OHM GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDHA GNANANANDHA SADGURU GNANANANDHA

SADGURUNATHAR AT KALLAKKUDI

Abridged translated version of an article written by Sri N.Appan, Srirangam published in Ganna Oli issue of April 2010.

It is a historical fact that Sadgurunathar, in jadamudi thava kolam, was living in a thatched roof hut opposite to the sivan temple at Kallakkudi, Trichy district. He was inculcating good habits and teaching the people there good things.

Since 1974, on every pournami day and chithra pournami day padha pooja was being conducted to the padhukas left by Sadgurunathar at Kallakudi. However the practice was stopped for some years and with the efforts of some Gurunathar’s devotees from Chennai the poojas have started again for the past six months.

I want to tell you about the leelai of sadgurunathar when he was in kallakkudi.

Some years ago at Srirangam thai month bhoopathi thirunal urchavm was going on. Swami  was on Garuda vahanam. There was heavy rush than usual. I was sitting on the verandah of my house at East Chithrai Street. An old man was standing in front of my house waiting to have the dharshan of Perumal. He will be around 75 or 80. I asked him to sit on the verandah till the Perumal procession reaches the place. A picture of Sadgurunathar was adorning just above the entrance of my house. The old man enquired whose house is this. I told him this is my house and i have named it Gnanakriba. The old man looked at the picture once again and asked “ this is Sadguru Gnananandha Giri Swamigal isn’t it? How long this picture is here?”.

I introduced myself. I am Appan working as a TTR in southern railway and a devotee of Sadgurunathar. I was wondering whether this old man knows about Sadgurunathar? What he is going to tell me about him? As the procession of Perumal is expected to take more than half an hour to reach our place we continued our chat.

“If you are a TTR do you travel by Kallakkudi line “ Yes. I am travelling in that line daily. My duty is between Trichy junction to Egmore”. “Do you know that there is a connection between Kallakudi and our Sadgurunathar”. I was taken aback when he said our Sadgurunathar. Does this mean he is also a devotee of Sadgurunathar? How our Gurunathar joins his devotees together? Is this the satsang what Gurunathar refers frequently? With all these questions in mind i asked him “Swami do you know Sadgurunathar”. He replied Yes. I had the dharshan of Sadgurunathar when he was in Kallakudi. He was there for some time . I have seen Gurunathar even when i was a small boy. The first dharshan itself is a spellbound thing.” I asked can you tell me how and when you had that dharshan”? He continued. “It was during 1924 the execution of Villupuram – Trichy line was started and was completed in the year 1928.When the line to Kallakudi was completed a train started running between Trichy and Kallakudi. It ran twice daily. The old man was continuing. “My father told a lot of things about Gurunathar to me. When the train services started he took me also to kallakudi to have the dharshan of Gurunathar. I think it was in 1926 The train which leaves Trichy by 3.00 pm in the evening will reach Kallakudi by 5.00 pm. It will start by 8.00 pm on its return journey and will reach Trichy by 10.00 p.m. We started in that train and reached the place where Gurunathar was staying.

That was the first time i saw Gurunathar. He was with Jadamudi. The eyes shining with grace and attractive. I felt all my sins washed away the second the eyes fell on me.  Gurunathar enquired about us and our house at Thiruvanaikoil. There used to be a vilva tree and a well on the roadside of the house. Swami remembered at and enquired whether the tree is still there? Your grand father planted that tree. He used to give vilvam daily to Jambukeshwarar pooja, Are you still following it? Viswanatha Iyer hada greatest bhakthi on Akhilandeswari?. I was wondering how Gurunathar knows my grandfather’s name was Viswanath Iyer and about the Vilva Maram? Had he come to Trichy? Does he know my grand father? If he knows my grand father he must have visited that Trichy area. What would have been his age when he visited Trichy? The questions for which i could not find any answers till now. Gurunathar when talking about Jambukeshwarar temple told us about the mid noon pooja to Akhilandeswari and the principle and the meaning of the pooja. I could not understand anything at that age. Time was running. If we could not catch the 8.00 pm train we will not be able to reach Trichy. There were no trains after that and no bus transport also during that time. Moreover, the kallakkudi area was famous for its thieves. The thoughts were swirling in my head but could not say anything to Gurunathar.

Then Gurunathar told us it will be around 11.00 pm when you reach your home. You will be hungry. The dinner is ready. Eat it. Telling this he went into the hut and brought two leaves, one copper vessel and dheertham. He himself served us  hot and steamy “Venpongal”. He was talking to us for the past two hours and i was wondering when he cooked this pongal? If he had done it earlier it would not have been this steamy and hot. Gurunathar with a smile told us what is that you are thinking. Eat this and don’t think of anything now. It was like a mother feeding her children. We had our bellyful.

Then Gurunathar told us “ you have a doubt whether you can catch the train or not. It cannot leave without taking you. Come on let us start”. It was very dark out side. With a lantern in his hand he lead us to the station.   We reached the Railway station by 8.40 p.m. The train was supposed to have gone by 8.00 p.m. but it was there in the station. Why it did not go? Gurunathar asked us to take two tickets to Srirangam. After getting the ticket we enquired the station master why the train has not started till then and we got the following narration. The pointsman went to the cabin to change the lever. The a big snake was coiling round the lever. The pointsman got scared and came down. We could not change the signal. The train can start only if we change the signal and change the track. We tried our best. We even tried lighting fire and threw it on the snake. But it has not moved anywhere. It hisses more. We have contacted the control room in trichy and our superiors told us as there was no train expected to be on those tracks for some more time they asked us to wait till the snake leaves. And that is why the train has not started yet.

Gurunathar told us “ now you got the ticket. Get in to the train and it will start soon. The snake will also go. “ Once he told like that the snake started moving through the steps towards the fields in front of our eyes . When i say our it includes the station staff and the other passengers also. Once the snake left the pointsman went up and changed the track and the train moved. Swami upped his hands and bless us.

The old man completed telling his experience and the Perumal was in front of our house.

                             JAI SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

                                       MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH 

OHM GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDHA GNANANANDHA SADGURU GNANANANDHA

BHAGWAN SRI GNANANANDHAGIRI

Part I

This is an article by a devotee written in Gnanaoli July 2009 issue under the head “A Living God on Earth”

The purpose of life is the attainment of the Lotus Feet of the Lord, the conquest of life recurrent. Mahatmas, Sages and Saints appear off and on to show to the right minded the road to Realisation. One such great Mahatma, a descendant and disciple of Sri Adi Sankara, is Sadguru Sree Gnananandagiri Swamigal of Tapovanam ( Tirukoyilur) in Tamilnadu. This sage, known as Subramanya, in his poorvasrama, was born in Kritigai Star. His father Sri Venkoba Ganapatigal was a great Vedic scholar, and his mother was Sakkubai, a paragon of Hindu womanhood. They hailed from Mangalapuri in North Kanara.

One day at dead of night, the boyt of 12 walked out of his bed and followed a “Jothi” a leaqd us “O” light, to the banks of the Tungabadra. There he met his God-sent Guru. His Holiness Sri Sivaratnagiri Swamiji, Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya of Jyotir Mutt, who saw through the youngster’s spiritual hunger, and at once adopted him as his Sishya or Desciple. For 18 years, this youngster had his Gurukulavasa, and was initiated into the esoteric knowledge of ADvaita. Before the great Kasmir luminary His Holiness Sri Sivaratnagiri Swamiji attained Siddhi (eternal rest) he transferred all his powers to his disciple, Sree Gnananandagiri, as he was christened at the time of his “Deeksha” or entering into the order of Sanyasin, and also nominated him as his successor to the ‘Peeta” of Jyotir Mutt.

As the Swamiji wanted to leave the Mutt for various reasons, HE nominated one of the disciples there as HIS successor and proceeded to the Himalayas, where HE went into Tapas for many long years. The “Jatamuni”, he with plaited hair, started on his “Pada Yatra” from the Himalayas to Cape Comerin and beyond to the island of Ceylon.

It is on evidence that the Swamiji met Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, at Dakshineswar, where the latter gave Deeksha to his disciple Sri Vivekananda. In his walking tour of the South, the Swamiji came across Bhagwan Ramana in the Madurai temple sitting days on end, by the side of a stone pillar, and Ramana was then only 13 years old. When Ramana became Raman Maharishi, and was living in nthe Virupaksha cave at Tiruvannamalai, Sri Gnananandagiri Swamiji along with two others, used to walk during night time all the way from Polur to hold discourse with Sri Ramana. Presiding over the Arunagirinathar festival at Tiruvannamalai in 1960 the Swamiji said in the course of his talk that during such visits, they talked about “ Asi Patham” or the “ Tatvamasi” or “ Thou art that” doctrine. Sri Gnananandagiri Swamiji knew the great RAmalinga Adigal and often in his talks refers to his songs in praise of the Lord.

