From Cape to Kilanmarg

The Ninth All-India Divine Life Convention held at Venkatagiri in 1957 was a landmark in the Dharmic campaign of Bhagavan, for He presided over the deliberations and sounded the clarion call of Sadhana and spiritual regeneration. Swami Satchidananda, the Organising Secretary of the Branches of the Divine Life Society later confessed that when the news that Baba was to preside, reached him at Thiruvannamalai he was taken aback, for on enquiry there he learnt that He was versed only in Magic (!) and that He was a poor speaker, at best. "But," said Swami Satchidananda, "I discovered soon that my informant was profoundly ignorant."

On the Opening Day of the Convention, the town was filled to overflow with delegates, visitors, and devotees, including a large number of Sanyasins from far away Rishikesh and places like Rajamundry, Kalahasti, and Madras. A gorgeous flower-bedecked palanquin was placed at the main gate of the Venkatagiri Palace, for Baba to proceed to the Theatre where the Inaugural Session was to be held. But, when He came out and saw that symbol of pomp He refused the honour in spite of the entreaties of the Rajah because He said, "There are so many Sanyasins here and I would like to walk with them." It was indeed a distinguished galaxy of monks, like Sadananda, Satchidananda, Athmaswarupananda and Srinivasananda.

Swami Satchidananda hoisted the flag of the Divine Life Society and Swami Sadananda, Author of "Sanmarga Deepam," "Maha Sakthi" and books like a commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Darsana, inaugurated the Convention. Some misguided individuals had earlier distributed leaflets, in which they had charged Baba with partiality to the rich and the aristocratic, little realising that even while they were thrusting this scandal down the pockets of the townsmen, Baba had refused the pageantry of a procession and was walking the very road upon which they were spreading their nefarious falsehood! In fact, Swami Sadananda referred to this leaflet and made plain how absurd it was, in view of what had happened in the morning. He congratulated the delegates and organisers on their good luck in securing Baba to guide them on the path of Divine Life.

In His Presidential Speech, Baba said that Divine Life was the inspiration, the motive force, the be-all and end-all every thing in Creation, from the microcosm to the macrocosm from the Anu to the Brihath. Divine life is the rain that falls from the clouds of Sathya, Prema and Ahimsa. It comprises all acts done in pursuit of the Reality, to attain the Reality behind this Illusive variety. Divinity, He said, is inherent and immanent in every individual as butter in milk. Just as we churn milk to separate the butter, man must churn his mind with good deeds and good company. Betwixt the eternal spirit and the evanescent world, the mind of man oscillates and so, it is the duty of societies like the Divine Life Society to fill the minds of its members with holiness and help in removing the dross of passion and lust. For this transformation, every one is a worthy candidate, and the taste of that Bliss is the same for all. The Society, Baba said, should endeavour to further this process of transformation for as many as possible, in humility, and with equal love for all. It should strive to wipe out the root causes of anxiety, sorrow and ignorance.

The next morning, when the Convention met at the Theatre, Baba said "Hindu religion could survive the series of onslaughts and cultural upheavals and foreign invasions only through the efforts of her spiritual leaders who stood watch over the treasures of Hinduism and re-established the creative principles of Sanathana Dharma again and again in the hearts of the people." He said that He wanted to light the lamp of Prema in every heart and He advised every one to preserve an atmosphere of reverence and love. Speaking on the Three Gunas, Baba illustrated the nature of all three by a simple simile, which clarified the whole issue. He said, pointing to a kerosene lamp, that the glass chimney was the Sathwa Guna, the soot inside was the Thamoguna, and the dust outside, Rajoguna.

The next day at the Special Gathering of Delegates, Baba appealed to them to cultivate single-minded devotion to their Guru, and to demonstrate in their lives the Divine Life to which they had dedicated their lives. When the meeting was later converted to a Public session by the admission of an eager throng of visitors, Baba spoke for over an hour, exhorting all to lead lives of devotion and surrender. "What would you like to be in the hands of he Lord?" He asked and He Himself suggested the answer. "The Flute." He wanted every one to be straight without any crookedness, hollow without any pride or individuality or will or idea of self; to inhale only the breath of God; to transmute that breath into melodious music that confers on every fleeting moment the Joy of Eternity.

