An everlasting Memory of Affection and Concern

By Swami Chidananda

Swami Brahmanandaji has said in the Eternal

Companion (p. 227): ‘Blessed are those who have received the

grace of an illumined guru. The guru shows the way to the other

shore, and removes all the obstacles.’

I am really blessed to have such an illumined Guru in

revered Swami Yatiswaranandaji Maharaj. It was he who laid

me foundation of my spiritual life at the Ramakrishna Ashrama

in Bangalore.

It is a thrilling experience for me to recollect the

formative days of my spiritual life.

First Meeting

In 1953, after finishing my college education in

Hassan [in Karnataka], I came to Bangalore for graduation and

joined the Central College. I was searching for a room to stay

and continue my studies. It so happened that I got a room in a

house at West Anjaneya Temple Road, which was at a

walkable distance to the Ramakrishna Ashrama at Bull Temple

Road.

I used to go to college in an auto-rickshaw, but

return to my place on foot. One day, as I was returning from the

college I saw the signboard of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama. The

next morning I went to see the Ashrama. I entered the Ashrama

premises and was very happy to see the grand landscape. The

campus was full of greenery with mango and other trees. The

mango trees were full of mangoes that were of easy reach by

one’s hand. There was a special fragrance in the air. I was

simply fascinated by the place. As I walked the Ashrama

grounds, I felt tremendous inner joy at the sublime beauty of

nature.

Then I saw the nice-looking Ashrama cow, lying

happily on the lawn and chewing the cud. I was overwhelmed

and stood there for some time watching the cow. Later I learnt

her name – Tyagi!

It was around 10:30 in the morning. I was about to

return to my room. Then I saw a Brahmachari (Br.

Raghunandan, now Swami Prabuddhanandaji, the head of

Vedanta Society in San Francisco ) coming out of the office

building (the present Vivekananda Balaka Sangha building)

towards me. He was opening the office and on seeing me,

greeted me. We spoke for a few minutes. I told him that I was

now going back to my room. He insisted that I should meet

Swami Yatiswaranandaji Maharaj, the president of the

Ashrama.

Just then Swami Yatiswaranandaji Maharaj came out

of his room. Brahmachari Raghunandan introduced to Swamiji.

Swamiji welcomed me with a gentle smile, and kindly enquired

about my health. For the first time I felt inexplicable joy. I felt

a sense of calmness in his Divine Presence. I had never

experienced before such sweet and affectionate talk.

Swamiji said with a smile: ‘Please attend evening

prayers every day and come to the Wednesday classes meant for

college boys. I conduct a class for college boys on Wednesdays.

Now you may go.’ I agreed and took leave of him by touching

his feet and offering my Pranams. Swamiji then gave me

Prasada of two coconut balls. I was in a very happy state. Thus

the first lessons on spirituality began.

I started to walk towards the gate of the

Ashrama. Brahmachari Raghunandan by now had gone inside

the office. Swamji called me back. He took me inside his first

room, closed the screen of the mesh door. He looked at me very

closely and with full of love, asked tenderly, how many brothers

we were. And he expressed clearly that I must come away to Sri

Guru Maharaj, meaning that I should take to monastic life.

‘You must join the Ashrama. Now go back and finish your

college studies. Attend my classes on Wednesday.’

I was surprised and felt a kind of intimate

relationship with him, which I had not experienced even with

my parents.

Initiation

Swamiji used to conduct classes for the college

students on spiritual life. I did not know anything about Sri

Ramakrishna, Holy Mother or Swami Vivekananda.

I started coming to the Ashrama daily, and began

to attend evening prayers and Swamiji’s classes on Wednesdays.

His classes were practical and impressive. He was explaining

the transforming power of Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda

literature, the purpose of great Incarnations, and the glory of

spiritual life.

After a few days, Swamiji himself called me and

said that he would initiate me (i.e., give me Mantra-Diksha).

He gave instructions about spiritual life and himself fixed the

date for my initiation. After initiation he blessed me profusely

and offered me to Sri Ramakrishna. All this happened in 1953.

From then on I was more and more fascinated about the

monastic life. God’s grace and my guru’s blessings lifted me up

from the mire of worldly life and I finally joined the Ashrama in

1956.

Joining the Ashrama

After graduation I was ready to join the ashrama as

per the wishes of my Gurudev. My frequent visits to the

Ashrama and regular contact with revered Swamiji pushed me

to take to monastic life to the wonder of my parents and even

myself.

Swamiji told me to join the Ramakrishna Math,

Madras. Everyday, he checked the weather condition in Madras

from the daily newspaper The Hindu. It was April-May.

Madras is very hot especially during these months. There was no

indication of the heat subsiding in Madras. Finally Swamiji

instructed me to join Bangalore Ashrama itself. Swamiji’s

extraordinary motherly divine love, affection, and innate

courtesy was apparent in his every action.

After the final examination I could not stay at

home even for a day. The next day, at 6.00 a.m. I came away to

the Ashrama for good. Swamji blessed me by keeping both his

hands on my head. I joined the Bangalore Ashrama in the

month of May 1956, on Buddha Purnima day. After one year of

my joining, Swamiji told my (identical) twin brother Ram [later

Swami Devarupananda, now deceased] also to join the

Bangalore Ashrama.

