Joseph Chandra and Patricia Lalitha Panebianco, Arizona, USA

‘Oh! I have to tell my husband; guess who is coming to dinner?’

We are currently residing in Scottsdale Arizona, but previous to this we lived in Lakewood, New York. Sometime in the early 1980s, my wife Patricia was told by a spiritual medium that she would meet a spiritual Indian Guru who will teach her about breath control that would awaken brain cells. He also told her that we would be involved in a lot of work in planning His future visits and programs. She was informed that this Guru’s mission will grow and that we would finally step aside to allow others to take over. She was also informed that this Guru’s mission would expand.

Sometime later an acquaintance handed her a photograph of clouds over a lake. To our amazement the photo looked exactly like a scene across the lake from where we lived. Looking at that photo Patricia could discern a clear outline of a figure that looks like a prophet from Old Testament of the Bible. She brought it home and placed it in the library in front of the ‘Masters of Far East’ books.

Later, another casual acquaintance of Patricia asked her to accompany her to Pittsburgh to meet a holy man from India. Without hesitating she agreed to go. She also asked if she could drive as the acquaintance was tired and didn’t sleep the night before. Patricia called me at the office and told me about the invitation. I quickly responded to her “Go,” not knowing all the details.

When they arrived at Padma’s house, where Sri Swamiji was staying, they had to go up the stairs to meet with Him. At the base of the stairs, Patricia experienced a dense energy in the area. When she entered into the room where Sri Swamiji was sitting, she automatically prostrated before Him without any thought of what she was doing. They stayed overnight at Padma’s house and next morning they were able to sit at the feet of Sri Swamiji in a private conversation.

During the interview, she asked Sri Swamiji if He would come the following year to teach a course in Ayurveda. He responded that He will come to teach a class in Kriya Yoga and He will stay with us. Patty thought “Oh! I have to tell my husband; guess who is coming to dinner?” Then He put his hand on a flower and materialized a pendent that He gave to her saying, “Don’t worry everything will work out and everything will be alright.” At that moment she realized that figure in the photograph in the clouds above that lake was actually that of Sri Swamiji. The picture was actually saying that He was coming to our house.

When Sri Swamiji came to our house, we showed Him the photo and He calmly told us that it was Him. He then passed His hand over the picture and manifests a medallion with His picture on it. He said that He was here before and because of the connection from the past, He was again coming to this place. He also informed us that there was connection with us from the past births.

In 1987 we were invited to visit Mysore Ashram for the Shivaratri festival and we were placed in the front row. While sitting there we were amazed at what took place. We saw Sri Swamiji dressed in a regal apparel programming all the pujas associated with the program. There was a fire pit about five feet deep, bellowing fire from within. All of a sudden, Sri Swamiji jumped into the pit and stayed in there for about twenty minutes, after which He then brought out a Shiva lingam out from the pit.

We thought, how could we discuss this phenomenon with others who didn’t understand the context of spirituality? We understand that He can do anything from His level of consciousness; many people think that we are only in a single dimension of reality, but our knowledge shows us otherwise. In this physical dimension there are boundaries and limitations, but in other dimensions, these boundaries and limitations do not exist. We know that Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is here in this physical plane, but He does exist in other planes also. After attending the celebrations of Shivaratri we were asked to travel with Sri Swamiji all over south India to visit other Datta temples. This experience will always remain with us.

Our observation of Him is two-fold. Firstly, when He is in front of a crowd; there He is as the super human persona who has the energy to take the universe into His palm. Then secondly, He is the humorous adolescent whom He is with a small group. In the first instance, He is that gigantic shadow that protects everyone and everything. In the next He exhibits the mother, father, friend and intimate Guru Images.

My first experience with Sri Swamiji was at Padma’s house in Fredericktown, Pennsylvania. When I entered the room, I looked into His eyes and experienced an unconditional love. If there were any negativity that was present in me at that moment, it was gone. There was complete peace in His presence.

The first lesson we learnt from Him was, that we should stop thinking as that would get us into trouble. When His Holiness first came to our house, devotees came a few days ahead to help with preparations. We were amazed to see everything being done with out any effort. When Sri Swamiji came to our house, our son, Steven, couldn’t understand what was going on and why we were making all this fuss. However, when he met Him, Sri Swamiji materialized a medallion, with medical insignia on it. Steven quickly changed and became a devotee as he was going to become a medical doctor. At this particular time, Sri Swamiji honored my wife and me with Indian names; Chandra and Lalitha. We were truly blessed.

In 1986, two years after Patty met Sri Swamiji; He wanted to start a center in USA and installed a board of directors. Padma was installed as president and I as vice president. We understood that those chosen were connected to Sri Swamiji in previous incarnations. This group with the guidelines of Sri Swamiji was called the Datta Yoga Center.

Sri Swamiji told us, He had a dream in which He saw three rocks. These rocks were calling out to Him, as they represent the cosmic reality of Brahma Vishnu and Shiva. Padma’s father had given her, six acres of land in West Sunbury, Pennsylvania. We then showed the land to Sri Swamiji. Examining the land, He identified the three rocks that He saw in His dream and said that these are the rocks He saw in His dream. He then said, that this is where He wanted His center in the USA and blessed the land and the rocks.

The next year we visited the land to start developing plans for the center and took pictures where Sri Swamiji standing next to the rocks the year before. When pictures were developed, the saffron dresses that He wore were in the photos. His energy was still present a year later. Later Lalitha and I bought the adjoining six acres and deeded them to Datta Yoga Center.

During the periods being with Sri Swamiji, He exudes unconditional love that is difficult to separate you from Him. He is the mirror that reflects your persona, which allows seeing yourself from within. He makes you get in touch with your true self.

When we were moving from Lakewood New York to Arizona, we were undergoing a lot of pressure. Lalitha walked into the master’s bedroom to find the room filled with Vibuthi. She called me into the room to get my impression of the aroma. I quickly realized what it was and He was omnipresent. And that He watches over us. Realizing all this we remained calm and continued on what had to be done. Sri Swamiji had told us, He would appear to us through shining pennies and vibuthi. He tells us that He is present, which had happened often. We feel very blessed to have this connection with Sri Swamiji, and are forever indebted to Him. Jaya Guru Datta

Swamy Vishnudatta Padarenu, Russia

Sri Swamiji addressed me by my name, Varada Raja, greeted me, allowed me to do Namaskaram, and then began talking with me as though He had known me for several years.

I would like to recollect my sweet memories with Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji. It all started in 1980 when my beloved mother met with an accident and received some cuts on her legs. Later, as the wounds healed, she was left with diminished use of her legs. Seeing this situation, my sister was trying desparately seeking some help for her solace. This search brought them to the inauguration ceremonies of Sri Swamiji new ashrama in Giginagar, Bangalore.

When they returned home; happy having the blessing and darsan of this great saint, my mother showed a copper bracelet with what resembles a ‘Sri Chakra Yantra’ carved into it. This was given to her by Sri Swamiji for her protection, but she placed it in her puja room and it became a source of my admiration. After some persuation, she gave it to me and I proudly wore it, thus the energy of Sri Swamiji entered me through that bracelet for the first time.