The Kannada born saint saw that his mission was in the South and there he worked for the uplift of erring mortals in several places. He stayed at Kallupatti, now known as Dalmiapuram, for some time aA Siva Temple of the place had been desecrated and converted into a cattle shed. Factioin among Hindus and conflicts between Hindus and Christians were rampant and Swamiji delivered the place from the clutches of the evil. During his stay here, the Swamiji predicted that there would emerge a big factory there and that factory is the cement factory.

At Present the Swamiji has three Ashrams- one at Attayampatti, near Salem, another at Siddhilingamadam 5 miles away from Tirukoyilur (On the Villupuram Road) and a third at Thapovanam 2 miles from Tirukkoyilur on the Tiruvannamalai Road. In all these places, where ever he be, miracles have occurred. Attayampatti and surroundings were infested with bandits and murderers and life and property were not safe. Our Swamiji stooped to conquer and as stated in Gita, “Right subsided and wrong triumphed and then , the Lord chose to be resurrected”. Sin and evil were rooted out and the people became quiet and pious villagers.

                                                                   

At Attayampatti Ashram, the Swamiji was having His “Nishtai” or communion with God, in a dark underground cellar for days (which you can see even today) for days on end and His disciples mistook the Nishtai for Samadhi or eternal rest and began breaking 108 coconuts on His pate. 107 coconuts were broken and when the hand was lifted to break the last one Swamiji opened his eyes; when asked about it, the Swamiji smiled and said “It was all like flowers falling on my head”. Even now we can notice a soft scar like spot on Bhagawan’s head.

The ashram of Siddhilinga Madam on the southern bank of the Pennar is half century old. When the Swamiji came to this place, there was severe drought and people suffered for want of water. When the people appealed to this new saint, He asked for a bucket of water and that was all the water there to be baled out of the well and poured down that water on His head. And lo the miracle occurred. For three days and nights, there was non stop downpour. Wells were full and river Pennar was flooded. The Swamiji has great power over the elements.

Once at Thapovanam a programme was arranged, and on that day it was raining cats and dogs. It was to be held in open air, as there was no big roofed hall at that tim. The sage of Tapovanam said that the function should be held in the open  quadrangle, and that he had petitioned “Varuna”, the Rain God to go West, and to the surprise of all, there was not a drop of rain from 4 to 9.30 pm. No sooner the function was over, the rains started with renewed force. Again, twice at Siddhilingamatam and once near Tapovanam disastrous fires broke out, the helpless hut dwellers rushed to the Saint for their Succour. The Swmiji bade the fire to stop and stop it did. Evil spirits fly before his merciful look, disceases disappear and dangers die away. Such Siddhis are too elementary to this exalted Jeevan Muktha.

At Thapovanam there is a tiny shrine where are housed Sri Gnana Ganesa, Sri Gnana Skandar, Sri Gnana Puriswar and Sri Gnanambikai, where daily worship is offered. The whole campus is a mango grove and there are two excellent wells in the campus. There are small tenements all around the central hall, a kitchen and a dining hall. The central hall is the common assembly and the huts are tenanted by Sanyasis and Sevarthies. The Swamiji’s greatest delight wherever he be is to treat his disciples with food and drink, anywhere, any time. Food prepared for a dozen at the great man’s glance suffices to feed a hundred and more and that to surfeit.

The Swamiji is ever in Sahaja Nishtai i.e. with you and not with you. He is all smiles and love, takes very little food and sleeps if at all very little. He is sprightly and active and to keep pace with His walk, we have to run. He has no distinction of caste, creed or colour; rich and poor are alike to him; He sees the Supreme in everything. He sheds His Grace on all, cures the body and feeds the mind. He gives out big “tatvams” in a simple lucid manner interspersed with parables and stories. He delights in music and Namasankirtans and often says that in Kaliyuga you can attain Moksha through Bhagavan Nama chanted in all sincerity. Sri Gnananandagiri Swamiji is not a mere saint; he is a living God in this Kaliyuga; to see Him is to know Him; to know Him is to Know God; cling to Him, He will never forsake you.

                                                                                     

JAI SADHGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

                                                       MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

                    

                 

OHM SHRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDA GNANANANDA SADGURU GNANANANDA

THAYUMANAVAN

Translated and abridged version of an article written by Smt G.Mahalakshmi Ganapathy, Chennai in October 2008 issue of Gnana Oli.

It was in the year 1965. In Mumbai Sion a bhajan and the padapooja by Guruji Swami Haridoss Giri was organised by my close relative. For two weeks myself and my husband enjoyed it. Daily in the morning Padhuka Pooja with soundaryalahiri and some sthothra parayanam and in the evening bhajan along with the speech by Guruji about Gurunathar will be conducted. I was five months pregnant with my first child. The way Guruji described about Gurunathar made me wish for Gurunathar’s dharshan. With the passing of time this has become a longing for me.

