Divine Leela
By S. Balendran

After Swamiji's last visit to Sri Lanka, in 1987, many devotees had requested him to visit them again. Their yearning grew more and more and, finally, Swamiji accepted their invitation. He announced that he would go to Sri Lanka with Swami Kamalananda on 22nd March 1990. The flight had been confirmed one week before their departure and the Sri Lankan devotees organized a one month program in Swamiji's honor. All were very happy, anxiously waiting for the opportunity to meet Swamiji in his native country again.

Swamiji had given specific instructions and duties to be carried out during his absence in the Ashram. On the day of departure, we all attended Ganesh abishekam which was performed by Swamiji. As the time of leaving was approaching, the ashram residents gathered at Swamiji's house. All the luggage was put into the car. Swamiji took his Amman statue and carefully placed her in a special travel box, in order to carry her to the different programs in Sri Lanka. Just before going, Swamiji went to say "good-bye" to his mother. They had a short talk and Swamiji went into the car. I noticed that he did not worship his mother as he normally did when he goes away for a few days. Swami Kamalananda, Mother and Swami's uncle, Mama, came with Swamiji. I was driving. We left to the cries of "Haro Hara! Haro Hara…" from the Ashram children and residents. All were a little downhearted to see Swamiji leaving but he reassured them by saying that he would be back very soon.

It was already late when we left the Ashram and I drove the car a little bit faster than usual. During the trip to the airport, Swamiji discussed the spiritual programs which would be held in Sri Lanka, and various other subjects of common importance. As we were approaching the airport, I heard a loud cracking sound and I saw a thick mist in the car. I was going to stop but Swamiji told me, "Don't worry, there is nothing serious, continue to drive!" He opened the box which was on his knee and, to our amazement, we saw that it was empty! Swamiji commented very naturally, "Amman went back to the Ashram!" Everyone in the car thought this was a strange incident, except Swamiji who continued talking as if nothing had happened. Soon after, the mist vanished as inexplicably as it had appeared. When we arrived at the airport Swamiji told us, "The Divine Mother has not given me permission to go to Sri Lanka… I am appointing Swami Kamalananda to travel on my behalf." Swami Kamalananda was not at all enthusiastic about going to Sri Lanka alone but Swamiji encouraged him and a few minutes later he was ready to leave. Ashram residents and large groups of devotees had come in vans to see Swamiji off at the airport. All were standing with the garlands they wanted to offer to Swamiji. He took them and honored Swami Kamalananda by putting them around his neck. When Swami Kamalananda left he was deeply moved.

We returned to the Ashram and all were astonished to see Swamiji coming back. Everyone was eagerly waiting to know what could be the cause of our sudden reappearance. Swami simply told them, "Amman didn't want me to go." Swamiji went to the pooja hall and we followed him. There we had another shock… Swamiji's statue was back in the moolasthanam, as if she never left! I thought that this was really an extraordinary Divine Play!

This event had a funny repercussion… When Padmalogini, one of Swamiji's devotees from Jaffna, came to a program in Colombo, she discovered with much disappointment that Swami did not come. She had been waiting for so many years to see Swami again. Whilst talking to Swami Kamalananda about it, he suddenly insisted that she should come with him to India to see Swamiji. She liked the idea but didn't think she could really go. A few weeks later, circumstances permitted her to fly to India with Swami Kamalananda. She never returned to Sri Lanka! She received sannyas initiation from Swamiji in 1994 and became Uma Devi Mataji. Through this series of events, Uma Mataji's life took a completely different turn. She felt that the Divine Mother herself had brought her to Swamiji. Similarly, it is always interesting to observe how events and happenings, even those which seem unimportant at the time, find deep significance when we re-examine them in retrospect. Then we realize that everything has its own place in the flow of life and, as Swamiji always reminds us, "Everything happens for good."