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Master K. Parvathikumar

Sri Sastry Garu

DHANISHTHA

(XHõ xQÆ∂_è» Ü≥∂y Hõ äŒ)

“Story of a Disciple”

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INTRODUCTION

Discipleship is a process of transformationof man from his state of ignorance to the state ofLight. On the Path he meets himself. His emotionaltendencies and intellectual tendencies arrest himfrom being a free flowing being -a natural being.A man that treads the Path of Light works onhimself. It is self-chiselling to find the beauty ofthe Soul, which is enmassed in the materialistictendencies.

The functioning of the Soul from thehuman vehicle is always a treat to watch. It ispossible for everyone who works on him-self, vis-a-vis the material, emotional and intellectualconditioning. When man masters these tendencies,he lives free. His freedom is always coupled withhis responsibility towards the fellow-beings.

Freedom without responsibility is theanarchy of the present humans. Seeking rights inpreference to responsibility is the path to chaos.The freedom sought without being responsible isthe curse on the race. It is about time that thethinkers of society think of the path ofresponsibility. Instead of celebrating a day for thefundamental rights, it is better to celebrate ordedicate a day for the fundamental responsibility

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of the humans. The refined humans need to re-think. Responsibility leads to freedom.Responsibility leads to Light.

There are good demonstrations of refinedhumans who render their duty to the surroundinglife in the form of parents, family, friends andsociety. Their lives carry the message. Their livesand their living inspire others to follow. They arethe disciples on the Path to Light.

A true disciple lives hiding the Light withinand working silently for its further glow. The Lightthey shed is in silence and simplicity. They are oneamong the human society and do not appearspecial. “To be one among the common is theKey to the Path”, says Lord Maitreya.

One such example of disciple is Sri K.V.Sastry, whose story is inspiring to those who walkthe Path to Light in simplicity. It demandssimplicity to realize the Truth. The reader findssuch simplicity in the life and the events of the lifeof Sri Sastry.

It is called forth by a group of seekers. Itis therefore here now. Let it contribute its sourceof inspiration to those who seek.

DHANISHTHA

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Sri Sastry Garu

“The Eternal server settledat the feet of the Lord;

Dispeller of Kali energythrough the sound of ‘RAM’

A continuing Goodwill worker

Resident of Kailas

- that is Sri Sastry garu.”

- Master E.K.

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CHAPTER I

ENVIRONS

“Sambhoo!” utters the grand old motherwhenever she takes to a seat, gets up from theseat and also while she gets up from the bed.With a nasal ‘u’ responds the infant grand-childwith the quality of instantaneousness. Thegrandmother smiles at the mischievous child. Thegrand-child responds with an equally mysterioussmile. The child is gradually known as ‘Sambhu-du’, for he responds to the benign sound ofSambhoo - which is the name of Lord Siva, theCosmic Existence as “the Poise Giver”.

The infant grew up as the darling child ofthe grandparents and the parents, for his quickresponse to every theistic acts of the elders athome. As he grew up to his 5th year, he showeda deeper inclination to help the old and the eldersat work.

It was the first quarter of the 20th Century.It was a simple village amidst the green paddyfields of the Guntur District, and of Bapatla Talukof Andhra Pradesh (the then Madras State). Thevillage consisted of a small community of athousand people from all walks of life. The villageambience was one of harmony with a hierarchical

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understanding of the functionaries in the village,namely the wisdom class, the administrative class,the business class and the rest. The elders insociety were compassionate towards the others,and the latter were respectful of the elders. Thevillage is surrounded by lush green rice fields beinga part of the granary of India. The land is veryfertile and is well supported by the everflowingwaters of Krishna, the sacred river.

The village life was woven around a templeof Siva, where varied spiritual, social and culturalactivities were carried out during the dawn andthe dusk hours. Teaching, healing and literacy weretaught in the temple premises. Vital administrativedecisions relating to the community were arrivedat after due deliberations. The members of thecommunity lived a tension-free life, for contentmentprevailed over. The temple was thus seen as thecentre. The yearly agricultural crop was first takento the temple, a portion was offered to the templewith dedication and in utter gratefulness, and thebalance crop was taken home. The portion offeredat the temple was put to the general good of thecommunity.

It was an agrarian community with a fairlygood social order. The scholarly language wasSanskrit and the functional language was Telugu.English and even Hindi were relatively unknown.The village is known as “Marripudi, meaning ‘the

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Banyan Grove’. The banyan tree is the sacredtree that transmits spiritual energies and is theone sought for penance. Its twigs are used for firerituals. The village was surrounded by thesesacred trees, and for this reason it was named“Marripudi”.

“Sambhudu”, the child, was born in thevillage on 14th November 1916, in the“Kambhampati” family to Sri Jagannadha Sastryand Smt. Parvathi as their second son, and wasnamed Venkatappaiah Sastry. The sound“Venkata” means ‘the Destroyer of Sins’ and“Appaiah” means ‘the Father’. The name thus isone of the names of the Lord -as “the Father thatDestroys the Sins”. In India, every male and femaleis still named after the divinity. Sastry is the titlethat the family held, arising out of the family’sknowledge in the Spiritual Science.

The chief transport in the area was thebullock-cart. Electricity was not yet, the telephonewas unknown, and the telegraph was known butnot around the region.

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CHAPTER II

PARENTAGE

The family of Sambhudu was consideredto be a source of help and of inspiration to thevillagers. Sambhudu’s father, Sri JagannadhaSastry, was an upright, scholarly person. Heworked as an ‘Estate Manager’ to support hisfamily, consisting of himself, his mother, wife, foursons and a daughter. He was in fact working in aGovernmental position as Revenue Inspector,under the British Rule. When national leaders gavea call for the independence movement, out ofnational spirit he resigned the job and startedworking for private estates. Well versed in theScriptures, he was an ardent follower of the AryanDharma. His strength was meditation. He used tomeditate regularly twice a day and was an activeparticipant in the Vedic and other Scripturaldiscussions and group study. He was inspiredinto “DHYANA YOGA”, the Yoga of Meditation, by hisfather Sri Sitarama Sastry, who was consideredto be a “Poorna Yogi” - a fulfilled Yogi.

Sri Sitarama Sastry was a Vedic andSanskrit scholar that dedicated his life for thepropagation of the Vedic knowledge and the Yogicpractices. He taught Sanskrit to the residents ofthe region. He organized spiritual congregationson astrologically important days. He conducted

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many Yagnas (Vedic Rituals) and Satrayagas.Satrayaga means ‘community living’ (today it iscalled as group living) organized in serene andsilent places for 3 to 7 days and nights. The truthseekers (Sadhakas) gather to exchange views, tomeditate and worship together and to listen to thevoice of those who are way ahead of them. Itenables realignment. It helps to gain guidance. Itsets the Sadhakas firmly on the Path. Sri SitaramaSastry organized many such group living and isremembered even today for his knowledge, forhis magnanimity in catering food and otherarrangements for the group life and for the directionhe was giving to the sincere seekers. He organizedthe construction of a Siva Temple in the villageand donated substantial agricultural land to thetemple to support the temple activities. Hededicated his spacious house in the village for thevillage school and promoted literacy and basiceducation.

Sri Sitarama Sastry worked at all levels inthe village. From the basic education to the Vediceducation, he initiated welfare works andcontributed his might. He imparted Vedic ritualsand Yoga practices. He was a great giver of histime in the region. He was also a great organizerof spiritual, cultural and social activities. He alsoorganized a regular school in the nearby town ofBapatla to impart the “Eightfold Path of Yoga”(Astanga Yoga). He initiated many into a truthseeker, clarifying the doubts to Sadhakas to enable

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them to tread the Path of Yoga. He lived like a lionand departed consciously from his earthly abode.

Inspired by the life and the works of SriSitarama Sastry, his son, Sri Jagannadha Sastrypicked up the meditational practice as containedin Patanjali Yoga and was mastering it. He wastraditional in his being and yet adapted to thechanging environ of the time. The English educationwas influencing the society and the English wayof life too. He remained traditional and yet allowedhis sons to adopt to the changing trends. Hestressed that his sons should be Indians at heart,while they can adopt ‘Western’ techniques for outerlife purposes. “Be Indian at home and at heart,while you may pick up the alien ways in your outerfunctioning. Let not the Soul deviate from the Eastwhile you may adopt to the Western techniques.Let there be a harmonious equation betweenEastern Philosophy and Western Philosophy”.

Sri Jagannadha Sastry used to carry outintensive internal work in contrast to his father,who was an adept in the internal and externalwork of Goodwill. Sri Jagannadha Sastry’semphasis was more in accomplishing immortalitythrough deeper and sustained meditational work.He limited consciously his outer (personality)expansion and organized for himself adequate timeto conduct the Yogic practices. He was consideredsoft but effective, efficient and honest. A goodhouseholder, a friend to his sons and a lovable

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husband. In his life, his wife Smt. Parvathi playeda great supporting role. She was a great devoteeof the Lord and was managing the house withdignity, within the limited resources provided byher husband. She was very cooperative andcarried loving understanding. She was wealthy atheart and was demonstrating richness of life inspite of moderate economic condition. She livedher life as an ideal mother, a cooperative wife andabove all, as a noble lady that aired serene dignity.It is her support that enabled Sambhudu’s father,Sri Jagannadha Sastry to pursue his internaljourneys into the subtle world. She was chosenby Sri Sitarama Swamy Sastry to be his seconddaughter in law as he found in her the spark thatwould perpetuate the spiritual lineage of the family.Smt. Parvathi sparked in many walks of life. Sheserved her father in law as a father and as aSpiritual Master. In return she received muchenlightenment through sheer devotional service toher father in law, husband, children, relatives andfriends. The visitors to the house were many dueto the magnetic presence of Sri Sitarama Sastry,and Smt. Parvathi was the backbone of the house.

Sri Jagannadha Sastry was graduallycoursing in life - internal and external. He fulfilledhis family responsibilities by rightly guiding his 5children into purposeful living. He worked forinternal fulfilment through Yoga practice. Whenhe was half way through his life (50 years), heaccomplished what he aspired for, namely: self-

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visualization in the Cave of the Heart. Thereafterhis meditations grew deeper and deeper. Duringthe last phase of his life he was levitating while atmeditation, and during such time his countenancewas emitting a visible Aura of Light! It is anachievement, a scientific achievement! It requiredcomplete understanding of psychic energy. Someday, man, on his path of evolution and in advancedstages of evolution on his path to immortality, gainsthe power of levitation. It is one more event thatfulfils the prophecy of the Masters of Wisdom that“the thought about flying is destined to survive.”

Sri Jagannadha Sastry and Smt. Parvathifulfilled their household duties simply but ably,relying on the Divine in every facet of life. Smt.Parvathi was the first to depart, while SriJagannadha Sastry departed 5 years after. Theirlife was filled with the Divine and their departuretoo was divine and inspiring to those who wereleft behind. They were not old by the presentstandards as they departed, nor were they young.She departed in her late 40’s while he departed inhis late 50’s. They commenced life early, fulfilledtheir tasks and departed early and departedconsciously! Their departures are worthy ofdescription. Smt. Parvathi departed declaring herdeparture to her mother and husband, a daybefore. She sent word for her mother the daybefore to be with her. She informed her husbandthat she was being ‘called’. The next day morning,after the morning prayers, she sat at the Tulasi

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plant (Oscimum Sanctum) in the rear yard of thehouse. She offered Pranams (Salutations) to hermother and husband and closed her eyes. In notime she breathed her last! The departure wasthus conscious and quick too. There was no strainor pain of departure. Her face carried the glowand the smile until she was cremated. A soft soulthat had no inner conflict, in spite of tryingsituations in life. Sri Jagannadha Sastry continuedfurther until 1950. When his leg got septic due toan injury and needed amputation, he informed hissons that the purpose of his life was fulfilled andthat the leg injury was a hint for his departure. Butout of love for the father, the sons did not agreefor their father’s departure. But Sri JagannadhaSastry decided to leave, for no man should hangaround after the job is done. He fulfilled his dutiesto the family and the society. Above all, he realizedthe Self, which is the primary purpose ofincarnating into the human body. In his secondson Sambhudu (Venkatappaiah Sastry), he foundcontinuity of the spiritual tread of the family. Infact, he even chose the second son and initiatedhim into the “Panchakshari Maha Mantra” - thegreat five-syllabled mantra of Lord Siva “OM NA MA

SI VAYA”, since the child satisfied him by doing allthe jobs as ordained in all fields.

He took the septic condition of his leg asGod’s message for the return. He took to‘Padmasana’ (sitting in Lotus Posture). He linkedup his mind with his respiration. Mind and

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respiration attuned to culminate into pulsation. Thepulsation in the Cave of the Heart lead to the subtlepulsation in the ‘Sushumna’. He ascended uponthe ‘Sushumna Path’ from the Heart Lotus to thethroat as subtle pulsation. The subtle pulsationwas moving higher and higher to experience theresonance in the lower palate and later in theupper palate. It ascended further into the AjnaCentre, where he entered into the realms of Light.He further ascended to the Sahasrara Centre andbecame one with the Light! He departed from thebody in the early morning hours.

The sons came up to his room in themorning hours and to their utter surprise, theyfound the body but not their father. Sambhudutouched the cap of the head (Sahasrara) andrealized that his father consciously departed likea King through the King’s way -Sahasrara. As hetouched the Sahasrara he found that the relatedpart on the top of the head was soft like butter. Heunderstood what had happened to his father. Theyconducted the last rites to him - a noble soul thatquietly fulfilled all his work.

Blessed is he, for he consciously departed.Those who consciously depart can arriveconsciously too! Such are the liberated beings,whom we call the immortal humans. SriJagannadha Sastry joined the group of immortalslike his father, and lives as per the Divine Will.

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CHAPTER III

INITIATION

Sambhudu grew under the parental careof such benign couple that served the Divine. Hetoo was found deeply inclined to all theisticactivities. He was the talk of the village. Peopleused to say: “From the house of Swans onlySwans merge, but not cranes. This boy too willbe like his grandfather - a benefactor to the humansociety”. He was the darling child of every houseand was the helper in need. His social activitywas much beyond his age. When Sambhudu was12 years of age, he was entrusted with a heavybut pleasant job of carrying newly prepared mangopickles from the maternal grandmother’s houseto the parent’s house, across the fields, from onevillage to the other, which are 5 kilometres apart.It was summer.