Love and Affection Personified

My monastic life in the Ashrama started under

the loving care and guidance of Swamiji. I was like a child that

was with its mother. He was always serene, cheerful, and

meditative.

I had the rare privilege of serving him (I was the

kitchen Bhandari then). Every day I would carry Swamiji’s

breakfast at 8 a.m. from the kitchen to his room. He would very

affectionately and smilingly greet me and open the door. Out of

his pure heart, he would tell me to finish my breakfast before

serving him.

One day Swamiji touched my chest and said, ‘Are you not

wearing warm clothes? You need a sweater. ’Swamiji took out

one fine sweater from his cupboard and gave me a sweater

which he himself was perhaps using. He asked me to wear it

immediately. I was overwhelmed by his extraordinary motherly

love and affection. Everyday Swamiji would come to our work

areas and inspire us with his admiring smile. I could feel

tremendous divine attraction in his presence.

Whenever anybody fell sick, he would personally

come and kindly enquire about his wellbeing and would ask him

to take proper medical care.

Once when I as at Belur Math I contracted

jaundice. I was very nervous on account of that. But I was

energized and felt happy when I received an affectionate letter

from my Revered Maharaj. He had written in that letter to pray

to Sri Guru Maharaj and surrender to Him completely. And he

made all arrangements for my treatment. Hearing about the

improvement in my health, he again wrote to me. In that he told

me to keep my physical, mental and spiritual livers (!) in perfect

condition. Those loving letters from him always had a soothing

effect on me.

Importance of physical Exercise

He would ask whether we were taking regular

physical exercises. He was very regular in his daily routine.

Even when he was unwell he never stopped taking physical

exercise.

Sometimes, even while teasing us and in making

fun, he would give the most precious instruction. I was very

sensitive to cold, and would put on all warm clothes as soon as

I came out of the shrine after worshipping Sri Ramakrishna.

Once seeing me coming out of the shrine, he remarked with a

smile: ‘See! Cold is hanging on the roof there; it will pounce

upon you. Go quick! And wear warm clothes.’ It stirred my

conscience. From that time onwards, I started bathing in cold

water and stopped wearing warm clothes. Thus I was able to

overcome my super-sensitivity, which helped me very much

during my two-year training in Belur Math.

Importance of Worship

Swamiji laid great emphasis on the worship of Sri

Ramakrishna. As long as it was possible for him, he himself

offered worship to Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi on the Holy

Mother’s Rock. When he was not able to walk up to the Rock,

he told me to offer worship to the Mother on his behalf.

Swamji told me to perform worship of Sri

Ramakrishna in the Ashrama shrine. By his grace, I was able to

follow his instruction and offer daily worship to Sri

Ramakrishna till about three years back, when I was 78.

Subsequently, Swamiji told me to work in sri

Ramakrishna Vidyarthi Mandiram under Swami

Prabuddhanandaji, who was the warden of the Mandiram. I

worked in the Mandiram for six years.

His Sense of Humour

Once Ram [Swami Devarupananda] and I were

walking in the Ashrama. Swamiji wanted us for some reason.

Since we were identical twins, he could not really identify who

was who. He called both the names: ‘Ram, Lakshman, come

here.’ He then laughed loudly taking great delight in our

identical appearance.

When the devotees would come to meet him, he

would call both of us and take great joy in introducing us to

them. The devotees would be wonderstruck at our identical

appearance.

Many interesting situations would arise due to our

identical looks, and Swamji would laugh heartily and take great

delight in them.

His Inspiring Words

Many times he assured me that I belonged to Sri

Ramakrishna and the sins of the world would not touch me.

This would fill my heart with inspiration and make me peaceful.

He told us, ‘Fill up all the idle moments with this attitude.

Then work will not become monotonous, but will become

worship. With this awareness, any work can be accomplished

efficiently.’

Importance of the Study of Scriptures

Swamiji wanted all of us to study and understand

our sacred scriptures, and to do Japa and meditation regularly.

He would tell us to always maintain a spiritual mood.

Every Monday we had a reading class with Swamiji

at 9:15 P.M. In those classes, he would give the most valuable

instructions on the passages that were read.

He liked my chanting of mantras and encouraged

us - Rama and me – to learn the Vedic chanting. He even

appointed a teacher to teach us the Vedas.

Vision of Sri Ramakrishna

Swamiji had a vision of Sri Ramakrishna in ecstasy

(standing pose). Hence in the prayer hall of Bangalore Ashrama

he installed a photo of Sri Ramakrishna in ecstasy facing the

main shrine.

Before taking up any assignment, Swamiji would

seek approval of Swami Brahmanandaji in meditation.

Whenever any devotee would seek initiation,

Swamiji would first see the Ishta (Chosen Deity) in the

devotee’s heart and then initiate.

A personification of Divine Virtues

He was endowed with many divine virtues, such

as pure love, sympathy for others, broad-mindedness, seeing all

as manifestations of Sri Ramakrishna, and sterling devotion to

Sri Thakur and his divine Cause. Everyone who came in contact

with him has been immensely blessed by him.

May His Divine Life and invaluable instructions

inspire us forever!