By, Sri Haragopal Sepuri, Chennai

(Foreword : Brother Tilak Ghoshal wanted to know what my Gurudev, Yogi Ramsuratkumar said about our Lord. This essay is an attempt towards that.)

HOW GURUDEV MOULDED ME WITH HARANATH

Episode 1 :

It was somewhere in 1977. Our Director/Finance (NLC Ltd.) took me in his car to Tiruvannaalai and introduced me to Gurudev. It was an old building in which he was housed by his devotees. Prior to that for 12 years he lived under the trees during day time and took shelter in the verandahs of the shops closed for the night. There were several devotees sitting in the hall. There was no external order of the things around him (at least it appeared so to human reason),  some packets, sacks of various articles, bottles, tins, withered flower garlands, drying fruits, etc. were lying helter-skelter all around. Bedsides he was a chain smoker. I was not conscious of those surroundings. The mind was eager to establish rapport with this Mahatma who called himself “This beggar.” Our Director introduced me saying, “He is a devotee of Kusuma Haranath.” Gurudev   exclaimed, “What! Devotee of Pagal Haranath!” Then he invoked in a loud voice, “JAI HARANATH, JAI HARANATH.” Tears started rolling down my cheeks. I was in ecstasy. He touched my soul. That is the uniqueness of a Mahatma, touching the soul, not mere giving of precepts.

Episode 2 :

My relationship with Gurudev was something like love at first sight. The first meeting determined everything. All the subsequent meetings were only just to shape what was cast in the first meeting. My path was set on rails. During the several meetings with him, what I have observed was that he never attempted to change the path of the devotee but confirmed the path the devotee had already been assigned. He was like a Philosopher’s stone, which converts base metals into gold.

My second visit to Gurudev was a few months after the first. This time also, I went in the company of our Director/Finance to whom I had submitted that I would like to remain in the presence of Gurudev  as long as possible. He conveyed my request to Gurudev. It was late evening. In the night we stayed in the same hall with Gurudev. Wherever there was space we stretched ourselves on the floor. Towards dawn, I woke up first and went and sat near the place where Gurudev was sleeping. He woke up uttering his own name “Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Yogi Ramsuratkumar.” He was singing his own name. At that time, I could not understand the message in it.

He saw me sitting just in front of him. He immediately said, “Go, and sit there.” He showed me the farthest point in the hall. I was so eager to establish rapport with him but he made me sit far away from him. However, there was no feeling of any disappointment in me. I obeyed his orders.

After all the persons woke up and rinsed their mouths, Gurudev ordered coffee to be served to all the devotees. Our Director told Gurudev that I would stay with him and that he would go to his relative’s house and in the evening he would come and pick me up. To this Gurudev agreed.

Only a boy by name Sugavanam, aged about twenty years, and I were with Gurudev . I took up courage and went near Gurudev and asked him for spiritual enlightenment. Again he directed me to go and sit at the farthest end. After some time he lay down turning his face towards the wall, that is, away from me. He then asked Sugavanam to find out what exactly I wanted. He directed that I should write down on a paper what I wanted. He never addressed me directly. Sugavanam gave me paper and pen. I wrote down the following; “Swamiji, please bless me that I may surrender completely to the Lord and love Him like the Gopis of Braja.” Gurudev directed Sugavanam to take the slip of paper and to read it out. Sugavanam read out what I had written. Gurudev did not reply anything. He remained silent.

After about an hour or two, he started moving hither and thither and suddenly started like this:

“What is surrender? When we are surrounded by enemies on all sides and find ourselves helpless, then we surrender. As long as there is strength, one wants to fight. Draupadi was also trying to protect herself as long as she could. Only when she realized that she could no longer hold out, she surrendered to the Lord and asked for His help. When this beggar himself does not know how to surrender how can he help others to surrender?”

Nearly for half an hour he went on dilating on the above. But he did not even once make any reference to the Gopis of Braja. At that time I was sitting dazed and could not understand the significance of his ramble.

In the evening our Director came. Later, after taking leave of Gurudev, we left.

Years later I understood the ramble of Gurudev as follows : “Surrender is a sincere openness to receive the message from the Divine. Gurudev approved the path that I had sought – the path of Love (to love the Lord like the Gopis of Braja).”

