A Greek Devotee

[Guest guest]

A GREEK DEVOTEE

 

On the 25th of November 2004 we had a very interesting experience. We met

Dimosthenis Tambakos (28 years) from Greece. Tambakos is a world-class gymnast.

He has won several medals at the international level. Winner of the bronze medal

in World championships in 1999, Gold medal in the same championship in 2002 and

2004, silver medalist in the same in the year 2003 and finally, winner

of the Olympic Gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic games. In fact, one of the

routines on the Roman rings is named after him; it is called the Tambakos

routine.

Tambakos said that he first came to know of Swami in the year 1998, through a

friend who had a book containing sayings of Swami. The simplicity and powerful

teachings touched his heart and he had a desire to have Swami’s Darshan. In the

year 1999, he was on the reserves list for the Olympics squad to Sydney when he

was told that he would not be going. Taking this opportunity, he wanted to come

to Parthi. However, he had only 20,000 drachmas in his account, while he needed

another 2000 drachmas to make the trip. Astonishingly, old dues owed to him by

the government etc. suddenly got paid up and he discovered that strangely

enough, he had the funds to make a trip to

Parthi!

His first trip, he said, was something of an anticlimax! Swami would not even

look or talk to him, though He would find time to look at and take letters from

the people in all the directions around Tambakos. Nevertheless, he felt a

difference in him when he went back to Greece.

It was also in the year 1999, that he started having a severe shoulder pain. His

doctors and physiotherapists advised him to get it attended to with a surgery.

But Tambakos would not have it. He insisted that he would first have Darshan

and then take a decision, though the doctors warned him that it would be at his

own risk. Tambakos went to India just for one Darshan and had an interview with

Swami. Swami kept rubbing his shoulder and arms repeatedly. Tambakos was

convinced and told his doctors that he would not have the surgery. He never

needed it! On the contrary, he went on to win medals after medals!!

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He also revealed to us that during the trip in the year 2003, he had been given

a kerchief, which Swami had used. During the events in the Athens Olympics, he

tied this kerchief out of sight, around the waist. He says that he felt the

presence of Swami then with him.

We asked him about how he handled the enormous tensions and pressures that he

felt during the events and how he handled the expectations of his own self,

friends and nation. His answer was very revealing. He said, “I feel that I must

give it my best try and not hanker after the results. The result is for God to

decide – He may choose to give me or deny it to me. It does not matter. To me,

I am successful if at the end of it all, I feel that I have done my best and

put in my most sincere effort. Failure to me is to realize that I had not done

my best or not put in my best effort. This process of leaving the result in

God’s hands has always helped me stay calm and cool in any tight situation.”

Another question asked to him was about what he did to reach these great heights

of success. “You must be passionate about what you are doing. If you do not like

what you are doing and do not feel one with it, you are bound to stumble

somewhere. You need to love what you are doing. That is the only way to reach

success.”

Tambakos also revealed that there were other members of the Greek Olympic and

athletic squad, who were staunch devotees of Swami. He told us about Niki

Bakoyanni, the high jumper in the Olympic squad. She is just 1.69 m tall.

However, the day before she was to participate, she went up to one of her

co-devotees and wanted to obtain Swami’s Blessings. This person advised her to

touch the necklace given by Swami, to her forehead, pray and then jump. She did

that and cleared 2.03 m!

Maria Polyzos is a marathon runner. Unfortunately, she did not qualify for the

Athens Olympics. One day, when Tambakos was in the Olympic village, after

training, he decided to attend bhajans along with Maria. After the bhajans,

since there were no buses to the village, Tambakos went to Maria’s place.

There, from the altar and from above Swami’s photo, Maria removed the Greek

flag she had kept there. She had placed it there for the occasion that she

would wrap it around herself when she won the Olympics marathon. Now, she

selflessly gave it to Tambakos since she herself would not be competing. That,

Tambakos said, was a sign of selflessness and love Swami often teaches – to

feel happy when somebody else is achieving something and help wholeheartedly.

Anyway, Tambakos used that very flag to wrap around himself once he won the

Gold medal.

This very flag was signed by about 16 of the athletes from the Greek Olympic

squad who had won medals and Tambakos presented this flag to the students of

Swami. He also brought two torches that were used to light the Olympic flame

and also one, which was brand new – to be presented to Swami!

It was a very illuminating experience for all of us to meet Mr. Tambakos. All

through the course of our interaction with him, his humility and simplicity

stood out for all to see. It is quite humbling to know that one who has

achieved so much in life finds with all his heart that it is only God who has

credited him with all the success!!

SairamA Anantha VijayaManager (Sales & Mktg.) Dhara Vegetable Oil & Foods

Company LtdC/o National Dairy Development BoardNear Mahananda DairyWestern

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