Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji arrived in Bangalore in 1952 from Madras/Chennai. At that time, there already
existed a Sai
Samaj, founded by Sri Narasimha Swamiji in the Bangalore Cantonment. It was here that Sri Radhakrishna
Swamiji set up
his headquarters.
Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji started performing Sai pooja and Bhajans every Thursday. In no time, several
devotees flocked
to hear his discourses. Sri M. Subbaramaiah, a Sai devotee met Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji and was deeply moved
by him. He
invited Swamiji to his house where he had been performing Sai pooja and Bhajans every Thursday. Swamiji
visited him
regularly and in course of time they became good friends.
Swamiji found Subbaramaiah to be a good source to connect with more Sai devotees. Once, while on a walk, the
idea of
starting a Sai mandir arose in the mind of Swamiji. On April 4, 1954, a day of the auspicious Ugadi, Sri Sai
Spiritual
Centre was born. When Swamiji inaugurated the Sri Rama Navami celebrations conducted by the Sai Bhajan group
at South
End Road, Basavanagudi, awareness about the Sri Sai Spiritual Centre started spreading.
By 1956, Swamiji shifted his lodging to an upstairs room in a house near the N.R. Colony bus stand. The
landlady saw
Baba in a dream, asking her to invite Swamiji to this room. She willingly carried out Baba's instructions.
This
dwelling place is considered as the origin of the Sri Sai Spiritual Centre and here Swamiji lived for about
seven years,
until a permanent building for the Centre was constructed.
As the activities of the Centre expanded from bhajans and chanting of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama to Ashtakshari
Japa and
Homas, devotees felt the need for a more spacious and independent accommodation.
This need was satisfied in a most surprising manner and devotees hailed it as a demonstration of the
infinite grace
showered upon them by Baba and Swamiji.
Sri Domlur Krishna Murthy, a retired official of the Mysore Government had earmarked a plot of land of 1000
square yards
in Thyagarajanagar for a mandir where the teachings of Sai Baba could be spread. Sri V.S. Sastry, who held
the site had
collected funds and laid the foundation for the construction of the prayer hall with two rooms. Impressed by
the
activities of Sri Sai Spiritual Centre under the guidance of Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji, he handed over the
site to
Swamiji in 1961.
Funds for a building on the site came from devotees all over India. The building was formally opened on June
17, 1965.
The Centre was registered on May 6, 1970.
A magnificent life-size portrait of Sri Sai Baba was installed in the sanctum sanctorum in the eastern wing
of the
Prayer Hall on 23rd April 1967. In addition, an artistically sculpted life size marble idol was installed on
Akshaya
Thadige, 10th May, 1978. Another attraction at the Centre, a beautiful marble idol of Radha and Krishna was
installed
opposite the Prayer Hall, under a Parijatha tree. It was consecrated by Swamiji on March 23, 1972.
Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi (waiting for Uttarayana punyakala) on 14th January,1980. A
marble idol of
Swamiji was installed on 6th December 1981.
Sri Narasimha Swamiji's marble idol was installed on 24th January 1993, thus completing the Trinity in the
sanctum
sanctorum.
Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji was born on 15th April 1906, in Poyyamani Village in Tamil Nadu. As a child, he had
a deep
connect with nature and a deep interest in spirituality. He often visited mandirs and met sadhus and read
books on
religion by the great saints of India.
He was deeply influenced by the Kanchi Mutt and Kanchi paramacharya. Young Radhakrishnan visited several
religious
places in and around Pune, when he went to meet his brother. At this time, he even lived in a cave for 48
days. On the
46th day, Lord Dattatreya appeared before him and asked him to go back to worldly life and help others.
Radhakrishnan went to Ooty in 1921 and he was there till 1942. He spent time at the Shiva (his family deity)
mandir. He
identified himself with Radha, Krishna and Kamakshi and would dance in complete surrender during bhajans. He
loved music
and could sing Thyagaraja and Purandhara Dasa "Kirthans". He widely read books on saints like Raghavendra,
Sadashiva
Brahmendra, Chaithanya Mahaprabhu etc.
