Samparka

My inner journey started in 1978 after receiving Dīks͟hā from H.H. Parijñānāshram  Swāmījī III. This was the turning point in my life, and I transformed and experienced a complete shift from a materialistic, worldly and ritualistic mode into a spiritual mode. With Swāmījī’s Grace, I started to read and understand books on philosophy, spirituality and Ātmajñāna. As my sādhanā progressed, Swāmījī was always guiding me personally, and many problems in my temporal world and my spiritual world seemed to miraculously get solved.

Whenever I approached Swāmījī for guidance on spiritual matters, He was always ready with his precious advice and His words continue to be Vedavākya for me. 

 Once, I was feeling low, miserable, and restless that I was not doing enough sādhanā. I asked Swāmījī, “I feel that my battery is down, please help”. Swāmījī reassured me saying,

"हांवॅ एक फांता बॅटरी चार्ज केल्लारी, परत-परत चार्ज कोरकापण्णा" (Hānve ek phāntā battery charge kellārī, parat-parat charge korkāpaṇṇā”)
" हांवॅ पात्रत्व पोळोव्नु दीक्षा दिल्लया" (“ Hānve pātratva poῙovnu dīks͟hā dilyā”)
"नाडी प्रवाह मुखारी वट्टा विन्ना माक्षी येना (“ Nāḍī pravāh mukhārī vaṭṭā vinnā māks͟hī yenā”)

Once in a lighter tone, I told Swāmījī, “Swāmījī, in Your Presence, everything seems to be going smooth, but in your absence, it changes –Sūṇăle bāla vāṅkaḍe jātā.” Swāmījī also replied jokingly: 

तुगलॅ बाल वान्कडॅ जाय्नाशी हांव पोळोव्नु घॅत्ता. " तुगलॅ साधना सम जायशी हांव पोळोव्नु घॅत्ता. "
(”Tugale Bāla wāṅkaḍe jāynāshī hāṇv poῙῙovnu ghettā. “ Tugale sādhanā sama jāyashi hanva poῙῙovnu ghettā”)

Swāmījī was progressive and always encouraging towards the betterment of the samāja. During our 25th wedding anniversary, my husband and I wanted to do Pādapūjā at Suniti NāimpaῙῙy pāchī’s house. I was under the impression, that just like Satyanārāyaṇa pūjā and other rituals, I also would be allowed to sit along with my husband. Just as I was about to sit, Bhaṭ mām said that only men are allowed to do Pādapūjā, so I quietly went back. Swāmījī   observed this and called me back saying “ Tīvai pūjeka bastali.” Thus, we both could do the Pādapūjā.

As we sat down to partake Prasāda- bhojana, Swāmījī was sitting at the table with the Bhaṭmām-s. Swāmījī suddenly looked around and asked, “25th wedding anniversary couple khayi baslyānti, tāṅkā hyā table-āri baisuka sāṅgāti”. My husband and I felt so deeply touched and blessed for this wonderful opportunity to be able to do Pādapūjā and also sit along with Swāmījī for prasāda bhojana.

Magical Car Drive
My elder daughter, Sujāthā was a ten-year-old studying in Class IV in Ṛs͟hī Valley School, Rājghāṭ, a residential school in Benāras. That year, H.H. Swāmījī was in Benāras observing Chāturmāsa. My husband went from Cālcuṭṭā to visit her at Benāras and also took her along for Swāmījī’s darshana. They attended pūjā and the programme for the day and by the time it got over it was late in the evening. The residential school hostel was in the outskirts and almost an hour’s drive and they had to reach there before a certain time. Swāmījī enquired as to how they were planning to get back. Swāmījī realised it was quite late and that they would not reach in time if they took the train. He smiled and offered to arrange a drop in Swāmījī ’s personal car. As the driver started the car, Swāmījī told the driver to move aside and Swāmījī insisted on driving the car Himself.

They were thrilled and could not believe that Swāmījī Himself was driving the car. The entire one-hour journey was a divine experience for my ten-year-old, who vividly remembers the jovial conversation with Swāmījī who was enquiring about her studies and school. There were a few Bhānap teachers in the school who were pleasantly surprised and happy to greet H.H. Swāmījī.

Lighter moments with Swāmījī  
We moved to BeṅgaῙūru and both my daughters Sujāthā and Srilekhā were actively involved in Chitrāpur Mat͟h and Canarā Union activities. They had lot of opportunities to interact with Swāmījī. Swāmījī would always encourage Koṅkaṇī plays, He would come and watch the plays and then they would get an opportunity for a group photograph with Swāmījī. Our Mysore trip with Swāmījī was very memorable, He would join in when we were singing Antāks͟harī and help us with songs, play the d͟holak, and it was His way of teaching the highest spirituality with His sense of humour and by engaging in the day-to-day activities.