Swami Sadananda spoke on "Communion with God" or, rather, He communed with Baba and spoke what the communion prompted him to say, for, he confessed he was only saying what Baba was making him speak! After him rose a great pundit, famed throughout Andhradesh for the many Vedanthic books that he had written and the translation into Telugu of the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavadgitha. He spoke on the abstrusest problem in Indian Philosophy, "Who am I?" critics say that the Adwaithic attitude makes men otherworldly and unpoetic but, this scholar was poet enough to appreciate Baba's picturisation on the Flute on Krishna's lips, for he dilated with pleasure on the ideal which Baba held out and quoted a few Sanskrit Slokas on the Murali. He began his discourses with a personal statement. He said "I came to Venkatagiri for this Conference primarily to meet Sri Sathya Sai Baba, for I had heard all kinds of versions of His greatness and I jumped eagerly at the chance to test all those versions. In short, I came to defy! And I am going back, deified! I am happy to confess this before you and I apologise to Baba for my error." This is just another instance of the fog of misunderstanding disappearing before the warmth of the Bhagavan's Presence.

Baba moved freely among the Sadhus and scholars and gave each one of them long interviews, before He departed from Venkatagiri. Swami Satchidananda told the present writer, "I was called in second. As soon as I went in, Baba embraced me and said He was happy to see me. He then spoke of a rare Yogic vision that I had the good fortune to experience thirty seven years ago and congratulated me on the steady pursuit of Yogic Sadhana which culminated in that vision. But, He turned round on me immediately, and chided me for squandering my time and energy on efforts to establish Ashrams, to collect funds, meet people and discuss plans and programmes. When I attempted to justify my present activities as contributing ultimately to the welfare of the World, He laughed and asked, 'Have you not heard that good thoughts and waves of Yogic wisdom have a way of emanating from a great soul and, overcoming all obstacles, shaping and changing the thought currents of others?' He advised me to retire into solitude and resume my Yogic Sadhanas and He assured me He would provide me succour and sustenance, wherever I chose to be! This point of view was never before placed before me, in such clear and authentic words, and I was very much touched by His Love and His Mercy. I was surprised that He knew of an intimate secret experience of mine, which dated some years previous to His Coming, and I made bold to put Him a question on that. He answered me with another question: 'Am I born and do I die?'

It was indeed a unique experience for all; the interview, the diagnosis of their deepest doubts, the prescriptions of appropriate remedies, the assurance of continued Grace, the weighing of achievement in the balance of progress, and the revelation of Omniscience and Omnipresence. When Baba returned to Puttaparthi, He was joined by Swami Sadananda and Swami Satchidananda. They were all eager to spend some more time in the Divine Presence.

I remember an evening, when Baba took Swami Sadananda to a natural spring, among the hills that lie behind the Nilayam, for I was also one of the party. Sitting beside the spring, Baba spoke of the existence of Chaitanya in man, beast, vegetable and stone and Swami Sadananda was quoting passages from the Upanishads to show that the same ideas were to be found in our ancient texts. Suddenly Baba assumed an authoritative tone and declared, "You call them ancient, I know them all; I am beyond space and time." The discourse then drifted to Saivism and the Linga and the significance of the symbol, for Sadananda had written a Thesis "The Origin and Early History of South Indian Saivism" while at the Madras University. It was Tamil New Year's Day and Baba gave every one a Poli, a sweet preparation which every Tamil housewife must needs prepare on that auspicious day. He got them by a mere wave of the Hand! When Baba went within a few days for a short stay at Kodaikanal, Swami Sadananda and Swami Satchidananda also joined the party. The six weeks on the Hills provided a large number of opportunities to the Sanyasins to receive Baba's Grace in ample measure. They were able to catch a glimpse of Baba's unique Divinity.

Swami Satchidananda spoke about this at a meeting at Puttaparthi, on the occasion of the Inauguration of the Thopavana, on the 29th of June 1957. He said that, whatever others may take Baba to he, he was convinced from personal experience that He was "Chidghnamurthi," "Sarvajna," "Sarvanthryamin," and "Sarvabhoothantharathma." He then described how he got so convinced. He was in Baba's room one afternoon in the bungalow on Kodaikanal. Baba was reclining on His bed. Suddenly, He stood up and shouted, "Don't shoot," in Telugu and fell upon the bed, in what is called a 'trance,' but is best described as 'going on a transcorporeal journey.' His body became stiff and remained in that condition for about an hour. When He returned and took charge of His physical frame, He looked at those around Him and wanted a telegram sent urgently to an address at Bhopal! He dictated the message and the address. It ran, "Don't worry; the revolver is with Me, Baba" Swami Satchidananda expressed a doubt whether the postal authorities would accept the message for transmission, for it spoke of revolvers, which come under the Arms Act. Others too supported him and there was some argument, pro and con. Baba wanted that it should go quickly to Bhopal and alternative words to bypass the rules were discussed. Swami Satchidananda suggested the word, 'instrument,' for 'revolver' and Baba agreed that it would convey the meaning intended, so far as the recipient was concerned. The wire went quick, and fast, to Bhopal, a thousand miles away!