Andhra Pradesh is world famous for mangopickle. Andhra’s are fond of pickles and are knownas pickle eaters. Among the innumerable picklesthey prepare, mango pickle stands out as a shiningstar in the firmament. Summer is the time whenthe mangoes appear. Summer is the mangoseason for Indians. The ladies get busy in summer

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to prepare mango pickel for its consumptionthroughout the year. They form family groups andcollectively they prepare jars and jars of the pickle.

The mangoes are cut into pieces, soakedin salt and then exposed to the sunrays, forpreservation. They are put to the solarcharge; laterthey are mixed in chilly powder and mustard seedsand stored in sesame oil. Chilly powder, mustardseeds and sesame oil are all heat-generatingagents. The pickles generate heat to meet theheat of the summer - an Ayurvedic principle ofmeeting the heat with the heat and the cold withthe cold. Ayurveda suggests cool water bath inwinter and hot water bath in summer. “Similiasimilibus curantor” - the homoeopathic principle isalso the Ayurvedic principle over thousands ofyears. Ayurveda treats poisonous fevers with thepoison of cobras! “Apply heat to combat heat”,says Ayurveda - ushnam ushnena seetalam. Thefood habits are evolved as per the climaticconditions of the place. By eating fruits of theseason, vegetables of the season, cereals of theseason, the body tunes up to the season ofNature. On this principle the tradition of mangopickle has set in since ancient times.

The ladies of the house are in festive moodin summer while they prepare the pickles as tastyas possible. They cook their love for the family

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along with the ingredients of the pickle. In fact,family love forms an important ingredient in thepickle preparation! The men of the house tastethe pickle and appreciate. When the picklepreparations are ready, they are distributed in thefamilies. It was a community work amidst familiesof similar vibration.

Two ceramic jars of 10 kilograms each,were entrusted to Sambhudu by his grandmotherto be taken home. The distance to be coveredwas about 5 kilometres. He started in the morninghours, picking up the pickle jars on to either of histender shoulders. He was known among thechildren as an effective worker, a server and aboy of good strong will. The grandmother knewand therefore entrusted the job to him. Sambhuduset himself on across a country path, crossingthe paddy fields. As he picked up the load on histwo shoulders, he picked up the holy name of theLord on his tongue, via the Buddhi and the Manas.Singing the glory of the Lord he moved light,unmindful of the load of the pickles. He was God-drunk and was moving forward.

Lo! On the way, in the parched paddy field,he suddenly encountered a white cobra, radiant inbody (due to the sunlight reflection) and with aresplendent gem on its hood! The youngSambhudu looked at it. The name of the Lordwas found uttered forth, no more from the tongue,

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but in the heart, by the minds tongue. His eyesgot closed. He was listening to the unutteredSacred Word of the Lord in the Cave of the Heart.He was mused into the Anahata Sound. Timeceased to him. He did not know as to how long hestood within. He opened the eyes gradually. Lo!The cobra was no more. He was perplexed. Wasit real? was the question. The answer came fromwithin: “Yes it is!” “If so, where is it now?” was thequestion. There was no answer from within. Helooked around. It was all dead silence. The barren,summer parched field was giving the profoundsilent presence. He picked up again the name ofthe Lord upon the tongue and he moved on. Duringthe turns in the path, the pickle jars stood stableon his shoulders!

Sambhudu was contemplating upon theevent. He seemed positioned as between theobjective and subjective awareness. What wasreal and what was unreal was confusing to him.It was a new awakening, which he could notconnect to his past spiritual training that existed inhim as a tendency. The spiritual practice belongsto the soul and it continues over manyreincarnations, like the thread of the garlandrunning through many flowers. On the mentalplane, the programme of the present life continues,while on the higher plane the spiritual programmeprevails. Sometimes in the truth seeker, theawareness shifts from the mental to the Buddhic

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and Atmic planes. They get disconnected fromthe personality programme and connected to thehigher (Soul) programme. The local conditionssuspend and the spiritual condition prevails. Thecobra seen was not of this earth but of Light. Ina disciple the two programmes get linked up fromtime to time causing the necessary initiation.

As he reached home and entrusted thepickle jars to his mother, he once again gotabsorbed into the inner silence. The active child,who was engaging the house with humorous talks,was silent. The mother observed the child andreported to her husband. Sri Jagannadha Sastrycame up to his son and slowly enquired. The 12year-old son explained in wonder all that hadhappened to him on the way. Sri JagannadhaSastry was elated. He realized that his son visionedthe Kundalini and that consequently, the youngone was perplexed. He patted his son on his back.With love, he nursed the son from head to foot.He told his wife: “This son of ours is a blessedchild. He is a yogi, a natural yogi by birth. He isborn with a mission. We are blessed”. Saying sohe rejoiced within for the accomplishment of hisyoung son.

Ever since, Sambhudu visualized theKundalini power in radiant white colour, from timeto time, until he consciously breathed his last.

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CHAPTER IV

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT

As said earlier, Sri Jagannadha Sastry wasadopting to the changing trends, and heencouraged his sons to pursue the Englisheducation. Consequently, after schooling,Sambhudu was sent to the city of Madras to studyAutomobile Engineering. It was the time (1930-35) when the motor transport was growing,replacing the native transport system at regionallevel, while at metropolis level, they were alreadyin use by the chosen few. To repair, to maintainand to upkeep the motor vehicles, automobileengineering was found to be a useful course. SreeRamakrishna Mission in Madras held an institutionto train post-school students into automobileengineering and was conferring diplomas onsuccessful students that went through the courseand the related practical training. The Mission alsoaccommodated the outstationed students in ahostel, where there was the rigor of spiritualdiscipline - early wake up, asanas, prayer, self-service in terms of washing clothes, vessels andplates, arranging the dining hall for breakfast, lunchand dinner, appointed hours for study, for listeningto the discourses and participating in eveningbhajans etc.

To many the daily routine in the hostel was

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found rigorous. Sambhudu slowly acclimatized tothe routine and started enjoying it. A Swamy ofthe Ashram of Sri Rama Krishna Mission wassupervising the hostel activity. He was one of thedirect disciples of Master RamakrishnaParamahamsa, named Swamy Vijnananda; henoticed the spark in Sambhudu and drew him near.Sambhudu also felt comforted by the Swamy’spresence in the ashramic atmosphere of thehostel. The Swamy felt encouraged from within toinitiate the boy into the holy mantra of Lord Rama.“SREE RAM” is the mantra. RAM is the seed soundrelating to fire. It purifies those who utter. The onewho works with this sound, gets transformedthrough fire. Many advanced souls that workedwith this sound. Mahatma Gandhi too worked withthis sound.

‘RAM’ is the mantra prevailing on this planetfrom Treta Yuga and it is the most endearinglymantra for Indians. It is more endearingly than themantra of Krishna in India. Ramayana, the firstand the foremost Scripture on the planet cameout in Treta Yuga. All known world scriptures arefar later than this. The mantra Ram is more ancientthan the Lord’s incarnation as Rama. The mantrapurifies, protects and directs. Sri Sastry(Sambhudu) was linked to this mantra by theSwamy. He gradually found the taste with themantra. As he coursed in life, he got acquaintedwith Ram, he related himself with Ram, he

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developed friendliness with Ram and finallyaccomplished Lord Ram through the mantra Ram.

In the Path of Light, there is theacquaintance with the Divine, to start with. As theacquaintance grows deeper, one relates his lifeand himself to the Divine. He feels himself relativeto the time and place. He also realizes that all isrelative in time and space, while the Divine only isabsolute. As one relates everything in him andaround him to the Divine, the Divine grows friendly.There would be interactions, transmission of theDivine Will and experience of the Divine in dailyevents. The Divine becomes the Friend in All.Gradually the Divinity remains and others (names& forms) disappear, thus accomplishing the Divine.These are the 4 steps. The 1st is Aspiration, the2nd is Sadhana (discipleship), the 3rd is Siddhi(Mastering) and the 4th is Ascent (becoming onewith the One).

Sambhudu slowly developed the taste forBhakti and Karma Yoga. He was considered bythe Swamy as the foremost of the inmates inmatters of service viz., washing dishes, cleansingthe dining hall etc. His deep orientation towardsthe Divine and the intense inclination towardsservice pleased the Swamy to initiate him into thePath of Bhakti (the Yoga that enables union withthe Divine while one lives and works in the world,as propounded in the Bhagavad Gita and SrimadBhagavatha).

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He was studious enough to get throughthe studies without hurdles, but his focus wasmore on service and on Sri Ram. As between thesemesters, during vacation, he used to returnhome from the city of Madras. While detraining atBapatla, he straightaway used to walk into atraditional barber’s shop and wear a traditionaldress, so that the villagers as well as his parentsfelt him homely. The folk used to acclaim him as“the good one that hasn’t changed, even while atEnglish education!”. Sambhudu used to enjoy thefun but in the core of his being he always feltmore at comfort with the traditional attire (by virtueof the ‘past’ habit). The parents found in him ablossoming soul too, while he was developing hispersonality skills. They were happy and contentedthat their son was growing healthily both in theEastern and the Western ways - a good blend forgreater effectiveness in the contemporary life. AsSambhudu was about to complete his course inAutomobile Engineering, his father wrote to him:“There is not much meaning in your returning homeafter the course. You would rather do well to findan employment relating to the course”. Sambhuduaccordingly looked for and found a job in a privatefirm on a monthly salary of Rupees 30/- (whichwas sufficient for a single person to live). Whilehe was working so, there was an announcementby the Madras State Government, for recruitmentof Automobile Engineers into the position of motorvehicle inspectors, to supervise, control and certify

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the road worthiness of motor vehicles used forpublic purposes to ensure public safety. Therewere four positions available. During those days(1940) a job in the Government was consideredas a symbol of status as it wielded authority,power and the consequent social respect. Indians,being 1st ray in soul quality, desire power, eithereconomically, socially, politically or even spiritually.The urge for authority is instinctive. Sambhudubeing Scorpio by sun sign and Aries by ascendant,felt that the advertised position excellently suitedhim to serve the society. He felt a deep longingfor the position and applied for it. He also informedthe Swamy of the attempt and his desire to getinto the Government service. The Swamy blessedhim by saying:

“You will get it. Ram is with you”.

A few days passed by. The selection ofcandidates was announced. Sambhudu’s namewas not in the announced list! Sambhudu wasshocked. He was deeply disappointed. Hisconscience did not agree. He felt deep withinhimself that he had to get the job and the decisionof the Government was incorrect! He went intosolitude. He closed his room from within, andstarted praying SRI RAM. He was not eating anddrinking. He was not sleeping too. The prayerswere continuous. The friends tried to persuadehim. He did not yield. They informed the Swamywho was his guide. The Swamy rushed to

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Sambhudu’s habitat and pleaded. Sambhudu didnot yield. He told the Swamy that the contest wasbetween him and his deity SRI RAM, and that hewould not give up his prayer and fasting until hegets an answer from his deity. The Scorpion willwas willing for the test and the trial. Three dayspassed by and the nights too, without food, drinkand sleep, but with prayers. On the 4th day camean announcement in the newspaper that bymistake Sambhudu’s name was omitted from thelist of selected candidates and that he shouldreport to the appointing authorities to collect hisappointment order! Lo! It was a great joy to hisfriends and to the Swamy. They rushed toSambhudu and flashed the good news to him.Sambhudu with tears heard the news. He lookedat the deity SRI RAM in utter gratefulness. The tearsrolled by. He said: “This is RAM’S blessing. Theappointment is God-given. In his name I shall servethe society. I shall never and never think that theappointment was given due to my merit but it isentirely due to His Grace”. Sambhudu thus humblycommenced his public services, concluding theeducational career.

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CHAPTER V

PUBLIC SERVICE

Sri Sastry (Sambhudu), as a controller ofpublic transportation, transformed himself as ‘HareRam’ Sastry Garu. By the stint of his hard work,honesty, uprightness and effectiveness inperformance of his duties, he commandedadmiration of one and all, wherever he worked.He was a State Government employee, controllingthe vehicular transport as the head of a district (asub-division in a state). His duties demandedsafety of the vehicular movement on the roadways,roadworthiness of the automobile vehicles,competence of the automobile drivers and otherState regulations relating to the road transportation.

He worked in many districts of thecomposite Madras State and later in AndhraPradesh, implementing the road regulations in adeveloping economy like India from 1942 to 1967,a period of great change in India at all levels i.e.,cultural, social, economic and general aspirationallevels. Sri Sastry was convinced that theemployment he was offered in the StateGovernment was a responsibility cast on him bythe Divine to serve the society, and that he shoulddischarge his duty to the utmost satisfaction ofthe Divinity, whom he prayed, adored andworshipped in the name and form of Lord SriRama, one of the ten Avataras of Lord Vishnu.

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The mantra ‘Sri Ram’ was imparted to himby Sri Vijnananda Swamy of Ramakrishna Missionduring the course of his education at Madras. SriSwamy was one of the 16 direct disciples of thegreat Teacher Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.Swamy thought fit to link Sri Sastry to the mantraof Sri Rama, as we found in Sri Sastry a discipleof the 1st Ray soul quality and 6th Ray personality.Sri Sastry was born with the moon in the sameconstellation as that of Lord Sri Rama, namelyPunarvasu. The moon in the sign Cancer bestowsthe instinctual ability to reflect the Divinity throughaction. The birth moon was in trine aspect withthe birth sun in the sign Scorpio, and the ascendantin the sign Aries gave him the necessary drive todo things effectively. Incidentally, Aries is the birthsign of Lord Sri Rama.

To Sri Sastry, Rama is the Omni-scientLord. He was present to him in all forms. Heserved the fellow beings unhesitatingly, withoutany reservation, for he felt that service to thebeings is the superior service to God. At the sametime he was not indifferent to his daily worship,study of Scriptures and service to mankind, inspite of the arduous duties towards the societythrough his job and the duties to the family. Whenhe worshipped, he was distinctly feeling thepresence of the Lord with him, which was evidenteven to the onlookers. He was not living to theobjectivity while at worship.

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Sri Sastry comprehended that the workentrusted to him in the society through hisemployment was to discharge his indebtednessto the society. He therefore conducted the workwith great alertness and elegance. He was a “rolemodel” to many of his colleagues in the work andwas a source of inspiration to many - of course,a source of jealousy to some, as it should be insociety.

He was admired and even adored by thevehicle operators (like lorry drivers, truck drivers,bus drivers etc.) for his brotherly attitude, guidingnature and corrective measures. He used toexercise the power relating to his governmentalposition only as a last measure, in cases whereloving understanding did not yield results.

