Swami Sivananda's Personality

Hari Om,

Here is an excerpt from Dr.Devaki Kutty Mataji's lecture on  Swami Sivananda's personality :

" I will tell you another instance which shows what a wonderful person He was. I had come on holiday from my college. An elderly blind man had arrived. I do not know whether he was really blind, but he sang beautifully. And any good quality meant that Gurudev would take him in. So there he was, singing every night at the Satsang. He sang beautiful Bhajans. Then after four or five days he told Gurudev: “Swamiji, this harmonium is not very good, I would like to have a better harmonium.” And this man had come to the Ashram only four or five days earlier. In those days Rishikesh was a small town, and nothing was available here. So Gurudev asked him: “Where do we get good harmoniums?” And the man said: “In Lucknow.” And you know, Lucknow is far from here. Swamiji called a man and said: “Oh jee, go to Lucknow tomorrow and get him a harmonium according to his specifications.” So this fellow went and within three or four days he came with a beautiful harmonium. And for four days we had beautiful music on that harmonium. On the fifth day the man disappeared from the Ashram with the harmonium. At the Satsang somebody went to Gurudev and said: “Gurudev, that man, you were so good to him, that man has taken the new harmonium and has gone!” Gurudev smiled and said: “But there is one thing. How will he sing without the tabla? He should have taken the tabla also and not only the harmonium.” Look at this! Many of us were furious, my blood was boiling. I thought: “Look at this stupid man! How good was Gurudev to him. And he took the harmonium and went away.” But nothing worried Gurudev. And look at His attitude. He should have taken the tabla also, not only the harmonium. He could have made a living by it. This is the attitude towards life we have to develop. It is far beyond us, but we have to develop it."

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !