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“Jai Gurunath!”

Monday the 6th May, 1991, is a golden day in my life. This was the day that I had my first darshan of Sri Sri Swamiji.

An avid reader of Maha Periyava’s ‘Deivathin kural’ I had a deep yearning to attain a Sadguru. I used to think sadly, “Being a ‘stree’ (lady) and one who did not lead life with much ‘ãchãra’ (as prescribed by the Shãstras) and Sri Periyava being a head of a Religious Mutt, it is not possible for me to attain Him as the Guru.” But, I would console myself with the words of Sri Maha Periyava in ‘Deivathin kural’ that Bhagavãn Himself would, at the appropriate moment, send the right Guru.

One day, Smt. Lakshmi, my colleague and friend in the Indian Overseas Bank where I was employed, spoke to me about a young Swamiji near her home who performed incessant Nãma sankirtan. She said that He performed bhajan all night and at times it extended to the early hours of the next day. This tempted me to visit Him. One morning when I missed my regular bus to the office I decided to visit Sri Sri Swamiji along with my friend Lakshmi.

We entered His place at around 10.30 a.m. to find Sri Sri Swamiji and another person singing Oothukãdu Venkatakavi’s kirtan ‘Pãl vadiyum mugam’ (innocent face)! Sri Swamiji looked very young with a charming, innocent face of a child and a thin physique as that of ‘tapasviis’. The simple room was filled with divinity and I immediately experienced deep peace.
This was how my first meeting with Sri Swamiji turned out to be.

Within a short period our whole family felt drawn to Sri Sri Swamiji and due to our ‘poorva punya’ have been blessed with Sri Sri Swamiji residing in our home! Though we behave respectfully towards Sri Sri Swamiji, as He is our Guru, Sri Sri Swamiji does not expect any respect or courtesy from us but moves amongst us as one in the family. Every morning I used to pray to Lord Guruvãyurappa to take care of the home and family. It now seemed as if Lord Guruvãyurappa Himself had come to stay at home with us, in response to my prayers! The experiences that we have been blessed with are innumerable.

As we literally live in the shadow of Sri Sri Swamiji, I enjoy the several happenings in His Sannidhi. Sri Swamiji would speak with and listen very patiently to the visitors on their subject of interest - be it Tamizh vidwãns, Vedic/Shãstric scholars, astrologers, one with knowledge of ‘Mantra shãstra’, Oduvãrs (those who sing Thevãrams [on Lord Siva]), musicians, Prabanda singers and Nãdaswara vidwãns. I found that Sri Sri Swamiji knew everything from Shãstras to modern sciences. It is always charming to see Sri Sri Swamiji enjoy everything. Since, Sri Sri Swamiji enjoyed his or her subject everyone desires to visit His sannidhi frequently.

Moving very unassumingly with all, Sri Sri Swamiji has gradually drawn us all into ‘sanmãrga’ (spiritual path). There is absolutely no connection to the life that we had led prior to Sri Sri Swamiji’s entrance into our lives and now.
It is surprising that the change has occurred even without our own knowledge!”

- Jayanti Janakiraman

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