(Shravana Sukla Ashtami, 27th. July 2020) Connections to great souls in past lives often manifest in some way.
Sri Narahari Teertha Swamiji Aradhana, Trinidad, Monday August 7th , 2000
In the evening, Sri Swamiji says that those who have the Darshan of Narahari Teertha are really lucky and that those who are fortunate to be here today are really related to Sri Swami Narahari Teertha.
He then blesses devotees at the Datta Yoga Centre, Carapichaima, with the following message about this occasion:
“ Today is a very important and auspicious day, Narahari Day. Why? He is also my Guru, my father and my friend, a very powerful, extraordinary soul. My forefathers used to perform an important Pundaleeka Narayana Yajna. They performed that Yajna without killing life, in a vedantic way. Normally, people would sacrifice animals, but my forefather refused because he had an awareness of the vedantic way. He used rice and wheat instead of animal sacrifice. Pundaleeka Yajana is a high, important Yajna. People respect the one who performs this Yajna. In such a family, my father took birth! Narasimha Sastri was his previous name. Later, when he became a Sannyas, he became Swami Narahari. The saint who gave him Sannyas had memorised the Vedas.”
Sannyasin
“One day, Narahari asked Swamiji to arrange for his becoming Sannyas. Slowly, he understood that Swamiji was the Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Before sanyas, he showed no anger. Narahari resolved quarrels of the villagers and brought peace as a sannyasin. After sannyas, he came to Mysore Ashram. I had asked him to come before, but he used to say, “No, I am always causing problem to you. I want to stay in my daughter’s home. Every week he came and twenty (20)million mantra “Om Namah Shivaya,” and would wait for interview. His deity was Lord Vishnu but he always chanted “Om Namah Shivaya”.”
“I want to take japam with water then give it to You, Swamiji, my dear Datta Ganapathy,” he would say. Afterwards, he would offer the japam then lose his energy for a few minutes.
“In 1991, before Navaratri, after my birthday, he called on the phone.
“I want to see Swamiji,” he said. I look at him as a child. I don’t want to hurt him. He said,
“I don’t want this house, I want a new one; build a new one.”
I understand his drama. He called again and said, “This year don’t go to America.” So I cancelled. I stayed for three months in the Ashram. He called,
“Only forty days enough.”
“O.k,” I replied. Again he called. “ Only ten days enough, then you go on the trip.”
“O.k. Tatha Swami,” I said. After four days, somebody called on the phone, “ Swamiji come, something happened to Tatha.”
“He was sitting in Padmasana, smiling like a murthi. “Om Namah Shivaya”, that sound was being heard. I rushed, “ What happened, Tatha?” He opened his eyes for one second, then finished. We heard “Om Namah Shivaya”, then everyone experienced the sound ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and there was still heat in his body, but no pulse. I exclaimed, ‘How can I explain, where are you? Where have you gone?” I think, “He is merging in Brahman, so I happy, not crying.”
Seven days before, he said, “I want to go to Jayalakshmi Mata, near her.” So we calculated what was his ambition. We took his ‘idol’-- not calling it dead body-- to a place. He had showed the place to put it. His own disciple was a murderer, and now he was a sannyasin. Then he was a hooligan. He said, “ I want to dig the pit. So many people wanted to dig the pit. We agreed. After three feet, they reached a big rock. I said, “ Go ahead. If you have devotion to Tatha, dig, you yourself, with no tools. So he went on chipping, then a miracle happened. The rock opened. We put his idol, then on top we put a marble Shiva Lingam….”
“He was a wonderful, powerful Vedantic, kind soul, giving knowledge, preaching. He would bring pundit vessels and dhana, clothes, rice etc. and he would distribute the money. Mother said, “Take the dhana and give it to poor people; you must give to poor people. In my ‘Life History’ it is given, like Shiva Purana, Bhagavad Gita. It is a living Bhagavad Gita, and Ramayana. Also, his mother’s forefathers, one was a Nada Upasaka. Swamiji’s family was very learned and used to helping poor people. I remember once again my Guru, (my Mother, my Guru), but also my father too. He would give Sanskrit lessons, then also punishment or discipline if I did not do it right. Once again I bow down to my Guru my friend. Trinidad people very lucky, blessed.”
A Question was asked then: “ Why did Narasimha Sastri come from Andra Pradesh to Karnataka?”
Swamiji replied, “ Because Swamiji’s mother was from Karnataka.” His first wife passed away then he performed rituals, and with his sister, Venkamma, he did pilgrimage, and met my mother Jayalakshmi….It’s a miracle how they came to Jayalakshmi’s house. (See Sri Swamiji’s ‘Life History’ for details).
He had one bad quality. That is smoking. I didn't like that. i asked, "why do you smoke that? You're a big saint.Why do you do this?” He hid it, but I knew he would smoke, a bad habit, not chain smoking, a rare smoker. Swamiji turned to his father’s picture and said, “ Please forgive me.” Only one bad quality. He ate two laddoos, one apple, drank a little milk, but secretly, some devotees hiding and giving beedi.
Narahari Teertha, ---I think he is here still--- Thanks for such an occasion. Swamiji gives this occasion to Trinidad, because there was a link with our family and Trinidad. He only knows (pointing above). Don’t research. No past and present. We pray sincerely to him, “Please bless us.” Swamiji then sings his father’s favourite bhajan, “Narahari Sundari JayaLakshmi….”
Jai Guru Datta!
Comments