Siewdath and Latchmie Saroop, Trinidad

I always wanted to have a Guru and I knew that He was a Master, but it took about a year or so for me to realize who He was to me. I still cannot say who He is exactly as yet, but I have complete faith and confidence in Him.

In 1988 my mother was very ill; she had suffered a stroke and also had heart complaint among other ailments. I visited many doctors hoping for a cure but none was able to help her. I was told that she was not going to live very long, so out of compassion I decided that I had to try and find some spiritual help for her. I was told that I should visit Sri Krishna Maharaj who was teaching a yoga class at the California Temple. My family and I went and met with him and after our meeting he started to discuss his Guru, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji.

When we were leaving the temple, two women who where there, asked us for a ride to the main road. Incidentally, when the women left the car a small picture of Sri Swamiji fell out, and my sons, who were sitting in the backseat, saw it and exclaimed that we have a “Swami” in the car. Neither the children nor us had seen or known anything about the Swami so it was amazing to hear them talk about this Him. That is how Sri Swamiji first appeared into our home, by the appearance of that picture. I wanted to know about Him so I started searching for His devotees and learning from them. I was told that Sri Swamiji will be visiting Trinidad later that year and I should have His darsan.

I saw Him physically for the first time in Arima. Not understanding His mission or who He was, I just stood there looking at Him while everyone was prostrating. I wanted to know ‘who was this man, and why was everyone bowing down before Him’. I hesitated to take part because this was not something that we were accustomed to. I thought that to deitify a living person was against the norm of my religion and teachings. I just stood in my place and observed the proceedings. However, something about His personality had me riveted to His form, as though He was trying to tell me something.

I got a copy of His itinerary and later went to the home of Dr Ralph Sieupersad where Sri Swamiji was performing a homa during which we saw Him passing His hands in the fire. When He was finished He stated calling the names of devotees. When He called my name, my entire family went up and He waved His hand. I was awed at all the commotions but I was sincerely enjoying it. I was so taken up by the contexts of His programs that I wanted to attend everyone. A Kriya Yoga program was organized and I enrolled as a student, One day while Swamiji was passing through the hall He stopped and looking at me, He said, “I’m going home to your place”. I wondered why He wanted to come to our family place as we really did not have a house at this time.

Pundit Boloji informed me that if Sri Swamiji says He is coming to your home, He will be coming; no matter where you live, even if it is in an ant’s hole He will come. We lived in very poor conditions in the rural Penal area, but with His grace Sri Swamiji did visit us. Our house, at that time was just a tin roof on four walls. We had very little furniture, so we borrowed a bed and a table for the occasion. We bought a recliner for His Holiness to sit and curtains to block off an area for His privacy. The preparation was well accepted and before He left He gave us a small Murti of Ganesha for the prayer room. He also said something in His language that I could not understand.

I heard about the Aripo River, where Sri Swamiji, in another incarnation, had done His penance about thirty five thousand years ago. I visited the area and thought; how can I be of service to Him here? The next year I got involved; in the Aripo River site construction and all aspects of the ashram life and my family started attending the services at the center. For me, it’s a matter of experience with Sri Swamiji. Things began happening and I realized that there was nothing else but to follow Him. I always wanted to have a Guru and I knew that He was a Master, but it took about a year or so for me to realize who He was to me. I still cannot say who He is exactly as yet, but I have complete faith and confidence in Him.

I learnt that He wanted a Shiva Temple constructed on the banks of the river so that all devotees can come and worship. Although the location was not yet decided on, I went and scout the area for a possible site. During my reconnaissance I stumbled upon a mapepire, one of Trinidad’s deadlier snakes, and not understanding the spiritual context of places and animals, I killed it. I was later told that I shouldn’t have killed the snake as it was sacred to that area. I was advised that I should make some special offerings and after that was done we never saw another snake.

In the early 1990s a group of devotees, from my village, started going to the Aripo River every Sunday, to assist with the construction of the Shiva Temple. Interestingly, all the stones, gravel and sand that was needed for that days work will be available to us. At that time it did not occur to us that something miraculous was happening, we thought that it was just happening. It was only when I started looking through my diary that I realized that it was a miracle, and that everything was put in place by Him, as we needed it. When I told Him about the children that helped build the temple and asked if I can bring them so they could get some recognition He said “no, I already know who they are, I was with you every day and if you bring these children it will just swell their egos. Let them serve.”