Miracle Baby
Sujāthā had a lot of trouble during her pregnancy. In March 1990, she had her third miscarriage and the doctor clearly looked at the ultrasound scan and told that she had lost the baby. She was heartbroken and had lost all hopes of having a baby. She fervently prayed to Swāmījī. Sujatha recalls, “I went for a regular check-up in July 1990 and to my astonishment, the doctors were puzzled and they announced that I was four months pregnant. The previous scans and check-ups had clearly shown that there was no foetus. The top gynaecologists in St. Mārthā’s Hospital and Republic Nursing home could not give a logical explanation. They could only now make an estimate that Sujāthā would deliver by December 1990. However, the baby was born in November 1990… a healthy baby …not medically explained … only a miracle baby. 

When we took our baby for Swāmījī’s blessings in January 1991 He blessed the baby and remarked, “since the baby has no hair, I will call the baby Rishikesh.”

Exam trouble
Another incident that comes to my mind is when my grandson was in X Standard. He was all set to write his board exams and the school withheld his hall ticket due to some misunderstanding for a wrongly accused mischief, which he had not done. My grandson was also adamant and refused to apologise for something that he had not done. As a mother, Sujāthā was very disturbed at this turn of events, and she was hoping that he would not lose a year, because of this. She looked at Swāmījī  ’s pictures and surrendered this matter to Him, saying “my son is your miracle baby, please do whatever you think is best.” It was indeed another miracle, when just half an hour before the board exam, the home phone rang. It was the principal’s office calling to say, that my grandson would be allowed to write the exam. 

My younger daughter Srilekhā recalls her Muscat flash flood experience
“Over the years after my marriage I moved out to Mumbaī, Ḍelhī and to Muscat and my interactions with Swāmījī were not much. But I know I had His blessings and protection through this incident that happened in Muscat.
When I was in Muscat, I had just joined a part of an Āmchīgale Bhajana group (comprising of CSB and GSB) and we used to regularly sing at the Kṛs͟hṇā Temple there.

Our family had just moved to Muscat in April-May 2007 and we were new to the area and also to the city. In June 2007, we faced Cyclone Gonu with heavy rains which breached a nearby dam. As a result, we had flash floods. My two daughters, my husband, and I, we were all trapped inside the house, the door would not open, we were totally helpless and were ardently praying. Our prayers were answered when our jammed door, broke open by the force of gushing waters and we could escape to our building terrace. All we managed to do was make a frantic telephone call to my sister before communications were totally disrupted.

Not knowing anyone around and not knowing what to do we sat through the cold and wet night, hungry, crying, and praying. The next morning when the water receded, we went to our flat and found everything soaked in dirt and filth. We were miserable as we had no water, no food, no clothes, no electricity, no communications and above all no dry place to rest. Everywhere, in and out of our flat and building, there was devastation. Roads were eroded, uprooted vegetation, muck, and vehicles left in disarray. No transport available to move out for help. We were in despair as we were unable to contact any local acquaintances for help. 

At this time one of our Bhajana Group members, an āmchī mām came to our area as if looking for us. He met us and looking at our condition insisted that we leave everything as it is and accompany him to his house. We were hesitant as we did not know him too well and did not want to trouble him. But he insisted and we went to his house for the first time. As he opened his home door for us, I saw H.H.  Parijñānāshram Swāmījī ’s Life-size picture facing the entrance of his living room.

This was an emotional moment for me, and I just broke down when I saw Swāmījī ’s picture. I realised then how He had helped me and my family through that āmchī mām. We were given food, clothes, shelter till we could make alternative arrangements. It seemed like the āmchī couple were sent to us by Swāmījī to help us out.

I came to know later, the next morning, that my distraught mother was sitting motionless and praying in Swāmījī ’s room at Suniti NāimpaῙῙy pāchī’s house in BeṅgaῙūru and it was also around that very moment that the āmchī mām had come looking for us in Muscat. These 2 events are connected. It was not a mere co-incidence. What is it?? When I narrate or recollect this experience of mine, I always remember the life-size picture of H.H. Parijñānāshram Swāmījī smiling reassuringly. It has made us realise how a Guru comes to help His devotees. “

H.H. Parijñānāshram Swāmījī has always been there guiding, inspiring and encouraging our family and we continue to feel His Presence, His Love, His Compassion and Grace in our beloved H.H. Swāmī Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāsharam Swāmījī.