Then in 1984/85, a friend asked that I visit the Mysore Ashrama with him, but I bluntly refused. My sister saw am advertisement for a yoga class that was conducted by Sri Rishi Prabakar and she thought that it might help my mother’s weak knees. I volunteered to go with them for the sole purpose of helping my brother to take my mother up the stairs. I guess that this was the start of a wonderful journey that would ultimately take me to the Mysore Ashrama, where I would meet my indisputable Guru.

Without realizing it, I was participating in the yoga courses and later I was invited to accompany the teacher to Mysore City to help him with his scheduled classes. On Sunday morning the teacher, his wife and his mother set out to visit an ashrama that was nested at the foothills on the Chumundi Hills. I was asked to accompany then and because I had nothing scheduled, I consented to go. On reaching the ashrama, I saw a black-bearded Swami in safron clothes standing near to the temple below the Audunbara tree. He looked at me and smiled while doing Abhaya mudra and blessing me. When I looked again, He was not there; He disappeared.

Later, I went into the temple to join the others and I noticed portraits of the same person that was standing outside, hanging on the walls all around the hall. I was approached by a devotee who started speaking about his Guru, Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji, whose portraits were hanging there. When I told him that I saw that person on the grass outside and He blessed me, the man was surprise and said that I was very lucky.

Earlier, when I had attended the yoga class in Bangalore, I heard some soronous music that captured my psyche and I ask the teacher about the singer. He didn’t give a response, but during the trip to the Mysore Ashrama, I distinctly heard the very song playing there. To my amazement, I found out that the singer was no other than the Primodial Guru, Sri Ganapatui Sachchidananda Swamiji. Without even seeing or knowing Him, on three different occasions I had the good fortune of experiencing His energy.

A great Avadootha, Sri Ayyyappa Swami, was a family friend. He lived in the deep forest of Kumbur in the Kodai Kanal Hills of Tamil Nadu. He was a great upsakar of Lord Subramaniam and once a year, he would spend a few weeks in our home as part of his sadhana. I used to accompany him whenever he visited the Subramaniam Swamy Temple. One day, in 1986, I was tired and thought that I would get a video cassette so that we can both watch a movie. I found a video cassette of Sri Datta Darshanam and the video seller said that it was a new movie, so I bought it.

The photo on the cover was similar to what I was taught as a child. I was surprised, because it was produced by a Swamiji. While looking at the movie I was entrailed about Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji. After viewing the movie I was attracted to story of Vishnu Datta, so I watched the video again and again. I learned about Chakras and yoga and I had practiced yoga since my childhood, so the saint felt that I should see this Swamiji who was in Mysore

While I was talking to a Saint, telling him of my plans to visit this Swamiji in Mysore, a group of bhajan singers came to my house and began to sing bhajans on Lord Dattatreya. I have been an ardent of this Lord from infancy, so these bhajans stirred my soul. I invited them into my home and served them coffee and refreshments. They explained to us that there was a function in the Guru’s Ashram on that day, and invited us to come and join the function. They talked about their Guru, and I realized that it was none other than Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji, whom I had been planning to visit in Mysore. We agreed to come to the function and made plans to visit the ashram.

Later that evening, I went to my friend’s home to accompany me to the ashram. The friend went inside his room and locked the door in order to get ready. I thought that he was taking an extraordinary long time, and as it was getting late I was getting angry, for we were going to miss the entire function.  Finally, he came out, telling me to calm down, for he was a Saint and was not as pressed to meet Sri Swamiji as I was. By the time we got there, the function was finished and I was disheartened.

Still wishing to meet Him, we sought out the priest from the bhajan group, whom I had met earlier, and asked him if he could take us to Sri Swamiji. For some reason, the priest suddenly became very shaky and anxious and gave a series of excuses avoiding our request. My friend and I told him not to worry if it was so difficult and stood in the ashram waiting for the crowd to dissipate.

Suddenly, I noticed Sri Swamiji saying something to the priest, who had walked over and had been standing next to Him since he spoke to us. The next moment, Sri Swamiji called out ‘Vishnu Datta’ and gestured for me to come over. At this point, I did not realize how great He was and did not know that this was His way.  Being so unfamiliar with Him, the moment I came within distance, I bent down and touched His Holy feet, to the great disapproval and shouts of the people standing around Him.

Sri Swamiji addressed me by my name, Varada Raja, greeted me and allowed me to do Namaskarams, and then began talking with me as though He had known me for several years. He even told me that He had previously visited my sister’s house. I was confused and astonished; I could not understand how He knew my name or knew that I was the brother of one of His devotees. Finally, He blessed me, gave me prasadam, and a Datta Vastram.

After this personal meeting, I had a deep interest to know more about Him. So, for seven days, I would go back to the ashram and talk to the priest, who would tell him stories about Sri Swamiji and his own experiences with Him. These experiences were very profound and they made deep, indelible mark in my mind, and I was very happy, so I started my journey to understanding the philosophies within His physical even more. I wanted to know all the vast realities of His existence.

During my period of introspection, one day, my sister called me and said that there were fresh lemons growing in her garden and thought that I should offer them to Sri Swamiji for Navarathri. Inadvertently, I accepted the lemons and planned to go to Mysore. However, before I could leave, riots and political agitation started happening in the city because of anger with policies of the government. Buses were not scheduled because people were attacking and throwing stones at them; there was virtually no communication between the Hills, of Bangalore, and the City.

One bus tried to come up the hills, but was stopped because of the riots. Disheartened and angered by the lack of communication, transportation, and the spoiling lemons, I began to scold Sri Swamiji in my mind.  For three days, this circus continued, and finally, I was forced to throw out the lemons, which were getting spoiled. Then, on the fourth morning, when I awoke I saw His mysterious form in front of me.  At first, I thought that it was an illusion, but it looked so real and it lasted for the rest of the day. Then, in the evening, to my great surprise, I heard a bus coming up the hill. With skepticism I thought it was just another vehicle, but when I looked onto the road, I saw that it was a government bus.

I took my things and went out onto the main road to meet with the driver. The driver and the people on the bus were extremely shaken up, for they had just escaped the riots in the city and did not even understand how they were able to reach here without getting hurt or attacked. I asked them if they were leaving the next day, but they just stared at me like I was crazy and told me that it was too dangerous to leave. I tried to convince them that things will be alright, but they told me that they would think about it, although they would not make any promises. They said that I should meet them in the morning to learn their decision.

For the whole night I couldn’t sleep so I spent the time praying to Swamiji that the bus would decide to leave. The next day, I found out that my prayers had been answered. We set out and traveled about for about forty kilometers until we reached the edge of the city. At this point, there was a station where the bus conductor had to give a report to some officers, who would then decide whether to permit the bus to enter the city. As I was the only passenger on the bus, the officers stepped inside and told me that there were many problems going on inside the city, and they could not permit us to enter.

What made things worse was the fact that the bus was not being permitted to go back up the hill to where I lived. I was stuck with all of my luggage, and even the lemons, with nowhere to go. I was so angered by this incident that I began to scold Sadgurudeva again, saying that I would not be able see Him if He kept sending all of these obstacles. While all this was happening, the officer entered the bus again and asked me why I was still on the bus and why I had not gone home. I explained my predicament to the officer, who then inquired about my luggage and the lemons. I told him that I was taking the lemons as offerings for Navarathri Puja held by Sri Swamiji.

