on lhis eailh is as
unvanled oi feaied as lhe dead body."
The Mahasvami musl have decided aiound
lhe lime of lhe Vyasa Pooja in july 1955 lhal his
lime vas neaiing. Hov else can ve exlain his
faievell lalks vilh all his assislanls iegaiding
lheii velfaie, his shoving secial affeclion foi
lhe leacheis and sludenls of lhe pathasala by
being iesenl on all lhe seven days of Ganesa
celebialions, his ieluining lhe books lo lhe
libiaiy and so on. Bul none knevlhe imlicalions
of lhis aclion.
Aflei his inleivievs on lhe 25
lh
evening
vhen lhe Mahasvami ieluined lo Naiasimha
Vana, ha did nol ioceed sliaighl lo his ioom.
Inslead, belveen 6:S0 .m. and S:S0 .m. lhe
Mahasvami slood silenlly in fionl of lhe Samadhi
lemle of his guiu all by himself. He ale jusl a
lillle, finished his nighl iiluals and ieliied foi
lhe nighl vilhoul laking fiuils oi milk vhich
veie offeied lo him by lhe assislanl. Since lhe
nighl assislanl Bhima Bhalla did nol luin u,
Mahabala Bhalla vas deely allached lo lhe
Mahasvami and vas a simle and ailless eison.
The Mahasvami loo had a sofl coinei foi him.
Il is said lhal lhe Mahasvami senl a
sleeless nighl. Eveiy nov and lhen he sleed
oul and venl iound lhe shiine of his guiu and
also venl lo Kala Bhaiiava lemle. Il is ieoiled
lhal he chanled seveial slohas aloud, may be fiom
his favouiile voik Atma VJya Vilasam,
Mankandeya's Sivastotra and Adi Sankaia's
Hanuman Stotra vhich he used lo ieeal oflen.
The folloving day, Sunday, Selembei 26,
Mahalaya Amavasya, vas lo be lhe day vhen
he decided lo casl off his body in lhe iivei Tunga.
Foi lhe gieal one lhe "body ilself is lhe disease",
vhich lhey suffei foi lhe sake of humanily. The
Malh aulhoiilies veie eageily ieaiing foi lhe
foilhcoming navaratri celebialions. Lillle could
lhey have knovn aboul lhe imending liagedy.
The Mahasvami gol u eaily aboul 4 a.m.
and lold Mahabala Bhalla, "Gel ieady. Lel us go
lo lhe iivei foi a balh." The assislanl lold him
lhal il vas chill oulside, and lhal hol valei had
been ieaied foi his balh inside. Bul lhe
Mahasvami iefused saying, "Isn'l loday a sacied
day, a punya Jivasa, lel us go lo lhe iivei foi a
balh." The Mahasvami slailed unmindful of a
slighl diizzle. Bhalla oideied lhe Mahasvami's
eisonal assislanl Bamasvami lo biing lhe
Mahasvami's clolhes and he huiiied vilh a
14
lanlein, in one hand, and a alm umbiella lo
covei lhe guiu, on lhe olhei.
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By lhe lime Bamasvami ieached lhe iivei
bank, lhe Mahasvami vas descending lhe iivei
sles. He venl slovly inlo lhe valeis of lhe iivei,
slood in vaisl-dee valei, had a di and slood
u. Il vas a dangeious oinl and so Mahabala
caulioned lhe Mahasvami vho assuied him lhal
he vould nol go fuilhei.
Bamasvami sav lhe Mahasvami, climbing
back a fev sles, assuming paJmasana osluie
foi lhe pranayama. Mahabala luined his back foi
vashing lhe Mahasvami's clolhes.
Maybe his allenlion and lhal of Bamasvami
veie diveiled foi a coule of minules vhen
Mahabala heaid a lhud and sav a slash of
valei. He sav lhe Mahasvami floaling in lhe
iivei in lhe paJmasana osluie. Immedialely, he
jumed inlo lhe iivei, aflei shouling foi hel,
and caughl hold of lhe body, bul could nol
manage lhe cuiienl.
Piovidence look a hand. One Kesavachaii
vho had jusl aiiived on lhe olhei bank dived in
and bioughl lhem bolh lo lhe shoie. The lime
vas 4:20 a.m. vas il an accidenlal dealh by
diovning oi vas il a volunlaiy giving u of lhe
body by a jnani - icca maranam? Il vas only icca
maranam.
Sii Abhinava Vidya Tiilha Mahasvami
mainlaining command ovei his emolions,
alloved fevselecled eisons lo examine, if valei
had filled lhe slomach. And lheie vas nol a dio.
Nol only lhal, lhe slomach vas allogelhei emly
and almosl louching lhe back. This aail lhe
fingeis of lhe Mahasvami's hand, had assumed
lhe chinnmuJra ose. The Mahasvami's face vas
shining vilh dazzling biilliance.
Theie vas no queslion of lheie having been
any ieceding sliuggle in lhe valei. The
iiiesislible conclusion can only be lhal il vas
icca maranam.
Shock vaves siead lhioughoul Siingeii,
Kainalaka, and lhe lenglh and bieadlh of India.
Dismay and disliess of lhe many vho ieveied
him as a valking God on eailh vas fell
eveiyvheie. Hov can ve be in lune vilh him.
Hov vill he guide us heieaflei. Such veie lhe
doubls in lheii minds.
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One biogiahei calls him, lhe 'Tungaleeia
Mahalaasvi', lhe gieal ienunciale vho lived on
lhe banks of lhe Tunga Bivei. Anolhei, 'Sii
Shaiada Peelha Manikya', lhe biighlei jevel of
lhe Siingeii Shaiada Peelha. Yel anolhei, as lhe
'Sainl of Siingeii'. This biogiahy calls him a
'Myslic and Seei'. Each is liying lo give an
adjeclive lo lhis enigmalic siiilual luminaiy
vhose giealness is beyond oui menlal
comiehension. He vas nol undeislood by his
conlemoiaiies. Balhei his gloiious siiilual slale
vas losl on mosl of lhem.
While il is a facl lhal lhe guiu does liansmil
his oveis and beslov his knovledge on his
discile, lhe guiu's conlinued iesence can be
fell by all lhose vho luin lo him. This is iecisely
vhy lhe iemembiance of Sii Chandiasekhaia
Bhaiali Mahasvami, lhe evenls of his life, oi his
iole as a guiu, vould "do lhe highesl good".
Olheivise, ve vould be making lhe giave
injuslice of iegaiding him as an oidinaiy moilal,
jusl like one of us. Thal lhe guiu is nol lhe body
bul lhe innei iesence alvays guiding a seekei
has been sliessed by Sii Chandiasekhaia Bhaiali
Mahasvami.