[tiruvengadam] The Divine Pull which i experienced

[Guest guest]

During our many activities , we are propelled

by some divine force. Some times , such forces are

not recognized by us and at other times , we clearly

discern the hand of the Supreme Being.

 

Here is an account odf a BhakthA , who had no idea how

the Lord propelled him towards His aasthaanam on top

of the sacred Ahobilam Hills .

 

I want to share this personal account of Sri RaghunathAn ,

who works at Kuwait .

 

Namo NarasimhAya,

V.Sadagopan

>

>The " Divine Pull " which I experienced

>

>Dear Bhagavathas,

>

>During my last visit to India (Jul-Aug'01), I was

>invited with my family for a lunch at my

>father-in-law's younger brother's house, on a Sunday.

>It was a very good lunch, which was attended by many

>families from my in-laws. Noted in particular are my

>father-in-law's elder brother Sriman Seshadri Iyengar

>(Chief Engineer, TVS Group) and his family.

>

>The lunch was over at around 11:30 in the morning and

>we started chatting about family matters. As a routine

>subject, my in-laws recollected the previous gathering

>they had. That was on 29th July, which was Sriman

>Seshadri's birthday (65th, if I remember correct)

> " Aadi Swathi " . They all had participated in the

> " Swathi Thirumanjanam " of the Nava Nrusimhar

>Kshethrams at Ahobilam.

>

>Though I was much attracted by the description of

>Ahobilam trekking and the temples by Sriman IVK Chary

>and Sriman Sudarshan, here at Kuwait (in the chats

>after the Vedam classes and Sat-Sanghs), I never had

>(HE had not given) the opportunity to visit Ahobilam.

>I was all the more interested in the talks of my

>in-laws, when it was about visiting Ahobilam. Also, as

>a Maplai, I was involved in all the talks between the

>elders. Their talks about visiting Ahobilam drew my

>attention and it was to my dismay that they were

>discussing about the visit which was already over. I

>was thinking that this time also I missed His grace of

>visiting the much described and talked about, Ahobilam

>Kshethram.

>

>HE heard this (probably) and called Sri Seshadri and

>brought him to console me. " Maplai Sir, don't worry,

>we will take you to Ahobilam " . " I am visiting Ahobilam

>with at least 7 to 8 people, once every 10-15 days, as

>we are the team supervising the Renovations of the

>Nava Nrushimha temples in Ahobilam Kshetham " and he

>showed me some booklets giving the details of

>Kshathrams, location, topography, the modes of

>conveyance, food and stay facilities available etc.

>This attracted me even more and that was the 5th of

>August and I thought of planning to visit Ahobilam.

>But I had planned to come back to Kuwait by 15th Aug.

>So another set back. I thought I will not be able to

>visit this time, as I had a lot of things planned at

>Madras and hence I got contented with the literature,

>route and the details, so that I can visit any time,

>though in a corner of my mind I had the

>disappointment. (The booklet is a good guide for

>anyone who is planning to visit Ahobilam for the first

>time).

>

> " Enna Maplai Yosikkarel? " Sri Seshadri woke me up from

>getting lost in what I thought was unrealistic dreams.

> " We are leaving tomorrow, you can join us. Only thing

>is you need to reserve a ticket for Cuddappah by

>Bombay mail and you can board with us. Others we will

>take care " . These were good ideas, but highly

>impractical to accomplish. It was almost half past

>noon, on a Sunday. So the possibility of reserving

>tickets is lost, as Railway reservation offices will

>be closed, by the time I reach there. On Monday (the

>day of travel), we can not make reservation, as the

>Railways usually gives unreserved tickets. I had to

>take my wife and 3+ year old son with me. Apart from

>difficulty in going in unreserved compartments, the

> " Gulf resident " thought came in to say that traveling

>in unreserved compartments is below your dignity. Once

>again a set back and I was doomed in the thoughts and

>strategies.

>

> " VeNunna oNNu paNNalam " said Sri Seshadri (my

>father-in-law's elder brother), " that will be possible

>only if you come alone and not with your family. Take

>an un reserved ticket tomorrow and you can board with

>us in the same compartment. You can get a berth, by

>paying something to the TTE " . This was heartening, but

>was to be concurred by my home ministry. I acted fast,

>convinced her and said that " you are going to stay

>back in India for some more days, so you can visit any

>time. Also your father and his brothers are more

>attached to Ahobila Mutt and hence you will get

>opportunities to visit in future also " . Radha (my

>wife) was nice as usual and gave green signal, as she

>normally does for my suggestions, especially when it

>is for HIS worship.

