Sacred Chitrakut
There is a belief among the sadhus and devotees that if a spiritual seeker goes to Chitrakut Hill, a spot associated with the life history of Sri Rama, and prays earnestly for a vision of his/her Chosen Deity, that desire is fulfilled, provided the seeker has chittashuddhi or purity of mind. Swami Vishuddhananda Maharaj was blessed with such a vision of God. I have been profoundly impressed by this incident, and greatly enthused to go to Chitrakut and take my chance for the vision of God having sufficient purification of mind.
— Swami Shivamayananda
How to treat a thief?
Subodh Babu looked after the grocery and vegetable shopping for Belur Math. Almost every night he would come to offer his pranams to Swami Vishuddhanandaji. Maharaj too was very affectionate to him. On one such visit on 22 June 1954, Maharaj asked him, “Subodh, have you ever been cheated while shopping?” Subodh Babu replied, “Maharaj, today itself I was cheated.” He then narrated how the man delivering a food item had stolen some of it and the gatekeeper had found him out. When Maharaj wanted to know how he had handled the matter, Subodh Babu replied, that he had nicely scolded the man before dismissing him.
On hearing this, Maharaj said, “It would have been a noble thing on your part, if you had given that man 6 annas (small change) to buy that food item for himself.”
— A sannyasi
On visiting a sannyasi
3 December 1954. Swami Shantanandaji had come to Belur Math after a long period. When I told Swami Vishuddanandaji that I had gone to offer my pranams to Shantanandaji, Maharaj asked, “Did you ask him any question?” I replied, “No, I didn’t, as he was going to take bath.” Hearing this Maharaj mildly scolded me saying, “When you visit a sannyasi, you must seek his advice, you must enquire, ‘Maharaj, how to gain devotion?’. Should I teach even these things? And, even if you have attained devotion you must ask how to get more devotion. Nah! As if you are already full of devotion and there is no need to ask for more!”
— A sannyasi
Importance of tough experience
27 December 1954. I went to Swami Vishuddanandaji at night. I felt blessed to have the opportunity to massage his feet. Probably, his leg was aching a lot. And so, after a while he himself instructed how to massage. He felt great relief after the massage. Then while talking with him, I mentioned that revered Upen Maharaj was very loving and never scolded me. To this Vishuddhananda Maharaj said, “Now you do not understand that you are harmed by such treatment. Later, when you will go to another place, who will treat you so lovingly? Only receiving care and affection will not do any good. It won’t make you strong. If you can accept the scoldings and insults as you do the love and care, then you will understand that you are on the right track. सखु दुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ “Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat with equanimity.” We have received so many harsh scoldings from the children of Sri Ramakrishna!”
— A sannyasi
Work and worship
When I sought to accompany Swami Vishuddhanandaji as his attendant, he recalled an incident from his own life. Swami Brahmanandaji had sent him to South India to be with Swami Ramakrishnanandaji. But, Vishuddhanandaji had the desire to stay with Brahmanandaji and serve him. One day, when he conveyed his desire through Krishnalal Maharaj, Brahmanandaji immediately told Visuddhanandaji, “See, as a brother, as a friend, I tell you, work and worship should go hand in hand.” Narrating this Visuddhanandaji declared, “These words are still ringing in my ears.”
— A sannyasi
Related Articles: