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, inde-pendent 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 metaphy-sical 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)

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