Initiation Rejected

By Nagamma

13-1-1949:

For readers who do not know the background of the following story it should be explained that the great Shankaracharya, the 8th Century restorer of Advaita Vedanta, founded four orders of sannyasins in the four corners of India, north, south, east and west. A regular succession of gurus continued in these orders and became the upholders of Hindu orthodoxy. Every sannyasin is supposed to receive initiation and normally from an initiate of one of them. That is to say that a man cannot simply take sannyas; it has to be bestowed on him. Similarly a man is not supposed to act as a guru unless he himself has received initiation. The position of Bhagavan, living as a sannyasin and acting as a guru, was therefore technically incorrect. The point of the story is that he was above technicalities and was fully aware of the fact.

There was talk in Bhagavan's presence about a conference of the heads of mutts at Sivaganga, and in this connection a devotee said to Bhagavan: "It is said that a long time ago somebody from Sringeri Peetam came and asked Bhagavan to take initiation. Is that so?"

Bhagavan replied "Yes, indeed. In the early days of my stay at Virupaksha Cave a shastri from Sringeri Mutt came to see

me one morning. He spoke with me for a long time and fully understood what I said to him; then, before going into town for food, he approached me with folded hands and an air of devotion and said: 'Swami, I have a request to make; please consider it.' I asked what it was and he replied with great humility and an air of submission: 'Swami, as you were born a Brahmin, is it not necessary that you should receive diksha (initiation) according to the sastras? Isn't that our ancient tradition? This is not unknown to you, so what need is there for me to explain? It is our wish to include your name also in the list we already have in the stanzas in praise of gurus. So if Bhagavan consents arrangements will be made to bring the necessary things and perform the rite here. Even if you don't want to wear the full ochre robe, you could at least wear an ochre loin-cloth (instead of the white one you wear now). Please give it your earnest consideration while I go down into the town for my midday meal and let me have your answer when I come back at 3 o'clock. The people at our Mutt have heard of your great reputation and sent me here to speak with you about it.' So saying, he went down the hill into town.

"Soon after he had left an old Brahmin came with a bundle that seemed to contain books. His face seemed somehow familiar. He put the bundle down as though he already knew me and said: 'Swami, I have just come and not even taken my bath yet. There is no one to look after this bundle, so please look after it.' So saying, he went away.

"As soon as he had gone it occurred to me for some reason to open the bundle and look at the books. On opening it I was immediately struck by the title 'Arunachala Mahatmyam' (The Greatness of Arunachala) in Sanskrit on one of them. I was not previously aware that this Tamil work existed in a Sanskrit version also. I opened the book and my eye fell immediately on the stanza in which Ishvara, (God) says: 'Those who live within three yojanas (thirty miles) of this place (Arunachala) will attain Liberation free from all attachments even if they have not received initiation. Such is my decree.'

"Seeing this, I said to myself: Splendid now I have a good answer to give to that shastri. So I copied the sloka out and tied the bundle up again as it was before. Then I sat in meditation. When I opened my eyes again the bundle was gone. When the shastri returned in the afternoon I showed him the stanza. Being a learned man he saw at once that there was nothing he could say against it, so he bowed down before me with great respect and devotion and left. It seems that he told the whole story to the Shankaracharya Narasimha Bharati and the latter regretted the episode and told his followers to make no such attempts in future.

"There were a number of other occasions too when people came and tried to convert me to their ways. I used to listen to all they had to say but would never consent to take initiation. I always found some excuse such as this to get out of it."

One of the devotees asked whether the old Brahmin who brought the bundle of books returned.

Bhagavan said: "I don't remember whether he did or not. I only know that the bundle was not there. We got what we needed. Isn't that enough? It means that Arunachala Himself appeared in that guise."

He then remained silent.