Sethu Raman, Kochin

He said “why are you weeping…I will stop Yama Dharmaraja. Don’t worry about it. I just want you to know, that is all. Kannan is my son”.

My father, Rama Swamy, was a very close devotee of Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji from 1967. I have been closely associated with Sri Swamiji since 1982, after my mother was passed away. My parents used to visit Swamiji very regularly. From 1982 onwards we started attending all festivals, and wherever Sri Swamiji performed in India, I used to go. Through His grace, I have traveled to many places, in India, and have witnessed many Kumbha Abhishekam that Swamiji has performed.

If I want to cite my experiences with Swamiji, I have to say I have survived only because of Him.  Sri Swamiji is not merely a spiritual mythologist. He is everything for us. He is the doctor, advocate, business man and everything. We consult Swamiji and get blessings for everything. Our existence, our survival is only because of Swamiji.

For instance, we have a shipping company that was set up as a joint business with four brothers of my father. From the very beginning we were doing the joint business. But in 1995 when we went for the Shivaratri festival in Mysore, Sri Swamiji had told us to disconnect the partnership from the brothers. My father who is so affectionate of his brothers could not think of a way to express this order from Sri Swamiji to his brothers. He was just postponing. When we went for His birthday celebrations, He has asked us whether we had taken any action. I told Swamiji that our father had not taken any actions yet, and that he was taking it casually. But when we went again in another few for the Navaratri festival, Sri Swamiji asked me again about partnership. I said my father had not done anything about it. Then Swamiji told my father directly “if you want to come for Datta Jayanti, to this ashram you should do that. If you take me as your Guru, you should follow my directions. When I told you to do certain things that is for your benefit only.”

Sri Swamiji was very close to my father, and He knows about my father’s weakness. He told my father that there will be problems with his elder brother in the future as he was in a financial crisis. There may be issues later on if not acted upon at that moment. Immediately after listening to this from Sri Swamiji, within 48 hours we paid required compensation to my uncles and dissolved the partnership.  To our astonishment, within a week after getting out of partnership, creditors started seizing my uncle’s properties. We would have lost everything if Sri Swamiji had not given us the hints and advised us to come out of partnership. He really saved us. We now have the properties and business because of His grace only; otherwise we would have ended up on the streets.  We certainly had some taxation and license issues for about a year, as Swamiji had already warned us. But everything was resolved by His grace. This is one of old companies with a great reputation since 1941.

My son Kannan used to go to Mysore ashrama with my father from the age of three. During school vacations he used to travel with Swamiji to Andhra and other areas. When Kannan was in college he once went to Machilipatnam with Sri Swamiji and His troupe. This Ashrama is near the sea shore. One evening Sri Swamiji and Kannan were waking on the sea shore when He suddenly stopped and told Kannan that he will not be living past age twenty-four, but don’t worry as He was there to protect him as His Guru. Kannan was in total shock, Sri Swamiji also told him to inform his parents. Kannan came back from the trip and told us, we were terribly shocked.

Within a month we went to Mysore for Shivaratri. We took an electronic type writer and offered to Sri Swamiji. Those days all interviews used to take place in the Datta Temple. Sri Swamiji started typing on the electronic type writer and wrote “with compliments from Rama Swamy and Family”. Then He asked my son Kannan whether he told us about what was going to happen at age twenty-four. Then I started crying and He said “why are you weeping…I will stop Yama Dharmaraja. Don’t worry about it. I just want you to know, that is all. Kannan is my son”.

After Kannan finished his ten plus two, he joined the college in Bangalore for computer science studies. He was first staying in a hostel. Swamiji told him to stay in the Girinagar Bangalore ashrama instead. Kannan vacated the hostel within a week and moved to Girinagar ashrama. Swamiji arranged and provided everything for Kannan in ashrama. He was given a scooter for transportation, a cook to prepare the meals etc. Sometimes he used to do abhishekam to Lord Datta during the Shivaratri festival. He actively participated in all ashrama activities. When he turned twenty-four, he got jaundice three times, within the year. Dr. Venkatesha, brother of Radhanna (now Swami Manasa Datta), admitted him in the hospital. Sri Swamiji was on His way to Madras for some audio recording. At that time there was no recording studio in Mysore. He had to travel to Madras if He had to do any recordings.

Swamiji visited Kannan in the hospital and blessed him. We were told by several astrologers that my son Kannan had a very bad period during this age. If he could cross that then he will have a good life, but overcoming that period would be very difficult. But by the grace of our Sadguru, Sri Swamiji, Kannan survived, finished his education, and is happily married now with two children. Still he travels with Sri Swamiji, sometimes abroad also.

He got a job in Singapore but Sri Swamiji asked him to stay in Kochin and support the family. He initially partnered with another Asian and started a computer franchise. However they could not work well together as the partner was giving trouble. When Sri Swamiji was in Tirupati, Kannan asked Him about the situation in the company. He advised Kannan to either dissolve the partnership by taking up the company individually or just come out of the business and take up a another job in India. Kannan paid compensation to the Asian partner and took the company independently. It is now flourishing.

My second son, Srikanth, is also an ardent devotee of Sri Swamiji. He is also married and has two children. Their family currently lives in Bangalore as per Sri Swamiji’s instructions as his children used to get sick all the time when they were staying in Kochin. At that time Swamiji has ordered them to move to Bangalore and since then children are healthy and happy. Whenever a Guru commands, a true devotee should just act without a second thought.

Swamiji gave us two cottages in Mysore Ashrama. From 1980 onwards we have a cottage in Rama Shankar Kutira. During our first visit we stayed in a hotel. Sri Swamiji asked where we were staying and we replied, in a hotel. Then He said, “Whenever you come to Mysore ashrama, you should only stay in the ashrama, regardless of the comforts or facilities.” Sometimes, we used to stay on the veranda and take bath in the open place. Swamiji put us to several tests, however, after one year He gave us the cottages to stay in.

In 1981 He started His visits to Kerala, and each year He comes He would stay at our house for some time and then at another devotee’s house. He has installed a Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple here, which has become very popular in Kerala. So many people, from all over Kerala come and visit this temple. A lot of miracles of Hanuman are experienced by devotees.

We have weekly satsangha in the Kerala ashrama. I used to believe that my voice wasn’t good enough to sing Bhajans, but He said “You try and you will get it”. Since then I have started singing His bhajans.  In olden days there were only audio cassette tapes and no compact discs as we have now. I use to collect those from Mysore ashrama and after winding up the day, I used to play them at night in my room. While listening to those bhajans, I used to get the inspiration automatically and translate the bhajans into our mother tongue, Malayalam. I have no idea how I was able to do that, it was all Swamiji’s blessing. We printed a book of the translations as well. I used to teach the children at our weekly satsangha. Once He said that He has given me this life to sing bhajans only. Even at this age, I still sing bhajans, and it was just His blessings that I am able to sing bhajans.

