A Few of Our Experiences with Sri Swamiji
To bring our experiences with Sri Sri Guruji into writing is a very difficult task. That too, it is impossible to explain personal experiences. We were blessed with Sri Guruji who is Panduranga Himself, to elevate our soul. Our Guruji is the Lord, who fills our speech, breath, and soul.
It is only the Lord’s wish that I got Sri Guruji’s darshan. I have been involved in the path of bhakti for several years. That too, I was immensely devoted to Thiruchendur Lord Muruga. It is His blessing that my life has been able to reach this level. But still, I learned from others and through books, that it is better to do bhakti through a Guru. Lord Muruga has to show that kind of a Guru. “Guruvaai varuvaai aruLvaai Guhaney” (Come as a Guru and bless, oh Guha!) was my daily prayer. Amidst this, I got transferred to Chennai. I heard about Sri Guruji in the new city through a colleague.
Still, for about a year, I never got an opportunity to get Sri Guruji’s darshan. When I did, it was also on a Thursday. A very auspicious day for Guru. First, when I met Sri Guruji, It was soothing to the heart. Even during the first darshan, Sri Guruji blessed by giving a japa mala. My entire body and heart had goosebumps. My mental sight saw Lord Muruga in His entirety. The feeling that Lord Muruga gave His japamala from His hands was only predominant.
I will share a few experiences that we were blessed with, by Sri Guruji’s compassion.
Even though we had lived in Chennai for several years, we wished to get darshan of Kanchi Sri Paramacharya many a time but did not get that privilege despite trying several times. We got that blessing only after meeting Sri Guruji. That too, it was a surprise. My family and I got ready to go to Kanchi on a Thursday morning. We had even bought a coconut with the husk the previous day itself. Wherever I went, I used to always tell Sri Swamiji and then only leave. That morning, I stood in front of Sri Guruji’s picture and prayed that we should get a good darshan of Kanchi Maha Swami. Within ten minutes of my praying to Him, Sri Guruji Himself came to our home! Our joy knew no bounds. We offered the coconut with the husk to Sri Guruji and prostrated. In a few minutes after Guruji’s departure, we got 4 coconuts with husks from our neighbor. Up until then, they had never given such things to us. Still, what we gave Sri Guruji, multiplied by four within a few minutes. We then took those to Maha Periyava and got His darshan.
My wife was suffering from backache for several days. We consulted the doctor to know why. The doctor did a scan and mentioned that there was a small tumor on the outside of the uterus so the uterus would have to be removed. He also fixed the date for the surgery. We consoled ourselves and thought that we would go forward with the surgery. At the same time, we were mentally confused too. We prayed to Sri Guruji and Bhagavan that He should let this be a smooth process. When we mentioned this in person to Sri Guruji, He asked us to bring and show Him the scan film.
Meanwhile, when we went to the same doctor for consultation again, he told us to get an opinion from an orthopedist prior to the surgery. When we consulted the orthopedist, he said that there was no connection between the ache and the tumor. The ache was cured through another treatment. We showed the scan report and told Sri Guruji about this too. Sri Guruji looked at that and said that everything would be all right and there was no need for the surgery. Following that, we went to the first doctor and did not go ahead with the surgery citing some reasons. Only by Sri Guruji’s compassion, the doctor even got the very thought to have us consult the orthopedist and it became evident that the reason behind the ache was something else. When Sri Guruji’s holy hands touched the scan report, the tumor melted away too.
Only two weeks were remaining for my friend’s retirement. He got the orders for the same and even the send-off party was done. At this juncture, I brought him to Sri Guruji. He prostrated to Sri Guruji and told Him about his retirement and that he was a member of the committee to build a Thaayaar Sannidhi in the Perumal temple where he lived. He prayed that if he could continue to be employed until the divine cause was complete, it would be better and also prayed that Sri Guruji should help the project reach completion successfully. Sri Guruji meditated for sometime and blessed that the divine cause would go well, and also that he would be employed for an extended period of time until the project was completed.
Days passed by. My friend was in a confused state not knowing what to do because he had requested for an appointment to meet the company chairman but had not obtained it. By Sri Guruji’s grace, on the last day, he got the opportunity to meet the chairman. When he mentioned about the temple cause, he got the orders to continue to remain in employment as an “advisor”.
There is no doubt that all this happened only because of Sri Guruji’s mercy.
Sri B. Authimoorthi
Originally published in the November 1995 issue of Madhura Murali, Tamil monthly magazine.
Translated into English by Smt. Mangala Gowri Sridhar
