1. isbn 979-8-88572-260-5

Content: the formless in form A pictorial biography of Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swami

Content: Tava kathaamritam tapta jeevanam Kavibhireeditam kalmashaapaham Shravana mangalam shreemadaadadam Bhuvigrunandide bhooridaajanah

Content: Your immortal story is as elixir to the suffering Extolled by the scholarly, it wipes out all sin Enchanting to listen, it grants a wealth of ecstasy to those who narrate, those who listen and those who recall!

Content:

• Srimad Bhaagavatam

Content: Ebook ISBN: 979-8-88572-260-5

Content: Cover photograph by YADEV

Content: All rights reserved.

Content: No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from Dhyana Peetam.

Content: Can the life of a divine soul be chronicled in mere words, by a mere mortal?

Content: Even to attempt it would be an act of unforgivable arrogance!

Content: Faced with this awesome responsibility, I felt my mind run dry…. Day after day, I postponed

Content: the task, evading Swamiji's eye. How could I say that I didn't know what to write? What

Content: only the supreme writers of all time had attempted - how could I be so rash as to take

Content: on such a task? How terribly inadequate I felt to the honour placed upon me!

Content: Time was running out - and not a word would my pen yield!

Content: Finally, one night, I clasped my mala and began to pray fervently to Swamiji. At least, it

Content: started as a prayer... it ended as a torrent of tears.

Content: Swamiji was traveling at the time. Late that night, I received a phone call - from Swamiji

Content: himself! I couldn't believe it - it was the first time he had ever called me. He spoke to

Content: me for nearly an hour - about what, I simply can't remember. All I remember is that at

Content: the end of that phone call, I was dazed with joy.

Content: In a trance of bliss, without even realizing what I was doing, I went and sat at my computer.

Content: The time was 11 p.m. I simply put my fingers to the keyboard - and instantly felt Swamiji's

Content: magic flow through them. They began to fly over the keys with a life entirely their own.

Content: Words seemed to spill out in an incessant flow....

Content: The next time I looked up at the clock, it was 5 a.m. The biography was done.

Content: When Swamiji got back to the ashram, I poured out my astonishment and gratitude to him.

Content: He simply laughed, and insisted that I put it down in the foreword, exactly as it happened.

Content: So here it is - Swamiji's autobiography - another of his many divine miracles..!

Content:

• A grateful disciple

Content: 12.32 a.m., January 1, 1978 :

Content: The Birth

Content: To Arunachalam and Lokanayaki, a son is born.

Content: They name their second-born Rajasekaran, 'the king of gods'

Content: (a popular name of Lord Shiva). Little do they realize at the

Content: time, the truth of their own words!

Content: Indeed, could the miracle of his birth be sung in the

Content: quaint, resonant tones of the Indian folk-song, it might

Content: have gone like this:

Content: Did you hear the news, sister?

Content: A very miracle has happened, sister!

Content: Deep in the middle of the still blue night

Content: A new sun is born in our midst, sister!

Content: As all of Nature watches spellbound

Content: And the stars gather to witness the birth

Content: The mighty Arunachala mountain himself

Content: Calls forth his son to bless the earth

Content: And mother Thiruvannamalai, ever sacred

Content: Waits to receive him with loving hands

Content: Another holy son to you, mother!

Content: Hail, a new jewel upon this land!

Content: Like Krishna, born in the deep of the night

Content: Blue-limbed, lotus-eyed, he charms all who behold

Content: Like the rising sun he grows, luminous

Content: Brilliant of mind, upright and bold

Content: Not for him, noisy playmates

Content: The childish pranks of the common boy

Content: His most joyous hours are spent in worship

Content: The holy idols his beloved toys

Content: Like Karthikeya, he wanders fearless

Content: Mighty Arunachala's jungles wild

Content: He dances to a drummer none else hears

Content: His spirit hears the call of the infinite sky

Content: Oh, do not try to hold him back, sister!

Content: The spark of a quest burns bright in his eye

Content: He is born not just for you or me, sister

Content: A whole world waits for his touch Divine!

Content: "It is impossible to articulate in words an experience that is entirely beyond space and time. But let me try!"

Content: So saying, Swamiji guided us wondering listeners through the miraculous event of his birth upon this planet:

Content: "At the time of entering the body I was in a state of complete awareness. The earth was swamped in wave upon wave of utter darkness. An absolute silence pervaded the air. Below me, on the planet Earth, I perceived the outlines of a region which I now recognize as southern India.

Content: Suddenly, I saw a brilliant meteor flash across the sky, followed by an explosion of light. At that very moment, I entered the body and took birth.

Content: The very next sight I perceived with my inner eye was Arunachala, the sacred mountain of Thiruvannamalai, and I knew that I had assumed the body once more."

Content: Arunachalam's family celebrated the birth of their second child with traditional gaiety and revelry.

Content: But the joy was to be short-lived. On the tenth day after his birth, in accordance with custom, the family astrologer was summoned to draw up the infant's horoscope. That venerable man declared in no uncertain terms, "Arunachalam, your family is honoured! This boy will grow up to be a Raja Sannyāsi, a King among sannyāsi*. I am privileged to have been chosen to draw up this horoscope. After this, I cannot sully my hands by allowing any other horoscope to pass into them!" So saying, the astrologer gladly retired from his profession.

Content: But the family was distraught at the news.

Content: "Is there no parihāra, no compensation, no offering we might make to bend the hand of Fate?" they pleaded.

Content: "None that I know of," replied the astrologer, "But you could try keeping this horoscope hidden from the child. At best, it may help postpone the event."

Content: Thus it was, that Rajasekaran's family religiously guarded from the young child the awesome truth of his own destiny.

Content: But who dare thwart the plan of Existence?

Content: Right from his second year, the boy began to show signs of a spiritual bent of mind.

Content: Borne in the arms of his grandfather Raji Mudaliar, a master storyteller, the little Rajasekaran would daily do the rounds of Thiruvannamalai's numerous temples. With rapt attention,

Content:

• holy men

Content: "Well can one say of thee,

Content: that Thou in form art seen

Content: Yet truly can he speak Thee

Content: formless and unseen

Content: Ah! Who can know thy nature?

Content: Can any plumb Thy depths?..."

Content:

• from 'Arunachala Ashtakam'

Content: Sri Ramana Maharishi

Content: The Significance of Arunachala

Content: The mighty Arunachala (the Red Mountain) is among the most ancient and holiest of

Content: pilgrimage spots in India.

Content: Even to the eyes of the most unaware, Arunachala reveals itself as no ordinary mountain.

Content: Invested with a timeless majesty and enveloped in a shroud of mystery that centuries

Content: of legend have only deepened, Arunachala has a presence that is more spiritual than

Content: physical. Widely held to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva himself, Arunachala has been

Content: declared by Sri Sankara to be none other than Mount Meru, the secret and sacred heart-

Content: centre of Shiva. Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi calls Arunachala "the spiritual center of

Content: the world."

Content: It is difficult to articulate Swamiji's relationship with Arunachala - for 'relationship' itself

Content: would convey a false sense of duality. They both seem to have sprung from the same

Content: current, the cosmic force that creates and animates all. Born in the shadow of Arunachala,

Content: Swamiji as a boy spent his deepest hours of contemplation in the arms of the mighty

Content: mountain. To him, Arunachala was more than a mountain, more even than a father or

Content: a deity: Arunachala was Himsefl. Even as a boy, Swamiji knew himself to be one with

Content: Arunachala.

Content: It is not for nothing that Arunachala is known as 'the mountain that beckons'. Even

Content: the ordinary traveler, once having set eyes upon Arunachala, is drawn inexplicably to

Content: dwell upon its sacred presence again and again. This strange experience, known as 'the

Content: call of Arunachala', is commonly felt by seekers even today.

Content: Swamiji explains:

Content: I am Arunachala!

Content: Arunachala is nothing but the physical manifestation of the unmoving Self. (achala)

Content: Arunachala is Consciousness itself.

Content: Arunachala is within, and not without.

Content: Your journey to Arunachala is your journey inward - just as your journey to me is.

Content: No wonder you are drawn here again and again.

Content: Where else is there to go?

Content: he would listen to the tales of the valour of Markandeya and

Content: the devotion of Prahlada. Once home, he would repeat these

Content: tales word for word, to the astonishment of his family and

Content: neighbours.