After being in the association with Sri Swamiji our lives have become more systematic and disciplined. He taught us spirituality. I now perform daily prayers and pujas without refrain. He has given me padukas that I worship everyday. Both of our sons’ marriages were performed only after His approval. He interviewed both the girls and told upfront that if they are coming into our family they have to accept Him as their Guru, even if they have some other Guru in the past years. If they follow other Gurus there may be clashes in the family. So He asked the girls to think carefully before they accept the marriage proposals with my sons. They accepted and now are very ardent devotees of that primordial Guru, Sri Swamiji. My second daughter-in-law sings His bhajans beautifully. She had also won first prize in the bhajan competition held in Mysore ashrama, at one time.

Devotees should introduce their children to Sri Swamiji from the childhood itself. They should be brought to ashrama and encouraged to participate in various activities when going on in the ashrama. My grand children now watch me performing daily pujas and learn. Their thread ceremonies were performed in Mysore ashrama in His presence. I do not worry about whether my relatives will attend the ceremony. My responsibility is to inform them and whether they come to ashrama or not is up to them. Sri Swamiji always says that ‘blind belief’ in Sadguru is always good. Jaya Guru Datta

Sri Swamiji Says:

Each saint is an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Why is Swamiji always talking about Dattatreya? Yes, He is a creator. He is a destroyer. He is a protector. That’s why I believe in Dattatreya. He is Brahma. He is Vishnu. He is Shiva. He’s something. He’s anything. He’s everything. He is able to protect. He is able to destroy sins. He is able to bless us.Now Swamiji gives Lord Dattatreya teachings every month through theAshrama magazine, ‘Bhakti Mala’. The message of Lord Dattatreya is important in our life.

 First of all judge that the other man deserves your advice. Then only give it to him.

B N and Sudha Kesarinath, Dallas, Texas

“You have committed a mistake by trying to test a Guru, it is not in your best interest to test a Guru, I know you, your past, present and future, I know your soul journey. Everything about you is written here.”

I am B N Kesarinath and my wife is Sudha. We met Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji in 1973 in Srinagar, Kashmir. As a matter of fact, Sudha was the first to meet Him and she was responsible for taking me to Him.

In 1972, we moved to Srinagar. Sudha was reading the Devi Bhagwatam during the Navaratri period. We were offering our daily prayers to Guru Raghavendra Swamiji, our family Guru who lived about four hundred years ago. she prayed to Mother Goddess to send her a living Guru so that she can change her way of life and follow Him on the path of righteousness, guide her at every cross roads.

Within a couple of months, and just three months before meeting Sri Swamiji, she had a dream of Devi Charan; haldi, kumkum, flowers, adorning her holy feet a deepa burning, and a huge Ganapati, almost room size, and she was doing pradakshina to that Ganapati. The land lady who loaned her the book also had a dream. The dream was on a star studded night, Shankar Bhagawan descending into her house with Parvathi Mata.

Later one of our director’s wife, who had a Guru and was very devoted to Him, was traveling from Delhi in the same flight as Sri Swamiji, who was coming to visit Srinagar. That lady advised her that a South Indian Swami from Mysore, my native city, came on the same flight that she was on. She informed her that He had such loving, luminous eyes with compassionate looks in His face, and full of Tejas. She said that she had a Guru and that she knows how it feels.

She told Sudha that she thought that she should go and see Him and even volunteered to take her. However, Sudha’s mind was over-riding her thoughts and she was in turmoil; she was questioning whether she should go to see Him. Anyway, she followed her to Mr. Wanchoo’s house where Sri Swamiji was staying. Mr. Wanchoo was my co-worker in an engineering company from Delhi.

When they got there Sri Swamiji had just completed the Homa and He was singing the bhajan, ‘Mata Pitane Panduranga’, in Kannada, our mother tongue. She was caught by His voice and the way He was singing. Then Mr. Wanchoo said that Sri Swamiji was going to have rest in the afternoon and that they should leave now and return in the evening.

Intuitively, she wanted to stay back and meet Him personally, because she felt a connection with Him, so she stood at the base of the stair-case. Then a person, Sri Chandrashekayya, came down the stairs speaking in Kannada. She spoke to him and he was excited to find a Kannada speaking person in Srinagar. She told him who she was and found out that he had actually worked for her father earlier in Mysore State. Her father used to be the chief revenue commissioner for Mysore State, in the 1950s, during the reign of the Maharajah.

Sri Chandrashekayya decided that he will take her to meet with Sri Swamiji. When she got there she saw Sri Swamiji sitting with some disciples in discussion. He was sitting and smiling with a deep sense of compassion. She looked at Him and said, “Swamiji you sing so well, I really loved your music”, that’s was all she said. Then He said to her, “It is not my voice, it is the Bhakti in my heart which really impresses you, which you like”. Then without thinking, she said, “Swamiji, please come to our house”.

He got up and said, “Okay, take me right now”. Immediately she realized that she did not discuss this with me, so she hesitated for a while. Then Sri Swamiji said, “Where is your Husband, is he not with you?” she said, “No Swamiji, he is not with me, I came alone”. Then He spoke again saying”, “Okay, go and come in the evening with him, I will definitely come”. She left and came home, however by 6.00 o’clock; she was restless because she wanted to go back to see Him.

Actually, Mr. Wanchoo had met Sri Swamiji in Delhi, at the home of his daughter, Ratna Verma, and invited Him to come to Srinagar. When he came to the office he told me that Sri Swamiji was coming

to his house and he invited me to come and have His darshan, but I was not the least bit interested. He even said that He was different from all other Swamijis. When he was telling me about the many miracles that He performs producing objects from the air and other things, I was not inclined to see or meet Him,. Even though Mr. Wanchoo kept trying for me to see Him, I kept declining his invitations.

That evening when Sudha said that she had met Sri Swamiji and that He said that we should come together, I told her that I had known about His coming for over three months but I never discussed it with her, but I agreed to go with her now to meet Sri Swamiji. When I got there and I was in front of Him, it seemed as though as I had known Him for a long time; I felt like that He was my elder brother, although He was younger than me. I felt a strong closeness; a bonding relationship to Him. Till today, I still feel that way. As soon as I saw Him, I started crying without any cause. We did pranams to His Holy Feet; He looked at me and said, “Where have you been all these years, I have been waiting for you?” We sat and talked to Him for a while and He said, “Tomorrow I will come to your house, but now you must go and prepare my evening Bhiksha, and as long as I am in Srinagar you must prepare my Bhiksha everyday”.

