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Swamiji giving a discourse in Sarva Matha Shanti Nilayam
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MY FIRST ASHRAM HOME OF PEACE FOR ALL RELIGIONS Without my announcing it, I was regarded as being a Hindu monk, yet my inner feeling was that I loved the essence of all religions and I was a person who respected all faiths. I never did, and still do not, impose any particular religion on anyone. I teach only spirituality to them. Spirituality is common to all religions but it is expressed in different ways in the various religions. My spiritual concept is that we should always try to grow in spirituality and my followers should also mature on their spiritual path according to their own religion. In order to express and emphasize my concepts to the people, I started the "Sarva Matha Shanti Nilayam' in the Gandhi Hall, Matale. The meaning of the title for my new Ashram was, "Abode of Peace for all Religions." However, the different religious leaders did not like this idea at all. The Buddhist monks did not like me to speak about Lord Buddha and Buddhism in front of the pictures of Hindu Gods in my little Ashram. The Christians did not like pictures of Lord Jesus Christ alongside the other 'false Gods'. The Muslims did not like to involve their religion with any other and called it all nonsense. Each wanted to maintain the purity of their own religion and I suffered a lot of anxiety and mental torture about expressing my ideas. I could see that it was not possible to wash away the differences between the religions and instill greater tolerance and understanding between them. Although it pained me a lot, I did not stop my attempt to create unity and harmony and I decided to carry on the same ideals under a new name, "Poobalakrishna Ashram." This means, young Krishna of flowers. |
| From a very young age I started taking in homeless or unwanted children. I sympathized with them so much because I had experienced rejection and loneliness myself as a youngster. Why, I was hardly grown myself! I was just a small lad of seventeen when I started my mission. The other kids who joined me were from the very young to early teenage. Some of them are still with my mission and others are in regular contact with me. Their number grew very fast and they were cared for by resident devotees giving service. They all attended the local schools. They were cared for very well. Everything was free for them: food, clothing, schooling and shelter. I treated them as if they were my own children. I was very strict. I had been a mischievous youngster myself so I know all the pranks and tricks! Because I was young too, I was able to understand them and help them with all their problems, worries and fears. I also brought them up spiritually. All had to attend daily poojas and prayers and everyone had to sing bhajans. There were Christian, Buddhist and Hindu kids in my orphanage. Most of them loved the religious aspect of our life and a great number of them learned meditation in our beautiful hilltop meditation center. |
Hilltop meditation centre |
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I never discriminated between the children I brought up or the devotees I taught. Even now I am continuing my work to treat all religions equally. Anyone can come to me for guidance and help. They need not be a Hindu. I encourage people to grow within the sphere of their own faith and religion and to deeply understand and feel its true essence. |
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