All our search for a Guru was finally answered when we met Sri Vikaraman Swamiji in 1995. All glories to Sadguru Sri Vikaraman Swamiji. It was our good fortune that Swamiji stayed with us in Chicago for almost 11 days between 22nd August and 1st Sept 99.
Sri Vikraman Swamiji is blessed by Lord Anjaneya and his mission has been to spread God consciousness among people irrespective of their religion, cast or creed. Whoever has met Swamiji will have lots of experiences to share but some of them surely are beyond expression. His compassion has no bounds and he treats everybody equally. People who meet him gain in confidence, get motivated and feel blessed. The miracles that happened in our own life are an example of Swamiji’s divine powers. When he visited USA in 1998, he stayed with us for a few days and during that period he mentioned to us one day that we should read Shri Shirdi Baba’s Charitha in order to understand Him more. He kept telling us to visit Shirdi Baba Temple. Knowing our plight in finding the Temple and the Book, He blessed us that everything would be arranged at the appropriate time. True to his words, after a few months, we accidentally met a Shirdi Baba devotee who, not only gladly gave us a book on Shirdi Baba but also gave us Baba’s portrait and the location of Baba’s Mandir . We got a strange feeling when we entered Baba’s Mandir. We read Baba’s Charitha in seven days. All Glories to Sadguru Sainath Maharaj and to Sri Vikraman Swamiji. Our devotion and faith iincreased in Swamiji through whom Baba spoke to us and made us realize who our dear Swami is.
Since we wanted everybody to get Swamiji’s blessings, we informed as many people as we could in Chicago. We mentioned about Swamiji’s visit to one of the Truestees of Sri Shirdi Baba Temple Mr. Anand Sonti and invited him to attend the Pooja Swamiji was conducting at our house on Sunday, August 20th. That day, we also invited one of our American friends Ms. Gail Sonkin to attend the Pooja. There was a grand pooja that evening with a packed crowd of people at our house. Ms.Gail Sonkin who came with her daughter, was so pleased with her meeting with Swamiji that she sent us a special card thanking us for inviting him and mentioned that it was a wonderful experience for them and donated $200 to Swamiji’s Ashram.
On Tuesday, August 22nd, we performed Pada Pooja to Swamiji with three families. That evening, we got a call from one Sardar gentleman who was sounding desperate to meet Swamiji right then. First we could not understand him since he was stammering. He informed us that he had a dream of his Guru who mentioned about Swamiji and told him that Swamiji;s period will be a Golden Era. Since Swamiji’s schedule was very busy, we told him to call later. However, his devotion was so deep, he kept calling us almost a dozen times everyday. In the meantime, Mr. Ananth Sonti had invited Swamiji to visit his house and light the lamp. So, on Thursday, the August 24th, Swamiji, went to Anant Sonti’s house. There was a packed crowd and it was a great experience for all of them. One of the devotees Mrs.Nayan had dreamt of Swamiji and she was overwhelmed to meet Swamiji. Mr.Nagabushanam Koneru, one of the Trustees of Sri Shirdi Baba Mandir, also met Swamiji and he too was amazed at Swamiji’s divine powers. They invited Swamiji to visit Sri Sai Mandir on the following Sunday .Swamiji also was so happy that day that he visited two more houses. That night, we again got the call from the Sardarji pleading for an appointment with Swamiji. Swamiji said that he would meet him the next day at 10 AM. However, Sardarji surprised us by visiting our hosue that same night to locate the house properly. Seeing his devotion, Swamiji decided to meet him right then. Sardarji was choked with emotion when he saw Swamiji. Swamiji blessed him profusely and even predicted that he would get over his stammering gradually.
The next day, we took Swamiji to Holland, Michigan, to meet one of his old devotees, Miss. Sudha Pandian. There again, there was a packed crowd waiting to see Swamiji. Sudha , a computer professional,.says that whatever she is today, it is all because of the blessings of Swamiji. All the people gathered in her house in Holland felt blessed on meeting Swamiji and listening to his talk and Bhajans.
Swamiji wrapped up his Chicago visit with a grand Pooja in Sri Shirdi Sai Baba mandir on Sunday, August 27th. Words cannot express the way the Trustees of the Mandir arranged for Swamiji’s visit. They performed Pada Pooja to Swamiji on arrival at the Mandir. They also made arrangements for people view the cassette containing the Hanumath Jayahti Celebrations which Swamiji performs every year in Chennai, India. Swamiji always used to mention to us that we should look at devotees of Shirdi Baba to understand what Guru Bakthi means. Yes, that day we could witness it ourselves. A lot of people had gathered at the temple to see him, listen to him and to seek his blessings. Swamiji spoke to each and every person and they all felt blessed. People were amazed at Swamiji’s divine powers –how he could talk about a person’s past, present and future. Some people simply wept overwhelmed with emotion as Swamiji touched their heart with his soothing words. All of them felt that Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Himself was speaking to them through Swamiji. Swamiji also said that he could feel Baba’s presence in the Mandir. He also predicted that this Mandir will become famous and well-known. All Glories to Sadguru Shri Sainath Maharaj. The pooja was concluded with Arathi and respectful offerings to Swamiji by the Trustees of the Temple Mr. Anant, Mr. Nagabushan , Mr.Umapathi and Mrs. Manju. Swamiji had mentioned quite a few years ago that he would be conducting a big pooja in Chicago and indeed this came true this year. However, according to Swamiji, this is only the beginning and many more grand poojas will follow in future.
After Swamiji left Chicago for New York on Sept 1st, we have been thinking about writing about Swamiji’s visit to Chicago and especially mention about his Pooja in Shirdi Mandir. Baba must have read our mind that we happened to read an article in Indian Reporter about Shirdi Baba written by Sri Jithendra Shilke. The article had his contact number also. We contacted him and he happily agreed to get this report published in Indian Reporter. Many thanks to Mr. Shilke for arranging this.
We are looking forward to Swamiji’s visit next year when we expect more and more people to organize poojas and take his blessings.
Anybody who wishes to know more about Swamiji may please visit his web-site at www.vikraman.com or send e-mail to bopsiravi@hotmail.com.
Ravi and Swarna
Chicago
USA