'While bowing to the Guru s padukas. I keep my head beneath his feet.
Though seen in one place, they actually move in all three worlds.
These are the feet which liberate me from bondage and death
In appearance - - two padukas, in reality one being.
The bountiful padukas bestow many boons,
they seem new, in truth are timeless.
If I think and think of the padukas,
all my sorrows will be gone
and I will attain a state of supreme bliss.
Sachchidananda.' (Datta Ananda).
A new devotee shares her recent experience with us.
My Experience.
Om Sadguru Bhyo Namaha.
Koti pranams to the Lotus Feet of Pujya Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji.
With this article, I will attempt to describe my experience with His Holiness (HH) Sri Swamiji on His visit to Trinidad DYC Ashram in April 2023.
At His previous visit in 2018, I received Guru Deeksha by Sri Swamiji. At that time, I was clueless about Guru. All I knew was that my sister asked me if I was interested, I said, "Yes," and arrived at the ashram for 6 am as advised. On that day and Guru Purnima day, we were blessed with the opportunity to bow to the lotus like Feet of HH, the greatness of which I was oblivious.
After suffering from a medical illness in 2021, I was advised to build a rapport with my Guru. I was guided by my sister and her husband. I began reading 'Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda- Biography of a Divine Incarnate', followed by 'Sri Guru Gita' and 'Glimpses of Bhaktimala, Vol - II' learning about a few experiences of devotees in an attempt to understand Guru.
It was only after having read these books, an inner love and gravitation to Guru developed, yearning to be at His feet. I wanted to be physically closer to Him and then got the exhilarating news that He would be visiting Trinidad.
Along my journey getting to know HH, my previously mentioned medical illness disappeared without me even realizing it.
Paduka seva project
At His visit in March/April 2023, I was so excited, I could not take my eyes off Him, any chance that came my way. I was absorbed in Him. I felt so happy and blessed to be in the presence (whether near or far) of such greatness.
There was a paduka seva project about which a devotee unexpectedly messaged and asked if I would be interested in receiving a paduka for which I happily agreed.
It was my desire to offer to Sri Swamiji a self-made white rose mala as I did mentally every morning while meditating upon HH as explained by the Sri Guru Gita.
The date for the paduka distribution moved up and I was totally unprepared as I did not gather anything for my offering. With Guru’s grace, I eventually did.
The day finally came. I stood in at the back of the line with my Paduka, picture and mala, nervous and worried.
Reaching the front of the line, Sri Swamiji looked towards me as I smiled approaching Him. I placed down the tray with the paduka and offered him the mala as a representation of my love and devotion. In the blink of an eye, it was around his neck, which I did not expect. My heart was so overfilled with joy, I could not stop smiling !. As He placed His Feet in the Padukas to wear them for a few seconds, in that moment He appeared surreal, as a blurry dark form. Trying to soak in every moment I remember trying to capture a mental image of His Lotus like Feet as I bowed. The paduka was placed on my head and I was told to circumambulate.
I returned to my seat in a kind of half-way mystic self-transcendence. trying to contain the tears from overflowing. I felt an unreal state of peace and calm as if everything would be taken care of. I felt as though there was nothing in this world I desired. I left the ashram that night with tears flowing from my eyes unable to comprehend and contain the energy. With Swamiji’s picture and Paduka in my front seat, I felt as though I was driving Guru to my home. I had a selfish feeling that He was mine which I immediately disregarded realizing this was my ego.
I could not understand what I experienced until I read an excerpt from Glimpses of Bhaktimala (included below).
From this, I understood that Swamiji’s grace is for everyone, young or old devotee, new or long standing devotee. Swamiji sees everyone equally. Such is the compassion of Guru. These few words of my experience cannot begin to describe Guru’s greatness- a Divine, inexplicable serenity that I felt that night as I bowed to His Padukas and placed them on my head—His Padukas are definitely one and the same as His Lotus Feet!
These few words of my experience cannot begin to describe Guru’s greatness. I end my experience with this excerpt.
Pujya Sri Swamiji, Glimpses of Bhaktimala, Vol - II:
“At one such place, without any apparent reason, the mind will experience calmness, some indescribable peace. That calmness and peace will be such that one forgets all the turmoil, the ups and downs of life while in that place. The confidence that all such problems will be solved, will emerge. More importantly, an unexplainable love and a thought that 'He is mine' will envelop you. You can be assured that you have reached your Guru's place”.
For me, that ‘Guru’s place’ is Sri Swamiji’s Padukas which are just the same as His Lotus Feet--He Himself, in fact!
Jaya Guru Datta. Always at your Lotus Feet. 'White Rose'.
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