His mission continues even behind bars

November 17, 2006 marked the 55th birthday of my guru- Swamy Premanandaji. It is with great humility and reverence that I thought of penning a few lines about this Sri Lankan swamy whom I consider to be a great saint and avatar. He has been and still is the guiding light and inspiration to thousands of (some visible, but many invisible and silent) devotees all over the world.

Born in Mandandawela, Matale to the Somasunderam family he was the third child of Pushpa whose mother was a great devotee of Swamy Paramaguru, who was a living saint at the time and who predicted that a Great Spiritual Being will be born in her family Swamy Premananda was named Ravi Premkumar. Soon his family realized that this was no ordinary child. Many were the extraordinary happenings that took place from his babyhood. He started performing miracles at the age of five by materialising sweets and other needs for his siblings and friends especially schoolmates and many were the occasions when he cured the sick and predicted the future.

Little by little people were flocking to meet the boy who seemed to be adept at solving their worldly problems. His grandmother saw the prediction of Swamy Paramaguru coming to life in Ravi and soon took charge of him and took him away to live with her at Kumbiyangoda. There, a strange old saintly person with a white beard and white clothes started to visit him everyday discussing with him many matters of a spiritual nature. He told young Ravi that his life was not going to be that of an ordinary man and strongly advised him to get into spiritual robes and start his mission. At the age of 14, he brought out the first Lingam on Maha Sivaratri night with kumkum followed by holy ash (Vibuthi) which flowed from his entire torso.

On this day too the old saintly person appeared and confirmed that Ravi was a holy person and disappeared never to visit again. Since that Maha Sivaratri, he has been manifesting Lingams at every Maha Sivaratri and continues to do so upto date. Unfortunately his grandmother too passed away but all his meals appeared on the table miraculously. Young Ravi decided to get into robes and the robing ceremony took place at the Gandhi Hall at Matale.

The white verti and shawl which were offered to him by his beloved mother turned to saffron immediately and young Ravi Premkumar became Swami Premananda. As Swami Premanandaji’s name was spreading all over Matale, many people began to visit him. Whilst he solved their problems his message to these people was that they should aim to reach spiritual enlightenment and seek the truth within. He declared that all religions are one and that all religious and spiritual leaders preached only the truth which is Sanathana Dharma. He converted no one but exhorted them to follow the religion they have been born into well.

Many foreigners too started visiting him at his mission which was now called the Poobala Krishna Ashram. He stressed the virtues of reducing want and of leading a simple life. But most of all what he sought from the people was purity of thought and mind. He called upon everyone to be innocent like a child and to reduce ego, envy, pride and jealousy. He urged people to be unselfish and to serve the poor and needy.

During the 1983 riots his ashram was burnt and this made Swami Premanandaji go to TamilNadu, South India and to start his mission from scratch in India. In 1989 he officially opened his ashram in Fathimarnagar, Trichy, South India.

Today this ashram has 350 acres and is self sufficient, looking after more than 1000 destitute and orphaned children who are provided with board and lodging, clothing, medicine, education upto grade 10 within the ashram itself. His centres are all over the world spreading the spiritual message of Swamy Premananda.

However, in 1994, he was accused of terrible crimes like rape and murder. Twelve girls gave evidence in court against Swamiji saying that he had raped them. He was accused of murdering a boy who was left in the ashram by his family since he was mentally unsound. Swamy Premananda is today in the Cadalore Prison in India serving a life sentence. Upto date not one word has been uttered against anyone of his accusers by him.

Swamy Premananda continues to be serene and at peace in prison. He has started a temple for the Divine Mother even inside the prison and the prisoners are performing poojas.

For the past 12 years Swamy Premananda has been in prison but he has never stopped guiding his devotees on the spiritual path and protecting all his devotees from harm.