Closer to our present time, Ram Dass details his very first encounter with his master, a moment etched in time.
Ram Dass writes about this moment in time where his life would take a turn at http://www.ramdass.org/bees-come-uninvited/
Ram Dass recalls another moment with his master at http://www.ramdass.org/the-touch-of-grace/
Ram Dass had many opportunities to observed others come in search of his master as he narrates at http://www.ramdass.org/darshan-meeting-spirit/
All this reminds me of my own moments with my master. I was blessed to have the companionship of the gods right from day one, but sadly I was not aware of it. Although it was pointed to me on several occasions but it did not create any drastic change in me or my thoughts.
As a child I was always taken to a Chinese medium in the event I felt sick. He was our neighbor then. He had this huge altar and a huge painting of a Chinese deity. He was huge too. I can vividly remember the ritual. He would go into a trance and bring up the blunt side of his sword and strike his back several times while he continued his chanting in Chinese. Then he would pick up a yellow strip of paper and scribbled Chinese characters with red ink and brush. He would then burn this paper and have the ash drop into a glass of water which he would pass to me with love and kindness to drink. And I was cured. This was how it was all the while until my very first visit to the hospital after I was bitten by a dog. Fearing I could contact rabies I seek medical attention at the general hospital and thus henceforth ended my visits to the Chinese medium.
Later as a teenager I dropped by a Chinese temple to pay my respects to my godfather. While there I was asked if I wanted to 'look into the future'. The caretaker handed me a can of sticks on which was etched numbers. I was asked to shake the can of sticks till one dropped out. The single sticks that carried a number was referred to a huge book. The caretaker started reading from the book. He told me I had many friends.When I took it literally he corrected me saying that he meant the gods where looking over my shoulders.
This was the time I engaged in rigorous worship. I frequented all the temples in the vicinity almost daily. I conducted prayers both in the early morning hours of Brahma Muhurtham and at dusk too. At the same time I saw many things take place around me that saddened me and I began to question the silent nature of god and his policy of non-interference. I though god was not being fair to certain individuals and staunch devotees. I could not comprehend his workings. I questioned god. I fought with him. I stayed away from him till I got answers. That was also the time I was having dreams upon dreams every-night, seeing gods and goddesses and saints and sages. In one dream Lord Shiva appeared and told me to reserve my questions to a later date. After that I dropped every form of worship. The year was 1988.
In 2001 my nephew came along and told me he had a message for me. He asked me to follow him to my prayer room. He caution me not to mentioned whatever took place in that room to anyone then. I believe I can share it now. As he sat in padmasanam his body shook. I was asked to repeat a mantra AUM NAMO BHAGAVATHE VASUDEVAAYA NAMA thrice. Following that revelation he handed me a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy to be worshiped after a few days. He told me this would prepare me to meet my master. As it was the period of Navarathri celebrations he directed me on foods to consume and those to avoid. He shared hymns and mantras of Goddess Durga, Laskhmi and Saraswathy to chant during this period.
A year after I saw the Kaanda Nadi out of curiosity, eagerness to know my past birth, and to know if I had been cursed! Prior to reading the Nadi, I had always consulted my friend, astrologer and Siddha practitioner Dr Krishnan. When his predictions for me did not materialize I asked if there could be a reason behind it. He told me that predictions would not materialize if one had been cursed. I asked him if he could tell if I was cursed from reading my charts. He told me it was not possible but pointed me to the Nadi. This was in 1996.
Reading the Kaanda Nadi, Agathiyar confirmed it. But Agathiyar graciously showed me a way out too. He asked that I perform atonement or Parikaaram. I performed these in Malaysia and journeyed to India to have the rests of my Parikaaram done.
On the last leg of my pilgrimage to India in 2003, I had already circumbulated Lord Annamalaiyaar in the form of the Holy Hill at Thiruvannamalai and had much time on hand before returning to Malaysia. I decided to seek an astrologer to chart my second daughters future as requested by my wife just before I departed for India. I asked Deva, my chauffeur if he knew anyone. He brought me to his uncle, who stayed 8 kms away from Thiruvannamalai in a village known as Nachaananthal.
As I stepped out of the white ambassador, a elderly man in a white vesti approached Deva and me. Deva introduced me as a tourist from Malaysia. His uncle did not say a word but instead lead us straight to his altar and prayer room. He lighted up a camphor, showed the arati and returned to the veranda. When Deva told him I was there for my daughters astrological chart, he asked his son Ramajayam to bring out his deer skin and also the past almanacs or Panjangam.
As he sat on the deer skin, he surprised me by talking about me, revealing the things mentioned in the Nadi by Agathiyar and my future! All these he did with his eyes closed, opening only occasionally to peer into me with love and kindness. I spent 5 mesmerizing hours in his presence that day, before he gave me a mantra HARA HARA SHIVA SHIVA SHIVA SHIVAYA NAMASHIVAYA SHIVAYA NAMA AUM to recite and sent me off.
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| Supramania Swami poses for me as I bid farewell to him in 2003 |
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| Supramania Swami |
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| Supramania Swami's Samadhi |
Following the demise of my guru, henceforth started another chapter in my life under the tutelage of my second guru, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar!