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