We were sitting on the beach our first evening in Puri, India, gazing at the moonlight on the waves and listening to the crashing of the surf on the shore. Seventy devotees would be joining us in two days for a pilgrimage to sacred sites in this area, which is considered to be one of the holiest in India.
A friend who was sitting with us asked, “When was the last time you were in Puri?” Thinking about it, I realized that I hadn’t fully grasped the significance of the timing of our visit. Quietly I replied, “Twenty years ago in 1996 with Swami Kriyananda.”
In the fall of 1996, Swamiji had invited a small group of us to accompany him to India. One of the places we visited was Puri, especially sacred to Paramhansa Yogananda’s followers, because it was here that his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, left his body in 1936. It was here also that Master placed the lifeless form of his guru in a small samadhi mandir on the grounds of the Karar ashram. And there his body still resides.
It seemed that with all his being he was asking Sri Yuktewar’s blessings on his search for God.
As we were meditating with Swami Kriyananda at that mandir in 1996, I glanced over and saw him absorbed in a state of profound interiorization and concentration. It seemed that with all his being he was asking Sri Yuktewar’s blessings on his search for God. Later, when we were all getting ready to leave, we knelt before Swamiji and asked him to bless our discipleship, which he did, lovingly and unassumingly.
Now twenty years later we returned to the mandir, and in the “easy resurrection of memory” I could see Swamiji sitting there in deep self-offering. As we began to meditate, Sri Yukteswar’s spiritual vitality and power washed over us like a great wave, and I felt as though we were crossing an inner threshold that Swamiji had opened for us long ago through his blessing. Our spiritual development unfolds over time in ways of which we are rarely aware, but in this case we caught a glimpse of the cause-and-effect process that draws us forward.
We will be leaving India in a few days to return to America. We’ve seen much spiritual beauty and depth here that cannot help but leave a permanent impression on the mind. But among all the inner treasures that India has bestowed, I will especially cherish our time in Puri when we glimpsed this simple truth:
When God created each of us, He also set into play a unique plan for how we would return to Him. This plan is already underway for every one of us, and will be fulfilled when the time is right. All that is needed in the meantime is our trust in Him.
Your friend in God,
Nayaswami Devi
15 Comments
Yes, Puri it’s really a blessed place.
I have been there in 1983/84/85/86.
I remember a great mystical experience in a small Shiva temple in the jungle.
It’s located 11 km North from Puri if you walk along the beach, than is 500 metres inland from the shore.
Other way you can reach it by road.
Arrived at the junction of a small village called Baligai you turn right and start walking on a dirty road direction of the sea.
It’s about 3 km.
It was a magic place than, and we spend 2 weeks there.
Dear Nayaswami Devi Ji,
Thank you for the blog and sharing the memories with Swamiji :)
We thank you for your Visit to India and the opportunity that we got to spend time together.
Your message is very encouraging “All that is needed in the meantime is our trust in Him.” :)
In Master’s Love
Prem
Thanks for sharing . Will be wonderful to read more about this sacred experience in India
Namaste
Gloria
Om Shanti!
Thank you, Devi. You help us recall those special moments in time. Om! Om! Om!
A lovely, inspiring article. Thank you Devi.
Justin Epstein
Minister
The Unity Center of New York City
:-)
Thank you Devi…This may well be exctly the sotry and the quotation I needed at this ,moment in my life!
Joy and gratitude,
Darshan
Thank you for embracing us all in your discipleship blessings that you had received from Swamiji and Yukteshwarji at Puri.
May you be One in Their Light and Love.
Pranam Ji’s
Thanks for keeping us in the Threshold helping us to Achieve what we seek with Your Gifted Blessings.
With Gratitude
R Sundararajan
Dear Devi Ji and Jyotish Ji,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Yes, indeed it was a blissful visit to Puri and crossing the threshold as mentioned by you.After the hard time I faced recently, I so wanted to communicate with God one on one.Master had been calling me for a long time to talk to him and get answers back. It was a great feeling meditating at puri, walking on the same soil, breathing the same air and sitting on the same ground as our Guru’s. I am back all rejuvenated and aligned. I look forward to many more trips in future.
Thank you for your wise words, blessings and talks.In thankfulness now and in Gratitude for ever.
wishing you a safe journey and already looking forward to your next visit.
Om Guru!
Kuldeep
Dear Deviji,
Thank you for this blog.It is comforting to know that God has unique plan for each of us to return to Him and will be fulfilled when the time is right. I received an answer through you.
God Bless you.
Your friend in God. In deep gratitude and appreciation for our Path to HIM
What a blessing? Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this amazing pic!