Guru Poornima: Guruji on His Guru's Passing

Guruji's words

Guruji: My Guruji passed away yesterday at 6 p.m. I just attended his final rites. I had gone to visit him at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. He had been refusing to eat. But when we went, he took some food and had coffee. He looked quite happy and blessed us.

Alok: Did he know that he was going to be passing away in a few hours?

Guruji: He must have, as he was giving me a lot of love and was very happy to see me. In fact, a lot of his dear ones were with him due to Guru Poornima. He told his son to give all his pictures to me.

Alok: Did you know that he was going to be no more in a few hours after your meeting with him?

Guruji: When I was meeting him, I got the feeling that this was the last time I was going to meet him.

Alok: Guruji, Guru Poornima is today. Was yesterday (when he passed away) also Guru Poornima day?

Guruji: Actually Guru Poornima started at 1 p.m. yesterday. So 6 p.m. yesterday was Guru Poornima. 6 p.m. is Sandhya time, which is auspicious in spiritual context and especially for tantric tradition. I only found out about his passing away at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday) and quickly went to attend the last rites ceremony. His body was taken in sitting position and then buried amidst sounds/music of celebration. Guru Garu's son broke a coconut on the head of Guru Garu before the burial was performed. The burial is the way sannyāsis’ and realized people’s bodies are finally put to rest.

Alok: Was the burial done in Devipuram?

Guruji: No, they had already decided on a spot for the burial before I got there, and I did not wish to create any inconvenience by suggesting anything different. I was perfectly fine with their arrangements.

Alok: Do you miss Guru Garu?

Guruji: No, I won’t miss him that much. This morning when I got up on Guru Poornima day, I did not know of his passing away. As I was walking up the steps of the Meru Temple, it was simply a beautiful day. The sun was coming out of the clouds and shining beautifully on the temple. All the nearby hills and peaks were visible so clearly. The atmosphere was really heavenly and the birds were chirping. I remarked to myself as I was going to the temple—what a perfect day to have Guru Poornima. Within a few hours after that I found out about Guru Garu's passing away. Later in the evening I realized that my Guru was giving me a beautiful darśan this morning. It was a perfect end to a perfect life. He has merged with nature, isn’t it?

Alok: It was so nice that you could meet Anakapalli Guru Garu just the day of his passing.

Guruji-Amma: Somehow I was feeling this urgent urge inside to see Anakapalli Guru Garu (AGG) since the day before. I have never felt like this before. In fact, I rarely have gone to see him even on Guru Poornima day. But this time there was this strong feeling that I should go and see him. I could not explain it. I kept telling Guruji that I want to go to see AGG. It was like I wanted to go that moment itself. Guruji was tied up with guests and visitors due to Guru Poornima, and I wasn’t sure if he would be able to go. So I even told him—if you can’t go I will take the driver and car and go to see him (Alok's note—if you know Guruji-Amma, this is a very unusual thing for her to suggest, let alone act on. From the way she told me I could sense that she would have gone anyway even if Guruji could not come along). Guruji immediately came along and we went to see AGG.

Alok: He was in the hospital?

Guruji-Amma: Yes, he was quite weak and in the hospital. But he was able to recognize us—no problem. He even smiled and had something. He allowed me to touch his feet. I have touched Guru Garu's feet only two times—once in Devipuram when he was visiting he called me and asked me to wash his feet, and this was the second time.

Alok: Will he be born again?

Guruji-Amma: (shaking her head) No. He is gone. You should have seen his eyes.

Alok: You mean you saw his body after death?

Guruji-Amma: Yes, I went for his burial. His eyes were wide open. There was so much power in his eyes and face (then in typical Guruji-Amma style she acts out the expression full of childlike glee).

Alok: Do you miss him?

Guruji-Amma: Not like that. I rarely used to go to meet him. (Laughing and waving her hands) He is my Guru.

Guruji and Guruji-Amma in conversation with Alok, "Conversations on Guru Garu's Passing Away: Perfect End of a Perfect Life", as posted on Guruji's blog by Vira Chandra on 25 April 2016. The text, including Alok's own note, is kept as in the original. A photograph on the original post is not copied here.