A story by Swami about festival at Shrishailam

[Guest guest]

Light and Love

 

Shivarathri is celebrated in all Shiva temples, Shrishailam is a particularly

famous temple of Shiva.

Below is a brief compilation-extracts from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 14. "

God, the source of good," Chapter 1.

There is a fine story told about this festival at Shrishailam. At the foot of

the Shrishailam range of hills there is a village, where a boy of nine years

named Baala Raamanna, attended primary school. He learned from his friends at

school that their sisters and brothers-in-law were coming to their homes in

order to attend the Shivarathri celebrations on the Shrishailam Hills.

Raamanna came home and wanted that his mother should send his sister and

brother-in-law too to the festival. His mother told him that he had no sister

and, therefore, no brother-in-law. But he would not listen. He said he must

have a sister and a brother- in-law like his friends. So his mother just to

quieten him, said, "You have a sister and a brother-in-law, but they are in the

temple on the Shrishailam. Their names are Bhramaraamba and Mallikaarjuna." She

gave him the names by which Shiva and His consort are known.

Raamanna insisted that he would go and invite his sister and brother-in-law

to come home and stay there for some time. The mother sent the boy with a

neighbour who was going to the temple to see the festival.

Raamanna hastened up the hill and rushed into the temple, crying

"Sister...Brother-in-law," and fell at the feet of the idol of Bhramaraamba. He

held the idol in embrace and began dragging it, wanting it to accompany him. He

clasped the idol of Mallikaarjuna and would not leave it. At last the priests

in the temple drove him away as a mad boy. Shiva and His consort appeared

before Raamanna. Then in despair, he climbed a high rock and threatened to jump

from that height unless his sister and her husband came with him. Just then he

heard a loud voice from the temple "Brother-in-law!...Raamanna! .... Don't

jump! .... We are coming with you..." and soon Lord Shiva and His consort

presented themselves before him and accompanied him to his cottage in the

valleybelow.

The mother and son were so overwhelmed with Divine Bliss that they merged in

the Divine phenomenon and were seen no more. This story has added to the

sanctity of the shrine of Bhramaraamba and Mallikaarjuna at Shrishailam.

 

Namaste - Reet