My first connection with Swami Vishwananda occurred sometime before I actually met him. It was at the end of the year 1999 when I had a strange dream. In the dream, I was upstairs in a building that reminded me of the school I had attended in my youth. The room was filled with people milling around. As I came to the entrance of the doorway I stopped and just watched. Suddenly a man who looked like he was of Indian nationality, and who was dressed in a long white robe, started walking toward me. He knelt down in front of me and started untying my shoelaces. The dream ended with the man handing me a piece of chocolate wrapped in silver paper. I found this dream to be very strange. Afterwards I thought that the man in my dream resembled Babaji, but there was also something different about him that I couldn’t put my finger on.
About two weeks after my dream, I had an impulsive thought to visit a spiritual centre in Germany the next day. I had sometimes gone there on Sunday mornings to attend the yajnas, but I hadn’t been there in a while. When I arrived at the centre the next morning, I saw numerous cars parked opposite the temple. I thought that there must be some sort of special event taking place and I approached the entrance of the temple hesitantly. As I came to the door, I saw a notice taped to it that said, “Interviews with Swami Vishwananda, first floor”. As I read the notice, I instantly felt trapped. The thought crossed my mind to just get back into the car and drive home, but I was a long way from home and I felt that for some reason, God wanted me to be there. I eventually made my way into the temple and a short while later the arati began. Then someone made the announcement that there would be satsang with Swami following a short tea break.
During the break my hands began to tremble and my heart was pounding. I felt like fainting even though that is not my nature. I managed to surrender the whole situation to the Lord. Just at that moment Swami entered the temple and looked into my eyes; my heart melted with love. Tears started to roll down my cheeks as a gentle fragrance of roses filled the air around him. All the people were seated in a circle and a special seat had been prepared for Swamiji. However, he ignored the chair, which had been beautifully decorated with flowers, and sat down on the floor with all of us instead. I was immediately touched by his simplicity and humility. Suddenly his gaze shifted to me. His glance touched me deeply, and I felt an inner awakening of love strike a chord within my soul. Again tears ran down my face and I found myself in a state of divine bliss that stayed with me for the next two days.
Six years have passed since I first met Swami Vishwananda. In those six years, the fire of transformation and love has completely changed my life completely. I have managed to see Swami only once during those six years. However, I feel that Swami Vishwananda is always with me in the same way that Babaji and the Divine Mother have always held their protective hands over me.
M.N. - Germany