Then He said, “From tomorrow you should take two weeks’ vacation and be my official chauffeur,” I had a car and chauffeur from my company and I used this car for His service, being His chauffer. We returned home and Sudha prepared the Bhiksha and we brought it to Sri Swamiji.at 10.00 pm.

The next day Sri Swamiji came to our house and we did Pada Puja. He materialized a silver Ganapati coin which He gave to me, since then I have been keeping it in my wallet. Sudha did not see these happenings so, in her mind she was thinking that she would like to see it, at least once. Immediately, Sri Swamiji reading her thoughts called her and materialized a ruby ring and gave it to her, telling her, ”Keep it in the puja room, and wear it only when I tell you to.” He sat down in our Puja room for His Bhiksha. He was very comfortable with the surroundings. Sudha started thinking that, in her childhood she saw saints materializing objects, so maybe, He was just one of those saints.

 After Bhiksha, He started telling us about Sri Adi Shakara Acharya’s behavior with His devotees; how He would drink alcohol and eat meat with them, when the time dictates. At one time, when He went to an iron smith, He even drank the molten steel without any problems. The shishas thought they could do whatever Shankara did, but Sri Shankara drank molten lava, could the Shishas do that? Then they realized that a truly realized divine being only can do anything. She then thought that He was telling us that it took extraordinary souls to do extraordinary things. After that, whensoever she had a doubt in her thought, He would say something to clear it up. In that way, He started teaching her Guru Tattva and advised her that she must read ‘Guru Charitra’.

The Chief Justice of the J & K province, Mr. Jaswant Singh, had known Mr. Wanchoo and had come to Mr. Wanchoo’s house to have the darshan of Sri Swamiji. The family invited Sri Swamiji to visit their house and the next day we went there. On our arrival, there were lots of people gathered and the CJ received Him with full protocol. They had prepared some barfi sweets for the occasion and Mrs. Singh offered them to Him. Sri Swamiji took a piece from the plate and said to her, “You are a worshipper of Sri Rama, isn’t it? That lady was stunned and replied, “Yes Swamiji!” To the surprise of all, Sri Swamiji broke t a piece of the sweet and removed a silver coin with Rama Pariwara embellished on it and gave it to her. Sri Swamiji then blessed the family and we left.

In1974, we moved to Baramula. From 1974-1977, we came to Mysore for the winter months when all projects were closed. During this time we took advantage of visiting the Mysore Ashrama frequently, which was more like a Rishi Ashrama. In those days Sri Swamiji performed ‘Hari Katha’ Himself. He used to tell stories of Avatars, saints and Sages in a musical narration with His soulful heartfelt divine bhajans. He was a Hari Katha narrator par excellence

Once, He gave a discourse on Devi Bhagwatam and I had the privilege to record it. Sudha would listen to it over and over without having food for fifteen days. Sudha became very ill; she became very delirious and disoriented. Her condition was daily becoming worse and she was admitted to the hospital. By Sri Swamiji’s grace, He sent a specialist from Switzerland to that hospital, so that she could take care of Sudha, and within fifteen days she was out from her traumatic period. Then later that year, Sri Swamiji again came to Srinagar. When Sri Swamiji learnt about this, He scolded her and threatened to take all the tapes from her.

Sri Swamiji told us to come to Srinagar so that we can take care of His Bhiksha. He gave strict orders to the priests that they should not eat anywhere, as there was a special Yagna going on so they had to prepare their own meals. Later, He advised them that they can eat from the meals prepared by Sudha. I believe that this process was a blessing for the cleansing for her illness.

I continued with my employment in Kashmir through 1977, and later, we went to Mysore to seek His permission to leave for the USA in May 1977. He blessed us, and we left. Later, when we were on our way to the railway station, Sudha decided that she wanted to go back to have His darshan once more before leaving. When we got there Sri Swamiji was preparing for His bath and He couldn’t see us. However, He called us to a little window in His room and blessed us again, telling us that us that the next time we came we will bring His daughter with us. We had not thought about another child neither was Sudha’s health permitting. Our son, Gautam, was already nine years old. We told Sri Swamiji about this and He said, “When I say that something will happen, it will happen.” Two years later, Aparna, a girl child, was born.

In 1980 for her first birthday, we wanted to take her to Mysore, but Sri Swamiji told us over the phone that He was coming to the United States. He called us and said to tell Aparna that her Thatha, her grandfather, is coming. He was traveling alone from New York. Sri Vishwanath, Prasadi’s father, who had traveled with Him had called us from New York and informed us that we must receive Him with Poorna Kumbha. Being new in the US, we didn’t have all these facilities, but Sri Swamiji told us that we can take a jug and place a coconut on it and He will come. On her first birthday, July 15^th, 1980, Sri Swamiji visited our home in Bay City, Texas arriving without any assistants; Instead of giving physical gifts to her He promised to take care of her and watch over her throughout her life.

Two devotees from Trinidad, David Balroop and Denise Hassanali came to help in the setting up of things for Him. We did not know who they were, but they said that Sri Swamiji advised them that they should go there and help, as they had previously prepared for Him in Trinidad. John Ramana Laird, another devotee from Pittsburg was also there and we were happy to have that privileged to host Him. We took Sri Swamiji to the Matagorda beach that was not far from our house.

David asked us to take some kheer in a flask. He and Denise had apparently come to get His permission and blessings to get married. On the beach, Sri Swamiji called them both and said, “I know that you both want to get married, so I will marry you now”. First, He gave them new names; David became Mukunda and Denise became Mala. He then asked them to stand in front of each other and taking some sand in His hand, He produced two Rudraksha malas and two coins which He gave to each of them.

He went on to say that Agni is needed as a witness to the marriage, but as Agni is not here He had to do something else. He then started gulping and a spatika lingam came out from His mouth. He held it in His palm and He said, “This is Atma Linga, He will be the witness to this marriage, now exchange the malas quickly, as Atma Linga cannot stay out for any length of time”. He then preformed abhishekam to the Linga, sprinkled the water on each of us and placed it back into His mouth and gulped it

Everyone present was stunned and electrified. He informed us that within a couple of days some calamity associated with water will occur,. While walking towards the car, He indicated that a particular area was pulling Him; that there was some special energy there. He went to a spot and started digging in the sand; with all His might He was trying to pull something out, and said that it was very heavy. He pulled out a Devi Sri Chakra coin, saying that it has been here for many ages, and gave it to Sudha for her prayer room. He said that people will hear the anklets of Devi Padam in the house. Till today that coin is in our puja room.

While returning home, Mukunda had lost his coin and he became very restless. When we got home, Sri Swamiji sent him to look at a plant, and to his amazement the coin was lying in the pot. Mukunda became happy and retrieved the coin. Within ten days, on August 10^th 1980, a hugh hurricane, Hurricane Allen, struck the Gulf, barely missing our city. After leaving Sri Swamiji went to Washington State to collect some ash from the Mt Helen Volcano that had erupted one month earlier.

When Sri Swamiji would visit Bay City, I would normally take Him to Houston and advise my friends of His coming. They in turn would organize the programs and invite people to meet Him. On one such occasion, Sri Swamiji went to program and after the poojas He was sitting on a chair talking to those who came to Him. Two gentlemen came with a tray full of fruits and flowers and offered it to Sri Swamiji. When they made the offerings, Sri Swamiji took an orange from the tray and began rotating it like a globe with two of His fingers.

He then stuck His finger into the orange and pulled out a small copper canister; about a quarter inch in diameter and a little over an inch long. He opened the canister and retrieved a scroll about eighteen inches long and went on to explain to the two gentlemen, “You have committed a mistake by trying to test a Guru, it is not in your best interest to test a Guru, I know you, your past, present and future, I know your soul journey. Everything about you is written here.” I could see the outline, but I couldn’t discern the writing. Then He casually placed the scroll into the canister and put the canister back into the orange. The opening for the hole in the orange disappeared; it was one whole orange again and gave it to those men as prasadam. Those men were mystified, shocked and scared. They bowed down to Sri Swamiji, and begged forgiveness for their mistakes and left in a hurry.

Another time, a Gujarati priest invited Sri Swamiji to his house. This priest welcomed Him with full protocol and brought Him into his house. He had invited many people for the function. When Sri Swamiji was seated, He started to move His hand in a right to left twisting motion from the palm of His hand one side vibuthi and from the other side kumkum started flowing. They were collected as two separate heaps in a plate He told me that He was not in control of this once it starts flowing, and is difficult to stop it. He opened His hand and showed me a distinct line that separated the two substances. He asked for a clean cloth. He then wiped His hand and gave the cloth to the priest telling him to put in his pooja room, as it is very precious. In 1988, He held His first US ‘Meditation music Concert’ in Houston at the Chinmayananda Mission Hall.

In Bay City, I worked for a multinational company building nuclear plants. Sometime during the construction phase, this company quit because of contention with the owners. I interviewed with three different companies and had to make a decision between two. One was paying a lot more money than the other, so I wanted Sri Swamiji’s advice. He advised me to take the lower paying position, because with the higher position, later, I would become like a fish without water. True to His words, that company was bought out be another company and after a while ceased to exist.

In the 1990s I moved to Augusta, Georgia and my company wanted to give me an overseas appointment. Again I sought His advice and He said that it was not the time, at least not yet. Later in 2004, a senior manager came into my office and said that a position in Romania has become open, and he asked, will you consider it? I asked Sri Swamiji and He said that I should take it, so I did. This assignment set the way for His first visit to our house in Romania in 2005.

When we were living in Augusta, one day our son, Gautam, had gone out and was late in coming back home. We were worried that we had not heard from him and wondered if something had gone wrong. We couldn’t sleep, so Sudha was chanting Sri Lalitha Sahasranama and I was repeatedly calling Sri Swamiji’s name. , I had a vision where I saw Sri Swamiji pulling a baby out from a tunnel; from darkness to light

Early in the morning we received a phone call from the police; they said that your son had met with a very bad accident and he is in the Emergency Room; you should come soon. When I got there I saw him on a gurney with multiple bruises. The policeman said, I was on patrol and I saw a car tunneling down a steep slope towards a barricade that was placed to close off a bridge. At the rate of speed and the incline of the slope, that car should have crashed through the barricade and ended up in the river. But some guiding angel was there and the car stopped at the barricade.

On the roadway, there were tire marks for more than five hundred feet, as though someone had applied breaks with great force. In the hospital a neck-brace was placed on him with the doctors fearing the worst. However, all the x-rays showed no major damage at all had happened to him; he was okay. We called the Mysore Ashrama to apprise Sri Swamiji of the situation, and we were told that Sri Swamiji had fallen in His room during the time of the accident. We took solace that Sri Swamiji had protected Gautam during a most vulnerable time of his life.

Soon afterwards Gautam was normal, as though nothing had happened. Even the junk-yard workers were surprised that the driver of the car was alive. We are totally indebted to Sri Swamiji for all that He has done for us. Even Aparna has had her share of calamities and she knows that only with His grace and blessings she is well and that we are surviving.

On May 19^th 2011, we had traveled from Delhi to Bangalore and when we got there I wasn’t feeling well. I told this to Sudha and she informed, my sister, who called her son-in-law, a neuro-surgeon. An ambulance and paramedics were sent to take me to the hospital where they found that I was having a multi organ failure. I became unconscious and was unaware of anything. In the meantime, Sri Swamiji was in Malaysia and it was difficult to contact Him. Sudha was desperately trying to reach Sri Swamiji and constantly praying for His grace and help. She knew that He is Datta, Smatrugami Sanovatu. He comes to your aid as soon as you remember Him sincerely with faith.

Early the next morning, I was becoming conscious and I saw her standing there very distressed. All I remembered is that I asked her if she had contacted Sri Swamiji. She said, “Yes! That she was trying. Later we learnt that during the night the heart monitor had gone flat, but the doctors were able to revive my heart. The doctors felt it was a great miracle that I survived without any damage.

After I was released from the hospital I went to see Sri Swamiji and He said, I got the message of your illness through five different sources. Pointing His finger towards the sky He said, “You went up and I brought you down, there is still some seva left for you to do, so I need you here for some more time.” How great is my Master and Guru, Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji? Jaya Guru Datta

Prakasarao and Nandini Rao Velagapudi, Frisco, Texas, USA

Prakasarao:              when a Guru sees the potential of a Sishya (disciple), He can immediately harness that potential and brings that devotee closer to Him. In that way, the Guru cleanses the Sishya and makes him an instrument in His mission.  

Anyone who wants to grow spiritually and have ‘peace of mind’ should have a Sadguru such as Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji. That is our realization after meeting Sri Swamiji in 1990. In 1988, while living in Jackson, Mississippi, we heard about the presence of Sri Swamiji. I was the chairman of ‘The Hindu Temple Society of Mississippi’ when I received a call from a person in Baton Rouge asking if I would like to invite Sri Swamiji to visit the Jackson Temple. The construction of the building in the form of a huge hall was complete, but consecration of the Murtis/idols had not been performed.

Without knowing the importance and background of a Guru, I instantly dismissed the notion of inviting Him. I was not in favor of so-called spiritual men and without even consulting the other board members, I totally rejected the idea. To be honest, at that time, I did not know the significance of Guru, but the main underlying reason for my objection was we had taken some loans for the construction and we were not in a financial position to host anyone.