To my surprise, the officer then called his subordinates and told them that this bus should enter the city escorted by two jeeps; one in the front and one in the back, so that this one passenger could make it to his destination. The officer even ordered that they should take me directly to my sister’s house and unload the lemons and luggage when they arrived.

 When I arrived at my sister’s house, I was surprised to find that they were planning a trip the following Sunday to visit Swamiji as per His orders, and that they should perform Thaila Abhishekam of Lord Dattatreya to combat the domestic problems that they were experiencing. They had already told the rest of the family, but they were unable to communicate with me, so it was miraculous that I was able to reach Bangalore in time for this trip, to Mysore, to perform this auspicious puja the next day.

The next day, Sunday, the family set out early in the morning and drove for three hours, in a taxi, from Bangalore to Mysore. By the time we reached there, we were quite hungry from the long trip, but we first went to the prayer hall to find Sri Swamiji.  Much to our surprise, a stranger, who worked at the ashrama, approached me and asked if I was Vishnu Datta from Bangalore and he even asked me if my name was Varada Raja. I did not know how this stranger knew my name or where he was from, but the man continued and explained that Sri Swamiji had given him specific instructions to meet my family in the prayer hall and to take us to the dining hall for lunch. Everyone was ecstatic, for we were quite hungry and were glad for the idlis that the man served.

After we had eaten, I went back to the prayer hall and inspected the bulletin boards with all of their announcements and flyers. Finally, I sat down in front of a pillar and I noticed a flyer on the wall in front of me, which stated, “If you need Sri Swamiji’s blessings, meditate”. I thought to myself that I did not know how to meditate, but I closed my eyes and pictured Sri Swamiji, in my imagination, thinking that if this is true, He will come and talk to me. Minutes later, He walked out of His room and called “Varada”. He had a short conversation with me and then He told me that He would talk to me and my family after the Thaila Abhishekam.

There was a beautiful puja, after which Sri Swamiji sang some bhajans in the prayer hall. However, I realized that there were other pujas and other functions throughout the day in which He participated. From morning till evening, He was occupied with these functions and showed no signs of meeting me and my family.  As the day was drawing to an end, we were slowly getting tired and impatient. In addition, my mother was very sick and we were anxious to go home. Suddenly, through His grace, He sent a boy over who told us that Sri Swamiji is asking when we wanted to have an interview; now or tomorrow.

The family was stunned, for most Saints would not ask the people seeking their blessings, when it was convenient for the disciples, but would rather wait for the disciples to ask them. I told the boy that we were unable to stay until the next day because my mother was sick and we had already hired a taxi, so it would be more expensive to wait until the next day. Although Sri Swamiji would normally go back to His room, for a rest after the functions are over, He was very kind and came to the interview room to meet with us instead.

When He entered the room, He addressed the family for a few minutes. Then suddenly, He turned towards me, who was sitting far away by a wall, and said, “I want a person like you”. I did not understand the message at first, as it is true with many devotees at first.  However, upon leaving, He gave us special prasadam and told us to come to Mysore as often as possible, promising that He would come to my home the next time He visits Bangalore.

The next time, when He visited the ashram in Bangalore, I came to request Him to visit my home for Pada Puja. I did not know about the formal procedure for requesting Sri Swamiji to visit my home, but I told the administrators at the ashram and the group who traveled with Him about His promise. Instead of accepting this, they laughed at me and told me it was not possible. They said that Sri Swamiji only visits a place if the house owners give them a name and they create a list and agenda for Him. Incidentally, because I had not gone through these procedures and my name was not on the list, I would not be visited by Sri Swamiji.

I did not believe this: I said I would only believe His words. I said “Sri Swamiji told me He will come, so He will come”. The administrators were offended and said, “You’re such a great man that Swamiji will come to your house? We have already created a list and you are not on it”. I was offended, but did not want to further incense them, for they were in charge of the official agenda of Sri Swamiji, and I still wanted Him to visit my home.

When Sri Swamiji arrived at the ashram, I went and stood near to Him so that He would see me. He did not acknowledge me or His promise, and He did not even greet me. I remained in my position, disappointed for some time, and then suddenly He turns to the administrators and told them “I am going to these people’s house; arrange it for tomorrow”. I was very happy and the agenda was set for Him to visit my home the next day. The next day, Sri Swamiji visited my house and He enjoyed the family and the house as His own house; He called my mother as His own; He even had Bhiksha there; Finally, He blessed us and then went back to the ashram after we performed the Pada Puja.

Later that evening, I went back to the ashram, but, to my surprise, Sri Swamiji would not look at my face. I kept thinking of His enjoyment of His visit to my home, and thought I would receive some special blessings for this new- found closeness to Him. However, instead of blessing me, Swamiji began to scold me in front of everyone in the ashram. I did not know what I had done wrong, but I felt a deep sense of embarrassment, for many of the people there were looking down upon me and criticized me for doing something wrong.

This trend continued for seven months.  I would go to Mysore often, but He would not look at me, no matter how hard I tried to talk to Him or grab His attention. Everyone would insult me and look down on me as if I had done something wrong.  But I could not stop going to Mysore. One day during Sri Chakra Puja, I was sitting in the Universal Hall looking at the large picture of Sri Swamiji and praying. Suddenly, I heard a voice and I saw Him standing in front of me. Sri Swamiji finally spoke to me and blessed me, ending the seven- month silence.

After these incidents, I finally understood that this ashram was different. I had gone to so many other ashramas that were all focused on discipline, but in this ashram, there is no discipline. You can see small boys and children doing whatever they want and Sri Swamiji enjoying it. I imagined Swamiji would give me special blessings, and in other ashramas, people would do the same. But He would often sit with others and talk about material things; worldly things. He never talked about great spiritual matters. I wanted spiritual growth, and often thought about leaving, but something would always bring me back. He gave so many opportunities for me to understand how He cured so many people, how He changed so many lives. Finally, He opened my eyes to the secret; I would never understand such power, all I could do is stand under His shade, and doing this would open up the reality. If I tried to understand it, I would only get confused.

Every day there was a test, but I could feel Swamiji’s love. I did not understand why or how He loved me so much, but it was love mixed with scolding. I did not know whether to love Him or hate Him. Every time He scolded me, I wanted to run away; and yet, every time He showed love, I wanted to be closer to Him. For so many years, I could not understand my relationship with Him. He gave me many mantras, and He taught me many lessons. All of the dreams I dreamt about Him was where He was blessing me. I thought that they were just manifestations of my longing for spiritual growth. I thought they were just illusions. However, I later found out that they were no illusions: He had actually come to me and blessed me.

I often said that the most important thing Sri Swamiji taught me was how to be a human, and to stop dreaming of super humans. Many people go to ashramas and see such spiritual people or events, and they start to dream of such matters. He taught me that true spiritual bliss is not an illusion, it is not a dream. You can have all of these practices and pujas, but first, you must become a primary human. He looked inside me and took away all of my animosities and animal nature, with His grace. After this, I became very simple and pure, and this simplicity revealed the true nature of Sri Swamiji: He lives like an ordinary man, when He is truly extraordinary.  He looks human, but He is Divine.

Everyone who comes near to Him starts a slow process: a process of change and purification.  It was hard for me, as it is for many people, for I had to sacrifice a lot and had to change my nature, my teachings.  When you come near to Him, you have to leave your bad habits behind; you have to leave everything behind. It is hard for many people to do this, but when you are able to do this, He is with you always. Many people don’t understand this, which makes the tests severe.

I had seen many Saints perform pujas, but Swamiji’s pujas are very unique; you can feel the energy of the puja and the energy in Him as He does the Sri Chakra Puja.  Swamiji used to look at me and pass this Divine energy to me; He would give me prasadam and teertham, and I could feel changes inside of me. I would see the Divine Mother sitting next to Him during these pujas. Sri Chakra Puja became part of my life and after the programs with His grace I would sometimes be given Him massages.

I used to joke with Sri Swamiji, saying that my pujas; massaging His Feet and body, seeing His face, were so much easier than having to invoke God and be disciplined in an actual puja. “Swamiji is God and is the Divine Mother. We have no need for this and that puja, for Swamiji is right in front of us. Concentrate on the form of Swamiji, keep Him in the heart, and that is enough.”

Swamiji never used to talk about spiritual matters. He used to tell me and others, “If you are looking for yoga, meditation, spiritual matters, go somewhere else; I am a material man”. Once, He told me that I am such a great and holy man, and I felt proud to be praised in such a way by Him. However, the next day, He scolded me and called me idiot for wanting His blessings. I felt depressed, and wanted to ask His permission to go back to Bangalore, but He would not look at me. I was so sad that I sat down and cried in front of His photo. Then, suddenly, He came out and blessed me and told me that I would get whatever I wanted.

I used to think that I am such a spiritual person and I knew what I was doing. Sri Swamiji, without even speaking, taught me that all that I was doing, all that I was thinking was wrong. I was so changed by my experiences and lessons with Sri Swamiji that I used to say that my stay with Him was death, in that my old self was killed and I was reborn, with all of my sins washed away and my mindset on life and the world changed.

Once Sri Swamiji sent me to Russia with nothing; no resources but a train ticket that I got through a loan from a friend. I went to achieve something, but I could not speak the language, I had no money, my spirit was brought down. Russia is a bad place; you can’t talk about God or Saints: it is a Communist country with many dangers. Sri Swamiji took me there to contemplate and establish my life. By the time I came back, I had grown spiritually and mentally. When Sri Swamiji came and first saw me after I  came back from my trip, He said that He was proud of me, just as a mother or father is proud of their child.

I used to say, “People see Divinity in me, they think I am superhuman.  However, I know that I am truly a human, and I love my master; Swamiji taught me how to live without illusion; how to live by being humble; how to reach God without becoming a monk, without saying you sacrifice this and that, but to live like a human and still reach God.”

During a period when Sri Swamiji was away inaugurating a Dattatreya Temple, I was in the Mysore Ashram taking care of the herbal garden, planting and watering plants. He came back early from His trip and a rumor went around that He was sick. He will never admit or show when He is sick or tired, but when He arrived, everyone greeted Him and it could be seen that He was very tired. I went back to my gardening, but later a boy approached me with a message that Sri Swamiji wanted to see me. I got up and followed the boy, who led me to a bathroom, where He was sitting in nothing but a loin cloth. He told me that He was ready to take His bath, and asked me to rub oil and massage Him. As I went about this task, He began telling the story of His Arka Ganapathi, a plant, it is said, whose root will grow to face north and take the shape of Lord Ganapathi after five hundred years:

One day, Lord Ganapathi came to Sri Swamiji in a vision and said that He wished to come to Him.  Knowing exactly what this meant, He told a trustee that someone will give an Arka Ganapathi to him. The trustee did not know what Arka Ganapathi was and did not understand the purpose of this message. The disciple then went home and arranged a function where he would have to receive Sri Swamiji. He invited many of his relatives and friends to try and find an Arka Ganapathi, as they were quite rare. He went to one of his close friends, who explained that he was having significant troubles and obstacles in his home and his business.

This friend explained that he did not know the cause of his troubles, but that they had started when a Saint gave him a strange object. He was afraid that this was the cause of his suffering, so he asked the trustee to take it from his home and give it to his Guru, Sri Swamiji. The trustee told him to show him the object so he could decide if Sri Swamiji would accept it. The friend led him to the cupboard, and when he opened it, the trustee was shocked to find it was an Arka Ganapathi. The trustee brought it back home, where he performed the proper rituals and brought it to Sri Swamiji in the Mysore Ashrama, where it is to this day.

After Sri Swamiji finished this story, I began to massage His stomach. Suddenly, a shock emanated from Swamiji’s abdomen and electrified me.  After this incident, I began to have visions of Ganapathi, Dattatreya, and the Divine Mother. I had many such great visions and thanked Sri Swamiji for blessing me with this constant Divine power, able to be seen so frequently in the forms that I loved.  From these visions, the connection between Sri Swamiji and me grew stronger. There were no cuts, no tears, no severs; there was just constant enjoyment of the grace and guidance of Swamiji.

I often wondered why Sri Swamiji simply showed so much love to all of us, to all of these people, despite the fact that they were doing so much wrong. However, eventually I understood that if He chooses to ignore us and chastise us for our mistakes, then there would be no one to truly love us and accept us. He blesses without expecting anything else in return. We are often selfish in saying that we are sacrificing so much to come see Him; to follow His wishes and instructions, for we do not see along the way that He is the one sacrificing so much for us. We must simply try to follow Him with simple heart, feel Him more and more, and stop analyzing why He does the things He does.

One time, He sent me and another person to Anantapur to prepare for His arrival for the inauguration of Datta Temple. After completing this job, we went to a hotel to get some masala dosas, and entered into a conversation. The other man asked me if I had ever seen Sri Sathya Sai Baba materialize things before, for I had been a keen follower of Sai Baba and traveled with Him on some occasions. I said that I had seen Sai Baba materialize things quite often, but that I had never seen Sri Swamiji materialize objects. So, after this conversation, we went back to the temple, and the next day, His Holiness arrived. After the function, He began to walk up to His room and was climbing the stairs. On the first step, He stopped, turned around and called a person from the back of the room. When the person came, Sri Swamiji waved His hand and a crystal Surya appeared from the void. With humility and calmness, He turned to me, smiled, and said, “I can also materialize these things”.

On another occasion, a bank in Karnataka was being inaugurated and Sri Swamiji wanted to go to give a donation and make a deposit. At this time, the ten- rupee coin had just been released as a new form of currency.  So, when He got to the bank, Sri Swamiji waved His hand and caused ten ten- rupee coins to appear in His hand to give to the bank.

There are so many experiences, but “My connection with Him is continuous, there is no cut.  Every moment and every second I enjoy it, and He’s always with me.  I don’t feel a separation, and I am always in Divine union with Datta. My guru is guiding me wherever I go, gracing whatever I do in my life.  The experiences and the things I enjoyed with Him as a physical and ordinary person are still there.  Anyone who wants to be with Swamiji should learn to be a human, how to be a simple person.  They should love their family, respect their elders, and learn from Sri Swamiji.” Jaya Guru Datta

K E V Rajendra Prasad and Kolli Ramadevi, Vijayawada.

 “You can be happy like this, but never in your life, not even for a second, should you think that had you missed something. Even for one second must the thought arise that I should have gotten married; if it is not possible, then you should get married.”

