Sivananda's Personality-89

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07/12/2017

Sri N. Ananthanarayanan

On his visit to the Ashram, an American philosopher, Dr Thompson, put the Master a straight question, "Have you seen God, Swamiji?"

"I see nothing but God," replied the Master. "In the food I take, in the water I drink, in the people I greet, in animals I meet, and in you Dr Thompson, I see nothing but God."

The Master’s disciples were nevertheless eager to know the outstanding landmarks in his spiritual journey. One of them made bold to ask the Master himself about this. He gave a straight answer, "I had no such landmarks or outstanding spiritual experiences during my period of spiritual practice. There was no obstruction, either external or internal, in my spiritual progress. That was the only outstanding feature. I made meditation—deep meditation—the keynote of my inner spiritual practice. It gave smooth and continuous progress and rapid arrival at the ultimate experience."

Emboldened by the Master’s answer, the disciple asked a further question, "Can Swamiji be pleased to give out the place and date of the final illumination?"

Once again the Master replied without hesitation, "The Upanishads are positive on that subject. None should talk of the place and date of illumination. If anyone says that he got illumination at such a place and on such a date, it is not proper, I can’t believe him. It is a secret of God. I am not authorised to divulge it."

And the Master never divulged the date and place of his Self-realisation. As for lesser spiritual experiences of his, from chance remarks that have fallen from his lips, his disciples could gather that during his periods of deep and intense meditation, he had the Darshan of Lord Krishna and the sages of the Upanishads.

To be continued ...

Swami Sivananda

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