Tapoleela Issue 4

Tapoleela

August, 2015

Tapoleela

August, 2015

Volume : 1

Issue : 1

August, 2015

Prayer to Ganesh: Shuklaambaradharam, vishnum, shashi varnam, chaturbhujam prasannavadanam, dhyaayeth, sarvavighnopashaantaye He who is attired in white and is all pervading, who has the complexion of the moon, who has four arms and a smiling face so pleasing, upon him we meditate for removing all obstacles.

gurur brahma, gurur vishnu, gurur devo maheshwaraha gurusaakshaath parabrahma, tasmai shri guravenamaha Guru is Brahma. Guru is Vishnu. Guru is God, Maheshwaraa.

Guru is the manifest form of the highest (formless) God. I prostrate before such Guru.

Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj – An Introduction and instead changed His title to ‘Maharaj’which is used to refer to saints respectfully. This is how we have ‘Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj’.

We all know about several saints from the days of yore who merged with God by virtue of their devotion and penance (tapas).

Shivabalayogi is however unique even in this respect as it was the Gods – Parvathi and Parameshwara - who merged with him. At the young age of 26, this boy by the name of Sathyaraju, completed an intense twelve-year tapas under their guidance. Being convinced that he had attained the absolute egoless state, satisfied that he is totally unselfish, and having tested and confirmed that he is qualified to carry out their divine mission in this ‘Kaliyuga’ – the dark age of ‘Kali’, they bestowed upon him the title of ‘Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogeeshwara’ meaning the Lord of the Yogis, who is dedicated to Lord Shiva and ‘Baala’ - Goddess Paarvathi Devi. They both then merged with his being.

All this happened as recently as in 1961, when Sathyaraju completed his tapas successfully in the Godavari delta in Andhra Pradesh in South India. We are fortunate that several who witnessed His intense tapas were available to talk about it. We even have photographs of Satyaraju taken while he was in tapas.

On 7th of August 1949, Lord Shiva , manifested to a fourteen-year old South Indian village boy named Sathyaraju, in the form of a ‘Jangama Devara’ – a mendicant devoted to Lord Shiva, made him sit and close his eyes, touched him between his eyebrows, and gently tapped him on the head. The boy immediately lost consciousness and experienced ‘samaadhi’, the state of enlightenment in which the mind remains still without thoughts. Thus began His ‘tapas’ and transformation.

True to His nature, Shivabalayogi, who refers to Himself simply as ‘Swamiji’, declined to use the title ‘Yogeeshwara’ for Himself, as it is meant only for His Guru - Lord Shiva, Tapoleela

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Publication Details

Table of Contents

This is an English version of the first issue of the Journal which was published in Telugu in March 2013 with the same title.

Publication Fund The International Trust intends to create a fund to finance the publication of this journal in different languages both in print and electronically through e-mail and the web.

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3. Tom’s Message

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4. Babaji’s Message

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6. Bhaava Samadhi : "Higher Souls induce Bhaava Samaadhi" 17

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7. Meditation : Shivabalayogi's Meditation 8. Bhajans : Everytime we perform Bhajans, Gods would be present there

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9. Service : Divine mother of Swamiji; Smt. Allaka Parvatamma

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10. Devotees Experiences : A life learning to trust Guru for every need

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11. The Adorable Comedian : The Flying Kaupinadhaari

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Tapoleela

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5. Swamiji’s Life History : Birth Place, Satyaraju's Childhood 11

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1. Shivabalayogi an Introduction 2. Editorial : Tapoleela

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forms of spiritual practices including bhajans - devotional singing, worship, homas, etc. HH consecrated several idols of gods and goddesses at His centers and in various temples. Swamiji re-established the faith in the Spirit and in ‘Sanaathana Dharma’ – the ancient way of life and teaches Spiritual Sciences in a practical way. Shivabalayogi often said that ‘Sanaathana Dharma’is the spiritual tradition of the ancient sages and the common foundation for all cultures around the world.

‘Sanaathana Dharma’ is not so well understood in the modern world, but this is also a time when the ancient traditions are being rediscovered and revealed. The life and blessings of Shivabalayogi are an infinitely powerful source for understanding the spiritual relationships and truths that underlie all cultures.

Shivabalayogi said that there are cycles of time and we are in a particularly ignorant and destructive period. The ancient spiritual traditions understand the cycles of birth, growth and death. They also suggest that we are now in a difficult time that precedes a new birth. The modern world is one of extremes: technological progress and wealth, violent conflicts, and nuclear weapons and pollution that threaten mass destruction. Swamiji and many other great souls of the last century confirm that we are in a time of increasing

1949 : Sathyaraju, 3 months after he was made to sit in Tapas Thereafter, he meditated in samaadhi twenty-three hours every day for eight years, followed by at least twelve hours daily for another four years.‘Tapas’ is the most intense spiritual practice. There were periods.

Sathyaraju completed the 12 year tapas and emerged as Shri ShriShri Shivabalayogi Maharaj on 07th August 1961. Even before he completed tapas, Swamiji commenced His spiritual service as ordained by His Guru, by offering initiation into meditation, guidance, physical and mental healing, through blessed ‘vibhoothi’(sacred ash) and ‘prasaadh’(blessed food).

For three decades, from 1963 until 1994, Shivabalayogi travelled extensively throughout India and Shri Lanka to carry out the divine mission. From 1987 to 1991 he toured England, Italy and the United States.

Everywhere he conducted public programs where millions received initiation into meditation. His only verbal teaching was to encourage people to meditate, in order to understand the truth for themselves.

HH never charged for any of His services and never accumulated any material wealth.

HH established several ashrams and centers and four charitable trusts – one each in India and the UK and two in the United States to carry on the divine mission.

Although HH’s primary teaching is meditation, HH also encourages several other Tapoleela

Sathyaraju in 1955 during his Tapas facing West 3

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difficulty that will give birth to a new era of understanding.

It is in this context that Shivabalayogi was born, did tapas, and gives blessings. He said that he did not undergo tapas for himself. He had successfully attained Self-realization in many prior lives. He did severe tapas without any personal desire - not even the desire to attain God. He often warned about the dangers of nuclear bombs and environmental damage, and he explained that among the purposes for his tapas was preventing us from destroying ourselves. There is too much tension in the world, he said, and his mission is to reduce tension.

Shivabalayogi’s own tapas and life, because they were so unusually well documented, are a public demonstration of the ancient culture of the sages. We have much more information about Shivabalayogi’s tapas than that of other yogis, and unlike most yogis of the last century or so, Shivabalayogi travelled extensively throughout India and the West. Traditionally, yogis remain distanced from the general public and are little recognized during their physical lifetimes.

Their disciples are few and selected. By comparison, Shivabalayogi travelled in order to make physical contact with many millions, and he freely gave and continues to give initiation into meditation and spiritual experiences. Such a public life allows us to better understand the significance of yogis and their message.

Swamiji continued the selfless service relentlessly while in that holy physical body until 28th March 1994, when HH entered Mahaasamaadhi through ‘Yoga Nidhra’ – the Yogic Sleep.

Shivabalayogi was never limited by his physical body, so even though he dropped that body, he remains available to devotees, blessing and even appearing to them. Even before His Mahaasamaadhi, while Swamiji was physically in Bangalore, HH used to be available to devotees in Aadhivaarapupeta, For example, very tangibly through the wonderful phenomenon of ‘bhaava samaadhi’ (trance) during and after bhajans.Through devotees in Tapoleela

trance, Swamiji’s astral bodies would give darshan, offer guidance, answer questions and bless vibhoothi and food, just as Swamiji used to, in His physical body.His service to devotees therefore continued through this amazing medium without much disruption due to His Mahaasamaadhi. HH continues His service even after the Mahaasamaadhi as evidenced by millions of His devotees in India and around the world. This continuingly available presence is true of all yogis. Swamiji insisted that yogis do not die. They live until eternity, constantly manifesting and blessing. Shivabalayogi’s mission is not only continuing but flourishing since His Mahaasamaadhi. While regular programs continue at Swamiji’s ashrams, more centers, ashrams and trusts have been established by His devotees in India and abroad since the Mahaasamaadhi and several occasions are celebrated or observed at all His center sall-round the year.

A number of new devotees receive initiation into meditation through Swamiji’s devotees at programs being conducted all around the world. People who never met Swamiji in His physical body receive guidance and experience visions of Swamiji and feel spiritually connected.

Several DVDs of videos recorded during Swamiji’s programs and travels have been produced and are made available. Videos have been shared on YouTube too. More books have been published since including experiences of devotees along with detailed life history of Swamiji. A lot of material has been posted on the internet by several devotees on websites dedicated to Shivabalayogi. Devotees correspond regularly through e-mail and exchange mission news and experiences on social media like Facebook and WhatsApp. All are welcome to benefit from Shivabalayogi’s blessings at any of His ashrams or programs conducted in His honour.

There is never any charge for such participation.

We would be delighted to have new devotees contribute to the mission in any way they wish.

Swamiji’s blessings to all the readers.

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TAPOLEELA

Editorial

'Tapoleela’ is a combination of two Indian words: 'Tapas' and 'Leela'. We all know that ‘Tapas’ is the most intense and extremely difficult spiritual austerity. The Indian word ‘Leela’ on the contrary can be translated as: a playful game or drama enacted for recreation.

The reader might therefore wonder: “What is Tapoleela?”

The devoted, and the enlightened too, often refer to the universe and all the events encountered in it as the ‘Leela’ of God. If that seems too farfetched, let us take a more pragmatic and popular example. Lord Krishna slayed many a demon even while he was just an infant. That is considered pretty solemn and deific. The same Lord Krishna, as a child, played games with his adopted mother Yashoda, his aunt Radha, and the Gopis and the cowherds of Brindavan, which is referred to as ‘Raas-Leela’ – enchanting sport. The Gopis forgot themselves, surrendered completely to their love of the divine child and had the merriest of times, dancing to the enchanting tunes of his flute.

earth, Lord Krishna enchanted his dear devotees with his supreme love and affection.

This is how Gods work.

While His ‘tapas’ was intense, and Shivabalayogi performed many a miracle to heal and help His devotees, almost every one of them remembers Him, and becomes emotional with gratitude, shedding tears of joy, even to this day, only for the wonderful times, or just moments, he or she spent with Swamiji and the love and affection HH showered on them. That is not difficult to explain. During a ‘darshan’ in the US after a program, while the local devotees were struggling to understand the definition of ‘Yogi’, Swamiji suddenly said, “Yogi is love.”

I did not have to translate that because HH said it in English, stretching the ‘ve’ until it sank into us.

Although Lord Krishna later slayed more tyrants including his cruel maternal uncle Kamsa, Chanoora and Shishupaala and played a significant role in the global politics in those days, serving as the mentor and guide of the Paandavas, the people of Brindavan remember Him only as their dear naughty child or lover. Many devotees to this day remember him, praise him and worship him mostly for his childish pranks, although Lord Krishna is also revered for His gift of the Bhagavad Geetha. Even while destroying the evil forces and carrying out his divine serious mission of reducing the burden of mother Tapoleela

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Having lived with a Yogi for several years, we learnt that by virtue of their devotion, selfless indiscriminating love towards devotees - regardless of their gender, age, caste, creed, social status or nationality, and the divine power of their tapas - Tapas Shakti, Yogis can beckon the gods – not only from the celestial worlds but from within our own selves - to manifest and play with us. Yogis inspire such wonderful devotion that their disciples ponder their love for generations.

This is ‘Tapoleela’.

experiences with Swamiji’s blessings. Many devotees have been interviewed to collect their experiences. Several books have since been published about Swamiji’s life and His work in Indian languages, English, Chinese and Italian. A lot of material is also posted on the Internet regularly by devotees with news and information about Swamiji’s mission.

Drawing from these books, publications and more personal experiences of devotees, we endeavour to bring this rich wealth of spiritual knowledge, stories and experiences to a wider audience through this journal titled ‘Tapoleela’. More importantly, we strive to showcase our realization of how different Yogis in reality are from the impression that people general carry about them.

Shivabalayogi exposed myths, false dogma, beliefs and traditions and taught us to pursue the truth.

It is our desire to make this journal a vehicle for all devotees of Swamiji to share the ‘Tapoleela’ they have experienced or are experiencing with fellow devotees and following generations.

Whenever Swamiji was asked to talk about the work HH had done, HH would invariably respond, “Swamiji does not talk about his work. Talk to Swamiji’s devotees and learn from them about the service rendered by Swamiji.” Countless numbers of devotees have indeed received and are receiving help, healing, guidance and divine

Tapoleela

We pray to Lord Ganesha to remove all obstacles and to Swamiji to bless this venture.

We request the cooperation of all devotees of Swamiji for the success of this venture.

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Tom's Message

Shivabalayogi's Divine Play (For the publication of Tapoleela in Telugu)

Swamiji inaugurating the ‘Tapas Shakti’ compiled by Tom in 1992. Swamiji declared it is equivalent to the ‘Bible’.

Shivabalayogi embodies and reconciles all apparent opposites. His own name reflects the apparent opposites of male (Shiva) and female (Bala). The title Tapoleela, like his name and the cosmic powers that are child’s play to him, suggests that Shivabalayogi is far beyond ordinary understanding.

Congratulations on the inaugural issue of Tapoleela.

The name ‘Tapoleela’ suggests two contrasting aspects of our beloved Shivabalayogi, the great Yogi of yogis. 'Tapo', from 'tapas', refers to the great cosmic powers that Shivabalayogi attained through his intense twelve-year tapas. The powers of a yogi are beyond ordinary conception.

Swamiji would say that yogis are more powerful than God. 'Leela', meaning play, is childlike. It suggests the kind simplicity with which Swamiji shared happiness and served all, without the slightest reservation or selfishness.

Tapoleela

Swamiji often said that he was a practical yogi.He emphasized the importance of experience over intellectualization, practice over theory, and spirituality over religion.

There are many books and spiritual leaders teaching spiritual beliefs and practices who share beautiful words about the divine. But Shivabalayogi taught in silence through the transforming force of his presence. When 7

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It has been eighteen years since Shivabalayogi entered mahasamadhi.When he was with us in his own physical form, he transformed people by his mere presence.

Swamiji assured us that he was even more available without a physical body, that the physical connection is made through his initiation into meditation, and that each person needs to have his or her own direct experience to understand God. By dropping his own physical form, Shivabalayogi compels us to seek within.

people asked Swamiji questions about spiritual subjects, he did not talk about enlightenment or liberation. “A yogi always has to be silent. Only by being silent he can control. Even whatever he talked now, it is because you asked him the questions.

Otherwise he does not talk about all this at all.”

What is Shivabalayogi’s great teaching?

He encouraged individuals to control their own minds, reduce their own tensions, get along with each other, and find answers to their own questions within. He gave practical advice. If we control our own minds, we open up a world of inspiration making us more effective in any occupation or relationship we wish to pursue. Often when devotees approached Swamiji for darshan, he would simply ask them, “What do you want?” This is Shivabalayogi’s blessings.

Shivabalayogi inspired and encouraged devotees to write about him and the experiences of his devotees. He still does, as Tapoleela demonstrates. Swamiji often talked about the soul connection between him and devotees. That connection can be awakened and strengthened in many ways, not only through initiation and meditation, or bhajans and bhaava, but even through something as simple as a photograph of him. Reading about Shivabalayogi and his impact on devotees can be powerfully inspiring. It is like having his darshan.

Shivabalayogi encouraged people to pursue whatever spiritual practices they preferred, but the programs he conducted consisted of meditation and bhajans. He said that all yogis taught meditation and used spiritual song, bhajans, to evoke ‘bhaavasamadhi’, divine ecstasy. What is unique about Shivabalayogi is how generously he gave practical experiences of the divine. That is his 'tapoleela'.

The publication of Tapoleela will help people know more about Shivabalayogi’s life and awaken that soul connection. That Tapoleela is being published in Telugu, Shivabalayogi’s native language, brings this awesome, universal example full circle to the place, people and culture of his birth. It was in Aadhivaarapupeta, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, where he chose to be born and do tapas. Even today, it is from Aadhivaarapupeta that his presence radiates throughout this world and in all worlds.

When people asked Shivabalayogi why he sat in tapas or why he travelled so extensively, he often replied that it was his duty. Each of us has his or her own duty. It means fulfilling the reasons for being in this world. Very few of us are born to undergo tapas, so how can the life of such a powerful yogi serve as a practical example for the rest of us? We can open our hearts and minds, be fearless, be uncompromisingly honest, serve and respect all others, and enjoy our experiences in this world.

Tapoleela

Swamiji still has a Telugu voice. Thank you.

– Tom (Thomas L Palotas) 8

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Message from Babaji

8 8 Swamiji, Our Beloved Mother (For the publication of Tapoleela in Telugu) when you want to help someone, you will do it only if it gives you happiness. Thus, one does things for one's own sake. So, first know yourself and then you will know what you need and what you have to do.

I am very happy that a magazine is being brought out in Telugu for the convenience of devotees. Our deepest appreciations for the efforts of all the devotees involved in this project, which, of course, is inspired by the grace of Swamiji. He inspires, instructs and makes devotees work for the welfare of the universe.

Swamiji is one of the greatest Yogis who came for ‘lokakalyanam’. Often, Swamiji spoke using the term 'lokakalyanam'. Swamiji is like a Mother for all of us. He has always given boundless, compassionate love to all His devotees and has made everyone feel a special relationship with Him. We are microspeck droplets of the vast ocean called Swamiji.

He taught through ‘Bhakti marga’ by teaching and encouraging devotees to sing devotional songs. He taught us to sing Bhajans. By the virtue of His Tapas Shakti He blessed devotees to go in to Bhaavasamadhi, which no other Yogi has

Swamiji did Tapas only for the sake of ‘lokakalyanam’ – welfare of the world.

He is always with us. While He was with us physically in that beautiful body, it felt like God came to live with us. We are so fortunate and it is our many, many lives’ good karma that we are Swamiji devotees.

He did Tapas only for the sake of lokakalyanam. He is always with us, yet, physically in that beautiful body when He was with us, it felt like God came to live with us.

We are so fortunate and it is our many, many lives’ good karma that we are Swamiji devotees.

done so much in recent history. He never discriminated in any way, and blessed devotees by the score, to go in to Bhaavasamadhi. He taught Karma yoga through service, without attachment to results. He said, “Do service without any aspiration for fruits. (“Phalaapeksha Lekunda Seva Cheyyali.”)

He is one of the greatest Masters who did Tapas and taught in Silence like Dakshinamurti. He taught Meditation for mind control. He emphasized, “Meditate and know yourself.”

He said Guru will give you everything.

He said, “First, sufferings of devotees must be removed. Only then they can do saadhana.” For this He gave blessed Vibhoothi to one and all who came to Him with problems. Thus He gave His ‘Tapas Shakti’ for the welfare of the world. He spoke

He used to tell us, “Look, everything that you want to do in this world is for your sake and your happiness only”. He said that even Tapoleela

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‘Annadhaanam’ Mass Feeding being conducted at Swamiji’s Ashram in J P Nagar, Bangalore of sadhana as very important. He said there is no point in futile talking. One must get into sadhana.

Swamiji said, “God exists. God is not just an imagination of human beings, as some people think.” He said, “You can believe God in any name, any form or being formless, but do not condemn others’ beliefs. Love and honour each other.”

He encouraged mass feedings. These mass feedings are very dear to Swamiji. He wanted humanity to come together unconditionally without discriminating in the name of religion, caste, creed or status. Once, explaining about mass feeding, He said, look when a person donates some amount for annadaanam, he does it with devotion and pure bhaava. Many will work for the success of mass feeding in the form of seva. They do it out of devotion and pure bhaava. You work to earn money but in mass feeding you work without any expectation in the bhaava of pure devotion. When devotees partake that food, they take it as ‘Mahaprasadam’. You get food in hotels too but annadaanam food is Mahaprasaadam and not just food. Thus, in every way, everyone's contribution as donation, seva etc., becomes sadhana. Thus, did Swamiji speak about the benefits of annadaanam.

Tapoleela

When we try to talk about Swamiji, it is merely from the perspective of a small drop looking at the ocean. Nothing can be conclusive, Swamiji is boundless – ‘anantham’. What we know could be very little and what we have to know is boundless – ‘akaasham’ (literally ‘sky’, read universe’).

We simply surrender at His lotus feet and pray for His grace and blessings. May He keep guiding us and take us across, by holding our fingers, by being our beloved Mother.

May Swamiji bless us all, At His Lotus feet, Shiva Rudra Balayogi.19 May 2012.

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Sequel

Episode - 1

Shri Shri Shri Shiva Bala Yogi Maharaj's Life History Swamiji's Life History will be Published as a sequel in every issue.

Source : Books Published about the Life of Shri Shri Shri shiva Bala Yogi Maharaj

The countryside of this East Godavari District is lush and green, a combination of the dark, rich alluvial soil of the Godavari River, the water brought by a complex network of irrigation canals, and the intense heat of the tropical sun. The combination is so fertile that three crops are grown each year, two of rice and one of dal (legumes). The land is flat to the horizon, dotted with tall coconut and palmyra trees whose fruit are a mainstay of the tropical diet. Water herons, crows, black water buffalo, a few oxen and cows, and village dogs are abundant.

Like so many of the great yogis, Shivabalayogi was born in poverty. Lord Shiva lives as a poor beggar, so he incarnates among the poor because their devotion is more simple and stronger than those distracted by the attractions of the material world.

Birth place On the east coast of India near the mouth of the sacred Godavari River is a small rural town named Draksharam. It is located in the East Godavari District of the state of Andhra Pradesh, about thirty kilometres from the seaport of Kakinada and about forty five kilometres from the major railroad station of Rajamundry.

Its inhabitants, about two hundred in the late 1940’s, belonged predominantly to the Devanga community, a sub-caste throughout India whose occupation is the weaving of cloth.

The villagers in Adivarapupetaused hand looms to weave colourful cotton sarees for women and the white dhoties that men wrap around their waists like a skirt. The looms were set up in packed mud depressions in the shade of a front porch where a slight breeze gave relief from the tropical heat. Their equipment had not changed much over centuries. A good worker might weave a saree in a day, and the wealth of the household was often measured by the number of handlooms it had. They referred to a one-loom house, quite poor but still better off than the villagers who work for meagre wages, or a three-loom house which was still simple even by Indian standards.

Draksharama is famous for its ancient temple in which the presiding deity is Bheemeshwara Mahadeva, a naturally occurring linga (svayambhulinga). A linga is a form of God Shiva, a stone in the rounded shape of the soul.

A little more than a kilometer away from Draksharama, nestled among groves of palmyra and coconut palms, is the quiet village of Adivarapupeta. A small canal with water from the Godavari flows along the outskirts of this hamlet.

In the 1930’s, Adivarapupeta was a rustic village of mostly mud-walled, thatched roof huts. A wide dirt road served as the main street and work area for the villagers. There was an occasional concrete and tile roof house and some community water wells, but no electricity, no telephone, no sewer, no shops, not even a road that connected the village to the outside world. The village was surrounded by rice paddy fields separated by irrigation ditches and banks on which people, bicycles and livestock travelled.

Tapoleela

The Birth of Sathyaraju In the early decades of the 20th century a man named BheemannaAllaka lived in Adivarapupeta. Dark in appearance and short in height, he belonged to the Devanga community and, like almost everyone in Adivarapupeta, he used a hand loom to weave cotton dhoties and sarees for a living.

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Bheemanna narrating Sathyaraju’s horoscope

Bheemanna had two older brothers and a younger sister. The eldest, Sathyalingam, disappeared without ever getting married. The other brother, also named Sathyalingam, was called Chinna (young) Sathyalingam to distinguish him from Pedda (elder) Sathyalinga. Bheemanna, the third brother, was followed by a sister named Palana who became widowed at a young age. For many years ChinnaSathyalinga and Bheemanna helped their sister as best they could and she became very close to the family.

There is little information on Bheemanna.

He was remembered as a very pious man, a devotee of Lord Shiva, not Shiva in the form of the BheemeshwaraLinga in nearby Draksharama, but Shiva as MallikarjunaLinga, the presiding deity in Srisailam, about four hundred kilometers distant. Some remember Bheemanna wearing three horizontal stripes of vibhoothi on his forehead, upper arms, and back, in the manner of temple priests (pujaris).

He used a japa mala — a string of beads that he used to keep count of the repetitions of sacred mantra omnamahshivaya. Around his neck he wore a string of beads made from the seeds of the rudraksha tree that is sacred to Lord Shiva.

Bheemanna’s first wife, Shravanamma, came from the village of Bandarulanka on the other side of the Godavari River, about twenty kilometres from Adivarapupeta. As the couple did not have any children Bheemanna, with the consent of Shravanamma, decided to marry again. His second wife was Parvathi, a young woman who was born in the village of Hasanbad between Draksharama and Kakinada. She was the daughter of GoliSathyam. The villagers used to call her Peddi, but she became known as Paarvathamma.

Bheemanna had some knowledge of astrology. He could read the traditional calendar (panchangam) and some of the villagers used to come to him to check for an auspicious date and time to schedule important events in their lives. He also administered ayurvedic medicine to people, feeling the pulse to diagnose their conditions.

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Paarvathamma bore six children, four of whom survived. The two eldest were daughters who became known as Pedakka (meaning elder of the elder sisters) and Chinnakka (younger of the elder sisters). Between these two daughters, two sons were born but died in childhood. Then Chinnakka was followed by a son, Chinnababu, and then the youngest, Sathyaraju who became Shivabalayogi.

Adivarapupeta is a poor village, and most of its houses were made of mud bricks and thatched roofs. They typically had one room that the family shared in common, and a kitchen area separated by a partial wall. The floors were made of dirt, wetted, packed and swept to make a hard surface.

Bheemanna was among the poorest of the weavers. He had a one-loom household — actually, half of a house. The other half belonged to his brother, ChinnaSathyalinga.

They shared a common thatched roof, but the two brothers had constructed a dividing wall down the middle and each household had its own kitchen. Bheemanna, Paarvathamma and their four children lived in the one room with a cooking area in one corner.

In such households, mothers gave birth in the kitchen. It was the only space available to afford some privacy. When the woman was about to deliver, the cooking would be shifted out of that area, curtains or some screen would be arranged, and she would give birth. It was in this manner that Paarvathamma gave birth to her sixth and youngest child, a son, on the 24th of January, 1935, at 2:45 in the afternoonwho was later named Sathyaraju.

This boy became Shri ShriShri Shivabalayogi Maharaj.

The year Sathyaraju was born, both of his sisters got married. Peddakka was fourteen and Chinnakka about nine. The custom was for a girl to be married while still a child, and as soon as she reached puberty, she moved in with her husband’s family. It was considered wrong for a girl to attain puberty before marriage.

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Shortly after Sathyaraju was born, his father Bheemanna drew the child’s horoscope.

It revealed that when the boy would be about two years of age, either Bheemanna would die and the boy would become a great man, or the boy would die. Bheemanna often used to tell Paarvathamma that he would not live to see their younger son make a great name for himself and bring great honour to the family.

The prediction came to pass. In the month of July, 1937, when Sathyaraju was barely two and a half years old, his father passed away.

Sathyaraju’s Childhood After Bheemanna’s death, it became very difficult for Paarvathamma to manage the house. She wove sarees in the house and sometimes she used to make dosas, thin pancakes made from the flour of dried dal (legumes), which she would sell to earn some money to take care of her two sons and Chinakka who was still living in her mother’s home. After a year or so, GoliSathyam moved to Adivarapupeta to live in the house with his daughter’s family. He was a poor man and the added burden of having to support his widowed daughter and her children made it very difficult for him.

Children begin weaving as soon as they can learn the basic skills of being able to join a thread. Sathyaraju would have started working by the age of six. By the time he was about eight or nine years old he was helping others work and getting paid one or two paise a day (100 paise to the rupee).

The daily pattern of his childhood life was typical of the other children in the village.

Sathyaraju’s day began at five in the morning with a bath and a light breakfast of curds and rice. He worked at the looms until ten o’clock, dexterously weaving cloth in the vivid hues that were a specialty of their family. After a hurried lunch he attended school until four in the afternoon. When school was over the boys went out to play until they were called home August, 2015

for dinner, which was around six in the evening. After the evening meal Sathyaraju would sit with his grandfather, GoliSathyam, for an hour or more and tell him all that had happened during the day. Thereafter, at around seven o’clock Sathyaraju would join a bhajan party if there happened to be one or go out again to play with his friends. Finally, the boys would go to bed around ten at night. It was a hard life, particularly for a young child who was barely six years old, but it was no different from the lives of poor children in most of India’s innumerable villages. It was the penalty they had to pay for their poverty.

permission to do what they want and to take risks.

While poverty has been pervasive in India for centuries, it has failed to corrupt or degrade the poor of the country. In the countryside where the poorest of India’s poor live one can find qualities of character that are conspicuously absent in the more prosperous cities. GoliSathyam was poor but he was a spirited old man with a deep sense of honor and self respect. He repeatedly told his family, particularly the children: “Poverty though unfortunate is not a sin and is nothing to be ashamed of. One should never beg or be dependent on others, nor should one be under any obligation to anybody else. By hard work, one can overcome. One should live honorably and by honest means, even though that way may be more difficult to follow. Insincerity and falsehood must be shunned at all costs.”

Goli Sathyam Most of what we know about GoliSathyam comes from Shivabalayogi himself. Many decades later, Shri Swamiji spoke of his grandfather with respect and praise. He said that his grandfather incarnated to take care of Sathyaraju while he was growing up, encouraged him to develop honesty, independence, strong will, and, most importantly, he taught the boy to be fearless.

Shivabalayogi emphasized that children should not be raised with fear. They should be given

GoliSathyam resolved to lead an honest life regardless of the obstacles. He was a man

Sathyaraju swimming in the ocean with the support of his grandfather.

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left that although they had many relatives in Ramachandrapuram, they were all likely to show scant courtesy and regard. He told the boy to conduct himself with dignity in their presence and not to visit their homes unless invited to do so.

of independent temperament who believed submission to anyone was humiliation.

Uppermost in his mind was the preservation of his family’s honor and prestige.

Sathyaraju adored his grandfather and GoliSathyam in turn deeply loved Sathyaraju and predicted a bright future for him. The boy greatly enjoyed the time they spent together talking each evening. The boy would listen with rapt attention to the old man’s practical advice. His young mind was deeply impressed by the wise counsel of his grandfather and GoliSathyam came to exercise a beneficial and lasting influence on the views and character of his favourite grandchild. As time went by Sathyaraju came to treat his grandfather as his most trusted confidant and would scrupulously follow the advice he received.

