Poonthanam's fortune

[Guest guest]

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

Story - 1:

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There are many stories illustrating Poonthanam's connection with the sacred

Bhagavatham. Most of us might have heard about the temple of Kottiyoor in North

Kerala. It is believed that Daksha Yaga was performed there. The important deity

in that temple is Siva. The temple was kept open only for a few days in a year.

There were no human activities in that place for the rest of the year.

Poonthanam reached at the Kottiyoor temple. He had a bath in the Holly River; he

worshiped compassionate God Siva, felt happy and stayed there for a few days. He

recited Bhagavatham everyday in front of the deity. There is a famous part in

the tenth chapter named " Karhichith " . That part contained the following story.

Lord Krishna asks his wife Rukmini " Why did you get married with me who is just

a shepherd? You would have been much better life if you had married the King

Sisupala. Hearing this Rukmini faints and God consoles her.

This part is described very well in Bhagavatham with inner meanings. Poonthanam

finished reading this part of the chapter and kept the bookmark on that page.

Next day he found the bookmark at beginning of the same chapter. So Poonthanam

read the same part for the second time. This was repeated for the rest of the

days.

It was the last day to close the temple for the year. Poonthanam returning from

the temple with the other devotees. Then he remembered about his Bhagavatham,

which he left at the temple. He hurried back; crossed the river and reach the

entrance to the temple, which was closed. He was all alone. He could hear

somebody reciting the same part of the chapter from Bhagavatham inside the

temple. As he looked through the peep- hole he saw the Lord Siva himself reading

from Poonthanam's book. Goddess Parvathi and his other Bhaoothaganas were

listening. Their eyes were filled with tears out of devotion. Poonthanam stood

there motionless and heard the whole recitation. At the end Paramasiva asked

Parvathi " was my reading as good as Poonthanam's " ? Parvathi replied it was not

good as Poonthanam's. Hearing this Poonthanam who stood outside was shaken up

and uttered the name Narayana loudly. When he watched again the Gods had

disappeared.

It was God Siva who put the Bookmark at the beginning of the chapter every time

when Poonthanam recited at the temple. This story shows that God places true

devotees much higher than himself.

 

Story 2:

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The divine Poonthanam had the following dream. A beautiful airplane landed in

the courtyard of his house. The messengers of Lord Vishnu had come to pick up

Poonthanam to take him to Vaikuntam. Poonthanam received them properly. The

messengers led Poonthanam to the plane with due respect. That plane passes

through many worlds and reached Vaikuntam. The messengers guided him throughout

and Poonthanam got out of the plane-He saw many other messengers there who had

reached Vishnu's abode due to their intense devotion and self-realization

Poonthanam did namaskar to the divine place. As soon as he reached the entrance

two gatekeepers with a humble bow received him. Poonthanam thought he was unfit

to receive that kind of honors from those immortals. But they said they were two

plantain trees growing near the portico in Poonthanam's house in their previous

birth. They got to here his Bhagavatham recitation everyday, which elevated them

to the level of immortals. So they respected Poonthanam as their Gurudev. By

this Poonthanam woke up from his dream with exciting memories of Vaikuntam. When

he went to the front yard he saw those two plantain trees had fallen on the

ground.

 

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama