My life [9]

[Guest guest]

Test by Lord Shiva:

 

Since I am a child I am always fascinated at the thought of Lord Shiva. How

ever, I never got a chance to really express my devotion to him... Getting

a chance to stay near to the abode of My lord Shiva is what I consider the

luckiest chance I ever got. There is a saying in "Vayupurana". It says:

 

namakaM camakaM caiva purusha sooktaM tathaivaca

nityaM trayaM prayujyaMtE brahmalOkE maheeyatE || -- vAyupurana

 

Means: Those who regularly chant the Namakam, chamakam and Purushasuktam

will reach the brahmalOka.

 

Life in the ashram gave me ample chance to devote my life completely for the

spiritual practices. I started rigorously performing the Gayatri mantra.

Also, everyday during the mid-afternoon time, I used to go on my motor cycle

to Narasaraopet and learn different kinds of tantrik mantras from Sri

Kotakotayya Sastrigaru. He is the maternal uncle to the present Sringeri

Jagadguru Bharati Tirtha. I have taken Sivadikshaa mantra from Sri Kotayya

Sastrygaru. Sri Sastrygaru (called as Kotayya) is a known mantrik in

surrounding areas. He is revered as well as feared for his powers! I

consider it my luck to find a guru, who knows how to make the disciple

practice the tantra. Sri Kotayyagaru got great respect towards my teacher

Swamini Amma.

 

I still remember how I approached him for learning mantras. One day, early

in the morning I was sitting on the Brahmakonda and practicing Meditation

after doing 10000 gayatri. A thought arose in me and I became curious to

know a person who can perform the mantra in its true sense. I know that

Jagadguru Adishankara is known for his mystic powers. He posses so much

mystic power that people around him always got influenced either by his

teachings or by his mystic powers. He was one who could request Goddess

Lakshmi, so that a poor hapless woman could become very rich. He is known

for his tantric powers. Thinking of all this I became quite curious. If

Jagadguru has done this, then there is nothing wrong in becoming curious abo

ut it... So I have truly requested Lord Shiva's guidance in this regard, AND

at that moment I got a vision in which I am told that Sri Kottayya is a

mantrasiddha who can teach me what I want. I became quite happy to find a

true Siddha nearby a place where I live!

 

I couldn't wait, immediately I went to see him at his residence. They were

performing a yagna. I went and prostrated to him. The moment I told him

that I am learning Vedanta at the Lotus feet of my teacher Swamini

Saradapriyananda, he felt quite pleased. I requested him that I would like

to learn esoteric mantras from him. He laughed and replied: "Madhava, you

are learning which we always regard as the highest education, what will you

do with all these petty mantras?".. I told him that I am just curious in

learning them, in order to strengthen my belief in them. He looked in to my

eyes for some time and asked me a few questions, for which I gave answers.

He is satisfied with my answers and told me to come again the next day. As

instructed, I went again the next day during my leisure time. He was

performing Siva Abisheka. He asked me to participate. Since I know Namakam

and chamakam by heart, I participated and chanted. At that time his own

sister, and Mother of the present Sringeri jagadguru Bharatitirdha Swamy, is

also present. She asked me about the welfare of Swamini Amma and how the

ashram is doing. He explained to her that I am interested in learning the

Mantras. She smiled and said "for curious the Lord always gives the right

guidance, Lord Shiva is behind you... I can see.... Respectfully learn what

ever he teaches. You will get good results.". I felt blessed by her kind

words.

 

During the conversation, Sri Kotayyagaru told me that the greatest Mantra is

"namaSSivayah". He also told that he will initiate me into the circle of

Lord Shiva's nearby disciples, and then Shiva himself will take care of the

rest... I felt really happy to know that --- finally the day has arrived

that I can meet my Lord Shiva. Kotayyagaru looked in to the almanac and

told me that the next day is very auspicious. How ever, he warned me that

it is also going to be a test time for my will power. He advised me saying

that "prove yourself that you are a dheera (a man with strong will) to the

people around Lord Shiva. Shiva knows about you, but the people around him

will not trust you unless they test you.... Stand for the test."

 

I was prepared for any test, and I am also curious know on how Lord Shiva is

going to test me! The day arrived and it went as usual until mid-afternoon.

I took the permission from the Ashram Secretary and Swamini Bodanandaamma,

who was in-charge during the absence of Swamini Amma, and prepared to go to

the "Sarada Temple" in Narasaraopet --- where Sri Kotayya is going to

initiate me into Sivadiksha.

