Sri Seshadri Swamigal and Sri Ramana

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SRI SESHADRI SWAMIGAL

THE SAINT WITH A GOLDEN HAND - 870-1929

 

SRI SESHADRI SWAMIGAL was born in Kancheepuram in the Kamakoti family

to the couple Vardarajan and Margathammal. The kamakoti families,

about 30 in number, were specially brought to Kancheepuram by Adi

Shankara, from Central India, to spread the Sri Vidhya Cult.

Seshadri as a boy of four, following his mother to the temple, took an

idol of Sri Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) in his hand, from a

shop, saying he will do pooja to the idol. The shop keeper,

appreciating the child's interest, gave the idol free to little

Seshadri.

Next day, as Maragathammal and Seshadri were going to the temple, the

shop keeper prostrated, placed child Seshadri's hand on his eyes and

cried "golden hand! golden hand!". He explained that the sale was

extraordinarily high after the child touched the idols. From that day

onwards, till his maha siddhi, he was popularly known as `Thangakkai

Seshadri' (Seshadri of golden hand), for whatever he touched turned

into gold (flourished).

He renounced material life at the age of 19, left Kancheepuram and

came to Tiruvannamalai. He never left Tiruvannamalai till his nirvana

in 1929. He was a great upasaka (worshiper) of Shakthi. *

He roamed the streets of Tiruvannamalai like a mad man, entering a

shop and dumping the cash from cash box on the floor or throwing the

flour kept for making dough into the water and so on. However, his

strange behavior was known to the town people and they never minded.

On the contrary, they eagerly awaited his visit, for his visit meant

that their business would flourish.

Sri Seshadri Swamigal, as mentioned earlier, was a worshiper of

Shakthi. Recital of Mantrams, that is, sacred syllables (mantra

japa), was his path. He was a contemporary of Sri Ramana Maharishi.

In fact it was Seshadri Swamigal who rescued the young Ramana when the

latter was immersed in penance in the underground vault called Patala

Lingam located in the Thousand-pillared Hall of the Arunachaleshwarar

temple, while ants and other insects were gnawing away at his body.

It was Sri Seshadri Swamigal as well, that brought Sri Ramana to the

notice of the world and that a great soul resided in him. Ramana,

younger in age used to be called Chinna-Seshadri (Little Seshadri).

Sri Seshadri was called Mother Parvathi and Sri Ramana as Skanda

(Lord Subramanya). There were instances when devotees have

experienced that Seshadri was Ramana and Ramana was Seshadri. They

were contemporaries and each knew the greatness of the other. When

Sri Seshadri's body was interred, Sri Ramana's personal approval of

the script and reading of Seshadri's biography showed Ramana's

reverence for this great Mahan. Many were his beneficiaries. Sri

Vallimalai Swamigal, Ganapathi Muni,** and Bhanu Kavi are to cite a

few. Even men of ordinary walk of life had their several ills-mental

and physical cured. Several had initiation in mantras according to

their eligibility. Sri Ramana was moved from Patala Lingam to

Gurumurtam following the suggestion of various people expressing

concern with his overall well being. When Palaniswami*** stepped

forward to become Ramana's personal attendant, Sri Seshadri stepped

aside basically without comment.

 

The paths of Sri Seshadri and Sri Ramana were different. There used to

be friendly arguments between them. Sri Seshadri Swamigal possessed

many Siddhis and performed many miracles like curing chronic diseases

etc., openly. However, Sri Ramana Maharishi, though he performed

miracles some times, he never acknowledged them or attached

importance. He always advised seekers to focus on the ultimate goal

of Self Realization and not to be distracted by minor achievements

like siddhis or miraculous powers.

Seshadri Swamigal ashram is next to Sri Ramanashramam between the

second and third Lingam on the circumabulation route. Regular pujas

are performed at the samadhi of Sri Seshadri Swamigal. There are a

few platforms for meditation in the open, in a beautiful garden,

under the cool shade of trees. One can do meditation facing the holy

hill Arunachala, from this garden. A book stall in the ashram sells

photographs and books.

