…Full
many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air…
(Thomas
Gray - Elegy written in a country churchyard)
Barely
a 100 km away from the hustle and bustle of Bangalore, secluded under
the majestic immensity of the Shivagange hills, a great saint led
his life like the rishis in the epics and shed his mortal body on
the 22nd February 2013. His Holiness Sri Sri Sachidananda Bharati
Swamiji, Head of Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Shivaganga Sharada Peetam
will be remembered by true seekers as one of the greatest tapasvis
this land has seen.
This world of ours has been further polluted with godmen who have
made a business of spirituality. But here was one sanyasi who stood
high and far apart. Not for him the dalliance with material luxuries.
Neither a Mercedes Benz nor a cell phone, neither V.I.P devotees nor
wealth, ever attracted so much as a glance from this yogi. Here was
one Mutt which did not boast of any pomp and show and only focused
on tapas and sadhana. The stark austerity of the mutt was perhaps
one way to keep casual visitors at bay.
People
have experienced his grace in astonishing ways. Small children, for
instance, absolutely adored their "cashews and raisins swamiji"!
The child like joy that swamiji experienced in stuffing as much dry
fruits and nuts as little podgy hands could hold surpassed that of
the child! Others in Tamilnadu's dry regions knew him only as "Malai(rain)
swamiji". They would come and implore swamiji to visit their
town without so much as a mention of their drought hit town. But the
great soul would know. He would accede. A day or two of his stay and
meditation and Lo! Grey clouds gathered from nowhere and heavy rains
would drench the town in infinite mercy!
Visitors
would speak to their Guru on matters ranging from NASA's latest satellite
to the relentless turmoils of their own existence. The guru listened,
questioned, clarified or just uttered Shree Rama… in a way no
one else can. The problems would instantly be manageable. At other
times one would witness his conversation with a total stranger and
suddenly get an answer to a problem that had plagued him for years.
Each devotee was showered with that personal touch of love which made
him feel blessed. And when he performed puja to the gods his divine
rapport with them came alive in every tender move of his fingers.
I and my husband Prabhakar have felt his grace in innumerable situations
in life. Frankly, I was not predisposed to appreciate or accept men
in saffron. It is 23 years since I first stepped into the Mutt. In
the initial years I was a silent witness to some extra-ordinarily
elevated conversations between swamiji and Prabhakar. Prabhakar's
book, "In Quest of Self" must have blossomed from some of
those sessions. Gradually, these, together with some really difficult
times in our lives must have made me turn inwards. Without my knowledge,
I was drawn to the feet of this extraordinary being. I realized to
my amazement, that some inexplicable great force was steering my energies
towards things of the spirit. As it is I relished philosophy for its
intellectual subtlety. But now, some inputs and pointed references
from swamiji on scriptural texts prodded me to delve deeper. Infact,
my perspective of the very idea of a guru changed. A guru, I know
now, is not a miracle man. It is wrong to even wish for instant solutions
to problems. People look for miracles and get lost in them. A true
guru is a constant force in the background - a force which directs
at times and strengthens you with a different perspective to the same
reality.
Swamiji
was a truly elevated master. He was a man of few, often cryptic words
which would make perfect sense some other time. Shivagange Shankar
Mutt was the ideal place for true seekers. He guided seekers of truth
depending on their spiritual maturity and silently ensured that they
reached the level that they deserved and desired. People who have
known about his holiness Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati of Sringeri and
His Holiness Sachidananda Bharati of Shivagange would surely not miss
the similarities in the persona of these two remarkable saints of
the Shankara order - that almost complete mastery over the self, that
inwardness so deep that it probably made it too difficult to look
to mundane matters of administration in the mutt, and of course, that
boundless compassion. Jagadguru Bharati Theerta maha swmiji of Sringeri
mutt had very high regard for the tapas and anushtana of his Shivagange
counterpart.
True to the spirit of Advaita he created for himself an environment
for Anushtaana, Anushtaana and more Anushtaana. This is what swamiji
came to be synonymous with. In the Spartan yet tranquil confines that
was his abode for over 30 years inside the Shivaganga Mutt, he transcended
time and space to become one with Sharada and chandramouleeshwara.
Transcend indeed, he did, for he forgot food and water for days on
end. Sometimes this trance like situation lasted more than a week.
Anxious devotees panicked and gulped in anxiety at what might happen
to his body. One fine day, his thin sturdy frame would surely emerge
from the confines with that sublime smile and eyes such oceans of
compassion.
A saint who had reached such a pinnacle of Sadhana can only revel
in that state of permanence which is beyond birth and death - only
to live in the heart of the devotees; from where he will surely direct
us in this journey of ours. It is such an irony, however, that this
unsung hero of the spirit came, saw, conquered and ultimately made
a silent exit. Our purpose of life is served for having spent invaluable
moments with a true master…
Pranams to the lotus feet of my Guru
-Sandhya
Prabhakar
Feedback
from our readers
I
just read your 'Tribute to His Holiness Sri Sri Sachidananda Bharati
Swamiji' & was blown away by the beauty / choice of words &
the true intent. It is an absolute master-piece. Even for a person
like me who has no faith in Swamijis & Sanyasis, it was truly
impressive, the way in which you have given a wholesome picture of
the pious man & his incredible life style. Hats off to him &
to you as well for the fantastic tribute.
Please do share all your articles & writings. It will enhance
our knowledge & soothe our minds.
§andhya:
your article on swamiji is truly touching and reflects your sincerity
in devotion. Needless to say it also provides a great insight into
the swamiji whose principles reflect what the Mother of Pondicherry
advocated among many things "there is a great beauty in simplicity".
- Niranjanprasad Hanugodu
Dear
Madam,
I do not have words to praise or appreciate. For worldly praising
– It is Excellent!
I know that the write up has come from your strongest belief in him
due to his Simplicity.. His presence & Sri. Sri. Jagadguru Chandrashekara
Bharathi Mahaswamigal Can always be experienced.
Although we got the information very late on 24-02-2013, he called
and we reached around 2:30 PM, with tears in our eyes......
Kind regards,
Rajesh
Home
| Destination
Bangalore |
Weather
| Food
& Accommodation |
Sight
Seeing | Entertainment
| Education
& IT | General
Info | Contact
Us | Disclaimer
Privacy
Policy
