OHM SHRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDA GNANANANDA SADGURU GNANANANDA

                                                                    THE RAIN

I am going to narrate three incidents relating to rain in this episode. One is my own experience, the other is told by Shri Janakirama Dhikshithar during a short discourse on the day of my Sashtiabthapoorthi and the third one is the narration by Narisimmaiah Srinivasan.

First my own: The marriage of my second son was fixed. I wanted my future daughter in law to perform Deepa Jyothi. (Married girls are not permitted to take Deepa Jyothi) It is the firm belief of the devotees of Gurunathar that the girls’ life will be brighter if she performs Deepa Jyothi in Thapovanam. So i sought permission from my Sammandhi to take his daughter to Thapovanam. He agreed. I got the invitations printed and as a practice we used to perform padha pooja in thapovanam placing the invitations in Gurunathar’s feet ( whatever may be the function this will be done) and then perform abishekam for my family deity. At the appointed day the girl along with her mother came to my house. It was raining cats and dogs. We could not even board the cars. They have to be driven inside the car park just for the sake of our boarding. In that heave rain we started for Thapovanam. The girl’s mother was worried how we are going to reach Thapovanam and whether her daughter will be performing the Deepa Jyothi. My wife assured her everything will be fine and leave it to Gurunathar. Once the cars started the rain thinned. We reached thapovanam safely. Next day morning there was a heavy drizzle. However, we went to the temple ready to perform Deepa Jyothi. It was drizzling heavily till that time the Gurukkal was performing Deepa arathanai to the Jyothi. The girl took the lamp in her hand and came out. Suddenly the drizzling stopped. It was like that till the Deepa Jyothi pradakshinam was completed. Once it was over the rain started again. After finishing poojas we started our journey my sons and the girl’s family to Chennai and myself and wife to the temple of our family deity. Both the drivers were apprehensive about the rain. So i took them both to the sannadhi of Gurunthar and asked them to do namaskaram near Makaravilakku placing the car keys and they did. We started out journey. (Later my sons phoned me up that they reached safely without any problem).  Our car airconditionar failed leaving a thin layer of snow like water particles in the glass  making it difficult for the driver to see the road. So he stopped the car. We started praying to Gurunathar. Suddenly the rain stopped and we started the car. Then an astonishing thing happened. Just in front and back of us about 200 meters away the rain started but not even a drop fell on our car leaving the windshield clean making it easy for the driver to drive. This happened all the way including our return to Chennai. When the journey was completed i asked the driver (hired) how much i have to pay he simply asked you need not pay anything just give me a photo of Gurunathar and that is enough. Now he is a regular visitor to Thapovanm.

The second : As told by Sri Janakirama Dhikshithar: He was an Engineer and a very staunch devotee of Gurunather. Whenever he starts important construction work he will visit Thapovanam and seek Gurunathar’s blessings. So one day he came to Thapovanam and told Gurunathar that he has arranged for construction of ceiling on that day. Gurunathar told him it will be raining today so postpone it for tomarrow. But the Engineer told him “ No I have already arranged for everything depending on your taking care of that . So it is now your duty to take care of that”. Smilingly Gurunathar told the Engineer “ In such case, take that stick and insert it in the sand mound and proceed with the work”. The Engineer did as he was told. On the evening next day, he came back to Thapovanam. Swamy enquired whether the work has been completed and the reply was affirmative. So he asked the Engineer to pull out the stick which was placed yesterday evening. The moment he pulled out the rain started pouring. Thus Gurunathar not only saved his construction but also helped the construction to become strong by raining on completion of the work.

