This riveting memoir by Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, was first published in 2012 on the global Namadwaar website and the Tamil Madhuramurali magazine. In this series, Sri Ramanujamji details a divine journey to interior Karnataka with Sri Swamiji (in late 2011), with a lovely unfolding of their experiences and studded with lovely insights shared by Sri Swamiji throughout the trip.
We are re-publishing this series in this GOD USA newsletter with permission, so all devotees can once again relish and travel on this divinely insightful journey.
Read the earlier episodes of this travelogue here:
We reached the adishtanam uphill. It was a wonderful place. Veda patasala children sat in the first few rows. People silently filled the hall, men on one side and women on the other. Many sweet and simple shlokas from Sri Samarth Ramdas’ Das Bodh and also a few songs composed by Sri Sridhara Swami were sung. The fragrance of highest wisdom and sweetness of Rama nama were evident in all the shlokas, which were sung in a sweet voice by the Veda patasala students and general public alike.
From the moment we had reached the base of the hill where the adhishtanam was situated, Sri Swamiji kept saying, “Nothing but divine grace is at work here!” Now Sri Swamiji, with utmost devotion and love, removed his upper garment, tied it around his waist and sat alongside the patasala children. We quietly watched him, as we stood alongside the metal grill that served as the sidewalls of the hall.
Sri Swamiji was a picture of utmost stillness and deep contemplation. At times we could see clearly that he was doing japa. As his lips moved slightly now and then, it also seemed as if he was speaking; was our master conversing with someone unseen? It was beyond our ken!
When the harathi was taking place, a few dogs nearby flocked towards the temple and barked in unison. When the harathi was completed, they stopped barking! At the completion of the worship, tirtha prasadam (sanctified water) was given to all. Everyone prostrated. We silently circumambulated the shrine.
Sri Swamiji pointed out to us a small ventilation at the ground level that, when observed, we could see that it opened into a basement room. It was in that room that Sri Sridhara Swami had done a lot of penance. They would keep food at the portal of this ventilator. If Sri Sridhara Swami wished, he would take some food. We learned that Sri Sridhara Swami spent a lot of days in isolation and penance in that place.
When our beloved Master came to know of anna dhanam being performed there, he was very pleased and desired to contribute to the anna dhanam. We did the same and a shawl was given as a prasadam to us. Sri Swamiji took the shawl with utmost respect, packed it gingerly, and told us to take good care of the holy prasadam.
Night had fallen. Sri Swamiji asked us to partake prasadam (sanctified food) and to our utter delight Sri Swamiji himself joined us for prasadam in Sri Sridhara Swami’s ashram. We sat with the Veda patasala children. The children themselves served food with so much respect and love. The food was very divine and filled our hearts and stomachs!
We bought a few CDs of speeches by this great Mahaan. They were in Kannada. Sri Swamiji played the CDs on the way back in the vehicle. Sri Swamiji heard the CDs and was very delighted. While a lecture was going on in the car, Sri Swamiji paused in a place and asked us, “Did you hear this?” We were caught by surprise. Sri Swamiji, being the ocean of compassion, elaborated what was expounded in Kannada, to us:
“See how beautifully he words this. Mahaangalvoda lakshanam oru sadhakan voda sadhanai aagirathu.” (The qualities and characteristics (satguna/lakshana) of a mahatma, is the sadhana of a sadhaka!)
We could never forget the wonderful, sweet synopsis our beloved Master gave of the lecture!
The inherent, natural qualities of a great divine soul are the ‘practice’ (abhyasa) of a seeker striving towards godliness.
We returned to Ramachandrapura with delightful memories. As we were being immersed joyfully anew each day in Guru Maharaj’s flood of grace, we wondered in anticipation if there would be more wonderful experiences in store the next day. We were not disappointed!
A memorable visit to a wildlife sanctuary, a goshala housing wonderful cows, an astonishing Shivalinga, an ancient fort, the unexpected historical stories of Rishabhadeva and Mookambika, the pleasing charitra of a great mahatma – when the Master who enabled us to experience all this was right by us, these experiences are indeed even sweeter! These experiences showed us that this sweetness was something we would never get tired of.
A Guru can discern divine learnings in the midst of ordinary happenings. Guru Maharaj showed us a lovely example on how to protect ancient temples. We did not know that the next day was a chaturthi…