Every one was anxious to know what the nature of the averted tragedy was, but Baba parried all attempts to draw the information from Him. But, on the fourth day, a letter arrived from Bhopal, which was read out to all, a letter revealing that Baba was indeed the Lord who had saved Gajendra and Prahlada and come to the rescue of Droupadi!

The writer of the letter had served in the Second World War and was high in Government Service. He was very much upset by the administrative rearrangements following the Reorganisation of States for, persons far junior in service were hoisted on top of him. He had no one nearby to assuage or comfort or even to listen to his tale of woe. His wife was away at her parents' village. Distracted by the unlucky turn in his career, he decided to end his humiliation by means of a revolver. There was one handy; he tried one shot, just to see whether his hand would be steady for the fatal second; but before he could shoot next... Baba had shouted, "Don't shoot!" And... there was a loud bang at the door! Baba had come! Not as Baba, of course, but as an old College-mate accompanied (!) by his wife and a Chaprassi, with a trunk and a holdall, to make the picture complete in every detail! The officer ran into the bedroom, placed the revolver on the bed, threw a sheet over it, hurried back into the front hall, adjusted his lineaments to the new situation, and opened the door!

There, lo and behold, were the three Forms of Bhagavan, ready to play their part. The College chum was very boisterous and demonstrative; Baba had become by instantaneous materialisation a friend, who had just the qualities that would remove melancholy and who could give the officer, the tonic that would cure him of despair. He responded to the treatment and became quite normal, very soon. He even smiled and laughed at the jokes of his old friend, and as the conversation proceeded, all thoughts of suicide melted away. The lady too joined in the talk, but, when they discovered that mistress of the house was away, the visitor put on an air of profound disappointment and said that he would prefer to stay with another friend. In spite of the appeals of the person whom he had saved, the friend departed, forty five minutes after he materialised, with the lady the Chaprassi the trunk and the holdall, thus drawing down the curtain on the excellent dramatic performance!

After seeing them off, the officer hurried into the bedroom; he was struck to find that the revolver was not there, no, nor anywhere in the house! Who could have removed it? He had gone to Puttaparthi once and his wife was an ardent devotee. Could it be... Baba? Ah! It must be He! Then, could it be that those visitors were also He? He locked his house and ran in hot haste to the address to which the College-mate said he would be going. He got his doubt confirmed; there was no one there; the three visitors had melted into thin air, with the trunk and the holdall! Back home, he was turning over in his memory the stunning events that had happened that day, when he was startled by another knock at the door! It was the telegraph messenger! The wire from Kodaikanal; "Don't worry; the instrument is with me. Baba."

Swami Satchidananda said that this incident is much stranger than the Parakayapravesam, extolled in Puranas Parakayapravesam is the entering into an existing body, of some thing disembodied; but, this is Kayasrishti, the creation, at the very moment of willing, of three Kayas or bodies and making the bodies act their roles, viz.; the impersonation of existing individuals, correct to the minutest detail of voice and genuflection, gait and gesture, idiom and idiosyncrasy, and the recitation of incidents and anecdotes relating to decades past when they were both students of the same college! This, said Swami Satchidananda, is possible only for an Avathar of the Lord.

No wonder that he and Swami Sadananda wrote to their Guru, Swami Sivananda Saraswathi at Rishikesh about Baba, and His Divine Attributes. The two Swamis also accompanied Baba to Cape Comorin when He proceeded to that place from Kodaikanal. They had a glimpse of Baba's Universal Message when they saw Him 'taking' a rosary with the Holy Cross and the Figure of Jesus Christ, in order to bless a Padre. When Baba walked along the sands of the seashore at Kanyakumari, Sphatika beads formed themselves at each step; these were collected by the devotees and kept in a sandalwood receptacle; there were 84 of them; but, Baba said there must be 108 in all; and, when they were counted again, there were 108; A rosary was made out of these miraculously formed Sphatikamanis and Baba gave it to Swami Sadananda himself.

After visiting the Periyar Dam and the Wild Life Sanctuary there, Baba proceeded to Madurai, and Mayuram and returned to Puttaparthi, via Salem, the place where Swami Satchidananda was staying for some years. And thus it came about that Baba had soon to reply to a letter of invitation from Swami Sivananda Saraswathi, President of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh. This was vigorously followed up by many reminders and telegrams in quick succession and Baba agreed, at last, to proceed to North India.

