Swami Shivananda: A Living Light

(Continued from the previous issue...) In this article, Swami Shraddhanandaji reminiscences about his interaction with Swami Shivananda, one of the direct-disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and the 2nd President of the Ramakrishna Order. From 1957, Shraddhanandaji served in the American centres of San Francisco and Sacramento until his mahasamadhi in July 1996. This article was sent to The Vedanta Kesari by Lali Maly, a devotee of Vedanta Society of Sacramento, USA.

- Swami Shraddhananda

It continued for about a fortnight. Brother monastics urged me to go and apologise. But I said, “No. I don’t know what I have done. But I shall bear it, because I know he is my well-wisher.” Then one day suddenly he spoke, and he smiled saying, “My boy. You see, Self-knowledge, the knowledge of Atman, is, after all, the knowledge of God. God can give you Self-knowledge, but it cannot be wrested from Him. So humility must be practised. Every day you should go to the shrine and in all humility pray to Sri Ramakrishna to give you humility, and then you will be ready for Self-knowledge. It isn’t merely studying the Upanishads or just some vain arguments and vain reasoning. Self-knowledge will come when the heart is ready. For you it is necessary to go on that path of devotion. Don’t think Self-knowledge won’t come. It will come, but it will come through devotion.”

There were other swamis present, and they said, “Oh, Maharaj. You have been so hard on him.” “I am his guru,” replied Swami Shivananda. “I have to correct him. I knew the boy was going on the wrong path, and was going astray.”