Accommodation is available and food is served by a canteen inside the ashram.

For further information contact:

Sri Seshadri swamigal ashramam, Thiruvannamalai- 606 603, South India.

 

* SHAKTHI -- the source of energy -- is the representation of all the

female goddesses. These Goddesses are the inseparable power of their

Gods. Saraswathi, Goddess of learning and speech, is the consort of

Brahma. She is the goddess of vedas and vedanta, and negates all

traces of dark ignorance, sloth and inertia. Lakshmi, presiding

goddess of wealth and happiness,is the consort of Vishnu. She

symbolizes grace, beauty and prosperity. Lakshmi is the eternal, ever

faithful symbol of good fortune. Shiva's consort Parvathi or Uma,

especially in the manifestation as the Black Goddess Kali Ma, is the

primeval energy.

** 1878-1936 - Ganapathi

In 1903 there came to Tiruvannamalai a great Sanskrit scholar and

savant named Kavya Kanta Ganapathy Sastri. He was famous as

"Ganapathi Muni." Ganapati Muni was born as an ‘amsa’ of Dundi

Ganapati, had a huge following, and was a born poet. He was a great

scholar and a tapasvi with powerful Siddhis who could bring down or

stop the rains! He could destroy a whole town. Once when he was

harassed during his stay in the city of Nasik he cursed that the

whole city should be destroyed. Soon the whole city was destroyed

through the dreaded disease of plague.

He was drawn to the young sanyasin Ramana by the force of his

personality and came to see him. When he first saw Ramana, he was

gazing at the sun. It was a habit with him to gaze the scorching sun

in the afternoon till the sunset. Ganapathi Muni stayed with Ramana

for a number of days and had discussions with him; many of his doubts

were cleared.

Although he had studied the Vedanta (Indian Philosophy) and the

Upanishads, he had not clearly understood what tapasya meant. The

simple explanation that Ramana gave cleared a big doubt that

tormented him. It was Ganapathi Muni who gave the young Sanyasin the

name of "Maharshi" or "Bhagawan." Not only that. He wrote hymns in

Sanskrit, in praise of Ramana Maharshi, and wrote a book with the

title "Ramana Gita" explaining his teachings.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING GANAPATHI MUNI:

As a five year old boy, his father named him Ganapati. He became a

treasure house of the Vedas, the Upanishads and other Sanskrit

literature, and Sanskrit poetry was on the tip of his tongue. He had

done plenty of mantras, japa, tyaga, tapasya. Still, he was

discontented, not at peace.

He had met the yet-to-be-called Sri Ramana on the southern slopes of

Arunachala. One day he was assailed by pains, troubles, doubts. He

remembered that the young Swami was on the hill, and at midday, a

little after noon, he climbed and found him sitting outside

Virupaksha cave, alone. He prostrated and said, "All the scriptures

that have to be read, I have read. All the mantras and japa that have

to be done, I have done. Still I have no peace. Please save me." The

young Swami took a little time. For at least fifteen minutes he

silently gazed at him. Then in Tamil, he spoke. The English

translation is simple:

"If one watches whence the notion 'I' arises, the mind is absorbed in

That; that is tapas. When you recite a mantra, watch where the sound

is coming from, within you; when you sing a song or prayer, watch

where it is emanating from: your Heart. Put your attention on That.

That is tyaga, that is TAPASYA, that is all."

All his doubts and delusions were washed away that day.

Sri Seshadri Swamigal had watched over the young Swami while he was

sequestered in the underground vault, Patala Lingam, in the main

temple, Arunachaleswarar. By the time the young Swami had moved to

Virupaksha Cave on Arunachala Hill he was accompanied by a

self-appointed Malayalee attendent named Palaniswami. Ganapathi Muni

asked Palaniswami about the young Swami's former name, Venkataraman,

then he cut out Venkata, added Maharshi and renamed him Sri Ramana

Maharshi, or Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

After Ganapati Muni became the recipient of the Maharshi's grace, on

Monday, November 18,1907, all his doubts were dispelled at one stroke

by the vision of Central Reality.

 

*** PALANISWAMI

A little less than six months after his arrival at Tiruvannamalai the

person who was to become called Sri Ramana Maharshi shifted his

residence to a shrine called Gurumurtam at the request of its keeper.

Shortly after that a Malayalee named Palaniswami (sometimes refered to

as Palani Swami) joined him as his permanent attendant. Anyone who is

familiar with the life story of Sri Ramana would feel nothing but

indebtedness toward Palaniswami for the lifetime of care and

protection he provided Ramana. From Gurumurtam to Virupaksha Cave

(1899-1916) to Skandasramam Cave (1916-1922) on the holy mountain

Arunachala he was the instrument of divine protection for Ramana.

Ramana would be without consciousness of the body and lost in inner

bliss most of the time and during those times protection was very

valuable. Besides physical protection Palaniswami would beg for alms,

cook and prepare meals for himself and Ramana, and care for him as

needed.

The story of how Palaniswami joined Ramana is an interesting one in

itself. Palaniswami was from Kerala and was worshipping the image of

Lord Ganesha in Tiruvannamalai. During the period of time Pananiswami

was paying homage to Ganesha, Ramana was being rescued by Sri Seshadri

Swamigal when the latter was immersed in penance in the underground

vault called Patala Lingam located in the Thousand-pillared Hall of

the Arunachaleshwarar temple, while ants and other insects were

gnawing away at his body and boys were throwing stones at him. Many

in Tiruvannamalai thought Seshadri a madman. A person that had heard

of Ramama and a possible need for continued protection, seeing

Palaniswami's capacity for devotion, approached him saying: "What is

the use of spending your life with this stone swami? There is a young

swami in flesh and blood at Gurumurtam. He is steeped in austerities

like the youthful Dhruva, mentioned in the puranams. If you go and

serve him and adhere to him, your life would serve its purpose."

Others also mentioned to Palaniswami about the glorious state of

Ramana who needed a full time attendant to look after his body. At

his very first visit Palaniswami was certain that he had discovered

his guru and saviour. For a little while he continued his worship at

the temple of Ganesha. Later he felt that Ganesha himself had led him

to Ramana and thus then, became a fulltime personal attendant to

Ramana. In 1928 a person that became to known as Swami Annamalai

particpated as an attendant as well, although a majority of his

duties focused on the construction of the ashram for the Maharshi. In

1938 under the grace of Sri Ramana he attained Enlightenment and

shortly thereafter left the ashram. It is not recorded if Palaniswami

reached that same goal.

 

Palaniswame was a Malayalee. What is a Malayalee? They come from the

Malabar coast in Southwest India from what is now known as Kerala,

the new political unit of the ruling states of Travancore and Cochin

and the Malabar province of the erstwhile Madras Presidency. They

speak Malayalam. The Maharaja of Travancore, in the early 19th

century, went on a sustained campaign of education, which has

continued since, and not just in Travancore, that education remains a

major priority. One import of that, for a long time, was that Kerala

was the one State which provided much needed technical and other

skills for other parts of India, the Middle East, the Malay Peninsula

and elsewhere.

Malayalam is a highly developed language, whose origins remain

obscure. There is doubt whether it is an offshoot of Tamil or of

Sanskrit, although conventional wisdom is that it is developed from

Tamil and evolved from Sanskrit, then the court language, in the last

thousand years. Another theory suggests that the Tamils of Jaffna, Sri

Lanka, are not really from Tamil Nadu but from Kerala. There is enough

evidence of that in the Tamil spoken there to suggest that it is, but

this view is disputed by many, though not all, Tamil scholars and

politicians.

But the point is that Malayalees are known for their ability to adapt

and merge with the surroundings. Their cultural and social traditions

have led them to independent thinking that has been a hallmark of

Kerala history from the earliest times."

~Wanderling

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