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October 14, 2004
My meeting with saintly people ? part 1!
I always had a fascination for saintly people who have huge following of rich disciples. I am amazed at the palatial ashrams they live in, the top-class educational institutions they run, and all the free medical help they render through their hospitals. No wonder, I fell prey to this spiritual romanticism and aim at constructing a similar ashram in the near future. Somehow I am blessed to meet these Babas through the right people, and I succeed in meeting them in person even if there are thousands of people waiting for the darshan. Yesterday, I happen to meet Melmaruvathur Adi Parashakti Amma , and by divine help I was one of the only 10 people out of the crowd of 35,000 to have touched his lotus feet on the 1st days of Navrathri ? considered to be very auspicious by all means.
If I had born in the Hare Rama Hare Krishna era or Osho Rajneesh I am sure I would have joined their cult. And that is one escapism trick I try to convince myself that I am not behind material success, which otherwise I am - though I don?t openly agree.
My journey about meeting holy saints started after I met my spiritual teacher 2 years back. I was busy at my office, and I got a call from him asking me if I was ready to meet one of the saints he was close to. I was indecisive for a while, and he told me NEVER think twice when it comes to indulging in spiritual pursuits. I at once said I am coming. He was Shantananda, and as soon as we entered he said, if you find women distracting you from taking up your spiritual journey seriously ? start praying goddesses like Andal, Mahalaksmi or Saraswathi. And that exactly was the question I wanted to ask him, and he answered it even before I sat at his feet.
I was contemplating of putting mala for Lord Ayyappa for my pilgrimage to Sabarimala for 6 years, and I never got in touch with the right people till 2002. One fine morning when I was meditating, I happened to hear to one of Lord Ayyapa?s bhajan, which was playing somewhere close to the residence. I don?t know what exactly the bhajan did to me, but I thought that surely was a divine call. I didn?t have a team, and I didn?t know of any of Guru swamis with whom I can go. You ideally are supposed to go with a guruswami especially if it is the first time. We, my brother in law and me, went to the temple and asked the pujari to put us the mala, and we started looking out for a Guruswami.
Krish is one of my closest friends, and we share similar interests as far as spirituality is concerned. He took me to Shiv Shankar Baba in Chennai , and said we can see some hope of getting a good guruswami there. Shiv Shankar Baba is one of the kindest spiritual teachers I have ever met so far in life, and he introduced me to a person who took me to a guruswami. And I have been part of the same team and going to Sabarimalai with the same Guruswami since the last 2 years. All in the DIVINE plan I should say.
Articles to follow?
*My meeting with saintly people part 2 ? with Kalki Bhagwan, Ganapathy Sachitananda & Mata Amritanandamayi
*Why is it useless to meet saintly people?
Posted by Kenni at October 14, 2004 06:30 AM
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