The ways of the Guru is inexplicable; He takes care of you from the beginning, from birth. That’s how I feel now. My earliest experience, as I was told; when I was about two years old, I was crawling behind my grand-father and I fell into a side drain. At that time, we did not have any ICUs, ventilators or any other proper equipment in the hospitals in Andhra Pradesh. Because of this, I stayed in a coma for ten days. After becoming conscious, I was given an injection, but before the needle was removed, I fell into coma for another ten days.

In December 1969, when I was about nine years old, I met Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji with my parents. After that I was attracted to Him and I was inspired that He was the source of all flow of mantras. Because of this I began continuously chanting ‘Om Namaha Shiva’, even from that youthful age. As time progressed, I began spending more and more time with Him; anywhere and anytime I could be see Him. My days with Him were wonderful.

When I was about thirteen years old and we visited the Mysore Ashrama, Sri Swamiji used to teach me to drive, as He did with the other children, in the open spaces of the Ashrama. At times, when He took us out of the Ashrama compounds, I will fall asleep and on our return He would casually say, “You have slept very nicely.” He did whatsoever He had to do, without either of us speaking.

Sometimes, just the two of us would go up to the Chamundi Hill and He would stop in front of the main entry and tell me to go and have the darsan of the Mother Goddess and come back. I would ask Him to come with me and once He said, “As a Yogi, I have to be invited into a Temple. Sages have different principles to follow. You go and hurry back.” I would go and have a quick darsan and He will wait for me, thereafter we would leave. Much later, I wrote the entrance examinations to join the ‘Mysore Medical College’, but I wasn’t sure that I would get a seat. I did get a seat, so I was the first boy from the Ashrama to join in a medical college.

When I was about sixteen years old, one day I was running a high fever and had fits on one side of my body. I was diagnosed with malaria. My parents were not at home and I did not know what to do. I tried to get up, but I was in so much pain. Then after a few seconds, something changed. I was at a height looking down at my body; I did not understand what was happening to me. Sometime later, I was back in my body and it was convulsing. I saw my parents and my father was speaking on the phone; I realized that he had called Sri Swamiji informing Him about my condition.

He told Him about my situation and the prognosis and Sri Swamiji told him that he should not worry since He was there all along. A doctor was called and he treated me, a little while later the convulsions stopped. A few months later, we went to the Ashrama and we were told that when Sri Swamiji received words of my illness He asked a few devotees to do bhajans while He went in to meditation. After becoming a doctor, I realized that I had contracted cerebral malaria, a disease that hadn’t been tested then.

During my three year at medical school, I contested in faculty elections. In 1977-78, I would go to the ashrama and ask Sri Swamiji to perform Shiva Abhishekam for me. I knew that even you want a desire fulfilled you must ask for it at an auspicious time. My wish was to win the elections and so by performing the abhishekam, I used to win with unanimous consent. In my final year, I was again running and one day I noticed a bunch of students, who I didn’t know, surrounding me and asking questions about the elections. Just then the Principal and the Superintendent of Police arrived on the scene to monitor the campaign. Later I learnt that those men were paid thugs who came to stab me, but the timely appearance of the police thwarted their plan.

Then I realized the Guru – Shishya relationship; whosoever is connected with the Guru, he will always be under His protection; not only in this life, but in past and future as well. His attention will always be on His devotees and He always protects them even though they are not in close proximity to Him. His ways are always unexpected and unpredictable. He even takes care of our frivolous shopping and our wanton travels.

From 1986, for three years, I had the privilege and honor of managing the Hospital and the museum. Actually, the idea of the museum came from another devotee and me. Sri Swamiji had collected many items and artifacts from His travels and we thought that we should display it for all the devotees to see. He used to give some explanations on the pieces and we explained them to those who came by.

As a youth He taught me in many ways; through direct and indirect speech, through mental association and even through traveling with Him from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Some relatives insinuated that those trips were established for devotees who were sixty years or older, but He said that this should be done while your body is young and healthy. We should not wait for the body to get old and diseased ridden. He said that ‘sadhana and spiritual practise are to be done while you were young’.

During my ashrama life, I told Sri Swamiji that I didn’t want to get married, I was happy, just being like this. His response was. “You can be happy like this, but never in your life, not even for a second, should you think that had you missed something. Even for one second must the thought arise that I should have gotten married; if it is not possible, then you should get married.” One has to be as pure as a crystal in his thought, words and deeds.

My parents had given Sri Swamiji a photo of a girl, Ramadevi, whom they selected for an alliance for me and He kept that photo for a whole year in His pooja box. One day, He pulled out the photo and asked, “Who is this girl.” My mother responded that she was the girl that was selected for me. He approved of the alliance and He asked for the girl to come to Him. He told her, “If you think that you will ever stop the activities of Guji connected to the ashrama then think again, or we will keep searching.”

Ramadevi was also a medical doctor specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. After marriage, we set up our own practise where I attended to diabetic patients and she attended to infertile women. Our thoughts were how we can relieve people from their sufferings. We worked sometimes for sixteen hours, seven days a week. For four years we worked like this, by which time we had two children.

In 1992, one day while we at the Ashrama, Sri Swamiji called us and advised us that we should leave Vijayawada as soon as possible and go somewhere else. We were taken aback, since we had a good practise with good earnings. I protested to Him saying, “Swamiji, this is where we established ourselves and earning well, how we can do that? It will take at least five years to re-establish ourselves amidst uncertainties and be comfortable.” Then He said, “If you cannot do that, then move out from your present home and find a new one.” Again I protested, “No Swamiji, it is difficult.” I was thinking about my elderly parents and their dependence on us.

Finally, He said, “Okay, at least change your hospital.” I was so stubborn that I told Him that too was difficult. Then very casually, He said, “You do not know half of what is happening, one day you will come to me and beg; you will say that you have been left out of society, within ninety-eight you will come and ask Sri Swamiji for help.” I curtly replied, “Swamiji, I always have the liberty to ask you anything.”

At that time a large number of people with infertility problems were coming to us for treatment. Our records indicated a large percentage success rate for Ramadevi’s treatment. Her name was established Vijayawada and surrounding districts. Many successful ex-patients were sending the friends and family saying to go to Kularama Devi, she is very good.

One day, two women patients came for treatment. They were successfully treated and later their pregnancy was confirmed. Both these ladies later aborted their fetuses. Much later we learnt that their intentions were to defame us with the help of other doctors in the city. There was no evidence that abortions had taken place and they claim that our practise was bogus, so they filed a malpractice suit against us.

We lost our case in the Lower Courts and then again in the High Court. In 2004, we filed in the Appeals Court in Hyderabad for justice. During the hearing, Sri Appaji cut short His tour and came to Hyderabad. He seemed to be fasting, because He was not taking food, He also seemed to be annoyed. He said, “Okay, it has happened already, forget about it.” It was a difficult case; even the police knew that abortions were involved, but couldn’t prove it.

During the appeals, Ramadevi was observing Sri Swamiji sitting on a chair in court chambers. Even Sri Balaswamiji had given the assurance that we will win this time. Ramadevi was in perfect composure and with conviction she was listening to the arguments from both sides. She was convinced that these patients had done a great injustice to us. She sat motionless and when the verdict came in our favor, she was un-nerved. She knew that the words of her Guru and His cosmic presence represented her retribution. There were no assurances for us in first two courts, but this time everything went in our favor and we were acquitted.

