I met Swami for the first time in Dubai with my parents and sister in 1996. Since then our lives began to revolve only and only around Him. My experiences with Swami are infinite and cannot be expressed merely by words. He has been a part of everything in my life. Every walk of my life is incomplete without him. He has been my motivator, counselor and teacher and has always guided me towards the right path, he has taught me right from wrong, and has always played an integral role in every decision that I take. Here are a few amongst the infinite number of experiences that I would want to share with each and everyone.

 

SWAMI KNOWS IT ALL

 

When I was in the second or third standard I vaguely remember, I had gone to attend one of Swamiji’s puja with my family. While taking blessings, He very casually asked whether my exams were over. I told him that my exams were going on and that I had an exam the very next day. It was my English exam. He enquired whether I had studied the poem that was there in the English text book. I replied in the negative. He smiled and didn’t say anything beyond that. My mother understood what he had meant and made me learn the poem and guess what, my English paper contained maximum questions from the poem alone which I wouldn’t have been able to attend if I hadn’t learnt the poem. This shows Swami’s divine presence even while I am studying. At times, instead of studying I would waste my time on futile things and many times it has so happened that on the very same day we would have a puja and He would enquire as to what I had done that day. I would then very sheepishly smile, because I would know that he has caught me this time. Such things even our parents wouldn’t be aware of, but nothing, no matter how small it is, can be hidden from our dear Swami.

 

Once, while taking blessings from Swami, during one of the puja, Swami was distributing sweets to all the devotees. When my turn was approaching, I mentally made note of the sweets he was distributing. There were two boxes lying open next to him, out of which he was distributing sweets only from one of the box, containing sweets that I disliked. I mentally made a silent prayer asking for sweets from the second box. When my turn came, to my utter amazement, His hand went towards the second box, though there were many sweets remaining in the first box, and he grabbed not one but 2-3 sweets from the box and handed it over to me. He smiled and said, “You like these sweets a lot!!!” I couldn’t help grinning to myself in sheer amazement. Matters of little significance also concern him greatly and He always makes sure that we obtain what we desire.

 

SWAMI’S PROPHECIES

 

Right from childhood I suffered from math phobia. I would be terrified of all my math teachers and would equally give a bad performance in all my math exams not because I was incapable but because I had an unexplainable inner fear towards the subject. When I was in the 9th standard I began to kind of get rid of my fear and score well, but not up to my expectations. Since my 10th was approaching I had to really buck up but didn’t know how. That was when Swamiji came to my aid. During one of the puja he enquired about my math. I just smiled and didn’t reply because I knew He knew it all. He said that I would improve and that was all I needed. I very surprisingly began to perform much better than before and attained the highest marks in the class when I was studying in the 10th standard. Those were my most cherished memories and I owe it all Swami. Now mathematics is one of my most favorite subjects and I cherish the very subject deeply in my heart.

 

SWAMI- THE HEALER

 

In 2003 my family and I had planned to attend the Hanuman Jayanthi Celebrations that was being conducted in Chennai, before which we decided to visit Tirupati. In Tirupati, unfortunately, I tripped and fell down just outside the temple leading to a sprain in my ankle. I did feel a little pain but I could manage myself around the temple. We got a beautiful Darshan and were completely mesmerized by the divine presence of Lord Tirupati. It was much after having the Darshan that I felt a sprinting pull in my ankle which was preventing me from walking any further. I started yelping in pain because my right feet hurt a lot. My parents somehow managed 2 bring me to the car, which was taking us to Chennai, with great difficulty, because after taking 2-3 steps I would stop, unable to bear the pain in my right leg. My trip to Chennai was awful. I was unable to keep my feet down, which by then had become quite swollen and red. We reached Chennai at night. It was Thursday and a huge crowd had collected in the ashram all awaiting Swami’s arrival. I was made to sit on a chair in the ashram. In sometime Swamiji entered the ashram and the bhajan session began in full swing. It was a totally different experience. I was at a total loss of words on listening to the melodious and sweet bhajans sung by our Swami. After the bhajan session got over, all the devotees stood up and went and surrounded Swami. I was feeling a little uncomfortable sitting (as I was unable to stand) when everyone else was standing in the ashram, so I somehow tried to get up and stand. On seeing this, Swami, who was by then engaged in a conversation with a devotee, started walking towards me. Swami was now standing in front of me and instructed me to sit down. I did as I was told. He then asked me what happened. After I had explained he asked me to lift my right leg. By then all the devotees in the ashram had surrounded the both of us. To by utter amazement, Swami took my feet in his own hands and massaged it. I cried out in pain when He gave it a slight pull. After doing this he asked me to apply vibhuti on my feet and take rest and assured me that I would be able to walk the next day itself. I did as I was instructed and waited for a miracle to happen. The next morning, I got up and could feel as if the sprain in my feet had vanished. I immediately stood up and voila I was able to walk without any strain. It was like as if Swami’s magical touch had removed all my pain. He is my Doctor.  I feel at loss of words to explain as to how I felt then. It didn’t stop with that. Whenever Swami would see me anywhere he would stop, however busy he would be, and would enquire about my leg. I was afraid that I would be unable to attend the Oorvalum(the procession held during Hanuman Jayanti), but Swami had other things in store for me. My sprained ankle was cured just in time to attend the Oorvallum, during which I experienced no pain in my ankle. This shows his gratefulness and divine power. Thank you, Swami for everything.

