Swami Purushotamananda, a disciple of *Swami Brahamananda* of the

Ramakrishna order, had been initiated into monastic life by

*Mahapurushji*,
another direct disciple of *Sri Ramakrishna.*

The *26th of July, 1957*, was full of pleasant memories for the devotees
and
the residents of *Sivanandashram*, for Baba boarded a bus and
proceeded
along the bank of the Ganges to a palace of the *Rani of Garhwal* for a
quiet morning.

On the way back Baba stopped the bus at a place where a thin little iron
post carried a half-distinct nameplate reading "The Cave of Vasishta"
(Guru
of Rama). The cave had been sanctified by the austerities performed
therein
by many great recluses and monks in the past.

Swami Purushotamananda had been in the cave for thirty years. He

welcomed
Baba as if expecting him!!! He was more than seventy years old and had
spent
the major part of his life in asceticism of a most rigorous kind and in the
study of the scriptures.

Baba repeated the visit the next evening & sang a number of songs while
at
the cave. Hearing that the Swami had been suffering from chronic
stomach-ache for many years, Baba "took" some candy from nowhere and
gave it
to him with instructions about diet!!!

More mysterious and significant was the *Vision* that he gave to *Swami
Purushotamananda* that evening. After sending everyone outside the
cave,
Baba and the sage went into the inner room.

*Sri Subbaramiah, President of the Divine Life Society at Venkatagiri*,

describes what he was able to see from outside the cave: I was standing
near
the entrance to the cave & I could see what was happening.
*Baba* placed his head on the lap of *Swami Purushotamananda*.
Suddenly his
entire body was bathed in divine brilliance. His head and face appeared to
me to have increased very much in size. Rays of splendor emanated from
his
face. I was overwhelmed with a strange inexplicable joy."

When later asked to divulge the nature of the vision, Baba informed us that
it was a vision of *"Jyothirpadmanabha"!!!* *(Reclining LORD)*

After a minute or two, Baba rose and sitting by the side of the
septuagenarian, called him by name and slowly brought him into the
consciousness of space and time. Baba sang a song on Rama, composed
by
Thyagaraja and when he concluded, he waved his hand and materialized
from
the air a *rosary of sparkling sphatika beads for Swami
Purushotamananda.*

*The incidents at Vasishtha cave were literally mind-blowing*. The monks

there said, *"He knows all: He is all"* they exclaimed. *"Man has no means
to identify what cannot be accounted for, explained or measured."!!! *

*(2 rare photos of SWAMI attached)**

N. Kasturi, 'Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram (The Life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya
Sai
Baba)', and N. Kasturi, 'Loving God'.*