Dr. Albert Franklin, former US Consul General in Madras decades ago said, after personally meeting Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya Swami of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, His Holiness Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, that,
“He saw Lord Christ in the Swami”.
“The Mahaswami saw all beings in His own self and in all other beings. In the Paramacharya, I see ‘Jesus'”, said he!
“He is a beacon light. Only India could have produced Him!”, he added.
He saw the Paramacharya for the first time in 1963 in the Madurai Meenakshi Temple during the Kumbhabhishekham ceremony [consecration ceremony after the renovation]. Subsequently when a function was held in Madras on 28th Feb 1967 as part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Acharya’s ascension to the Kamakoti Peetham, Dr.Albert Franklin presided over the function.
Delivering his Presidential Address, Dr.Franklin said, inter alias
“—Perhaps the most appropriate thing I can say on this occasion is a very simple thing. I come from a very God-fearing portion of Christian America, that is to say New England. Our earliest great philosophers, in that blessed corner of the earth, were among the very first Westerners to appreciate the fact that the Vedanta, far from being an outward creed, is a vast and joyous experience that lies ahead of us. Not only do I came from that corner of the earth which bred Emerson and Thoreau, whose spirits are with us this evening, but I am one of a long line of ministers and teachers. When this line started, back in the 17th century, ministers and teachers were usually the same individuals. It gives me pleasure to be able to say, in these circumstances, that, though some of my ancestors were in their day the subject of controversy because of their beliefs, just as Emerson was in his day, yet none of them would question the appropriateness of my being here this evening. For them as for me, the sprit whom we are celebrating today represents the highest aspirations of mankind”
*****
In the picture Swamigal is seen interacting with French philosopher Shri M. Phillipe Lavastine at T Nagar in Madras in 1958!
Categories: Devotee Experiences
you see in HIM what you feel he is! I have been seeing Him as He is even today. There are still occasions even now when i shed tears when i think how i have been interacting with him, fighting with him, mentioning, requesting, what not which i have not done even with my mother! Even today if one asks him to show what He is He will!!!Try. n.ramaswami
“He was Everywhere!” was what Sri. Franklin said about Maha Periyava at Madurai Meenakshi Temple Kumbabishekam! He fully realised the Omniscent nature, Sarva Vyapithvam of Maha Periyava! Such great people are missing in Today’s materialistic America, which lives on “I, Me. Myself” May Maha Periyava correct such misguided souls! Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara!
Reblogged this on Gr8fullsoul.