Content: Then came the occasion of Rajasekaran's third birthday. His

Content: parents were at a loss as to what to gift their self-willed,

Content: unusual child. But it came as no surprise when the boy himself

Content: requested an idol of Lord Ganeœba*. That idol was to become

Content: Rajasekaran's best friend, a living companion that he talked

Content: and laughed, played and quarreled with.

Content: His mother remembers with amusement how the boy would

Content: scold the idol in much the same way as his parents scolded

Content: him: "Come on, eat your food quickly or I'm going to throw

Content: you in the well!"

Content: Little Rajasekaran was the darling of all eyes. Perhaps

Content: somewhere deep inside, his family had begun to understand

Content: that they were but his guardians for a while. In those precious

Content: years granted to them, they showered him with unconditional,

Content: unquestioning love.

Content: Like all grandmothers, Dhanakoti Ammal had a soft corner

Content: for her mischievous grandson. One day, knowing the boy's

Content: fondness for all that glittered, she threw open her jewel-box

Content: to him as a special treat. But Dhanakoti Ammal was to learn

Content: something that day. For her five-year-old grandson picked out

Content: without hesitation the only jewellery he would wear in years

Content: to come: the sacred rudraksha mala**.

Content:

• the auspicious

Content: elephant-headed god,

Content: remover of all

Content: obstacles to success

Content: ** the necklace of

Content: holy beads worn

Content: exclusively by

Content: spiritual mendicants

Content: Viewed from the towering heights of Arunachala, Thiruvannamalai appears like a pygmy town! Only the temple towers stand out majestically.

Content: The sacred town of Thiruvannamalai lies prostrate at the feet of the mighty Arunachala. Sanctified by the births of innumerable saints and holy souls over the centuries (famous among them being Sri Ramana Maharishi), Thiruvannamalai town is one of the holiest pilgrimage spots in South India.

Content: Rajasekaran (left) with his brothers atop the terrace of their house. Seen in the background are two of the nine gopurams (towers) of the Thiruvannamalai temple. Many pleasant hours of Rajasekaran's childhood were spent in the vicinity of this beloved temple.

Content: Mother Lokanayaki and father Arunachalam (a recent picture)

Content: WORSHIP IN PLAY: At an age when his classmates were amusing themselves with toys and games, Rajasekaran was already well-versed in religious rites and rituals. Unmindful of the hours, he would be lost in worship, often urging his family to join in the puja. A skilled sculptor, the boy would also carve and decorate images of local deities during temple festivals and display them to an admiring crowd. His family remembers with pride that the boy's creations used to give stiff competition to the actual images taken out in the temple processions!

Content: Rajasekaran (left), on a family pilgrimage to Kanyakumari. Also seen, silhouetted against the sunset sky, is the majestic Vivekananda Rock.

Content: Rajasekaran at a workshop on Transcendental Meditation (TM). It is not difficult to spot him in the picture; the boy with the blazing eyes who is intent upon the lecture with all his being!

Content: RAGHUPATI YOGI

Content: It was one of the miracles of Existence that brought Rajasekaran to Raghupati Yogi. With a body taut as a bowstring, disciplined by years of rigorous tapas in India, Tibet and Burma, Raghupati Yogi was the perfect foil to the timid, curious young boy who sought him out. In an unusual companionship that blossomed over five years, Raghupati Yogi trained the young Rajasekaran in the mysteries of Yoga. Recognising that the boy was destined for sannyasa, Raghupati Yogi one day summoned him to the Kritika Mantap of the Thiruvannamalai temple. There he bestowed upon him diksha (initiation), a rare honour for one so young.

Content: In the moment of his initiation, Rajasekaran was blessed with a vision of Parvabhakti, whom the Yogi pronounced hisishtadeva (favoured deity). Too young to realize how precious this gift was, Rajasekaran returned home absorbed in the loveliness of the vision he had just glimpsed. Once home, he proceeded to carve in soapstone the very figure that had graced his vision. That marvellously sculpted figurine (seen in picture) remains with him to this day.

Content: One day, when the impetuous Rajasekaran demanded to know what miraculous powers Yoga could bestow, Raghupati Yogi ‘materialized’ this conch (seen in picture) for him from thin air. The astonished Rajasekaran examined the conch, noted a date inscribed on it and accused his teacher of tricking him. Then Raghupati Yogi laughingly conceded that the conch was indeed not materialized by him, but merely teleported from his home miles away – a miraculous feat in itself!

Content: Raghupati Yogi was a living example of the powers that Yoga can bestow upon the devoted practitioner. However, the taciturn Yogi was unwilling to display his miraculous powers before common eyes.

Content: But one day, upon Rajasekaran’s insistence, he performed for him the rare feat of levitation. The Yogi sat down in meditation, and right before the amazed eyes of the boy, he lifted a clear six inches off the ground. Unable to believe his eyes, Rajasekaran hesitantly passed his hand through the space beneath the Yogi’s body - to encounter nothing but air! These miracles were enough to convince Rajasekaran of the existence of an entire dimension of awareness and ability that lies beyond the reach of common consciousness.

Content: Raghupati Yogi was also instrumental in introducing Rajasekaran to the possibilities of meditation. If today we are fortunate enough to have pictures of the young Rajasekaran in meditation (see overleaf), thanks goes to Raghupati Yogi’s prophetic vision.

Content: When the bewildered boy questioned the need for having his photograph taken, it is said that the Yogi replied with a meaningful smile, “You will know when the time comes. For now, simply keep these pictures safe.”

Content: 14

Content: 15

Content: The earliest photograph of Rajasekaran in meditation. (original photograph)

Content: 16

Content: (restored version)

Content: 17

Content: DHANAKOTI AMMAL, grandmother

Content: MATAJI KUPPAMMAL in meditation, seen against the backdrop of Arunachala.

Content: 18

Content: Mataji Kuppammal was a catalytic force in Rajasekaran's life. A friend of his grandmother and a deeply pious lady, she looked upon the exceptional boy as her ward.

Content: One day, when worshipping at the Arunachala temple, Rajasekaran was blessed with a vision of a lovely geometric form. On returning home, he began to earnestly reproduce the diagram, carving it on a piece of foil with a nail. Mataji Kuppamal, who happened to be present at the time, was overwhelmed by the portent of what she saw. The diagram that the boy's hands were effortlessly creating was none other than the sacred Sri Chakra! To have been graced with this vision was itself a miracle, for the Sri Chakra eludes all but the truly deserving. But to whom could she put these questions? For the boy himself was so young, so frail a vehicle for the grand message he was bearing!

Content: This was a turning-point in Rajasekaran's life. The deeply spiritual lady took him under her wing. She trained him in various yantras, personally taking care of his special dietary and other needs during that period. She also initiated him into the Sri Chakra pooja and the Shakti Mantra. Later, she also had a small ashram built for Rajasekaran which she was certain would be of use in later times. This ashram now serves as a branch of Dhyanapeetam, and as a resting-place for Swamiji on his visits to Thiruvannamalai.

Content: 19

Content: SRI ISAKKI SWAMIGAL, the Guru of Mataji Kuppammal

Content: The sacred Sri Chakra, carved by Rajasekaran's own hands at the age of ten.

Content: The Sri Chakra represents the Mother Goddess Devi, and is believed to be the diagrammatic representation of the Cosmos.

Content: The complicated central structure of the diagram makes it difficult even to copy, leave alone reproduce without a reference.

Content: When questioned about this, Rajasekaran is said to have nonchalantly explained that it was only a combination of nine triangles placed at different angles to each other, and reproducing it was 'easy once you understand the concept' (!)

Content: 20

Content: Initiation letter given by Mataji Kuppammal to Rajasekaran

Content: 21

Content: Rajasekaran (left) and friends before the image of Durga specially decorated by him for the Navratri festival.

Content: Rajasekaran's zeal for the Divine was such that it captured the hearts of all around him - from the spirited young boys of the neighbourhood to venerable old men and women, who could already glimpse in the boy the spark of the Divine.

Content: How long can the Divine remain hidden from the eyes of the ardent seeker? Rajasekaran's true nature revealed itself to devoted seekers in the most unexpected of places and times.

Content: One day, the young Rajasekaran happened to be late for class. As per the rule, he waited in the corridor for permission to enter the classroom.