He transformed many bus/truck drivers ina very unique manner. Whenever a bus/truckdriver or conductor transgressed the rules oftransportation of goods or passengers, he hadthe power to seize their licence and thereby renderthem jobless - a punishment for transgression.But Sri Sastry had a different way. His love forbeings did not permit him to exercise the powerbestowed on him. Instead he used to slap theguilty on their face saying: “Why do you stoopdown to gain a few more rupees? If you lose yourjob, you and your family would be on the roads,begging. Don’t you ever do such mistakes”.Normally, in India, the bus/truck operators are verystrong and hefty persons. Many times they are

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ruffians too. But Sri Sastry did not hesitate toexercise his strange way of punishment. But lo!The punished did never react violently! Theyresponded well to the treatment and turned lawful.More than that, many followed the path of devotion!The punished used to acclaim: “We do not knowwhat magic he carries in his hand. When heslapped at our face left and right, it transformedour way of thinking. It was not punishment, it wasa magical touch done in love. We and our familymembers are grateful to him, for he did not renderus jobless”. Till date Sri Sastry remains in thehearts of many, as their reformer.

Sri Sastry, being a staunch devotee of LordSri Rama, besides being a yogi by birth, displayedthe mantra of Ram on his own vehicle. The mantraruns as under:

“Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare”

This mantra is called “Kali SantarakaMantra” - meaning, it neutralizes the evil impactof the Kali Age. This is a very popular mantra ofthe Kali Age and is chanted by people all overIndia since thousands of years. Sri Sastry believedstrongly in the efficacy of this mantra.

He used to organize from time to time,during weekends and during astrologically

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important days, 24 hours of continuous chantingof this mantra. It was a congregational chanting,a group chanting. The hall used to reverberatewith the mantra and the impact used to be deeplyexperienced by the participants, who used to bein a range of 100 to 120 persons. It was called‘Ekaham’ - meaning one full day of singing bhajan.Sri Sastry also used to organize ‘Saptaham’- a 7-day bhajan. It used to leave a lasting impressionof the mantra in the area where it was done andalso in the participants. Sri Sastry used to publishand distribute innumerable pamphlets on themantra.

His automobile vehicle too carried themantra on its sunshade. It was easy for the localsto locate the car of Sri Sastry, for the car carriedthe message of the Kali Age. The mantra in Indiais known for its protection, direction andillumination. The followers and admirers of SriSastry initiated the action to imprint the mantra ontheir trucks and buses. Gradually all over the Statethe mantra found its propagation through movingtrucks and buses. Even today the mantra remainson the private truck/buses. The travellers in thebuses, as also the public invariably notice themantra and pick it up. Thus a great movementrelating to the propagation of the mantra took placeeffortlessly and Sri Sastry is immortalized in thememory of the people as “Hare Ram Sastry Garu”.Even till date he is fondly remembered as HareRam Sastry Garu.

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Sri Sastry coursed along the line of serviceintelligently, utilizing his position in the society. Thegovernmental position he held wielded muchpower amidst the transport companies. He wasin a sensitive position, where favours could begained in many ways from the transportcompanies. In fact, many of his colleagues weredoing so, enriching themselves. He remainedupright, honest and fearless. He was highly efficientand effective in discharging his duties. His lovingattitude and helping nature attracted manytransport operators and they were eager to helphim in any way that he desired. Many a time theyused to approach him humbly to offer large sumsof money for favours received. Sri Sastry neverdid favours transgressing the law. He was a verypositive officer, who always positively interpretedthe rules. He never threw the Rule Book acrossto create hardship to the public. He was a truepublic servant and never behaved like a hot-headed bureaucrat. When the bus operatorsapproached him to render personal favours, heused to gently refuse. But if they pursued him toreceive one favour or the other, he used to say:“There are millions of poor people in our country.Why don’t you help them? The Lord is betterpleased with such acts than our daily worship”.He thus used to divert them to acts of goodwill.He also used to personally collect data relating tothose who were in need of help and pass on suchinformation to those who wanted to help. “Helping

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the poor and the needy is helping me. Since youwish to favour me, favour them instead. I shallfeel that the favour is done to me”. This was hisconstant slogan. Those who wished to favour SriSastry felt deeply touched and were thusencouraged to serve the poor. Their admirationfor Sri Sastry grew in leaps and bounds. As amission, Sri Sastry used to collect names andaddresses of the needy and was arranging help.The service happened in silence and in simplicity.Even to-date some of those who receivedsubstantial help acknowledge their gratefulnessto him.

Sri Sastry always carried in his pocket alist of the needy that needed help badly. When theoccasion arised, he utilized an opportunity toarrange help. His attitude to help was consideredunparalleled in the friends’ and relations’ circle.He was considered as a friend in need by oneand all. Most of the help he rendered remained inutter secrecy. Not even his lady knew the totaldimension of his service. Being a Scorpio by sunsign, he was steadfast, unwavering, determined,secretive and silent of his virtues as well as hisacts of goodwill. His ability to manifest good workwas amazing. He left a permanent mark in theRoad Transport Department of the State, by hisunique way of administering the law. He attributed,as a humble server, the glory of his success inthe employment to Lord Sri Rama.

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CHAPTER VI

FAMILY

Sri Sastry was married to the ladyRamalakshmi, who hailed from yet another familyof good lineage. Her father too was in the path ofKundalini Yoga and was also a great Ramadevotee. He recorded in a book 30 million timesthe name of the Lord, as a penance during 30years! The marriage was an arranged marriageby the elders. Sri Sastry’s father, Sri JagannadhaSastry, admired the prevalence of yogic path inthe family of Smt. Ramalaksmi and thereforedecided that the marriage be conducted asbetween the two. Sri Sastry was 20 years of ageand Smt. Ramalakshmi was 14 years when theywere married in the Vedic style, at Vijayawada.They set up their family life at Madras, where SriSastry was working at that time. As per the jobrequirements they lived in Salem, Visakhapatnam,Eluru, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Anantapur,Cuddapah, Nizamabad etc., the various districtheadquarters. Smt. Ramalakshmi was a highlyco-operative wife in fulfilling the noble aspirationsof Sri Sastry; besides, she was also a keenfollower of Sri Sastry in gaining comprehension ofthe Scriptures. Sri Sastry used to explain to herevery night the profound concepts of Sri

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Bhagavatha, after their daily duties were done with.They daily recited the recommended lengthycitations of Sri Bhagavatha for a minimum of anhour. Besides, Sri Sastry used to sing with greatinspiration variety of songs in praise of the Lord.Many a time the members present used to reachthe height of ecstasy in his singing.

They were blessed with 7 children duringthe course of their family life, six sons and onedaughter. All were well conceived. There was nota single miscarriage. They lived like friends, withunity in thought, in speech and in action. Sri Sastryplayed an admirable role as the head of the family.He played the ‘model role’ for his children andwas an inspiring example to be emulated by them.He imparted ‘Bhakti’ to the children even fromchildhood. He was disciplining the children, not byspeech but by demonstration in his daily rhythm.He never commanded or exercised authority onhis children. He was a good teacher of life tothem in all aspects. He particularly devoted timeto be with them, to move with them and even toplay with them such games as cricket, caroms,chess etc. He used to take them on pilgrimageperiodically. His education to the children, of therighteous way of living, was inspiring to them. Headministrated in the family a system of collectivedecision making. He never imposed his decisionson them, although Scorpio by sun sign and Aries

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by ascendant. He was more a friend, an elderbrother to the family group, than a commandingfather. The latent power in him was exercisedwith the envelop of love around it. That was agood synthesis that enabled one and all to admirehim as a very dear one.

Sri Sastry’s personal instructions to hischildren were very few and very infrequent. He didnot believe much in indoctrination. He stronglybelieved in his demonstration. It was teaching byexample but not by vocal impositions. When thelady of the house enquired as to why he was notgiving specific instructions to them, and why henever enquired what each one of them was doingspecifically in his daily routine, he used to smileand answer: “They are our children. They carry inthem what we carry. If I am honest they too willbe. If I am a crook, they too will be. They havecome from me. They therefore carry my energy.Their blossoming gives the message of my life.Vocal instructions are pale and ineffective.Demonstration is the direct teaching. Since I knowwhat I am, I also know what they will be. Theyshall be useful citizens in life. Do not worry abouttheir future. They are well guided and protected.Their illumination depends upon their will to dogood.”

Once a son of Sri Sastry smoked a

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cigarette offered to him during a university feast.The son’s friendliness with the parents was socomplete, due to the freedom given by the parents,that he could therefore inform the mother of hisact of smoking, without fear. The mother gotalarmed and informed her husband. Sri Sastrywent into silence for a couple of breaths andreplied :

“I have given as a father what I should.They are grown up now. They should learn tohold themselves responsible for what they do. Iam confident that they shall live up to their strengthand overcome weakness”. The answer pierceddeep into the son. He never turned out to be asmoker, while he was left free to himself to dowhat he liked!

The friends and relatives who ad-mired SriSastry, affectionately told him from time to time:“Dear Sastry, you have a large family of 7 childrenand a wife. You have been generous to all aroundyou. You must think of leaving some prosperity toyour children to enable them to sustain for thefuture. Your colleagues are turning out to bemillionaires. You do not seem to be giving enoughattention to this aspect of your life. Wealth is alsonecessary in life. Please think it over”. Sri Sastryused to answer: “My children are my wealth. Ineed no other wealth. Wealth gained through wrong

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means brings unhappiness. It brings sorrow. Ihowever thank you for your concern”. It was hisstandard answer to one and all. Sri Sastryemphatically told his children too: “Do not expectinheritance of money or property from me. Theonly heritage I can pass on is the Path of Light. Iassist you as long as you study; not beyond that.That is what my father did to me. I too do thesame for you. Learn to be self-supporting and bea support to others”. The message was clear fromthe father to the sons, and they were studious tobecome self-supporting.

Along with the family, Sri Sastry wasorganizing family gatherings and group travellingon pilgrimage. He cherished being together ingroups. He frequently organized steamer travelfor groups on the river

Godavari from Rajahmundry toBhadrachalam - a popular pilgrim centre relatingto Lord Rama. Travel, tennis, bridge and singingthe glory of the Lord formed his hobbies throughouthis life. He was an all-rounder.

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CHAPTER VII

ATUNEMENT TO GOD

Sri Sastry’s God-mindedness was nearperfection. To him the Lord is the friend, the guide,the director and the protector. His reliance on theDivine was complete. He preferred communionwith the Divine to others. He served God and manalike. There was not a single day in his life thatpassed by without prayers. His 6th Ray of Devotionand his 1st Ray manifestation were substantial.He was sensing the functioning of the Divinethrough his acts.

Due to the prevalence of poverty,delinquency is very high in India. People lock theirhouses thoroughly during the nights. Theydoublelock them when they go on tour. Once SriSastry along with his family went on a 10 daysvacation to Bangalore from Cuddapah. They hadhardly moved 60 Kms., when Sri Sastryremembered that the house was not locked afterthey all came out into the car. He expressed thefact to the family group. The family felt like returninghome and locking the house. Sri Sastry said: “Thewealth lost in the street remains unstolen by thegrace of the Divine. The wealth well guarded bythe security can be stolen. The weak lives in thewild forest, unprotected; while the most protected

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in the palaces, dies. Man gains, loses or retainswealth or health on the basis of his own actions.He reaps that which he sows and if there isanything unworthy of holding, we lose. If not, thingsat home remain. Either way I am happy. Let usnot go back. Let us move forward. Let the Divinedecide”. Sri Sastry conducted the tour unperturbedand returned home after ten days. The house wasintact unlocked and unaffected by thieving orrobbery!

It was post midnight hours. Sri Sastry andfamily were in sleep at their house in Eluru. SriSastry woke up at certain sounds emanating fromthe neighbouring house. The burglars werebreaking open the neighbouring house. Theburglars were raking open the neighbour’s doorwith sharp weapons. They were even breakingthe adjacent walls to the main door. The childrenand the elders were crying aloud, seeking help.Sri Sastry swiftly moved out of the bed, put on hisshirt and went out. No one in the colony seemedconcerned. Everyone in the colony locked theirdoors firmly, and were witnessing from behindtheir windows. There were four hefty ruffiansbreaking open the neighbouring house. The cryfor help was desperate.

Sri Sastry plunged into the scene like alion, roaring at the burglars. He swiftly used his

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hands to slap them on their face. The reverberatingsound coming from Sri Sastry’s voice frightenedthe burglars. They threw away their weapons onthe spot and ran away. He calmed down theaffected people of the house. The neighbours andthe family came out of their respective housesand gathered around him. The whole colony wasin praise of his heroic act. Some of themacclaimed him as very brave. Some othersadmired his courage by facing the burglars single-handedly. Some others expressed their fright asto what would have happened if the four strongburglars had put down Sri Sastry with thedangerous weapons they held in hand. Therescued family acclaimed him as the saviour oftheir lives and their property.

Charged with the 1st Ray energy, SriSastry drove away the burglars, calmed down theaffected family and calmed himself down. Whenthe neighbours enquired as to how he couldaccomplish such an act, he cooly said: “It is anact of God. I was only instrumental”. Some askedhim as to why did he risk his life alone. Heanswered:

“I am never alone. I am always with theDi-vine. His strength is my strength”. Others askedhim as to what was the magic of his hand thatpunishes and thereby rectifies the wrong; he

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answered that his palm was charged with theenergy of Rama that protects the law. Sri Sastrywas young and had a wife and three kids by thattime. The lady stood stunned at the heroic feat ofher husband; but her husband stood stable in God!

It was the year 1952. There wereunprecedented floods of the river Godavari in thetown of Rajahmundry. Sri Sastry was workingthere. The river level grew beyond all imagination.It cut across the bounds and started entering thetown. All the town sub-merged into the waters,except the colony where Sri Sastry was living.There was loss of life and loss of property. Thelosses were substantial. It was cognized as anational calamity. Sri Sastry plunged into action.He mustered his followers, helpers and admirersand formed into a salvage team. He rescuedpeople from various parts of the town. He laidshelters for all, around his house. He organizedfoodstuffs from various parts of the region andarranged for cooking. The affected were servedwith food and medicine. They were in thousands.He took homoeopathy to serve the sick. Until thefloods receded, the people were under theprotective umbrella of Sri Sastry. He also divertedthe minds of the affected people, from the calamity,by organizing bhajans during the morning andevening hours. He made them participants in theenormous work of cooking, serving and cleaning.

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The people acclaimed him as their saviour. SriSastry said: “The Saviour is ONE. We can be hisinstruments to help. The Divine is the only Saviour”.

