Glorious Fifty Years of Wisdom and Service

A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 50th Birthday

H.H. Sri Swami Krishnanandii Maharaj—An Iceberg of Divine Love

by Sri U.V. Swadia, Baroda

I had no words to express my joy when I heard from our President H. H. Sri Swami Chidananand Maharaj that a decision was taken to felicitate Sri Swami Krishnanandaji on his 50 birthday on 25th April this year.

I am pleased to state that I know Swami Krishnanandji Maharaj for over 20 years. As the then Secretary of the Divine Life Society, he did not much used to mix with other people who visited the Ashram but simply confined himself to the duties of a Secretary. He was only seen by us when called by Gurudev Sri Sivananandji Maharaj on special occasions.

His oratory thrilled the people. His punctuality earned admiration for him and his capacity to express most intricate Vedantic truths in sweet English left indelible impression on the minds of seekers both of the East as well as West. The puzzling principles and problems of the highest truths of Vedanta were exposed in threadbare terms before the spiritual seekers and sadhaks by Swami Krishnanandji during Sadhana weeks in the Ashram.

When in 1969 H. H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj proceeded on his global tour and Swami Krishnanandji Maharaj had to act as the President of the Divine Life Society, opportunities were rather made available to us (myself and other devotees) to peep into Swamiji's inner personality. To our greatest pleasant surprise, we found that Swamiji was, rather an iceberg of divine love, and the love that Swamiji was found showering on us, was simply a fragment of what he was hiding underneath his composed personality. He was experienced to be nothing but 'PREM' incarnate.

His external garb of Vedantic sereneness concealed behind, nothing but love in condensed form and till such time that we had chances to meet Swamiji at close quarters, we made the normal mistake of labelling him as 'Reserved Swamiji'.

To hear Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj reciting melodious Samkiran is a covetable experience of devotees. To hear his Vedantic discourses in lucid English and perfect Hindi is unforgettable experience for them. To get chance to have personal 'Satsang' (intimate discussion) with Swamiji is a proud privilege which everyone in Ashram is aspiring for.

During Swamiji's last tour of Saurastra in September 1971, in hot climate of Gujarat, Swamiji even risked to motor 300 odd miles from Virnagar (Saurastra) to Baroda only for one day simply to bless me and consecrate my residence 'Guru—Kripa'.

In the present era when values are seen fastly changing both in 'Vyavahara' as well as in, 'Adhyatma' and people are trying to exert their own individual ego and gate-crash to come in 'Limelight', I quote below Swami Krishnanandaji's personal secret of success in his own words, for engraving them in our hearts.

"Be small. Be humble. Sit at the last. Don't try to come in front. GOD sees you what you are doing and how you are doing, no matter what you are and where you are as HE is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient."

Do we not feel that SWAMIJI is translating this maxim into action in his personal life by keeping himself in background so far as practicable?

My most humble adorations at the Lotus feet of Swami Sri Krishnanandj i Maharaj on this auspicious occasion of his 50th birthday. My prostrations and solicitations to our Revered Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandji Maharaj to bestow upon us such opportunities that we can celebrate DIAMOND and PLATINUM JUBILEES and even CENTENARY celebrations of our worthy Swami Sri Krishnanandji Maharaj and through him lead us to the Path of Perfection.

Hari Om Tat Sat. Jai Sivananda