The Supreme Blessing

The Supreme Blessing

Swami Purushottamananda is granted the Divine Vision

“On the way back Baba stopped the bus at a place, where a thin little iron rod carried a half-distinct nameplate, “Vasishta Guha.”

He proceeded to descend the rather precipitous incline to the river bank, as if He had been there often before and as if He had become aware of an engagement with the occupant of the cave.

The Ganga takes a wide curve near the cave; nearby a small rivulet pours her offerings into the Ganges, and so the scenery is doubly attractive. The Vasishta Guha bears a hallowed name; it has been sanctified by the austerities performed therein by many great recluses and monks in the past.

Swami Purushottamananda, a disciple of Swami Brahmananda of the Ramakrishna order, initiated into Sanyas by Mahapurushji, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, had been living in the cave since 30 years and welcomed Baba as if he too was expecting Him!

More than seventy years old, he had spent the major part of his life in asceticism of a most rigorous kind and in the study of scriptures. His face has the genuine glow of spiritual joy and the slightest mention of the glory of Godhead would send him into Samadhi (spiritual ecstasy). When he was still a young man, Swami Brahmananda had read his palm at Kanyakumari and predicted that he would enter a cave and go on meditating and meditating!

Baba reminded him of the travails he endured when he first came into the cave, leopards and cobras and the three-day trek to Rishikesh and the desperate struggle for salt and matchboxes! He spoke of the succour that came to him through sheer Divine intervention!

Baba repeated the visit the next evening in spite of a rumbling sky and the grumbling of some persons who accompanied Him. But, the rumbling ceased and the grumblers were humbled; by Baba’s Grace, the sky became clear and the rain held back.

Baba himself sang a number of songs that day in the Vasishta Guha and when one of the Swamis attending on Swami Purushottamananda requested Him to sing a song of Thyagaraja, He very graciously asked him which of Thyagaraja’s Krithis (compositions) he most liked to hear. Swami Kalikananda said that he was longing to hear “Sri Raghuvara Sugunalaya”!

Baba sang it, just to make him happy. No one had heard Him sing that song before and so it was an unexpected piece of good luck for which we thanked Swami Kalikananda. Hearing that Swami Kalikananda was suffering from chronic stomachache since many years, He took some ‘candy’ from nowhere and gave it to him, with instruction about diet etc. He also gave Purushottamananda, a Japamala of shining Sphatika beads, which ‘manifested’ itself in His Hand.

But, more mysterious and significant was the Vision that He vouchsafed to Swami Purushottamananda that evening. After sending every one outside the Cave, Baba and the Sage went into the inner room.

Sri Subbaramiah, President of the Divine Life Society, Venkatagiri, describes what he was able to see from outside the cave, thus:

“Even now that picture is imprinted in my memory. I was standing near the entrance of the cave. I could see what was happening. Baba placed His Head on the lap of Swami Purushottamananda and, laid Himself down! Suddenly, His entire body was bathed in divine brilliance. His Head and Face appeared to me to have increased very much in size. Rays of splendour emanated from His face. I was overwhelmed with a strange inexplicable Joy. The time was about 10 p.m.”

When pressed later to divulge the vision, Baba informed us that it was a Vision of Jyothir-Padmanabha! (Lord Vishnu as the Flame of Love-Wisdom) What supreme Karuna! (compassion) What immeasurable Good Fortune!

Swami Purushottamananda passed away on Shivarathri Night, 1961, four years later, during the Lingodbhava Muhurtham – the time Baba manifested the Lingam that Shivaratri.”

The Supreme Blessing – A Divine Gift Of Grace, Love, And Inner Peace

The Supreme Blessing is not merely a worldly gift, a sudden success, or a temporary comfort. It is the divine grace that awakens the heart, purifies the mind, and guides the soul toward truth. Many people think blessings mean getting what they desire, but the highest blessing is receiving what helps us grow spiritually and come closer to God.

In life, human desires are endless. One wish is fulfilled, and another quickly arises. Wealth, position, praise, and comfort may give happiness for a short time, but they cannot give lasting peace. True peace comes when the heart learns contentment, surrender, love, and faith. When God blesses a devotee with these qualities, life becomes truly meaningful.

The Supreme Blessing teaches that divine grace often works silently. Sometimes it comes as protection from danger. Sometimes it comes as strength during sorrow. Sometimes it comes as correction when we are moving in the wrong direction. Sometimes it comes as delay, so that we may become more patient, humble, and ready for what is truly good.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often reminded devotees that the greatest blessing is to realize the divinity within. The body is temporary, the mind is restless, and worldly conditions keep changing, but the Atma is eternal, pure, and full of peace. To know this truth is greater than any outer achievement. It removes fear and gives courage to live rightly.

The Supreme Blessing also reminds us that God’s love is not always understood by the human mind. We may ask for comfort, but God may give strength. We may ask for success, but God may give wisdom through struggle. We may ask for things, but God may give detachment. What appears difficult today may become a hidden blessing tomorrow.

A true devotee gradually learns to trust divine will. This trust does not mean laziness or weakness. It means doing our duty sincerely and accepting the result with faith. When effort is joined with surrender, the heart remains peaceful. The devotee understands that God sees the whole path, while human beings see only a small part.

The Supreme Blessing becomes meaningful when it transforms our character. If a blessing makes us proud, selfish, or careless, we have not understood its purpose. Divine grace should make us more humble, loving, truthful, and compassionate. The best way to honor God’s blessing is to become a blessing in the lives of others.

Selfless service is one of the clearest signs of grace. When the heart feels the pain of others and moves to help without expecting reward, divine love is active within us. Feeding the hungry, comforting the sad, teaching the young, caring for the sick, and speaking kindly are all sacred actions when done with pure intention.

Prayer also becomes a powerful blessing when it connects the heart with God. A sincere prayer may not always change the outer situation immediately, but it changes the person who prays. It brings patience, courage, clarity, and inner strength. Through prayer, the devotee feels that he is not alone, because divine presence is always near.

The Supreme Blessing finally reminds us that love is the highest treasure of spiritual life. Knowledge without love becomes dry. Worship without love becomes mechanical. Service without love becomes duty alone. But when love fills the heart, every action becomes sacred. Love makes prayer deeper, service sweeter, and life more peaceful.

The blessings of the Divine are not limited to temples, rituals, or special occasions. Every breath is a blessing. Every sunrise is a blessing. Every opportunity to do good is a blessing. Every moment of remembrance is a blessing. A grateful heart sees grace everywhere and complains less, because it understands that life itself is a sacred gift.

In the end, The Supreme Blessing is the awakening of devotion, purity, and God-consciousness in the heart. It is the movement from desire to contentment, from fear to faith, from selfishness to service, and from restlessness to peace. When a devotee lives with love, gratitude, humility, and surrender, every moment becomes touched by divine grace.

Letting Go is Letting God In