During the Aripo Temple construction, one night while we were lying in bed, my three year old son stared at me and asked if there were good and bad spirits. I said yes, but I also asked him what he meant. He said that his little friends whom he met at the river had come home with him. I asked him what friends, and he said that whenever he went to the river he would play with some little beings and tonight they came home with him. They told him that I would go back the following week and they would return then. The small beings had small horses and they stayed for the week and played with my sons. They said when they returned to the river they would meet up with other beings there and that the boys would be safe and there would be no harm to them. My sons would go to the river and spend the entire day in the water that sometimes could be ice cold but was comfortable to them. They would play there all day and have no complaints as they would be playing with their friends.

My family had an extraordinary brown cow that had a third ear. My father thought that the cow was special, because of its color and behavior. When Sri Swamiji visited our home He saw the cow and said He wanted it in Mysore. The person who was given the responsibility of transporting it wasn’t able to do it, so the cow remained here. However, each time it gave birth Sri Swamiji would be advised and He will say what we should do with the calf.

In 1995, during the Maha Shanti Yagna, Sri Swamiji requested that the cow be brought to the Carapichaima Ashram. When she got there my father tethered her to a fence and she started to act mean and was trying to get away. However when Sri Swamiji came down and she saw Him, she became calm and started crying and wanted to go to Him. My father loose the rope from the fence and the cow went straight to Sri Swamiji, bend her knees and placed her head in front of His Holy Feet. Sri Swamiji blessed her and her behavior became very tranquil. This incident was published in the daily newspaper and lots of people came to see the cow.

I am an elementary school teacher and after I got married I continued living at my parent’s house. We were all devotees of Sri Swamiji and He had installed a Datta Murti on the premises. I took the lead for doing devotion duties at the home, but there were some petty rivalry about the successorship of the property. Not wanting problems I decided that my family and I will move out but what should I do about the Datta Murti. I advised Sri Swamiji about my predicament and He told me to get a smaller Datta Murti and keep it with me at all times.

We must not question Sri Swamiji’s sayings, action or motives; we must follow unhindered. In 2000, Sri Swamiji advised us that we should build a center in Penal. We had a piece of property and we thought that we would build a little room and moved there. When we started to layout the building, it started to rain and the land began flooding, so all the plans we had ended. Adjacent to the property, the government owned some lands, which sit on top of some hills, which we were allowed to use for religious purposes. We applied for the lands and built the Sri Sachchidananda Yoga Center; sometimes working day and night with little support. Whenever He comes to Trinidad, I would give Him a report and He would always say that we must finish it. We are still working to have it completed. I understand that in the future He will perform the consecration for the Sri Jayalakshmi Mata Yoga Center. Sri Swamiji seems very happy about the project.

In addition to the Yoga Center, we also constructed a Guru Nilayam and a small cottage for us on the compound. I know that this was part of His plan. People from everywhere come to see the temple. We are here to help Sri Swamiji’s mission in South Trinidad. No matter what you go through you can always say that whatever happens, happens for the best. As a teacher here at the local elementary school I encourage a lot of the children to come to the center and get involved in the programs. When the children come, they often bring their parents and grand-parents. In this way we are teaching a village about the mission of our Sadgurudeva. The people of Penal really do not know Swamiji and many of them are just being introduced to him. However, there is a lot of support for the Ashrama.

One evening, after finishing work at the ashrama, I was going down the hill and I had an accident. The tractor that on which I was riding ran off the road and I fell. When I got up, my left hand was completely twisted and the elbow was facing forward. I just sat and twisted it back in place instinctively. My children had seen the accident and they curiously asked me, who that person was standing beside me. I did not know what they were talking about as I was alone. They told me that they saw someone standing over me when I fell. I went to the hospital and they did an x-ray but found nothing wrong. The doctors never believed that the bone came out and went back in. I had no pain with that accident. When Swami Manasa Datta, who was in Trinidad at the time, saw it, he and asked me if it was an accident or an incident. I told him it was both. He said that I should not worry, and I must stop the construction for one year. We did as he told us and restarted only after the year was completed. Now my arm is stronger than before.

In 2003 Sri Swamiji came to Trinidad, for almost a month, to consecrate the Karya Siddhi Hanuman. My wife Latchmie volunteered in the kitchen but she was having problems with her feet being swollen at times. As is His custom, He will always come to bless the kitchen staff. She went up to Him thinking that she needed to be blessed to get rid of the swelling as she needed her feet to do His seva. When she got to Him, He turned away and started talking to someone else so she started to move back. Prasadiji told her that she should wait, but with the entire temple watching and wondering why she was waiting, she started to back off again. Prasadiji again told her that she should wait for awhile.

While waiting she started to feel an intense heat moving through her entire body. A few seconds later Sri Swamiji watched her, smiled and shook His head. From that moment all her foot problems vanished. Earlier that same year she had to have an operation for fibroids. She told the doctor that she could not schedule the surgery until Sri Swamiji left Trinidad. Two weeks after He left she went back to schedule the surgery and when the doctor did another ultra sound they found nothing. The doctor would not believe it and scheduled for her to do more intensive testing, bur they still could not find anything. He said that whatever happened was a miracle as he could not find a trace of it.

One of my sons fell off a boat in the ocean in water of about ninety feet in depth. He was wearing his safety gear which was causing him to sink fast. As he was sinking all that he could think of was Sri Swamiji and he started to pray. Suddenly he saw a piece of rope dangling in front of him, he grabbed it and the crew was able to reach him and get him out of the water. Later when we met Swamiji at the Datta Yoga Center, before we could say anything, Swamiji told him “I saved your life”. My son immediately started to cry in front of Swamiji. We have all experienced Sri Swamiji’s grace and I think that is what made us so strong. I do not want another life other than being with Swamiji. I am comfortable. It may not be the best of everything or luxurious but we have everything that we need. Our children, even though they have their own lives, are still very close to us and anything we need done they are there to help.

Three kittens moved into the temple and we could not get rid of them. They would do pradakshina around the Murtis, and then first in line for prasadam. One of the boys, Suresh, became very close to them. Once he was playing with one of them and was not paying attention to what was going on. A vehicle almost ran over him, but the kitten jump in its way and was crushed instead. Another time he had a sore throat and was unable to speak and another kitten spent the night with him. The next morning Suresh was able to speak but the kitten became dumb. After that the kitten walked away and was never seen again.

In November 2009, one night when Latchmie went to bed she saw a blue light in front of her face. She told me about it and I made fun of her. When she turned to another direction she saw yellow lights as if she was going through a tunnel at high speed. She told me that she was not feeling well and she did not know what was going on for the last fifteen minutes or so. She felt as though she was going to die. Her feet and hands were numb and she had lost feelings in all limbs. She told me she thought she was going to die and she wanted to die at Sri Swamiji’s feet. She was having severe migraines, dizzy spells and cold sweats. I held her around her waist and dragged her to the temple, and we sat in front of Sri Swamiji’s photo. She was still feeling as though she was in the tunnel with the lights, and we started to pray.

As we were praying the symptoms started to ease but she complained that she was feeling a pull to the top of her head. After awhile she started to become normal and started relating what had happened. The next morning I took her to medical professionals for their diagnosis but it turned out that it was not a medical but a spiritual problem. After that experience a soft spot with an open wound was visible on the top of her head. Randolph Chandrakate, another devotee who came to our assistance, said that her soul was already leaving her body and the dizziness and cold sweats were her nerves and other body systems disconnecting themselves. However Sri Swamiji pulled her back as she still has work to do for Him.

Her head is still not healed and her memory has been affected, but she is much better now. She feels as though she is living a leased life by the grace of Sri Swamiji. Everyone has some experience and if you sit and think about it you will realize that if it wasn’t for Him things would have been totally different. I am glad that I have known my Sadguru through all these years. There are things that you cannot explain that automatically falls into place, and once you think about it, you could see the connections.

Jaya Guru Datta

At the ashram I had purchased a beautiful photo of Swamiji and when I returned home I put that picture up on the wall, next to the stairs where I would exit my apartment. In that way I was forced to look at that picture everyday when I was leaving my apartment and I was so happy that it was there. Every day I would stop for a moment and look at that photograph and think about how beautiful this Swamiji is; that there is such wonderful energy coming from him and I do think I love him. I felt as if Sri Swamiji had slowly and silently crept into my life; into my heart. That was so beautiful.

