A Messenger of Peace and Wisdom

A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 75th Birthday

ARTICLES ABOUT SWAMI KRISHNANANDA

Swami Krishnananda – A Conundrum

by Matru Mandali

On such an auspicious day as this it is our privilege to bring to memory the life and teachings of a spiritual saint and savant, a deeply unassuming, unostentatious and humble personality, sitting in whose presence one experiences a deep silence and peace which emanates from him as fragrance from a flower.

Pujya Swami Krishnanandaji's life at a superficial glance, seems to be one of contradictions and rather enigmatic! While his teachings lean towards the Jnana Marga of Upasana/Meditation, his daily activities display a total, restless involvement in mundane affairs. Nevertheless, Work and Wisdom enjoy an even balance in his life. He is an ideal Karma Yogi! Established, as it were, in a peerless state of inner tranquility, he freely and with utmost facility, jousts with 'Karma' being all the while 'Asanga' or unattached. At one moment he is totally identified and involved and the very next moment he is totally detached and free! He can at any given time, disengage himself from all activity and immediately plunge himself into profound inner solitude.

Being an adept in Raja Yoga he can focus his mind on any given subject and incisively penetrate into its core. This gives him the uncanny ability of understanding people and situations without any difficulty.

His sharp and perfect clarity of vision based on his inner experience of Vedantic Truths, enables him to effortlessly link-up any and every question/doubt with its philosophical implication and thus, bring us back again and again, to the one great movement\longing of the human soul for spiritual union.

Another unique feature of Pujya Swamiji is his ability to stay grounded in his 'being': Unmovable and unshakable is his abidance – no matter even if the skies opened – up and came tumbling down upon him! Like the strong and silent Himalayas he remains 'Achala'. Although he sometimes appears to be perturbed, he, in truth, remains unshaken and steady in wisdom. Like the great, grand ocean which appears to be agitated and noisy on the surface but in its unfathomable depths, it remains silent and motionless, so is he!

Being established in total renunciation he neither needs nor wants anything. His favourite quote – "Everything is everywhere at everytime" expresses clearly his profound experience of Truth and the resultant 'Atmatripti' or inner-contentment.

What we see of him is only the "tip of the iceberg" as it were! Two-thirds of him remains "Adrishya" or unperceived. Even the one-third portion of him which we see, we are not able to comprehend in toto. So how can we ever understand what or who he is.

His utter simplicity and childlike nature is so endearing; while his mother-like, caring attitude is so reassuring. His wisdom, rationality, intellectual genius; his unflinching dedication and devotion to Gurudev; his ceaseless and tireless Seva and his deep concern for Sadhakas' spiritual welfare – all this put together and more, make him so dearly precious to us all, that we have to repeatedly thank God and Gurudev for this great good fortune that has been bestowed upon us.

Thus, on this holy occasion of the 75th Birth Anniversary of Beloved and Pujya Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, we offer our deepest, heartfelt gratitude to Swamiji for deigning to be in our midst as a source of Support, Strength, Solace and Succour and leading us from darkness to Light, from untruth to Truth and from mortality to Immortality. May God and Gurudev bless Swamiji with good health and long life so that he may continue to bestow grace upon us and guide us to eternal Peace and Beatitude.

Hari Om Tat Sat.