In this way, the Guru allows you to face your karma, and we had to face it. He knew that petty jealously and political interference would try to malign our reputation, so He made us go through that twelve year period of uncertainty and degradation. In the end, He lifted us from the abyss of our predicament and set us right. We had lost; emotionally, socially and economically, but spiritually we have gained so much more.

When He told me to give up; place, home and hospital, I objected at every turn. He did not scold me or chased me away, He held on to my hands more firmly. Maybe, He saw my rate of success as an impediment to my spiritual growth, so He harnessed it. Now, I see myself as being more contented having a normal way of life and still serving the public as I wanted to.

In retrospect, He has taken care of me since childhood and He has been guiding me in different ways. Even though I made a foolish mistake and wasted twelve years in trying to clean it up, He never left me. As a matter of fact, He stood there with me. He took care of all aspects of my life. I cannot explain the quality of this Mahatma and even though I have been in His direct presence since 1970, I am still trying to find Him.

The near death experience taught me that body and soul are different. Spiritually, He silently taught me through the flow on thoughts, because as a child I constantly chanted “Om Namaha Shivaya” impulsively. If I have gained things spiritually, I cannot express them now for I am not in authority to say that. I never divulged these experiences to wife, children or parents before, but now, if someone can learn from this, I believe that my purpose will be served. We don’t know which way He will use for guiding His devotees; only He knows. Sree Guru Datta

C N Parameshwaram, Coimbatore

During one of His trips he had a long discussion with the Senior Kanchi Shankarcharya in the Amavar Sala Temple at Proddatur. The discussion lasted throughout the night.

Before narrating my experiences about Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, I have to give a brief history of Proddatur Manni’s family, with whom Sri Swamiji stayed during His school days at Proddatur, Andhra Pradesh, India.

My brother-in-law, the late Sri T.S. Mani Iyer and my sister the late Smt. C.N. Rajammal (Subbulakshmi) were living at Proddatur, a major town in Cuddapah District. (A.P.). My brother-in-law was a leading hotelier in Proddatur, owning two big hotels. He was very generous; helping a number of persons with free food every day. The people of the town held him in great esteem for his unassuming character, simplicity. He extended charities to temples, schools and children; by providing them with fees, books and clothing. He even helped with the marriages for poor people. He is remembered, even today by the elderly people in Proddatur.

Sri Mani Iyer’s children were studying in the Municipal High School in Proddatur. During this time, presumably in the year 1955, I was told that a young boy, G. Satyanarayana, also known as Sri Satyam, now universally known as Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, enrolled in the Municipal High School, where my nephews were studying.

Satyanarayana was staying in a small room at a Siva Temple with his sister, Varalakshmi and aged aunt, Srimati Venkamma. As they had no means for their daily food, Satyam used to approach selected families, in the town, for their ‘Bhiksha’ every day. This was caller Madhukara Annam. Also Satyam was a regular visitor to the Siva temple, Aurobindo Circle and Sri Ramana Ashrama.

Sri Satyanarayana was a classmate of my nephew, T.S. Sarangapani ‘Chandru’. The children of Sri Mani Iyer took pity on this boy and used to help Him out now and then. One day Chandru informed his mother about Satyanarayana and the sufferings He encounters. My sister conveyed this to her husband, since he was helping poor students and performing charitable deeds in the town. He asked Chandru to bring Satyam to their Hotel where He can have food, free of charge.

Satyam agreed to this, but at the same time He insisted that He must be allowed to take ‘Bhiksha’ from selected families for the sake of His aunt and sister. Seeing His benevolent attitude and good manners, my sister asked the boy to come and stay with them in their house. She also treated Him as one among her children. Sri Satyam also mingled with the boys as one among them without any differences.  The children used to call their father as ‘Anna’ and their mother as ‘Manni’. Satyam also followed this and used to call them in the same manner.

Normally, everyday Manni would send more than enough food for the children’s lunch, but later she decided to send some extra food that was required for Satyam also. As was their custom, the children will go to bed early, but Satyam will wait for Manni to finish her daily works, which may extend up to 11.00 pm. and then only He will go to bed.

Later, around 1957, Satyam left Proddatur for Anantapur to stay with His elder brother, Nanjundayya. Much later we came to know, through letters from Sri Swamiji’s to my nephews, that Satyam was living in Mysore City and was employed at the Postal department. We also got information that His sister, Varalakshmi, had gotten married.

In 1962, my brother-in-law, Sri Mani Iyer, suddenly passed away at the premature age of fifty-one, leaving behind a bundle of young children. He, like Manni was very close to Satyam and he used to call him ‘Sadhu Peyyan’ (Innocent Boy).  On hearing the demise of Sri Mani Iyer, Satyam was shaken and wanted to see the affectionate Manni and her children immediately to console them on their bereavement. He wrote a very touching letter on this sad demise. Earlier, Satyam had written letters to Bala and Ramani, the two elder brothers, about their responsibilities that they have to take in the absence of ‘Anna’. They were to make sure that Manni, whom Sri Swamiji had mentioned as His adopted mother, should not feel uncomfortable, on any account.

One day, the family received a phone call, saying that Satyanarayana was on His way to Proddatur to see them. Sri Swamiji reached their new house, with much difficulty, along with four other members arriving around 11.00 pm. After arriving and settling down, Satyam narrated to the family about Him acquiring spiritual power from Lord Ganapathy and that He is now known as ‘Sri Ganapathy Satyanarayana Swami’.

During this trip Sri Swamiji stayed for four days and visited His old school, class teachers and friends and then He left for Mysore. Sri Swamiji visited Srimati Manni’s family several times after this visit. During one of His trips he had a long discussion with the Senior Kanchi Shankarcharya in the Amavar Sala Temple at Proddatur. The discussion lasted throughout the night.

At the beginning of 1966, we received a letter from my sister about Sri Swamiji’s sudden visit to Proddatur and His desire to meet our family members in Madras. Later that year, in the month of June, Sri Swamiji met our family members at Madras. After travelling throughout the night from Mysore, He arrived early in the morning, on a Friday, with my nephew Bala, the eldest son of Proddatur Manni, Sri Swamiji was dressed all in white then.  All the members of the family were delighted on seeing Him after such a long period. Satyam was very happy and considered himself a part of our family and was welcomed as such with great warmth and happiness.

On the first day of His arrival, Sri Swamiji indicated that He wished to have a bath in the sea, because on that day there was a Lunar Eclipse. As per His desire, Sri Swamiji was taken to the Santhome Beach in Madras and everyone had a bath along with Him.  Then, Sri Swamiji visited the Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple at Adyar.

The next day, the first Pada Puja and Bhiksha, in Chennai, was arranged at my uncle, the late Sri Ramasamy Iyer’s house. In the evening, Sri Swamiji also had Pada Puja and Bhiksha at another uncle, the late Sri Vijayaraghavan’s house.  Sri Vijayaraghavan requested Sri Swamiji’s blessings for a suitable match to his second daughter, Rukmini.  Sri Swamiji gave him a lingam and told him and asked him to perform abhishekam for forty-one days, by which time the alliance would materialize. A suitable match materialized through Sri. Swamiji’s wishes and blessings within three weeks to none other than Chandrasekhar, who was from a respectable family and whose family members are ardent devotees of Sri Swamiji. At this time, the great violinist Sri T N Krishnan was also introduced to Sri Swamiji here.

