Catastrophes, Calamities

We reproduce here an article written by Sri Sri Sri Vishnu Mohan which first appeared in the Dec. 1st, 1993 issue of the Voice Divine, the monthly magazine of Sri Gnana Advaitha Peetam. What He wrote then is what we are experiencing today.

Catastrophes,calamities have become daily occurrences. Grim reminders of what the future holds for us? But then He, as His true nature was, enlightened us with the path revered Sri Sathguru wants God-loving mortals to choose. Catastrophes, Calamities — these have become common words nowadays. There is nothing but this in the newspapers that one unfolds everyday. These words will never take the devotees of Her Holiness Shri Sathguru Swami Gnanananda Sarasvathi by surprise as Shri Sathguru has been warning them for the past two decades. From the crowded forums like the Bharithiya Vidya Bhavan etc., to the privacy of individual Dharshans at Shri Peetam, Shri Sathguru has warned of impending catastrophes and calamities.

Asked by some news reporters at the Bharithiya Vidya Bhavan to clarify the words catastrophes and calamities Shri Sathguru said that they would be both natural and man-made, could be war, said Shri Sathguru, but I would not like to elaborate for obvious reasons. International borders might change, said Shri Sathguru, countries existing now may disappear and new ones rise up. Land above the seas may sink and new lands rise from the waves. These were all said by Shri Sathguru towards the end of the year 1975. Take a look around us today and what do we see. Who would have dreamt the mighty USSR would have been dismembered and fighting for its very survival! And many other European nations too. And as for catastrophes and calamities one cannot forget the earthquakes at Armenia and in our own country at Latur etc. And as Shri Sathguru says, this is only the tip of the iceberg!

After taking sanyasa diksha in 1975, Shri Sathguru stepped into the limelight from the privacy of poorvashrama. But after that came alternating periods of outward activity and intense solitude. As Shri Sathguru has said to many a devotee, these periods of seeming inactivity were actually the more strenuous ones for Shri Sathguru. Evil in this kali yuga has permeated to the material sphere only after taking over the astral spheres. Therefore Shri Sathguru for many years, in deepest seclusion, battled it out for the release of humanity from the thralldom of prevailing evil, battling it out on every level of the astral spheres, taking the recoil on Shri Sathguru’s own body if necessary, until, a few years ago, Shri Sathguru announced that the evil forces had been vanquished on the astral spheres and, shortly, the battle would be joined on the material level. After that, in September 1989, Shri Sathguru undertook a tour of Thiruvananthapuram, the first official tour that Shri Sathguru accepted since sanyasa diksha.Swami Abhedhananda, a true bhaktha of Shri Krishna, had in his lifetime great respect and reverence for our Revered Shri Sathguru, and expressed his desire that Shri Sathguru should bless his ashram by staying there. At that time, Shri Sathguru being in the midst of ghora thapas, gave the assurance that some day it would take place. Shriman Narayana always keeps His Word and despite the fact that the Swami had discarded his mortal coil, Shri Sathguru stayed at the Abhedhashram while at Thiruvananthapuram.

(DIGRESSION: Shri Sathguru always used to warn that the evil forces were only next to God in their strength and that man was no match for the asuras and rakshasas. “Without the help of God,” said Shri Sathguru, “men will fall like nine pins before the evil forces. But with God on your side they will flee from you!” “How do you get God on your side?”, asked Shri Sathguru. “The answer is simple!”, says Shri Sathguru, “Yatho Dharmas Thatho Krishnah, Yatho Krishnas Thatho Jaya”! Where there is Dharma, there is Krishna, and where there is Krishna victory is certain).

Special Udayasthamana Poojas were conducted at the Swami Ananthapadmanabha Swami Kshethram as Shri Sathguru was received by the devasthanam with full temple honours, Shri Sathguru also gave an upanyasa in Malayalam for the local devotees. Shri Sathguru also visited Suchindiram and Kanya Kumari where Shri Sathguru spent a few days before returning to Madras. This was a unique experience for the few Madras devotees who had accompanied Shri Sathguru, to be treasured for life as Shri Sathguru had moved closely with them and had given advice and gnana to last a lifetime. Shri Sathguru, even from childhood, never settled down long in any one place, and used to be referred to as living a “gypsy life” by many returning to Madras. A Sanyasi at heart from childhood, nay, even a Sanyasi born was Shri Sathguru and used to answer the question, “Where are You from?”, with the answer,“Swadhesho Bhvanathrayam!”... I am a native of the three worlds! This underlines Shri Sathguru’s total detachment from anything material, even place. Devotees need not be reminded of the story from Shri Sathguru’s childhood, when the Divine Vision of a beckoning Muralidhara prompted Shri Sathguru to write out a will, (on silver paper, as Shri Sathguru in all childlike innocence thought it wouldbe more legal!), bequeathing all Shri Sathguru’s “possessions” to Shri Sathguru’s sisters, brothers and parents! Renunciation came naturally to Shri Sathguru and sanyasa diksha in 1975 was only an outward recognition. Even recently a devotee told Shri Sathguru, “I have everything in life that I want, wealth, health, children, etc., but I still don’t have peace of mind! I want absolute peace of mind.” Shri Sathguru’s answer was simple.

“Absolute peace,” said Shri Sathguru, “comes from absolute renunciation!” Shri Sathguru gave a few discourses with the by now well known and coveted question and answer sessions at the end of each. Many a devotee coming with a muddled and confused head, full of doubts and despair, unable to find a panacea anywhere, have found themselves straightened out, comforted and have left, with a better understanding, after a Dharshan. Such is the Power of Dharshan. The late Prof. J M Hondius, a disciple of philosopher Carl Jung, had put forth a scientific explanation of the power of Shri Sathguru’s Dharshan in an earlier issue of “VOICE DIVINE.” On hearing of the plight of many ancient temples, especially the one in Mylapore, the Shri Madhavaperumal Koil where the utsava murthy of Shri Mahalakshmi is placed on a wooden stool for want of funds, Shri Sathguru decided to start a personal fund for the renovation and help to such temples. The first project, as per Shri Sathguru’s desire, is to make a silver padma peetam for ShriMahalakshmi. Contributions have poured in. Shri Sathguru has oft repeated that Shri Sathguru’s Divine Mission is not as simple as setting up ashrams, orphanages, homes for the aged et al. These objects will all be there too, but the main thrust will be as Shri Sathguru used to quote, “Parithranaaya Sadhunaam VinaashayaCha Dhuskritham.” As mentioned earlier, Shri Sathguru has said that the battle has now reached the material or earthly sphere.This is evident from the violent situations we see around us in every field of life, even those hitherto untouched. The battle field, Rana Bhumi, is here and now and Kurukshethra, amplified by the age of Kali is about to take place. Shri Sathguru has always warned that the Divine Mission is a dangerous and hazardous one but with a glorious Divine Victory at the end. We pray that we may serve Shri Sathguru steadfastly, courageously, faithfully, sincerely, earnestly and with the singlepointed devotion of obeying Shri Sathguru in thought, word, deed and spirit and for no other greater reward than to earn Shri Sathguru’s Divine Pleasure. Where there is Shri Sathguru there will be the Rana Bhumi. And where there is the Rana Bhumi evil will be vanquished and there will be salvation and peace on earth at last.

Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthih.
Placed at the Divine Lotus Feet of our Revered Shri Sathguru, who is Shriman Narayana with humble pranaams and deepest reverence. Vishnu Mohan December 1993.