After spending several years immersed in sadhana under the guidance of Sadhu Swamigal at his ashram in Palani, Ramaswamy—who would one day be known to the world as Swami Satchidananda—felt a stirring once again in his soul. His heart was restless, not from...
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 13: Palani’s Sacred Legacy
In our last installment, we journeyed back to 1942, when Ramaswamy (later known as Swami Satchidananda) traveled to Palani, a sacred pilgrimage site steeped in centuries of spiritual significance. This holy place in Tamil Nadu has long been a sanctuary for saints and...
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 12: Sacred Discipline Continues
In our last installment, Ramaswamy (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) realized that the next step in deepening his spiritual practices would be to travel sixty miles from his birthplace of Chettipalayam to the ashram of the family Guru, Sri Sadhu Swamigal, in Palani....
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 11: A Hidden Devotion–Swami Satchidananda and the Divine Mother’s Grace
While in seclusion (in the early 1940s) undergoing intensive sadhana, Ramaswamy’s (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) diet was austere, limited to one meal a day at noon consisting of kitcheree, a mixture of rice and dhal. His mother, Srimati Velammai, would prepare it...