Third Episode as narrated by Narasimmaiah Srinivasan: There was a strong devotee ofGurunathar. With the permission of Swami his last daughter’s dance arangetram was arranged at 4.00 pm at Thapovnam. Since morning hectic arrangements were going on like setting up of stage and mike etc. It was an open auditorium. But around 3.00 pm dark to very dark clouds appeared over the horizon making the organisers worried about the function. Swami, who was standing there watching the arrangements suddenly went inside to his room. The organisers worried what todo. Around 3.30 pm Gurunathar came out and told the people go ahead with the programme. But the arangetram must be completed before 6.30 pm and all the people should finish their dinner by 7.00 pm and go inside their rooms. (In swami’s words) “ I have tied a letter on the legs of a crow and sent message to Varuna Bhagwan to postpone the rain. So it wont rain till 7.00 pm.” Need I say that is what happened?

One devotee went to Gurunathar and prayed i have arranged marriage for my daughter and i fear that rain may spoil the arrangements. So please stop the rain. For which Gurunathar replied “ Rain helps the farmers a lot and they are dependant on it. So let us not pray for no rain. Let us pray that the function go on well inspite of the rain”. So it happened. During important marriage ceremonies the rain abated and during other times it poured .

JAI SAGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

OHM SHRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDA GNANANANDA SADGURU GNANANANDA

WET RICE

The Ganapadigal, who had completed Vedha Adhyayanam, came to Thapovanam.Swami did not ask him anything. The office staff were instructed to take care of the Ganapadigal with madi aakaram. After three days Gurunathar called the Ganapadigal and enquired about what is worrying him (Enna kurai ungalukku). The Ganapadigal said to Swami “i belong to a family who  traditionally did Vedha Adhyayanam. A Mirasdar in our village had donated some agricultural lands for our living. Because of this Maha Periyava of Kanchi asked us to do adhyayanam only and  not to go for sastrigal profession. Once there was a function at the Mirasdar’s house (who donated the lands) and my ancestors were asked to attend as sastrigal. To honour the words  of Paramacharya my ancestors refused to do so. Angered by this the Mirasdar took back the lands. This act lead to our poverty. I am having a daughter to be married. Don’t know what to do. So i came here to tell you my problems.” The Ganapadigal was literally weeping when telling this to Gurunathar.

On hearing him, Gurunathar told him “ Oh come over here let us go to Anjaneyar Sannadhi and chant Sri Rudhram three times”. The Ganapadigal followed the advise of Gurunathar and started chanting Sri Rudhram in the Hanumar Sannathi.

That evening, in a big car, a Mirasdar came with some big bags. Gurunathar told the thapovanam officials “ How big bags these are? Ask him what he wants and tell the Mirasdar to come in”. The Mirasdar came in and told Gurunathar “Swami I heard that annadhanam is going on here and i brought the rice cultivated in our land to donate for that purpose”. Gurunathar replied “ Oh appadiya” and asked him to open the bags and pour the rice on the floor. This was done. Gurunathar took some rice in his hands and indicated that the rice is wet and asked the Mirasdar “ Why don’t you bring the rice dried. You have brought wet rice? How can you do this? You should have brought good rice”. The Mirasdar replied “ Swami i brought  dried and cleaned rice only”. Then Gurunathar replied “ No No the rice is wet. There must be some reason for this?. Then Gurunathar called the Ganapadigal  and asked him to tellgurunathar to which village the Ganapadigal belongs to?. The Ganapadigal replied with the name of the village.

Then Gurunathar looked at the Mirasdar and asked him “ You also belong to that village. You have taken over the agri lands given to that Brahmin family. To reduce that sin you have brought this rice to the swami”. The Mirasdar was shocked and perplexed.

Gurunathar showed the Ganapadigal to the Mirasdar and told  “ this man belongs to that family and you take care of his worries”. The Ganapadigal told his worries to the Mirasdar. Then the Mirasdar drew a cheque for a big amount and presented it to Gurunathar. Gurunathar immediately told him “ why are you giving it to me? Want to put that sin at my feet? That is not permitted hand over the cheque to the Ganapadigal”. Accordingly the cheque was handed over to the Ganapadigal thereby alleviating the poverty of the Ganapadigal and showing a way to the Mirasdar to redeem from his sin.

SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

Courtesy: translated from an article in Gnana oli June 2014 issue.