Now it so happened that it was nearly eleven o’clock at night by the time Sathyaraju was able to finish his work. Normally he could have gone to the house of any one of his relatives to spend the night and he would have been assured of a good meal and a comfortable bed. However, remembering his grandfather’s counsel, the boy chose to spend the night in the verandah of a closed shop regardless of the inconvenience and discomfort. He returned to Adivarapupeta early next morning and told

Sathyaraju’s devotion to his grandfather can be seen in the following story from when the boy was only eight years old. One day GoliSathyam sent the boy on an errand to Ramachandrapuram about five kilometers away.

The old man told the boy before he

Goli Sathyam comforting his grandson Sathyaraju who was frightened on being left alone in the graveyard.

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his mother and grandfather what he had done. was sorry for the boy’s 3= l Ñ¿ `«~°Paarvathamma ∞"å~Ú.... hardship but GoliSathyam was elated at his resolve.

the grave diggers washing themselves in the canal, a purification ritual performed before they could re-enter the village. The boy broke into a run to get home, away from his frightening experience alone at the graveyard.

***

When the boy told him what had happened, Goli Sathyam became very upset at the grave diggers for leaving the boy alone at the cemetery. He told the boy not to be afraid and fed him a good meal of mutton curry. Later, GoliSathyam complained to the boy’s uncle who was the village head, who in turn reprimanded the grave diggers.

Swamiji used to tell devotees how his grandfather taught him to confront fear. Others in the village tried to be protective of him. An example Swamiji gave was how he liked to jump from a high bridge into the Godavari River. His mother asked him to promise never to jump off the bridge, but he would not promise. Similarly, the villagers tried to prevent him from swimming in the ocean as they thought it was too dangerous. But Sathyaraju liked to swim in the ocean. Only his grandfather was supportive and allowed him to take risks.

About two months later Sathyaraju noticed another village procession and again followed it. This time it was the funeral of a village rowdy. The local people had a custom where they threw clods of dirt onto the corpse to begin the burial. The villagers began to throw dirt onto the corpse and Sathyaraju picked up and threw a fairly good sized rock. It hit the corpse’s head and split it open. The villagers were upset and frightened the boy by telling him that the dead man would come back and give the boy trouble for throwing the rock.

Another story Swamiji told was from when he was only six years old. He was coming from school and saw a procession of older village women and musicians. He asked them what was going on. It was really a funeral procession but the people told the boy it was a wedding.

An uncle told the boy to go away, but Sathyaraju followed. He stayed a little distance back and watched the burial. As the funeral proceedings were going on, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile the funeral finished, the party departed, and the grave diggers finished their work and left. It was about midnight and pitch black when the boy awakened all alone in the graveyard.

Sathyaraju ran to his grandfather and told him what had happened and what the villagers had said. The boy was afraid the dead man would come back to get him. GoliSathyam reassured the boy and instructed him to return to the graveyard that night to confront his fears.

The boy went back and saw the jackals and dogs carrying off the corpse and eating it. He realized he had nothing to fear from that corpse. *** Swamiji said that since that time, he was not afraid. He said that most people in India were afraid of ghosts. They would believe a ghost was haunting a particular place, like a tree. However Sathyaraju learned not to be afraid. Instead he would wager that he was not afraid of the ghost. People didn’t believe him and they would accept the bet. Sathyaraju would fearlessly walk up to the haunted tree, then return to collect his winnings.

It was not unusual for such graveyards to be frequented by jackals, dogs and other scavengers that dug up and fed on the freshly buried bodies. Sathyaraju awoke because he heard the sound of foxes coming to scavenge, foxes that may very well have thought the boy to be fair game. He found one of the poles used to carry the stretcher that bore the corpse and used it to scare off the foxes.

Sathyaraju had to find his way home in the dark. He walked around and found a path which he followed. It forked near a pond and the boy decided to go to the right. Soon he found himself on more familiar ground which he recognized as being near his village. He saw Tapoleela

To be continued…..

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Bhaava Samaadhi (Trance)

"Higher souls induce Bhaavasamaadhi"

Devotees in trance induced by the presence of divine astral bodies within them ‘Bhaava’ or spiritual trance refers to spiritual experiences as varied as the people who get them. Bhaava can be feelings of peace and exhilaration, spiritual currents which cause involuntary movements, ecstatic moods associated with divine beings and spiritual singing, or Shivabalayogi’s own subtle body presence expressing himself through the devotee.

During lively spiritual songs (bhajans) sung in the presence of Shivabalayogi, bhaava may also be experienced as an inner love and joy, or a heightened sense of bliss. Some devotees may move or even dance, sometimes with normally impossible movements. This is a divine experience which Shri Swamiji gives through the subtle body presence of divine beings. A devotee may become immersed in the bhaava of different forms of God. The experience may include a vision of a god such as Shiva or Devi, or the divine presence may be formless, shifting the devotee to particular Tapoleela

moods or energies, or perhaps passing energies to others in the room.

Shri Swamiji’s instruction is to meditate and know through one’s own experience. He gives experiences suited for each person’s unique needs and desires. Bhaava,visions and powers by themselves do not indicate spiritual development. As also the seeming lack of “experiences” does not indicate by itself a lack of spiritual progress.

“Higher souls induce bhaava. It helps in physical, mental and spiritual progress. If 17

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speaking, the 'Bhaava' experience could be categorized into three stages as follows:

bhajans are sung properly, bhaava will come.

It is all Swamiji’s wish whether a person gets bhaava or not. It is all in Swamiji’s control.

He can put anybody in trance.”

In the first stage the saadhaka experiences peace and spiritual exaltation; it is a very desirable experience which he wants to experience again and again, which in turn motivates him to further effort on the spiritual path. As he progresses, he may also start experiencing ‘aanandha’ (bliss) in varying degrees.

“Bhaava develops the body. It is Swamiji’s responsibility to develop the devotee’s body so that he or she can meditate. Swamiji can reach a lot more people through this method.

A lot more people can do meditation in a shorter time this way. That is the reason he chose this way. Anybody can be put into trance.

It doesn’t matter if the person is good or not.

Gradually they leave all their bad habits. They get pure. Undesirable influences are thrown out and flee in a trance situation. One should not try to control the trance. There is no need to control it. Bhaava is the beginning for samaadhi and tapas.”

With further deepening of the Bhaava, the saadhaka experiences the second stage during which he sees visions of his Ishta Deva and other Devis, Devathaas and Saints. These visions and spiritual experiences purify the saadhaka’s mind and prepare him for the third and final stage.

The term Bhaavaimplies a mood or an attitude of mind. When used in the context of spiritual practices, it connotes spiritual moods or attitudes, as explained below:

Finally, in the third stage, when the Bhaava has fully ripened, the saadhaka experiences ‘Bhaava Samadhi’ which is the state of samaadhi through ‘bhaava’.

In one sense, the term Bhaava is used to denote the devotional altitude that a saadhaka adopts towards his Ishta Deva (Chosen Ideal of the Supreme Godhead). These devotional attitudes have been categorized into five different types, viz: ‘Santh Bhaava’ or the saintly altitude of devotion such as adopted by the Rishis of yore; ‘Daasya Bhaava’ or the attitude of a servant towards his master as exemplified by Shri Hanuman; ‘Sakhya Bhaava’ or the attitude of a friend as exemplified by Arjuna and Udhava towards Shri Krishna; ‘Vaathsalya Bhaava’ or the attitude of a mother towards her child as exemplified by Kaushalya towards Shri Rama and by Yasodha towards Shri Krishna; finally, ‘Madhura Bhaava’ or the attitude of a woman in love, as exemplified by Meera towards Shri Krishna.

As the state of Bhaava develops, a saadhaka gradually gets rid of the dross in his mind and with that he acquires spiritually desirable qualities such as Faith, Renunciation and Strength of Character. His whole personality undergoes a transformation and, in many cases, even bodily changes take place, However, it needs to be pointed out here that outward manifestations are no indicator of a saadhaka’s inner development. The less mature saadhakas are usually unable to absorb spiritual experiences and in their caseit is often seen that even a minor or passing spiritual experience creates a mental and physical upheaval. As opposed to this, spiritually mature saadhakas may have profound spiritual experiences, but they will not exhibit any outward signs which may be indicative of the depth of their experiences.

In another sense, the term 'Bhaava' is also used to denote the spiritual mood or characteristics of one’s Ishta deva, e.g., ‘Ram Bhaava’ or ‘Shiva Bhaava’ or ‘GauriBhaava’ and so on.

Bhaava : A Historical Perspective There is nothing new or unique about Bhaava and Bhaava Samadhi; they are as old as spiritual practice itself. The characteristics of Bhaava and Bhaava Samadhi have been visibly manifest in almost all followers of the ‘Bhakti Marg’ (the path of devotion); these

The depth of the Bhaava experience varies with different individuals. Very broadly Tapoleela

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characteristics are also manifest in followers of other spiritual paths, but to a somewhat lesser extent.

different place, and yet by his Grace devotees will experience Bhaava whenever and wherever they may choose to conduct kirtan, after invoking his blessings. Even to this day, more than twenty years after His Mahaasamaadhi too, trance can be seen proliferating. We just need to invoke Swamiji and begin the bhajans.

Those who are familiar with religious literature will have read accounts of the manifestations of Bhaava in the ‘kirtan’ parties led by Shri Chaitanya and his chief disciple Nithyananda. In more recent times, Shri Ramakrishna was a living embodiment of Bhaava and all that it implies; his biographers have recorded that in accordance with the directions of the Divine Mother, he lived in Bhaavamukha all his life, and this notwithstanding the fact that he had attained the ultimate non-dual state through Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Some interesting and often incredible features of the Bhaava induced by Shri Swamiji are that a throng of people will dance and move about entranced for hours on end, without any signs of fatigue, and without so much as running into each other or tripping or disturbing any of the other devotees. Those devotees who get Hanuman Bhaava, or some other simian Bhaava, can be observedclimbing up slender trees, dancing atop fragile branches, dangling from them in simian fashion and finally jumping down without so much as a scratch.