One month later, I had to travel to India. When I got there everyone was talking about a gentleman, Medasani Mohan, who is known for conducting Ashtavadhanam and Sahasravadhanam, a unique talent in the annals of Telugu literature. He was also a devotee of Sri Swamiji who happened to be Director of Annamacharya Project in Tirupati. My brother wanted me to go to Tirupati and meet with this person, as he knew that as I was involved in the temple project of Lord Venkateswara located in Tirupati.  I went to meet him. We invited him to TANA (Telugu Association of North America), as his unusual talent and memory to perform Ashtavadhanam impressed me.  During his first visit to USA, we hosted him.  He spoke about his experiences with his Sadguru, Sri Swamiji, and advised us that we should meet with this Sakshat (actual) God. He insisted that we must make the time to have His darsan.

Because of his fervor and commitment I told him that I would meet with Him, although I still did not have the urge to meet Him. 1990, we were planning to perform the Prana Pratishta (consecration of idols) for the temple and we thought that it was the most opportune time for us to get the Yantras (geometric design on a metal plate representing the idol), for the Murtis (idols) blessed by Him. I sent my brother, who lives in India, to Mysore to seek an audience with His Holiness, but He was not there. In the meantime, while browsing through a copy of Hinduism Today, a monthly magazine, I saw an advertisement with a schedule for Sri Swami’s visit to the USA.

At that time, Sri Swamiji was in Augusta, Georgia at the home of a devotee. I was amazed that we were trying to meet Him in India and all of a sudden, He is here in the USA. Without knowing or understanding the protocol of reaching a Sadguru, I dialed the number and spoke to an assistant, Sri Radhakrishna, (Swami Manasa Datta). I expressed my wish to speak to Sri Swamiji and he told me that Sri Swamiji would not speak on the phone. Then I asked him if we could request Sri Swamiji to bless the Yantras.  His response was that he cannot promise anything on behalf of Swamiji and have to come and meet His Holiness personally.  He wanted to know where we were located. Swami Manasa Datta then informed me that Sri Swamiji will be visiting Baton Rouge, and if was convenient for us, we should try to meet Him there.  He also mentioned I should not be disappointed if he doesn’t bless them. We decided to go to Baton Rouge, LA, so that we could at least have His Darshan as suggested by Radhakrishna. I was somewhat puzzled because no matter what we asked, we were not receiving favorable answers. We did visit Sri Swamiji and that was beginning of our association with His Holiness.

In 1988, Daulat Sthanki took Sri Swamiji to Disneyworld in Orlando and he asked Him if he could construct Datta Temple in Baton Rouge. Sri Swamiji informed him, “The time is not right, however, when I comeback next time, somebody from Mississippi will come and things will start happening.” I had not met Him, but, Sri Swamiji predicted my entry into His fold.  He knows the past-present-and future of everything and once He makes a Sankalpa, it will definitely happen.

My family; wife, Nandini, and children, Pratap and Laxmi, went to meet Sri Swamiji in Baton Rouge. When we got there Swami Manasa Datta advised us that we should go to the back side of the house as His Holiness was inside. We did as we were told, and to our surprise as we were walking on the driveway, we saw Sri Swamiji coming towards us and I made eye contact. With that contact, I had a very explosive experience; I became numb, my hair was standing on ends, my heart was pumping vigorously, I began to sweat and started crying uncontrollably. I could not control my emotions. From a tough hard-hearted person, I became a child.

After recovering from that condition, I looked up and saw Sri Swamiji looking and smiling at me, saying that, “Sri Datta has brought you here, just follow me”. Thinking literally, we followed Him to a devotee, Ramnik Modha’s house where He did Paduka Puja. At the end of the Puja, Sri Swamiji manifested a Ganapati idol from the garland that was offered and gave it to Ramnik. We have heard of these miracles, but seeing it happened was too much for our eyes. I thought that, maybe, this idol was hidden in the garland. Another doubt occurred in my mind; why do these people do Paduka Puja, if they consider Him a Guru, a God, they should be doing Puja to Him, not His padukas (sandals). Before He left, Sri Swamiji played the piano with Ramnik’s son. Before leaving their house He pinched the boy’s cheek and materialized a coin and gave to him. Again I was surprised.

We followed Sri Swamiji from there and we reached the home of Daulat Sthanki where Sri Swamiji was going to perform Bhajans. Lots of people assembled had there. We went inside and someone came and said that Sri Swamiji wanted to meet with us. We went into the room to see Him and showed the photos of the temple and informed Him that we were in the process of performing the Prana Pratishta (consecration of idols) and requested Him to bless the Yantras (square metal plate with geometric design representing a particular God/Goddess).  Inadvertently, He started a conversation discussing about the number of ashrams He has, how many devotees he has, and His mission, for about thirty minutes. Someone knocked on the door and informed Him that it was getting late, but He was not disturbed; He just continued talking.

Later, He went in the den where devotees had gathered to start the Bhajans session. To my amazement instead of starting the scheduled program, Sri Swamiji called me to bring the Yantras to Him. He took them, placed them on the center table in front of Him and asked Swami Manasa Datta to explain the meaning of those Yantras which he did effortlessly. Then, He took a red rose from the garland and proceeded to materialize Kum Kum (red powder) and place it on each Yantra.

By this time, I was in no position to doubt Him anymore. Internally, I had to admit that there was power within Him. Then He said that He will keep them in His room overnight, implying that we needed to spend the night which we had not intended to. Sri Swamiji proceeded to start the program and He called me to sit next to Him. I sat beside Him on the floor and the He applied kumkum on my forehead

He took out two ‘Bhajana Yogam” books and gave one to me, telling the crowd that: “This person will do a lot of work for His mission, he will do a lot of Seva to Lord Dattatreya.”  We attended the next day’s program and then left for our home. On the way we were reminiscing about the trip and trying to resolve why it had happened like that; He said that we will be doing Seva to His mission. We were so involved in the Jackson temple and doing Seva for Lord Venkateswara we never thought we would ever leave the Temple to do seva to His mission

The Prana Pratishta of Jackson Temple was celebrated from May 28 to June 2, 1990.  Immediately, after the completion of the program, the problems started; differences of opinion with the trustees arose. Within a few months I resigned from the executive position (chairmanship) of the temple.

Afterwards, I started seeing Sri Swamiji’s image wherever I was; it became an obsession. I could not distance myself from His image. It appeared as though He was controlling my life. The common thought was that either; I was going insane, or Sri Swamiji had done some black magic to me.

My pride and ego didn’t allow me to go to a psychiatrist, so I started talking to His devotees. They compounded the situation by alluding to His greatness and power. This led me to read about other gurus and their effects on their devotees. I read many books and found that all the teachings were the same, but I could not discern the experience I had on my first meeting, nor my obsession with His image.

Finally, I came across a book by Richard Alport, who later became Swami Ramdass. In that book he discussed his meeting with his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, in the Himalayas.  When He was touched on the forehead his experience was exactly the same as I had with Sri Swamiji. He also discussed that when a Guru sees the potential of a Sishya (disciple), He can immediately harness that potential and brings that devotee closer to Him. In that way, the Guru cleanses the Sishya and makes him an instrument in His mission.

            Piecing all this information together, I realize that there was some merit in all these happenings so I became eager to see Him again. As luck would have it, Sri Swamiji was in Trinidad, so, Nandini and I went there to meet Him. In the meantime, I was in contact with Padma Turk in Pittsburg. I offered my help in producing the newsletter that she had attempted. With this project in thought, also, we went to Trinidad. When we got there, we settled in the Ashrama, and attended Sri Chakra Puja in the morning.  Sri Swamiji was going to have a meeting with the Board of Trustees, but, while sitting there, someone came and told us that Sri Swamiji wanted to see us.

We went into the room and as I saw Him, I started crying uncontrollably. After awhile, I composed myself and began talking with Him. I invited Him to visit Jackson for the upcoming Nada Prasara tour the next year. I was told that the protocol to invite Sri Swamiji to a city required one to be a devotee and must go to Mysore Ashrama to give the invitation. However, Sri Swamiji looked at His assistants and said, “He is my devotee and believes in Me.  He has come here, to my Ashrama, to invite me. He has followed the protocol, so arrangements should be made for the visit.”

            In 1993, Sri Swamiji started the Nada Prasara tour, and before coming to Jackson, we went to see Him in Baton Rouge. There was a lot of discussion about the tour, His mission and the Datta Yoga Center in West Sunbury. He wanted to close the Center and move it elsewhere.  He also wanted at least one of the three rocks to be moved and placed at another location with an office. Then a German devotee, Agastya, came and informed us that Sri Swamiji wanted to see us where the meeting was going on. We went into the room where the meeting was taking place and Nandini offered some property in Jackson for the purpose as the discussion was going on to move the Center.

            Sri Swamiji looked at Padma Turk and informed her that she was no longer the President of DYC and that she must go to India for some time. He told in the meeting, “Dr Prakash Rao will be the new president of the organization and he will take care of the mission.”  In 1990, He had predicted that I would serve His mission, and three years later, and after only three meetings I was thrust into the presidency of His organization.  I realized that whatsoever comes from His lips will surely happen.

He then made a startling revelation; He said, “Do you know why you left the Hindu Temple? It was I who did that; if you had stayed there, you would not have come to me. I created that Leela (divine play), and no one has bad opinion of you, so there is nothing to worry about.”  We went back to Jackson and continued with the preparation for Sri Swamiji’s visit.

            The night before the program, the trustees of the Temple called to announce that they would not receive Sri Swamiji with Poorna Kumba (a procedure to welcome holy dignitaries to the temple), but He can have His program as scheduled in the temple. When we told Him about this turn of events, Sri Swamiji said that there are three things of importance: “(a) they will come to realize it, (b) they will experience it and (c) there are no Murthis (idols) there and they are all right here in your house.”

Sri Swamiji wanted to see the property that Nandini had previously offered, so we took Him there and pledged nine acres from a twenty-acre plot, for His Ashrama. She also asked for the privilege to build a home near to the temple, He promised her that the time would come when this will happen. However in 1995, it was decided to have the temple built in Baton Rouge. Later, Nandini got her wish, as she got a home next to the Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple in Frisco, Texas. We can probably write a book on our experiences and our narration here ends due to lack of time.

Nandini:                      He said, “Sai Baba is talking to you through me now, and since you cannot see Sai Baba in the physical form, He is talking to you through me.” 

When I initially met Sri Swamiji in 1990, my feelings were neutral, I neither liked nor disliked Him, but I had the utmost respect for Him, as I have for all saints. Before marriage, my mother’s family worshiped their Guru, Sri Manik Prabhu, belonging to the linage of Lord Dattatreya. At the age of sixteen, I was introduced to Shirdi Sai Baba, considered to be belonging to Datta Parampara.

When Dr. Prakasarao, my husband, my children and I, met Sri Swamiji for the first time, he had unique experiences. I offered my Pranams to show my respect. Several things took place during this visit which I am omitting to be brief.  My husband was eager to meet Sri Swamiji again and having come to know that He was going to visit Trinidad we both decided to visit Sri Swamiji there. On our way to Trinidad, we had a layover in Dallas; I met my cousin who lives there.  I expressed my confusion about meeting Sri Swamiji since I already had Shirdi Sai Baba as my Sadguru.  She advised me that I should not go to Him with a dubious or conflicting mind and I should clarify my doubts by checking with Sri Swamiji Himself, since I had already accepted Shirdi Sai Baba as a Sadguru from my teenage years.  She suggested that I should put that question to Sri Swamiji and He would definitely help me.

Nevertheless, we went to Trinidad. The next morning we attended the Sri Chakra Puja which was new to us. We stood in the darsan line, after the Puja, and when Sri Swamiji saw us He said, “Oh! Datta has brought you here.” Soon after darshan, somebody came running informing us that Sri Swamiji has called us for interview. We were taken by surprise as we had not requested it.  In fact, they were going to have a Board meeting then. We went in and Dr. Rao started sobbing.

I took the opportunity to tell Sri Swamiji, “I don’t want to offend Shirdi Sai Baba, as He had been my Guru since age sixteen, but I hold utmost respect for you”. Sri Swamiji closed His eyes and said exactly what I prayed to Sai Baba every day after performing my daily Puja. He said, “Sai Baba is talking to you through me now, and since you cannot see Sai Baba in the physical form, He is talking to you through me.”  I was taken aback, as I used to pray every day to Sai Baba to visit me physically and needed to communicate with Him.  I had no doubts in my mind about what He said. In fact, I feel that both of them are taking care of me and my family and they are One and the same. When I met Him in Trinidad, I saw my father in Him in His behavior, which I lost when I was nine years old. From then onwards I spoke to Him as I would to my father, very informal, but with respect.

Every Thursday, I am accustomed to performing Aarti to Sai Baba in Marathi as they do in Shirdi. When Sri Swamiji visited us in Jackson, MS for the first time, the next day was a Thursday.  As usual I did my Aarti to Sri Swamiji after Pada Puja. Sri Swamiji looked at me and said, “You should do the Aarthi as you usually do.”  I became very emotional and started crying.  Even to this day I do Aarthi to Sai Baba and to Sri Swamiji’s picture.

He told me, “You will see how much change I am going to bring in you.”  I was somewhat confused and said, “Swamiji, you are in Mysore and I am in Jackson, how can you change me,” being ignorant about Guru Tattva then.  Slowly the process of change took place within me; those who know me have complimented me on these changes. He taught me the essence of Guru Tattva and the way to treat a Guru. Guru is Smatrugami, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Now I no longer see him as a father figure, but I see the cosmic consciousness that is the Guru.

