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[tiruvengadam] The Divine Pull which i experienced

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • September 22, 2001 


During our many activities , we are propelled 
by some divine force. Some times , such forces are 
not recognized by us and at other times , we clearly
discern the hand of the Supreme Being.

Here is an account odf a BhakthA , who had no idea how 
the Lord propelled him towards His aasthaanam on top
of the sacred Ahobilam Hills .

I want to share this personal account of Sri RaghunathAn ,
who works at Kuwait .

Namo NarasimhAya,
V.Sadagopan 
>
>The "Divine Pull" which I experienced
>
>Dear Bhagavathas,
>
>During my last visit to India (Jul-Aug'01), I was
>invited with my family for a lunch at my
>father-in-law's younger brother's house, on a Sunday.
>It was a very good lunch, which was attended by many
>families from my in-laws. Noted in particular are my
>father-in-law's elder brother Sriman Seshadri Iyengar
>(Chief Engineer, TVS Group) and his family.
>
>The lunch was over at around 11:30 in the morning and
>we started chatting about family matters. As a routine
>subject, my in-laws recollected the previous gathering
>they had. That was on 29th July, which was Sriman
>Seshadri's birthday (65th, if I remember correct)
>"Aadi Swathi". They all had participated in the
>"Swathi Thirumanjanam" of the Nava Nrusimhar
>Kshethrams at Ahobilam. 
>
>Though I was much attracted by the description of
>Ahobilam trekking and the temples by Sriman IVK Chary
>and Sriman Sudarshan, here at Kuwait (in the chats
>after the Vedam classes and Sat-Sanghs), I never had
>(HE had not given) the opportunity to visit Ahobilam.
>I was all the more interested in the talks of my
>in-laws, when it was about visiting Ahobilam. Also, as
>a Maplai, I was involved in all the talks between the
>elders. Their talks about visiting Ahobilam drew my
>attention and it was to my dismay that they were
>discussing about the visit which was already over. I
>was thinking that this time also I missed His grace of
>visiting the much described and talked about, Ahobilam
>Kshethram.
>
>HE heard this (probably) and called Sri Seshadri and
>brought him to console me. "Maplai Sir, don't worry,
>we will take you to Ahobilam". "I am visiting Ahobilam
>with at least 7 to 8 people, once every 10-15 days, as
>we are the team supervising the Renovations of the
>Nava Nrushimha temples in Ahobilam Kshetham" and he
>showed me some booklets giving the details of
>Kshathrams, location, topography, the modes of
>conveyance, food and stay facilities available etc.
>This attracted me even more and that was the 5th of
>August and I thought of planning to visit Ahobilam.
>But I had planned to come back to Kuwait by 15th Aug.
>So another set back. I thought I will not be able to
>visit this time, as I had a lot of things planned at
>Madras and hence I got contented with the literature,
>route and the details, so that I can visit any time,
>though in a corner of my mind I had the
>disappointment. (The booklet is a good guide for
>anyone who is planning to visit Ahobilam for the first
>time).
>
>"Enna Maplai Yosikkarel?" Sri Seshadri woke me up from
>getting lost in what I thought was unrealistic dreams.
>"We are leaving tomorrow, you can join us. Only thing
>is you need to reserve a ticket for Cuddappah by
>Bombay mail and you can board with us. Others we will
>take care". These were good ideas, but highly
>impractical to accomplish. It was almost half past
>noon, on  a Sunday. So the possibility of reserving
>tickets is lost, as Railway reservation offices will
>be closed, by the time I reach there. On Monday (the
>day of travel), we can not make reservation, as the
>Railways usually gives unreserved tickets. I had to
>take my wife and 3+ year old son with me. Apart from
>difficulty in going in unreserved compartments, the
>"Gulf resident" thought came in to say that traveling
>in unreserved compartments is below your dignity. Once
>again a set back and I was doomed in the thoughts and
>strategies.
>
>"VeNunna oNNu paNNalam" said Sri Seshadri (my
>father-in-law's elder brother), "that will be possible
>only if you come alone and not with your family. Take
>an un reserved ticket tomorrow and you can board with
>us in the same compartment. You can get a berth, by
>paying something to the TTE". This was heartening, but
>was to be concurred by my home ministry. I acted fast,
>convinced her and said that "you are going to stay
>back in India for some more days, so you can visit any
>time. Also your father and his brothers are more
>attached to Ahobila Mutt and hence you will get