Episode 3 :

During my fourth visit, Gurudev was alone. This time he showed much intimacy and softness towards me. He enquired about Pagal Haranath and Mata Kusuma Kumari. Later he asked me to sing the Bhajans on Pagal Haranath. Later some foreigners came to see Gurudev. One of them was from Mauritius. One foreigner (European), who had learnt some Kirtans, sang a Telugu kirtan on Lord Krishna. Gurudev asked me to sing again a bhajan on Pagal Haranath. I sang the song, “कुसुम् हरनाथ् भजो भाई पागल् हरनाथ्, पागल् हरनाथ् भजो भाई दयालु हरनाथ्।” This is how he started pushing me towards the lotus feet of Kusuma Haranath.

During the conversation, on some reference, Gurudev  said, “This beggar likes songs on Rama.” I decided then and there, that I would learn a song on Rama and sing it next time in the presence of Gurudev to please him.

Episode 4 :

My fifth visit to Gurudev was in the company of some Sri Vaishnavites. This was a very significant meeting. We had come in the morning itself; but he had gone out. We waited for him. He came at 8 p.m. Seeing us, he apologically said, “Oh! You have been waiting for so long for this beggar.” Then he took us inside the house. We had a very wonderful experience on that night.

I introduced my Vaishnava friends. I told Gurudev that they belong to Iyengar community. Then Gurudev asked me, “Haragopal, you are wearing this mark (he gestured with his hand the red line – the Vaishnava symbol – on my forehead). Do you also belong to their community?” I immediately replied, “No, no Swamiji, I am a Sudra.” To this Gurudev exclaimed, “Oh!” and then he joined his hands together in the form of namaskar (obeisance), bent his head and moved gracefully his hands up and down as we do before a deity. I laughed like a child. I did not feel horrified that Gurudev was doing namaskar to me. I was in a child’s mood.

Then our thrilling experience began. We were talking and talking till 2 A.M. Gurudev started distributing to us whatever was around him, plantain fruits, guavas etc. He gave us even gooseberry pickles. The eating went on up to 2 A.M. till we lay down to sleep. There was not a trace of any fatigue in us.

Gurudev asked one Vaishnavite to narrate about Alwars (Sri Vaishnava Saints) and the Divya Deshas (holy places sung by Alwars). He narrated the story of Tirumangai Alwar. This Alwar was a pious vassal king of a small region in South India. Once he fell in love with a lady and requested her to marry him. The lady put a condition that if the king fed daily one thousand Brahmins for one complete year, she would marry him. The king embarked on this bold venture but soon his little treasury became empty. The king devised a plan to get money to feed the Brahmins. He would disguise himself as a bandit and rob the travellers. With these earnings, he continued the feeding of the Brahmins. Almost at the end of the year, Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi decided to grace the king. They disguised themselves as rich travellers and were passing though the forest. The king in disguise accosted them and asked them to hand over their jewellery. Vishnu requested that the king himself may take the jewellery from His body. The king started removing one by one the ornaments from the body of Vishnu. Lastly he came to the silver ring on the toe of Vishnu. The king found it tight and therefore attempted to loosen it with his teeth. It was at this time when his mouth touched the feet of the Lord, that the king found a strange sensation of thrill in his body. He looked up to find Vishnu and Lakshmi in all their splendour, with their arms raised in the act of blessing (abhaya hasta). Thus the king was graced by the Lord and he came to be recognized as Alwar.

The second devotee friend interrupted and said, “Lord showed his human form and blessed the Alwar.” Gurudev said, “The Lord has shown human form, is it? Is human form real? This beggar’s body is not real. The Vigrahas (Idols) in the temples are not mere stones. They are the Lord Himself.” Pointing to me, he said, “To Haragopal, it is not merely the photo of Pagal Haranath and Mata Kusuma Kumari. It is real Pagal Haranath and Mata Kusuma Kumari.” At this mention, thrills passed through my body. He touched my heart. I stood up and prostrated before Gurudev and then sat.

Shastras say that there is no difference between the Lord and His idol. But coming out of a Mahatma it takes on the form of a revelation. Book knowledge is no knowledge. Real experience is true knowledge. The experience can come by the grace of God and by the grace of Mahatmas.