One day, he met Ramana Maharshi and Seshadri Swamigal at Thiruvannamalai. Seshadri Swamigal gave young
Radhakrishnan
three stones and asked him to cook and eat them. Radhakrishnan interpreted this as a message that he should
go beyond
the earthly realms of "Sattva", "Rajas" and "Tamas", to become a "Gunatheetha”.
Although he was in search of the divine, he was a very disturbed man. Radhakrishnan contemplated suicide
while
travelling on a train from Trichy to Madras. As the train was crossing the Coleroon River near Chidambaram,
he opened
the door and was about to jump into the river, when he felt someone pulling him back. He saw an old man with
his head
covered telling him not to do it, as he had a mission in life. Later, he realized it was Baba.
In 1942, after a meeting with Sri Narasimha Swamiji, his search for the "Guru" was over. He became Sri
Narasimha
Swamiji͛s disciple and spiritual heir. His surrender to Sri Narasimha Swamiji was so complete, so much so,
in 1952, when
Sri Narasimha Swamiji deputed Radhakrishnan to Bangalore for Sai Prachar work in Karnataka, he willingly
obliged. In
1953 Sri Narasimha Swamiji conferred him with the title "Saipadananda" –a Guru's appreciation of a devoted
disciple.
On 19th October 1956, when Sri Narasimha Swamiji left his mortal body, he transferred all his spiritual
powers to Sri
Radhakrishna Swamiji. Sai Baba gave Self Realization to Sri Narasimha Swamiji and this gift was given to Sri
Radhakrishna Swamiji
In 1956, Swamiji moved to an upstairs room of a house near the N.R. Colony bus stop. This room became the
home of Sri
Sai Spiritual Centre for seven years until a permanent building for the centre was constructed.
Swamij believed that chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama was the way to find peace. A prolific writer, his only
book was on
the life of Sri Narasimha Swamiji. He was a true follower of his guru and was an apostle of love. His
universality is
depicted in the divine incantation which he wrote:
May the wicked turn good;
May the good attain peace,
May the peaceful be freed from all bondage and
May the liberated redeem others.
'May everybody be happy;
May everybody be free from disease;
May everybody have good luck;
May none fall on evil days.
May everybody surmount difficulties;
May everybody have good fortune;
May everybody realise his ambitions;
May everybody rejoice everywhere.
Swamiji devoted his life to spreading the teachings of Baba. There is not even a single devotee of his who
has not been
blessed by his grace, either spiritually or in material benefit. His devotees continue to receive his
blessings even
today.
On Uttarayana day, January 14, 1980, Swamiji decided it was time to merge with Sai Baba. Chanting and
praying till the
end, he drew his last breath with a farewell benediction.
Although Swamiji is not present in flesh and blood, his devotees feel his protective presence and his
guidance at the
centre and in times of distress and want. Many have had visions of him in their dreams, encouraging them and
advising on
their problems. His guiding hand and loving eyes hover over every home of his devotees reminding us of
Baba\'s Words:
"Why fear when I am here".
SWAMIJI’S KUTEERA
Hamsanikethan, or the Abode of the Swan is a room which houses all the earthly belongings that were used by
the austere
Swamiji. A low chair, a table, a shelf of books, a cot, a Ganesha idol, a photograph of Anjaneya, a picture
of Sri
Venkateshwara, Padmavati and Srinivasa idols, a Tanjavur painting of Lord Krishna, and idol of Sri Sai Baba,
Datta idol
, deer skin, water jug, plate and spoon and a pair of footwear made up all of Swamiji͛s earthly possessions.
Sri Narasimha Swamiji, was born on 21st August 1874 at Bhavani in Tamil Nadu. He was named Narasimha. He
completed his
schooling at Salem and then pursued Law at Madras. In 1900, he started law practice and then went on to
become President
of Salem Municipality and Member of Madras Legislature, where he gained fame and fortune.
A tragedy in 1921 in which he lost two children left him distraught. He gave up his practice and retired
from political
life. He then renounced life of a householder and travelled in search of spirituality and peace.
In 1925, Narasimha Iyer became a follower of Ramana and practiced meditation in a cave for 3 years. Here, he
developed a
sense of awareness within himself. Although he published a biography on Ramana Maharshi, Ramana said to him,
'I am not
your Guru. Go westwards.'
