Swamiji speaking about his beloved Guru, Sri Swami Nischalananda Puri.
This was, to me, was Swami Nischalananda [pictured]. Yes, he was a friend, positively yes – but he knew how to keep a secret, make no mistake. And then I thought, 'Now, can I call him a father?' And I personally, in my life, saw the father image in him. Because I have had the love of a mother, but I got the love of a father from him. And then again I would think, can I call him a mother? You will hear with me, that the mother quality was in him. Because no one came to this ashram [or sevashrama as Gurudev made it] and went away, without being comforted.
Can I call him a teacher? That goes without saying. He was a teacher, but what kind of a teacher? A teacher of the first calibre.
Swamiji then shares how Sri Ramakrishna described teachers in three categories – likening them to doctors. There is no clearer explanation of the kind of 'teacher' you have, or will encounter, on your spiritual path. [Swamiji said to us numerous times, 'You get the teacher you deserve.']
Swamiji uses some delightfully amusing analogies to make the point. The congregation are enjoying the merriment, but these profound illustrations will no doubt have stuck – as they did with so many of us, all these years later.
Swamiji draws this narrative together by saying that Swami Nischalananda was the kind of teacher [like the best physician] who would [metaphorically] sit on your chest and force the spiritual medicine down if that's what it took. He didn't pull punches where principle was concerned. And was thus misunderstood by many.
Swamiji stresses how Gurudev [the term used to distinguish Swami Nischalananda from his Guru, Swami Purushottamananda whom we refer to as Guruji] was the perfect person to shake up particularly the Indian people of South Africa, from their 'colour-bar' [Apartheid-induced] oppression and lethargy.
You'll be blessed to listen to Swamiji's description of Swami Nischalananda's manner, dress and behaviour. Particularly for those us nurtured at the Avoca ashram, these anecdotes fill in gaps and give us a deeper understanding of the impeccable character of this rare monk, from which so many of our ashram and spiritual blessings flow. These descriptions will make your spiritual heart reach bursting point.
Swamiji draws the homily together by saying, 'No chela [disciple] can claim to have any glory – he only basks in the limelight of his Guru.'
To listen to this lovely clear recording, please click on the link below. Jai Sri Ramakrishna!
Duration: 09:58
The original audio recordings of these posts were made by close Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa and Swami Shivapadananda devotee, Mother Radha. The audio editing and noise reduction of the original 1970s-onwards tapes, has been lovingly engineered, over many years, by her son and our dear gurubhai, Brother Tim. May Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji bless them both.
Admin tip: Underlined words are links. If you click on them, they'll take you to an explanation of the particular word or term. [In these overviews, Admin comments are typically in a smaller green font, and square bracketed, like this statement.]
Dear reader, if you spot typos or or other errors, please feel free to email the site admin on info@imbizo.com with your suggested correction/s.
Context: As always, care should be taken to remember that what Swamiji was saying, may have been very specific to the needs of people with him at the time. Please bear this in mind.
Links to our Guruparampara (spiritual lineage) organisations, which will broaden your knowledge base: Ramakrishna Math and Mission and our alma maters, the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa and the Sri Sarada Devi Ashram in Durban. The Ramakrishna Centre of Johannesburg is also active in Gauteng province in South Africa.
There are various publications [The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna etc.] which you can download at no charge, from the Ramakrishna Centre of SA website page, HERE.