Swami Turiyananda

An inexpressible bliss-giving vast expanse of dedication to the Master, devotion to the Masters duty, dexterity in the expression of the wisdom of the Master's heart's intuitive experiences, of immeasurable dimensions and inestimable magnitude, beautifully and artistically presented in the form of a shell by an unseen Divine Hand, tactfully fished out by one no less than the Supreme Consciousness in the form of Swami Sivananda, Swami Venkatesananda symbolizes in every inch of his being and personality an ideal that is there not to be appreciated, praised, adored and rewarded, but to be copied and actualised in our day-to-day actions.

'Ashcharyo Vakla Kushalo-sya Labdha,
Ashcharyo Jnata Kushalanushishtah'.

So declares the Kathopanishad. If the Upanishad can speak in that tone, then we are left with no word or expression to describe this wonderful versatile disciple of our Gurudev. We can only say that the Guru, Sivananda, himself is manifest in the form of Swami Venkatesananda; for the latter embodies the characteristics of the former. Ultimately, we have to understand that only that Supreme Consciousness has come into this world in the form of both the Guru and disciple, as Sivananda and Venkatesananda for our benefit.

May that Supreme Consciousness, manifest as Sivananda-Venkatesananda, shine for many many years to guide all humanity and confer Moksha on every being.