In 1967, Sri Swamiji visited Sri K P Chandra Rao’s house for ‘Grahapravesam’ of their new house at Purasawalkam, Chennai. A weeklong program with full rituals and elaborate arrangements was conducted then.  Sri Swamiji asked that I should be there whenever He visits Chennai.  By His orders and as a form of respect for Gurudeva, I was prepared to accompany Sri Swamiji to all the places He visited in Chennai.  Sri Swamiji selected Sri Chandra Rao’s house for His stay whenever He was in Chennai until alternative arrangements were made. Sri Swamiji remained in this area of Chennai from 1968 to 1971. In 1972, He attended the marriage of Bala on April 10^th and Ramani on May 11^th, at Chennai.

During that same year, a devotee, Sri Venkatachallam, offered a suitable piece of land, very near to the devotees’ house in Mylapore, free of cost, to Sri Swamiji for the construction of an Ashram in Chennai. The devotees arranged a weeklong program on this land, erecting a pandal. There were morning puja with musical performances by leading artists. Pada Pujas and personal interviews were given to all devotees. The first Gnana Bodha Sabha in Chennai was inaugurated at the IIT Temple, Adyar; for which the arrangements had been made by Sri Venkidiraman, Security Officer at IIT, Chennai.

In 1973, Sri Koshi and Dave arranged a four day program at the Gujarati Mandali in Chennai for Sri Swamiji. During this period, Sri Swamiji’s Bhajans was also conducted at Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Adyar. Later, Sri K J Yesudoss and Sri Viswanathan Ramamurthy met with Sri Swamiji, at Sri Chandra Rao’s house and both agreed to give performances to raise funds for the Ashram at Kutchery Road.

In 1974, Sri Swamiji visited the Sri Ayyappa Temple at Mahalingapuram, Chennai and His first LP Records of His Bhajans were released. The first record was presented to the violinist, Sri T N Krishnan. On the same day, there was a performance by the students of Kalakshetra, Adyar on the Saptaha Rishi Ramayana, This was held under the patronage of Smt Rukmini Arundale at the AVM Rajeshwari Kalayana Mantapam.

In 1975, the music performance of Sri Dr. K.J. Yesudoss and Sri Viswanathan was over.  The amount realized, by way of collections, from the programs were utilized for the construction of the Chennai Ashram at Kutchery Road. In 1976, the Chennai Ashram was inaugurated. Sri Swamiji was taken in a procession from Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple to the new Ashram at Kutchery Road and Sri Swamiji was received with Poorna Kumbha. In the Ashram, the first Yoga Class was arranged for four days with Yoga Teachers from Mysore. Sri V R Gopalan took over as the Secretary of Chennai Ashram from Dr. Nityananda. In the same year, Sri Swamiji’s began His first Foreign Tour. In 1985, a new ashram at Vellachery was inaugurated.

In 1981, Sri Swamiji visited Tiruvannamalai and Palani temples. Sri V.R. Gopalan and I were asked to accompany Sri Swamiji with our families.  At Thiruvannamalai, Sri Swamiji went to see the ‘Nadi Josyam’ and took the ‘Ola Chavudis’ for study in detail.

I cannot and will not forget two important incidents in my life that was only possible through the gifted association of being the devotee of our Gurudeva, Sri Swamiji: When I was sixty-eight years old, an astrologer informed me that I needed to perform a Mrityunjaya homa to ward of the evils. When I told this to His Holiness, Sri Swamiji, He told me to come to the Ashram and that He would arrange for everything. I went to Mysore and performed the homa in Sri Swamiji’s presence and sought His blessings.

Then in 2003, for the sixtieth birthday celebrations of our Gurudeva, Sri Swamiji, all my family members were present for the big occasion. We were sitting in a corner for want of space. Our Sadguru, called us to the platform where He was seated and introduced each member of our family, narrating the early days to the gathering of thousands; in the presence of the late Sri R. Venkataraman, ex-President of India and the late Sri P V Narasimha Rao, ex-Prime minister of India. Our family was very surprised at such a welcome and felt very blessed to be loved by His Holiness, Sri Swamiji.

Finally, with tears in my eyes, I have to inform that my sister Srimati Rajammal, affectionately called as Proddatur Manni by our Sri Swamiji, left this world in August 2006.

Let the good services, warmth and blessings of Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji continue to benefit the society. Sree Guru Datta, Jaya Guru Datta

T S Balasubramaniam, Hyderabad

Sri Swamiji took my leg, places it on His lap and applied Vibuthi, saying “Tomorrow we will see what happens.” In the morning, no visible mark of even a scar was on my leg, it was as if nothing had happened. Sri Swamiji laughed while exclaiming, “You wanted to go to the hospital, isn’t it!”

I am T S Balasubramaniam, also known a Bala, and I have known Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji from His childhood days. In 1956-1957 Sri Swamiji actually lived as part of my family. He was very close to my mother and considered her to be His own mother. He was basically a family member to us; He ate all His meals and even shared clothes with us. In 1957 He left for His brother’s place in Anantapur, but He continued writing letters to us.

After awhile we stopped hearing from Him. Then, during a cool February night in 1965, just before Shivaratri, I had just come home from our hotel and was about to go to sleep. I heard a strange voice calling my name, “Bala, Bala” from the front door. At first, I was puzzled as I did not know who this person was, and I became a little upset because of the late hour. When I opened the door I saw a Swamiji having long black hair and wearing silk clothing. He asked “Bala, don’t you recognize me?”  I then recognized Him beyond His outfit and exclaimed “Oh, Satya! What is this?”

Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji, our sweet Satyam, had come to our house at near midnight in a black Ambassador car. We were confused with this strange occurrence and couldn’t decide what we should do; how we should accept Him. We invited Him in and everyone was amazed to see His transformation. Sri Swamiji said “I have taken Sanyaasa at Datta Kotinam from Agastyamuni.” After being welcomed into the home, He prostrated before my mother and grand-mother seeking their blessings. He called my mother “Manni,” which usually means brother’s wife in Tamil, and He used to call my father “Manianna. He asked for some milk to drink and my mother went out to get milk from their cow and gave it to Him. Sri Swamiji stayed with us for awhile, during which time we were happy to have His company.

The next day was my birthday and Sri Swamiji called me and manifested vibuthi and an idol which He gave to me.  He wanted to go to a nearby ashram where Dr. Narasimhaya and AK Munni were. I accompanied Him to Dr. Narasimhaya’s house, where they were performing Satyanarayana puja. That evening we visited the Mukti Rameshwar temple where they had the Darshanam of the Lord. Sri Swamiji put His hand by the fire and some coins appeared and fell from His hand. The priests there were puzzled by this miracle.

Once, at the Mukambika Temple, while Sri Swamiji and I were walking towards the car, a black dog was hiding nearby. That dog caught hold of my leg and bit me and I became very upset over the incident. I said “What Satyam, I accompanied you and look at what has happened!  Now tomorrow I must go to the hospital and get some shots.” Sri Swamiji took my leg, places it on His lap and applied Vibuthi, saying “Tomorrow we will see what happens.” In the morning, no visible mark of even a scar was on my leg, it was as if nothing had happened. Sri Swamiji laughed while exclaiming, “You wanted to go to the hospital, isn’t it!”

