Swami Krishnananda Shashtyabdapurti Mahotsava Commemoration Volume
A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 60th Birthday
Swami Krishnanandaji Embodies Vedanta and Yoga in Daily Life
by Swami Chidananda
May God shower Grace upon worshipful and beloved Sri Swami Krishnanandaji on the auspicious occasion of his Shashtybdapurti Mahotsava, namely, the Sixtieth Birthday Anniversary. Our Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji's abundant Guru-kripa ever be upon him and grant him sound good health and long life to radiate love, wisdom and compassion upon one and all. I offer my loving felicitations and greetings and reverent adorations to him. May Gurudev confer upon him Divine Peace, supreme joy and the highest blessedness.
Swami Krishnanandaji has divine vision in his daily Vyavahara. He beholds the world-process through the eyes of wisdom and knows it to be just an ever-changing appearance which has no ultimate reality. In this holy Ashram of our worshipful Gurudev, beloved Swami Krishnanandaji is like the Sage Dakshinamurti, who by his very presence dispels doubts and awakens awareness in the heart of the seeker. Verily, therefore, thirsting spiritual aspirants and seeking souls most eagerly desire to come and sit in his presence every day. They are drawn to his wisdom-filled spiritual personality. Like a powerful magnet that exercises its strong attraction, he is a centre of powerful spiritual attraction for sincere seekers, Sadhaks and Jijnasus. It is an inexplicable miracle and puzzle to me how he manages to harmoniously combine his spiritual ministry with his onerous official duties and responsibilities. Any other person of a lesser calibre would find it an impossible task. The secret of his ability to cope up and to do justice to both these two aspects of his singular life is perhaps his Vedantic vision towards his Vyavaharic work and his Yogic approach to daily duties and activities. His actions are like those of Lord Krishna in the sublime drama of His divine life. Even though apparently in the midst of activities, yet at the same time he is not in it. His consciousness is like the consciousness of the Gita Teacher in the charioteer's seat of Arjuna's battle-chariot. Sri Swamiji is an astonishing blend of a sage of contemplation and a man of action. Like the Ganga and the Yamuna at Prayag, the twin-streams of Divine Wisdom and spiritualised action form a confluence in his rare and integrated personality.
Swami Krishnanandaji is a highly venerated modern sage of India. He is today one of the foremost spiritual teachers of Uttarakhand for earnest seekers from numerous countries abroad. He is an embodiment of holiness and a guiding light to countless devotees and Sadhaks. Through his brilliant writings and soul-stirring spiritual talks, he transforms the lives of those who are fortunate enough to come in contact with him. To me it is a rare spiritual privilege and sanctifying process to live with Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj in the same holy Ashram of our gracious Gurudev. His godly presence is our supreme asset and wealth and the very life and soul of the Divine Life Society organisation and its Headquarters Sivanandashram. In him we have a rare spiritual Diamond hidden away from public gaze and limelight, in this little Himalayan hamlet of Muni-ki-reti. It is a blessing and a boon to be his spiritual brother and I feel great happiness to add this tribute of mine to numerous other ones from people all over the world.
The uniqueness of his life is that the knowledge he has imbibed through our Motherland's ancient lore has become so assimilated into his very nature that what he knows, that he has himself become. In him there is no dichotomy between what he knows and what he is. These two are not present in his personality as distinct and separate principles unconnected with each other and without relevance to each other. On the contrary, they are integrated and form a fusion devoid of conflict or contradiction. This is the rare beauty of his nature and human personality. This is the source of the power behind his words. This is the fact that explains the impact of his personality upon those who associate with him and move close to him. Vedanta and Yoga are not subjects which he teaches. Vedanta and Yoga constitute the essence of his life, and of his actions in the daily living of his life. The fortunate observer who has the opportunity to witness and watch his spontaneous actions during his normal Vyavahara would discover the true implications of Yoga and Vedanta through such observation. His utterances are educative. His actions are lessons in themselves. Association with him is a process of gradual enlightenment.
Long may he live to continue to bless, inspire, guide and enlighten all seekers. Homage unto this noble Vedantic Guru and Acharya whom late Revered Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj proclaimed as the Sankaracharya of this modern era. His Sixtieth Birthday Anniversary is an occasion both for rejoicing as well as for spiritual renewal.