Yogi from the Himalayas

March 12, 1999

Dear Parents,

Divya conveys her namaskars. By Swami’s Grace here all is going on as usual. Praying that you are all well there also.

News is: that we had a sudden adventure. Word came from Visakhapatnam that a yogi was visiting for two days. He comes from the Himalayas where he lives year round (wearing only a loincloth). The propaganda is that he is over 400 years old! (Generations of families supposedly have visited him over that number of years.) His name is Swami Maha Ananda Avadhoot. He only speaks in Hindi. Anjaneyulu urged Mataji to come to Visakhapatnam to take opportunity to have this great yogi’s Darshan.

Immediately our Susheela, girl Kumari and P. Lakshmi, showed keen interest. As I went that day to Pithapuram (bank work and shopping), Mataji joked, “We are going on an adventure tomorrow. You have recently seen so many saints isn’t it?! So we are leaving you here to look after the place in our absence.” I said, “Fine, as you wish!”

But then at 10:30 PM at night Jnaneswari showed up at my cottage and said, “Be ready at 6 AM tomorrow morning. You’re also coming.” MAY HIS WILL BE DONE!

We left in the new ashram van on 9 March: Jnaneswari, P. Lakshmi, Nageswara Rao, girl Kumari, Susheela and two other devotees from another village. Vinamra was away doing puja program in Kakinada so she didn’t come.

We met the yogi – he is short and stout with shining, firm skin, long mangled white hair and wears only a brown burlap sack around his waist (the type used to pack rice and wheat grains). When one looks in his eyes it seems like he is truly not from this time, but sometime far in the past.

Anyway, he talked on spiritual matters in Hindi (must have full surrender, guru is necessary, all is Divine, etc.) Then Jnaneswari invited him to come to the ashram in Visakhapatnam and he agreed! The next day he came and spent nearly two hours blessing the devotees and talking a little.

My overall impression is that he may be a respected yogi but I don’t feel any connection. He may have developed powers from being in the Himalayas doing tapas so long, but I don’t know about his full realization.

JAI Sai Ram!

Love,

Divya