(Narasimha Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi in1956 and on the same day, transferred
all his Spiritual Powers to Radhakrishna Swamiji for continuing the same mission
with added vigour. Thereafter Radhakrishna Swamiji was looking after All India Sai
Samaj, Madras as President and also Thyagarajanagar Mandir, Bangalore. The holy
Trinity-Sri Sai Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji, and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji adoring
the sanctum sanctorum in Thyagarajanagar, Bangalore are the source of peace, strength
and bliss for all the visitors).
Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji was born in Poyyamani Village in Trichy District of Tamil
Nadu on 15th April 1906. He was the fifth child of Sri Pudukkudi D. Venkatarama
Aiyer and Smt. Lakshmi Ammal. Even as a child, young Radhakrishnan was brought up
in a religious and spiritual atmosphere. He was always loving the beauty of nature.
He began meeting sages and holy persons and visited temples far and near. He was
fond of reading books on religious and spiritual matters and the hagiographical
books on saints like Raghavendra Swamy, Sadashiva Brahmendra, Chaithanya Mahaprabhu
and other such books.
He met Ramana Maharshi and Seshadri Swamigal at Thiruvannamalai. The latter gave
Radhakrishnan three stones and asked him to cook and eat them. Ramana Maharshi interpreted
it that he should overcome the stages of "Sattva", "Rajas" and "Tamas", to become
a "Gunatheetha".
He had the opportunity of visiting Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam
and had met the Swamiji a number of times. He did not have much interest in school
studies and discontinued them. He was deeply involved in acquiring spiritual knowledge.
As he belonged to an affluent family, there was no need for him to search for a
job and earn for his livelihood.
Kanchi Acharya had a great influence on Radhakrishnan's personality. When one of
his brothers was in Poona, young Radhakrishnan stayed with him and made number of
visits to several religious places. He continued his contacts with several sages
for his spiritual pursuit. While visiting some religious places around Poona and
Bombay, he had seen some caves suitable for spiritual pursuit and stayed in one
of the caves and did penance for 48 days and during that period he had the fortune
of having darshan of Lord
Dattatreya and was instructed by the Lord to remain in the world to fulfill his
mission and also to help the mankind.
Radhakrishnan came to Ooty in 1921 and he was there for the next 20 years. At the
age of 21 years, he was under pressure by his family members to marry, though he
was not very serious about marriage. But however, he yielded to family pressure
and married Parvathi, a relative from his mother’s side.
Later, he worked as a part time employee as a steward in the Race Club in Ooty.
While working in the Race Club, he had to wear suitable dress and had to look smart
consistent with the position. While working there, he used to look as a stylish
well dressed young man. He was moving with senior European Officers in those days
and the other high officials of the society and this resulted in his having many
important friends.
He stayed with his elder brother. The two brothers used to go on long walks and
had discussions on spiritual matters for hours together. He used to spend some time
daily in the Shiva temple built by their family members along with his close relatives.
He used to identify himself with Radha and Krisha and Andal and assuming their roles
he would dance in ecstasy during the Bhajan times. He loved music very much and
used to sing Thyagaraja and Purandhara Dasa Kirthans. He was also a lover of Astrology.
He was initiated into Datta Mantra by Narayana Maharaj of Bet in Ooty in 1927. He
was a voracious reader and was visiting frequently the Theosophical Society at Adyar,
Chennai. He used to practice meditation and was reading regularly a Sanskrit book,
"Mantra Mahodari" which was almost his constant companion in life.
There was a deep Psychological Crisis in his life during 1936-42. He had even attempted
to commit suicidewhile traveling in a train from Trichy to Madras. As the train
was crossing the Coleroon River near Chidambaram, he opened the door for the purpose
of jumping into the river. But he felt immediately that someone was pulling him
back. He looked back and immediately saw an old man with a headgear asking him not
to do it as he had a mission in life to perform. Later, he realized that it was
Baba who pulled him back.
In 1942, he met Sri B.V. Narasimha Swamiji in unexpected circumstances
and his search for the "Guru" came to an end at that point. He became a staunch
devotee of Baba and later became a spiritual heir to Sri Narasimha Swamiji.
While in Madras, Radhakrishnan supervised the accounts of All India Sai Samaj and
helped Sri Narasimha Swamiji in several ways. He was a man who never pushed himself
up and was always in a low profile. He avoided publicity and ostentation. He was
also not interested in talking about himself and never did he pose for any photograph.
He visited some North Indian centres for propaganda about Sai Baba and helped Sri
Narasimha Swamiji in making All India Sai Samaj as a vibrant institution. He made
total surrender to Sri Narasimha Swamiji as his Guru and whatever Sri Narasimha
Swamiji said was a law to him. Radhakrishnan was made Vice President of All India
Sai Samaj, Madras.
In 1952, Sri Narasimha Swamiji deputed Radhakrishnan to Bangalore for Sai Prachar
work in Karnataka State. Radhakrishnan arrived in Bangalore in 1952 and found that
there was a presence of Sai devotees in the Cantonment area and he set up his small
office initially in Cantonment. Later he moved to N.R.Colony area and started staying
in an upstairs room in a house near the bus stop. This room also became subsequently
the home for Sai Spiritual Centre. Radhakrishnan lived for about seven years in
the same accommodation until a permanent building for the Centre was constructed
He was meeting his Guru in Bangalore during his infrequent visits. It was in 1953
Sri Narasimha Swamiji conferred on him the title, "Saipadananda". And Radhakrishnan
became Radhakrishna Swamiji. That was the Guru's recognition of Radhkrishnan’s unswerving
devotion to Baba and sincere obedience to his Guru. In April, 1954, Radhakrishna
Swamiji inaugurated Sri Ramanavami celebrations of the Sai Bhajan Group in South
End Road, Basavangudi and this was the starting point of Sai Spiritual Centre. As
regards his food, devotee-like people used to offer him meals and he was without
food on several days. He used to visit Tumkur every Saturday for Sai prachar work.
At the inspiration of Baba, a retired official of the Mysore Government by name
Sri Domlur Krishna Murthy (Retd. Asst. Controller) had offered a plot of land measuring
1000 square yards in Thyagarajanagar in Bangalore for
constructing a building for the purpose of propagating the teachings and mission
of Sai Baba. In 1961, the site held by Sri V. S. Sastry, in Trust was gifted to
the Centre, on the auspicious day of Guru Poornima. Through Baba’s Grace, a Gujarati
business man by name, Sri Bhai Patel met Radhakrishna Swamiji and helped financially
in constructing the building structure. Impressed by the activities of Sai Spiritual
Centre under the able guidance of Radhakrishna Swamiji, Sri .Sastri, had also collected
and raised some funds. Then Radhakrishna Swamiji had to speed up the foundation
work for the prayer hall with two rooms. Funds for constructing a building on the
site voluntarily came from several devotees all over the country without any efforts.
During 1965, formal opening of the building was done by Radhakrishna Swamiji. On
27th April, 1967 a magnificent life size colour portrait of Sri Sai Baba donated
by Sri S. Doraiswamy was unveiled in the main hall by Smt. Saraswati Bai Giri in
the presence of HE V. V. Giri, the then Governor of Karnataka State. “Sri Sai Spiritual
Centre” was registered during 1979 under the Mysore Societies Registration Act.
An exquisite idol of Sri Radhakrishna donated by Sri Harshad Patel was installed
in the premises by Radhakrishna Swamiji during 1972. During 1978 in the Silver Jubilee
year of the Centre, the life size marble statue of Sri Sai Baba was installed on
the 60th Mahasamadhi anniversary of Sri Sai Baba.
Narasimha Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi on 19.10.1956 and on that Poornima Day, transferred
all his Spiritual Powers to Radhakrishna Swamiji for continuing the same mission
with added vigour. From 1970 Radhakrishna Swamiji was looking after All India Sai
Samaj, Madras as President and also Thyagarajanagar Mandir, Bangalore. On the occasions
of Gurupoornima, Mahasamadhi day and other important festival days, he used to shuttle
between Madas and Bangalore on the same festive day in order to be present in both
the Mandirs and for this purpose, he used to travel by car and by air. As President
of All India Sai Samaj, Madras, he was instrumental for opening of many Baba temples
in and around Madras and also in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. An All India Sai
Devotees Convention was held successfully under his leadership in Poona in 1978.
Swamiji was instrumental for the construction of Sri H.H. Narasimha Swamiji's cottage
in the All India Sai Samaj premises, as a tribute and
homage to Swamiji during his birth centenary year.
Radhakrishna Swamiji felt that "Nama Japa" (continuous chanting of God’s name) and
the recitation of Vishnu Sahasra Namam were the panacea for everything and they
should be repeated any number of times every day so that the chanting would show
the way for solving all our problems. Swamiji advised the devotees to cultivate
the habit of reading a chapter a day from Bhagavad Gita. He was also a prolific
writer. He wrote a book on the life of Sri Narasimha Swamiji who did wonderful service
about Baba by contacting the ankita devotees of Baba who were then living during
1936 and collected all their experiences with Baba by meeting them and published
several books about Baba and was also instrumental in making several people across
the country, familiar with Baba’s life, mission and miracles. Sri Narasimha Swamiji
went to the extent of learning Marathi in order to gain the first hand information
about Baba by reading himself the original books in Marathi written on Baba.
After Bhajan or after the recitation of Sahasranama in the Mandir, there used to
be a benediction every night which he composed during his visit to Dwaraka in Gujarat
under the spell of a divine inspiration. The text of the benediction is given below.
May the wicked turn good; May the good attain peace; May the peaceful be freed from
all bondage May the liberated redeem others. May everybody be happy; May everybody
be free from disease; May everybody have good luck; May none fall on evil days.
May everybody surmount difficulties; May everybody have good fortune; May everybody
realize his ambitions; May everybody rejoice everywhere.
Swamiji lived a full and active life. He was constantly travelling and propagating
about Baba's mission. He was in continuous communion with Baba and his actions were
in response as a sequel to Baba’s inspiration. In one of his visits to Shirdi, he
was asked by Baba to live for some more years to complete the remaining portion
of his mission for the welfare of the general public.
Swamiji conducted Satsangh where Gita Parayana was recited daily in the Sai Spiritual
Centre in Bangalore. He was also fond of reciting verses from the Gita and used
to translate them for the benefit of the devotees. Swamiji
also explained to the devotees about the Rama Mantra and its potency. Rama Mantra
is called “Taraka” as its chanting would enable one to cross the barriers in life
of sansara. There were several instances where Swamiji showered his Grace on his
devotees. His profile was low, but his bestowal of Grace on the devotees was very
effective and powerful.
Swamiji was waiting for "Uttarayana' auspicious days to leave his body and merge
with Baba. January 14, 1980 was the day he had fixed for merging with Baba. On that
day, he had joined devotees in chanting "Sri Vishnu Sahasra Namam" and, "Om Namo
Narayanaya". He was conscious till the last moment and left his mortal coil in the
night on 14th Jan, 1980. He was cremated the next day with full honours amidst chanting
of Vedic Hymns.