In 2002, I was traveling to India and I was in New York waiting for my Air India flight. There was a snow storm and flights were not allowed to leave, so I returned to Jackson. When I got home I saw that our house was completely smoked out due to a fire accident, but the house was still intact. The Padukas and small Vigrahas (idols) in the puja room were untarnished.  Later in 2005, during the Memphis Temple Kumba Abhishekam, Sri Swamiji called me and told me that He stays in my house as Agni Devata. I asked Him what He meant and He reminded me of that incident.

Each and every day I understand His Leelas (miracles) more and more. My greatest knowledge that I have gained from His association is that even though the Guru may not be present in the physical form, if you surrender to Him, He will take care of you.  He is Omnipresent and is aware of what goes on with us.              Jaya Guru Datta

Sri Swamiji Says:

One must remember Mother Annapoorna with gratitude before taking food. When out of anger a plate of food or a glass of drink is rudely pushed away, that person and that household will suffer from poverty and stomach ailments. It is a sin to abuse and criticize food even if it does not meet your taste.

P S Venkateshwaram, Produttur

Then Swamiji said, “I am Satyanarayana. I am Satyam, I am truth, and I truly came here”.

I am P S Venkateshwaram, a childhood friend of Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji whom He calls Vengudu. Sri Swamiji and I were studying at the Produttur Municipal High School when He was in seventh or eight standard. He used to study very well. He used to visit my uncle’s hotel and play with us there, with me and my uncle’s sons. If we were sad or something, He would go into meditation, materialize a banana, a laddu or something nice, and He would give it to us. That would make us very happy; we were just kids, did not know too much. But still we used to play around together happily. When we were with Him, there was no fear, no suffering and we used to be very happy. We were always playing, totally immersed into it. No other thought when we were in His presence. There was nothing else we did. That experience cannot be put in words, it is illimitable.

His name was Satyanarayana, but we used to call Him as Satyam. Each day would He accept food from a different house in the area. On Mondays, He would have meals in one house, on Tuesday in another, on Wednesday in another, and so on and so forth. Also, in that area, there was a temple of Lord Eshwara. Satyam along with His sister, Varalakshmi, and paternal aunt, Venkammattha used to stay there in those days.

Chandru, my uncle’s son was His dearest friend. He had such a good heart that he used to help them a lot. It was merely out of his friendship to Satyam that he was helping them. He was such a nice person that he did not even feel that he was helping. It was a kind of affection he had. Even now when Sri Swamiji sees us, He receives us in the same manner, addresses us the way He used to do when we were young. He calls Chandru by his name, and his elder brother Bala as Mr. Bala.

Satyam was one among our families. He used to move around as part of our families. We used to play different games like glass balls, stick and ball etc. He would also run chores in the house in which He would take Bhiksha (meals), foresee some good things for them, make the household folks happy, only then He would leave. In this manner, He would cheer us all up in many ways. As long as He was in Produttur, it was so beautiful.

After He became Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji, He came back to Produttur one night, in the early 1960s at around midnight; He came to my uncle, Subba Mani’s house. And He was calling for Bala, in a loud voice. We all wondered who He was, especially coming at this hour of the night. None of us knew who He was, we were all confused. Then Swamiji said, “I am Satyanarayana. I am Satyam, I am truth, and I truly came here”. He repeated these words to everyone there, and later we realized who He was, He was none other than our childhood friend, Satyanarayana. We were so surprised to know that our Satyanarayana had become a Swamiji.

There were many cows in my uncle’s house. But none of those cows gave any milk at all since that morning. That night, after Swamiji arrived, the cow gave milk. This surprised everybody. We offered that just milked, warm milk to Swamiji and He gladly accepted it. We were all so overwhelmed with joyful surprise. He granted us a blissful experience with that incident.

In this way Sri Swamiji blessed each one of us; Bala, Ramani and myself, whom He calls Vengudu and Hanumantha Reddy, with joyful, divine experiences. At this time we were all together again and started conversing with each another. We all have beautiful experiences with Him and full faith in Sri Swamiji. He alone is our anchor, our companion, and our shelter. For anything Sri Swamiji is there for us. He pampers us so much. He says: “Okay, go, I will take care of it, I will do it”. No matter what the task is, it gets accomplished.

My marriage, my begetting children, and my son’s vidyabhyasam (start of education) ceremony, all these happened with the grace of Sri Swamiji’s blessings only. My son, V. V. Arun, studied well, did MCA, got very good grades and is in a very good position with Cognizant Technologies. When he got married, we prayed to Sri Swamiji, and he got a very good bride, who works for Sathyam Computers. Everybody is doing great. His grace is immeasurable. There are no bounds to it. If we trust Him wholeheartedly, He would show us the way in one form or another, He does well for us, everything is going to be great. We have been experiencing this since childhood, feelings cannot be described, they are beyond words.

We were close to Him when we were children, would address Him as “Satyam”. But after He became Sri Swamiji, even though we would keep ourselves at a distance, He calls us near Him. When He sees us He says: “Vengudu! How are you doing? Take this”. My father would make halwa (a sweet delicacy). Sri Swamiji calls him “halwa Mani”, He is so close to us, He is nearer and dearer to us than our relatives, He is our Soul-Relative. In this way He brought us close to Him.  We all have close ties with each other, happily living together. Now I work in His Vellachery Ashram which is located in Bibi Nagar, Chennai. He blessed me to be here, He Himself instructed me to be here in this ashram. With Swamiji’s grace, I am doing well.

I was re-introduced to Sri Swamiji by Ranga Rao, as a relative of Ananda Rao, proposing to let me stay here in the ashram. Then Swamiji said “He is not Ananda Rao’s relative, He is my relative, My Vengudu. Let him be here, he will look after the ashram”. My father’s name is Mani Iyer. He meditated all the time. He used to walk to Ramana Maharishi Ashram everyday to meditate, located about 2 kilometers away. The Shiva temple where Swamiji, His sister Varalakshmi, aunt Venkammattha were living is one of the oldest temples. His aunt Venkammattha used to be extremely strict. She was an advocate of Hatha Yoga. She would wake up Swamiji very early in the morning to practice Hatha Yoga.

As a child, He was a very good boy. He would give a chocolate or something. We were always playing the game of glass marbles. It is a game where the player hits one marble with another, similar to baseball. Suddenly He would give something to the one playing; a chocolate, a laddu or something else, and the one who is about to hit the marble goes unvigilant. In this way He always won, however, at times He would also let others win.

