AMARANANDA SWAMI

I went to Pune for a day.

Actually I went to a part of wilderness 2 hours away from Pune. They told me that if I wanted to meet the 'Janam' Swami', I had to wade through water...I thought that they were going to be puddles, but no! They were rivulets...Four of them! I felt embarrassed when I realized that because of my comfortable upbringing, I was unable to walk over stones, but  Swamiji later told me that I should feel good about myself, because one is able to provide financial well-being to people, from whom one buys ones little luxuries...I grabbed his hand, as I struggled crossing the river and told him: "Mujhe Bhavsaagar se paar karna"

It was a wonderful experience. Swamiji's name is AmarAnanda Swami. He is 80 years old, though he could pass for early sixties. He met his guru at the age of 30. Lived with him for 3 years. After the guru passed on he stayed on in the same place.

He is believed to remember his past lives and often is able to tell about the others' past lives as well. However he does not like to talk about it, as he says 'it is not important' (to remember past lives) What a simple man! Though he lives in a pucca house, he eats the food that his disciples bring...I wonder what he does when no one comes to visit? I said that I love to be in the company of saints. I told him about a kind of vision that I had had. I 'saw' that saints were ready to come to earth. I was a kid and wanted to come too, but told them that I was not ready. They lovingly told me to come along, they would look after me. Swamiji said, that that was probably true, as very few would take all this trouble to come and meet him???

I asked him what his name was? He answered: 'What is in a name, you are seeing my physical form!

I asked him to bless that either desires get fulfilled or annihilated altogether. He said: Analyze the cause of desires and let desires be. Do what you can. Live one day at a time and move on. Sometimes you will be happy, sometimes unhappy, some will call you a saint, some will call you a rascal...it is ok. You be aware and know what you are! Everything is destined. Ordinary people can rarely change their destinies because of their strong samskaaras. A villager came with a child who was ill. He gave them some herbs. Later he told me: "It is their belief and faith that will cure them" He had a calendar with Shirdi Sai Baba picture on it. I could not help thinking that this is how probably Sai Baba had lived.

When I asked him to tell me about some of my past lives, he said that I was an aristocrat during Krishna's times and would try and dictate to Him...Not that He would listen always...I smiled and said: He has not changed too much since then...