Destiny and Grace, 2: Face to face with Reality

[Guest guest]

" Once in 1961 I was in samadhi at Bhagavan's shrine during Veda

Parayana. The time was about 17.35 hrs. Suddenly I felt that all my

limbs were forcibly controlled by a power and I could not even open

my eyes. I became helpless although I was conscious and could clearly

hear the recitation of Vedas. I felt myself increasing in size. I

could clearly see in me the Hill and sea. Simultaneously the sound

'I', 'I' arose overpowering everything. I was frightened. I could

feel the physical heart was beating very fast and the body

perspiring. I felt I was going to die. The sound 'I' continued to

sound with the same force. Caring for nobody I shouted 'Ramana',

'Ramana' loudly and made every effort to come out of the state. When

I finally opened my eyes the Arati was just over. I was expecting the

people standing around me to enquire why I was shouting so loudly, but

nobody asked me.

Externally nothing had happened. Major Chadwick and others were just

getting up to go. Immediately I prostrated before Bhagavan's shrine.

The world had an entirely different look at that time and I could see

the people moving about like figures on a screen. I could feel a

continous current flowing throughout the body, giving me eternal

peace and a blissful feeling.

The current lasted till 4.00 hrs next morning. I did not feel like

talking to anybody and wanted to go into samadhi again. Since I was

leaving the Ashram early the next morning, I wanted to discuss my

experience with some of the old devotees and find out its

significance. I spoke to some but received no satisfactory reply.

Then I thought that it must be an experience which old devotees must

have had in one form or another and that I had better keep quiet.

During my visits in the subsequent years I discovered to my surprise

that that was not an ordinary experience. It was something which

occured on account of the special grace of the Lord. I was actually

face to face with 'Reality'."

 

to be continued

 

(Major I.J. Taneja: Destiny and Grace, in: The Mountain Path, Jan. 1969)

[Guest guest]

 

" Once in 1961 I was in samadhi at Bhagavan's shrine during Veda

Parayana. The time was about 17.35 hrs. Suddenly I felt that all my

limbs were forcibly controlled by a power and I could not even open

my eyes. I became helpless although I was conscious and could clearly

hear the recitation of Vedas. I felt myself increasing in size. I

could clearly see in me the Hill and sea. Simultaneously the sound

'I', 'I' arose overpowering everything. I was frightened. I could

feel the physical heart was beating very fast and the body

perspiring. I felt I was going to die. The sound 'I' continued to

sound with the same force. Caring for nobody I shouted 'Ramana',

'Ramana' loudly and made every effort to come out of the state. When

I finally opened my eyes the Arati was just over. I was expecting the

people standing around me to enquire why I was shouting so loudly, but

nobody asked me.

Externally nothing had happened. Major Chadwick and others were just

getting up to go. Immediately I prostrated before Bhagavan's shrine.

The world had an entirely different look at that time and I could see

the people moving about like figures on a screen. I could feel a

continous current flowing throughout the body, giving me eternal

peace and a blissful feeling.

The current lasted till 4.00 hrs next morning. I did not feel like

talking to anybody and wanted to go into samadhi again. Since I was

leaving the Ashram early the next morning, I wanted to discuss my

experience with some of the old devotees and find out its

significance. I spoke to some but received no satisfactory reply.

Then I thought that it must be an experience which old devotees must

have had in one form or another and that I had better keep quiet.

During my visits in the subsequent years I discovered to my surprise

that that was not an ordinary experience. It was something which

occured on account of the special grace of the Lord. I was actually

face to face with 'Reality'."

 

to be continued

 

(Major I.J. Taneja: Destiny and Grace, in: The Mountain Path, Jan. 1969)