HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji - The Lawyer turned Saint

SADGURU NARASIMHA SWAMIJI – THE LAWYER TURNED SAINT

Sri Bhavani Narasimha Iyer was born in A.D. 1874 on Friday, the 21st August, in

the Hindu cyclic year of Bhava in the bright half of the lunar month of Ashada,

on the 9th day, and on the 7th day of solar month Leo (Avani) at about 11 a.m.

when the constellation of Jyeshta was ruling and when the chief period of

Mercury was to rule over him for fourteen years, one month, and 3 days from

that date. This was horoscope drawn at the birth of our Swamiji.

Sri Narasimha Iyer was born in the Coimbatore District in an orthodox Brahmin

family, and his parents were Sri B. Venkatagiri Iyer and Smt. Angachiammal. It

is said that Angachiammal took a vow and performed pooja at the holy shrine of

Lord Sri Narasimha at Sholingur, and immediately there after she was blessed

with this illustrious son, and was named after that great deity. The parents

moved to Salem where Sri B. Venkatagiri Iyer practised as a Second Grade

Pleader. He had great success at the Bar, and his house was one of the biggest

in the Second Agraharam at Salem. Sri Narasimha Iyer had a brilliant

educational career. He graduated from the Madras Christian College and the B.L.

examination from Madras Law College. He straightaway joined the Bar at Salem and

began practice. Very soon by his brilliant and analytical presentation and

arguments, he became the foremost leader and remained so till 1925, when he

himself gave up the profession.

Sri Narasimha Iyer never believed in unnecessary litigation. He insisted upon

facts and critically examined each case. He even brought clients together and

discouraged fissiparous litigation. He rendered justice, and in the law courts,

he was very much feared as he was a lion among all, and his advocacy of truth

and justice was unparalleled. Not only he was the leader at the Bar, he had a

lot of social work to his credit. He became the Chairman of the Salem

Co-operative Bank, and for some time served as the Chairman of the Salem

Municipal Council. He became an active member of the Literary Society, where he

used to play tennis and billiards. He would stop playing at 6 p.m. everyday when

he would go home to offer his evening prayers and puja. His prominent

contemporaries were Justice Sundaram Chettiar (who was his classmate), Sri. C.

Rajagopalachariar, the first Indian and last Governor-General of India, and Sri

Muthukrishna Iyer. He was a fiery nationalist and espoused the cause of freedom

and became a leader in the Home Rule Movement. He was an admirer of Bala

Gangadar Tilak, and he was considered to be an extremist. He became an elected

Member of the Madras Legislative Council in 1914. He was again elected in 1920

and was the first Council Member to speak in Tamil, expousing the Freedom

struggle and he challenged the British Might. He was an active participant in

the Home Rule struggle started by Mrs. Annie Besant and he was one of the three

members of a mission that went to Britain to propagate the right of India for

freedom and self-government. Sri John Joseph of Madurai and Sri Manjeri Rama

Iyer were the other members. The British feared the oratorical prowess of

Narasimha Iyer and detained all the three at Gibraltar and sent them back to

India after 15 days detention. Sri Narasimha Iyer offered non-cooperation in

1920.

When he was in the peak of politics, there was a sudden stroke of tragedy that

changed the life course of Sri Narasimha Iyer. When he was performing the

Sraddha ceremony of his first son, even before the ceremony was over, a

terrible tragedy occurred in the loss of his two children, who accidentally

fell into the well in his bungalow and died. This tragedy changed the entire

outlook of Sri Narasimha Iyer; then and there, he wished to renounce all

worldly pursuits. He decided to turn spiritual and serve God and humanity.

The Divine call was perceived by Sri Narasimha Iyer. The double tragedy conveyed

a singular message. His only object became the Realisation of what is

‘Self’ and God. He resolved to give up everything mundane to which

he was attached. He resigned from the Legislative Council and stopped taking

part in politics. He returned the Vakil Sanad to the High Court. He completed

the work of reconstruction of the Lakshminarayana temple in Second Agraharam at

Salem and left pilgrimage to various centres to seek Truth.

His first trip was to Tiruvannamalai, and stayed in one of the caves observing

silence for 3 years and concentrated on the study of Vedanta. He closely

observed Sri Ramana Maharishi’s life, and wrote out a book in English

styled "Self Realisation". This gave a deep insight into the life and work of

Sri Ramana Maharishi. This book resulted in many seekers from Europe and

America to flock to Tiruvannamalai. With the blessings of Sri Ramana, Sri

Narasimha Swamiji resumed his pilgrimage to various centres.

Sri Narasimha Swamiji, inspite of his meeting various saints and religious

leaders, was still unsatiated. He was in search of a Master who could fully

possess him and clear all his doubts. One saint told him that his failure was

due to subjective causes in that he had not surrendered all vasanas, subjugate

his penchant for criticism, develop docile submission to superior wisdom and

superior goodness. Narasimha Swamiji had not until then got the immense good

fortune of meeting a Godman who could transform him fully.

Hence in such a search, he once resolved to meet the famous Datta Upasaka

– Sri Narayana Maharaj of Khedgaonpet, which is 40 miles from Poona. This

Narayana Maharaj was a great Datta Upasaka who rendered many miracles. Swamiji

sat in meditation before Datta shrine. He saw some sparrows there and, closing

his eyes, he prayed that if Datta is going to bless him, a sparrow should sit

on his head and go away. With this thought he prayed. Lo! The sparrow did sit

on his head and flew away. Swamiji could then have the conviction that Sri

Dattatreya installed in the shrine and Sri Narayan Maharaj were having really

superhuman powers. Sri Narayana Maharaj blessed Swamiji that he will get the

‘precious gem, which he is seeking’.