I often wondered why He sent me away and why He tested me like that. Finally, I realized that it was because my mind was full of so many stupid ideas that I was not able to pick up anything of what He stood for. Sri Swamiji cannot be understood with our intellect or our mind. Our mind is such a silly, restless, limited device that our Sri Swamiji cannot be understood by that, something I did not know at that time. What had to happen was that my heart had to open up, and so it did. Slowly I started to develop a very kind feeling towards Him and after about a year I was totally in love with Him, I fell in love with a photograph and then I was wondering if I was crazy or if something was wrong with me. That feeling was very pleasant and deep.

I heard that Sri Swami was coming to Switzerland, a place I love as I had the opportunity to live there with my meditation teacher previously. He was coming to a place outside of Zurich and I was very excited to go and visit Him there. I took a flight to Zurich, rented a car, checked into a hotel and then walked to the home where Swamiji was staying. I came to the house, and rang the doorbell but the person who answered was very unfriendly to me. I know that this person is a very great soul but, at this time, Sri Swamiji was using him to test me. He told me that Sri Swamiji was here for a private visit and no one would be able to see Him. I explained that I did not know this but even if I could not see Swamiji could I, at least, do prayers in the Datta temple there. He said, no! that it was private and I would not be able to meditate there and to please leave.

So I left and went back to my hotel crying. I wondered how it was possible that people who were hosting Sri Swamiji could be so unfriendly and impersonal, and this made me very sad. I cried for about an hour and I thought that I would not give up so easily. I had come all the way from Antwerp, Belgium and I would stay one more night and try again tomorrow, as tomorrow is another day and today is not my lucky day. I went to bed and Swamiji came in my dream and made me feel peaceful. The next morning I went to the same house, which was a big thing for me as I felt so miserable about the treatment that I had received that day before.

This time there was a couple of people standing around the house chatting, so I thought that this was a good sign. I thought that even if I could not see Him personally maybe I could get His darshan when other people went to see Him. It was taking a while, and as I did not want to engage in conversation I sat down on the side of road and meditated. I became very peaceful and calm. Suddenly I had an urgent sensation in my bladder that I had to get up to go immediately to the bathroom. I do not know how I got such a strong pressure but I went to the house to ring the bell and asked to please be allowed to use the bathroom.

At the moment I was about to ring the bell the door opened and I did not know how it opened. In the back of the house I could see Sri Swamiji sitting, smiling beautifully in His beautiful ochre, orange robe and He was inviting me to come to Him. I immediately took off my shoes and went in. When I saw Him the sensation in my bladder had completely gone and I went to Him and prostrate. Sri Swami was sitting in lotus position, but when I was in front of Him, He stretched His legs towards me. That has been one of the greatest experiences in my life. He offered His feet to me and I was just falling on His feet and became totally quiet and filled with His being. My whole soul became full of His love and His wisdom.

While my forehead was lying on His feet I could see the whole universe, I could see the stars, the Milky Way; the whole universe was in His feet. He asked me to get up and I did so, then He smiled and said “from now on I will help you.” If you have any problem you remember me.” I was so happy with these words that somehow confirmed that He took me as a student. Immediately, I asked him for name as I felt as today was my new birthday. Swami looked at me and said you are Agastya. I don’t know what Agastya means but I liked that name very much and till today I am very happy that He gave me this name.

Then He nodded at me to leave and I left feeling so happy that I felt that I could embrace the whole world. The first person I saw, I hugged. I was so happy because I had had a new birth and He had promised to help me. Shortly after that He conducted a satsangha with a small group of about fifteen persons. He had an old harmonium on which He played the bhajans. Some of the bhajans I remember were; Pahi Pahi, Isa Patisha, Shambo Mahadeva, some very beautiful classical bhajans which I still love to sing till today.

I always remember these golden days with Sri Swamiji where He played the harmonium Himself. He is the most beautiful person in the world and there is no other that can compare to Him. I have seen many beautiful women in this world and they are nothing compared to Sri Swamiji. I had fallen totally in love with Him and till this day I am still in love. After the bhajans session I returned to my hotel room and I was literally floating with happiness. The next day I returned to Antwerp with Sri Swamiji in my home and in my heart.