Uniqueness of Shri Swamiji’s Bhaava Leela Seeing that Bhaava has been a common feature of spiritual practice through the ages, what then is the uniqueness of Shri Swamiji’s BhaavaLeela? Simply stated, it is in the widespread and unstinted manner in which Shri Swamiji employs Bhaava to bring people to the spiritual path. No doubt we read about Shri Chaitanya and Shri Ramakrishna inducing Bhaava in others, often on a large scale, but this was usually restricted to their chosen disciples and followers. In the case of Shri Swamiji, Bhaava spreads like an all engulfing wave whenever kirtan is held by his devotees, and almost all those present are affected by it to a greater or lesser extent. Thus is observed the extraordinary sight of men and women of all ages, and particularly children, lost to the outer world in ecstasy, dancing to the beat of the devotional music, and exhibiting in themselves the characteristics of the Puranic Gods and Goddesses, and of the ancient Saints and Rishis. Another unique feature is that Shri Swamiji’s physical presence is not at all necessary for the manifestation of this Bhaava.

He will usually be sitting in the darshan hall, or even in his own room, whilst kirtan may be going on in a separate room or in the courtyard of the Ashram, and yet the manifestation of Bhaava will go on just as if he was present. In fact Shri Swamiji may be miles away, at a Tapoleela

Those who experience the bhaava of Nataraja can be seen dancing in perfect sync with the song. Devotees in the bhaava of Shri Rama can be seen as if posing with a bow and arrow. The bhaava of Shri Krishna is depicted by way of devotees holding and playing an imaginary flute. Once the bhajans and kirtan are over, those who have been in deep Bhaava are brought back to normal consciousness simply by applying consecrated Vibhoothi at the point between their eyebrows.

Benefits of Bhaava Those who are blessed by Shri Swamiji with Bhaava, derive a number of invaluable benefits; these are as follows:— (a) Diseases, including chronic diseases, are cured. (b) God-consciousness is instilled. (c) The ego sense is subdued and is replaced by a spirit of self-surrender to the will of God. (d) An absolute and implicit faith in God is instilled. (e) Pain and misery, due to mental or physical causes, are removed.

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Meditation

Shivabalayogi’s Shri Shivabalayogi’s primary mission is to set people on the path of dhyaana (Sanskrit for meditation). Darshan, healing, bhajans and spiritual experiences can purify the mind and heal physical and mental ailments to prepare and encourage people on the path of meditation.

Meditation develops spiritual consciousness and allows us to lose any mistaken identification with the physical body.

gives. I will teach you. That is my purpose. It is my duty to help you in meditation. Swamiji is here to change people. First they come and have darshan and look at Swamiji. That is how it starts. Then Swamiji teaches them meditation and makes them meditate. Their doubts will be cleared and later on they will tend to become like Swamiji.”

The ‘dhyaana’ Shri Swamiji teaches is considered a very effective technique of meditation, and his blessings given at initiation allow even those with no prior experience to successfully practice dhyaana.

Shri Swamiji gives initiation to all regardless of religion, caste or beliefs. The ‘dhyaana’ he teaches uses no mantra and requires no particular religious belief or commitment. The spiritual power he confers at initiation and the practice of meditation do not interfere with any spiritual relationship or commitment a person may already have.

His blessings serve to deepen whatever spiritual path we wish to pursue.

His Messages “Meditation is to control your own mind.

Through meditation you can get peace of mind. Your blood pressure comes down so your health improves. Whatever you do in life is done better. You come to know your own mind. Through such understanding, everyone can function and work better.”

“Swamiji has come to teach spiritual practice, reduce tensions and give you peace.

You peoplehave brought a very dangerous situation upon yourselves because of tension.”

As you keep practicing meditation you will get a lot of happiness and bliss. The kind of happiness you get in meditation does not exist anywhere else on this earth. All the kinds of happiness that you experience outside are nothing compared to the happiness you get when you meditate.”

“You have atom bombs with you and you have made lots of poisons. It is only through meditation that you can heal what you have done to the planet earth. If you can reduce the tensions of all the people, then you can talk to each other and avoid the calamities you are creating for the planet.”

“If you meditate one hour a day then your mind will come under control.

Automatically the duration of meditation will increase.

If you practice meditation you will automatically get ‘samadhi’. As you keep practicing meditation you will get a lot of happiness and bliss. The kind of happiness you get in meditation does not exist anywhere else on this earth. All the kinds of happiness that you experience outside are nothing compared to the happiness you get when you meditate.”

“Meditation reduces the tension in you.

The practice of meditation makes it easier for you to understand the people with whom you interact. Meditation makes you more aware and sensitive to your surroundings and will even give you the power to change circumstances. With progress, meditation helps you to attain God realization.”

“You need experiences and that is what Swamiji Tapoleela

Meditation

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Bhajans

Everytime we perform Bhajans, Gods would be present there – Dasari Jagadish Kumar

Bhajan is a Hindi word and its literal meaning is repetition of God’s name. Bhajans are devotional songs or chants in praise of the different forms of gods and goddesses and guru - the spiritual master. They are often simple repetition of strings of gods’ names set to melodious tunes. Traditionally, bhajans are sung by devotees together in a group, although devotional songs rendered by a solo singer are also sometimes referred to as bhajans.

Generally one person leads a bhajan by singing line after line and the others repeat the lines after him/her in chorus. Bhajans are often accompanied by musical instruments. These include percussion instruments like the tabla, mridangam, dholak etc. stringed instruments The ancient Vedas state, “God is One, but the wise call God by many names.”‘Bhajans’ are songs of devotion towards the many forms of the Divine. as well as harmonium. Almost invariably cymbals are played to keep the rhythm.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu dancing in trance while singing bhajans

Being an integral part of the path of devotion, chanting is practiced in all spiritual paths – Indian (including Sikh), Christian, Muslim, Budhist. Many saints of the Indian tradition are known for bhajans. The celestial sage Narada continuously chants the name of Vishnu. Hanuman is believed to relentlessly chant the name of Rama – so much so that every hair on his body is said to repeat the holy name. More contemporary names of singer saints are ChaithanyaMahaprabhu, Meera Bai, Thyagaraja, Ramdas, Thukaram, etc. Even Adi Shankaracharya, who is amongst the foremost of the saints known to have practiced and preached the path of knowledge (gnyaana) – acclaimed the spiritual value of bhajans .

Bhajans and Bhaava (Spiritual Trance) Bhaava is the spiritual ecstasy experienced by and evident in devotees. Bhaava is induced by higher souls and is their most tangible form.

Although bhaava has been witnessed in the absence of bhajans, it is clear to those of us who have witnessed Swamiji’s programs that there is a very strong connection between bhajans and bhaava. Scores of devotees can be seen in trance during bhajans. The more lively the bhajan, the more likely devotees are to experience bhaava. The depth and intensity of bhaava is also known to increase with the increasing energy of bhajans; so much so that the success or quality of bhajans came to be judged by the occurrence, intensity and the number of devotees in trance during the bhajan.

Bhajans are one of the “five major parts of Swamiji’s mission” as told by Swamiji himself – “darshan, vibhoothi, dhyaana, bhajan and trance”. Bhajans are hence sung regularly at all the ashrams of Swamiji and by all groups of His devotees. Swamiji not only encouraged but insisted for bhajans at his programs.

Tapoleela

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very fast. Begin the bhajan with slower songs and try to pick songs that are increasingly faster. If you pick a slow song after a fast one you can feel the drop in the energy. Swamiji once explained it is like a geared motor vehicle. You begin moving in the first gear - slowly and shift up to higher gears as you pick up speed.

evening in the presence of Shri ShriShri Shivabalayogi Maharaj. The following is direct advice that Swamiji taught regarding bhajans.

1. Swamiji forbid any talking, discussion or comments during the bhajans – even by those who are not directly participating in the bhajans.

2. The gap between songs should be kept to a minimum. Pick up the next song immediately.

*** The following are my suggestions and explanation – of course derived and based on Swamiji’s advice and training: 1. As regards the order of songs, if you want to sing more than one song to a particular god or goddess, keep all of them together – one after the other. For example do not sing a song on Rama then one on Shiva and the next one on Rama again. Bhajans are an invitation to God in a particular form. The different names/forms of god have different characteristics and nature. Although all of us may not be able to witness or experience it, when we do bhajans to a particular form of god, god comes to be with us in that astral form. If we suddenly change the name or form in which we invite god, there would be a discontinuity which is often very evident to/on those who are in trance.

2. Make sure that some food – even a toffee or a piece of fruit is fine - is offered to gods and distributed amongst those present at the close of the bhajan session - even for practice sessions. Trust me; the gods would be there – every time you perform bhajans.

3. I feel singing the same bhajan for 10 – 15 minutes may be too long. It helps to keep the bhajans short, interesting and enjoyable.

4. Unlike meditation, which canbe done by an individual in isolation, bhajan is a group activity. We need to cooperate and play and sing together. One might be an acclaimed singer or musician, but he/she will have to rely on support from others, who may not be good at all, for rendering a bhajan well.

He/She needs to train others. It is a different kind of ‘saadhana’!

5. Finally, and most importantly don’t lose the fun and the joy in the bhajans for the sake of rules. If those who play and sing the bhajans do not enjoy them how can the audience enjoy them?

3. Everyone who is willing to lead or sing, or play the cymbals or other instruments should be given a chance to do so. During the daily evening bhajans I was often encouraged by some of the devotees to sing again and again and I ended up leading more than one song every evening and consequently a few others did not get a chance to lead even one song. These devotees complained to Swamiji about me and Swamiji brought in a rule that until everyone who is willing to lead gets a chance to lead a song, none would get to lead a second song. We all obeyed and followed His order. Consequently, everyone got a chance to lead every day and as a result every one could lead better. The team as a whole improved tremendously in a short period.

4. The order of songs suggested by Swamiji: Begin with Ganesha, follow up with Guru and Shiva and then any other gods like Rama, Vishnu, and Krishna. Close with songs to Amma, MurugaAnjaneya and Arathi in that order.

5. Swamiji taught the rhythm to a few devotees a little after the completion of His tapas in 1961. We follow the same beat even now. That is: Begin with the beat of 1 - 1, 2, 3; 1- 1, 2, 3;…………….increase the speed to 1, 2, 3; 1, 2, 3; 1, 2, 3………………………..then the final speed 1,2,1,2,1,2……………. This should be clear from any of the Bhajan Cassettes or CDs available with devotees or groups dedicated to Shri ShriShri Shivabalayogi Maharaj.

