Guru’s Grace – Key to Eternal Bliss
Sri Veeraraghavan, one of the long-time devotees of Sri Swamiji talks about his experience…
Swami Nammazhwar, in his Tiruvaimozhi refers to Lord Sriman Narayana’s grace and narrates in His Pasuram as ‘MaraNamAnAl vaikuNtam kodukkum pirAn’ (One who grants ‘Paramapadam’ when the soul leaves the body) . The power of SharaNagati is underlined in these verses.
Sri Sri Swamiji has been so compassionate and kind enough to illustrate this power of SharaNagati unto the Guru and Bhagavan through an incident in my life.
The year 1999 was seemingly filled with a lot of miseries and sorrows in my life. However, Sri Sri Swamiji had always been protecting me like how a new born infant taken care by a mother. So it felt as if I was totally shielded from these miseries by His grace and love.
It was the night of the 6th of November that year. My mother had been undergoing treatment for a prolonged illness. She was in the ICU of the hospital. At about 10:30 pm, we had a visitor – a special visitor into the ICU, where generally no one is allowed.
Who else! It was Sri Sri Swamiji accompanied by Dr. Bhagyanathan.
Sri Sri Swamiji enquired if my mother could recognize and respond to Him. I could see that Sri Swamiji was then conversing with her through eyes only for a few seconds. Even a million words in this blog will not suffice to describe this divine grace, that He showered on my ailing mother.
In a very few minutes, the hospital staff barged in, requesting the place to be vacated. As I accompanied Sri Sri Swamiji, on the way out, I requested Him in a perturbed mood if my mother’s life could be extended in a healthy state for some more time because I work for a mere pittance and I sincerely wish her to see me in a prosperous state before she attains the Lord’s feet.
With an eloquent smile, Guruji looked deep into my eyes and softly said ‘You mother is very well aware that my presence is guiding you all time and this alone provides her comfort and satisfaction. Don’t worry! She is not worried about your affluence any more’. Thus He had not only given me the strength and power to overcome any eventuality but also reassured that my mother is happy about our refuge under Sri Guruji.
By the time I returned to the ICU ward, my mother was in deep sleep.
The night passed and the next day dawned. Not yet. It was about 4 am, and we all knew it was a special day – It was the Jayanthi day of our Guru Maharaj.
As the doctors performed a check-up on my mother, they saw that her blood pressure suddenly dwindled. From inside me, He was instigating me to chant the Maha Mantra. The Nama Kirtan progressed incessantly and at about 10.20 am, she breathed her last.
She had been escorted safely into the divine premises of Madhuri Sakhi Sametha Sri Premika Varadan Thakurji.
I have heard the story of Sri Adi Sankara who had bestowed divine vision to His mother. How fortunate my mother was! That last divine vision which my mother received! No wonder she never opened her eyes after having Sri Sri Swamiji’s darshan the previous night, I thought.
Through Sri Swamiji’s boundless compassion, with her eyes filled with the honeyed form of the Lord, ears filled with the nectarine gush of Maha Mantra, and with not even the least bodily discomfort, she shed her mortal coil.
And should I doubt about the destiny of her soul?
Are more words needed to describe the grace of the Guru?