Content: The Math class was in progress, and the teacher was bent over his book. The teacher was a staunch devotee of Lord Ayyappa. By some intuition, he turned suddenly and looked in the direction of the corridor where Rajasekaran stood waiting. He stood up slowly, as if in a trance, gazing all the time at the boy. Then he silently brought his palms together, saluting the puzzled boy with the deepest reverence.

Content: Later, the teacher urged the boy to visit his home and join his family for a meal. When Rajasekaran went, the teacher promptly prostrated before him and declared himself the boy's disciple. He disclosed that he had seen none other than Lord Ayyappa in the form of the young boy in the classroom. Rajasekaran was, of course, lost for words at that moment!

Content: 22

Content: YOGI RAMSURAT KUMAR

Content: Thiruvannamalai traditionally welcomes holy men from all over the country. One such figure was that of 'Yogi Ramsurat Kumar, who for years had made his home on the street that led to Thiruvannamalai temple. The people of the bustling temple town accepted this intriguing figure without question.

Content: The yogi would always be found seated in meditation on the steps of a small Nandi pedestal on his street. Children on their way to school would stop to ask the yogi how they would fare in their exams. The taciturn yogi rarely replied to their childish questions.

Content: One day the boy Rajasekaran too stopped to take his blessings.

Content: "Will I pass today's test?" he enquired humbly.

Content: "You will pass the test of life, my boy!", declared the yogi.

Content: Seeing the boy's bewilderment, a pious old lady seated next to the yogi waved him on.

Content: "Go, child! You may not understand these words now - but they will prove to be unforgettable later!"

Content: Truly unforgettable words indeed!

Content: 23

Content: Small Details of a Great Life

Content: Many articles used by Rajasekaran have been preserved by family and friends who had an intuition that these would become the cherished treasures of millions in later years.

Content: PRECIOUS SOUVENIRS: Even as a boy, Rajasekaran had a sizeable collection of idols and articles of worship. Seen here are some of the idols which were worshipped daily by him.

Content: Rajasekaran's love of worship was well-known within his family. Once, on a family trip to Tirupati that included many uncles, aunts and cousins, Rajasekaran happened to share a room with some male relatives. At 3 a.m., Rajasekaran rose as usual to perform his daily pooja (worship). He was already lost in worship when an irate relative began to complain noisily about the disturbance. The normally even-tempered Rajasekaran is said to have risen from his seat, calmly walked over to the man and caught him by the throat! The boy then quietly threatened to finish off the man on the spot if he proved himself a hindrance to the pooja. Having said that, Rajasekaran walked serenely back to his seat and resumed his worship. (Understandably, that was the last time dissenting relatives openly voiced any complaints about the boy's activities!)

Content: These paduka (wooden sandals), usually worn only by holy men, were used regularly by Rajasekaran. Today Swamiji laughingly recalls how he would drive his brothers to exasperation by clattering about the house on these sandals at all times of day and night!

Content: The Atma Purana (an Upanishadic book), a gift to Rajasekaran from Isakki Swamigal.

Content: This childish picture of a sadhu (holy man) can be found on the reverse side of the earliest photograph of Rajasekaran in meditation. When asked by a family elder what he would like to become when he grew up, Rajasekaran is said to have made this hasty (but very significant!) sketch in reply.

Content: A growing Consciousness

Content: As Rajasekaran was growing, the wildness of temper he had displayed as a child was gradually being distilled into a fierce spiritual quest.

Content: (He laughingly recalls an incident where a furious cousin, fed up with the mischievous boy's antics, flung a heavy object at him, causing a deep gash on his forehead and heavy bleeding. Soon after this incident, Rajasekaran sobered down considerably, to the surprise (and relief, we guess!) of all who knew him.

Content: Years later, Rajasekaran would learn that an accidental(?) fall in childhood had resulted in a similar wound on Swami Vivekananda's forehead. Sri Ramakrishna is said to have later clarified to Vivekananda that had the wound not occurred, the enormous energy that he was carrying would have been too strong for his physical body to sustain.)

Content: The boy was by and large a loner. The activities and amusements of children his own age held no attraction for him. With a clarity well beyond his years, Rajasekaran was already focused on his chosen path.

Content: It was befitting that his only close companions should be the sadbus* who made their temporary resting place on the outskirts of the town. He would share his meals with them and spend long hours listening to the tales of their wanderings. If food and pulses went missing from the kitchen at home, Rajasekaran's family knew who was to blame! To their credit, his parents never once questioned the boy's doings, not even when he returned home well after midnight, drunk on the stories of the sadbus.

Content:

• wandering mendicants and holy men

Content: Delving deep into narratives of the sadbus'spiritual experiences

Content: It was at this time that he came in touch with Annamalai Swamigal of Pilakoth, a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharishi. Rajasekaran frequently turned to him for advice on spiritual matters, and also pursued meditation at the Ramana Ashram. One day the boy overheard the Swamigal explaining to some disciples: "Only the body feels pain. You are not the body. You can feel no pain."

Content: Rajasekaran hurried home, determined to test the truth of this bizarre statement. Glancing around, his eyes fell upon a razor blade.

Content: So fierce burned the thirst for Truth, that the boy did not even flinch as the blade drove deep into the tender flesh of his thigh. The skin tore in a crimson gash, blood gushed out and intense pain blinded the boy, who still let out no cry. Only the silent, anguished wail of "Why?? Why???" kept ringing in his head.

Content: His dismayed family rushed Rajasekaran to hospital and attended to the wound, the scar of which he bears to this day. No sooner was the wound dressed than the boy rushed into Annamalai Swamigal's presence, carrying this burning accusation upon his flesh. But the Swamigal only laughed, and explained that the truth of that statement was something he would have to experience personally. He then taught him a meditation technique that would reveal to him the source of all thoughts.

Content: "Practise this meditation and you will get your answers", the Swamigal assured him. With utmost sincerity and faith, the young Rajasekaran did just that. And indeed, it was not long before he got his answer.

Content: ANNAMALAI SWAMIGAL

Content: and insights, Rajasekaran recognized their quest as his own. This only fuelled the fire that already blazed in his being. From them he also learned matters of practical importance. For instance, he came to know that the Northern Railway charged nothing to transport sadhus. This deepened his resolve to somehow make his way to the most sacred spiritual school of all - the Himalayas.

Content: DEATH, THE GREAT TEACHER

Content: Around this time, Rajasekaran took to meditating in the cremation ground on the outskirts of the town. Through the deepest hours of the night, in the absolute silence of the cremation ground, the young boy would sit absorbed in meditation, to return home only in the light of dawn. Convinced by now that their son's destiny was unique, his parents surrendered wholeheartedly to the leela* of Existence. Even today, he remembers with gratitude how they never once attempted to track his whereabouts, or dissuade him from his chosen path.

Content: Life had many more lessons in store for the young boy. At fourteen, Rajasekaran witnessed the passing away of his great grandmother, herself a pious lady and his earliest spiritual guide. This experience impacted the young boy deeply, and he determined to discover, at any cost, the mystery of Death, the secret of Life, and the hidden source of All.

Content: LESSONS OF A DIFFERENT KIND : COLLEGE LIFE

Content: Even as Rajasekaran turned his quest inward with renewed fervour, Life took him onward in an entirely new direction. After his schooling, like other boys his age, Rajasekaran enrolled in a polytechnic in nearby Gudiyattam to study engineering.

Content: But he had no time to waste on the aimless pursuits of youth. He poured his time, his energy, his very life upon the fire of his tapa** . He had no pursuit but the quest for truth. He spent hardly any time before his books, but that was unnecessary. The total concentration which he gave the lesson during class hours was enough to see him through each exam with the highest grade - a 'Distinction'.

Content: When an irate friend once asked him what he hoped to achieve by these ceaseless efforts at meditatation, Rajasekaran is said to have replied with characteristic nonchalance: "One day, you will stand in line to receive my blessings. Then you will know."

Content: (Here it must be noted that a few weeks before the writing of this book, the above friend arrived in the ashram to take Swamiji's blessings - to the astonishment of all but Swamiji himself!)

Content:

• Divine play

Content: ** penance (the rigorous spiritual practices undertaken by spiritual aspirants)

Content: A Brush with God!

Content: The First Spiritual Experience

Content: It was the month of Vaikashi. Atop the hillock of Pavalakundru, Rajasekaran sat engrossed in deep inner awareness. At the tender age of twelve, the boy was too young to even realize fully that what he was attempting was a potent meditation technique.

Content: What happened next is best heard in his own words:

Content: "The splendid evening had melted into soft purple twilight. The sky was awash with the pearly light of the full moon. The Vishakha star was suspended in the heavens, a brilliant gem upon the horizon. Overwhelmed by the ethereal loveliness of the moment, steeped in tranquility, I moved gently inward in meditation. After a while, I fell into a strange experience. I became suddenly aware that something had broken inside me, crushed like a fragile earthen pot. At the same time, something was opening up deep inside me, like a door opening.

Content: In that moment, I was blessed with an extraordinary 360o vision in both planes: with my eyes closed. I could see with equal clarity the hill before me, the temple behind me, the hill to my left, the trees to my right, the rock on which I sat and the infinite sky above! The very next moment, I awakened to the realization "Everything is I! I am one with the whole of Existence!"

Content: That ecstatic experience lasted more than an hour. [He learned later that it had been an Out of Body Experience (OBE).] Rajasekaran returned home in a fever of bliss and poured out his joy to Mataji Kuppammal. Recognizing the true signs of the state of ecstasy, she took in the boy and extended the gentle care he required in this exalted state. The state lasted only three days, but the memory of that intense delight would whet his spiritual quest for years to come.

Content: To Mataji Kuppamal we owe thanks - for nurturing the young boy, both physically and spiritually, in the demanding times of his ardent search for Truth.

Content: Rajasekaran spent his deepest hours of meditation in the sanctuary of his beloved Arunachala. Indeed, there is not a single rock or crevice of Arunachala that has not felt the fervour of his quest.

Content: Ever one to experiment, Rajasekaran undertook all kinds of religious trials. One of these was Girivalam, circumambulating Arunachala daily for 108 days.

Content: On one such occasion, he was walking along in a joyous reverie, singing to himself the tunes of well-loved devotional folk-songs. On a sudden intuition, he stopped and looked into the distance. A pack of five bloodthirsty hyaenas was making its way towards him purposefully!

Content: Stricken with fear, the boy stood rooted to the spot.

Content: Suddenly a single word, Arunachala!, arose and resonated in his heart.

Content: At that very moment, a man appeared out of nowhere, and drove away the hyaenas with a staff.

Content: Was it just coincidence that someone should suddenly appear at that lonely spot? Or was Existence preserving her favoured son, destined for higher things?

Content: SRI RAMANA MAHARISHI

Content: Another place where Rajasekaran enjoyed hours of contemplation and meditation was the Ramana Ashram at Thiruvannamalai. In the silent and serene environs of the ashram, poring over Ramana's writings, Rajasekaran discovered to his delight that the sense of oneness he felt with Arunachala was shared not only by Ramana, but by hundreds of spiritual men before him, over the centuries.

Content: Rajasekaran's best-loved image of Bhagavan (above) Bhagavan's samadhi (final resting-place) at the ashram (below)

Content: The Journey Inward

Content: By the time he was seventeen, Rajasekaran's spiritual quest had risen to its peak. Unable to resist any longer the lure of his true calling, the young boy left home to begin an arduous journey of self-discovery. He had no security whatsoever, no assurance that he would find what he sought with all his being. With no promise, no hope even but the glimpse of the Divine he had received at twelve. But that glimpse was sufficient, for it had kindled in his heart a blaze that would never die.

Content: For years he wandered in the mountains, seeking refuge in centers of spirituality countrywide. He traversed the length and breath of the country on foot, studying with great masters in India and Nepal.

Content: Sometimes he would simply board a train, uncaring of its destination, and alight wherever it pleased the eye. When he tired of traveling in a certain direction, he would turn his eye upon some other horizon - and thus on and on, till he stumbled once more upon a railway track.

Content: Two pieces of cloth to cover his body and a kamandalam* were all that he possessed in the world. Resolved not to touch money, not knowing where his next meal was to come from - if at all it was to come! - he lived a life of utter insecurity.

Content: But so intense was his search, so perennially felt, that it gave him the courage to practise the most demanding tapas with extraordinary vigour. It led his feet to India's most sacred pilgrimage spots. It ushered him into the presence of the holiest men and women. He drank deep of the founts of wisdom of centuries, the holy scriptures. The Shastras, the Vedas, the Upanishads - he mastered them all.

Content:

• pitcher for water

Content: Above all else, the stories of the lives of great spiritual masters stirred an unknown chord in the young seeker. One day, chancing upon The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, he fell into such a fever of delight that he devoured the 600-page book in one 10-hour stretch. (Anyone who has held the mighty Gospel in his hands can appreciate the passion that called forth such a feat!)

Content: Three days after this unusual incident, the young Swami was honoured by the vision of Sri Ramakrishna and Mother Sarada Devi, who placed their hands upon his head and showered him with hearfelt blessings. On that day, with deep love and reverence, the seeker received Sri Ramakrishna into the innermost sanctum of his heart.

Content: In Pursuit of the Ultimate

Content: Swami in his 'student' days

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Content: Picture of Sri Ramakrishna worshipped regularly by Swami

Content: Parivrajaka

Content: ("The days of wandering")

Content: Swami's quest for truth took him across the

Content: country, from Tapovan in the Himalayas to

Content: Kanyakumari in the south, and from Dwaraka

Content: in the west to Calcutta in the east.

Content: Sleeping in caves and graveyards, living on

Content: alms, he led a precarious life for years, never

Content: staying in the same place for more than a few

Content: months. But it was a journey that would cover

Content: some of the loveliest natural landscapes and the

Content: holiest pilgrimage spots in the country.

Content: Presented here are some of the most significant

Content: spots in his wanderings.

Content: Gangotri glacier

Content: Gangotri Temple

Content: Amarnath

Content: Kumbh Ghat

Content: Sangam

Content: River Narmada

Content: Nepal

Content: Rishikesh

Content: Hardwar

Content: Kanyakumari

Content: Madurai

Content: Pondicherry

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Content: 39

Content: One of Swami's favourite haunts was the Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar, where Sri Ramakrishna used to worship regularly in his time.

Content: The temple town of Puri in Orissa, on the east coast of India.

Content: The Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the Char Dhaam, the four holiest Hindu pilgrimage spots in India. The temple's Rath Yatra (Car Procession) is famous worldwide. During the Yatra, the deity (Lord Jagannath) is taken out in a mighty chariot towed by thousands of devotees. Many people, in a frenzy of ecstasy, throw themselves under the wheels of the chariot, in the belief that to die in this supremely honourable manner is to instantly attain mukti (salvation from rebirth). The English word 'juggernaut' ('to crush') takes its meaning from this phenomenon.

Content: The splendid Taj Mahal at Agra.

Content: Swami was so enthralled by the ethereal loveliness of the Taj and the river Yamuna, that he stayed and meditated there for seven days. Visitors are allowed to remain on the premises only strictly during visiting hours every day. How then did Swami manage to spend a whole week there? The question meets with a characteristically mischievous smile and no reply.

Content: 41

Content: Insights during Parivraachaka

Content: MAHAVTAAR BABAJI

Content: How mysterious are the ways of Life! When she appears to be at play, and we forget ourselves in her everchanging games, she brings us face to face with a moment of supreme Truth!

Content: One blessed day, while meditating at holy Tapovan beyond the Gangotri, the young Swami beheld a lovely vision. A young man with flowing locks and a divine countenance, glowing with youth and rare grace, was walking towards him with long strides. Wonderstruck by the beauty of the man, drawn by the radiance that spilt forth from him, Swami was suddenly certain that this indeed the revered Mahavtaar Babaji, who is said to have conquered age and death, and dwells in the mountains in a state of perpetual youth.

Content: At the moment of passing him, Babaji looked into Swami's eyes and pronounced, 'Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda!'

Content: Startled, Swami could give no answer.

Content: The image of the charismatic Babaji, who had called him so familiarly by an unfamiliar name, stayed with Swami through the years. But the portent of that name would be hidden from him until years later, when upon taking sannyas, he received from his master's lips that very name. In that moment of clarity, Swami was overwhelmed with reverence and gratitude for his elusive spiritual guide.

Content: Omkareshwar Temple, Madhya Pradesh

Content: Swami's wanderings took him to the virgin forests of Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh in central India. Deep in the secret recesses the forest, miles away from the nearest human settlement, Swami enjoyed a state of absolute solitude and undisturbed sadbna. Just once a week, he would trek 30 kilometres to the closest village, and return with a frugal meal of a few rotis - sufficient to sustain himself over the next seven days.