6. Most of the songs are sung at all the three speeds. However, some songs are sung at a slow pace and there are others that are sung Tapoleela

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Service Divine mother of Swamiji;

Smt. Allaka Parvathamma Manifestation of Service mother’s face was covered with sadness, and he wondered why. The thought occurred to him that he had never seen his mother eating a proper meal. So he thought of a plan.

He went and asked his mother for food and, as usual, Paarvathamma gave him some. This time Sathyaraju insisted that his mother should eat with him. She replied that she was busy working and that she would take food a little later. The boy wouldn’t agree. He wanted her to share the food. Finally she took half of the food, but instead of eating immediately, she told her son that she would have it a little she was later.

For a soul who is capable of becoming a yogi to be born, the parents must be great souls in their own right. Swamiji used to tell devotees that each time he was born, his mother’s soul had to contain a portion of Goddess Parvati and his father’s soul had to contain a portion of Lord Although Shiva. Swamiji privately given considerable honour confirmed to several and deference as ‘Swamiji’s devotees that his mother was an mother’, all the reverence she reincarnation of Parvati ceived did not affect her. She continDevi.

Sathyaraju finished his part of the food and made like he was going outside. But instead, he ued to be a straight-forward, motherly quietly hid himself

lady.She used to shower her materbehind the door and Shiva Rudra Balayogi, kept a watch on the food nal love not only on Swamiji but Dehradun: that his mother had set on all the devotees who vis“Swamiji used to tell aside for herself. Nearly two ited the ashram. this story about his mother’s hours passed by and the boy love.” waited patiently to see whether his mother ate any food. What he When Swamiji was a very young doubted was true. She took none. boy, hardly five years old, he used to ask his mother for food, and she readily would give it with love. Occasionally he noticed that his Tapoleela

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The mother who gave birth to Him prostrating as a devotee to Swamiji into the house from outside. He called on his mother and asked for food, as he usually did, saying he was hungry. Paarvathamma gave him the food that she had set aside.

Sathyam, and demanded (that was his style), “Why doesn’t Mother eat proper food? Why does she give her share of food to the children?”

Sathyaraju asked, “Mother, did you take some of the food that you set aside two hours ago?”

Grand father explained, “You see, we are poor, but you need not worry just now.

Concentrate on your studies. Mother cannot bear her children’s hunger. She eats very little — hardly a proper meal for many days.”

Paarvathamma replied, “Yes, yes! Don’t ask me questions. You are hungry. Come eat.”

The five year old demanded to know what poverty was and why they were poor.

Grandfather replied, “Your father died when you were barely two years old and hence your mother has to work to feed her four children.”

Sathyaraju argued with his mother. “No, Mother, you are lying. You haven’t eaten any food. I have been watching all the time for two hours.” At this, tears rolled down from Paarvathamma’s eyes and she had to turn her face away.

The incident motivated young Sathyaraju to earn money for the family so they had

Puzzled and pained whether he had hurt her, Sathyaraju went to his grandfather, Goli Tapoleela

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Throughout Shri Swamiji’s tapas, many people accused Swamiji and his mother of being frauds. After tapas, many of these same doubters became close devotees. But Paarvathamma’s memory of the indignities she suffered was strong and like her son, she was a strong and outspoken person.

When a past trouble-maker came to the ashram for darshan, she said out loud, “This fellow used to criticize me. Now he comes to the ashram as a devotee.” She reminded the person of all the trouble she had to bear years earlier.

Swamiji said — and the villagers and devotees agree — that it was his mother who took care of Swamiji throughout tapas. No one else served him as faithfully or as selflessly, or endured so much hardship and mistreatment on his behalf during those twelve difficult years.

Personification of humility and simplicity enough to live on and his mother would not have to work. He felt ashamed that his mother did not have gold bangles to wear. He was about six when he started saving small coins which he got from work. He would put one or two paise (one hundred to the rupee) at a time in a small box. By the time he was twelve he had saved sixty rupees which he used to buy gold bangles for Paarvathamma.

When Shivabalayogi transferred his center of activities from Aadhivaarapupeta to Bangalore, Parvathamma went with him. She stayed at a house some distance from the ashram but she nevertheless managed to supervise the running of the ashram, especially taking care of Swamiji. She was given considerable honour and deference, but all the reverence she received did not affect her. She continued to be a straight-forward, motherly lady.

*** During the twelve years Shivabalayogi was in tapas, it was his mother who devotedly cared for him. After she had darshan of the Trimurthy (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), she ceased to regard Swamiji as her son. She recognized him as a great soul and paid him all the regard and reverence due a saint. Therefore, it can be said that Paarvathamma was the first of Swamiji’s disciples and the foremost among his devotees.

Tapoleela

Paarvathamma accepted all who came. She never forgot her own days of poverty and want, so she had a special place in her heart for the poor and destitute. She gave to the poor whatever was needed, food, money, or clothes.

There were times during the early days of the ashram when there was not enough food to 25

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give to the poor. She preferred to go without rather than turn away a poor person. She was very, very fond of feeding people. She fed the important and the humble. She made special dishes and devotees praised her cooking as the very best. Whoever came to the ashram, Paarvathamma always made sure they had something to eat, even if people came at twelve in the night. That was her main work at the ashram, cooking and feeding the devotees.

Although Shivabalayogi drew people to the ashram by his spiritual greatness, many were equally affected by the care and love shown by his mother.

out. She would actually force Swamiji to help them solve their problems.

There was a time when there was a scarcity of rice in Karnataka. Very strict rules were in vogue that no big functions should be held where rice could be wasted. It was very difficult to get rice to feed the people in the ashram. It was not available. Swamiji had to get hold of some officers in the public distribution system to somehow get some rice.

He got a few bags and expected that it could feed the devotees for about a month or so. A week later his mother informed him that the rice was all used up. She had cooked it and given it away. She would not accept that Swamiji was having difficulty getting rice. All she was concerned about was feeding people.

So Swamiji again had to ask the officers for more rice.

Paarvathamma also took a personal interest in each devotee. She would ask them how they were doing, and if they had any problem, she would go to Swamiji and ask him to help them

Tapoleela

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Devotees' Experiences

A life learning to trust the Guru for every need "Annapurna was from the small town of Mandapeta near Aadhivaarapupeta. She was very heavy and moved with great difficulty. She had a very pretty, childlike face. Other devotees insisted that we talk with her to get her experiences, but she denied having any. Like so many devotees we talked with, she was reluctant to say anything. “Well, what is there to say? I won’t be able to speak.” We had to assure her that Swamiji would make her speak, and we asked her to just start talking about Swamiji. She did, and in an almost matter-of-fact voice, an inspiring life story of hardship and immense blessings unfolded.

I doubt if the others listening in had any idea of the extent of her story. Annapurna was oblivious to their presence as she related the story of Swamiji and her life. I strongly felt that it was Swamiji prompting her to tell her life story."

–Tom (Thomas L Palotas) She was extremely weak and very sick.

My mother Bhimeshwaramma lived in Mandapeta, a small town about twenty Swamiji told her, “Amma, I will give you kilometers from Aadhivaarapupeta. vibhoothi. I will take care of you. The doctors Throughout her life she struggled with obesity from the hospital come to me. I will talk to and the health complications it caused. There them and you can go and have an operation done on you.” was one time when she gained so much weight that she had severe She was a very pious problems. She was taken to the lady and she had a great Kakinada hospital where she Thereafter, my belief in God. She said, was seen by the chief “No, I don’t want to put mother continued to doctor. He declared that myself in the hands of get trance again and again. she had less than three these doctors. I don’t weeks to live and sent She was about to die, but want this operation her home. done. You are a great

slowly, without any operation,

man. You have a lot of My father by the she was cured through the powers. If you want to name of, Namahshivaya, do something about it, did not believe in God so trance that Swamiji gave you do it. I will keep he wouldn’t take my her. She lived another myself in your hands. I mother anywhere for twenty-five years. prayers or blessings. But even don’t want to go to the doctors.” Swamiji smiled and before Swamiji completed tapas, my grand mother used to gave her some vibhoothi and asked her to use it. go to Aadhivaarapupeta to have darshan of Swamiji. She told my father, “Why My father was so impressed by Shri don’t you take your wife to this Shivabalayogi Swamiji that he wanted to have one day Maharaj? He has completed tapas and has got nonstop bhajans at his house. Mother was a lot of power. He will do something.” So on concerned that it would mean a lot of work her encouragement; my father brought my and expenses, but he was not concerned. He mother to Aadhivaarapupeta.

Tapoleela

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had established a successful business and was willing to pay for the food and other necessary expenses. He made arrangements for the program and on that night, he had busses bring devotees from Aadhivaarapupeta to his house in Mandapeta to play bhajans. Hundreds of people came to listen to the bhajans.

the ingredients on hand ready to cook and serve them. Devotees would praise the hospitality of Namashivaya’s house where they would be well fed and a car booked to take them back to Aadhivaarapupeta. *** That first night when my mother got trance, the doctor from Kakinada who was treating her happened to be at the house. When he saw her dancing to the lively bhajans, he was completely surprised. He asked my family members what they had done with her. “Did you take her to America to get her cured?

Which doctor cured her and how is it possible?” We simply told him that we had taken her to Shivabalayogi Maharaj in Aadhivaarapupeta. He had given her blessed vibhoothi and with that she was cured.

Seeing all the preparations and people coming to the house, the neighbours found reasons to complain about my father. “His wife is sick. She is about to die and these fellows are celebrating with a function and doing bhajans at their house.”

During the bhajans that night, my mother was given trance. She was badly overweight, unable to get herself out of bed and so sick that the doctors had declared she would die within a matter of days. Yet soon after the bhajans began, she got up and started dancing.

She remained in trance the whole twenty-four hours, much to the surprise of the neighbours who could not understand what was happening.

The doctor became very interested. He had been married for many years but his wife was unable to conceive any children. He decided to visit Shivabalayogi and ask for blessings to have children. When he did, Swamiji gave the doctor some vibhoothi which he and his wife used and before long a son was born to them.

The child was brought to Aadhivaarapupeta so Swamiji could name him. It was some time afterwards when the doctor and his wife came to visit our house that he explained that even before he saw my mother in trance, he and his wife had taken Shri Swamiji’s darshan. But although they had Swamiji’s darshan, no one had told them that Swamiji could cure physical ailments and work miracles. It was only when the doctor was told that my mother had been cured by Shivabalayogi that it occurred to him to ask for vibhoothi for his own problem.

After that night, she continued to get trance again and again. Slowly, without any operation, she was cured through the trance that Swamiji gave her. She lived another twenty-five years and was in Bangalore when Swamiji dedicated the Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara temple on August 7th of 1987.

My father became an ardent devotee of Shivabalayogi, highly respected for the devotion with which he served Swamiji and received devotees who travelled long distances to visit Aadhivaarapupeta. When such visitors arrived, Swamiji would ask them to first go to Namahshivaya’s house in Mandapeta. My father would always take care of the devotees very well, and was always ready to receive them at short notice. There are two dishes local to the area which were not available in other parts of India. Visitors seemed to particularly enjoy these dishes, so my mother would keep Tapoleela

*** Like my mother, I also suffered from poor health aggravated by chronic obesity. I was married at the age of twelve and moved to my husband’s family’s house. There I had problems so I left my husband and returned to my father’s house.

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received Shri Swamiji’s initiation into dhyaana, and began doing the meditation.

Shri Swamiji was in his last years of tapas when my grandmother first brought me to Aadhivaarapupeta. I was still a child and had no understanding of what was a yogi. I didn’t even go and do pranaam to Swamiji.

I used to have a lot of experiences. On one occasion when my father brought me to the ashram, Swamiji asked father to find out from Years later, my marriage went bad and I me what I had seen the previous night. I was returned to my parents’ house. I wanted to run afraid to speak, but somehow I described how away and live in an ashram, so my father I had seen Ramakrishna the previous night. All brought me to Aadhivaarapupeta. This was the time I used to feel the presence of gods after Swamiji completed his tapas but before and saints near me. At home in the room next he installed the Shivalinga. My to where I slept, there father was not among those who There were times when I were pictures of many used to enter Swamiji’s room gods and saints on the freely, and when we arrived, some was so sick that all I could walls. I would have devotees were already with do was lie in bed. there was visions just like the Swamiji. We waited for a long time pictures, and before word was finally sent inside no one to help me or cook sometimes I saw Lord to Swamiji that Namahshivaya had Shiva doing tapas, his my food.

Swamiji would come with his daughter. Swamiji body covered with was told that I wanted to see come in his astral body and cobwebs and a serpent Swamiji urgently and that was why wrapped around his I had come with my father from feed me with his own neck. I described all Mandapeta. Swamiji gave hands. I could very clearly this to Swamiji. instructions that only I should be The other sent inside and not anybody who see his hands, feet and devotees in the room was accompanying me. complained to body, but I would never I was very afraid to go near Swamiji. “We have Swamiji. He was so powerful. look at Swamiji's face. been coming to you Back then most people were afraid for so many years. For to address Swamiji directly. They talked to an many years we have been doing all this service, assistant who passed on the prayer to Swamiji. but you don’t give us experiences. You only So you can imagine my hesitation being a give her experiences.” young girl. Still, I went inside Swamiji’s room, Then Swamiji said, “No, no. I am always but as I saw him I really started shivering. with her.”

Swamiji slowly opened his eyes, looked at me I was a little afraid of the idea of and asked me to come closer. He applied vibhoothi on my third eye, and despite all the Shivabalayogi being continually close to me. doubts, complaints and prayers that had “No, no Swamiji. I don’t want you with me. I am very afraid of you. Please don’t do anything troubled my mind, I asked nothing. like that. Don’t be with me all the time.” I was Through Shri Swamiji’s blessing and still too timid with Swamiji and I didn’t realize touch, my desire to leave home dissipated and how he takes care of each devotee. I didn’t I remained with my parents. I would visit understand at the time what he was trying to Aadhivaarapupeta when I got the chance, tell me, but since then, whenever I thought of Tapoleela

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I couldn’t walk any more so I sat down on the ground. It must have beenaround four in the evening because the sun was getting close to setting. As I rested, I heard Swamiji’s voice telling me, “Amma, you take that and you eat it.”

Swamiji or whenever I had a problem, I could see Swamiji. But at the same time, I never lost my awe of Shivabalayogi so immediately after seeing Swamiji I would shiver a little from the fear. ***

I told my father, “Swamiji is asking me to take something and eat it. I don’t see anything here.” We looked around and found an orange.

In 1963, after Swamiji left Aadhivaarapupeta for Dodballapur, I could not bear staying behind without Swamiji so I insisted that my father take me to Dodballapur.

He agreed.

After I peeled and ate the fruit, I again heard Swamiji’s voice. “Come on, get up. You shouldn’t be here.”

While we were there, Swamiji told me that some devotees might offer to take me to Nandi Hills. Swamiji warned me not to go. “Don’t go. Refuse to go with them. I will take care to see to it that you will be shown all that. I myself will take you there. Don’t go with anybody else.” He explained, “You will have to walk a lot of distance there so you cannot do that. So you better stay back in the ashram and I will take you there.” [The Nandi Hills area is a little north of Dodballapur and consist of rock outcroppings several hundred feet high. The temples there were a popular destination for visitors.]

Again I told my father, “Swamiji is asking us to leave from here and walk back immediately. There’s urgency in his voice. I have some strength after eating that orange, so let’s continue.” We got up and started walking again.

We went some distance and came up to a wall. I was tired and leaned against the wall to rest. There I found two small packets of peppermints. I took them and I heard Swamiji telling me, “You keep these in your mouth.

Keep sucking on them and you keep walking.”

A few days later, some devotees arrived at the ashram by car and decided to go to Nandi Hills. My father wanted to go along with them, but I refused saying that Swamiji had asked me not to go. But father insisted there would be no problem and that we would be going with other devotees. They would take us and bring us back to the ashram. So I ended up going.

We continued on a little distance until I saw a very dark and ugly looking man coming from the opposite direction. Father stopped him, explained that we had lost our way, and asked for directions. The man insisted, “First you drink this water. I have brought it for you.

And then you also eat this.” The man had a small amount of food with him.

I whispered to father, “This man is very ugly. I don’t want to drink the water that he has brought. You have the water. I won’t.”

They drove to the hills and we got out of the car to hike up a steep trail to visit a temple on top of one of the hills. I could walk only slowly, and before long my father and I got left behind by the others. We got lost. Neither one of us was wearing proper shoes and my feet started cracking and aching. I was tired, hungry, thirsty and sore. The countryside there is uninhabited and dry and we were completely unprepared. We had no food or water. After some time wandering around the hillside, I was unable to walk any further.

Tapoleela

Although I was whispering out of earshot, the stranger knew what I had said, “Amma, I have brought this water for you. It is very cold, like from a refrigerator. Please drink this. It will refresh you a lot.” The way the stranger talked and addressed me as “Amma” made me feel that the man was Swamiji, so I took the water and drank it.

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We left the temple and started walking towards Dodballapur. It was night and too late to get any bus on that road. As we walked we came across some people standing by their car along the roadside. The dark stranger spoke with them and made arrangements to have my father and I taken by car down the hill to the main road where there was a bus stand.

Then the stranger took us to a hotel. I did not understand how he got us there, but somehow he did. By the time we got there, the hotel was closed. The owner said he was sorry but there was no food that he could offer. But the dark stranger told the owner, “There must be some aavadaas here.” [Aavadaas is a dish made of urid dal lentil dumplings – vadaas soaked in buttermilk.] “Just check and see if there are some left.” The owner went and looked and found a couple of aavadaas.

The car stopped some distance before the bus stop. Despite my father’s pleading, they would take us no further. We got out of the car and were left standing by the road. A man came out from a nearby house and father explained that we were Shivabalayogi Maharaj devotees from Dodballapur who had gotten lost and needed help getting back.

The owner said, “I don’t know how these were left here, but we found them as you said, so you have them.” He offered them to us.

Then the dark stranger took us to a nearby temple where there were seven doors, all of them very low to the ground. My father and I went inside the temple and made some small offerings to the deities. Later on we came to know that the other devotees who had left us behind on the hillside had tried to find this same temple but were unable to have darshan of the deities.

Tapoleela

As we were explaining all this, the man’s wife came out of the house. She was very beautiful and she consoled me saying, “Don’t be afraid about anything. I will take care of you.” When father related visiting the temple, the woman told us, “What you have had darshan of is the Yoga linga. After having

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Swamiji asked the five men to travel to Bangalore and check on the status of the new ashram. They asked what to do with me.

Swamiji told them to bring me to his room, lock the door from the outside, and then go about their business in Bangalore.

darshan of the Yoga linga, you should also have darshan of Bhogalinga which is nearby here.”

[Bhoga means happiness and implies material abundance.] “My husband is the priest of that temple and he will take you.” The priest took us to the temple which normally was closed and locked at that night hour, but he unlocked the doors and we had darshan of the Bhogalinga.

I was only in my teens and I was still quite frightened of Swamiji. I couldn’t say anything but I was too afraid of Swamiji to stay in his room for that day. When the men brought me to the ashram in the morning, Swamiji assured me that when the men returned that evening, they would take me to see a movie. “You be here and they will come back and take you to the cinema.” I had a passion for movies and books. I didn’t know how Swamiji came to know about my passion, but the offer of a trip to the movie theater had the desired effect. I was satisfied enough to sit down and the men left the room, locking the door from the outside.

The last bus from that area to Dodballapur left at ten every night. That night for some reason it was delayed. We reached the bus stop at around eleven o’clock and the bus was still there. We got inside and the bus driver took us right to Swamiji’s ashram just outside of Dodballapur.

Swamiji received us immediately and said, “Did I not tell you not to go with them? Why did you go? I told you that I would take you.”

I tried to shift the blame on my father. By then my legs were hurting terribly and my feet were sore and bleeding. Swamiji gave me a very small amount of vibhoothi and asked me to apply it on my feet and legs and then go to sleep. I did that and by that next morning, I was totally all right.

The Dodballapur ashram consists of a small building with one room about twelve feet by twenty. On the west end of the room was Swamiji’s asana — a mattress covered with two tiger skins on which Swamiji sat and gave darshan. I was sitting on the opposite end of the room, the two tiger heads facing forwards towards me. Swamiji closed his eyes and went into meditation.

The next day I related to Swamiji all that had happened while we were lost on the hillside, including the dark man who had helped them. Swamiji told the other devotees, “See, when she was suffering and I went to offer her cool drinking water, she said that I was ugly and refused to take the water. I had to force her to have the drinking water.”

