Henry Miller, the author of the iconoclastic
and groundbreaking, “Tropic of Cancer”,
wrote that "there is no man I
would consider it a greater privilege to meet than Krishnamurthy; Aldous
Huxley, the great rationalist and author, wrote after listening to
Krishnamurthy 'speak' in Switzerland, "it was like listening to a
discourse of the Buddha, such a power, such intrinsic authority.” Kahlil Gibran
said of Krishnamurthy: "when he entered my room, I felt "surely the
Lord of love has come". And Time Magazine, in its millennium list of great
people, named Krishnamurthy as one of the five greatest Saints of the 20th
century. Krishnamurthy was discovered on a beach of Adyar,
Madras, when he
was 14-years-old. His extraordinary aura had evidently not a trace of
selfishness in it. Dr. Annie Bezant adopted him. The theosophical society, of
which Dr. Bezant was the president, announced that Krishnamurthy would be the
World Teacher that the Lord Maitreya would incarnate in him. It was said
Krishnamurthy was 'educated' or instructed by Masters, or perfected human
beings, in preparation for this role. These Masters evidently lived in Tibet, and
Krishnamurthy purportedly met them at night by traveling on the astral plane!
Americans bestowed upon modern sage J
Krishnamurthy sainthood as a mark of respect. While he was alive, Krishnamurthy
had been praised by the greatest of skeptics, George Bernard Shaw wrote after
meeting him, "Krishnamurthy is the most beautiful human being I have ever
seen." He added, "He is a religious teacher of the highest
distinction." Several national people documented that Krishnamurthy could
read people's thought, and unopened letters, and could heal people. His close
associates described many mystic experiences, called the 'process', which he
experienced throughout his life. Krishnamurthy rejected all organizations of
religious nature. He spent his life traveling the world, lecturing, discussing,
and writing. He founded schools in India, in England, and in
California.
He had discussions with Nobel Prize winning scientists, world famous
journalist, academics, psychiatrists, philosophers and sages, from many
countries. All this was taped, and published. He was the most rational of men,
having great original insights which he explained in a rigorous logical manner.
There was no mumbo jumbo. And yet Krishnamurthy's life and teachings remain a
mystery, an enigma. There was one incident that Mr. Asit Chandmal has never
quite understood. It took place at the end of October 1984.
His aunt Pupul Jayakar had invited Prime Minister, lndira Gandhi and the
Dalai Lama, to dinner together with J Krishnamurthy, who was her house guest.
Asit Chandmal happened to be there in Delhi
and so was invited too. Four days before the dinner the Prime Minister was
assassinated. While Jayakar rushed to the hospital where Gandhi had been taken,
Asit sat with Krishnamurthy in the living room with the couple of other people.
Krishnamurthy turned to me, and said, pointing to a corner, "Can you see
her?" Asit asked "see who?" And he replied, "Mrs.
Gandhi." Asit couldn't, nor could anyone else. Krishnamurthy explained
that when someone dies, they comeback, fleetingly, to a house where there has
been love. Krishnamurthy knew when he was going to die. He said it was all
decided by 'someone'. The body existed only for the teachings. He died just
after midnight in California. He was 90
years old. Dr. Deepak Chopra wrote recently, "Krishnamurthy was one of the
most significant human beings of the 20th century. While the impact of
Einstein, Bohr, and Heisenberg was shifting the paradigm of the scientific
community, Krishnamurthy was laying the foundation for the future evolution of
the human species.