Of course Baba is not enamoured of tours to 'see places' or admire Nature nor has He the urge to go on pilgrimages, for He is Himself the Goal of all pilgrimages! When a mother once complained to Him that her son would not accompany her to Puttaparthi but, left for Tirupathi instead. He said, "That too is coming to Me, for, I am not different from He who is on that Hill." By mere willing, Baba can be at the farthest corner of the world, for He is beyond Space and Time. Baba said, "I am not moved by the craving for a change, or for recreation or for travel. But, where there is a desire for mental tranquillity, I hurry to grant tranquillity; Where there is dispiritedness, I hasten to raise the drooping heart; where there is no mutual trust, I rush to restore trust; I am ever on the move to fulfil the Mission, for which I have come."

Swami Satchidannada wanted to leave earlier for Rishikesh, because, as he told the present writer, "silly stories about Baba have to be scotched and my brother Sanyasins have to be apprised of the Divinity of Baba."

Baba started from Puttaparthi by car on the 14th July, 1957. He halted at Medkurthi 37 miles away from Madanapalle, in order to unveil the silver image of Shirdi Sai Baba at the Ayodhya Asram. A huge concourse of village folk was waiting there since noon and Baba addressed the assembly for more than an hour. He said that any work, like the building of the Asram, carried out in a spirit of devotion, without conceit and with no desire for any other profit except the work well done, is 'Tapas,' in the real sense of the word. Baba condemned the studied neglect of the body as a means of realising God. "It is the tabernacle of the Lord; it is the boat with which one has to cross the Ocean of Birth and Death, with the twin oars of Viveka and Vairagya, and so it has to be kept in perfect trim." Turning to the women who had assembled, He spoke of the need to infuse Bhakthi, Courage, Self-respect and the habit of Truth in children. "No one need go anywhere in search of Ananda," He said. "It is in you as a spark; it has only to be fanned into a big flame and fire." He declared that though He could transform the earth into sky and the sky into earth, people who came to Him get only what they ask and choose. He said that Viveka and Vairagya can come about by, what He called, the "Vicharana" of every Vichara, that is to say, by the relentless examination of every thought, on the touchstone of rightness and truth. "The true devotee must conquer the emotions; the true recluse must cultivate intellectual sharpness; the true Sevaka must develop strength of mind," He said.

The party reached Madras on 15th July and after a stay of four days there, Baba and the devotees, whom He had chosen for the tour, enplaned for Delhi on the 20th. He was very much amused when He found His name entered on the ticket as Mr. S.S. Baba! He had a hearty laugh over the 'Mr'! Baba moved about inside the plane, rationing His neighbourhood for all the passengers so that every one could have the privilege. He even granted an "interview" in the upper air over the Vindhyas to a passengers who prayed for the chance, because He had by then 'discovered' Him! The man was quite surprised when Baba advised him to marry the school teacher, whom he loved, for no one, he thought, knew of this chapter of his life! Baba promised to make his parents agree to the match, giving up their "unrelenting opposition!"

The plane landed at Palam at 4-20 P.M. Within an hour of His arrival at the Sundarnagar bungalow which had been fixed for His stay, Baba had a 'call' from a devotee at Bangalore and He 'left' the body and hastened to relieve the person from, what He afterwards described as, a dangerous paralytic stroke! The Bhajan, twice a day, attracted the devotees of Delhi, as well as the friends and relatives to whom the devotees were all along describing the glory of their Guru, Baba also granted "interview" to a very large number of people, during which, as usual, He diagnosed their troubles and vouchsafed His Grace.

On 22nd July, Baba left New Delhi by car for Rishikesh. Swami Sivananda's Sanyasin disciples escorted Baba from Hardwar itself and when He reached Sivanandanagar at 6-30 P.M. Swami Sivananda, called a Special Gathering of the inmates of the Asram and offered Baba a hearty welcome. While Sivananda greeted Baba with folded hands, as is his wont, Baba acknowledged the greeting with the Abhayahastha, a Mudra that has conferred Santhi on thousands of troubled souls.

Sivanandanagar nestles on the lap of the evergreen mountains, fondled lovingly by the kindly right arm of Mother Ganga. The left bank of the river, when it comes into view occasionally as the curtain of mist is wafted away by a passing wind, is resplendent with a line of temples mutts and edifices housing the Githa Bhavan, the Swargasram the Paramarth Niketan etc. But, more impressive than these reminders of Man's inborn Homesickness, are the forest-clad mountains on every side, that seem like superhuman sages lost in silent contemplation of the Infinite. They have averted their eyes inward and are blissfully unaware of history!