About two weeks later, I had some unpleasant sensation in my lower body. I went for a medical checkup and the doctors found that there was cancer in my body. I had to stay in the hospital for chemo treatment. It was a shock, that after such a beautiful experience, I had to go into another mode of existence. I had to face a very serious and deadly disease which most people, including myself, are very afraid of. I remembered Sri Swamiji’s words that if I have any problems to think of Him and He would help me. I thought of Him then and had so much relief as I knew that He would help me.

That night I prayed to Swamiji and said “it is not up to me whether I live or die, it is all in the hands of God, maybe even in your hands. However, one thing I will say is that if I am healed I will be yours and I will dedicate my life at your Feet and to your service.

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I will do anything you want me to do according to your plan and mission. I know that you have come to help so many people and not just me. Maybe you will allow me to be an instrument, so other people may also get your grace and your love, and also understand your mission and reach a state of realization. I promise that if I am okay I will do that.”

Then I fell asleep and had a wonderful dream where Sri Swami came and did a surgery on me with His own hands, but no knife. I woke up with my body shivering and I was totally happy with the presence of Swamiji. I could feel Him, and I know that He was in the room. His presence was so dense that the air in the room was not hospital smell but full of a fragrance of divine vibhuti. I could also see the vibhuti and I thought that it was all an illusion. Then a nurse came into the room and commented on the wonderful smell and the dust in the air. I explained to her that my beloved Sadguru had blessed me and that I was leaving the next day as I had had been healed. She commented that there must be truth in my words as the smell was so beautiful.

The next day I called a friend who took me home. I would sit on my bed and do my Japa and meditation exercises. I thought that I should do something to keep my spirits high so I would not get depressed. I believe that chanting the name of God is a good way to keep the vibration high so that you don’t fall into a mode of something negative. I was also fasting and only drinking water. Normally one gets really weak with this fast and I was already weak from the disease but after a few days I was able to jog. I felt weak at first but after a few minutes I felt more and more energy entering my body then at some point I felt so light that I did not feel any body anymore.

My body consciousness was totally gone, I was witnessing my body run but there was no effort involved. I thought that this must be the blessing of Sri Swamiji and I started to pray to Him internally, and with each step I visualized it as a pranam to his Lotus Feet. My running process was one continuous pranam to Sri Swamiji and I became more and more light and happy. I continued for about ten days and each day I was getting more energy.

Once, Sri Swamiji overnighted in Holland on His way to the United States. I went to His hotel and knocked on the door of His room, no one responded so I entered. I had a most beautiful Darshan of Sri Swamiji standing on His bed cladded only in a loin cloth. I felt as if I had invaded His privacy, but He said “Agastya, you come and see me later.” Later, I went there and He called me for an interview. He asked how He could help me. I told Him about the cancer, that I had to do chemotherapy, and that I had some major experiences that He should know about. He nodded and said that I do not have cancer, forget that cancer. I thanked Him and said that I would forget that cancer.

My friends and family thought that I was living in an illusory state, thinking that I did not have the cancer. A friend, a film producer, who knew many famous people, acknowledged that he believed me and my experiences, but wanted me to visit his friend who was a very famous cancer specialist in California USA. He invited me to visit this doctor so that he and my family could have peace of mind about the cancer. An appointment was set in UCLA, but it was planned that I would stay in an ashram and go to UCLA for tests, etc. At the ashram there was a beautiful energy flowing as there was an event where the chanting of ‘Om Nama Shivaya’ was going on continuously for seven days. I joined in the chanting and went to my appointments as well.

The first evening I did not want to go my appointments. I felt that if I was healed and that I had God’s grace in my body, there was no need for me to go there, but I went for the sake of my family and friends to know that I was okay. I did all the checkups and after a few days the doctor called and said that he could not find the slightest trace of cancer in my body. He was amazed by this because I had given him the diagnosis sheet from my original doctor. They both had studied together and knew each other. They were amazed that they could not find any cancer. He said that “we doctors try to do our best but I believe that God uses our hands to heal, we are not healing, God is the healer. Sometimes things works and sometimes they not work, so it is not up to us. We do our best, we try to develop technology and treatments to try and help people but in the end it is God who decides.

