The magic of Vishalakshi Mantap | Poem

The feeling of attending a satsang, sitting on the lawns overlooking the famous Vishalakshi Mantap (VM), at the Bangalore Ashram, under a clear night sky full of stars, with the Guru in sight, the VM behind in glorified lights, and all of us soaking in the soulful music and wisdom, is simply indescribable!

VM in the evening surrounded by ‘spiritual’ beach junkies, surfers, and even scuba-divers!

And yet, my mind became pregnant with awe, wonder, beautiful recognition and gratitude at this indescribable lightness of being, that it spontaneously gave birth to a poem:

It’s so beautiful
So very beautiful,
Your presence in my life.

For lifetimes I have
Been Chasing desires,
Only to miss the chocolate,
For the chocolate wrapper.

The thirst and hunger of the soul,
Never really quenched,
And now when I am here,
In the Sannidhya of the Guru,
I realize this completes my life.

This is what I have been
Searching for all the lifetimes.
And now, if I have this,
And nothing else,
I am complete.
And now, I need nothing more.

(Sannidhya — The sacred nearness, especially in reference to the divine, god or a guru. Satsang — A celebratory gathering of music, wisdom, truth and inner peace.)

View from one of the top floors of VM, looking into the amphitheater on a full moon night

Vishalakshi Mantap, a 108 feet high conical structure, at the Art of Living International Center is an architectural marvel par excellence and a center for many meditation and wisdom retreats with participants and visitors coming in to seek solace and soulful rest from more than 100 countries around the world. The central meditation hall in VM can accommodate hundreds of meditators and provides a beautiful open space for diving deep into the inner space!