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By His Side
When Swami returned to the temple and darshan ended, everybody left the area. However, I couldn’t move. I sat immobilized by the experience. I sank into the temple wall while instruments and microphones were removed. Then, when everyone le, Swami came out. As he passed, he stopped and said, “Sandweiss, come.” What a monumental, totally unexpected invitation! All my impressions of Swami’s greatness and goodness were intensified a thousand fold by this unbelievable invitation to be by his side. My increasing commitment to upholding his values, dharma, seemed to bring me closer to his love and protection.
I rose on teetering legs and walked to a car that had just arrived in front of the temple. I was quickly ushered into the front seat and, in a moment, Swami entered the back. There was immense power in his presence, his eyes deep as the ocean and resonating infinite awareness. As we started off, Swami asked, “Sandweiss, did you like the Ganesha bhajans?” Swami knew that I was overwhelmed and supremely grateful for the holiness of the occasion and his sparkling gi. “Yes!”
Ganesha statue at Prasanthi Nilayam
Swami went to the college auditorium where he spoke to 200 of his college students about the value of Lord Ganesha’s aributes, his strength, courage, intelligence, and detachment, again inspiring us to be good. Here was a lesson in the way to conduct our lives that applied not only to the students, but also to all of us, including my patients.
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