Swami Krishnananda Shashtyabdapurti Mahotsava Commemoration Volume

A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 60th Birthday

My Encounter with Swami Krishnananda

by Guy Des Pinardes

We are very happy to inform the members of our Paris Branch of the auspicious Diamond Jubilee of Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj. Pujya Swamiji is now well known among them by his works which adorn our library.

As a spiritual author, Swamiji has the most talented style, a rigorous exactitude of the convenience of the word and a beautiful way of expression. But, above all, the writing brings out the personality of the greatest thinker expressing, through non-attachment and a noble soul, the highest realities of Cosmic Love.

The erudition of Swamiji is rare and one can find whatever he wants to know in his discourses. But, to those who have met him directly, Swamiji is much more than a ...good pen! He is a man of God spreading around him, for many years, and with profusion, kindness, generosity, love and spiritual assistance.

However, according to my own experience, Swamiji must be rightly guessed, because it may happen, at the first glance, that he looks very severe in his attitude. More than one visitor to the Ashram may have thought like this at his first contact with Swamiji: "God, how very hard this Swami looks! Has he a drop of sensibility left in his mind?"

I remember well my first meeting with Swamiji at the Ashram, about twenty years ago. Should I confess there was some ruggedness in the approach of Swamiji? He looked at me sharply for a few seconds and I was so troubled that I shut my eyes. Then, though our paths crossed every day, Swamiji gave the impression of never having seen me and he never uttered a word to me. But, after all, should he ought to do it? Moreover, at that time I was shy and certainly very emotional. But, never mind, I was fascinated by man of God and I was feeling he was the stuff that Masters were made of. I followed with the greatest interest his discourses on the Gita in the afternoon and also his interventions at Satsang, Each time we met, I saluted him respectfully, but still he did not seem to hhave noticed my presence. My ego was certainly disappointed, because everyone else spoke to me at the Ashram. One day I took resolution to confess this situation to Gurudev himself, but finally, shyness or so thing else prevented me from doing it.

However, one evening at Satsang, Gurudev called me near his arm-chair, to telling me: "Is everything all right here for you? Does everyone co-operate with you? Then he softly added: "Do not be afraid of Krishnanandaji Swami, he is a very noble soul, and if he can help you, he will certainly do it!"

There was a sudden acceleration in the beatings of my heart: "My God! How SWAMIJI has been able to guess my fears of Swami Krishnananda? What a mystery!"

Anyhow, I was now comforted and I was determined to take the initiative of engaging in conversation with this terrible Swami... Next day morning I saw Swami Krishnanandaji going out of the Bhajan Hall. "Now I shall approach him", thought I and tried to encourage myself, but the moment we came nearer to each other, I was again frightened and my words slipped away. Being definitely resigned to the prospect of being ignored by Swami Krishnananda, I started doing my Pranam, touching his feet, but this time he prevented me from doing it, putting his hand on my shoulder. As I raised my head, I discovered a mild laugh sketched on his lips and what I had up to now considered as the cold incarnation of an angry god, told me: “Are you pleased to be here, my friend? I suppose that life in the Ashram is very different from what it is in your country? Is it a long time you have manifested interest in Yoga? Please come to see me in my Kutir after Gurudev's Satsang..."

This was certainly not a long conversation, but the ice was broken and now I could feel, with joy, the great kindness of Swamiji. Since then, I have always known that he has the most delicate nature, full of compassion and love for every creature.