Narasimha continued his journey in search of peace. He visited Hubli where he learnt Sanskrit and then to
Pandapur where
he spent eighteen months learning Bhajans. Then he went to Khedgaon to meet Narayana Maharaj, to Meherbad
and then to
Sakori in 1933 where he met Upasini Maharaj who had undergone rigorous training under Sai Baba.
Even though he stayed at the Upasini Ashram for 30 months, peace continued to elude Narasimha Swamiji, until
on 29th
August 1936, an old man advised him to visit Sai's Samadhi at Shirdi. When Narasimha reached Sai Baba's
Samadhi on
that day, he felt that from within his samadhi, Sai Baba spoke to him and kindled the light within. At last,
he
discovered his Sadguru.
In 1939, he returned to Madras and started All India Sai Samaj at his office at Mylapore, Madras. He devoted
all his
time in spreading Sai Baba\'s name throughout India. He authored several books on Sai Baba and for 20 years,
he spread
Baba\'s message. Narasimha Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi on 19th October 1956.
Not much is known about the early years of the austere man who suddenly appeared one day in 1856 at Shirdi
in Nasik. No
one knew his birth, parentage, religion or antecedents. However, for those millions of devotees who came to
know him
closely through the years that followed, through his teachings, prayers and miracles, these things did not
matter.
What mattered was that anyone who prayed to God in His name was blessed.
Sri Sai Baba's devotees have been receiving powerful blessings through complete surrender to his spirit, to
lead them
to their destined path. They are blessed with freedom from mental, spiritual, physical and material worries.
No wonder
then that millions come from all over the world to offer their devotion to him – through prayer and through
charitable
deeds that he is so famous for.
In Shirdi, Sri Sai Baba lived the life of an ascetic. He owned no worldly possessions. Of his most notable
qualities,
the abundance of Love was his most intense quality. He embodied it and showered his love on all. Baba was
above all,
humble and ever willing to help anyone in need. If he heard of any suffering in Shirdi, he would present
himself there
to relieve the person of pain.
News of Baba\'s miracles spread far and wide. He always had a fire (dhuni) burning by his side. The ashes of
that fire
were given as vibuthi to his devotees and followers. The vibuthi had miraculous powers of healing and
ushering the
well-being of the people who smeared it. When Baba predicted that there would be water inside a rock, water
was found
there! He revived sick people. Sri Sai Baba also left his own body for three days in a state of death and
re-entered his
body on the fourth day. After this he lived on for thirty two years and finally left his earthly body on
October 15th,
1918.
A magnificent life-size portrait of Sri Sai Baba was installed in the sanctum sanctorum in the eastern wing
of the
Prayer Hall on 23rd April 1967. In addition, an artistically sculpted life size marble idol was installed on
Akshaya
Thadige, 10th May, 1978. Another attraction at the Centre, a beautiful marble idol of Radha and Krishna was
installed
opposite the Prayer Hall, under a Parijatha tree. It was consecrated by Swamiji on March 23, 1972.
Baba's message of universal love reached all corners of India and the world. Even to date, Sri Sai Baba's
figure is
seen by devotees around the world, assuring them that he will always be by their side in times of need.
An acknowledged Samartha Sadguru, Sri Sai Baba\'s whole life was an embodiment of generosity and charity.
His true
appreciation of those who follow his path and help others can be seen reflected in the happiness and peace
of mind that
his generous devotees enjoy.
Social Activities
Since June 1999, the Centre has provided midday meals to around 1 crore school children and patients.
Donations to the trust come under 80G tax exemptions.
Donations to the trust come under 80G tax exemptions.
As a response to requests from the community, we organize Medical camps for diagnosing ailments related to Heart, Eye, Dental and ENT, Blood Donation camps and School Health Services. Free spectacles are distributed, and cataract surgery is arranged either free or at subsidized rates.
These activities have earned the Centre a sound and dependable reputation of being a socially responsible charitable trust which is committed to the overall well-being of the communities.
Donations to the trust come under 80G tax exemptions.
Spiritual Activities (Poojas)
Abhishekha & Pooja
₹101
Sathyanarayana Pooja
₹360
Daily Prasada for Noon
₹750
Daily Prasada for Evening
₹1000
Thursday Prasada for Noon
₹3000
Thursday Prasada for Evening
₹10000