>

>So I thought HE decided to call me and said ok to Sri

>Seshadri. But HE did not stop at that. Sri Seshadri

>phoned one of his team members from his mobile/cell

>phone and told, " You will not be going with us

>tomorrow and instead I am taking my Maplai " . That was

>a real surprise for me. I could imagine what all roles

>HE plays, for bringing his devotees to him. I felt the

>divine pull in the incidence.

>

>All set and as planned I went to the station on time,

>boarded as Thiyagarajan and visited Ahobilam. Gifted I

>was, I should say, as there was a photographer in the

>team and a guide was arranged to take him through all

>the shrines, along with whom I had the opportunity to

>visit even " Pavana Nrusimhar " , which usually people

>skip, being of a long trekking and non availability of

>guides. In fact I was the only Vaishavan among 5 of us

>in the team, who went to the " Pavana Nrusimhar

>Kshethram " .

>

>Since some of these shrines are not under nithya

>Aradhana. I was also asked to perform " Harathi " at the

>shrine, after doing the Vasthra, Pushpa Alankarm. I

>was even more delighted at the opportunity of doing

> " Seva " to Him. I did alagarams and Harathi, reciting

> " Purusha Sooktham " . I thought it was a rare

>opportunity for ordinary people like me to get during

>their lifetime.

>

>I visited all the temples in the high lands (upper

>Ahobilam), was too tired to come and visit the 2

>temples in the plains (lower Ahobilam). Since we had

>to return the same night, I thought I will visit the

>other 2 shrines in my next visit. I thanked Him in the

>form of Sri Seshadri for giving me such a rare

>opportunity of visiting Ahobilam in such a short

>notice (I have never been on business trips also,

>within such a short notice). At this moment I decided

>that I should serve Ahobilam Kshetram, by all means.

>

>After 2 days, I went to Sri Seshadri's house for

>lunch, where I volunteered to ask him of any service

>that I can do for the progress of the " Renovation " of

>the temples. He gave me copies of the booklets giving

>the maps for the pilgrims and told me that " help the

>bhagavathas to help serve Him. That itself is a great

>service to Him " . I have brought some of copies of the

>booklet, which gives the details of the map, routes,

>along with an appeal for donating to the funds for the

> " Renovation of the Ahobilam temples. These are aimed

>at funding for performing Nithya Aradhana (currently

>only 3 shrines out of 9 are under Nithya Aradhana and

>all shrines Thirumanjanam on Swathi day is being done

>at to all the (nine) Nava Nrusimhar Kshethams in

>Ahobilam and Nithya Annadhana to all the devotees to

>Upper Ahobilam, which is being done at present

>A full video recording of the visit made by me, giving

>the scenic beauty of the hills, the tough trekking

>route, the perennial water falls, the location and

>condition of the shrines, the stages of construction

>of the Mandapams, the architecture of Prahlada

>Charitam in the pillars of Prahlada Varadhar temples,

>the sculpture showing the induction of the first jeer

>of the Ahobila Mutt by the Lord as a Sanyasin, etc are

>available with my wife, who will bring it along with

>her when she comes back to Kuwait by first week of

>October.

>

>Bhagavathas at Kuwait are requested to donate

>liberally to the cause, which is part of the Decennial

>Celebrations of HH the 45th Jeer of Sri Ahobila Mutt.

>The donations can be by cash/cheque/DD in favor of

> " VIDHYADHANAM AND ANNADHANAM TRUST " in any bank

>payable at Chennai. The total cost is estimated around

>Rs. 50 Lakhs. This can be done by 500 persons who

>could contribute a minimum of Rs. 10,000/- either

>solely or collectively.

>

>The contributions can be sent to:

>

>Sriman R. SESHADRI IYENGAR

>New No. 127, Old No. 96,

>St. Mary Road,

>Chennai. 600 018

>INDIA

>

>Adiyen will be much pleased to give the booklet and

>the appeal letter to all the Bhagavaths in Kuwait. The

>contributions from Kuwait can be sent to me so that I

>will be able to send them collectively to Sri

>SESHADRI.

>

>My contacts are

>

>R.RAGHUNATHAN

>Phone +965-433 5795 ®

> 473 1089 (O)

>

>The details of the people involved in the committee of

>the construction team (Sri Seshadri and Sri

>Lakshmanan) are given in the " Aadi " month issue of

> " Sri Nrusimha Priya " the monthly journal of Sri

>Ahobila Mutt.

>

>

>Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha.

>

>Dasan

>Rajagopalan Raghunathan

>Kuwait

>

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>

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>Namo VenkateshAya namah:

>

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