God can accomplish any task. Sometimes He may give darshan to some people, while others may not have this benefit. Much depends upon their mental attitude. Cultivate unflinching faith and singleminded devotion to God. Several yogis and renunciants yearned for the darshan of God, but few could win that grace with unflinching faith and single-minded devotion to God.
Sometime ago when I visited Rishikesh, I gave darshan to Swami Purushothamananda living in the Vasishta cave located on the way to Badrinath in the Himalayas. He was doing thapas, living alone in that cave. He used to keep a small oil lamp in that cave. The cave was located a little interior from the road point. He used to purchase milk and make some tea with it. That was his only food. The rest of the time, he was always immersed in thapas. Days rolled by. After sometime, he did not have enough strength to come to the road point to purchase milk and again get back to his cave. Hence, he made his trips less frequent, that is, once in a week, to obtain milk.
One day, he came to know that Bhagawan Baba was staying in the Sivananda ashram for a few days. He was longing to have Swami's darshan. He, therefore, sent a letter through a messenger praying "Bhagawan! Please come to our cave and grant darshan to me."
I was aware of his intense devotion towards Swami. I saw his letter and immediately rushed to Vasishta cave to give him darshan . The entrance to the cave was closed with a door. Purushothamananda had no energy left in him to get up and open the door. Kasturi accompanied Me during My trip. He was quite strong then. Both Kasturi and Myself tried to open the door. At last we could succeed in opening the door. Purushothamananda was extremely happy on seeing both of us. He wanted to spend a few minutes alone in the Divine Presence of Swami. He, therefore, advised Kasturi to go inside the cave and have a look at it. Kasturi, with his journalistic inquisitiveness went in.
Purushothamananda fixed his gaze on Me and was lost in bliss. After a few moments, he regained his normal self. I told Purushothamananda that I would visit his cave once again. The very next day I visited Purushothamananda and spent some time with him again. After My return to Sivananda ashram, Swami Sivananda was a bit disappointed that I visited Purushothamananda's cave twice and did not find much time to spend in the Sivananda Ashram.
On my second visit to Vasishta cave, I took a piece of paper from Kasturi and wrote a particular date for My next visit to Purushothamananda's ashram. On the scheduled date, Purushothamananda took a holy bath in the Ganges and was eagerly waiting for My darshan. Deeply lost in contemplation on my divine Form, he had divine vision after sometime. A few minutes later, he left his mortal coil in that deep samadhi state itself.
The news was conveyed to Me while I was in Delhi. I was informed by a telegram that Purushothamananda merged in Swami. I confirmed the news saying, "yes, yes." Strangely, his birthday and the day on which he attained samadhi were one and the same. Later on, when the door of the Vasisthta cave was opened, the entire cave was smeared with vibhuti! The body of Purushothamananda was later let into the river Ganges by the disciples of Sivananda.
From then on, the name and fame of Purushothamananda spread far and wide. The disciples of Purushothamananda thereafter visited Prasanthi Nilayam to have My darshan. They stayed in the ashram for a full ten days. I provided them good accommodation and all conveniences. They enjoyed Swami's darshan, sparshan, and sambhashan in full measure and finally left for their place, carrying with them the love and blessings of Swami. Purushothamananda was a noble soul. He was really a Purushothama (the best among men). This is the story of Purushothamananda.
Every one was happy to read in newspapers that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba had visited on two days the ashram of Swami Purushothamananda. Your happiness is My happiness. The Vasishta cave is still as it was when Purushothamananda lived there. It is perfectly clean and holy, permeating divine atmosphere in the entire ashram. The disciples of Purushothamananda told Me, "Swami! The entire atmosphere in the ashram is permeated by divine vibrations. We feel as though Swami Purushothamananda is still with us."
I told them: "Fine! You continue to feel his presence there and enjoy bliss."
During My last visit to Delhi, I arranged for conducting bhajan on Purushothamananda's birthday, keeping a photo of Purushothamananda there. Thus, several sages and seers display intense love and devotion toward Me and pine for My divine darshan.
