You are going to a temple casually... What will you do if a complete stranger casually stops you, come to you and says, “You are a Brahmin belonging to _______ gothra. You were not born for this purpose . . . Your lifetime purpose is different. Learn Sanskrit and enter the Upasana Marga”?
99% reaction will be - you come to a conclusion that you are dealing with a madman or yet another way to make money.
But Ambika Dattan,a young school boy did not leave... He stopped and listened or.... something made him to stop... The face of the mysterious man was very very familiar.
Ambika Dattan was actually in a confused mind set - for the past few days... He was unable to come to a conclusion. Life bound him to disown responsibilities but renunciation was equally enchanting.
It so happened that one tuesday evening, during the month of Maasi he was casually moving inside a temple entrance. Ambika Dattan was encountered by this person... He stopped the boy and started questioning him...
The boy actually didn’t know what to do. Out of sheer desperation, he stood up, thinking of running. But, he heard a voice which clearly ordered, “Iam a Parabrahma vasthu and Ive manifested here just for you ! Iam here to answer your prayer ! be here !”
Ambika Dattan was perplexed as he couldn’t make out anything. But the person soon started narrating many personal instances, "His" connection with the boy's family for generations.. Still Ambika Dattan was very hesitant in staying back.. Finally he spoke about one personal prayer made by the boy at an Adhishtanam - during his childhood. Finally he revealed his identity and started explaining the reason for his visit. What was heard only in stories -was happening in reality. Divinely inspired, the boy even forgot to salute the great person standing in front of him.
The person spoke to the young boy for more than half an hour and explained him the reality of the Mahavakhyams given in the four Vedas. He gave him few more insturctions to be carried out and finally He imparted the knowlege of Devi Upasana to Ambika Dattan.
(There are many more highly miraculous incidents and informations which was imparted, but due to their sanctity, Ambika Dattan requested me not to publish it here.)
He instructed Ambika Dattan to return home and continue the upasana and assured rest will automatically happen.
When the parting moment came, the boy was totally awestruck to say anything... The mysterious person stood there, blessed him and walked away!
Ambika Dattan then returned to his place, and lives happily embraced by the person’s blessings. This became the turning point in Ambika Dattan's life.
The ‘person’ who stopped the young boy is actually not a "mere person". He is more than that. The main purpose of this post - is intended to show the glory of a compassionate gurunatha who came to lend a helping hand to the boy whom he had promised janmas ago... he had come back after 70 years of his Maha Samadhi...
Yes ! 70 years after the Maha Samadhi - the person who came there was none other than the Great Mystic - Shri Seshadri Swamigal.
Sri Seshadri Swamigal is one of the greatest Indian saints who lived Thiruvannaamalai. He was beyond the description of a saint, a reality that cannot be clutched and clasped by the mind leading one to realization.
Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi, Maha Periyaval of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam said once "will I attain a state like Seshadri Swamigal?". Such was the greatness of Gurunathar Sri Seshadri Swamigal
Yesterday I had a golden chance of going to Thiruvannamalai and had a blissful stay at Seshadri Swamigal's Adhishtanam. This reminded me of the above encounter of Ambika Dattan and Seshadri Swamigal.
Seshadri Swamigal, well known as Hiranya Bahu - "Saint with a golden hand", whose touch can bring fortune even to an ordinary mortal.
Ambika Dattan is a living example as to what Guru Krupa can do to a person...
Naasti Thathwam Param Gurum
There is no thathwam other than Guru
Guru is a father, a friend, a guru and a savior, all in one.