My delivery time was nearing. I was always thinking about Gurunathar. Labour pain started and the nurse came to my house for delivery. She checked me up and told others that the delivery is too complicated for her to handle and she could not do it. Saying so she left. Another lady doctor came and after checking she was also worried about the complications in the delivery. But i was confident that Sadguru will help me and won’t abandon me at any cost.  I felt Gurunathar is the incarnation of Lord Siva who came as Thayumanavar. So he knows how to save me and my child. This became my conviction. The labour pain intensified and unknowingly i was shouting “ Gurunatha Gnananandha”. In a few minutes the baby was born. The lady doctor was astonished and tole me “ this delivery would have been handled by some  un known power because the complications were that much which i feared to deliver the child, From that day onwards Gurunathar became everything for us.

Only in 1969, we had the fortune of having the dharshan of Gurunathar. My two children, my husband along with my aged mother in law went to thapovanam and an eyeful of dharshan of Gurunathar. We reached thapovanam by 2.30 pm Gurunathar took us straight to the dining hall and asked us to have our lunch. When we were entering the dining hall we can see all the vessels were cleaned, washed and kept it their places. Nothing cooked food can be seen any where. But Gurunathar saw to that we were fed in full. From where that food came i don’t know. That is why we feel that he is the incarnation of “Annapoorani”. He is still taking care of us and we are leading a happy and wonderful life now.

JAI SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

OHM SRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDHA GNANANANDHA SADGURU GNANANANDHA

ABATHBANDHAVAN

Sri H.Vikku Vinayakram came to thapovanam during aradhana period some years back for performing before the adhistanam. He told us two of his experiences with Gurunathar.

One day he wanted to have the dharshan of Gurunathar so he immediately left for thapovanam. He came all alone without being accompanied by any of his sishyas or the accompanying artists. He has not even brought his ghatam with him as the trip was very personal. He reached thapovanam and had dharshan of Gurunathar. After enquiring about his kshema labangal Gurunathar suddenly asked him to perform his ghata katchery. As his wont Sri Vinayakram immediately said and started looking for a clay pot which can be suitable for the ghata katchery. Nothing was found. Then he went into the kitchen. Atlast he found out a clay pot which can be utilised as a ghatam. He has requested the kitchen incharge for that pot, in which tamarind was stocked. It was vacated immediately cleaned, washed and handed over to Sri Vinayak Ram. At the appointed time Sri Vinayak ram has started his katchery without any of the accompanying artists and the programme went off well. On completion, he prostrated before Gurunathar and sought his blessings. Then  Gurunathar blessed him and told him “ You have performed well even if the pot is a tamarind storing one” He called the kitchen staff and instructed them from that day onwards the pot should be kept separately and nothing can be stored in it as Goddess Saraswathi is residing in it now” ( Saraswathy vasam seyyum paanai athu). Sri Vinayakram still wonders how Gurunathar knows about the tamarind and the pot.

Once Shri Vinayak Ram’s father was showing his horoscope to one astrologer for some clarification. Then the astrologer told Vinayak Ram’s father that there is a gandam in Vinayak Ram’s horoscope and it is very very difficult to pass over that ghantam. As a very ardent devotee of Maha Periyava Vinayak Ram’s father sent him to Maha Periyava and to seek his blessings to ward of the ghantam. Vinayak ram did as he was told to do. Maha Periyava asked him to stay in the mutt for a few days. One fine morning Periyavaa called Vinayak Ram and told him “ Go to Gnananandha Thapovanam and he is the only person who can save you”. So Vinayak Ram left for Thapovanam.

On his entering the thapovanam he can see Gurunathar giving dharshan to the devotees. He joined the crowd and performed namaskaram. Gurunathar called him by his side and before he could open his mouth  Gurunathar told him to have his lunch and let us meet in the evening. So he took his lunch and waited. Evening came and Vinayak Ram wanted to convey the reason for his coming to Thapovanam but could not do so because of the crowd. From the next day onwards whenever he nears Gurunathar to talk about his problem Gurunathar will simply leave that place either into his room or on some other work. Frustrated he has decided to return back to kancheepuram and to maha Periyava. On the third day he approached Gurunathar and told him  that he has to practice with Ms. M.S.Subbulakshmi for a kutchery to be performed on January 1^st and glad to have gurunathar’s permission to leave. But Gurunathar told him to wait. Came the morning of Dec 31^st. There was a sound in the well behind the mani mandapam and it was found out that an old lady who was living in Thapovanam committed suicide jumping into the well. After completion of the police formalities and necessary samskarams Gurunathar called in Sri Vinayak Ram. “ Now you can leave. I told that patti go to Kasi to obtain mukthi. But she told me that a death at Thapovanam only will get her the Mukthi she wanted and jumped into the well. Not only that with her death she took with her your kandam also. “

Sri Vinayak Ram is still wondering how Gurunathar knows the purpose of his visit to Thapovanam?

SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

OHM GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDHA GNANANANDHA SADGURU GNANANANDHA

UNARNTHU OTHARKARIYAVAN

Translated and abridged version of an article by Shri Al.S.Alagappan in Gnanaoli May 2007 issue. As usual the narrative will be in first person as written by Sri Alagappan

We don’t have the capacity to see God in person. But we can see Guru, can talk to him, asking him whatever we need. He blesses us and advises us. Helps us to lead a dharmic life At times of distress he consoles us by being with us. This is not philosophy. This is what we experienced with Sadguru Sri Gnanandhagiri Swamikal.

My father late Sri AL.Singaram chettiar is an ardent devotee of lord shiva.in 1960 he met Devakottai Sri P.K.Kannappa Chettiar for a business meet. Then Sri Kannappa Chettiar told my father “ There is one Sri Gnananandhagiri Swamigal in Thapovanam. Go and have dharshan of swami. All your travails will be over. Your life will be better”. But due to some exigencies my father could not visit thapovanam immediately. Sri Kannappa Chettiar reminded my father again. After three months my parents visited Thapovanam. Father after doing namaskaram was in the process of introducing himself. But before that Gurunathar, with a smile asked my father “ are you the one who was asked by Coimbatore Chettiar to come over here?”. My parents were astonished. From that day onwards our entire family surrendered ourselves to Gurunathar. My father started visiting thapovanam frequently and for anything and everything Gurunathar was consulted. Without his permission nothing will move in our family. We leave everything to Gurunathar.

At times we do things and worried about  the consequences. One such thing happened in my father’s business. We were dealers of Zenith brand pipes of Birla group of companies. Once my father sold the pipes at a lesser rate than specified by the company leading to loss to the company. The Birla company authorities asked my father to come to their headquarters to enquire about this. We thought we are going to lose the agency. As there was no time to go to Thapovanam, my father intimated Gurunathar about the problem and his trip to Mumbai by means of a telegram. When he reached Mumbai there was a reply telegram from Gurunathar stating that “Everything will be alright. Blessings of Deva”.

After meeting the officials of Birla company my father was asked to meet Sri Birla himself. When he went there, Birla’s executive officer was also there. When my father entered the room he was congratulated and patted on the back by Sri Birla himself. None could understand what is happening. Then my father was told that the prices of pipes have gone down very low and by selling the entire stock earlier my father had avoided a huge loss to the company. To what we can attribute this except the grace of Sadgurunathar.

Once Gurunathar was starting for Yercaud and my parents were there at thapovanam at that time. Gurunathar asked my father to accompany him to yercaud. But my mother said let Gurunathar go in his car let us follow in our car. After going to yercaud we can proceed to Coimbatore from there. Gurunathar then asked my mother to wait at Thapovanam and let us proceed to yercaud. But my father asked Gurunathar to proceed first and he will follow in our car. Gurunathar left in his car. But there was an accident near Kallakurichi in which a boy was killed. While our family stayed at the local Zenith pipe dealers residence my father and driver has to stay in the police station overnight. When Gurunathar heard the news “ We cannot change the fate of that boy. You were just an instrument. Don’t worry”. On enquiry it was found the boy jumped in front of the car and hence it was not the mistake of our driver he was released.

My sister and her husband went to Haridhwar. Instead of the regular snana ghat, where safety arrangements were in place, my brother in law went to some other place to take a dip in ganges. But the speed of the water washed him away. Both my sister and her husband who were distraught were simply shouting Gnananandha Gnananandha. Nobody was there to help them. Then an old man jumped into the river and pulled him out. At thapovanam people saw the dress of Gurunathar were wet. On their return to thapovanam my sister and her husband explained what happened at Haridhwar. After hearing them innocently as if he did not know what happened then informed them “Swamy  knows”.

One i had some itch on my back. Though i have consulted doctors and applied ointments the itch remained. My father directed me to inform Gurunathar. Gurunathar gently moved his hands over my back and the itch was cured.

We even prayed to him about our cow not having a calf and in that year the cow yielded a calf. A child will anything and everything to its mother without bothering whether these things can be asked or not. That is how we were treated by Gurunathar.

SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH