Anand Ullas

Foreword:

Dear Reader,

The Lord plays His tricks! He Graced this puppet by using me to translate 'Anand Ullas'. Then, through Respected Swami Omkaranandji, gave the task of writing the Foreword for this book.

The task places me in a quandary. People who know my beloved Master (Swami) Akhandananji Saraswati, who we generally refer to as Maharajshri) will feel that I have not done him justice. Indeed, they are right, for the simple reason that to do him justice is impossible! Since I am allotted the task, I must be true to myself, and to those who may chance to read this book, and give my feelings with honesty, regardless of the reactions they may have.

The first thing which struck one about Maharajshri, is the deep joy, and feeling of being loved by him, which welled up in the heart of each person who saw him. This feeling is unique. It lingered after I left his presence, and is evoked and renewed every time I think of him, or see his picture.

Maharajshri had the ability to simplify the most profound and complicate subjects. His magnetic personality made it a deep, peace-giving pleasure to just listen to his voice, even when the subject discussed was beyond me. The most Amazing factor of his influence was that an urge to reach God arose automatically, along with an unshakable conviction that having his blessings, nothing could go wrong.

For those who have been strangers to the extraordinary effect of his physical presence, I can only say that his words carry the power of his presence. Whoever reads his words with an open mind is sure to get answers and clarifications to any number of conscious and unconscious questions and perplexities.

Maharajshri shows us how the essence of spiritual psychology is applied psychology. It takes into consideration the material, emotional, and spiritual needs of every human, anywhere in the world, at any point in time. He helps us to attain a balanced, joyful, righteous lifestyle.

Being a very ordinary person, lacking n talents, wisdom or learning, I wondered how right it was that I be blessed with so much good fortune, when so many suffered so much.

When I placed this question to Maharajshri, he asked what I would attain - except sorrow - if I filled my heart with the sorrows of the world. "Be happy, and spread happiness," he is told me lovingly, "If you fill your mind with woes, you will have only woe, to spread," I have derived incalculable happiness by adhering to this.

Another remarkable comments, is, "The behavior of every person is in accordance to his/her level of understanding," What a marvelous insight into the seemingly unjustified and hurtful behavior of people who upset us.

These are just two of the concise guidelines I have been enriched by. As the world moves inexorably towards increasingly complex global problems, I am overwhelmed at the Grace which triggered off the process of Maharajshri's reaching out to the English speaking people. It would be fraudulent to say that I translated this book, because - in-credible as it may seem - the words just seemed to flow from some unseen source, onto the paper. May as well as give my computer a name and say that it was the computer who did the translation! Being just as fallible as any instrument or machine, I own to being responsible for the faults and lacking in the accurate rendering. Being human, I do beg the reader's pardon for my lapses. I own freely that I have been indescribably enriched by the activity of emptying my mind before applying it to absorb Maharajshri's purport. I have not the slightest doubt that his blessings are there for all who seek them, and that they are potent and tangible, when sincerely desired.