Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Late Swami Karunyananda

Late Swami Karunyananda,
Prasanthi Nilayam - 515134

Swami Karunyananda was a very close companion to Bhagavan at Prasanthi Nilayam for several years before his passing away in August 1997. The following is a brief summary of his conversations with fellow devotees between 1994 and 1997, posted on the web on July 28, 1999, Gurupoornima day.

'Have you seen Him during the mornings? He has special effulgence in Him; sometimes this effulgence is frightening. On the last day of Devi Navaratri (Dasara) when Poorna Ahuti is performed, His body temperature shoots up. I had touched His feet on such occasions and found that they were very hot.

I saw Bhagavan for the first time in Bhadrachalam in the year 1936. Bhagavan was ten years old at that time. People who saw Him felt He was the Son of God. Bhagavan's sister Venkamma and uncle brought Bhagavan to Bhadrachalam during their pilgrimage trip. Women were already worshipping Bhagavan as the Son of God. I saw Him casually, and they were saying 'He is the Son of God'. I thought, 'who is not a child of God?'

I was a member of a spiritual organization called Jeevakarunya Sangham in Rajahmundry. There was a meeting in 1956 when Bhagavan came to Rajahmundry. Malayala Swami (a religious saint) and I then had the Darshan of Bhagavan.

Bhagavan called me 'Karunyananda,' and spoke to me as if he had known me very intimately. I turned and bowed down to Bhagavan. It was nighttime, about 8:00 p.m. Bhagavan said, 'will you come to Kakinada? We will go together.'

I replied, 'as you please, Swami.'

I went to Kakinada with Bhagavan. During the car journey, Bhagavan recounted my entire past history. He gave very intimate details of my conduct when I was young. Bhagavan was born in 1926. He was not even born when I was young. But all the same, He gave all the biographical details correctly.

In 1959, I was with the Jeevakarunya Sangham (a spiritual organization), and came to Puttaparthi for Shivaratri celebrations. We had two jeeps, one van, and a car with a driver, and a lot of other paraphernalia at the Sangham office at Rajahmundry. We had an office in Chittoor also.

I first went to our Chittoor office and then departed for Puttaparthi to have Bhagavan's Darshan. Facilities for travel were very unsatisfactory at that time. I travelled by bus. It was too cold to travel by bus. The bus came to the Horsely Hills area, beyond Madanapalle, and then went out of order, and broke down! It was evening and it was getting very cold. It soon turned into dark night. The women and children in the bus were shivering due to the cold. I then thought, 'these so called Babas - why do they put us to this trouble? Why do they reside in the hills? Why can't they set up their residences in places accessible to common people? How many people are suffering?'

I was thinking this way, but did not mention these inner thoughts to anyone.

The bus was repaired, and after many trials, it started again and reached Mudigubba at 2:00 a.m. I had to stop there until morning, took another old rattling bus for Bukkapatnam, and reached there with great difficulty. At Bukkapatnam, I hired a bullock cart and reached Puttaparthi after even more difficulty. Puttaparthi had scarcity of water at that time. I kept my bedding and luggage at the residence of one Sathyamma, bathed somehow, and then went to the Mandir.

Mr. Kasturi then informed Bhagavan of my visit, and Bhagavan sent word for me. I went up to His room. One Veerabhadra Sastry (a scholar) and several other people were with Him. I paid my obeisance to Bhagavan, when He asked me, 'what Karunyananda! What is the news? How many cars do you have?'

I wondered why Bhagavan had interest in the number of cars our Sangham had! I bowed to Him and replied, 'Swami, why should you talk about cars now?'

Bhagavan insisted, 'no, no. How many cars do you have?' Veerabhadra Sastry then told me, 'when Swami asks you, why do you not reply?'

I thought there was no escape and replied, 'Swami, we have two jeeps, one car, and one van.'

Then Bhagavan asked, 'when you have four vehicles, why could you not come by one of them? Why come by that bus, and blame later, 'all these Babas reside only in the hills?' Then I realized that Bhagavan had known what I had thought miles away as if a telegram had been sent to Him.

There are many such incidents. Even now, Bhagavan would be hearing all the words in our conversation (during the interview).

We would be sitting with Bhagavan at times, and He would be found as if He was somewhere else. He would later say, 'I have just returned from Madras. Papam (Alas!) Vijayalakshmi is suffering very much. I went to the hospital. I gave her prasadam and there is no problem with her now. She will be all right.' Thereafter confirmatory telegrams or letters would arrive stating that, 'Bhagavan was here but He went away without taking (food or offering) anything.'

Take the incident at Tirupati, which happened around 1989-90. It was 10:00 a.m. in the morning and Bhagavan was very much in Brindavan, Bangalore. Yet, He was simultaneously seen at Tirupati! He was given a chair; He was seated. All this happened. Should Bhagavan put on dramas like others? No, it is all the grace of Bhagavan. (A similar incident happened at Tirupati again in 1998)

In 1971, as we had returned from Ooty to Brindavan, Swami asked a schoolboy to take a photograph of Him, and lo! He appeared as Lord Dattatreya in the photograph. Everyone saw this miracle and was astonished. Gangadhar Shetty wanted the photograph and I gave him. He then asked me if it would be all right if he got it printed in the Sanatana Sarathi. He wanted everyone to see this beautiful picture. While we were thus discussing, Swami took the photograph back, and tore it into pieces, as He did not want publicity.

Once Suri Bhagavantam's wife had paralysis, and Bhagavan took it on Himself to alleviate her distress. We were going in a car after the Birthday festival of Bhagavan. Bhagavan, Suri Bhagavantam and I were in the first car. Several cars followed us. We crossed the border of Andhra Pradesh State and entered Karnataka State when Bhagavan suddenly fell ill in the car.

On the advice of Bhagavantam, I got out and Bhagavan was laid on the car back seat. I got into the next car. Bhagavan got up after sometime. He stopped the car, and made me sit again by His side in His car. He then asked me, 'did you worry about me? There is fifty to sixty years more time for this body!' Bhagavan will incarnate Himself as Prema Sai. I will also be there with Him. Bhagavan showed me the place at which He will take re-birth.'

-- Late Swami Karunyananda.

(As collected from the Karunyananda's Story, Prasanthi Nilayam, India posted on the web on July 28, 1999, Gurupoornima.)