I tried my level best to translate it. Please forgive me if this is not as much interesting as published in Gnana Oli 

OHM SHRI GURgUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDA GNANANANDA SADGURU GNANANANDA

SADGURU GNANANANDHA

This is an abridged translated version of an article by Swami Chithswarupanandha written in the year 1996 and published in “Gnanaoli” September 2015 issue. As he has written the article in first person this is also done on the same lines.

I was working as a principal in a college. The then Government has issued an order  de-promoting me  as a lecturer against the rules and another person was appointed as Principal. I went to court against this order. The court temporarily stayed the Government order. I was in a disturbed state of mind. To have some peace i went to Thpovanam in the year 1960 for the first time.  (Swami Mukundanandha Saraswathi, who was my brother in his poorvashramam has told us about thapovanam and Swami who according to Swami Mukundhanananda Saraswathi was more than 160 years old at that time).

Gurunathar welcomed our family and arranged for our stay. After two days stay we sought his permission to leave but was told to stay back for one more day. During the stay i have been to Thrivikrama perumal temple at Tirukoyilur. Gurunathar enquired about my visit and the temple. When i explained my experience Gurunathar told me about the experiences of alwars and the history of construction of that temple. On the fourth day we sought permission to leave. I never told him about my official problems and told him that i came to Thapovanam. Then Gurunathar blessed us “ let us return back to home. Every thing will be good and there is no need for worry”. We came back home. In the next month itself the Judge dismissed the cased in my favour and i continued as a Principal till 1965 when i retired from the service. 

From then onwards i used to visit Thapovanam every year and stay there for few days. Gurunathar’s way of correcting the mistakes of the servants with a smile on his face and his not using any harsh words in anger attracted me towards him.

I was doing research on the life of  Adi Sankara Bhagavath Padhaal. Read Sankara vijayam books written by Anandagiri, Vyasachalar, Govindanandhar and Madhavar. I have written an article about Adhi Sankarar based on the writings of Vyasachalar. There was a dispute about Adhi Sankara attaining his Samadhi. Whether it was Kedharnath or Kanchipuram. There is a Samadhi of Adhi Sankara within 200 meters of Kedharntah Temple. Some people were of the opinion that he attained Samadhi at Kanchipuram.  But there is no Samadhi at Kanchipuram. This contradiction is created confusion in my mind. I strongly believed that Adhi Sankara was in Kanchipuram during his last days. I have decided to get this clarified with Gurunathar and asked him.  Gurunathar told me both versions are correct and true. He told me “ Sri Adhi Sankara attained Jala Samadhi in Kanchi and Vidheka Mukhthi at Kedharnath. He united with Lord Kedharnath leaving his physical body there.” Still not convinced i asked Gurunathar “Swami how is this possible” .Gurunathar replied “ He entered into water but never came out of it in Kanchipuram but came out in Kedharnath. He used this technique two or three times. So without anybody seeing him he went to Kedharnath and left his Bhoodha Sareera”.  After sometime i went to Kanchipuram and enquired  with people there is there any karna parambara kadhaigal or evidence this, i was shown the pathway inside the temple which lead to the tank and told that Adhi Sankara took this route to reach the temple. And thus my confusion regarding the Samadhi was cleared by Gurunathar.

My first daughter had a deformity in her leg. She studied well and was working as a teacher in a Government School. I was looking for alliance for her. Given advertisement in papers. But somehow or other the alliance did not happen. I was hesitant to talk to Gurunthar on this subject. In 1970 When i was in Thapovanam i broached this subject to Swami Mukundhanandha Saraswthi he told me to tell Gurunathar all my problems and leave it to him. Gurunathar will pray to god for you and all your problems will be solved. On his advise, i took my daughter and told Gurunathar about the alliance for my daughter. Gurunathar replied “Oh appadiya. Dont worry “. Then he took one fruit which was there and handed it over to my daughter telling her “ let you do pooja as a couple when you visit thapovanam next” (Adutha thadavai varumpothu thambathiyaaga poojai seyvom). Immediately on my return to my village, a good alliance came and my daughter got married. Now they are living happily and their first son is an engineer.