There is also Ganga, daughter of Earth and Sky, let into Bharathavarsha by the penance of a Prince who, in the effort to propitiate his ancestors, succeeded also in ensuring prosperity and salvation to his children and children's children forever and forever; Ganga, famed in lore and legend; sought after in every Hindu home since thousands of years to sanctify every ritual, to purify every rite, to exorcise every evil, to cleanse every sin; immortalised in poetry, symbolised in art, embedded in architecture idealised in sculpture, humanised in painting, extolled in music; revered as the vehicle of Bliss; whose scintillating story is related by a million mothers every nightfall to the toddlers on their laps. Ganga rolls majestically by, reminding every one of India's Message, and India's grandeur.

When the Asramites arranged a Satsang the next day, and requested Baba to give them a Sandesa, He referred to the Ganga comparing it to a Sanyasin speeding to the sea. He said that every river knew in its heart of hearts that is has come from the sea and it is prompted by that knowledge to hurry towards the sea, irrespective of all the obstacles of the earthly terrain. He commended the quietness of Sivanandanagar and said that it was a good place to acquire spiritual quiet too. He said that 'Bha' meant Creation. 'Ga' meant protection and 'Va' meant Change or Transformation; "Bhagavan is capable of all three," He declared. "That is My secret," He announced.

Speaking of the things that He is accustomed to 'take' and give, He discounted all spurious explanations and said that His Sankalpa was immediately fulfilled. He materialised them in order to give joy to His devotees, just like a father gives sweets to his little ones, not to advertise His generosity or his parent hood. He gave them in order to save people from worry or anxiety, to ensure their peace of mind, to help develop spiritual concentration and in many cases to keep up His own 'contact' with the careers of the recipients. They were not intended to attract any one; they were the products neither of Manthra nor of Thanthra, They are produced in just the same way that all articles are produced; only, much quicker, nay instantaneously. They last as long as all material objects do last. "My best Gift is Prema; devotees should strive to acquire that, as well as Viveka and Vairagya, which only the Guru can give," said Baba.

Baba then materialised by a mere wave of His Hand a magnificent Rudraksha Garland of 108 beads, of exquisite workmanship, each bead encased in gold and all the beads strung in gold with a five-faced King-bead in the centre. He presented it to Swami Sivananda Saraswathi. He also 'took' a large quantity of Vibhuthi and applied it Himself to the forehead of the Sage.

In the evening when the Swami entered the Satsang Hall wearing the unique garland, every one was struck by its lustre and workmanship, as well as the miracle which brought it forth. Swami Sivananda spoke of Bhagavan and His Message. He dilated on the efficacy of Namasmarana and, appealed as a medical practitioner, for a daily dose of Vairagya to be taken by every person, along with the regular diet of the Lord's Name. The Ganga figured in the talk that Baba gave that evening also. He began by saying that Naram meant 'water'; the Ganga, rolling majestically along, was Narayana Himself. Indeed, the hills and dales, the sky overhead, the forests, the rocks, all things everywhere were but manifestations of the One. He willed, "Ekoham Bahusyam," and He became all this. The One Sun is reflected in a thousand pots, if only the pots contain water, the water of Bhakthi. Bhakthi itself leads one to Jnana, for the Bhaktha quickly and easily realises that the Lord is immanent in everything, and that He is the One and Only.

Baba's speeches and conversation were so full of rare and deep wisdom that next day a number of senior monks and Brahmacharis came to the residence of Baba and plied Him with questions designed to clarify their doubts. They ranged over a variety of topics, like the place of Prakrithidharma, Paramarthadharma and Karthavyadharma in the scheme of life, the nature of Soonyam and Poornam, the efficacy and limits of Vigraha-aradhana, the existence of spirits, the modus operandi of Bhagavatsankalpa etc. Swami Sivananda too had hour-long discussions with Baba every evening throughout His stay, when they were closed together. Baba gave the Swami fruits, and Vibhuthi, 'materialised' specially for improving his health, and it was noticed that, day by day, the Swami was getting better and better. Baba one day took Ganges water in His Hand and lo, it became sweet and fragrant nectar and He gave it to the Swami to be taken as a drug. It came as a pleasant surprise to many in the Asram when they saw, on the day Baba left, Swami Sivananda enthusiastically showing Him around the various sections of the Asram and even climbing steps and getting down stairs, for, on the day Baba reached the Asram and for some days after, the Swami was being taken round in a wheeled chair!