 

ARRANGEMENT OF MY HOSTEL ROOM:

 

It was the mid of July 2006 and within a month I was to join college in India. I was apprehensive about the life in hostel since I had never lived on my own ever especially so far away from home and was praying that everything works out well. One day, while attending one of the puja, Swami suddenly looked up at me and asked about my college. I told him that everything is finalized and I would be joining college in another month. He assured me that everything would work out fine and my room in the hostel would be in a good location. I totally forgot about this when I joined the college the very next month and began to mingle, slowly but steadily, into college life. It was only few months after joining college that I realized what he had said and its valuable meaning dawned on me. True to his words, as he always is, my room was the only room that I felt the most comfortable to be in, in my entire block. There was some kind of an unexplainable, serene feel in the room which I could experience in no other room. The position of the room was just perfect and the scenic view of nature was clearly visible only from my room. When there would be a downpour, it would be a scene worth a watch. I would just stand outside my room, enjoying the cool breeze blowing across my face cumulated with the fresh smell of wet soil, grasping every minute of it. My roommate, thankfully, now is one my good friend and I had no problems with my other floor mates at all. What more did I want. I had a very enjoyable stay in my first year. I was at a total loss of words because nothing can beat what HE says. He knows it all and is always around us to guide us throughout our venture of life.

 

SWAMI -MY STRENGTH AND POWER

 

Once I had nearly fainted after my workshop class (that requires physical work) since I hadn’t been taking meals properly. I was feeling extremely giddy and weak. That very evening, my father called me up and told me that Swami had enquired about me and assured him that I would start feeling better immediately. As soon as I heard this I started feeling better and began doing all my chores for the day which I had thought I would have been unable to do.

 

SWAMI-MY MOTIVATOR AND COUNSELOR

 

At times I would get very moody, due to unknown reasons and show my temper on everything possible. I had totally lost total faith in myself and thought very low of myself. I wish I was like others, and wanted to always be as victorious as they were, but alas all my hard work was going unseen and I never used to get the fruits of my sincerity and hard work. This would depress me further and de-escalate my confidence. It was at this point when Swami came to my rescue. During our visit to Chennai, he boosted my confidence to such a level that nothing will put me down anymore. He spoke to me caringly and gently and assured me that all my bad days have ended. He elated my mood and removed all the fear that I had towards life.  He has induced into me the determination and will to live this life which is full of ups and downs and to face every obstacle with belief in myself and complete trust in Him. He steeped up my confidence and advised not to believe anybody (apart from your loved ones) other then my inner voice. Thank you, dearest and most lovable Swami.

 

Selection of stream:

 

We chose my stream after consulting Swamiji, He told that for now I should study engineering drawing in the 11th and 12th standard and IT can follow later. True to His words, I chose IT as my engineering program in college. Engineering drawing, being a compulsory course for all first years, proved very helpful to me since I had learnt the very same subject in school not for one but for two years. Due to inefficient lectures in the subject many of my friends would turn to me for help. Besides, I topped the class in engineering drawing. What more did I need.  There is always a hidden meaning and significance in whatever He says; He knows it all and is always and always there just by our side to help us, guide us and motivate us. My prayer to Swamiji and Amma is to give me enough strength and energy to serve them and spread His glory all over the world and wherever I go.

 

Jai Shri Ram

Vinita Kanakaraj, Dubai

 

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