Page 66 - Amrit Varta - Issue Feb. 2023 - English

54 MA ANANDAMAYEE AMRIT VARTA Vol. 27, No.1, February2023

of God and did not turn down anyone (without judging their nature whether he is
Satvik, or Rajasik, or Tamasik) while serving them. At night he rested only for
a short time. Many a time he spent the night in japa and meditation instead of

lying in bed. In 1994, on the instructions of Swami Bhaskaranandji Maharaj,
Brahmachari Sushantji went to Kankhal Ashram and started the daily puja work
of Ma’s Samadhi Mandir. After performing this for more than a year, he
received formal sanyâs diksha (initiation) from Swami Bhaskaranandji Maharaj.
His name was changed to Swami Sharanandagiri. He then again returned back to
the Uttarkashi Ashram and engaged himself in intense sâdhana. However, there
was always a huge crowd of sadhus meeting him and he could not deny anyone

to visit him.Shri Devabrata Maharaj a renowned sadhu donated his ‘Seva-sadan’
named Ashram and cottage to Swami Sharanandji. Swamiji again became so
much engrossed in serving the sadhus and poor of Uttarkashi that he did not
have the opportunity to sit and meditate satisfactorily for a long time. Despite
his reluctance he was made the president of the Uttarkashi Sadhu-Samaj.
Attachment of Swamiji with Sudhir Bandyopadhyay, a realized soul
In 1984-85, Swamiji was seriously ill with dysentery. He had to be admitted
in the hospital. At that time, on Shree Shree Ma’s instruction (even though Ma’s
gross form was not visible to us at that time), a realized soul and a householder
met Swamiji in the hospital in order to serve him. He was Shri Sudhir
Bandyopadhyay, a mantra disciple of Swami Birajanandaji Maharaj of
Ramakrishna Mission. Also known as the venerable sanyâsi, he was the founder
of “Vivekananda Vidyalaya and Mandir” at Chowdhury Haat, Cooch Behar. He
was an ardent devotee of Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee and even after Ma’s
gross body disappeared from our sight, he had direct darshan of Ma and used
to receive direct instructions from Ma on implementing or not, certain important

jobs. He was fondly known to many as dear Sudhir’da. Swamiji soon recovered
and took along Sudhir’da with him to Uttarkashi and started residing at the
Yogbrata Sadan Ashram. (Yogi-sâdhak Yogabratji Maharaj, on being pleased at
the pious selfless service of Swami Sharananandji, had respectfully donated his
Ashram to him). Then Sudhir’da and Swamiji jointly started their severe penance
and sâdhana. I was blessed to hear from Swamiji, several of his mystical and
awe-inspiring spiritual experiences (visiting other worlds in different bodies,
where lived realized saints) of that period.
* * * * * * (to be continued)
Anchored in patience, enduring everything, live joyously with His ‘Name’ .
--- Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee