75. योगिवन्द्यपदाम्भोजः Yogi-vandya-padāmbhojaḥ

One whose lotus feet were venerated by yogins

His Holiness being taught various aspects of yoga by Lord Śiva in a series of dreams and by Goddess Śāradāmbā in a vision and a dream, are presented under nāmas 10, 52 and 91. These various forms of yoga culminating in His Holiness’s experience of nirvikalpa-samādhi, the acme of yoga longed for by yogins, are presented under nāmas 1 and 76 among others. Such was His Holiness’s mastery over yoga, that His padāmbhoja, lotus feet, were yogi-vandya, venerated by, even accomplished yogins. Indeed, the statement of the Lord, “Whatever a great person does, that is what another does. Whatever he upholds as authority, the world follows,”²¹³ was true with regard to His Holiness, the most exalted yogin.

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In response to a pressing invitation from Anandamayi Ma, a very well-known tapasvinī with a very large following, His Holiness arrived at Haridwar on 15^th June, 1982. A large gathering of devotees and admirers, which included erudite saṁnyāsins and Mahāmaṇḍaleśvars, received His Holiness. He was taken in a colourful procession from Sri Shankaracharya Marg to Kankhal, about five kilometres from Haridwar, where He camped for three days. On arrival at the aśrama, He was received by Anandamayi Ma and the inmates. Anandamayi Ma had meticulously made exquisite arrangements for His Holiness’s comfortable stay.

In private, she informed Him that she felt that the time had come for her to cast off the body. Though externally His Holiness did not reveal His views, He comprehended that her end was nearing. She sought His blessings, which His Holiness conferred on her.

198 75. Yogi-vandya-padāmbhojaḥ

After His Holiness returned to Delhi, He indirectly hinted at the impending end of the tapasvinī’s sojourn on earth by delaying the sending of some materials to Haridwar through a messenger who had arrived to collect them. A little later, the news arrived that she had expired.

Sri H. C. Vishweshwariah once recollected going to Haridwar and visiting the āśrama of Anandamayi Ma, along with Sri Giridhara Sastry. The inmates of the āśrama received the duo with great respect when they heard that they were connected with His Holiness. The inmates recollected to them the great grace His Holiness had showered on Anandamayi Ma, and the reverence she had for Him. The sacred pādukās of His Holiness had been kept in a room at the āśrama. When the visitors expressed their desire to have the darśana of the pādukās, the inmates of the āśrama told them that they would have to bath in the Gaṅgā, then bathe again at the āśrama and only then be allowed to even enter the room where the pādukās were kept. Such was the reverence they had for the pādukās of His Holiness.

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Śrī Iśvarānanda Sarasvatī, referred to as ‘Kāśī-svāmin’, was a very dispassionate saṁnyāsin and an adept at performing āsanas. He had learnt the Brahmasūtra-bhāṣya from the senior Jagadguru and was close to the senior Jagadguru and His Holiness. He led a very frugal life, eating only by taking bhikṣa. In fact, (as described under nāma 76) His Holiness watched Kāśī-svāmin perform āsanas and learnt from him. Kāśī-svāmin, on the other hand, held His Holiness in the highest esteem and paid obeisance to Him.

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Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmin of Varadapura, Sagara, was an accomplished yogin who deeply revered His Holiness. His Holiness visited Varadapura on Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmin’s request and blessed him.

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Mahesh Yogi of Transcendental Meditation fame had contacts with His Holiness even from his early days, when he was not famous. He wrote numerous letters to His Holiness and visited Him on several occasions. For instance, he called on His Holiness during His 1977 camp at New Delhi.

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In response to the invitation of Svāmi Satyānanda, the head of the Bihar School of Yoga, His Holiness visited Monghyr on 17^th March, 1967 and camped at the Bihar School of Yoga. He was welcomed with all honours by the inmates of the institution. Speaking to a distinguished audience on the next day in the spacious hall of Baijnath Goenka Dharmasala, His Holiness made a fervent appeal to those present to follow the path of dharma as laid down by the sages of yore. He quoted verses from the Gītā emphasising the impermanence of the body and the eternity of the Ātman. He added, “Bhagavatpāda has pointed to the ultimate unity of all faiths. One may follow any path one likes provided one sees the oneness of all religions. There is no fundamental contradiction between the tenets of one religion or cult and another. All spiritual paths ultimately lead to the same goal. This indeed is the universal appeal of the philosophy of Advaita.” The representative of the institution then offered respects to His Holiness as also gratitude for condescending to uplift the citizens of Monghyr.

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Śrī Śuddhānanda-bhāratī Svāmin, an independent saṁnyāsin-yogin, who had been hailed as ‘kavi-yogin’ by Jagadguru Śrī Sacchidānanda Śivābhinava Nṛsiṁha Bhāratī Mahāsvāmin, and had received the grace of and spiritual guidance from Jagadguru Śrī Candraṣekhara Bhāratī Mahāsvāmin, expressed that he considered himself extremely blessed to have had the darśana of and the opportunity to converse with His Holiness.

During one such darśana that he had of His Holiness, he spontaneously composed a Tamil verse that conveys, “The entire world is eager to serve the foremost among great sages, the pre-eminent Vidyātīrtha, who ever gives extreme joy to the tradition of Brahman and the Vedic way of life, and who has come here today like a welcome torrent of rain.”²¹⁴

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