An early indication of His future was that Sri Swamiji was not too interested in academic studies, but He would recite a poem, whether it was in Sanskrit, Telugu or any other language which He may have just heard once, without any mistakes. He would solve, a just given, mathematical problem in front of the entire class, confusing even the teacher, such a problem that requires some work from someone else. He would give the answers right away.

Every year we keep meeting Him and I am blessed with good fortune and a good life. This is all out of His merciful grace. There is no me, without Him. Even today, He affectionately speaks with me, and whenever He sees me, He inquires, “How are you doing?”                 Jaya Guru Datta

William Chidananda Bertolette, Baton Rogue USA

I just observed everything. Sri Swamiji certainly possessed the looks and personality of a real Guru, in my estimation, and I felt fortunate to be initiated into Kriya Yoga by a true Master.

Before meeting Sri Swamiji in the summer of 1988, I had been practicing Hatha Yoga and experiencing wonderful results.  If the physical practice did so much for me, I thought; then meditation would bring similar benefits on a spiritual plane.  At that time, Transcendental Meditation was available in Baton Rouge, but it was too expensive. One day I saw a flyer which advertised ‘Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji and the Celestial Music Troupe’ performing at LSU (Louisiana State University).  The flyer also noted the availability of a Kriya Yoga class. The opportunity to learn Kriya Yoga, which I had read about in ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Paramahamsa Yogananda, led me to call Mr. Narendra Dave who confirmed my idea that this would be a very reasonably-priced instruction, by a genuine Guru.

I went to the Dave’s house the evening before the class and felt some relief on seeing a sign on the door which read “Jai Guru Datta, Hearty Welcome.” A small gathering of people sat in the living room and began chanting the Datta Stavam in Sanskrit – all of this was new to me. When Sri Swamiji entered, He received a flower from a devotee and tapped it a few times. It disintegrated before my eyes into holy ash!  He then blew on the flower and filled the room with delightfully fragrant vibuthi. Later I saw the Homa fire in the backyard, but had no clue as to what it meant. I just observed everything. Sri Swamiji certainly possessed the looks and personality of a real Guru, in my estimation, and I felt fortunate to be initiated into Kriya Yoga by a true Master.  After the class and Sri Swamiji’s departure from Baton Rouge, I continued practicing Kriya Yoga.

 A year later I received an invitation from Nalini and Narendra Dave to visit their home and watch a video of Sri Swamji during the Shivaratri Festival at the Mysore Ashram in India.  Sri Swamiji stood in a fire pit and brought forth various objects including, a mercury Shiva Lingam.  This impressed me and sparked a desire to visit the Ashram.

In 1990, Sri Swamiji visited Baton Rouge for the second time and the Daves’ suggested that my jazz band play for Him at the reception.  We played, and seeing Sri Swamiji again after two years I felt a wave of love for Him. At the end of the performance He called me up and presented me with beautifully scented sandalwood Ganapati, which in my eyes seemed to be smiling and beaming rays of energy. I felt honored to receive such a gift from Sri Swamiji. I participated in another Kriya Yoga class and kept practicing.

In 1991-92 I decided to go to India for a three-week stay at the Mysore Ashram, partly out of curiosity, but mainly in hopes of spiritual growth. I made the trip to India, but remained in a state of ignorance about religious customs and rituals. Someone had told me that I must do Pada Pooja to Sri Swamiji when I got there, so during an interview I asked His permission and He said to come the next morning by 9.00 am. The next day I went over to wait outside what was then the Ashram office.  I saw no one, except the Ashram deer, which I began to pet.  Suddenly, Sri Swamiji’s car pulled up and the driver shouted, William, Sri Swamiji is calling you! I joined Him in His car and we drove to the Cauvery River area where He was shooting the film, ‘Yoga Brahma.’ We did not talk much beyond exchanging pleasantries.

I am a very practical person and I tend to learn from my experiences.  I did not try to analyze Sri Swamiji, but observed Him at the film shoot and in many other contexts over the years.  Through His humor and other subtle messages I gradually became more certain of His guidance.  From my several experiences in India, whether pleasant or difficult, I have learned valuable lessons about the importance of following a spiritual path and staying focused on the Guru.

In an interview with Sri Swamiji during the 1990s I asked Him to give me a spiritual name.  I had put this off for fear that I would not like the name, but people kept asking me, so after seven years I finally asked.  He said that He would think about it and I left the interview resigned to the idea that I would not get a spiritual name. I forgot about it. Sometime later, while attending one of the Ashram functions, Sri Swamiji unexpectedly called me up to the altar and announced that my name was ‘Chidananda, to a Temple full of devotees.’  Then He suggested ‘Chidu’ as a nickname.  In my excitement and confusion I really did not hear the name at first.  Later, one of the senior Ashram devotees explained it to mean ‘Knowledge of Bliss.’  Needless to say, I was very happy.  I felt that Sri Swamiji had acknowledged a kind of blissful waking dream I had previously been fortunate to experience through His Grace.  I wrote about that mere taste of a higher reality in the first edition of ‘Wonders of the Holy Master.’

One of the many subtle experiences that convinced me of Sri Swamiji’s extraordinary powers occurred when I attended His programs at a devotee’s house in Baton Rouge.  During announcements after His discourse I noticed a pool of water on top of an outdoor canopy which had been set up over the makeshift dining area.  I thought to myself that if that water comes down it will certainly give someone a good shower. Just then my eyes met with Sri Swamiji’s and I felt He knew what I was thinking.  Sri Swamiji moved His foot slightly and immediately the water on the tarpaulin came pouring out in a neat stream, as if someone had simply reached up and pulled the edge of the tarp down until the entire ‘lake’ had drained.  Another time He manifested a Ganapathy ring from a flower garland and gave it to me.  Witnessing such spontaneous physical miracles often seems less important than the accompanying feeling of love and joy that wells up in the heart.

I have been to India fourteen times since Sri Swamiji came into my life. I have listened to His numerous discourses and concerts, read His biography and other books, had personal interviews, dream darshan and guidance.  I once asked Him how I could help His mission in the US and He gave me the chance to serve on the committee of the DYC in Baton Rouge in the capacity of secretary.  I greatly appreciated that opportunity and have seen DYC grow in America through the efforts of many dedicated devotees.

Western and really all modern society focuses primarily on attaining material happiness in addition to social, political, artistic, intellectual, comedic, or even spiritual goals.  Reconciling the aims of this world with an eternal spiritual reality presents a major challenge.  Statements in Vedic scripture about the need to detach from the senses and ego in order to overcome the “disease” of birth seem to counter all that one learns growing up.  In resolving this dilemma Sri Swamiji provides marvelous guidance and truly fulfills the Guru’s role as one’s ‘closest relative.’  Through Sri Swamiji I have become wiser, more open-minded and desirous of attaining real Chidananda.                                    Jaya Guru Datta