Content: His favourite spot for meditation was a small, beautifully shaped rock which stood on a hillock nearby, the perfect seat for the meditator. Late one evening, reposing on the rock, he spied someone through the trees, approaching him from a distance. Surprised at the first sign of humanity he had ever seen in those parts, Swami hopped off the rock to meet the visitor. Only halfway down the path did he notice with horror that the figure he'd perceived in the failing light was not a human at all, but a giant bear walking upright! There was no time to turn and flee, for the bear's cruel eye was already fixed on him. Throwing himself upon the mercy of the Divine, Swami stood totally still, inert with fear. Perplexed, perhaps, at this unexpected reaction, the bear approached the young man, returned his stare for a while, and then passed him by without a sound! Once again, it was revealed to Swami that a benevolent eye watched over his life.

Content: Trial by Fire : The Panchatapas

Content: One of the severest forms of tapas to be undertaken by Swami was the panchtapas. So extreme was this penance that none but the most courageous even attempted it. But so relentless was Swami in his pursuit of Truth that he undertook this penance unflinchingly. In order to maintain a state of continual awareness, he would sit in meditation encircled by blazing fires, while a pot of live embers smouldered on his head. In this position, he would perform the dreaded traatak meditation, where the practitioner had to stare unblinkingly at the sun, following its movement across the sky from sunrise to sunset. Trusting well-wishers to keep the fires going, he would meditate from dawn to dusk without a moment's respite. When questioned as to why so young a man should endure so harsh a penance, Swami exclaimed candidly, "The fire within me burns so fiercely, I can tolerate it no longer! My sole hope is that these fires outside may help quench the fire blazing within."

Content: (Today, the intense energy imbibed by Swamiji's eyes during those arduous times of meditation give them the power to literally 'burn' diseases away, just by focusing a high-energy beam on that spot. Anybody who has practised the Ajna meditation with Swamiji, or even watched him heal and energise people and articles with his eyes, can bear witness to the awesome powers his eyes can unleash when he desires. If the world is today receiving the benefits of Swamiji's healing powers, we must thank the young boy who staked his life upon this quest.)

Content: Manikarnika Ghat, considered the most sacred in Benaras, is said to be the point where Lord Shiva created the universe. It is held that this spot will survive Pralay, the universal holocaust. This is also where Hindus come to cremate their dead, for to be consigned to the flames here is to automatically obtain freedom from the chain of rebirth.

Content: The First Miracle of Healing

Content: While returning from Tapovan, Swami chanced to hitch a ride in a roughshod army truck. Clambering down the mountain inside, the truck came up against an unexpected obstacle. The sudden jerk that resulted sent a fierce spasm of pain up Swami's spine. Convinced that his injury was severe, the army doctor offered to put his lower body in a cast, but Swami refused. He simply placed his own palm upon the injured area, unaware that this prophetic moment was to bring forth the first evidence of his miraculous healing powers. Urged by the doctor, Swami agreed to a radiograph when they reached Hardwar. The results stunned all but him. The fracture was there indeed, but how did he manage to move around with no pain? In the coming days, the fracture too healed of its own accord. Little did Swami know that the healing touch he placed upon his own body would one day benefit millions around the world!

Content: PHOTOGRAPH OF SWAMIJI'S PALM

Content: The Conquest of Death

Content: The quest that spurred Swami ever onward culminated in the holy city of Kashi. This was to be a point of enormous significance for Swami. One evening, he sat in deep dbyan (meditation) at Manikarnika Ghat. Before his eyes, a thousand pyres burned. Swami was resolved not to leave the spot without experiencing the mystery of Death. For over two days, he waited in tireless silence, unmoving, unseeing of anything else. On the third day, he began to feel as if his body was slowly dissolving away. Doing nothing, he simply allowed the experience to happen. Gradually, he felt his body 'dying' from the feet upward. A sudden terror caught hold of him. Threatening to explode his very senses, it climbed to a giddy peak. His whole being went limp, helpless against that mighty terror. Then, just as he felt he could fight it no longer, the fear left him in a thunderous blast!

Content: In that state of intense clarity, he became aware that he had fought and conquered the most awful secret terror that every human being carries within - the fear of utter annihilation, of nothingness.

Content: That day marked Swami's freedom from the fear of Death.

Content: Aham Brahmasmi!

Content: But for Swami, the Death Experience was but a milestone on his path.

Content: His destination was elsewhere, and his determination was characteristic. For him, nothing less than complete fulfilment!

Content: He subjected himself to still more rigorous tapas, resolved that body, mind and spirit should be brought under control.

Content: Starvation, pain, intense solitude, silence, meditation - he used every rod available to discipline the very fibre of his being.

Content: His body and mind bent beautifully to his will - but where was the grand reward he most desired? Even after extreme tapas, Enlightenment continued to elude the young seeker.

Content: His triumphs over body and mind, like so many worthless prizes, he put out of his mind in disgust. Unknowingly, he began to sink into the depths of grave depression. In despair, he gave in to doubts he had never allowed till then:

Content: Was there, after all, no such thing as Enlightenment?, he wondered.

Content: Was it all a mighty conspiracy, a great lie propagated down the generations? If that is so, then this must be the end!, he reflected bitterly.

Content: The truth is that there is no Truth. And to learn this bitter truth, I have given up my youth, my life! How life has betrayed me with her trickery!

Content: In a moment of supreme resignation, Swami put an end to all his efforts and sank back, exhausted. The body and mind that had remained taut with effort for years, now relaxed into utter non-doing.

Content: So complete was his let-go that Swami actually forgot the mantra* he had chanted daily for years!

Content: Precisely on the seventh day after he let go, the unimaginable happened. He was admitted into the very supreme 'conspiracy' he had questioned!

Content: The Supreme Moment of Enlightenment

Content: Hear about it from Swamiji himself:

Content: "At a moment when I was least expecting it, I felt a fountain of bliss bubble up inside me. The fountain swelled to a flood, gushing up from some inexhaustible source, enveloping my entire being, sweeping me away.

Content: Awash with ecstasy, I sank into this ocean of bliss! I dissolved into it! The 'I' was lost, and the Being blossomed.

Content: Space and Time, Body and Mind, the Seer and the Seen - all vanished before the keenness of that experience.

Content: Only pure awareness remained: I am the One! I am the One beyond all, Infinite, Eternal, Omniscient!

Content: In that instant, there were no questions left. For the questioner himself had disappeared - into Nithya Ananda, into Nithyananda!...

Content: ... I have no better words to express it... but if you understand this silence, you have understood what I have left unsaid!

Content: After this, I remained in ecstasy for over nine months. I have no memory of what happened during that period.

Content: I later learned from others that during this period my body functioned entirely on its own intelligence - for where was the mind to guide it?!

Content: In November 2000, on the sacred day of the Diwali festival, I regained for the first time the inner chatter that had ceased at the moment of Enlightenment.

Content: It was a strange experience, impossible to articulate!

Content: I felt a shaft of energy come down upon me, and converge upon the very spot where the bliss bubbled up continuously.

Content: At the point of their meeting, an explosion occurred, throwing forth the words, Anandamaaba irungal (Be blissful).

Content: This is the very phrase I use as my words of blessing to this day."

Content:

• holy chant

Content: The first photograph after Enlightement

Content: PARIVARAACHAKA AFTER ENLIGHTENMENT: Note the utter relaxation in Swamiji's face and posture in both photographs! Gone are the blazing eyes and taut body, the fiery intensity of the days of struggle and strife. The transformation is remarkable, even the little of it that can be perceived even by our eyes! It is evident that all effort - all else, in fact - has been replaced by the supreme tranquility that can flower only with Enlightenment.

Content: When the first words started bubbling up, Swami realized that his mind was getting into working order again. It was being gently prepared for the next great task before him - that of the spiritual master. But to his bewilderment, the mind would switch on and off at its own will! It was to be months before Swami would regain complete control of his mental faculties.

Content: Guided at every step by the unfailing hand of Existence, Swamiji moved south to Maharashtra, and then further to Tamil Nadu, where he took up his temporary abode in the town of Erode. His 'abode' was no more than a burning ghat on the banks of the river Kaveri, and there Swamiji stayed for many months.

Content: After settling into his body, Swamiji's most emotional pilgrimage was to the holy town of his childhood. Thiruvannamalai. He wished to give thanks to Arunachala, whose blessings he had sought so earnestly when he set out on his spiritual quest years ago.

