Shirdi Sai Baba Stories,Leelas and Teachings.: B.V Narsimha Swami Ji -Chapter -5.

Dear one's,
In continuation with biography of Pujya Shri B.V Narsimha Swamiji ,today I am uploading the 5th chapter which narrates about a incident which changed Narsimha ji's life ,after reading this chapter personally I was in tears,a must read chapter for devotees to know how this incident changed entire life of Pujya Narsimha Swamiji's .Readers who have missed earlier parts of biography can read by clicking on the links which are given below here at the end of post .Jai Sai Ram .

THE TURNING POINT

While still at the peak of his power, prestige and popularity, Narasimha Iyer decided in 1921, following a series of domestic calamities to give up his lucrative legal practice and also to withdraw from political and social activities. It was at such a juncture in Narasimha Iyer’s life that providence took a hand and decided to take him away from worldly activities. The means chosen for this withdrawal was a terrible domestic tragedy.

It was the last week of April 1921. Children were at home as it was summer vacation for schools. Narasimha Iyer was performing the annual ceremony of his late mother. Having completed all ceremonial rites, Narasimha Iyer was preparing for feeding the priests. The leaves were spread and food served and the priests were about to start partaking their food. At that moment Narasimha Iyer’s children – 15 year old younger son Jayaraman and 13-year old youngest daughter Savithri-while playing, had accidentally fallen into a half-dug well in their compound and had met a watery grave. One of the bungalow servants came and whispered this tragic news into the ears of Narasimha Iyer, as the Brahmins were about to start partaking their food. Even though it was like a torpedo hitting him, Narasimha Iyer controlled his emotions with a great presence of mind, did not reveal the sad demise of his children to the priests assembled there and requested the priests to proceed with their food and complete the formalities of his mother’s ceremony. After everything was over, he quietly proceeded to the backyard of his bungalow to see his dead children.

The death of two children in one stroke was like a thunderbolt. He was 47 years old at that time. He had not expected to be treated in this way by the heavens for whatever he had done for the public good. This tragedy could have made any other man go off his head and swear against God.

Why should this happen to him? What then is the meaning of life? Condolence and consolation, he received from various quarters. But none was found competent to give him satisfactory answers to his problems.

In took some years for the paroxysm of grief to subside. He had to gain control over himself. He settled down and pondered over the situation. He had educated his other son and helped him live on his income. His surviving daughters, Rajalakshmi and Saradambal, had already been married off decently. He has left alone in the wide world with his sorrowing wife.

Narasimha Iyer realized that the one who gave him the terrible blow was none other than God himself. Therefore, the tragedy that struck him must be intended to produce, eventually, beneficial effects on Narasimha Iyer and , through him, on the people at large. Through this instrument Narasimha Iyer, who was a ‘Grihastha”(family man) in full possession of the powers of his body and mind, was turned away from mundane activities so that he might engage in spiritual pursuits for the larger good. Narasimha Iyer took an irrevocable decision to take to spiritual pursuit and to serve God and humanity through devotion and knowledge. In the second volume of his masterpiece’Life of Saibaba’, Sri Narasimha Swamiji throws considerable light on this turning point in his life.

Agitating for Home Rule, Asserting the rights of people and education the people about their rights and participating in political and legislative activities was, no doubt, public service. But while there was enough workers and more were coming into the political field who were able, young and energetic and were suited for political activity, there was an imperative need for service in the spiritual field which was starved of true workers, because men with the adamantine character and total dedication necessary for true spiritual service were hard to find.

Even as the bodies of his little children were being taken out of the well, even as his benumbed mind and stricken heart were beginning to recover from shock and sorrow, Narsasimha Iyer realized that providence was conveying a message to him through this tragedy and directing him to concentrate himself on the service of mankind, breaking the shackles of political and social activity and domestic environment.

The final goal, that is, realization of Self and God, though but dimly perceived at this time, became clear soon enough and Narasimha Iyer knew that he had to take a 180 degree turn and proceed in a direction exactly the opposite of the one he had been pursuing thus far.

His wife Seethalakshmi was unable to bear the loss of her children and ultimately passed away in 1922. So Narasimha Iyer was left all alone in a big bungalow.

Narasimha Iyer resolved to make an absolute renunciation of everything he was connected with till then and to lead a secluded and consecrated life. He relinquished his interests in his property. He had already resigned the membership of the Legislature in 1920 in response to the Non-Co-operation Movement of Mahatma Gandhi and ceased to participate in political and other controversial public affairs. The final symbolic act was the return of his “Vakkil Sanad” to the High Court in 1925.

His withdrawal from the temporal life was orderly and gradual so that his disengagement caused the least dislocation to others. Finally, after completing the work connected with the Lakshminarayana Temple, he left home and family life in search of spiritual guidance and a Guru in accordance with the advice of the “Kula Acharya” and other elders.

Narasimha Iyer possessed those qualities and qualifications necessary for a “Sadhaka” to receive lessons in spiritual wisdom and training in spiritual discipline. He had led a clean life and had also a keen spiritual perception. Narasimha Iyer had drunk deep of the fountain of “Prastanatrya’, which in one word, stands for Bhagavadgita, Brahmasutras and Upanishads, and which is the source of Vedanta. He knew Viveka Chudamani and Yoga Vasishta. He had read Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharaa and Srimad Bhagavatam. He could recite according to correct phonetics and rhythm, Purusha Sooktam, Sri Sooktam. Durga Sooktam and Shanti Panchakam. He was also well versed in the new Testament, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Wordsworth etc.,

With his background, he distributed his wealth among his children, cut off all his family ties and left Salem in September 1925 as a mendicant.

At last, the bird flew away from its cage. He loved freedom dearly. The bonds of family love could not bind his free spirit. He walked away penniless, but, strangely, this did not worry him. When God pulls one towards him, as though by a string tied to the heart, it becomes his responsibility to protect that person. Narasimha Iyer experienced this from the time he left Salem.

Narasimha Iyer was brought up in the orthodox tradition. Even in the midst of his busy secular life, he never neglected the performance of his ‘Nitya Karma”(daily rituals like Sandhyavandana,Gayatri Japam, ancestral worship etc.,).To be continued....
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