Homage to our GURU

[Guest guest]

Our Guru Sri Sri Santhananda Brahmendra Saraswathi Avadhootha

Swamigal (or Swami Santhananda as he was popularly known) attained

Maha Samadhi today. (27/05/2002). It is an irreparable loss for my

wife and myself and countless followers.

 

Swami Santhananda was born in an orthodox Brahmin family. He attended

the Veda school and mastered the Vedas. Then he was drawn towards the

Independence movement. He was arrested and sent to Alipore (Calcutta)

prison. Here he became a Bhaktha of MAA. He received initiation into

meditation and the Suddha (mono syllable) mantra of Maa Bhuvaneshwari

from Mayandi Yogi, a Siddha (wandering monk). He travelled to Girnar

in Gujarat (place of Dattatreya Peetha) in search of a Guru. He was

directed to go to Sri Sri Swayamprakasha Brahmendra Saraswathi

Avadhootha Swamigal. Under his guru he was initiated into the

Avadhootha (naked monks) order. He travelled all over India. In

Rishikesh he served Swami Sivananda for some time.

 

His life and experiences gave him mastery of all the paths of

Hinduism. Vedas, Upanishads, Tantras, teachings of the 18 Siddhas,

Bagavan Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi and

others.

 

People belonging to all traditions came to him for advice. Vedic

scholars, Vedantins, Saktha Tantriks, Sri Vidya Upasakas, Saivas, and

Vaishnavas. He was respected by the Sankaracharyas of Kanchi Kamakoti

Peedam and Sringeri both of whom visited his ashram. He was closely

associated with the Ramanashramam at Thiruvannamalai. He was a

scholar in Vedas, Vedanta, Tantra and Mantra Sasthra. He one of the

few Sages who belonged both to Srikula and Kalikula equally. He was

the living embodiment of Hindu religion in its finest form. He did

not perform miracles, did not travel to the west, and did not give

lectures. But he was a guiding spirit for Upasakas like us.

 

We went to him for guidance in our Upasana. We just went and sat near

him. We were given that privilege. We always got our answers. He did

not remember our names but knew the real us. He indulged us and

listened to our questions about Maa Bagalamukhi, Devi Mahatmyam, Maa

Chandi, Dasa Maha Vidya etc. and guided us. Told us when to change

from form to formless. He will be guiding us throughout our life.

 

 

 

Please visit http://skandhashramam.faithweb.com to learn about

Swamiji.

 

A full-fledged web site http://www.omsriskandhashramam.org will be

coming up about the life and work of Swamiji.

 

Sankar

 

Rukmani

[Guest guest]

Dear Sankar and Rukmini

 

My condolences to you both and your Guru "Bhais".

 

The loss of a loved one is always hard; the loss of a one who is part

of one's life at the deepest of levels, is irreparable. While all

what is said about the spirit of Guru is always with you - infact the

presence IS always with you, the physical mind attaches itself to the

physical aspect of the Masters. It is, in fact the anchor which one

holds on to, as one slowly but surely lets go of the external props

in material life. A time comes at some point when even that

attachment has to be let go, but till then it forms the life line.

 

Why Masters choose to leave I won't understand, but no matter what,

it certainly challenges you all to rise to an even higher stage of

your spiritual growth.

 

May peace be with all your spiritual family.

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma

 

___

 

In post # 3848 sankarrukku wrote:

 

> Our Guru Sri Sri Santhananda Brahmendra Saraswathi Avadhootha

> Swamigal (or Swami Santhananda as he was popularly known) attained

> Maha Samadhi today. (27/05/2002). It is an irreparable loss for my

> wife and myself and countless followers.