When we arrived home for lunch Sri Swamiji started drinking some water and He asked, “Manni, don’t you have tap water?” She replied “this only is tap water; this morning only we brought it.” He said Lord Krishna was in this water and He gave it to Manni. He then served her the curry He had taken. A stone which He produced it from His mouth was in it. The Lord Ganapati vigraha was also there. This puzzled Manni greatly.

The next morning, Sri Swamiji went to complete His Samadhi Nishta. During this time I wanted to wake Him up, but I was cautioned and stopped. After about an hour Sri Swamiji came to a normal state and woke up. He told us, “There is a devotee who has met with an accident on his scooter in the Naya Kategola circle, and maybe tomorrow we can see him. The devotee was shouting ‘Swamiji, Swamiji’ so I went there and saved him.”  After this wonderful visit my brother, Ramani, accompanied Him back to Bangalore. On the way the car was traveling at a very high speed. While moving on a gravel road, a child ran unto the road, was hit and thrown about twenty feet away. Sri Swamiji immediately put His leg out to protect her, and even though she had been thrown, she did not have a scratch on her. The local people had some sticks and were ready to beat up the occupants of the car. Sri Swamiji stepped out of the car, picked up some gravel, went to the girl and hugged her. He told her “don’t play on the road because there is a lot of traffic and accidents can happen.”  He took the gravel, and turned them into almonds and sugar candies and gave it to her. Ramani was worried that the people would try to harm His Holiness, but after seeing how He had saved the little girl, they all fell at His feet.

They went on to Mysore and then to Nanjangud where they had a bath in the Kaveri River. While there Sri Swamiji picked up a small gold Kamandalu from the bottom of the river.  He told “This Kamandalu is going to be filled with the water from this river, and it is going to serve the entire amount of people who will be attending the Sivarathri celebrations.” This water in fact served all the people that gathered on that day.

For forty-one days, after the Shivaratri programs, I had the opportunity to accompanied Sri Swamiji on His tours. Every Sunday He would perform Ganapati Homam before fifty to sixty people who would gather there.  After performing the homa He would personally hand out Prasadam to all.

During this time, there was a merchant whose wife and mother accompanied Sri Swamiji to the ashram, where He would perform homa every day.  After some time, the wife asked His Holiness why He had not cured her mother-in-law who was mentally retarded. Sri Swamiji forcibly told her, “Just because I am a Sanyasi, what are you expecting of me?” The women left weeping. They were upset and told their story to everyone. That day He asked me to accompany Dwarka to the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam. We went there and returned that evening. On our return some people told us that “Sri Swamiji has become mad.” He was taking sand and throwing everything and the children were afraid to go near him. Narasimham had taken Him to his home.

The next morning, Dwarka and I went by bicycle to this house. When we arrived Sri Swamiji was sitting in a chair, and He asked us why we came. We said that we had heard He was not keeping well and came to see Him. The merchant’s wife and her mother-in-law wanted to repent and prostrate at His Lotus feet. His vastram that He wore on His body was torn, so He asked if I would wear it. I accepted and kept it in my possession until 2006 when I re-donated it to the Ashram.

In 1966 I accompanied Sri Swamiji from Mysore to Chennai because He wanted to meet with my grandfather. It was His first visit to Chennai. KS Ramaswami, my maternal uncle, and A.N. Vijaya Raghavan accompanied us. Sri Swamiji performed pujas at both their houses. At that time they were seeking alliances for their second daughter. Sri Swamiji advised them that they should not go anywhere, as the alliances would approach them. In one week, a judge’s son, Chandrasekhar, came, and an alliance was made. Later they went to a beach, and on the seashore, Sri Swamiji found a Chamundi vigraha and gave it to my grandfather for worship. Then they went back to Mysore.

 Before this time, Swamiji kept a clean-shaven face but had long hair, which He could tie on the top of His head. After this, Swamiji started growing His beard. I also started visiting the ashrama to see Him during Shivaratri and other big occasions. One year, on the Shivaratri day, there was a huge crowd and I thought that I would not be able to have His Darshanam. At that time, the Ashram, as we know it now, was not there. It had just a single shed, in which the devotees stayed, that was filled with mosquitoes. There was a well in the middle where we took water for our bath. As I was going back to the shed thinking, I will not have His darshan, someone suddenly came up to me saying that Sri Swamiji had called for me. When I met Him, He said, “You were disappointed thinking that you would not have my darshan.” I was stunned, yet happy to hear those words.

Another time, when I went for Shivaratri, I wanted some sandalwood, so I went to the market to bargain for it but I did not purchase any because I was unsure of the quality. When I got back, Swamiji asked “Did you get the sandalwood?” I said no!  He then gave me a sandalwood block about one-foot long and told me to wrap it in my dhoti. I took it home and gave it to my family. Till today we am still using that block of sandalwood in our pujas.

In 1966, while Swamiji was traveling from Mysore to visit our family in Produttur He met with Chandrasekhar and Saraswati on the way. They prostrated in front of Swamiji and He asked them “where you are going?” They said they were going to Produttur. Chandrasekhar said “I heard that you are singing some bhajans. Why don’t you sing some today, in the temple?” Sri Swamiji agreed and conducted a bhajana program at the Satyanarayana Swami Temple for the first time. After the program, the Paramachari, at the temple, and Sri Swamiji sat in satsangha on Sanskrit scriptures till four o’clock the next morning. The Paramacharya said to Swamiji that he had a thorough grasp of the scriptures and the bhajans, but He still had some anger inside of him. He said that He needed to conquer that and, in order to do so, He needed to do a Chandi homam; Sri Swamiji conducted the homam and then left.

Our family considers Sri Swamiji as our Guru, and even till today we do not do anything without first consulting Him; whether it is a marriage or an upanayanam, etc. His Holiness considers us as His own family. He always speaks of us so lovingly. On His sixtieth birthday, I was recommended to give a speech about Him. I remembered with awe how Sri Swamiji would go begging for food, and now He feeds thousands of people.

Before I got married, I went to the shed at Mysore Ashrama to meet Sri Swamiji.  At that time He was plucking Tulasi leaves and there was also a mound of kumkum there. I asked Him “where did all this kumkum came from?” He asked me to search within the mound, and I discovered a Mangalasutra; which is sacred in Hindu marriages, the bridegroom ties it on the bride. Sri Swamiji gave it to me. I said “Swamiji, I will not tie this unless you are there at my marriage.” Sri Swamiji attended the marriage ceremony on April 10^th 1972. Ramani asked Swamiji if He would attend his marriage also, which was on May 11^th of that same year.  Swamiji attended this as well.  I feel that my family is extremely blessed to be graced by Sri Swamiji.

In 1984 was the last time I went to the Mysore Ashrama after a gap of eleven years. Instead, he would see Swamiji whenever He was in Chennai or some nearby town. In 1995, Swamiji went to my house after His Singapore trip and was speaking to my mother.  He said “Bala has got such blind trust in me.”  He asked why I had not been to the Ashrama. In that year, my wife underwent surgery to have her left kidney removed. I went to Him and He said “if you had come to the Ashrama, this would not have happened.”  But He blessed me and my family. I feels that Swamiji is always watching over my family and feels extremely happy and blessed because of this.

T S Subramani and Rajamma, adoptive parents of Sri Swamiji in Proddutur