An Astonishing Experience

September 11, 2007

By K. N. Narayan Swamy

" The

Lord who dwells in the hearts of all, in Him seek

refuge with all thy soul. By His grace then thou shall obtain supreme repose,

the eternal seat. " (Bhagavad-Gita)

Direct

spiritual experience is a psychological state, independent of the metaphysical

doctrine which may be derived from the experience. The reality of the

experience in not affected by the metaphysical doctrine inferred from it. Yet

the experience has a cognitive value. It involves a certain metaphysical

conception of the nature of Sai Baba, Radhakrishna Swamiji, the human

soul and the world and also a certain way of attaining union with the Absolute.

On the

8th August 1990, I was

going through a Tamil magazine MANGAYAR MALAR-July, 90 and came across an

article about a Venkateswara temple in Banashankari Second stage - Varaprada

Venkateswara Temple of Devagiri.

In the article it was stated that when the idols were getting ready, Sai Baba appeared in the form of an old man to His Holiness

Radhakrishna Swamiji and

told him: " I have come to Bangalore. Come and have my darshan. "

Subsequently

I learnt that this temple has very close connection with Shirdi

Sai Baba and a divine aura is present there. Radhakrishna Swamiji laid the

foundation stone for this temple and his portrait adorns the sanctum now. Swamiji's intimate devotees on every 'Sankranti'

day visit this temple in a procession chanting Vishnu Sahasra

Namam and perform 'archana'

to Lord Venkatesha in the name of Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji.

I can

only conclude this experience with a quote from Garuda

Purana:

" Lost

is this world which, out of Thy Maya is mad with pride, deaf, blind and by

acquisition of wealth, insensible ever towards the needy and the venerable.

Lord! Bestow not on me great wealth lest it

prove an obstacle to Thy lotus feet. But grant me always the company of great souls

who can explain to me Thy real attributes. "

(Source Sai Padananda Oct 1990)

Recommended Posts