Foreword by the author - B Radha Krishna Murthy (BRK)
We left from Tapovanam on Thursday and went to a village called Poondi near to Arunachalam. During that time, there was a great saint staying in Poondi.
Nobody knew His name or any details and addressed Him as Poondi Swamy. Poondi Swamy visited a lot of places and finally in 1962, He reached Poondi and on the porch outside a house, He went into a state of samadhi. He abstained from hunger, thirst, sleep and other bodily functions. He would eat only when a devotee would feed Him. Unless somebody initiated a conversation with Him, He would not even talk. With Swamiji's blessings, we had the darshan of such a great saint. As Swamiji approached Poondi Swamy, He opened His eyes and saw Swamiji. A silent conversation occurred between them. After spending some time in Poondi, we left to Arunachalam.
We did not have enough money to further continue our journey from Arunachalam. I wondered what would happen and what Swamiji would do! Meanwhile, a man working as a public prosecutor in Tiruchi came to have Swamiji’s darshan. He was visiting Arunachalam as it was the auspicious month of Karthika and having found out about Swamiji, he requested that Swamiji should visit his house in Tiruchi. He also volunteered to make all the arrangements required for us to travel to Tiruchi. Tamil Nadu is home to many important, archaic and spiritual places. One of those places is Sri Ranganatha Swamy’s temple in Srirangam, which is close to Tiruchi. Another place is Malaikota Vinayaka temple, situated atop a mountain in Tiruchi.
Soon after I wondered how our journey would progress without money, due to Swamiji’s blessings, the public prosecutor happened to come for Swamiji’s darshan. Having made all our travel arrangements, he also accommodated us in his own house. Swamiji first took us to Malaikoti Vinayaka temple, which holds a great history. Also, an incident that occurred in Swamiji’s childhood is associated to this temple which Swamiji Himself narrated to me.
Swamiji’s father Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu was Swamiji’s first guru and put Swamiji on a spiritual path right in His childhood. Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu instilled into Swamiji’s young mind that one who is absolved from the cycle of rebirth is the true father and that we should try to reach that father. Swamiji was initiated with important mantras by Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu on the day of Karthika Pournima. On the Karthika Pournami of 1949, Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu gave the Ganapathi upadesam to Swamiji, who was 10 years old then. While doing bhaava-saadhana of the Ganapathi mantra, Swamiji identified every living and non-living being and also Himself with Ganapathi. In that way, His entire world was filled with Lord Ganapathi. (Swamiji mentioned on many occasions that Sri Omkarananda Swamy also observed bhaava-saadhana as instructed by His first guru in Sringeri ). As only a 10-year-old boy, Swamiji went into a trance-like state, left His house and reached Malaikoti Vinayaka Swamy temple. Swamiji sat in the temple in deep meditation, unbothered by hunger or sleep. The devotees who visited the temple could not take their eyes off the young radiant boy immersed in meditation. One of the devotees happened to be an acquaintance of Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu. On recognizing Swamiji, he accompanied Swamiji back to Saattur and narrated the incident to Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu.
Sri Subrahmanya Sastry garu predicted that in the future, Swamiji would have to abstain from everybody to perform penance and that until the time comes, He has to fulfil His domestic responsibilities. In that way, Swamiji obeyed His father and shouldered the family responsibilities at a very young age.
After having a great experience at Malaikoti Vinayaka temple with Swamiji, we went to Srirangam the next day.
to be continued...
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