AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR: The Biography of Swami Rama

This biography of Himalayan Institute founder Swami Rama consists of anecdotes centering around the transmission of ascetic spiritual traditions from grandmaster to master to disciple. These tales of pilgrimages, initiations, revelations and miracles sometimes strain credulity, yet never fail to impart a sense of wonder and mystery. To wit, a begging bowl that miraculously refills with food is incredible, but apropos for the biography of a great sage. As told by Swami Rama's successor, Tigunait, these stories of the Swami are narrated in a style that falls somewhere between the critical distance of a scholar and the blind love of a disciple. Descriptions of the Swami's teaching methods reveal that his behavior could fluctuate inexplicably from kind to cruel. Although he holds a doctorate in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad, Tagunait's many colorful stories characterizing the master-disciple relationship fail to clarify the dependence of ascetic practices on traditional Hinduism or even to the Vedic culture that Swami Rama claimed is at the heart of the Himalayan ascetic tradition. Nonetheless, this minor flaw should not deter readers from enjoying the account of Swami Rama's life and mission, particularly as very little is known about the relationship of ascetic practices to the wider scriptural traditions of India. This biography will fascinate readers who are interested in transnational Hinduism, science and spirituality (Swami Rama's control over involuntary physiological processes is well documented), and the mysteries of spiritual awakening. (Sept.)