The twenty-sixth of July was full of pleasant memories for the devotees as well as the inmates of the Sivanandasram, for Baba that day boarded a bus and proceeded along the bank of the Ganges to a palace of the Rani of Garhwal for a quiet morning.

The scenery all along was indeed very elevating. Here and there among the mountains, one could discern a lonely hut with a Gerua flag (indicating some one struggling with the spirit) or a patch or cultivated land, (indicating some one battling with elements). Suddenly, the road turned upon itself and the bus snorted to a halt in front of an artistic little bungalow, set like a gem in the centre of a well-kept garden by the side of the Ganges itself. Baba saw a Jambu tree full of fruits and like Saint Avvayar's Muruga, He plucked the fruits and distributed them among the members of the party. He sat under a tree on the banks of the Ganges and some people asked Him the questions that were troubling them. There were questions about the nature of Upanishadic teachings and their value in modern times. He said they were like sign posts, indicating the road; the road has to be traversed in order to experience the joy of reaching the goal. There was one question on Swarga and Naraka, which Baba said did exist in this world itself. Sanyasin inquirers asked about Athmasakshatkara and the melting away of Maya, at the point of Realisation.

On the way back Baba stopped the bus at a place, where a thin little iron rod carried a half-distinct nameplate, "Vasishta Guha." He proceeded to descend the rather precipitous incline to the river bank, as if He had been there often before and as if He became aware of an engagement with the occupant of the Cave. The Ganga takes a wide curve near the cave; nearby a small rivulet pours her offerings into the Ganges, and so the scenery is doubly attractive. The Vasishta Guha bears a hallowed name, it has been sanctified by the austerities performed therein by many great recluses and monks in the past. Swami Purushothamananda, a disciple of Swami Brahmananda of the Ramakrishna order, initiated into Sanyas by Mahapurushji, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, who had been in the cave since 30 years welcomed Baba as if he too was expecting Him! He is more than seventy years old and he had spent the major part of his life in asceticism of a most rigorous kind and in the study of scriptures. His face has the genuine glow of spiritual joy and the slightest mention of the glory of Godhead sends him to Samadhi. When a young man of 27, Brahmanandaji had read his palm at Kanyakumari and predicted that he would enter a cave and go on meditating and meditating!

Baba reminded him of the travails he endured when he first came into the cave, leopards and cobras and the three day trek to Rishikesh and the desperate struggle for salt and matchboxes! He spoke of the succour that came to him through sheer Divine intervention! Baba repeated the visit the next evening also in spite of a rumbling sky and the grumbling of some persons who accompanied Him. But, the rumbling ceased and the grumblers were humbled; by Baba's Grace, the sky became clear and the rain held back. Baba himself sang a number of songs that day in the Vasishta Guha and when one of the Swamis attending on Swami Purushotamananda requested Him to sing a song of Thyagaraja, He very graciously asked him which of Thyagaraja's Krithis he most liked to hear. Swami Kalikananda said that he was longing to hear "Sri Raghuvara Sugunalaya!" Baba sang it, just to make him happy. No one had heard Him sing that song before and so it was an unexpected piece of good luck for which we thanked Swami Kalikananda. Hearing that Swami was suffering from chronic stomach-ache since many years, He took some 'candy' from nowhere and gave it to him, with instruction about diet etc. He also gave Purushothamananda, a Japamala of shining Sphatika beads, which 'manifested' itself in His Hand.

But, more mysterious and significant was the Vision that He vouchsafed to Swami Purushothamananda that evening. As early as 1918, Purushothamananda had written to his Guru, "All is false and I cannot rest satisfied until and unless I come face to face with Truth!" After sending every one outside the Cave, Baba and the Sage went into the inner room. Sri Subbaramiah, President of the Divine Life Society, Venkatagiri, describes what he was able to see from outside the cave, thus: "Even now that picture is imprinted in my memory. I was standing near the entrance of the cave. I could see what was happening. Baba placed His Head on the lap of Swami Purushothamananda and, laid Himself down! Suddenly, His entire body was bathed in divine brilliance. His Head and Face appeared to me to have increased very much in size. Rays of splendour emanated from His face. I was overwhelmed with a strange inexplicable Joy. The time was about 10 P.M." when pressed later to divulge the vision, Baba informed us that it was a Vision of Jyothir-Padmanabha! What supreme Karuna! What immeasurable Good Fortune! Swami Purushothamananda passed away on Shivarathri Night, 1961, during the Lingodbhava Muhurtham.

