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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