Content: At the spot, overcome with emotional ecstasy, Swamiji felt compelled to carry with him one pebble from the holy mountain, a sacred souvenir fit for worship. Bending down, he picked up the pebble closest to his foot without looking - only to discover that it was no pebble at all, but a sacred linga!

Content: That linga (seen in picture) remains with Swamiji to this day.

Content: In Tamil Nadu, news spread like wildfire of a young Swami with miraculous healing powers. People flocked to see him, the earnest and the curious, the healthy and the ailing, the skeptics and the faithful.

Content: Existence's next great plan for Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamigal was coming into fruition.

Content: PARAMAHAMSA SRI NITHYANANDA SWAMIGAL

Content: 52

Content: Embracing the World

Content: Like a thousand bees to a wondrous flower

Content: To his fragrant presence they flock

Content: To look upon this loveliness, newly-blossomed

Content: To drink deep from the nectar board, just unlocked.

Content: They hasten to experience his healing touch

Content: They hearken to the voice of the Master

Content: They come to beg his infinite compassion

Content: But stay to join in his laughter!

Content: DHYAPEEETAM IS BORN

Content: Word of the charismatic boy-saint rode the winds in every direction.

Content: The numbers who came to seek refuge at his feet was daily doubling. They came not only to seek relief from physical ailments, but to lay open their lives before his compassion. They sought guidance and consolation on matters emotional, material and spiritual.

Content: The most devout of his devotees begged to be allowed to build Swamiji an ashram*. Swamiji refused; he knew Existence had other plans for him. At last, he conceded to the building of a tiny dwelling of mud and thatch, no more than a simple haven from sun and rain.

Content: Here he daily conducted mass healing and meditation camps, reaching out to thousands. Swamiji's mission soon spread to neighbouring Salem and other towns.

Content: *simple rustic commune for holy men and their disciples

Content: The ashram at Erode being built, on the backs of the holy river Kaveri.

Content: Visible in the far left of the picture (top) is Swamiji's original 'dwelling' - four pillars and a thatched roof!

Content: Living on only the barest necessities, eating the food brought by devotees and spending practically all his time in healing and meditation, Swamiji stayed in this simple ashram till he moved to Bangalore in 2002.

Content: Swamiji in meditation at the ashram (top)

Content: Swamiji conduacts healing at a public funtion (below)

Content: Swamiji performs the evening aarati at the ashram (top)

Content: Swamiji gives a discourse to a small group of devotees at the ashram (below)

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Content: Guru Poornima celebrations at the ashram (top)

Content: Guru Pooja being performed for Swamiji by some of his earliest devotees (below)

Content: 57

Content: GOING PUBLIC : Swamiji addresses the public at a conference on spirituality. (top) GIVING THANKS : The first person to benefit from Swamji's healing touch shares the expereince of his miraculous return to health. (below)

Content: POOJAS, RITUALS AND YAGAS PERFORMED AT PUBLIC FUNCTIONS AND IN THE HOMES OF DEVOTEES

Content: POOJAS, RITUALS AND YAGAS PERFORMED AT PUBLIC FUNCTIONS AND IN THE HOMES OF DEVOTEES

Content: Swamiji graces a religious function with his presence

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Content: 61

Content: At the Sri Vidya pooja, where Swamiji takes on the form and qualitites of the Divine Mother.

Content: In this tribute to the feminine Shakti, Swamji assumes the feminine form in dress and demeanour, robed in a brightly coloured silk saree and adorned with jewellery.

Content: MIRACLES IN FIRE: When Swamiji performs a potent pooja invoking Lord Ganesh, the sacrificial fire takes on the shape of the elephant-headed god! (top)

Content: The miracle repeats itself at the Chand Havan, dedicated to the goddess Durga. As Swamiji loses himself in deep worship, onlookers perceive the form of the Divine Mother in the holy fire. (alongside)

Content: Is this a hallucination or a divine miracle?

Content: When questioned by wondering devotess, Swamiji explained that the most potent of rituals, when performed with utmost sincerity, have the power to 'create' the form invoked by the worshipper.

Content: A Vision Unfolds

Content: The story behind the Dhyanapeetam ashram in Bangalore is strange, but true.

Content: While still in Tamil Nadu, Swamiji and his disciples were on the lookout for the right place to build an ashram which wuold be the future nerve-centre of Dhyanapeetam. To his disciples' confusion, Swamiji repeatedly refused various offerings of land in Tamil Nadu, even those as vast as 100 acres.

Content: For his divyadrishti* had already spotted, far away in Karnataka, the perfect place. A sprawling 20 acre site, in Bidadi on the outskirts of Bangalore, blessed with all the sacred signs that a centre of spirituality must possess - most important among these being a 600-year-old banyan, the abode of the Muneeshwara ('lord of sages') residing in the land.

Content: On Swamiji's advice, his disciples hastened to Bidadi and found the holy site at that very spot, exactly like the one predicted by him more than a year earlier. All were overjoyed.

Content: The owner of the land, however, was reluctant to sell.

Content: "It will happen", smiled Swamiji.

Content: And it did. One night, it is said, the Muneeshwara appeared to the owner in a dream and opened his eyes to the supreme honour that he was turning down in his ignorance.

Content: The very next day, in Swamiji's divine presence, the owner (now turned devotee) donated the land free of cost. The day after, the foundation stone was laid, marking the beginning of the ashram construction.

Content:

• prophetic vision

Content: The ashram was formally inaugurated on 1st January 2003, to coincide with Swamiji's 26th birthday and 3rd Enlightenment Anniversary.

Content: The occasion was graced by important spiritual and public figures of our time. The glittering ceremony also drew thousands of people eager to catch a glimpse of Swamiji - both devotees and visitors, the faithful and the curious.

Content: The occasion was flagged off with inaugural addresses by the respected Swamis as well as by the honourable Prime Minister. This was followed by the formal ascension of Swamiji to the Peetam - a momentous occasion for all present. The occasion also included a sattvic meal and other festivities.

Content: The Rs.15 crore ashram project is expected to be complete by the end of 2004. Upon completion, it will include a divine healing centre, a vast meditation hall with a giant energised lingam, a gurukul, inmates' and inpatients' living quarters and an extensive library and research centre, among others.

Content: As on date, the ashram already houses a meditation hall, a healing center, inmates' and inpatients' quarters, a library, kitchen and dining hall with basic amenities.

Content: Programmes conducted by Dhyanapeetam include the Ananda Spurana Programme (ASP - a workshop on chakra cleansing, Ananda healing and meditation conducted personally by Swamiji), Ananda Proksha (a one-year residential program for students and spiritual aspirants) and Ananda Yoga (a one-day introductory programme on healing and meditation). Other activities include annadaanam (feeding of the needy), healing camps and satsangs.

Content: BHOOMI POOJA (Worshipping Mother Earth): At a traditional ceremony to flag off the ashram construction, Swamiji ‘breaks the earth’ and lays the first brick (above and below)

Content: Hoardings and banners all over the city announce the inauguration of Dhyanapeetam in Bangalore

Content: Swamiji lights the sacred lamp to mark the opening of the inauguration ceremony. Ex-Prime Minister Sri H. D. Deve Gowda and others look on.

Content: Sri Deve Gowda pays his respects to Swamiji (above and below)

Content: Paramapooijya Sri Ni. Pra. Swa. Dr. Sri Sri Shivakumara Maha Swamiji of Sri Siddaganga Mutt, Tumkur addresses the public. Jagadguru Sri Sri Balagangadharanatha Maha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Maha Samsthana Mutt (third from left), Srimad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Sachidananda Pranava Swaroopa Sadguru Sri Sri Sri Sivapuri Maha Swamiji of Omkarashrama Mahasamsthana (fourth from left) and others look on. (above)

Content: A book is being released on the occasion (below)

Content: Early days at the ashram

Content: A MOMENTOUS OCCASION : Swamiji assumes the Peta (seat of honour reserved for the sovereign of the Mutt) for the first time

Content: IN THE LAP OF NATURE : Sunrise lights up the sweep of land leading from the main gate into the ashram. Also seen are the Laughing Temple (extreme right) and the Food Temple and Food Pagodas (ahead)

Content: GOODWILL IN THE AIR : The idyllic and friendly environment of the ashram encourages our timid four-legged friends to approach fearlessly, right up to the Food pagoda!