 

The test has started the moment I went out of the Ashram premises. I

started my bike, went on to the road and a big boulder from the mountain

came rolling down and blocked the road. I would have been crushed by it,

had it not been to the grace of Lord Shiva. I am shaken by it. Though my

mind is constantly taking the Lord's name Om Namasivayah. All of a sudden

the sky has become pitch dark, coming from no where the sky has become

pitch dark with storm clouds. I am surprised to look at the speed of the

weather change. By that time I have passed one kilometer from the Ashram.

The wind started blowing very heavily against me, as if pushing me back to

the Ashram where I came from... How ever, my intellect is suggesting that

this may be a test. I don't know that this is nothing in front of the tests

that I am going to face ahead!

 

Time is running by... I couldn't make any progress in tackling with my

situation. The boisterous wind is pushing me along with my bike in to the

wind. I couldn't control it, and I didn't want to stop because I miss the

auspicious time had I stopped... From wind it turned into a rain.

Snowflakes have started pouring down, they started hurting me. And It

started raining so heavily that I can even see what is in front of me!

Like that, in that bad weather, I traveled all most 5 kilometers. It took a

lot of time to reach even that far..

 

Because of the rain I couldn't see the road properly, my bike fell in to a

roadside ditch and I am hurt... My legs got bruised. It pained me so much

that I wanted to go back... My mind started suggesting me to give-up! It has

started suggesting: "why Madhava, why should you take all this pain? this

is all nonsense. Just stop here, there is a home nearby you can take

shelter there. It is raining so heavily, why do you want to take risk in

this rain?..." My mind also started thinking of warm clothes, and it

started thinking for a nice cup of tea --- at that bad weather... I wonder

at the power of the mind, in the right time it always suggests the wrong

things! I am supposed to go and initiate myself as one of the Lord Shiva's

devotees, and my mind is suggesting all funny things in the world.... I

started shivering...

 

I think, due to the accident, my bike stopped working. That was my only

chance to reach my destination which is near 3 miles... Now I am left with

the legs that Lord has provided me... I have decided not to give up. I

dumped my bike and started walking on the road. In that down pouring rain,

in those winds, I walked all the three miles, and finally I reached the

town. By the time I reached the town it was about time. Near the outskirts

of the town, somebody gave me lift and dropped me at the temple.

 

The moment I entered into the town, the sky got cleared as if nothing at all

was wrong with the weather! Every thing is calm and settled down. It was

evening 7 PM. It took three hours to me to reach the place. Sri Kottayya

was sitting there in his meditation. He saw me and smiled and said "I

thought of asking you to take a head bath and come in the drenched clothes.

I guess, Mother Ganges herself washed you, and prepared you for this... By

the way, how was the test?"... I smiled and kept quite. He initiated me to

be with Lord Shiva. The roller coaster ride --- the miracle power of

mantras in my life has started thus...

 

[To be cont...]

[Guest guest]

Dear Madhava,

 

Your "My Life" series is very interesting. Thanks for posting it. It is

fortunate to know people like you who have had mystic experiences. As

I once suggested to you in person, a devout shiva bhakta like you should

start a satsang for shiva bhakta-s. Like your desire to carve the peaks

of hills near your ashram in India with shiva's name , you can bring

together people and carve the pages on internet with glories of our

Father.

 

 

AUM namaH shivAya

 

Ravi

 

 

 

 

 

Talk to your friends online with Messenger.

http://im.

[Guest guest]

My humble thanks Ravi... for suggesting to start a list on Lord Shiva. In

deed, it is a great idea. How ever, I am tied with two lists that I

actively participate (Ramakrishna, Advaitin) and the list which I enjoy

reading the most --- your "" :-) Great work is going on here, any

way let us explore and see. Thank you once again.

>

> Ravi Mayavaram [miinalochanii]

> Sunday, February 13, 2000 8:27 AM

> advaitin

> Re: My Life [9]

>

>

> Ravi Mayavaram <miinalochanii

>

> Dear Madhava,

>

> Your "My Life" series is very interesting. Thanks for posting

> it. It is

> fortunate to know people like you who have had mystic

> experiences. As

> I once suggested to you in person, a devout shiva bhakta like

> you should

> start a satsang for shiva bhakta-s. Like your desire to

> carve the peaks

> of hills near your ashram in India with shiva's name , you can bring

> together people and carve the pages on internet with glories of our

> Father.

>

>

> AUM namaH shivAya

>

> Ravi

>

>

>

>

>

> Talk to your friends online with Messenger.

> http://im.

>

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