Swami Lakshman Joo Raina - Part 3
For many years I could not meet Swami Ji as and when I visited
Kashmir he was away or when he was there I could not come. However, he remained always in my heart and was a great source of strength and solace to me. During 1981, my brother was getting married in
Kashmir. As soon as I arrived in Srinagar, I found out that Swami Ji was in town. Swami Ji used to give audience only on Sundays and it was a Wednesday. It appeared that there was not even a remote chance of my being able to meet him. Even then, on arrival, I immediately left for Ishwar Ashram without wasting a minute. Everyone at home was busy preparing for the marriage so I had left home surreptitiously and took the bus from Lal Chowk to
Nishat.
The bus, passing through the long and winding boulevard along the Dal Lake eventually reached Nishat Garden where Ishwar Ashram is located by the beautiful lake. Fortunately for me, the ashram door, which is normally kept closed, was open. I tip-toed in, not wanting to cause any disturbance. In front of me, in the closed verandah, I saw Shrika Ma having her lunch. She welcomed me but said, “Child, you know Swami Ji does not give audience except on Sundays and yet you have come today. He is upstairs in samadhi and would not come down till dinner time. What will you do now?”
She had barely spoken these words when we heard thumping of hurried footsteps on the wooden staircase. Within minutes, a beaming Swami Ji was down. He welcomed me with a hug and said mischievously, “I knew you were coming.”
He spent a most delightful afternoon with me. We walked on the hillside. We took the ashram
cows for grazing. He introduced me to all the cows, told me their names and made me feed them. Then we sat on the slope of the hill overlooking Dal Lake and chatted. Following that, I supervised the milking of the cows. Afterwards, the milk was taken to the ashram kitchen and tea was prepared. As a snack with the tea, Swami Ji ordered home-made Kashmiri double-chapattis to be made for me. It was one of the tastiest tea snacks I have had in my life. We spent the whole day in this fashion and did not realise when the sunset and it was time for me to go back.
Since I was an indulgent child of Swami Ji, I was happy to be just around him and bask in the love he showered on me. I never asked him for any spiritual knowledge, Guru Mantra or path to achieve enlightenment. I just wanted his love, which he gave in abundance. With the result, I never received any holy initiation or indoctrination from him and continued to remain in a happy state of ignorance.
However, this time, when I was leaving, he asked me if I had been to
Thiruvannamalai. When I replied in the negative, he said, “Go to Thiruvannamalai as often as possible - to the ashram of Sri
Ramana Maharishi. I really did not know why Swami Ji was asking me to go to
Thiruvannamalai till I learnt that he had stayed with Ramana for quite some time and Ramana Maharishi was one of the great masters he learnt from. At that time I really did not know how I would be able to go to Thiruvannamalai, which looked so far away from Madras.
To my amazement, as soon as I arrived, I found myself posted as collector of South Arcot. Thiruvannamalai was on the border of South Arcot district. It was just a stone’s throw from Thirukoilur as well as Senji where I often went touring and camping. I made it a point to visit Thiruvannamalai regularly. I used to surreptitiously cross the district border and make a night halt at Thiruvannamalai whenever I was working in the vicinity. The government guesthouse was just across the ashram.
I loved meditating in the ashram and walking around
Arunachala hill that is supposed to be the very body of ‘Shiva’ Himself. Walking around the hill is considered a very purifying activity. I have trekked the entire hill in the company of my children Priya and Siddharth along with my AC-trainee, Dadhoo, and trainee ASP, Dogra, on many times.
From the top of the hill we used to see a fantastic and panoramic view of the layout of the temple. The temple of Thiruvannamalai, with its several prakarams and 11 gopurams, is an architectural marvel and a magnificent sight to see. This temple has been used as a fortress during several wars. The most important holy place on the hill of Arunachala is Ramana’s cave. Here Ramana Maharishi is supposed to have achieved enlightenment. Many devotees sit here and meditate and experience a great sense of bliss. On the whole, the entire ashram at Thiruvannamalai is vibrant with Ramana’s presence. In Ramana’s personal room and in the big meditation hall many devotees get into a trance. Thousands of Western devotees frequent the ashram every year. For me, a visit to the ashram and the temple is always very fulfilling.
The festival of Deepam, celebrated 20 days after
Deepavali, is the most important festival of Thiruvannamalai. On the occasion, the biggest lamp in the world is lit, to propitiate the God almighty, on top of the
Arunachala hill. The flame can be seen for miles. The principle of Shiva is associated with five basic elements of life called ‘Pancha Bhoothas’ which are water, air, fire, ether and earth. The Shiva at Arunachala is associated with the Fire element.
Recently, I was fortunate to visit the temple during Karthikai Deepam. I arrived in the evening with my cousin Gita. Immediately, we set out for
Girivalam - the walk around the holy hill. We walked barefooted for the entire 14-km stretch, stopping at various shrines to worship the Lord. In the morning, we witnessed the special puja associated with the Deepam festival inside the sanctum of the temple. A big light was lit. This light was carried ceremonially by the priests to the top of the hill in the evening. With the help of this light, the lamp on top of the hill was lit amidst the shouts of “Arunachala - Arunachala”. It was a rare, invigorating experience for me.
I realised Swami Ji never indoctrinated me but introduced me to God in a very subtle way. I did not even realise when Arunachala Shiva had crept into my heart………..
Part
II | Part I
To be continued………
