Baba's pilgrim experiences with the Divine

August 8, 2004

Shivashankar Baba's pilgrim experiences with the Divine:

During Siva Shankar Baba’s spiritual quest, He experienced several Divine forms and received their blessings. Here are some of Baba’s experiences with the Divine.

On one of his pilgrimages to Mount Kailash, Lord Skanda appeared before him in the guise of a small boy, and gave a heap of stones in his hands and spoke in Tamil, "Build a big fort for father" ‘ un appavukku periya kottai kattu"meaning the construction of a Spiritual Temple for the Father.

Another time, during his pilgrimage to Kailash, after performing inner ‘parikrama’, he saw Lord Ganesha standing before him with his hand raised in blessing.

Yet another time, during his pilgrimage to Kailash, after performing inner ‘parikrama’, he saw all the 33 crore Devas (Celestials) bowing down before him in prayer. Siva Shankar thought, 'It is I who should be worshipping you, why are you bowing before me?' For which all the Celestial beings replied in chorus, "You are verily Lord Badrinaraya, Himself" (Aap saakshaad Badrinarayana Bhagwan ho)

On another pilgrimage, Lord Siva accompanied Siva Shankar in his train journey in the guise of a Military Officer.

Once when Siva Shankar was to take a dip in the Ganges river, Mother Ganges appeared in the form of a young girl wearing a green dress. She came up to him and asked in Hindi, "Uncle, why has it taken you so long to come to me?"

During his pilgrimage to Badrinath, he had a darshan of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi together with Lord Ganesha and Lord Muruga.

Baba meditated in the Mahendragiri forests and had visions of Gods and Goddesses.

When Siva Shankar fasted for 48 days in Thiruvannamalai, Yogi Ram Surat Kumar washed his hands, offered him 'rasam' rice and terminated his fast. He blessed him saying, "Shirdi Sai Baba, Satya Sai Baba, You are Siva Shankar Baba. You are Arunachal Baba, You are our Baba". “Siva Shankar is God’s Prime Minister. He is doing my Father’s work all the time and my Father Arunachala is highly pleased with him.” When a Mahaan washes his hands and offers it to drink, he is actually offering all his powers with it.

When Baba visited Koti Mahaan (a Sage who lived for 450 years) in Puravipalayam, Koti Mahaan said, “Grand Sire, You are Kailash! You are Vaikuntam! Go throughout the world and serve the people.” He transferred his powers to Siva Shankar by giving his ‘padhuka’ (sandals) and ‘kulla’ (turban). Koti Mahaan is one of the four Saints adorning the Gopuram (in the shape of Lord Venkateshwara’s crown) of the ‘Hari Hara Hiranya Garpa Veera Venkatesa Satya Narayana Shri Siva Shankara Poorana Brahmam’ idol created by Baba, in Samratchana, Kelambakkam.

On 26th January 1984, Siva Shankar had gone with his family to the temple of Lord Skanda at Ratnagiri to perform the annual Abishekam to Lord Skanda. At the temple, tears started flowing from Siva Shankar's eyes and started weeping continuously for more than an hour, without knowing the reason. Then, Balamurugan Swamigal (who has taken the vow of silence) wrote the following in a piece of paper and handed it to Siva Shankar: "Within the end of this month there will be a welcome turning point in your life. God's blessings." On the very same night, after reaching Madras, in the early hours (around 3:30am) the greatest turning point in his life occurred!

Swami Raghavendra of Mantralaya appeared physically before him and Siva Shankar saw the vision of his own dead body by separating the body from the soul. This was Baba's first death experience.This death experience is also testified in the 'Sahadeva Nadi' of Siva Shankar which says, 'The body and soul were separated and the soul saw the body.' The he saw a snake come out of his body and position itself on the left side of Lord Skanda.

It vanished to become a Seer with a luminous, golden face who said, "For every full moon, rupees eight, eleven full moons. Swaminatha Venkateshwara, Swaminatha Venkateshwara, Swaminatha Venkateshwara." This vision was to indicate that Siva Shankar was ordained to receive 'Ashta Maha Siddhis'.

In Siddhas' language(language of Hermits), 'eight rupees' means 'Ashta Maha Siddhis', within eleven full moon days, with the mantras of Sadakshara (Swaminatha) and Ashtakshara (Venkateshwara). Swami Raghavendra is another of the four Saints adorning the Gopuram of the Poorana Brahmam idol in Samratchana.

After these experiences, Siva Shankar went to Thiruvannamalai regularly, every full moon, and started receiving various 'Siddhis' as was ordained by the Father. During 'Guru Purnimas' (full moon nights that fall on a Thursday), Siva Shankar got the blessings of Yogi Ram Surat Kumar, God-child of Thiruvannamalai. Yogi Ram Surat Kumar instated the mantras of Lord Rama and Govinda and blessed him. Siva Shankar realized that he had obtained ‘Ashta Maha Siddhis’ when he saw a dead cockroach regain life and scamper away, the moment His eyes fell on it.

In the year 1986 at Palani Hills, Lord Skanda appeared before Siva Shankar in his princely form and instructed him to carry out the mission of uplifting humanity to the ultimate truth - God. Lord Skanda gave Siva Shankar 3 instructions: 1. Do not don the robes of a Sanyasi. 2. Do not to accept anything in return for the services you render to people. 3. Continue to lead a family life and live with the family until your duties are done. Lord Skanda commanded Baba to serve humanity and undertook to guide him internally throughout his mission.

Thus Baba started Samratchana and working towards God's mission thinking only GOD and GOD alone.

Baba undertakes pilgrimages often and the concept of "Kaanamal, koanamal , Kandhu Kodu, Aadu Paar Kidaikkum". Worship God daily in the early morning, noon, evening, night & go to different pilgrim places , visit different Mahaans, bathe in holy rivers, & you will get Moksha.

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