REVERED YATISHWARANANDAJI MAHARAJ - REMINISCENCES BY MONKS

28-January-2021

Today is Most Revered Swami Yatiswaranandaji’s Birthday!!!

REMINISCENCES BY MONKS AND NUNS

Swami Yatiswarananda As We Know Him – Volume I (Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004) p: 476 – 477

Chapter 38:

Associations with a Great Monk – 06

SWAMI BRAHMESHANANDA

The author is a former editor of the Vedanta Kesari, now living at Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, Varanasi.

Some Inspiring Anecdotes – 01

Here a few anecdotes connected with revered Maharaj which reveal deeply humane and simple nature rooted in his deep spirituality:

Sadananda Shukla

There was a devotee of the Indore Ashrama named Sadananda Shukla, who often used to visit the old Ashrama at the Snehlata Ganj. When we all got initiation and told him about it, he also felt a desire for it. He expressed it to us that he might go to Bangalore for it.

One day he suddenly disappeared without informing us, or his family members. His younger brother came to enquire about him. We told him that he might have gone to Bangalore. As a matter of fact, he just boarded the train. (During those days, trains were not as fast as now. It must have taken at least 2-3 days for him to reach Bangalore.) In the meantime, we sent a telegram to Bangalore Ashrama (there were no cell phones, nor even trunk-call facility was easily available) informing Swami Yatiswaranandaji that he might be accommodated if he reaches the Ashrama.

Sadananda Shukla reached Bangalore Ashrama in a haggard condition – tired and hungry. Initially, he was given a good (affectionate) scolding by Swami Samjnanandaji and then was accommodated in the Ashrama guest house. In the meantime, his wife with two of their young children, with his brother hurried to Bangalore, fearing that he might renounce the world and become a Sannyasin. Initially, Sadananda was told that initiation is not a thing which can be granted just for asking. But later Swami Yatiswaranandaji initiated him, his wife and his younger brother.

When I met him at Bangalore later, I came to know all these details. There was lot of fun. But, Swami Yatiswaranandaji also was happy and commented that Sadananda had devotion.

Swami Yatiswaranandaji used to bless by affectionately slapping the back of the person who was bowing down to him.

Mrs Vimla Devi Agarwal and her sister Padma Devi Aggarwal were initiated together by Revered Swami Yatiswaranandaji. Before initiation, he asked them about their Ishta. They said they did not know anything about it. Then Swami Yatiswaranandaji said that Sri Krishna was their Ishta, and initiated them accordingly. Later he told them that they were so innocent (that they did not know their Istha Devata) and that they will get liberation in this very life.

Once the house where they lived was set on fire by some miscreants. Among the things which did not catch fire was Swami Yatiswaranandaji’s photo, his footprints and the cloth given by him to them.

Grateful thanks to