Lastly Gurudev asked me, “Haragopal, are you happy?” I replied, “Yes Swamiji, I am very very happy. Today Swamiji has been very kind and merciful to me.”

After some time Gurudev   again asked me, “Haragopal, have you anything special to ask this beggar?” (I could have asked him anything on that day and he would have granted. I have no regrets that I did not ask anything because even without my asking, he gave me whatever was required.) I replied, “I have nothing special, Swamiji. However I have learnt a song on Rama.” Pat came the reply from Gurudev , “WHY SONG ON RAMA? YOU HAVE PAGAL HARANATH.” Oh! What a mercy! At every stage Gurudev brought Pagal Haranath nearer and nearer to me. Why do I need a formal initiation? Without any initiation, Gurudev gave me everything required.

I replied, “Swamiji had expressed during my last visit, that he liked songs on Rama very much. That is why I have learnt the song on Rama to sing before Swamiji.” To this Gurudev   said, “This beggar likes songs on himself. All right, sing.” Then I sang the song from a Telugu Cinema “Bhakta Potana.” Gurudev enquired, “Good! Where did you learn this?” I replied, “I learnt this from a gramophone record Swamiji.”

Around 2 A.M. we slept. We woke up around 5 A.M. Gurudev himself came out to see us off.

Epidsode 5 :

I went for the darsan of Gurudev during November 1978. This is the first visit of my wife to Gurudev. Since then and till her death, the blessed lady remained as a devotee of Gurudev. This time he asked me to sing Bhajans on Pagal Haranath.

Then he took up a newspaper and started reading. It was the period of election activity in Chikmagalur from where late Indira Gandhi was contesting. (I had great prejudice against Indira Gandhi). Gurudev was making some comments. Then suddenly he remarked, “Haragopal is not bothered about these things, about who wins in Chikmagalur elections. He is only interested in Pagal Haranath.” Oh merciful Gurudev! How can I ever repay your kindness in blessing me like this again and again?” The message was clear, “You stupid, do not bother your head with politics. That is not your field. Your only concern should be Pagal Haranath. Stick to him.” Gurudev was blessing me again and again and pushing me towards my goal of Pagal Haranath.

When we took leave of him, he blessed, “Pagal Haranath blesses you, Mata Kusuma Kumari blesses you.” I informed Gurudev that the Janmostav celebrations of Mata Kusuma Kumari would be held at Neyveli on 23rd and 24th December 1978. Gurudev blessed and said, “The function will go off very well.” And well did it go off in spite of the continuous downpour of rain we had during this period. Help came from several quarters.

Episode 6 :

I went for the darsan of Gurudev on 27th December 1978, in the company of the devotees from Duvvada Kusuma Haranath Ashram who had come to Neyveli to participate in the Janmotsav celebrations of Mata Kusuma Kumari. We engaged a van and reached Tiruvannamalai. When we reached Gurudev he was sitting in the temple-chariot mandap in front of his residence. There were several devotees. He somehow accommodated all of us at where he was sitting.

I informed Gurudev that by his blessings, the celebrations of Matha Kusuma Kumari Janmotsav at Neyveli went off very well. Gurudev said, “It is all Father’s blessings”. A boy attending on Gurudev was reciting continuously, “Sri Rama Jaya Rama, Jaya Jaya Rama.” I told Gurudev that we would like to sing Pagal Haranath Bhajan in his presence. He immediately gestured to the boy to stop his recitation. We all sang, “Jaya Haranath Jaya, Kusuma Kumari Jaya.” While concluding, we all shouted, “Bolo Sri Kusuma Haranath ki Jai, Brindavan Haragopal ki Jai.” Gurudev jokingly remarked, “Neyveli Haragopal ki Jai.” He gave everyone of us a photo of his and a book of songs on himself. Then we offered our panamas, received his blessings and left.

Episode 7 :

I went for the darsan of Gurudev on 4th November 1979. Five of us, all from Neyveli, went together. He asked me to sing the Bhajans of Pagal Haranath, which I sang.

One friend (He was a devotee of Lord Muruga) in my group asked him, “What is the purpose of life?” Pat came the reply from Gurudev, “The purpose of life is to take the name of the Lord. One can take any Name – Rama, Muruga or Haranath.”

Episode 8 :

I went for the darsan of Gurudev on 31.5.1980, along with my wife Durga and three sons. After we made our obeisance to him, we were all seated. After preliminary enquiries, Gurudev asked me to narrate the life of Pagal Haranath. Again and again Gurudev was pushing me towards my goal of Pagal Haranath. I narrated some incidents from the life of Pagal Haranath. It was not cogent. Yet Gurudev asked me to say something more from the life of Pagal Haranath, exclaiming, “We all are blessed by hearing the ‘Leelaamrita’ (nectar of Divine play) of Pagal Haranath.”

I had read so much on Pagal Haranath. Yet when I started narrating about Him before Gurudev, I felt wanting in my expression. Recollection was not fluent. I think my reading lacked depth and therefore was not fruitful. Otherwise my narration should have poured out in torrents. This I could realize only when I was narrating before Gurudev.

While narrating the incidents from the life of Pagal Haranath I recounted the following: “A magistrate heard about the arrival of Pagal Haranath. There was great festivity for reception. The magistrate thought that Pagal Haranath must be a great Mahatma and therefore decided to meet him. After the court, he proceeded to the place where Haranath was staying. He entered the hall and found several persons sitting and chitchatting. There was no dais and no ochre-robed Sadhu. After some time he enquired the gentleman sitting by his side whether Pagal Haranath had not arrived. The gentleman pointed out a bearded gentleman in Bengali clothes and said that he was Pagal Haranath. The magistrate was surprised that Pagal Haranath was looking like an ordinary householder. After some time refreshments were being served. It looked like a celebrating party. People were joking and laughing. The magistrate wanted to obtain some message from Pagal Haranath and therefore addressed him, ‘How can one get Bhakti?’ Haranath laughed and threw a luchi to the magistrate and said, ‘Eat this luchi and you will get Bhakti.’ The magistrate felt somewhat dejected and disappointed. He kept the luchi in his hand and kept brooding. The person sitting by his side, prompted him, ‘Why don’t you eat the luchi, Sir?’ Mechanically the magistrate obeyed and started eating the luchi. The scene changed. The magistrate found his heart melting. Tears started flowing down his cheeks. Meanwhile singing of Bhajan was started. The magistrate was lost in ecstasy. Thus by eating a luchi, the magistrate was blessed with Bhakti.” (There is a similar incident narrated in the literature of the Lord, but this incident is not found. This was narrated to me by a senior devotee by name Reddy Satyanarayana from Vijayawada).

Gurudev immediately remarked, “Then let us all eat some luchis in remembrance of this incident in the life of Pagal Haranath.” He ordered two sets of luchis for each individual. We ate two sets each and also one mango each. My wife also ate everything. Usually she is very choosy about eating. But strangely, she ate whatever Gurudev gave her on that day.

Gurudev asked me, “Is there anything this beggar can do for you?” It was always that Gurudev asked me whether I wanted anything from him. I replied, “Swamiji, we want your love and blessings.” He said, “You all have the love and blessings of Pagal Haranath. This beggar requires your love.”

During conversation I told Gurudev , “Swamiji, I am building a house near East Tambaram (Selaiyur).” Gurudev   exclaimed, “Oh! You are building a house!”  After a pause he added, “It is Pagal Haranath House.” I took this as an ordain and named the house “Pagal Haranath House.” This was the external side of the episode. The real message was, “You fellow, do not be under the misapprehension that the house belongs to you. Everything belongs to the Lord.”

Gurudev   asked my wife to sing on Pagal Haranath. Usually she would not oblige but this time surprisingly she began, “Jai Haranath Jai, Kusuma Kumari Jai.” Gurudev   asked us to join. After this he asked me to sing on Pagal Haranath. I sang some songs. At the conclusion of each song I was invoking, “Kusuma Haranath ki Jai, Pagal Haranath ki Jai, Yogi Ramsuratkumar ki Jai.” This is the first time that I added the name of Yogi Ramsuratkumar in the invocation. Gurudev laughed and remarked to my wife, “What is this he is adding newly? Is it all right?” I was only smiling but did not answer. During our stay with him he was again and again invoking the blessings of Pagal Haranath and Mata Kusuma Kumari.

Episode 9 :

I went for darsan of Gurudev on 13.8.1980.  Gurudev asked me, “Is there anything this beggar can do for you?” I remained silent. He repeated the question. I then replied, “Swamiji, I have come for your darsan.” He said, “Oh!” and then silence ensued. It never occurred to me that I could present my problems to Gurudev. I was eager just to sit before him.      This was the second occasion when Gurudev asked me whether he could do something for me.

After a few minutes of silence, Gurudev broke the silence by singing in a sweet tone (lullaby tone), “Jaya Haranath Jaya, Jaya Haranath, Kusum Kumari Jaya, Jaya Haranath.” Then he asked me again to narrate the life of Pagal Haranath. While I started narrating, he lay down to take rest. Now and then he was enquiring whether I completed the narration. I was not concerned whether Gurudev was hearing or asleep, but I continued my narration. At one time he questioned, “Has Haranath visited south?” I replied that he did not visit south but Mata Kusuma Kumari visited south – Madras, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. I also informed him about the proposed construction of a Mandir of Kusuma Haranath at Ganesh Nagar, Selaiyur, Madras.

I made a reference to Neyveli and said that there were no devotees of Haranath at Neyveli for conducting congregational Bhajans. Gurudev instantaneously reacted and said, “IT IS ALL RIGHT. WE DO NOT NEED ANY AUDIENCE. IT IS ENOUGH IF YOU SING BEFORE THE LORD.” Thus step-by-step Gurudev went on removing all my erroneous impressions and set me on the right path. During my last visit, he asked me whether there were any devotees of Haranath at Neyveli. He now said, “There is no need for an audience.” (It is interesting to note that, subsequent to this, Haranath Bhajans were held several times in the houses of my friends. The intention of Gurudev is quite obvious; he did not deny me the pleasure of congregational Bhajans, but he only wanted to correct my erroneous impressions.) The message was clear that singing Bhajans is not for exhibition. My idea was that the message of love of Pagal Haranath should spread to all. This is possible through congregational Bhajans. Once Haranath told his over-enthusiastic followers, “Carry my message of love. But I will choose my own flock.” It is the Lord who chooses His methods.

He asked me to narrate the life of Mata Kusuma Kumari and also how my parents had come to know Pagal Haranath. After I narrated, he said, “By hearing the life of Pagal Haranath, this sinner has been purified.” I remained silent. Gurudev then repeated it and asked me, “What do you say, Haragopal?” He was provoking me for an answer. Then I said, “Swamiji, by the grace of Swamiji this sinner (myself) has been made to narrate the life of Pagal Haranath, thereby purifying myself.” Gurudev then looked into my eyes and became silent. I then added, “Possibly that is the only way of purifying oneself.” To this Gurudev mumbled something, which I could not recollect.

Gurudev asked me whether I visited Sonamukhi, the birthplace of Haranath and then how many times I visited. He then remarked, “You are very fortunate that you could visit Sonamukhi so many times.” This has some significance to me. Previously I was periodically visiting Sonamukhi to participate in the Saptahams (seven days Nama Sankirtan) held in the Samadhi Mandirs of Haranath and Kusuma Kumari during the Navaratri festival days. When bickerings arose in the Nitya Seva Trust that was managing the affairs of the Mandirs, I felt disgusted and did not visit Sonamukhi for the past six years. Now Gurudev’s words had the message that Sonamukhi being the birthplace of Pagal Haranath should be considered a holy place and irrespective of other occurrences I should continue my pilgrimages to that place. Of course later I resumed my pilgrimages to Sonamukhi.

Episode 10 :

I went for darsan of Gurudev on 7.12.1980. I went alone. He he asked, “Is there anything this beggar can do for you?” I replied, “Swamiji, I have come for your blessings for the Grihapravesam of the newly constructed house at Ganesh Nagar, Selaiyur, Madras, to be held on 14th December.” He raised his stretched palm (abhaya hasta) and said, “Father’s blessings.”

Gurudev then asked me to narrate all the details of my trip to Sonamukhi. He then asked me to narrate the life of Pagal Haranath and Mata Kusuma Kumari, saying, “You have already told. However let me hear again.” (I think the message is now clear. It means that I should not waste my time reading trash but should concentrate on the life of Pagal Haranath and his message. Subsequently I started compiling the message of Haranath from the hundreds of letters written by him to his devotees. Later I compiled a book titled “The essence of the Teaching of Pagal Haranath,” with several quotations from Srimad Bhagawata, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Bhagavad Gita, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and others; and then the book “Pagal Haranath Letters, abridged,” and the book “Haranath, the Deliverer of mankind.”)

I narrated the life of Atal Behari Nandy of Hathras, the foremost of the devotees of Pagal Haranath, how Haranath saved Nandy from moral catastrophe and Nandy without any reservation sent his story for publication in “Amrita Bazaar Patrika,” then edited by Sisir Kumar Ghosh. Others, out of shame, would have hesitated to expose the sin committed by them, but Nandy was very bold and forthright to confess. This boldness arose out of his gratitude to Haranath for having saved Nandy from the moral catastrophe.

I then narrated about the experiences of Tamalini of Midnapore, how Haranath saved her life on several occasions. And then I narrated the life of Ramaprasad Ghosh of Chandan Nagar, how Haranath saved him in the battlefield in Europe and also brought him back to life after he was declared dead by the Military doctors in Europe.

At one stage Gurudev asked me, “Haragopal, like all these devotees, do you also feel that Pagal Haranath saved you? Do you feel that he is always present and watching you and protecting you?” I replied, “Swamiji, that the mind is turning towards the Lord, itself is the sign of His Grace.” Immediately Gurudev lifted his stretched palm (abhaya hasta) as a mark of blessing. Only after several minutes of blessing, he asked me to continue my narration. (This was a reminder to me that Haranath was always guiding me. Haranath had once declared, “By coming in contact with me, if the Divine spark (love for God), is generated in your heart, then and then only am I vindicated. If not, cast me aside as something merely composed of earth and straw.”)

I then narrated the incident when a magistrate was blessed with Bhakti after he ate the luchi given to him by Haranath. I told how the magistrate could not identify Haranath as a Mahatma because he was dressed as a householder and was smoking a cigarette. At this Gurudev burst into his inimitable childlike laughter saying again and again, “Haranath was smoking cigarettes!”

Around 4.30 P.M. he blessed me and gave me leave to go. Before leaving, he gave me a framed photo of his, to be placed in the new house and blessed me and said, “Both of you will be all right and the Grihapravesam will go off well.”

Episdoe 11 :

I went for darsan of Gurudev on 23.5.1982,  along with my wife. He enquired my wife whether she could sing any song on Pagal Haranath. She said “No.” He then asked her to tell some story at least. She said she would join me if I sang. I sang a song on Radha Krishna. She joined me. Ramjee requested her to tell a story. She replied that she does not know any and requested Ramjee to tell a story. Her behaviour at this time was childlike, guileless. Gurudev burst into his inimitable childlike laughter. Then he said, “You are turning the table on this beggar. All right, Haragopal will tell a story on behalf of this beggar from Bhagawata.”

How happy I was to get the opportunity to recite from Bhagawata! Then he asked me to sing a song on Sri Rama composed by Bhadrachala Ramadas. Fortunately I had learnt one in raga ‘Kapi’ and I sang it, though incomplete. Then Gurudev himself led, “Jaya Haranath Jaya, Kusuma Kumari Jaya.”      

During the course of conversation I told Gurudev , “I have in my possession a card written by Pagal Haranath to a devotee.” He exclaimed, “Is it! It is a treasure and must be preserved carefully. Your children’s children would have it.” What a blessing! He blessed that not only my children but also their children would be blessed with Bhakti to Pagal Haranath.

Episode 12 :

I went for darsan of Gurudev on 26.4.1987. I told him about the proposal of my wife and myself going on a pilgrimage to Badrinath and Kedarnath. He enquired several details of the pilgrimage and finally said, “Father’s blessings. Your pilgrimage will be very successful.” He then asked, “Are you not going to Sonamukhi?” I replied that I had not planned. He persisted with his enquiry about Sonamukhi. I became a little apprehensive because I had made all reservations and as my LTC tour did not include Sonamukhi, I would have problems with my T.A bill. Then Gurudev himself concluded, “Oh! Sonamukhi is not on the way. Therefore you cannot include it in this trip.” This was a relief to me.