Like this swami chithswarupanandha has two more incidents. In view of the length i have cut short this article.

JAI SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

OHM GURUBYO NAMAHA

SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

I am starting this posting with my personal experience and how i became a devotee of Gurunathar. (hereafter i will refer Sadguru Swami Gnanananda Giri Swamigal as Gurunathar as some more swamikals name will appear in this post when it was needed).

In the year1981 i was working in Sirkali and was residing in the house of Sri M.S.Balasubramanian,( Balu mama) whose family was ardent devotee of Gurunathar and nothing absolutely nothing will be done without consulting Gurunathar before his attaining his Samadhi and praying to Gurunathar after his Samadhi.

I was invited to Chennai to attend the marriage of the brother in law of Sri  Balu mama. I attended the marriage with my wife and son. There is a custom in Balu mama’s house that nuptials will be celebrated only after the newly married couple perform Pada Pooja to Gurunathar at thapovanam. So the newly married couple started for thapovanam. As the car had more space i was asked to accompany the couple to thapovanam and from there proceed to Sirkali. We proceeded to thapovanam and i experienced a kind of inner peace when i stayed there in thapovanam. I also performed Padha Pooja and returned back to Sirkali.

After few months, i felt an urge to go to thapovanam. I sought the help of Balu mama and he also accompanied me with his wife. It was late night when we reached Thapovanam and was around midnight when we went to bed. Then Balu mama asked me why i intend to perform a Padha Pooja? Have i sought any favour from Gurunathar. I replied that i have no prayers and feel that performing a pooja with a request is like offering bribery to god so i am simply performing the pooja without any prayers. Please note it was around midnight and there were no other person in our room except our family.

Next day morning we got up and performed the pooja had our lunch and started back to Sirkali. When we boarded the car one Swamigal came and asked us whether we are going to Tiruvannamalai. Balu mama immediately replied yes though we had no intention of going to Tiruvannamalai. The the swamigal requested us to drop him at Tiruvannamalai and if we are interested we can have the dharshan of Yogi Ramsurathkumar where he was going. WE said yes and he boarded the car. The car moved and after asking about us he started a small discourse. The following is swamikal’s words.

“ Some people think that performing poojas to Sadgurunathar after praying him for some benefit as offering bribary. I will ask a simple question. Will you answer me?. We are dropping our hand kerchief. Somebody picks it and hands it over to us and we are thanking him. How many possibilities are there. 1. We ourselves can bend and pick it up. 2. We can ask the driver to do that 3. We can simply ignore  it and move away.  It is a simple thing with three possibilities. And we are thanking a person for an act which has three simple possibilities. In such case how we are going to thank god who does impossible things for us . One way of showing our gratitude is by performing poojas, homams and singing songs in praise of him. So please erase from your mind the thought of bribing Sadgurunathar.”

I felt like being hit by a boulder. How does he know what i had told to Balu mama?  Which made balu mama to say yes when we had no intention of going to Tiruvannamalai? What made him approach our car when there are more number of cars which are parked in the direction of Tiruvaannamalai? With his knowledge he could have chosen so many subjects to lecture us and why he chose this particular subject? I asked all these questions and the swamikal replied. Our Sadguru is omnipresent every where. Though he shed his mortal body he is still with us in the spiritual rupa. We had dharshan of Yogi Ramsuratkumar and returned back to Sirkali.

From that day onwards Gurunathar took me as his devotee and with us guiding us in every single thing and takes care of us like a devoted mother takes care of his child.

        SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

OHM GURUBYO NAMAHA

RADHAVUKKU KALYANAM

Seshu Iyer was residing in Thapovanam along with his wife, sons and daughters Radha and Rukmani. The girls used to play inside thapovanam and at times Gurunathar will watch them playing. The girls use to play a game asking some one to sit in the middle and the other girls will go round and round singing songs. One day all the girls were playing such a game with Radha in the middle with Gurunathar watching and enjoying the girls singing. After some time Gurunathar stood up and joined the girls going round with Radha in the Middle. Suddenly Gurunathar started chanting Radhavukku Kalyanam Radhavukku kalyanam while dancing around Radha. The others girls took the cue from Gurunathar and started chanting the same. Radha asked Gurunathar whether Radha Kalyanam is going to be celebrated in Thapovanam and when it was going to happen. Gurunathar with his usual smile replied “ Yes. Radha Kalyanam nadakkaporathu but Thapovanathila illa”. Radha caught the drift of what Gurunathar was saying and told Gurunathar  that she was not inclined for marriage and stop ridiculing her . Gurunathar simply smiled at her and Radha left for home.

Seshu Iyer has an elder  brother Rajamani who was living in Kerala. Rajamani’s daughter gave birth to a male child. While conveying the news Rajamani asked Seshu Iyer to bring Radha also to Kerala while he is coming to see the child. Seshu Iyer sought the blessings of Gurunathar. Gurunathar blessed all in the family including the new born and wished them safe journey. Seshu Iyer along with his wife and Radha reached Kerala. After a week Seshu Iyer wanted to return back to Thapovanam and sought his elder’s permission. While giving permission Rajamani wanted Radha to stay back for a month. Seshu Iyer agreed and left for thapovanam with his wife.

Rajamani knows astrology and was doing it as a service to his friends circle only. One day one such friend visited Rajamani and handed over his son’s horoscope. He requested Rajamani  to look for a suitable bride for his son who is well employed and left.  One day while cleaning the loft Rajmani found out a note book containing horoscope of Radha. Curiosity getting better of him he matched the horoscope of Radha and his friend’s son and found that they were matching perfectly. Co incidently his friend also visited him on the very next day. Rajamani checked with his friend whether he is agreeable for Radha being the bride for which the friend gave affirmative answer. Then Rajamani told him that he will consult his brother and come back. Seshu Iyer was asked to come to Kerala and the proposal was put forth to him. Seshu Iyer who did’nt expect this told his brother that Seshu Iyer is not in a position to conduct the marriage as he did not have sufficient funds. After prolonged discussion Seshu Iyer told his brother that he will consult Gurunathar and write to him and returned back to Thapovanam. On hearing this Gurunathar blessed them both and asked Seshu Iyer to proceed with marriage arrangements. Gurunathar asked Radha “ what is this? The other day you told me not to ridicule you and now you are coming to me with a marriage proposal for which Radha replied A” Swami if you will it to happen who can stop that?”.  With the blessings of Gurunathar the marriage was conducted well and the couple are now doing well and leading a contented life. 

SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

OHM SHRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDHA GNANANANDHA SADGURU GNANANANDHA

Newly married couple

The devotee is part of the group of Guruji. He used to travel with him and participate in Guruji’s bhajans. As a natural corollary he developed bhakthi on Gurunathar and became his ardent devotee. He belong to a small village near Tirunelveli. His brother informed him that his marriage has been fixed and with the blessings of Guruji and Gurunathar the marriage went off well. In few days the couple were left alone in their house. It is customary for the newly weds in the area that they will visit Tiruchendur and have dharshan or Lord Muruga as for most of them their family deity (Kula dheivam) is Tiruchendhur Murugan. Accordingly the bride also wanted that both of them should visit Tiruchendur first. But the groom has different idea. He told her my one and only swami is Gurunathar so i will have dharshan of Gurunathar’s adhistanam first and then only will come to any place you prefer. The argument was going on and developed heat among the couple. In an agitated mood he came out of his house. As it is a very small village every one knows every one. When he came out the vegetable vendor who was standing there asked him “ hello when you are going to Tiruchendur”. Without replying him the bridegroom went to a shop with an intention of chewing. The shop owner, a muslim, also asked him the same question and told him to have the dharshan as soon as possible. Frustrated he went to bus stand with an intention of boarding  the first bus that he sees where ever the bus may go. As luck would have been it, five buses came in a row and all the buses were going to Tiruchendur only. Dejected he walked out of the bus stand. There came a tempo and the driver stopped the vehicle and offered a ride home to the bride groom. The devotee checked with the driver where he is going. Pat came the reply “Tiruchendur”.  At last convinced that Gurunthar wants him to go to Tiruchendhur first he returned home and packed for Tiruchendur along with his wife. ( i have heard so many old people say that Gurunathar was very particular that every one should visit their family deity atleast once a year and it should not be forgotten. The experience narrated above clearly establishes the same.)

