Celebrating The First International Day of Yoga

THE YOUNG SWAMIJI
As a child Swamiji loved bhakti stories like Kabirdas. He also
loved to go for Utsavam (Temple celebrations) to see the chariot
being pulled and he loved to take friends to go and see it as well.
Determination
It was his powerful determination that Swamiji’s mother was
referring to when she described him as ‘a very adamant fellow’.
Illustrating with an incident from his infancy Mataji told of how
once the young Swami Kuttan had refused to eat until some
of the food on his plate was removed. There was too much, he
had said, take some away. Mataji explained that the dog could
have what was left, and instructed him to eat. Again he refused:
there was too much food, and some should be removed. Mataji,
in her own words, ‘beat him on the leg’ until his leg swelled.
Still he would not eat, nor did he cry. It became clear that
beating was useless. Mataji relented and removed some of the
food. Swami ate, and Mataji resolved never to beat him again.
Hand in hand with this resolute determination came a remark -
able fearlessness. Swamiji’s cousin, Sri Achuthan recalled:
In his younger days Swami had no fear at all. There was a
mango tree near the house where we lived. If you climbed right
to the top you could see our house from the top of that tree.
Once he saw me when I was climbing down. I told him that I
had climbed up to try and pick some mangoes. He asked ‘Did
you get any?’ I told him ‘No’, I didn’t manage to get any. They
are a bit too high to reach.’
So Swami climbed up and the branch broke and the stick he
used to collect the mangoes also broke. When the branch broke
he fell down to the ground after getting hit by other branches
on the way to the ground. He broke his arm. It became a huge
event and everyone gathered around. My father was very good
with medicines. He had some medicinal oils that he got from
Mysore. There was a toddy shop nearby and that man was good
at tying splints. So he came and with my dad applied oils and
using a white cloth tied a splint. Swami did not cry. Not a drop
of tears fell from his eyes. In spite of so much pain he did not cry.
From birth Swami’s diet consisted of milk, fruits, sweets and
ghee. He refused to drink coffee and tea, and did not like
strong spices or salt. If some butter was added he would eat
rice. He would eat idli and dosa. He was golden in colour. One
day Kunji Amma, a neighbour, looking at Mataji with Swami
Kuttan on her lap enquired whether she was the child’s mother,
and what food he was being given. The child was looking
beautiful, Kunji Amma said, while Mataji looked like his servant.
‘Chovvari’ (sago payasam) and milk Mataji replied.
In his early years Swami Kuttan lived in Kumaramputhoor
farm, his father’s farm at Pallavur. Because the local school was
three miles away Swamiji’s mother engaged a tutor to teach
him at home. One day his father’s nephew, Balan, took the
young boy to his primary school in Thalloor to attend Navaratri
Puja. The next day he ran to go to school. Mataji recalled: ‘I did
not permit, as he had to walk three miles and I thought to let
him complete one more year. But he ran again and I chased
him and brought him back. Again he ran and thereafter he
attended school regularly. He started going to school by himself
at the age of five. After passing 4th class he started attending
school at Nemmara from Pallavoor crossing the Gayatri River
and streams. If there is water in the river someone would help
him to cross. He had no fear even while young.’
The tank near the Subramanya Temple in Kanninmanglam where
Swamiji bathed, and chased the boys catching fish
The paddy fields which once formed part of Swamiji’s family land
Discrimination
‘He did not like talking ill of others. One day when we ladies
were chatting he shouted, “Mother! Mother!” loudly and when
asked what he wants he advised us not to talk ill of others.
He will only tell the truth. When the shopkeeper returned
the balance once with more money after the purchase of provisions,
Swami asked that the excess amount be returned immediately.
He would not ask for money to visit the cinema. Only books
and fees he will ask. He is studying along with rich family
children. They may eat from hotels, but Swami is satisfied with
what I give. He will not demand anything from me.’
He was not fond of show or make-up. His dress was simple.
It was not because he could not afford, but he had no desire
for costly costumes. He was fond of books. If he took up a book
he wouldn’t leave it until it was finished.
Compassion
‘When the woman sweeping the courtyard was sick, Swami
applied oil and massaged her legs.
He would not harm animals, nor permit others to harm
them. Whenever he took a bath in the tank, if he found friends
catching fish, he would catch them and bring them home. He
would advise them not to do it, and he would pay money not
to kill. He would not allow anyone to harm even ants and flies.
Swamiji’s elder sister Lakshmi Kutty was advised not to eat
fish and meat and also not to conduct adharma poojas with
animal sacrifice; only oothama poojas to be conducted for the
gods. No animal was to be harmed or killed.
When Swami was in the army Balan was laid up with TB.
Swami came back from the Punjab on leave and kept Balan’s
head on his lap and looked after him until death, reciting God’s
name. Earlier, when he was studying, his uncle Murukandi was
in hospital. He looked after his uncle the whole night. He helped
other patients also. He looked after them until death. He was
not at all afraid. In his younger days he had no fear at all.’ n
Kamala Devi runs an affiliated Sivananda Yoga Centre in Katoomba,
NSW, Australia. She is a long time disciple of Swamiji Vishnudevananda and
has helped a lot with the organisation of the archives of Swamiji’s work.
email: kamalaDevi@bigpond.com
16 YOGALife |Autumn/Winter 2015