During the floods, one of Sri Sastry’sfriends, a humble homoeopathic healer, lost allthe construction material he had gathered to builda house. The river came, with rain, thunder andlightening and swept away all the material. Byovernight the building-yard was empty. To build ahouse is a lifetime effort for the economicallyaverage ones, the middle class. Sri Sastry cameto know. He enquired from his friend, thehomoeopath. The latter was humble, upright andservice oriented, a well respected man in society.He answered: “I wanted to have a shelter for meand my family, but the Divine willed otherwise. Itherefore abandon the project”. Sri Sastry wasdeeply touched by the friend’s acceptance of thecalamity. A few days passed by. One day in theearly morning hours, the homoeopath found aroundhis tenanted house, trucks carrying loads ofcement, bricks, wood and other essentialconstruction material! The truck drivers informedthe homoeopath that the material was meant forhim and that they awaited to unload at a placewhere he would instruct them. The homoeopathwas wonder struck. He said that he had notordered any material. He further said: “Maybe you

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have been directed to the wrong address”. Thetruck drivers replayed:

“The address is right. We are properlydirected”. The homoeopath denied the materialand the truck drivers too denied the denial of thehomoeopath. At last the homoeopath enquired asto who directed them to him. They said in chorus:“Sri Hare Ram Sastry Garu”. The homoeopathwas deeply touched at heart and said: “Wait! I willgo and speak to him”. The drivers agreed.

The homoeopath approached his friend SriSastry, who having completed his morningprayers, looked resplendent in the morning sun.Fair in complexion, golden in colour, a broad chest,strong but soft-looking long hands, a broadforehead, the brown transparent eyes that piercethrough to sight the Divine. The homoeopath hada pleasant and profound impact. Sri Sastry invitedthe homoeopath friend with a smile and offeredhim a comfortable seat. A cup of hot milk wasordered for the visitor. Then Sri Sastry enquiredinto the purpose of the visit of his friend in themorning hours. The friend explained the episodehe encountered early in the morning andquestioned as to why Sri Sastry did so. Sri Sastrysmilingly said: “The Lord is all compassionate. Hewills and even desires that righteous men like youshould be in comfort. The Divine willed that you

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should have a house. That is why you also willedto build a house. His Will transcends the calamityand prevails. Please accept the help coming fromthe Divine. I am only instrumental”.

The homoeopath was filled at heart, tearsrolled down his cheecks. Dumbfound, he huggedhis friend thrice and left. Twenty-five years afterthis episode, the homoeopath met a son of SriSastry and narrated the event in detail in greatadmiration of his friend, who was no more bythen. That is how the event came to be known.Not even the lady of the house knew this act ofgoodwill till then. Such was the profoundity of SriSastry’s goodwill mission.

Even more amazing was the event whenseen in retrospection. Sri Sastry himself wasbuilding a house for his family at that time. Hepreferred that his friend build the house in priorityto his, and diverted all the material to him, whichwas collected originally for his own purpose! It isdivine to recognize others needs in preference toone’s own needs.

When Sri Sastry was at Visakhapatnam,he heard that in a village called Mallavaram (130kms. away from Visakhapatnam) there was asacred cobra that daily took bath twice, in thetwilight hours, in the temple lake, then it used toenter the temple of Siva and coil around the Siva

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Linga. The cobra was considered divine. The wordspread all around and the people were visiting thetemple in large numbers. Sri Sastry too, took hisfamily along and travelled up to the place to visitthe temple and the cobra. When the family was atthe threshold of the Sanctum Sanctorum, SriSastry was inspired to enter into the Sanctum topick up the cobra into his hands! He took thecobra into his hands with veneration and wassinging in glory of the Divine. The serpent stoodup by the hood and was staring stable at him allthrough, as he sang. The people around, includingthe family members were stunned to see himholding the cobra. He looked at his family membersand suggested to hold the cobra, assuring that noharm would be done. None had the courage tohold the cobra, but they touched it while it was inthe hands of Sri Sastry. He later explained: “Asnake is a snake to those who see the snake. Tothose who see through, all is Divine”.

Sri Sastry’s prayer to the Divine had alwaysbeen: “Lord! Give me the privilege to serve thebeings. Grant me the friendship with those whoserve as your disciples. Bestow upon me,boundless compassion towards all beings”.

It seemed that the Lord heard his prayers.He had the privilege of serving the beings rightfrom his childhood. The attitude to serve was

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predominant in his mind through and through andhe served all that were around him -friends,relatives, associates, destitute, poor and sick. Hehad also the good fortune of meeting many saintlypersons in his life, as Avadhuta (a mendicant onthe path) who was a frequent visitor to his house.He served every Swamiji of every district, whereverhe worked. He served the cause of RamakrishnaMission too, in spreading the message of SwamyVivekananda. His compassion to the less fortunatewas really boundless.

Sri Sastry always advocated the worshipof the Lord in the form of beings. Besides heworshipped the Lord in the form of SRI RAMA. Hepreferred the Lord in a form with a name than thenameless and formless one. “It is tastier to worshipthe Lord in a form with a name. You can talk tohim, you can listen to him, you can have dialogueswith him. It is more splendorous this way. Youhave someone to interact always. The other wayis a bit bland to me”, was his answer to thegnostics.

To him the Lord was the most intimatecompanion. When he worshipped the Lord, itlooked as though he was speaking to Him; it lookedas though he experienced the Lord’s manifestationbefore his closed eyes. He used to sometimessing long hours in praise of the Lord, as if the

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Lord was standing before him. The prayer stanzasas contained in Srimad Bhagavatha formed partof his daily prayers, besides Gayatri and RamaMantra.

His day always started with prayers andended with study of the Scriptures and prayers.When he was at the driving wheel of hisautomobile, he used to sing in the Lord’s glory. Incongregations and in temples he used to singlong in glory of the Lord. The people who listenedto him felt touched in their hearts. Many acclaimed:“He is God-drunk”, “he is born with a divinemission” etc.. Unmindful of other’s comments orviews, Sri Sastry lived and moved in God as heprogressed through 50 years of life.

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CHAPTER VIII

ASCENT

Sri Sastry’s attachment to GodConsciousness was nearing total completion. By49 years he even relinquished the ‘wish to live’ -one of the 5 major hurdles to knowledge, -ignorance, separative consciousness, desire,aversion and the wish to live are the 5 knots thatcripple the human being to experience the bliss ofexistence. From childhood, Sri Sastry had nostrong personal desires to be pursued. To him lifewas a flow of events and in every event he lookedforward to serve. He was ever active in service.Aversion is a negative desire; it is desiring not tohave certain things in life, viz. not to have sorrow,not to have pain, not to have loss (of money,property or people), not to have sickness etc. Heunderstood that in this world, pain and pleasure,happiness and sorrow, profit and loss, comfortand discomfort, life and death, light and darknessco-exist.

When the desires are not strong, therecan be no strong aversions. Aversion is the reverseof the coin, while desire is the obverse. Onestimulates the other. When one is weakened, theother too weakens. Where there are no strongpersonal desires, there will not be any personalaversions too. Sri Sastry thus ascended the

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aversions in life, since he had no strong desires.He was not averse to atheists, to other theisticsystems and to those who do not share his lineof thinking. He therefore was a friend of all; in allsurroundings he was composed and all were atcomfort in his company.

