Swami Chidananda-  An Ideal Yogi
by
 Swami Adhyatmanada

During annual spiritual retreat at Sri Ramtirth Ashram-Rajpur of Sri Sri Anandmai Maa, Maa  kept on asking repeatedly, why Baba is not eating properly. Instead of giving proper reply, with all curiosity Swami Adyatmanandaji asked the question, “There are so many Mahatmas here, why is Maa very keen to know about Baba’s food habits?”  

“Baba”, she referred to Revered Gurudev Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj. Maa always addressed all mahatmas as Baba. In answer to my query Maa elaborated, “Baba ko eke bar trupti se bhojan diya tho eke Aswamegha yajna ka phal milega.”  Meaning thereby, If you serve heart content meal to revered Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, it would earn you punya (merits) of having performed one Ashvamegh Yajna.  It’s a very rare  blessings indeed!!!

From Rajpur we went to Landourcant at  Mrs. and Brigadier K. K. Karai’s home. There Swamiji had a really heart content mid-day meal. Once after Navaratri fasting, at Haridwar railway station Rev. Sri Omprem Mataji brought cow milk with sugar, saffron and cardamom. It was swamiji’s solid food after eleven day fasting only on water. Swamiji by paying his gratitude towards Rev Omprem Mataji said, “Aaj aapne hamko trupt kar diya.” At night swami Adyatmanandaji asked Rev. Gurudev that many months before at Rajpur Ramtirth Ashram Maa said that if you were satisfied with heart content meal, choicest heavenly blessings would be adorned upon the person who has served the food to your  holiness.  Are Mother Omprem Devi and Mrs. K K Karai going to be the recipient of such heavenly divine merits?  Rev. Swamiji Maharaj replied at once “ If Maa has made such statement then really they will incur such merits.”  

With all sincerity and curiosity once Swami Adyatmanandaji asked Rev. Swamiji “How is Swamiji managing with such a little food, where as in the past he had quite a few opportunities to have meals together and he had observed that Swamiji used to have regular meals?”  

As an explanation to the above intriguing question, Rev. Swamiji Maharaj narrated an episode from his childhood memory, “From early childhood, I aspired to be a Yogi. I myself was baffled as to how the yogi survives with the minimal food. I kept on enquiring until I got credible answer from our cook. He explained that the yogi retired in the forest carried with him a sandalwood bowl in which he would take his meal.  He would rub the bowl upside down on the stone to make sandalwood paste for his daily worship. Slowly but surely, the size of the bowl would reduce and so did the food intake of the yogi. Having adopted similar method, I have reduced my food intake systematically over the years.  

As a result, for about last two and a half years worshipful and Rev. Swamiji Maharaj is taking only one full glass of simple buttermilk. Hard to believe but it is true. It is possible because of unparalleled tenacity, dogged self-control, resolute sense-control and oneness with cosmic energy.  

The path of the Self -realization is very tough.  It does not allow for physical comforts and the pampering of the mind. Once Rev. Swami Ramsukhdasji Maharaj, a hundred year old renowned sage of Gita Bhavan, said; “When comfort increases the sincerity in sadhana decreases. A practice of austerity is a must. A piece of daily bread and a pair of loin clothe is enough to survive and undertake sadhana (spiritual practices) for the realization of the absolute.”  More you dive deep in the inner most recesses of the heart, more you will find the pearls of divinity. The divine gem is within you. What you need is sincerity and being true to your own Self.  

Life of Rev. Sri Swamiji Maharaj itself is a great lesson and message to the modern mankind. He lives, rather breathes to do good, good and good to the known and unknown. To Him from ant to elephant everything is Hari. His  Self-realization  is being experienced day and night by his devotees or many of those fortunate souls who had or having an opportunity to be with him, near or around him.  

His concern for every small matter makes one thinks that his existence itself is for that particular task at hand at that moment. He is whole heartedly and totally engrossed in his divine being that is beyond concept, cognition or perception of the individual being. Though he engages himself to be in daily affairs of worldly activities, he is beyond this gross phenomenal world. He is simply divine.  

Once Rev Sri Satya Sai Babaji expressed to Swami Adyatmanandaji, “Present existence of the world, peace and blessedness of the mankind is all due to Rev. Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj’s physical existence on this planet earth.”  

His existence on the earth is for the upliftment of  each one of his followers and sincere seekers of the truth to the highest realm.  

Today the followers of the Divine Life Society and His Devotees all over the world are celebrating 88^th birthday of His Holiness. Let us pray: “Oh Supreme blessedness, we are Thine Thou art ours, Thy will be done.”  

May His divine grace and blessings enlighten us and guide us to realize the truth in this very birth here and now.

OM SHANTI

Selected Photos of Guru Maharaj

Recent photos -  On the occasion of Guru Purnima (July 12, 2003) at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh

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