Incarnation of an Enlightened Master

A close disciple of Sri Swami Vishwananda once told this story: I was walking down the street one day and ran into an old acquaintance. We hugged each other and began to speak about the years in between then and when we had last seen each other. That meeting reminded me that it is like that also when I kneel before Gurudev Swami Vishwananda in darshan. Whether I have my eyes closed or whether I am looking into His fathomless eyes, I feel like I know Him from a long ago time and now we simply are becoming reacquainted in our present forms.

Once, I was in darshan and all that was in my mind during the long wait in line before it was my turn to kneel in front of Swami for His blessing was: “Gurudev is an incarnation of a certain Enlightened Master I know in etheric form.” A scene with that particular Master appeared over and over in my mind and heart. And over and over this thought or knowing filled my mind and my heart with the truth of it.

Finally, it was my turn to receive the blessing of Swami Vishwananda. As I knelt before Him, He looked into my eyes with a radiant smile that filled my already full heart to overflowing! Incredibly, Swami leaned toward me with His eyes displaying the depth of eternity, and luminosity like a million stars shining brightly. His face came very close to mine; He looked into my eyes and said, emphatically: “Tell Me!” I leaned close to His right ear, cupped my hand over my lips, and said, “Swami, I was thinking you are an incarnation of this Enlightened Master I know in etheric form, and I named Him. Gurudev sat back in his chair and then dipped his head way down as if bowing and raised his head back in a graceful, grand gesture of assent, yes!

Being omniscient and thereby knowing my thoughts, Swami confirmed in a beautiful and loving way what I had been thinking during that long darshan line, and what I already knew in my heart was the truth! - Disciple of Swami Vishwananda