From Puttaparthi...Swami Puroshotamananda with Baba

May 8, 2008

Swami Purushotamananda, a disciple of Swami Brahamananda of the Ramakrishna order, had been initiated into monastic life by Mahapurushji, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

The 26th of July, 1957, was full of pleasant memories for the devotees and the residents of Sivanandashram, for Baba boarded a bus and proceeded along the bank of the Ganges to a palace of the Rani of Garhwal for a quiet morning.

On the way back Baba stopped the bus at a place where a thin little iron post carried a half-distinct nameplate reading " The Cave of Vasishta " (Guru of Rama). The cave had been sanctified by the austerities performed therein by many great recluses and monks in the past.

Swami Purushotamananda had been in the cave for thirty years. He welcomed Baba as if expecting him!!! He was more than seventy years old and had spent the major part of his life in asceticism of a most rigorous kind and in the study of the scriptures.

Baba repeated the visit the next evening & sang a number of songs while at the cave. Hearing that the Swami had been suffering from chronic stomach-ache for many years, Baba " took " some candy from nowhere and gave it to him with instructions about diet!!!

More mysterious and significant was the Vision that he gave to Swami Purushotamananda that evening. After sending everyone outside the cave, Baba and the sage went into the inner room.

Sri Subbaramiah, President of the Divine Life Society at Venkatagiri, describes what he was able to see from outside the cave: I was standing near the entrance to the cave & I could see what was happening.

Baba placed his head on the lap of Swami Purushotamananda. 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 splendor emanated from his face. I was overwhelmed with a strange inexplicable joy. "

When later asked to divulge the nature of the vision, Baba informed us that it was a vision of "Jyothirpadmanabha " !!! (Reclining LORD)

After a minute or two, Baba rose and sitting by the side of the septuagenarian, called him by name and slowly brought him into the consciousness of space and time. Baba sang a song on Rama, composed by Thyagaraja and when he concluded, he waved his hand and materialized from the air a rosary of sparkling sphatika beads for Swami Purushotamananda.

The incidents at Vasishtha cave were literally mind-blowing. The monks there said, " He knows all: He is all " they exclaimed. "Man has no means to identify what cannot be accounted for, explained or measured."!!!

(2 rare photos of SWAMI attached)

N. Kasturi, 'Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram (The Life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)', and N. Kasturi, 'Loving God'.

http://www.saibaba.ws/articles/saibabasivananda.htm