With you there are no doubts that he has done a great job, congratulations. You do not need to come back and you do not need chemotherapy. The results show that you are an exceptionally healthy person and you should go and live your life happily.” I thanked him and left. I then began my American journey, one that will take me to Sri Swamiji who was touring in the Americas at this time. I heard that there was a rock formation in Pittsburgh that He would be visiting there and I wanted to see him. There was also a Kriya Yoga course in Massachusetts at the Center of the Light. I wanted to go to the there so that there would not be anymore darkness in my life; I wanted to move to light.

I was so happy coming to the Kriya yoga class and I wanted to go to tell Sri Swamiji my entire story. However, when I saw Him, He would not even look at me. I was in shock. I love Him so much and He would not even look at me. This disappointed me, but I thought that maybe He was very busy and decided to go ahead with the classes. We had to stay in a dormitory but I wanted to be alone, so I took my mattress into a barn, in a field on the compound. I would sit on my mattress and ponder on my life and what has happened to me. I was in deep misery as Sri Swamiji whom I loved so much would not acknowledge me. I was so disappointed that I said that if he does not look at me the next day I would go home.

The next day while I was going to the hall Sri Swamiji stepped out of the passageway. He had a huge smile on His face and He opened His hands to me and said “Agastya, come. Everything is over now.” I was very happy and knew that I did not need to go home, my Guru had acknowledged my presence and that I was with Him. Then He made some movements with His hands and some beautiful semiprecious stones appeared. He told me to select one; I selected an amethyst in the shape of a Sri Chakra. Afterwards I went into the class where Sri Swamiji was continuing with His program.

When the course was completed, I was not sure what I should do as Sri Swamiji would be attending some private programs. I started to make preparations to go home. Suddenly a Swiss man, Peter who was married to an American woman, Susheela, invited me to their home in Pennsylvania where Sri Swamiji was going to visit. I was driving an Oldsmobile, which I had borrowed from someone, that used a lot of petrol. While following Sri Swamiji to Pennsylvania, I had forgotten to put petrol in the car and the meter was showing empty, but there were no petrol stations to fill up. This made me very stressed but with the grace of Sadguru, the car continued to go without me having to fill up. After this visit, I was invited to His next stop and I was very happy.

That night, during the early morning hours, I had a dream where Sri Swamiji came, held my hand and said let’s walk. We started walking and we left the earth walking straight into the sky. We were literally walking on clouds. He was holding my hand and I was not afraid. Then He turned to me and said “Agastya I will lead you to realization”. It was the most beautiful dream I have ever had in my life. I woke up and went into the living room although everything was dark. At one corner, I saw a little light and I could make out Sri Swamiji sitting in the corner meditating. He slowly opened his eyes and I crawled on my knees towards Him. I did pranam to His Feet and He smiled at me. I asked if it was all true what you had just told me in my dream. And He said “Yes it is true.” I sat there quietly then and meditated with Swamiji.

I knew, at that point, that He would never leave me, and that certainly and without failure He would lead me to salvation, the final destination of the soul. I believe the true disease in this world is the identification of the body, the identification of the maya and the illusion around us. We have forgotten who we are and we feel separate.

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The separation itself is like a pain, it is like a disease that needs to be healed by him. The true disease is; that we human beings feel separated from our creator; from our own inner self with the divine self. That He made me the promise that He would take me to that place made me fully commit.

I thought, now that I have a Sadguru, my life would be easy, but it was not so. There have been many obstacles in my way and there has been a lot of friction but my strong bond to Sri Swamiji has allowed me to overcome it all. Sri Swamiji is a great master in creating confusion and friction which in itself is bliss. We should not run away from our problems but face them in this game of illusion. These walls are so thick that it needs a big hammer, and He is the only one who can break these walls of ignorance. It is the greatest gift and blessing to have a Guru who can break these walls.

I feel as though I have won the biggest lottery in this world because everything can fail, but the love of Sadguru is always with us. This is the true pillar; the true backbone in our life, our breath; our everything. My words are not enough to praise Him. I think of Him and renew my love to Him every day. Sri Swamiji is the only thing in my life and I wish He will stay that way until my last breath. Whatever I can do to help Him, to serve Him, is bliss. It does not matter if it is cleaning a toilet or sweeping a pathway. We should not calculate a result for that which we are doing; the doing itself, the worship, the presence,   being with Sri Swamiji is in itself a Moksha. There is no path to Moksha; there is no path to happiness. Happiness is the way, and he teaches us to be happy every day.