From the childhood he was God-addicted,hence separativity in consciousness could beovercome. Man separates from the rest throughhis individuality and personality. He grows thusdistant to the One Consciousness functioningthrough all. Theism in its true sense is the gradualrealization of the One Consciousness and OneLife as the substratum of all that is built up invariety. When man walks the path of truth, throughright understanding, theism should lead to unity ofexistence. Theologies that separate humanitytherefore fall under the shade of the Light, whilesearching for Light! God- mindedness results inrealization of the One as many. When this is notso, there is a defect in the practice. Separativityleads to selfishness, to pride and towardsprejudice of others. Prejudice breeds jealousy andhatred. Such is the chain action that leads one toignorance. Sri Sastry was mostly feeling God inbeings and in forms. To him the reality of unitywas tangible. He therefore, through his rightattunement to God, gradually overcame thepersonal accomplishments. He carried noprejudice towards others. The more he grew

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nearer to the God-Consciousness in him and inthe surroundings, his ignorance was giving wayto the light of knowledge. He thus superseded thepairs of desire and aversion as also the pairs ofseparativity (egoism) and ignorance. Thus, hestationed himself in Light, where the wish to livewas the only riddle to be unlocked.

By his 49th year, he decided that he shallleave the ‘Will to live’ in the hands of the One inwhom he started living. He realized that he wasnot born by his will and hence his departure shallnot be by his wish. It is the Will of God that prevailsfor both, birth and death. He laughed at the ideaof one’s own wish to live. He therefore started indeeper fervour to live in God more than to live inthe body.

Many persons worry about living in body,while the knowers care to live in Light in preferenceto living in body. Sri Sastry’s attitudinal changewas noticed by a few close friends. They advised:“If you live long, you can serve long and therebyplease the One whom you follow. It also helpsyour family and your dependants”. Sri Sastrysmiled at the friends and said: “The One Helperto all, is He. He alone. He has an army of saintsto work for Him. He decides who to help whom.I cannot arrogate to myself that I am a helpereven to my family. As long as the Lord retains mein the body, I serve Him; I continue to serve Him.My service to the beings is nothing but my service

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to Him. But I suffer not from a glamour that Ishould serve more or serve longer. His Willprevails.

If He wills, I will be here; if not I will be‘there’. Let His Will prevail, not mine”.

By that time, Sri Sastry seemed to havefulfilled himself. He was ever contented and thecontentment was fulfilling. He served as a childthe village community, where he was born andbrought up. He was a household name. He servedfriends and relations. He served the family andthe society. He served while at RamakrishnaMission. He stood in God and worked.Consequently many received the soothening touchof God through him. He sensed that he was torise and go. It was May 1967. The ascending moonphase in Taurus had come. The 8th ascendingmoon phase passed by. Sri Sastry had aheartattack in the city of Cuddapah! Sri Sastryrealized the call. The doctors came, examinedhim and said that it was a severe chest pain.They gave medicines. The 11th moon phasepassed by and the 12th was setting in. It was the21st May. Sri Sastry had a second heartattack.He called his wife and children and said: “I amcalled back to the Lord. I therefore go. The Lordwill take care of you all. Remember ‘Kunti’, themother of the five Sons of Light. When king Pandupassed on, the lady reared the children with theDivine help. Lord Krishna lent his presence and

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support. Likewise, you play your role. Lord Ramawill be with you and the children”.

The lady Smt. Ramalaksmi could not bearthe utterance. Tears rolled by. She wept. Sri Sastryin his usual commanding, lion-like voice said:“Those who can chant Rama’s name may be nearme. Others, who wish to weep, may leave intoanother room”.

The family got alerted and chanted thename of Rama the Lord. As the chanting was on,Sri Sastry quietly left the body during the post-midnight and very early morning hours (2.00 a.m.). His body was brought to the banks of theholy river Krishna overnight and was cremated atthe river bank near Vijayawada. It was a hotsummer day. The day’s temperature touched 120Fahrenheit. the sunburns. They carried theirfather’s body to the river bank on a bamboo plank,barefooted. When the pyre was lit and the bodywas burning, Sri Sastry’s hand raised up to theelbow and the palm blessed the ones in whom healways reposed his confidence. He retained hisplace in the hearts of his children and also in thehearts of many. He continues to inspire. He livedlike a lion, roared like a lion and lives even todaylike a lion in the Cave Temple (the Heart).

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HE WAS ACCLAIMED AS :

‘THE SINGLE-MAN ARMY

THAT SALVAGED SINKING LIVES’.

‘THE UNPROCLAIMED SPIRITUAL TEACHER

OF THE SIMPLE’.

‘THE GOODWILL SOLDIER OF A SILENT ORDER

THAT PROMOTES LIGHT’.

‘THE MAN THAT LIVED AS A LION

OF HIS OWN KINGDOM’.

‘A SOUL THAT SHINES

AT THE EVEN TIDE’.

THIS IS THE STORY OF A MAN

THAT LIVED FOR GOD.

THE TITLES

1. Sambhoo2. Relative of the Soul 3. Friend in Need4. Hare Rama Sastrygaru 5. Hidden Yogi

TITLES FROM THE ADMIRERS

CHAPTER IX

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OTHER BOOKS THROUGH

DR. SRI K. PARVATHI KUMAR

The following books are available in: English (E),German (G), Spanish (S), French (F), Hebrew (H),Telugu (T) and Hindi (HI) Kannada (K) languages.

BOOKS :

1. LORD MAITREYA E/G/S/F

-The World Teacher

2. THE WHITE LOTUS E/G/S

3. WISDOM BUDS E/G/S

4. SPIRITUALISM, BUSINESS E/G/S& MANAGEMENT

5. THE PATH OF SYNTHESIS E

6. THE ETHERIC BODY E/G/S

7. MARIA MAGDALENA E/G/S

8. TIME THE KEY E/G/S

9. LISTENING TO THE INVISIBLE MASTER E/G/S/F/H

10. GOOD FRIDAY E/G/S/F/H

11. BHRIKTA RAHITA TARAKA RAJA YOGAMU T/K

12. MITHILA –A New Age Syllabus E/G/S

13. THE AQUARIAN MASTER E/G/S

14. SOUND –The Key & its Application E/G/S

15. ASHRAM LEAVES E/G/S

16. SANKHYA –The Sacred Doctrine E/G/S

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17. VENUS –The Path to Immortality E/G/S

18. THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT E/G/S

19. SHIRDI SAY SAYINGS E/G/S

20. SPIRITUALITY IN DAILY LIFE S

21. THE MASTERS OF WISDOM S

22. MEDITATION & GAYATRI S

23. WISDOM TEACHINGS OF VIDURA E/G/S

24. ON HEALING E/G/S

25. SPIRITUAL FUSION OF EAST & WEST E

26. SRI SASTRY GARU E/G/S/F/T

27. THE AQUARIAN CROSS E/G/S

28. HERCULES –The Man & the Symbol E/G/S

29. MANTRAMS –Their Significance & Practice E/G/S

30. SRI DATTATREYA E/G/S/T/HI

31. SATURN –The Path to Systematised Growth E/S

32. JUPITER –The Path of Expansion E/S

33. MASTER E.K. –The New Age Teacher E/G/S

34. AMANASAKUDU T/K

35. VRUTRASURA RAHASYAM T

36. THE DOCTRINE OF ETHICS E

37. DHANAKAMUNI KATHA T

38. ANTARDARSANA DHYANAMULU T

39. THE SPLENDOR OF SEVEN HILLS E/T/Hi

40. DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PRESENCE E