Guest guest Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 However, on his part sadhana (or spiritual discipline) was not conscious. He himself tells us, he felt no spiritual urge in him before the 1st of July 1939. He was as westernized in his dress, habits and ideas as any other young man of his age. He even questioned how God could be dwelling in stone idols and how offering of coconuts to them could be of any use. Was it not better, he asked, to use that money to help the poor instead? The Call of God comes in the most unexpected of ways. In 1939, his elder daughter was seriously ill. Elders advised him to go on a pilgrimage. Accordingly, he started on his pilgrimage in the South from holy Rameswaram. His visit to the temple of Ramalingeswara proved flat in terms of spiritual experience though aesthetically he was much attracted by the sculpture and the architecture of the temple. Later he visited Srirangam, Madurai and Kanchi with no better result. Finally he visited the temple of Lord Subrahmanya at Palani which proved to be his Bodhi tree. After worshipping the Lord with vibhuti (or sacred ash) Sri Kesvayya closed his eyes and bowed to the deity with great devotion. As he opened his eyes, in the place of the idol he saw a glorious, unearthly, light which thrilled his whole being and seemed to draw him most powerfully to itself. At the height of his ecstasy he lost all consciousness for a time. When he regained his normal consciousness for a time he felt extremely weak. When he later revisited Rameswaram, the sight of the idol of Lord Ramalingeswara moved him to ecstasy. He thus realized that the idols in temples are not mere stones but are the manifestations of the Lord Himself. The two mystic experiences opened up the springs of mystic power that lay dormant in him. Henceforth, whenever he looked at any one he could clearly ‘see’ everything about the person’s past, present and future. And he could hardly restrain himself from speaking out what he saw. If he foresaw any impending misfortunes in store for the other person, he could even avert them. (to be cont) Source: http://www.saibharadwaja.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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