>opportunities to visit in future also". Radha (my
>wife) was nice as usual and gave green signal, as she
>normally does for my suggestions, especially when it
>is for HIS worship.
>
>So I thought HE decided to call me and said ok to Sri
>Seshadri. But HE did not stop at that. Sri Seshadri
>phoned one of his team members from his mobile/cell
>phone and told,  "You will not be going with us
>tomorrow and instead I am taking my Maplai". That was
>a real surprise for me. I could imagine what all roles
>HE plays, for bringing his devotees to him. I felt the
>divine pull in the incidence. 
>
>All set and as planned I went to the station on time,
>boarded as Thiyagarajan and visited Ahobilam. Gifted I
>was, I should say, as there was a photographer in the
>team and a guide was arranged to take him through all
>the shrines, along with whom I had the opportunity to
>visit even "Pavana Nrusimhar", which usually people
>skip, being of a long trekking and non availability of
>guides. In fact I was the only Vaishavan among 5 of us
>in the team, who went to the "Pavana Nrusimhar
>Kshethram". 
>
>Since some of these shrines are not under nithya
>Aradhana. I was also asked to perform "Harathi" at the
>shrine, after doing the Vasthra, Pushpa Alankarm. I
>was even more delighted at the opportunity of doing
>"Seva" to Him. I did alagarams and Harathi, reciting
>"Purusha Sooktham". I thought it was a rare
>opportunity for ordinary people like me to get during
>their lifetime. 
>
>I visited all the temples in the high lands (upper
>Ahobilam), was too tired to come and visit the 2
>temples in the plains (lower Ahobilam). Since we had
>to return the same night, I thought I will visit the
>other 2 shrines in my next visit. I thanked Him in the
>form of Sri Seshadri for giving me such a rare
>opportunity of visiting Ahobilam in such a short
>notice (I have never been on business trips also,
>within such a short notice). At this moment I decided
>that I should serve Ahobilam Kshetram, by all means.
>
>After 2 days, I went to Sri Seshadri's house for
>lunch, where I volunteered to ask him of any service
>that I can do for the progress of the "Renovation" of
>the temples. He gave me copies of the booklets giving
>the maps for the pilgrims and told me that "help the
>bhagavathas to help serve Him. That itself is a great
>service to Him". I have brought some of copies of the
>booklet, which gives the details of the map, routes,
>along with an appeal for donating to the funds for the
>"Renovation of the Ahobilam temples. These are aimed
>at funding for performing Nithya Aradhana (currently
>only 3 shrines out of 9 are under Nithya Aradhana and
>all shrines Thirumanjanam on Swathi day is being done
>at to all the (nine) Nava Nrusimhar Kshethams in
>Ahobilam and Nithya Annadhana to all the devotees to
>Upper Ahobilam, which is being done at present
>A full video recording of the visit made by me, giving
>the scenic beauty of the hills, the tough trekking
>route, the perennial water falls, the location and
>condition of the shrines, the stages of construction
>of the Mandapams, the architecture of Prahlada
>Charitam in the pillars of Prahlada Varadhar temples,
>the sculpture showing the induction of the first jeer
>of the Ahobila Mutt by the Lord as a Sanyasin, etc are
>available with my wife, who will bring it along with
>her when she comes back to Kuwait by first week of
>October. 
>
>Bhagavathas at Kuwait are requested to donate
>liberally to the cause, which is part of the Decennial
>Celebrations of HH the 45th Jeer of Sri Ahobila Mutt.
>The donations can be by cash/cheque/DD in favor of
>"VIDHYADHANAM AND ANNADHANAM TRUST" in any bank
>payable at Chennai. The total cost is estimated around
>Rs. 50 Lakhs. This can be done by 500 persons who
>could contribute a minimum of Rs. 10,000/- either
>solely or collectively.
>
>The contributions can be sent to:
>
>Sriman R. SESHADRI  IYENGAR
>New No. 127, Old No. 96,
>St. Mary Road,
>Chennai. 600 018
>INDIA
>
>Adiyen will be much pleased to give the booklet and
>the appeal letter to all the Bhagavaths in Kuwait. The
>contributions from Kuwait can be sent to me so that I
>will be able to send them collectively to Sri
>SESHADRI. 
>
>My contacts are 
>
>R.RAGHUNATHAN
>Phone +965-433 5795 (R) 
>           473 1089 (O)
>
>The details of the people involved in the committee of
>the construction team (Sri Seshadri and Sri
>Lakshmanan) are given in the "Aadi" month issue of
>"Sri Nrusimha Priya" the monthly journal of Sri
>Ahobila Mutt.
>
>
>Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Parabrahmane Namaha.
>
>Dasan
>Rajagopalan Raghunathan
>Kuwait
>
>
>
>
>
>
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