After having dharshan at Tiruchendur the couple headed straight for Thapovanam. They took a train which reached Villupuram around 9.00 am. Wondering whether they will be able to reach thapovanam in time to have the dharshan of Aarathi at Adhishtanam, the couple proceeded to Tirukoyilur. At Tirukoyilur the devotee purchased garlands. The bride was wondering what if  if the adhishtanam was closed and the garlands becomes waste. The devotee replied Gurunathar knows we are coming. It is for him to accept the garland or not. Whatever happens it is his decision and let us accept it with humility. When they reached thapovanam it was past 11.00 am. They alighted from the bus and there an official of Thapovanam was standing. On seeing the couple he shouted come on quick go to room and take a bath immediately and come for dharshan. The Deeparathanai will be in another half an hour. Needless to add that the couple did as were told. After having their lunch they enquired the reason for the delay and came to know there was a death near thapovanam and the poojas can be started only after the body was removed.  Gurunathar did not want their devotees that too the newly married couple to be disappointed.

SADHGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH

OHM SHRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

GNANANANDA GNANANANDA SADGURU GNANANANDA

ATCHAYA PAATTHIRAM

He was with Gurunathar since swami established Thapovanam ashramam. Gurunathar used to conduct classes of Vedhantha vicharam with him. He had the liberty of differing with Gurunathar and telling him that he differs. He had two daughters and a son. He is a man of very moderate income which was sufficient to run the family. His first daughter attained the age of marriage and he was worried about how he is going to conduct the marriage with his meagre income. His son has just started earning. He has no wealthy relatives who can be approached for financial assistance.

He prayed Gurunathar and the life meandered on. Meanwhile a good alliance came for his first daughter and the marriage was fixed. Though the groom’s side did not demand much he felt that he must atleast spend for the necessities. So he approached his brother in law, with whom he did not have any financial dealings till then, and he agreed to take care of the marriage expenses. Satisfied he returned home and now he has to take care of the feeding expenses. He met with a marriage contractor who after checking with the devotee about the number of persons who will be there for breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days and demanded a sum of Rs.33,000/- for the entire marriage. As the amount quoted seemed reasonable the devotee accepted and the marriage preparations were going on. The D Day arrived and the marriage including the kattu saadha koodai went on well. All those invited and those who heard about the marriage attended it and the crowd was more than double of what was expected. The marriage hall was deserted excepting the girl’s father, brother and very very close relatives. The amount has to be settled for the marriage contractor. The devotee was worried how much he will bill, because of the crowd was more than what the cook was told originally. The contractor came and submitted the bill. The bill was for Rs.33,000/-. The devotee was astonished. He asked the contractor why for which the contractor replied that was the original amount accepted by both of them. The devotee said to the contractor “ your bill should have been more. The number of persons who ate were more than double than what i told you at the time of booking. You must have incurred more expenditure atleast on groceries. So recalculate and submit the correct bill”. The contractor replied “ Yes. What you are telling you correct. There are more number of people than expected. But you must know one thing. Before started cooking i prayed to the Gurunathar whose photo you kept at the stage and started cooking. Believe me i have not spent an even a naya paise more than my original purchase and because of Gurunathar’s blessings i am able to serve to all those who came without anybody complaining. I cooked only for the number of people we originally agreed upon and inever increased the quantity nor compromised on the quality. That is why i have submitted the bill for the originally agreed amount and not more because i have not spent anything more than the original estimate.

SADHGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI    JAI

MAGIZHVITHU MAGIZH