A Newborn Flower in the Blessed Garden of Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama
by David Rodrigo
From the very ground of the Gurudeva’s Swami Rama lineage of the Himalayan Rishis, at the blessed garden of Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG), has emerged a new little flower named Shankara ‘the Auspicious’ - name of Lord Shiva and of the great master and author Shankara-āchārya.
The baby was happily born on 14th March, during the silence days of the Ahymsin Sangha Gathering for the beginning of Swami Veda’s 5-year vow of silence, in a natural delivery at the Himalayan Institute and Hospital Trust (HIHT) satellite in Rishikesh, as the third son –following Emitai (age 8) and Bindu (age 5) - of Nuria Martinez and David Rodrigo, both from Spain and permanently serving at SRSG since March 2012 and living in Rishikesh since five years ago.
Both mother and baby were perfectly well and the day after the delivery were already at the ashram.
Shankara received the Gāyatri mantra directly from Swami Veda while being in the womb itself.
After the traditionally prescribed days of protection at home only, on 29th March the newborn Shankara was blessed with a beautiful and profound name-giving sacred ceremony ‘nāma-karman-saṁskāra’ partially performed in the privacy of the home and partially shared with all the spiritual family in the ashram’s yajña-shāla (fire offering place).
Swami Ritavan, Swami Ma Radha, Bhola Shankarji (General Secretary, Dhyana Mandiram Trust), Dr. Upreti (General Manager, SRSG), Stoma Parker, Swami Tat Sat, etc. led the ceremony, which included Guru and fire worship.
Swamiji blessed the newborn baby the night before the ceremony with his incommensurable love and grace, whispering a mantra in his right ear. Little Shankara came back then to the place where he has come from, God’s above.
The faces of the ashram children, who were dressed in white, shone brightly with the sacred fire which they surrounded while throwing their non-self into the purifying element among the sacred communion tied by the grace of Gurudeva and Swamiji in an emotive and memorable sacralization deed.
“He is a very blessed child. It has been a very beautiful ceremony,” remarked Sunita, one of the ashram mothers.
“We are in India for this,” expressed Nuria, Shankara’s mother, speaking with deep devotion to the reporters of the 1st channel of National Spanish TV (TVE1) who came to film the life in Rishikesh of this Spanish family for a prime time program in Spain (Españoles en el mundo), also seen in 52 other countries through the TVE international channel.
The two grandmothers of the baby, who came now to India for the first time to help with the newborn, cried in front of an unknown ritual whose greatness they could sense.
“This is a dream come true. It is the best present parents can offer to their children,” added David, the father of little Shankara, “to show them the open door of the ancient Tradition of the Himalayan Masters leading to inner processes of self-pacification and Self-realization, i.e. recovering our natural unlimited bliss, the greatest goal of life.”
Swamiji met the National Spanish TV and guided them in a beginning meditation in Spanish by typing on a computer, which enlightened their interest in the Himalayan meditation practices.
The journalist also filmed an inspiring yoga meditation class with the ashram children.
Only God and yogis knows the future, but remarkable astrologers predict little Shankara will be very intelligent, brilliant, deeply spiritual, famous and successful, with much rāja yoga; the finest blossom of this human garden!
May Guru and God bless little Shankara! May all the flowers of this Tradition bloom and inspire the entire world for the bliss, freedom, knowledge and love of all!
Photos – Michelle Kinsey |