After a while, I noticed that the eyes of the tigers became alive. The eyeballs were moving and gazing about the room, and they stared intently at me. The tiger skins became alive.

The tails began flicking in the air as cats do when excited. The tigers’ tongues hung out of their mouths, their legs began to fill out and move, and soon the two great cats got up and began pacing about the small room. I was petrified with fright, unable to escape the room because of the locked doors, and unable to wake up Swamiji because I was as afraid of the yogi as I was of the two tigers.

During our stay in Dodballapur, arrangements were being made for the construction of the ashram on Bannerghatta Road in Bangalore. Swamiji used to tell me that the Bangalore ashram was going to develop a lot. It would become a big palace where I could stay with Swamiji, but at the time it all made no sense to me.

Tapoleela

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Swamiji calmly continued his meditation as I shivered and perspired with fear. But I began to realize that it was only my fear that made me suffer. The tigers did nothing to harm me.

involved with our problems and would advise my father on finances and family matters.

There came a time when Swamiji made him stay in the ashram for a couple of months, and it was during this time that Swamiji slowly convinced him to sell the family house. We needed the money for living expenses, but father worried that if he sold the house he would have no place to live. Swamiji assured him that three streets away was another house which was old and dilapidated, so he could get it at a low price. Swamiji warned him not to tell me or my mother because we would not like the idea of staying in a run down house.

He was to buy it without telling us. Swamiji also told him that he was going to die within a year. Because he had little time to live, he had to make the arrangements very quickly.

That evening father and the other four men returned. With relief I heard the doors being unlocked and thrown open. As soon as the doors opened and my father came in, I broke into tears and sobbed to my father why I had been kept there all that time. Swamiji opened his eyes and smiled at me.

It was only then that I found out that during the day the building had been surrounded by a hostile crowd. My father told me that several hundred people had gathered and threatened to break inside. But I didn’t understand why the crowd had gathered, and I had been too absorbed in my fear of the tigers to even notice the commotion outside.

Father looked everywhere in Mandapeta for a more inexpensive house, but the only one he could find to buy was the dilapidated one Swamiji had described. So he followed through on Swamiji’s advice and purchased it without telling mother or me.

This was one of several unpleasant confrontations in Dodballapur caused by community and religious jealousies. Some people tried to make a business out of Swamiji, others wanted to make him serve only their own caste community, and some local spiritual leaders felt threatened and hired thugs to intimidate Swamiji to force him out of town.

When we found out about the new house, we were very angry with father. We did not want to move, but father explained that he had sold the house and bought the other on the express instructions of Swamiji. It was too late to object and the arrangements had already been made. I complained, “Sure, Swamiji is living in a big bungalow now, so he does not understand what it’s like to have to live in an old, dilapidated house. It’s easy for him to give instructions. I don’t want them.” All I knew then was we were being forced to move into a run-down house. It was only later that I realized that the new house was specially blessed, which allowed me to live there after my father and then my mother passed away and I was left on my own.

*** Before Swamiji moved to Bangalore, my father and I returned home to Mandapeta. As the years passed, my father distributed almost all of his property to my two brothers who had married and established houses of their own.

The only substantial property my father kept was the family house in Mandapeta. My brothers, having received theri share of my father's estate, did not bother to take care of their parents or me, and I had nothing other than my parents' house. Swamiji personally got Tapoleela

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Swamiji never left me and I could feel his presence all the time throughout my difficulties.

Three days after father revealed he had sold the family house, I visited Swamiji at the ashram. While I was having darshan, Swamiji told the other devotees, “You know what this lady is saying about me? She thinks that now I am living in luxury in a big bungalow and that’s why I don’t know what life is in a small old house. Please tell her that when I was in this old house here, I used to get my meals at the proper time. Now I am staying in a big bungalow but I never get my meals at the right time.” He was teasing me in this way.

One day a man shouted from behind, “Akka” (sister). I had no idea who the person could be. Then he called me by name, “Annapurna sister, Annapurna sister, please come here!” The man was from a very wellto-do family and was the owner of a newly opened cloth store. He called me into his shop and said, “I want to give you these two sarees.

These are for you, please take them.” I tried to pay for them but he would not accept any money. He explained that years before my parents had generously helped his family, so he was delighted at this opportunity to return the favor.

After we moved to the dilapidated house we tried to sell it several times, even before father passed away. In meditation, I got the message that the house was an omkaramandir (a temple dedicated to the cosmic sound of om). Many times Swamiji directly told me that the house was an ommandir. The trouble was that my mother and I had no source of income, so many times we felt forced to sell the house to have money for food and clothing. I made many attempts over the years, even after my mother’s death, but it was never possible to put a sale together. Sometimes I got as far as taking a deposit from a buyer, but then I would get so sick and incapacitated that I couldn’t complete the transaction and the buyer would walk away. I took these all as Swamiji’s message that I should not sell the house.

Someone would come to me and say, “Amma, I owe you six hundred rupees. Please take this repayment.”I do not remember to whom or why I had given money. “I don’t remember having given you any money. But if you still think you owe me money, then give it. But otherwise I don’t want it.” Then the fellow gives me the money and goes away.

There were many occasions when I received unsolicited help. It embarrassed me and I prayed to Swamiji that I should not be in the difficult position of being obliged to repay the generosity. But the people who helped me explained that what they were doing for me was nothing compared to the help they received from my parents.

My mother passed away in 1988, leaving me alone to fend for myself. My brothers had long since abandoned me. I was forced to rent out a portion of the small house to get some meagre income. I did not have enough to live on, but somehow I got help from some unexpected source. Somebody might come and give me food, somebody else gave me rice, and another person might give me clothes. In this way Swamiji took care of my needs.

Tapoleela

There were times when I was so sick that all I could do was lie in bed. There was no one to help me or cook my food. It was Swamiji who would come and feed me. His astral body would appear and feed me with his own hands.

I could very clearly see his hands, feet and body, but I would never look at Swamiji’s face.

I was too timid to look into his face.

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the tears from my cheeks. I could feel his hands on my face and I reached up and held onto Swamiji’s hands. As usual, I did not look up to see his face. Swamiji consoled me and then left.

Later when someone would stop by the house to check on me, they would worry, “Why Annapurna, you have not eaten anything since morning, so please have this food.”

I would tell them, “No, I have had a full meal just now. So I cannot eat anything.”

The next morning when the maid came to clean my room, she came to me and asked, “Amma, was there anyone in the room last night?”

They would argue, “You have been in bed all day. We know that you have not cooked anything. How could you have eaten?” But I would insist that I had just eaten and was full.

I would even get the burps as if I had just eaten a full meal and I could taste the food which Swamiji had fed me.

I was a little ashamed and said, “What do you mean someone was in the room? Who would come to my bedroom? The door has been locked. No one has come.”

But the servant insisted, “I can see some footprints here. Somebody must have been here. You can see them.” I got up and indeed I could see foot prints on the floor of my bedroom. They looked as if someone had been dancing in one place of the room and then walked off in a direction.

Whenever I got sick, which was often, I would be bedridden and there was no one I could call for help. All I could do was lie in bed. Then the doctor would unexpectedly drop by to see me. He would explain that he was taking his morning bath when he thought of me. His habit was that when this happened, he made it a point to stop by my house on his way to the hospital. Sometimes the doctor found me lying helplessly in bed and he would scold me, “Why did you not call me earlier?

Your condition has become so bad that it will be difficult to treat.”

*** Years earlier when my parents were still alive, I got angry at Swamiji because he refused to take me with him to the Dehradun ashram unless my mother gave her consent. My mother would not agree and Swamiji could not be moved to change his mind. I got angry and did namaskar to Swamiji and then left the room. Then I heard a loud voice telling me, “You will never be in want of food.” This was repeated very clearly three times. And so it happened. Swamiji kept his promise.

I would answer that there was nothing I could do about it. “Swamiji has called you here. That is Swamiji’s power.” The doctor would treat me and make a point of dropping by my house three or four times a day. He might have a long line of patients waiting at the clinic, but still he visited me to take care of me until I regained my strength.

Neighbours bring me groceries saying, “I have gone to bring groceries for all of my family. But what you need is very little. So I thought I would also buy for you and I brought you this.” I cannot pay them but they don’t mind. Should I get money, they tell me, I can pay them back.

One night after Swamiji had taken Mahaasamaadhi, I was lying in bed. I was very unhappy that Swamiji had left me. I was very sad and tears were falling from my eyes.

Suddenly I saw Swamiji coming to me. He told me, “Why are you sad like this? I am with you all the time. Don’t be afraid.” Then he wiped Tapoleela

This is how my life is. I am totally alone.

No one is these to take care of me, but somehow I get by.

35

August, 2015

The Adorable Comedian

The Flying Kaupinadhaari

Cabinet Ministers of Sri Lankan Government receive Swamiji at the Colombo airport Until the 1980s, whenever Swamiji travelled by flight, within India or to and from Shri Lanka, HH would wear only a kaupina – loin cloth. However, HH would also wear a pair of socks and expensive shoes. In those days, passengers had to walk on the tarmac to board a flight as well as after alighting from a flight. Almost naked but for the kaupina, Swamiji used to attract a lot of attention at the airports more due to His aura rather than His handsome features or charming face.

Swamiji told us that once on a flight, fellow passengers complained about his dress or the lack of it to the pilot and the pilot came over to Swamiji and tried to convince Him to wear normal attire. Swamiji refused stating that the kaupina was the right attire for Yogis.

When Swamiji arrived at the airport in Colombo in 1974, local newspapers flashed His pictures on the front page along with the news that a Yogi travelling dressed only in a kaupina and a pair of socks and shoes had come from India to Shri Lanka to conduct programs there. The above photograph is from that collection.

It was only in the 1980s that Maathaaji – Maharani Kailash Kumari Devi could convince Swamiji to wear a shawl while on flights.

On one such occasion a security guard tried to act smart and asked Swamiji, “Are you carrying any fire arms covered by your shawl?”

Guess it was Swamiji’s huge matted hair (jata) that caused the suspicion. Swamiji simply dropped the shawl to the shock of the guard. On seeing Swamiji almost naked, he immediately realized Swamiji was a saint, ‘pranammed’to Him (greeted him with folded hands in reverence), bent down, picked up the shawl and respectfully draped it around Swamiji, begging for forgiveness.

Tapoleela

36

August, 2015

Tapoleela

August, 2015

Tapoleela

August, 2015