Episode 13 :

I met Gurudev on 27.12.1987, and gave him the marriage invitation of my eldest son. He read the invocation at the top of the invitation, “Jaya Sri Kusuma Haranath, Jaya Yogi Ramsuratkumar,” and remarked, “Oh, you have put the name of this beggar; how many invitations have you printed?” I told him that about 800 invitations were printed. He remarked, “Then eight hundred persons will know of this beggar.” He then blessed saying, “Father’s blessings that Krishna be happily married. After marriage let them come and see this beggar.”

At one time he started singing in a sweet tone, “Jai Haranath Jaya, Jaya Haranath, Kusuma Kumari Jaya, Jaya Haranath.” He then remarked, “There is a gentleman by name Narmada Shankar Trivedi who is in the Haranath Ashram at Broach. This beggar was his guest.” I said, “Swamiji, I have also met this gentleman about three years ago when I visited the Broach Haranath Ashram.” Gurudev exclaimed, “Oh! Is it?” Then he held my hand. He further said, “This beggar was very much impressed by Pagal Haranath, when this beggar read about him in the ‘Kalyan’ magazine.”

Episode 14 :

After the marriage of my second son at Tirupati, while we were returning back to Neyveli on 13.9.1988, on the way we met Gurudev for his blessings. He remarked, “Durga is very happy that she has two daughters-in-law.” My wife had been happy till then. But she became suddenly emotional and said, “I am waiting for the call.” I was not surprised at the change of her moods. Gurudev looked at her very intently for a few seconds and then said, “All right, when the call comes from Pagal Haranath and Mata Kusuma Kumari, you will go to Sonamukhi,” and then he burst out in his inimitable laughing. My wife meant the call from above and Gurudev converted it into a blessing.

CONCLUSION :

I have compiled all the above, extracted from the soft copy of my book “Experiences with Yogi Ramsuratkumar.” I have written two more books on him, which are not available with me. It would be tremendous strain on me to recollect the episodes from them. Hence I desist from such an attempt.

When the construction of the Ashram began Gurudev was shifted to a bigger building. The darsan timings were fixed, two hours in the forenoon and two hours in the evening. During two such darsan occasions he asked me to speak to the audience about Pagal Haranath and Matha Kusumakumari and Their leelas; and I spoke for several minutes, each time.

Several Mandirs have been built for Gurudev in Tamil Nadu. One temple has been built in the deep south where traditional Puja is conducted. He shed his body in 2001. His body was buried in the Pradhan hall  (200 x 100 feet) in the Ashram and Siva Linga was installed on it and daily ritualistic worship is carried out by an Archaka. Thousands of his devotees sing his name; “Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Jaya Guru Raya,” is the chant. He has devotees in America also. The first book on him was written by a young American who met him under the trees.

DING DONG, DING DONG :

ANY REGRETS ??? :

Just a year prior to the shedding of his body by Gurudev, I went for his darsan. He was sitting in a chair in the Pradhan Hall by the side of his life-size Vigraha. As soon as he saw me he got a chair to be placed near him and asked me to sit in it. Immediately he caught hold of my right palm with his left palm. I felt that he wanted to send something into me; therefore I completely emptied my mind and kept looking at his face. He enquired this and that and I kept answering. After about half an hour, he let go my hand. I went and sat amongst the audience.

Very recently a thought flashed in my mind, nineteen years after the above incident : “Oh God! Perhaps Gurudev was waiting for that long holding my palm, to give me an opportunity to request for enlightenment and perhaps he would have lit this candle. What a wonderful opportunity I missed in life?” This thought (shock) was just for a moment.

NO REGRETS AT ALL. The way our Lord has graced me with His love, I would never more desire anything else, not even God-Consciousness. Of course, I am very grateful to Gurudev for all the modelling that he has done to me. Our Lord has granted me the Bhava “I remain for His Ananda.” This Bhava gives me supreme contentment. I would beg of the Lord to grant me only this Bhava in every birth.

“JAYA HARANATH JAYA, JAYA HARANATH, KUSUMAKUMARI JAYA, JAYA HARANATH.”

“GLORY TO YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR.”