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Our Guru Swami Rudranandaji Maharaj - by Dr. Ponnuswamy Gounder
Our Guru Swami Rudranandaji Maharaj
By Dr. Ponnuswamy Gounder
It was late January of 1958, when my admission to Brisbane Grammar school, Brisbane, Australia was confirmed. To secure a place, my parents were to pay the required fees. Like most of the Indians, who had no formal education, my parents too were keen to see me get some higher education. They were prepared to sacrifice all for their children’s education.
It was in the morning, I approached my father Thiru Ramaswamy Gounder to send the required amount in the form of a draft to Brisbane Grammar School. My father paused a while. I do not know what went through his mind, but he turned to me and said, “Go and ask Swamiji (Swami Rudrandaji Maharaj) for his opinion, that is, whether I should go to Brisbane for my further education”. I could not question my father. I looked at my mother, Thirumathi Kasiamma Gounder and her silence gave me the answer.
In those days, as our parents did not know much about education, they always turned to Swamiji for advice, which always came with abundance of consideration, love and affection. I went to the Ashram and saw Swamiji sitting alone in the ‘bure’. This is the place Swamiji was to be found whoever wanted to see him. Swamiji was alone. I prostrated and said, “Namaskaaram”. Swamiji’s face was glowing and he had a captivating smile on him. Swamiji looked at me straight. I did not hesitate and told the reason why I had come to see him. He looked at me for a while and firmly said that it would be better for me to go to India and pursue my studies there. He gave a lot of reasons for his suggestion, one of which was that it would help with my spiritual development.
I retuned home and narrated to my parents Swamiji’s advice. Once Swamijihad spoken, so that was it. So, as per Swamiji’s instruction, I started correspondence with the late Mr Narayan Reddy, who was a student at Christian College, Thambaram, Chennai, India. The rest is history.
Left to Right: M.R. Balaganapathi (Principal SVHS), Swamiji and the author)
Education
Education for children of my time was uppermost in the mind of Swamiji. When there were a few primary schools in Fiji, Swamiji encouraged Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam (Sangam) to start primary schools in villages and this led to schools being opened in remote areas. Seeing what Sangam was doing, other religious and non-religious bodies started schools and primary education was being made available. During this time, there were very few schools for Taukei (Fijian) children.
It would be interesting to note that a Fijian gentleman form Uciwai approached Swamijiso that his son could attend Uciwai Sangam School, for European authorities of the day objected to his son attending the Indian - managed school. Swamijiadvised the Fijian gentleman to get his son admitted to Uciwai Sangam School, without any hesitation. He also told him that since Fijian language was not taught at the school, the child would have to learn Tamil and if the authorities asked, he should say that he did not mind his son learning Tamil.
As primary education took good hold in Fiji, the need for secondary education arose. Lots of children, on completing primary education could not pursue further education, for there were only a couple of secondary schools and admission to these schools was highly restricted in the name of efficiency! Swamiji took a bold step with Sangam and the late Mr A. D. Patel, to establish Shri Vivekananda High School (now known as Swami VivekanandaCollege).
It would not be out of place if the following is recorded: I do not think this has been ever done. With the help of the late Mr A. D. Patel, Swamijiapplied to Education Department to start a secondary school. Swamijireceived a phone call from the then Colonial Secretary, who told Swamiji, the regulations did not allow anybody starting a secondary school. If anyone went against this regulation, he would have to face the law of the government of the day. Swamijireplied to the Colonial Secretary that government could take whatever action it wanted to take, but the secondary school would be opened. Thus, Shri VivekanandaHigh School was opened. The other interesting information is that the night before the opening date of the school, Swamiji received a phone call from the Colonial Secretary informing that, “Now you can start, as the government has changed the rules”. After the Shri VivekanandaHigh School opened its door, after some time one could see secondary schools in remote areas of Fiji coming up like mushrooms. It was Swamiji’s efforts, which resulted indirectly in the establishment of the University of South Pacific. Then came NavaicobaRural Development School. This was started for children who could not successfully complete the secondary schools studies. People passed all sorts of comments and remarks, when Swamiji embarked on this project. But today it is a shining example of an institution which is productive and helping in the development of Fiji’s youths.
Contribution to Sugarcane Farmers
Today, the politicians are claiming that sugarcane farmers are better - off because of them. They have brushed aside Swamiji’s contribution. Swamijiwas responsible for setting - up of present - day Sugarcane Growers’ Council. An incident has to be told: Swamiji prepared a paper for the establishment of Sugarcane Growers’ Council. A week or two before the formal meeting, Swamiji had been admitted to Lautoka Hospital for cardiac complications. Two days were left for the important meetings; Swamiji’s health was not very good.
I was the Medical Superintendent of Lautoka Hospital. I received a phone call from the paying - ward sister that Swamiji was sitting on the floor near the lift and he wanted to go to the Ashram. I had to rush to the paying –ward, where Swamiji was. I prayed to him to go to his room.
He would not move. He insisted that I go and seek Consultant Physician’s permission so that he could go and attend the important meetings. He further assured us that he would come back to the hospital the very next day of the meeting. Swamiji kept his word.
Another incident which I would like to record is what I overheard Mr Jahoor Khan telling my father. It was during early 1940’s, when there was general strike by the cane farmers because of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company’s indifference towards the farmers. Swamiji had gone to Nadi’s Sree Siva Subramani Swamy Temple.
Mr Jahoor Khan’s house was next to the Temple. Mr. Khan saw a European Police Officer coming in a jeep. He stopped the jeep and went to Swamiji. Swamijicame out of the Temple. The European officer told Swamiji that he was under house arrest. Immediately Swamiji was whisked away and put under house arrest at the Ashram.
Mr Khan said that when Swamijiwas told of house arrest, Swamijiwas calm and collected and did not raise any objection; he accepted the orders without any hesitation. Since this incident, Mr. Jahoor Khan had a lot of respect for Swamiji.
Swamiji went to London in 1948 to attend Sugar Conference, representing farmers of Fiji. The crowd at the airport were wonder-struck to see Swamiji, emerging from the crowd wearing a three-piece suit. Swamiji’s figure was an imposing one. There was a big crowd to see Swamijioff to London.
Again there was a big crowd to receive Swamiji on his triumphant return and I had the great honour to garland Swamiji at the airport. It was my Guru who laid the foundation for the reform in sugar industry in Fiji. It was this Great Man, who was not to benefit from the sugar industry, but worked tirelessly and championed the cause for the farmers. Today, some leaders’ have forgotten him and his contribution to sugar industry.
Teacher
I joined Shri Vivekanada High School in 1951. Initially, the School started with two teachers, Mr K. S. Reddy and Mr G.S. Naidu. Swamiji had to fill – in as another teacher for want of any other. Swamijitaught Mathematics (Algebra & Geometry) and English. Whenever Swamiji came into the class, the atmosphere changed. It was all calm and I could feel some spiritual enlightenment within me. Swamiji never got angry or used harsh words. He managed the class so well that it created enthusiasm and the desire to learn more and more.
As there were no one to teach Tamil, a few of us, namely : the late Mr C. Ramaswamy Gounder, the late Mr Chinnappayya Gounder (also known later as Charles Gordon) an myself used to go to Ashram, during ‘vernacular’ periods to take Tamil lessons.
Early Days of Travelling
In those early days, that is, since 1939, the year Swamiji arrived, going around Nadi was difficult, as motorized vehicles were very few. The Ashram was situated on the Nadi river bank. I distinctly remember there were two horses on the other side of the river bank. One of the horses was white with black spots and other was brown. Our elders used to say that Swamiji rode the white horse, visiting the settlements, around Nadi Town. Swamijiwas always accompanied on the other horse by a very devoted Taukei (native Fijian), whose name was Mr. Joeli, whom Indians refereed to as Chemeli, a sweet smelling flower. Mr Joeli used to follow Swamiji like Swamiji’s shadow. Whenever Swamijiwas in company of people, Mr Joeli stood at a distance from Swamiji and had a watchful eye. His devotion to Swamiji knew no bounds.
Initiation
To get a spiritual initiation for a Hindu, that too from Swamiji Rudranandaji Maharaj, was an exceptional spiritual experience in itself. When I approached Swamiji for ‘Diksha’, he paused a while and asked me, why I had not taken initiation at Madras Math. To this I replied, “Swamiji, Swami Yatishwaranandaji Maharaj used to come to Madras and give Diksha to the devotees and somehow I could not make it to the Math whenever Swami Yatishwaranandaji came to the Math”. On hearing this, with a radiant smile, Swamiji said, “Yes”.
At that time, we were in Suva and Thiru Bala Ganapathi Pillai informed me that my wife Josephine Juwella and I would receive Diksha at Guru Maharaja’s Thithi Poja day. It was in the morning of March 1976, my wife and I were instructed to go the Ashram with some fruit and flowers. We were duly initiated. As Shri Ramakrishna was waiting for his disciples, so was our Guru, Swami Rudranandaji Maharaj initiated us in to Shri Ramakrishna’s spiritual lineage.
Pilgrimage to Manalmedu
What a blessing it was that I had an opportunity to go on a pilgrimage to the birth place of our Guru, Manalmeduin Tamilnadu, India. The pilgrimage took place only after the ‘Samadhi’ of our Guru. I was given the privilege of delivering his last remains (Asthi), along with the video tape recording of Swamiji’s funeral rites. I delivered them to Mr Ramakrishnan and his sister, Swamiji’s ‘Porva-ashrama’ brother and sister.
I was taken on a brief tour of the places connected with Swamiji. There is a small temple right in front of the family’s home. After taking the Sanyasa, whenever Swamiji’s mother thought of him, he visited Manalmedu. As he would not visit the house, as per Hindu Monk’s tradition, Swamijiwaited for his mother in the Temple.
A school, named after Shri Ramakrishna, has been constructed on the family property, for the poor children. This school is in line with the life-long aspirations and work of Swamiji. We are what we are, because of our Guru and Lord Murugan.
“Jai Sri Guru Maharaj!”
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Dr. R. Ponnuswami Gounder is a Medical Practitioner based at Bayly Clinic, Lautoka; he is currently Chairman, Medical Board of Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji and President, Fiji College of General Practitioners; he lives in Lautoka, Fiji.
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