Sri Meher Baba (disciple of Upasani Baba), met at Nasik Sri Swamiji, and

followed his advice, went to Sakori to meet Upasani Baba. Sri Upasani Baba

advised him to follow the Bhakti Margas and lead a life of a holy ascetic

– Akinchana. Somehow his life at Sakori near Upasani Baba was not to his

liking, as he felt that there was something ‘missing’ and decided

to leave Upasani Baba. He returned to Madras and planned a pilgrimage to

Dwaraka. Meanwhile, Sri Upasani Baba was commenting "Where would this Madrasi

Swami go" and he would be drawn to him (Upasani Baba) again. Somehow as

Providence willed it, (just as Sai Baba’s akarshana was powerful in

drawing Upasani Baba to Himself), here also Upasani’s akarshana was

powerful. Because of a sadhaka’s insistence for settling him in a proper

religious place (a devotee at Hubli met Narasimha Swamiji at the Siddharuda

Mutt), Sri Narasimha Swamiji had to take him to Sakori. At this time, much

against his plans, Narasimha Swamiji had to meet Upasani Baba, who prevailed

upon him to stick to Bhakti Marga, Sri Narasimha Swamiji reasoned that if

Upasani was so great, his Master Sri Sai Baba must indeed be the rarest gem in

spiritual advancement.

Sri Sai Baba drew Narasimha Swamiji unto him through Upasani Baba and the light

dawned upon Narasimha Swamiji that indeed Sri Sai Baba was really a Divine

Avatar like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, and thus he found in Sri Sai Baba his

Gurudeva – the Guru God – who changed his entire life for the

benefit of mankind. In grateful acknowledgement of Upsani’s place in the

Divine order of things, Sri Narasimha Swamiji wrote the book ‘Sage of

Sakori’ paying his high tributes to the life and services of Sri Upasani

Baba in the spread of Sai Baba Message. Swamiji got the full Sakshatkar of Sri

Sai Baba while praying to Sri Sai Baba at the Samadhi Mandir. Then Swamiji

began his research work of meeting various devotees of Sri Sai Baba who had

personal contacts who could give an account of the life and teachings of Sri

Sai Baba and their experiences. The book ‘Sage of Sakori’ reflects

the great sadhana of Sri Upasani Baba under the guidance of Sri Sai Baba who

bade him to ‘sit quiet and that he (Sri Sai Baba) will do the rest.

In 1936 he had an invitation from a great devotee (Sri M. B. Rege Maharaj) and

through him was able to meet Sri P.R. Avaste, Judge, Gwalior. Sri M.B. Rege,

the ankita child of Sri Sai Baba, was working as sub Judge, and knew Sri P.R.

Avaste, intimately. Sri Narayana Avaste was one of the important guests at the

AISS during 1968 Bhagavata Sammelan and at Poona, he took us to his abode and

special Mandir.

Sri P.R. Avaste helped Swamiji to read Sri Sai Satcharitra (Marathi), Sai Leela

Masik, and other Marathi publications and so we can describe Sri. P.R. Avaste

Maharaj as tool ordained by Sri Sai Baba himself to enable Narasimha Swamiji to

get detailed information. Narasimha Swamiji could read Marathi works himself,

and this is indeed Sri Sai Baba’s Grace and blessing.

In 1934 to 1936 – was the period of this search and collection of

devotees’ experiences and statements. 1936-37 saw the inspiring articles

published by Swamiji in Sunday Times – 30 or 40 issues (20,000 copies) of

that journal. This sparked off the Sai Torch. This Torch has illuminated many

thousands of devotees all over India in Sai Faith and Sai Worship.

Swamiji wanted to bring together the sum and substance of these accounts by

devotees and build the edifice of Sri Sai Baba for future generations to

understand. This he did by cementing the various bricks and presented an

authoritative account through his books on the life of Sri Sai Baba in four

volumes. This was monumental publication, which Swamiji completed as his final

act of Atma nivedana.

Just as Sri Ramakrishna appealed to Kali Matha, Swamiji fervently appealed to

Sri Sai Baba to reveal Himself.

‘Introduction to Sai Baba’ in November 1938 was the first book

penned by Swamiji. Three editions were brought out within a year. such was the

demand. This work was translated in the languages of the South – Tamil,

Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Devotees’ Experiences’ then

followed, ‘Glimpses of Sai Baba’, ‘Sai Ashtothram’ and

‘Sai Sahasranamavalli’, ‘Wondrous Saint Sai Baba’,

‘Charters and Sayings’, Sai Mananam, Khaparde’s Diary, etc.,

all these publications came one after another as waves of Sai Bhakti. These

books from Swamiji are priceless treasures from the Ankita Apostle of Sri Sai

Baba, and it is our duty to reprint these books (All books of Swamiji are not

protected under copy right act and can be published by any interested devotees

without changing its original contents) and make them available to devotees in

all major languages. This is a great Guru Seva awaiting us.

Total Surrender of Tan, Man, Dhan is the only way to achieve Guru’s Grace,

the Divine Grace of Sai. Every one can become Sai’s Ankita child. Should

not everyone of us get Sai Bliss? The doors are open. Let us step in with full

faith and determination. Swamiji will bless us all.

JAI SAI RAM

Author: Sri Kesava Rao,

Source: Sai Sudha, Golden Jubilee Issue Special Number June 1990.

Published by: All India Sai Samaj (Regd), Mylapore, Chennai-600004, India.

Our thanks to: Sri. K. Ramaswamy, Past President, AISS. for his continuous

support to our Sai Prachar Seva.

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