In fact, I consider being unhappy in the presence of Sri Swamiji, a sin. What is sin? Sin is just separation, it is nothing bad, it is that state where we feel separated. I think it is a great misery to look at Sri Swamiji and not feel anything; to look at such a great master and not feel His bliss, His vibration. Our duty is to tune into His energy because He is a huge radio station with very high frequencies and we should tune our little radios so we can get the right program. We listen to so many different non-important programs when Sri Swamiji has the best program. We just have to tune into that program and when we do, life becomes very smooth and one big miracle.

I have studied the bible and a lot of what I have read in the bible has become the truth; only by my association with Him. That means that it is so precious that a Saint, Sadguru, Avadoota, whatever title you want to give him, appears as a Hindu, but He is not. He is a manifestation of truth in whatever religion you follow. Religion for me is something that gives back the version of the true source, of my roots, an experience of freedom. It is not the experience of limiting a person, or controlling a person. Religion is not a sheet of dos and don’ts. I believe that no one needs all this because what is right or wrong can be found if we look into our own heart. This is my personal belief that I have developed with my own personal association with Sri Swamiji. We just have to look at Him for He is the example of truth. He does not talk a lot but his presence is our lesson.

The Bhagvad Gita, the Bible, the Quran, all the holy books are in Him; all the planets and the stars are in Him. I see and dream of Him as Ganapathi, as Dattatreya. He is so alive. He is not illusion. The gods are there but we just have to open our eyes to see them and to come into contact and unite our own selves with them and the final truth. Sri Swamiji is the path and the way and the final goal. He wants us to have Bhakti which is divine love. We must develop divine love through devotion and service, and then knowledge will come.

There is an ocean of knowledge in this universe. He wants us to have knowledge of the soul and knowledge of the self and when this comes all is well and then maybe we have reached something that is beautiful and we are going to the planet from where He has come.

Jaya Guru Datta.

Gunter Agastya Seikritt, Denmark

He looked at me and showed me the palm of His right hand. From that hand some energy came into me and transformed my whole being so that my body was vibrating with a kind of joy which I had never known before. Intuitively I knew that this was a major shift in my life.

With love and respect, I greet everyone who reads this message. Denmark is a country that starts with a “D”. A long time ago before I ever had plans to live in Denmark, our dear Sadgurudeva, Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji, had predicted that I would live in a land that started with a “D”. Denmark has become my home. It is very cold land with little winter sunlight which gives me a good reason to escape to Mysore, my true home; the seat of Lord Dattatreya, who in the form of our beloved Sri Appaji. When I say this, I say it from the depth of my heart. He has assumed His true form several times in my dreams and in great visions where I can look at Him and see the full glory of Lord Dattatreya. What that means cannot be put in any words because words are too feeble; too short to express that glory and greatness and that completeness of Dattatreya.

Swamiji has such a multifaceted personality and my experiences with Him have been so intense and multiple that for me it is difficult to start and explain. But with His blessings I will start. I saw Sri Swamiji for the first time in a dream in 1983. I did not know who He was. I was engaged in successful business but I always had a dear relationship with God since I was a child. I loved to gaze at the universe and the stars and see the endlessness of it. As a child I asked myself; who am I? What am I? Why have I come here? What is all of this about? Why do I live, etc?. All these questions came to me and I started to do yoga and meditation.

At this time, I was about twenty seven years old and the Sadguru that I had been searching had not appeared in my life. In the dream a dark skinned man with black hair, and beautiful, piercing, loving eyes had come to me. He looked at me and showed me the palm of His right hand. From that hand some energy came into me and transformed my whole being so that my body was vibrating with a kind of joy which I had never known before. Intuitively I knew that this was a major shift in my life. I did not know that this was my Sadguru but I knew that it was a major dream that I would never forget. Then in 1984, one year after having that wonderful dream, I met Sri Swamiji.

Not long after that dream I saw a photograph of Sri Swamiji at the home of my brother, who is a famous astrologer in Germany. Maheshwara is not only my brother, but a dear friend. When I saw the photograph of Sri Swamiji I was elated and impressed that I almost started to cry. I told him that I have to meet this person; who is He? He explained that Swamiji is a great Sadguru from South India and that He is in control of the eight potent cosmic powers. In my excitement I decided immediately that I have to go there and meet this great soul.

I took leave from my business and headed for India. On my way to the Mysore Ashram I visited different ashrams and other holy places. Everywhere I went I felt very happy. I meditated a lot and had great spiritual experiences. I even went to Bangalore and met Sri Sathya Sai Baba; I was very attracted to the bhajans and Baba but still felt that I need to move on and meet Sri Swamiji . I took the bus to Mysore and came to a simple ashram that was half a jungle but pristinely wonderful. Unfortunate for me though, Sri Swamiji was not at the Ashrama and nobody knew when He was coming back, so I roamed the ashram uninhibited. In the meantime, as I loved to swim, I decided to go to Kerala and have a short vacation.

After meditation to Lord Dattatreya in the ashram, I took a bus to Bangalore. While I was traveling to Bangalore I started having a strong sensation along my spine that hurt so much that I was crying and I feeling miserable. An unbelievable amount of pain was permeating my body and I was unable to sit or stand comfortably. As soon as I came off the bus I asked for the directions to the nearest hospital as I thought I was going to die and I needed treatment immediately. But amazingly when I reached the hospital the pain was gone, I was very happy as I did not have to see the doctors. I do not like the smell of hospitals as I think that you get sicker in them.

I went on to Kerala and had a wonderful vacation on the beach. After one week I was ready to meet my Sadguru. I came back to Mysore and Sri Swamiji was still out of the ashram, but I was told that He may be returning that evening. As I was sitting in the Datta Temple quietly meditating and focusing on Lord Dattatreya, I suddenly felt a fresh, beautiful fragrant wind pass my face. I opened my eyes to see Sri Swamiji for the first time, standing in front of me. He just looked at me for a fraction of a second, pointed His finger and then turned and walked away. Again I closed my eye and saw the image of Sri Swamiji pointing at me and I was moved. That day a transformation took place in me that even when I think about it today, I feel as though what happened then is just happened now. Then a sudden spontaneous prayer occurred from the depth of my soul.

I love to pray, but pray and prayer is two different things. People pray for some benefits, mostly when they are in trouble, then they ask God for help. I believe we should think of God all the time, not only when it is bad in our life. He should be our true and only companion wherever we go or wherever we are. I love God, but that prayer I said after seeing Sri Swamiji was something of a different quality. It was something that bubbled up from the depth of my soul and there were some words that I did not produce myself, but it just came from the depth of my soul, and even though it was a very intimate experience I am sharing it so that perhaps others can recognize something for themselves.

As I prayed, I felt that I was begging His Holiness to purify me my soul; to free me from the bondage of identification and illusion. That was my true and only wish that I prayer for. After this incident, my body started vibrating and sweating simultaneously and I crying and laughing hysterically at the same time. My body was literally bouncing on the floor and I thought that I would go over the bridge. After sometime I came back to a normal state. Sri Swamiji had gone to His room and was impossible for me to see Him then. Arrangements were made and I was given permission to stay in the old Rama Shankara Kuteera, a privilege that was not given to new visitors. I was told that I was to sleep there as Sri Swamiji wanted to observe me and know who I was. I wondered how that would be possible as He was in His room and I would be in mine. I went to bed and did not sleep well because I was so excited about the entire trip.

I knew that I have had another transformation and that there would be another shift in my life by meeting Him. The next day I waited for a couple of hours before I would meet with Sri Swamiji. He really tested my patience, because I thought I came to select a Sadguru. I wanted to test whether that guru would be fit for me but I learned that it was the other way around. The true Guru is testing us, but we are not fit to test the Guru. We do not have enough discrimination to decide who is a true Sadguru.

When I saw Sri Swamiji in the interview room, He welcomed me and asked what I wanted. I replied that I was looking for a Sadguru and realization. He looked at me and said “You are looking for a guru? You don’t need any guru. Why are you looking for a guru? You are a guru yourself.” I replied that I needed a spiritual guide, someone who can guide and help me. He told me that I should continue what I was doing; that I was doing mediation but I should also do self-realization. I said that it was not so easy to do and I needed help. He said that He did not think that He was my Guru or that He could help me. I asked Him then, who is my guru was and where I could find him? He smiled and said I think your Guru is in the Himalayas. I thanked and said that even though the Himalayans were very big, I would go and look. I went to the Himalayas and found no Gurus. It is a beautiful place and I met many great souls but I did not find what I was looking for.

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