Content: MIRACLE OF NATURE: The rustic Laughing Temple, where inmates and devotees gather for intimate chats with Swamiji, often stretching deep into the night. Planking the Laughing Temple is a naturally 'hybrid' tree - a neem tree from whose trunk has sprung the bilva tree, sacred to Lord Shiva. This extremely rare and auspicious sign is only one among the many that make this location ideal for a centre of spirituality. (above)

Content: HOME OF THE DIVINE: Ananda Sabha, the meditation hall and healing centre, is also used for larger gatherings and poojas. Seen in the distance is the giant canopy of the sacred banyan tree. (below)

Content: THE SACRED BANYAN: The 600-year-old sacred banyan that spreads out over ___, is the abode of Muneeshwara, the guardian spirit of the land upon which the Bidadi ashram stands. The holiest spot in the ashram, this banyan was the one revealed to Swamiji in a vision that guided him from Tamil Nadu to Bidadi. (above)

Content: THE PRIME GURU: This idol, installed under the banyan, is of Lord Dakshinamurthy, believed to be the Adi Guru (The first ever Guru). The daily Guru Pooja is performed for Lord Dakshinamurthy by inmates. Devotees and people from nearby villages also assemble here for the evening worship.

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Content: THE HEALING TOUCH : Swamiji conducts healing under the banyan tree. The high levels of energy pervading the surroundings make it the ideal spot for receiving healing. The very air under the banyan has a therapeutic and rejuvenating quality, which can be experienced even by the ordinary visitor.

Content: Swamiji worships the idol of Lord Dakshinamurthy under the banyan tree. Every morning before sunrise, inmates gather here for worship (Guru Pooja). It is also well-known that no decision pertaining to the ashram is taken by Swamiji without first 'consulting' Lord Dakshinamurthy!

Content: Mrs. Prema Krishna (wife of Karnataka Chief Minister S. M. Krishna) attends a pooja (above)

Content: A homa being performed for Lord Dakshinamurthy (below)

Content: Swamiji leads the evening aarati before the image of Lord Nataraja (the Dancing Shiva) in Ananda Sabha. The camphor lamps dancing in Swamiji's hands in the semi-darkness, the resonant notes of the aarati music and the air of solemnity and prayer make this one of the most beautiful moments of the day. (above)

Content: Swamiji performs the powerful Chand Homa (dedicated to Goddess Durga) at Ananda Sabha. (below)

Content: A special pooja at Ananda Sabha (above)

Content: An artistically embellished image of Swamiji worshipping Daskshinamurthy (below)

Content: A Mission on Wings

Content: Borne on the twin wings of healing and meditation, Swamiji's mission of compassion now began to soar to greater heights.

Content: As the numbers that flocked to him for healing grew daily in geometric proportion, Swamiji took to healing for over eighteen hours a day. Still, there would be days when the sick would have to be turned away, for sheer lack of time.

Content: It was then that Swamiji decided to initiate select devotees into Ananda Healing, to serve as channels of his healing energy. In his own words, "My compassion embraces the whole world. But I have only two hands..! My healers will serve as my eyes, as my hands. They will function as an extension of myself, as channels of Nithyananda!"

Content: ANANDA HEALING: HEALING THROUGH MEDITATION:

Content: Ananda Healers are personally selected by Swamiji after a thorough screening process. After initiation by Swamiji and introduction to the 'healing meditation', each healer is invested with the responsibility of furthering Dhyanapeetam's mission. Most healers run healing and meditation centers at their residence or elsewhere, which serve as arms of Dhyanapeetam. At the time of writing this book, there are over 120 healing centers worldwide, and over 350 healers initiated.

Content: But Swamiji has always remarked, "Healing is only my visiting-card. My true message is meditation!"

Content: Soon after he arrived in Bangalore, Swamiji felt the need of a concrete and scientifically designed program which would

Content:

• the subtle energy centers of the body that control our physical and mental functions and deeply influence our emotional and spiritual character

Content: educate people about the role of the chakras*, demystify the processes of healing and meditation, and carry a strong positive message to the masses.

Content: Thus it was that the Ananda Spurana Program (ASP), now a standard part of Dhyanapeetam activities, was born.

Content: ANANDA SPURANA: THE FLOWERING OF BLISS

Content: Conducted by Swamiji himself, the compact two-day ASP capsule includes an extensive explanation of the seven major chakras*, and their role and influence upon us. Participants also learn seven simple but potent meditation techniques, drawn from the world's great religions, to cleanse and energise the seven chakras. The program concludes with a session of music and merriment, a celebration of Life. From the youngest to the oldest, participants join in Swamiji's contagious laughter and soak in the rejuvenating energies of his divine ecstasy.

Content: Above all, as the participants remain, meditate and celebrate in his powerful buddhafield, Swamiji works silently and intensively upon every single individual, at every level from the physical to the spiritual. Not surprisingly, it is common for participants to experience miraculous transformations in their health and life within days after attending the ASP. As Swamiji remarks, the ASP is indeed the shortcut to Nityananda (Eternal Bliss)!

Content: The ASP is usually held only on weekends, for the convenience of the public. The first ASP was held in Bangalore only in October 2002, for a small but eager batch of no more than fifty participants. Just a year later, at the time of writing this book, over 45 ASPs have been conducted in India and abroad. And next year, every single weekend that Swamiji is available to the public has already been booked for an ASP somewhere in the world!

Content: ANANDA PROKSHA: A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE YOUTH

Content: In July 2003, Dhyanapeetam launched 'Ananda Proksha', a one-year residential program for students and spiritual aspirants below 30 years of age.

Content: The program aims at the rapid expansion of personality and enhancing of abilities in all fields, by the effective harnessing of our latent potential. Participants are trained in various meditation techniques and given an exposure to world religion

Content: and philosophy, the study of Sanskrit and holy scriptures, various healing doctrines and general operational skills.

Content: The program helps mould the youth into well-balanced, integrated individuals who can perform at optimum levels in their chosen field, be it material or spiritual. Above all, it is a rare opportunity for participants to spend exclusive time with Swamiji, and to stay and learn in his tremendous buddhafield.

Content: GOING INTERNATIONAL

Content: In July 2003, Dhyanapeetam spread its wings across the seas, with Swamiji traveling to the USA on a mission to promote spirituality, and introduce people to alternative therapy, healing and meditation.

Content: With humankind falling prey to unprecedented diseases, and with depression and suicide rates peaking worldwide, our century is ripe to receive the timeless message of spiritual leaders: that true transformation can come only from within.

Content: In a series of contemporary lectures that yoked Western scientific thought to Eastern philosophy, Swamiji launched his message about the relevance of spirituality in our time. He also spoke extensively on world religion and the significant role of individual spiritual growth in the transformation of modern society. During every weekend of his stay, an ASP was conducted in a different city.

Content: The success of the visit exceeded all expectations, garnering support for Swamiji's mission of compassion in states across the USA. Today, Dhyanapeetam has over 120 centers in Asia, Europe and the USA, and that number is growing every day.

Content: Ananda Healing : Healing through Meditation

Content: Swamiji quotes Swami Vivekananda's beautiful insight: "Aatmano mokshaartham jagat hitaayache". (Although one may attain Enlightenment, to harness its power for the benefit of society is true spirituality.)

Content: Ananda Healing was born of Swamiji's passion to carry his healing touch to millions of people worldwide. A unique technique formulated by Swamiji, the beauty of Ananda Healing is that it effectively combines the equally important principles of healing and meditation.

Content: Once initiated by Swamiji, the Ananda Healers become open channels of Swamiji's own Divine Healing energy. During healing, the healers simply place their hands upon affected organs / parts of the patient and enter into the simple but powerful 'healing meditation'. Instantly, healing energy is transmitted from their hands to the patient's body, and both physical and mental ailments are effectively cured.

Content: The healing process itself is refreshingly simple, and requires nothing more than an open mind on the part of both healer and patient. One of the obvious advantages of Ananda healing over other techniques is that healers can focus on their own spiritual development, even as they render an important service to society.

Content: A healing camp in progress

Content: The Healers' Meet & Healers' Pooja

Content: The Healers' Meet is a forum for healers to discuss the running of the centers, share experiences and spend precious intimate moments with Swamiji.

