You are My Friend By D. K. Varada Rao

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You are

My Friend

(A page from the thrilling life of His

Holiness Narasimha Swamiji) By D. K. VARADA RAO

" All are of one Self - fraternity

Such being the dictum to avow

In such a light how can we take life and

devoid of least pity go on to eat? "

- Narayana Guru

 

H. H. Narasimha Swamiji

traveled from one end of, the country to another during 1939-56 taking the

gospel of Sai Baba and in fact took 'Sai Baba out of Maharashtra'. He traveled third

class in railways, by bullock carts, jutkas, buses,

motor cars, accepting any place to rest, living on plain fare, whichever came

to him. He carried Udhi, Sai's

pictures and Sai Ashtottara for free-distribution. By

these tours he built up a net work of Sai-institutions all over the country.

 

Once Narasimha Swamiji

was on a trip of coastal Andhra Pradesh, He had very little money and hardly

any luggage. When the train was nearing its destination-Vishakhapatnam-and

people were busy with their luggage, one co-passenger,

whose curiosity was aroused, approached Narasimha Swamiji

and put him a series of questions:

" Where is your luggage? "

" I keep as much luggage as I can

carry myself. "

" Have you any money? "

" No, I keep no money. "

" Are you landing in Vishakhapatnam? "

" Yes. "

" You must have some friends to help

you? "

" Who is he? "

 

Narasimha

Swamiji

touched the shoulder of the questioner and softly said:

" You! " This 'YOU' flashed an electric influence on the questioner and

it was the latter that befriended Narasimha Swamiji

and looked to his physical needs while in Vishakhapatnam, apart from Sai-Prachar.

 

Later, this gentleman wrote of Narasimha Swamiji: " He the torch leading us to Sai Baba " .

The fire can burn him, not the steel can cut him not.

As he says 'Sai' 'Sai' tears of ecstasy roll down his

eyes, and his very presence gives new life.

 

Narasimha Swamiji's

life and mission is that of true dedica­tion. He gave us a characteristic

reply: " I live in tune with Sai Baba. I feel there is someone to feed me

when I am hungry and someone to give me water when I am thirsty, I need nothing

more. I never had any difficulty”

 

" Whenever I injure any kind of life I

must be quite certain that it is necessary. I must never go beyond the

unavoidable, not even in apparently insignificant things. The farmer who has mowed

down a thousand flowers in his meadow in order to feed his cows must be careful

on his way home not to strike the head of a single flower by the side of the

road in idle amusement, for he thereby infringes the law of life without being

under the pressure of necessity. "

- Dr. Albert Schweitzer

 

" The difference between man and man

is not one of kind but one of degree; one manifests more divinity than another;

and the purest soul manifests the most. No one, according to the highest truth

inculcated in the Vedanta, is superior to another, for the same God resides in

all. Therefore, hate none. Take everyone where he or she stands.

- Swami Ramakrishnanananda

(Source Sri Sai padananda

Oct 1990)