While returning from the Cave, Baba 'left' the body for a short while! When asked later, He condescended to tell where He had been. He had gone to save a great Yogi from a watery grave. This aroused the curiosity of every one around Him and they gathered closer to hear further details. But He brushed their questions aside and said that 'Subrahmanyam' will be able to say who it was! So, some persons went in search of Subrahmanyam(a member of the party) and he was discovered and brought into the picture. Baba asked him what he had seen that evening while at the Vasishta Guha. He begged pardon for not informing Baba immediately about it, for, he had seen a corpse floating down the Ganges, but, being a thing of evil omen, he refrained from mentioning it in the holy atmosphere of the Cave. Baba laughed and said that it was not a corpse at all, though the Yogi who was floating down the flood was so dead to all external occurrences that he did not even cognise his plight. He was being swept down by the torrent. It seems he was seated on a rock by the side of the river, lost in Dhyana. The current, meanwhile, was fast eating into the mud underneath the rock and, the rock tilted over, throwing him into the flood. 'It was all like a dream for him at first,' said Baba. Later when he found that he was being carried away by the Ganga, he began to pray to the Lord. Baba heard his call; He slowly led the floating "corpse" to the bank, a few miles above Sivanandanagar, where there was a homestead available to give him warmth and comfort!

A devotee who was then at Rishikesh writes, "We heard Him narrating the incident. During the 'trance' He had His Palms one over the other, as if enclosing something. It was to protect the Sanyasin's heart that Baba had kept His palms closed. The Sadhu was saved after a thirty mile float! If this does not mean Sishtarakshana, Preservation, what else does? But, then, one or more of the following three conditions must be fulfilled before the S. O. S. of the person draws Baba's attention. He must either have something from Baba in the form of a Raksha for protection, or, he should call on the Lord, heart and soul, whenever danger threatens him. In case the person in distress fails to qualify himself in either of these two ways, he should at least be a man of Truth and Sincerity. It does not matter if he is no 'devotee.' And, in calling upon Bhagavan, no particular Name is essential, Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Allah, Sai, be it any. All Names and all Forms being His and His alone, He is only too ready to answer the cry of the one in distress and to avert it. The Sadhu was no devotee of Baba, not had he ever seen Him. All the same, wasn't his life saved?" This incident of the Unknown Yogi was a great revelation to many, of Baba's Universal Love and Presence.

Baba's cottage at Rishikesh was busy throughout His stay, what with the inmates of the Asram and the students of he Academy gathering there and plying Him with questions on Sadhana, Japam, and Dhyanam, and the unceasing train of pilgrims who discovered the Rishikesh had acquired another focus of Holiness. The reputed scholar-saint Sri Shad-darsanacharya and Swami came twice with his disciples and students. Swamis Sadananda and Satchidananda found themselves surrounded by eager inquirers wanting more and more information regarding Baba, His life, His Glory and His Prasanthi Nilaya at Puttaparthi. The present writer heard Swami Sadananda reply to a young Brahmachari that "Baba can roam at will through Athmaloka, Pranaloka and Jivaloka, and so He can reveal whatever happens anywhere at anytime. He is Sarvasaktha." He had himself seen, the Swami said, Baba converting a grain of rice into a grain of ivory, and transforming that grain of ivory into a hundred and eight elephant figurines, each one, finely carved, and clearly recognisable by means of a magnifying glass!!

Baba took leave of Swami Sivananda on 28th July and left for New Delhi. On the 30th, He proceeded by car to Mathura-Brindavan, the Scene of His Leela in the past and the devotees were eagerly looking forward to the opportunity of seeing Him, in that background, and of being with Him in that atmosphere charged with the fragrance of the Maha-Bhagavatha. The devotees left New Delhi in a bus, which made a detour via Aligarh and broke down near a small hamlet some 20 miles beyond Aligarh! A spare bus had to be requisitioned and by the time it arrived and Mathura was reached it was nearly 3-30 P.M. The party was exhausted, hungry and depressed; but, Baba, kinder than any mother, welcomed and consoled and nursed them so tenderly and so lovingly that to many among the party, the breakdown seemed positively worthwhile! He comforted them with His own characteristically sweet words of solace. "Come nearer the fan," "Stretch yourselves a little", "Do not stand up when I come", "Here! I have prepared this cool drink specially for you", "Take this, you are awfully tired", He said while tending them; and in a trice, they were restored to their former energy.

Baba led them all to the bank of the Yamuna, as if He knew every inch of the place, pointed out the hallowed localities. Who can say what reminiscences were activating the Consciousness of Baba as He showed the places where the Serpent was humbled, the Gopis were chided, the cart was overturned, the twin trees were plucked! Every little wave of Yamuna seemed to dance to the music of His voice; every cow that was seen seemed to be seeking the warm touch of His Divine Hand!

While returning towards Mathura, Baba casually walked into a Radha-Syam Temple! Arrangements were being made in front of that Temple for a Rasaleela Show. When Baba went and stood in front of the shrine, suddenly, the lights went off; every one wondered why! Baba then said, "Don't worry; we shall take this Radha-Syam to Delhi and you can do Bhajan there!" He waved His Hand across the door of the shrine, where one could see the lovely marble image of Radha-Syam in the dim religious light and, lo, there materialised in His Palm an idol, an exact replica of the Radha-Syam installed inside!

On the second day of August 1957, Baba left for Srinagar by plane and reached the Kashmir Valley at 12 noon. From the air one could see the complicated network of canals that feed the Punjab plains, the Golden Temple of Amritsar, and the rugged approaches the Banihal Pass and the Kashmir Valley. Once the Pass is crossed, the enchanting loveliness of the valley that has aroused the covetousness of monarchs from as far as Macedonia and Mongolia spreads itself before the eye. The gurgling waters. The long rows of pine trees, the luscious greenness of the grass, the signs of quiet toil, filled the mind with joy. Though the Head of the Shankaracharya Mutt of Srinagar pressed Baba to accept his hospitality, and take up residence at the Mutt, Baba preferred to stay in a houseboat with His party occupying two neighbouring boats. Alexandra Palace was the name of the boat which He occupied; the others stayed in the Prince of Kashmir and King's Roses.

Baba encourages every one to appreciate the beauties of nature; He directs attention to the charm of a flower, the colourful magnificence of a sunrise or sunset, the grim grandeur of an overcast sky, the timorous twinkling of the stars in the midnight sky or the moving jasmine-garland of cranes in flight. So, He took the party of the Shalimar and Nishat Bagh Gardens in the evening, but as He remarked while returning to the houseboat, the snow-capped Himalayas in the far distance was a far lovelier Bagh, designed by the Lord to draw men's eyes away from the valley in which they wallowed.

On 3rd August, Baba left for Gulmarg and Kilanmarg, to show His Party, which consisted of merchants and businessmen, lawyers and professors, writers and poets and musicians, administrators and agriculturists, the snows of the Himalayan Ranges. Horses were engaged at Tanmarg, and during the long and rather arduous climb of over twelve miles to about 14,000 feet above sea level, Baba kept the party lively by His quips and jokes and occasional gifts of Prasadam or Vibhuthi. He rode His horse, the tallest and the most impressive of the lot, called Raja, with ease and dexterity, as if he was to the saddle born. Never once did He get down to rest. The winding road over the hills was full of peddles, broken cobble stones and the tangle of pine tree roots, but horses cleverly picked their way along, until the snow line was reached.

There, like Kumaraswami on the slopes of Kailasa, Baba played barefoot on the snow, rolling snow balls and throwing them at members of the party, laughing at the frightened faces of those who slid down the snow in the makeshift toboggans; and chiding those who complained of the chilliness of the wind. Every one was tired and complained of aches and burns but, Baba was fresh as a rose, when the houseboats were reached, about 10-30 P.M., that day.

The Alexandra Palace became very soon a replica of Prasanthi Nilayam, for, many from Srinagar came to pay homage to Him and receive His Blessings. There was an old lady who said she had been directed to go that very boat by some Messenger, in a dream she had the previous night. Baba also accepted the invitation of a few families in Srinagar to visit their houses. At one such home, He put a cardamom garland round the neck of a baby, saying, "He will became a great Yogi!" Strange to say, the grandfather of the child declared, "Swami! That was exactly what the astrologer who prepared the horoscope of this child predicted when he was born!" But, he said so only after Baba asked him, "You have already been told so, isn't it?" That was the house of the Secretary of the Tourist Agency, that had made arrangements for Baba's tour of Kashmir. Baba gave him a ring, set with gemstones, which He 'materialised' on the spot. During the conversation, when some one asked Him at what age He had "given up hearth and home"(!) He said, "How can I, whose home is this Jagath, give up hearth and home?"!

His answers illumined the Divinity of His being, to all who heard them. The stream of pilgrims to Alexandra Palace continued unabated for two full days. Leave taking was naturally a prolonged and painful affair for the large throng of Bhakthas who had come to the aerodrome on the 6th August. The plane took off at last for Delhi. From Delhi, Baba flew to Madras and after a short stay there, He reached Puttaparthi on 14th August.