Content: A Healers' Meet usually starts with a discourse by Swamiji, followed by the Healers' Pooja, where the healers themselves are worshipped. In Swamiji's words, "You are my people, you are the representatives of the Divine. When you are worshipped, people are worshipping the Me in You!"

Content: The most poignant moment of the meet is when Swamiji himself prostrates at the feet of the healers - an eloquent statement about the divinity hidden deep in each of us.

Content: A special meditation practised only by healers is also performed, followed by Energy Darshan.

Content: GUIDED BY THE DIVINE: Healers enter into a special meditation in Swamiji's presence (above)

Content: A POIGNANT MOMENT: Swamiji prostrates before the healers (below)

Content: Ananda Spurana Program (ASP)

Content: The Flowering of Bliss

Content: Swamiji ascends the stage saluting the participants, marking the opening of the two-day ASP.

Content: THE ASP IN FULL SWING: Swamiji guides participants through the description of chakras and the meditation techniques for each chakra

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Content: An unusual meditation technique in progress (above) Swamiji joins participants in the singing of keertans or devotional songs (below)

Content: ANANDAM, ANANDAM! : Swamiji loses himself in an ecstasy of bliss during the singing of his most beloved keertans

Content: THE DANCE OF THE DIVINE : Swamiji whirling in a state of divine ecstasy. Whirling is a powerful technique to circulate subtle energies in the immediate environment. During the ASP, Swamiji employs his technique to peak the energy levels of the participants within his buddhafield.

Content: ENERGY DARSHAN: The high-point of the ASP is Energy darshan, where Swamiji places his thumb upon the Ajna (forehead) chakra of participants and literally ‘pushes them inwards’. This technique is so powerful that many participants instantly experience a sense of weightlessness or ‘boundarielessness’, while others see glorious visions of the chakras or of theirishtadevas (favoured deities).

Content: Swamiji puts on the mala for a little devotee

Content: swamiji in Public

Content: Swamiji speaks at a public functions in the city (above)

Content: At a talk in one of the city's major hospitals, Swamiji stresses the need for modern medicine to join hands with alternative therapy and meditation. Apollo is among the pioneering hospitals to actively expand its expertise to include alternative methods of healing. (below)

Content: APOLLO HOSPITALS

Content: TOWARDS GREATER STRIDES IN MODERN MEDICARE

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Content: At a public satsang organised in Sona college the same day (above)

Content: Swamiji graces a function in the home of Latha Rajnikanth, wife of cine star Rajnikanth (below)

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Content: Swamiji arrives at the ashram of god knows who (above)

Content: Shiv Shankar Baba recieves Swamiji at this ashram in Chennai (below)

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Content: Healing through meditation

Content: Sri PARAMAHAMSA Niyananda Swami of Dyanapetam, Bangalore, it was indeed an enlightening evening.

Content: It is believed and established that one can communicate with trees silently. When one stands under a tree with their gaze focused on it, it is believed that the tree starts to communicate with the person standing there in the presence of the cosmic energy that vibrates around. When this happens, the tree begins to heal the person standing beneath it by releasing its positive energy to him/her subtly. Trees do not fully comprehend the sufferings of human beings. But if we humans make a sincere effort to communicate with trees silently, are prepared with an open mind that shall be receptive to whatever experience they may have to offer, and are willing to let go of our conditioning, then perhaps we will be able to receive their healing vibrations.

Content: This article in The Hindu was the first to formally introduce Swamiji and Dhyanapetam activities to the English-speaking public in Bangalore and Chennai.

Content: Over a year ago, Swamiji began to pen a series of crisp and thought-provoking articles on simple living and high thinking for the general public.

Content: Titled Kadavaiyorai, kaatruvarattum..! (Open the door, let the breeze in..!), these articles are being published in the Tamil magazine Kumudam, targeted at the youth and women.

Content: The response to the articles has been terrific, exceeding all expectations by topping the review charts fortnight after fortnight. Now into its 40th issue, these articles are certainly mirroring a shift towards deeper spirituality among today's generation.

Content: PADMINI DEVARAJAN

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Content: Going International

Content: Swamiji is invited to address a select gathering in a church in Fremont (above)

Content: Participants listen to a discourse at the ASP (below)

Content: ASP in progess: Discourse and meditation (above and below)

Content: Swamiji visits the home of a devotee (above)

Content: Swamiji at the ______. (below)

Content: Swamiji visits Paramahamsa Yogananda in ______ (above)

Content: Swamiji with Swami Chidananda in______. (below)

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Content: Thiruvannamalai revisited

Content: Witnessing the Flame of Shiva: Karthika Deepam

Content: Every year, lakhs of devotees flock to Thiruvannamalai to witness the Karthika Deepam,

Content: the sacred flame lit atop Arunachala during the Karthika festival in November/December.

Content: According to legend, it was on this day and in this very place that the goddess Parvati

Content: became enlightened after a period of arduous penance. On a small hillock facing

Content: Arunachala, a shrine dedicated to Devi (Parvati) stands even today.

Content: This year, a small group of devotees, led by Swamiji, made our way to Thiruvannamalai

Content: to witness the event. Braving the crowds thronging Thiruvannamalai’s narrow streets, fighting

Content: traffic, clambering up a rocky hillock, we finally got to the small Dhyanapeetam ashram,

Content: beautifully positioned with Arunachala to its west, and the Devi shrine to its east.

Content: A sight like we never imagined awaited us at the top. As the sun set behind Arunachala,

Content: washing the western sky in a pink blaze, a luminous moon rose into the deep blue sky

Content: behind the shrine. We entered silently into meditation, guided by Swamiji.

Content: Suddenly the air was filled with ecstatic cries of Arunachala harohara!, and we saw that

Content: the Karthika Deepam had burst into life at the crest of the towering Arunachala. Below

Content: us, the temple towers, and the entire town, were illumined in fairytale lights.

Content: It was an incredibly beautiful experience - that became still more precious and

Content: unforgettable by the divine presence of the Master.

Content: Thiruvannamalai town illuminated for the

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Content: The Karthika Deepam seen close up (inset)

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Content: The giant temple rathas (chariots), freshly painted and bedecked for the festival. Every year on this day, the deity is taken out to 'travel the town' in a chariot procession.

Content: The ashram built by Mataji Kuppammal for Swamiji when he was a boy. (above)

Content: Swamiji poses outside the ashram against the perfect backdrop of Arunachala. (below)

Content: Swamiji enjoys a simple meal of rice and curd at the ashram

Content: A street scene. The bustiling town is specially dressed up for the festiove occasion.

Content: Mataji Kuppammal's home, now no longer in use.

Content: Swamiji steps out for a moment onto the street where he spent his childhood years.

Content: Stepping out was a bad idea..! Swamiji is recognised, and a huge crowd gathers, eager for his blessings and his touch.

Content: IT'S HERE! Swamiji locates thE exact rock upon which he had his first spiritual experience (satori) at the age of twelve.

Content: A NOSTALGIC MOMENT: Swamiji recounts the thrilling experience to a group of disciples.

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Content: The Formless in Form

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Content: PARAMAHAMSA SRI NITHYANANDA SWAMIGAL

Content: Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamigal is a truly revolutionary spiritual master of our century.

Content: Swamiji embarked upon his spiritual journey at a very young age. He traversed the length and breadth of India on foot, studying with great masters in India and Nepal and practising intense tapasya with extraordinary vigour. He experienced the final flowering of consciousness on 1st January, 2000 - the sacred day of his Enlightenment.

Content: With a pragmatic yet compassionate approach to life and spirituality, and an enlightened insight into the core of human nature, Swamiji has reached out to touch millions of hearts across the world.

Content: Swamiji's mission is simple - to awaken the divinity that lies latent in man. To this end, he inaugurated the worldwide movement for meditation - Dhyana Peetam - on 1st January, 2003. With its spiritual nerve centre in Bidadi (near Bangalore in India) and over 100 centres around the world, Dhyana Peetam works towards the transformation of humanity through the inner transformation of the individual. Swamiji's divine healing powers and simple, practical meditation techniques help you blossom in every sphere of life - be it physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual.

Content: Ebook ISBN: 979-8-88572-260-5

Content: Nithyanandapuri, Mysore Road, Bidadi

Content: Bangalore District, Karnataka, INDIA.

Content: Ashram : 91-80-7270181 Secretary: 37803444

Content: City Centre: 91-80-56691844, 56703444

Content: email: [email protected]

Content: www.dhyanapeetam.org www.swamisworld.com