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"SWATHI", being the 'Thiru Nakshatra' (star) of our beloved Sri Swamigal, draws our special attention to it. This Star is so auspicious that one can perform any ritual/function on the day that it occupies the calendar. Has it not then rightly been said that it is the Guru who rules the life of His devotee and not the 'grahas' (planets)?! And the 'Swathi' that falls on 28th October, 2000, is the 'Jayanthi'(Birth Anniversary) of our beloved Sri Swamigal!

From this issue a new page - THE SWATHI PAGE - opens up carrying the 'Uchhishtam' of Sri Swamigal in prose (sayings) and poetry (songs).

'Uchhishtam' of the Guru is His Words/Upadesas!

    Birth of the Star

    Uchhishtam

    The eight petal flower...(Sri Swamigal's Song)

    The Paduka

When 'Deepavali' (festival of lights) is celebrated by others in the world as 'Narakasura vadham' (destruction of the demon Narakasura) by Lord Krishna, We - the devotees of Sri Muralidhara Swamigal - celebrate the day as the birth of 'THE LIGHT'.

It was 'Pilava varuda'(year) on the Indian calendar, the Tamil month being 'Ippasi', 'Amavasai' (new moon) while the Star Swathi ruled (November 8th 1961) that a son was born to the pious Brahmin couple Sri Rajagopala Iyer and Smt.Savitri, in Manjakuppam, Cuddalore, in the erstwhile South Arcot district. It was the day of 'festival of lights' - Deepavali. There was merriment all around with bursting of crackers and lighting of lamps. The child born amidst 'light and sound' was named Muralidharan.

Cuddalore is situated between rivers Pennai(yar) and Garuda (nadhi). Of the 63 'Nayanmars'(devotees of Lord Siva) Sundarar, Sambandar, Tirunavukkarasar (popularly known as Appar) and Manicakvasagar are the four central Nayanmars. It was here that Lord Siva blessed Appar with His darshan. The small railway station of this town carries the name 'Thiruppadhiripuliyur', the actual name of this Kshetra. The deity of this holy place is called Paadaleeswarar and His consort Periyanayaki. Hardly 3kms. distance from this kshetra is the Vaishnava kshetra of Tiruvaheendrapuram. (see Sri Swamigal speaks)

Born as the fourth and the youngest child, Muralidharan lost his pious mother at the young age of six. It then fell on his married sister, Vijayalakshmi, to lend support to her father in bringing up this extraordinary child. The father recalls how it was only after his wife, Smt.Savitri's, demise that he stumbled upon sheets and sheets of 'Rama Nama' (the name of the Lord Rama) in a big trunk. Until then even he (a reporter in the erstwhile daily 'The Mail'!) had no knowledge that his wife was doing the 'japa' of 'Rama Nama'! It is then no wonder that the One born to show the POWER OF NAAMA should have been mothered by such a pious lady. As if aware of the impending death the mother - on her last day on this earth - woke up little Muralidharan early and initiated him into a sloka.

Unlike other children of His age Muralidharan was playing with pictures of Sri Srinivasa Perumal. Yes, this child was attracted to Srinivasa Perumal and always spent his time doing abhisheka and the like to a picture of Srinivasa Perumal. There was a small Ganesha temple near his father's house in Cuddalore, which he frequented. Along with his eldest brother he attended bhajans and discourses. Sri Rajagopala Iyer, the pious person that he was always brought home for meals any Sadhu that he came across. On seeing these Sadhus the child Muralidharan deeply desired to become one like them! And the 'ochre robe' was a great attraction to the virtuous child.

The little boy and his friends conducted 'Radha Kalyanam' sharing the expense amongst themselves. On weekends they conducted Bhajans at home and the little boy even ran a 'hand written' magazine! Since his sister learnt music at home the child Muralidharan developed interest in music and he even composed songs!

As a child and later as a youth, Muralidharan regularly visited the temples of Paadaleeshwarar in Tiruppadhiripuliyur, the Hanumar temple on the banks of the river Gatila and the Devanatha Swamy temple in Tiruvaheendrapuram. He also quite often visited Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry that is about 22 kms from Cuddalore. He spent his school vacations in his paternal aunt's house in Tirumalangudi village, near Kumbakonam.

During one such visit, when he was around ten years of age, the young Muralidharan accompanied some relatives to the nearby Govindapuram. Herein lies the 'Adhishtaanam' (samadhi) of Sri Bodendral, the disciple of Atma Bodendra Swamigal (one of the pontiffs of the famous Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham). Sri Bodendra Swamigal performed 'Nama prachara' (propaganda of the power of the Name of the Lord) and was Himself forever chanting the Name of Lord Rama. The little scenic village captivated the heart of the devout child Muralidharan. He spent some time chanting 'Rama Nama' and it was with a heavy heart that he left the blissful place. Later, however, whenever he went to his aunt's village he rushed to Govindapuram.

Many years later, in 1989-90 when Sri Swamigal visited Govindapuram to spend time in solitude and chant 'Rama Nama', a Bhagavathar requested Him to discourse on Sri Bodendral. In Sri Swamigal's own words, "I was very hesitant and frightened to speak in 'Acharyal's Adhishtaanam'. However, it then struck me that a child can speak freely in its mother's presence and any slipup would not matter. With this thought in my mind I gathered courage and spoke a few words on Sri Bodendra Swamigal. The people who had gathered were so pleased that they compelled me to discourse on 'Bhagavatham' from that very evening! And I discoursed on Bhagavatham. This is how I began conducting Upanyasas!" Even to this day this Kshetra has a special place in Sri Swamigal's heart. And so does Vadavambalam wherein lies the 'Adhishtaanam' of Sri Atma Bodendral, the Guru of Sri Bodendral.

Amidst these spiritual fervor the young Muralidharan completed his graduation in Mathematics. He then moved over to Chennai to undergo C.A. articleship. A Chartered Accountant He was not to be, showing the way to balance the income and expenditure accounts but instead 'THE GURU' that He IS, holds the 'torch of Nama' to help us transfer all our debits to credit column!

UNTO THIS GURU WE PROSTRATE ..

Who draws us, ever unto Himself and pours forth love!
Who acts ceaselessly - day in and day out - for the worldly and the spiritual welfare of those who have sought refuge in Him!
Whose love changes not even when those who belong to Him sin!
Whose grace has no parallel and can never ever be returned even if served for 'janmas' fourteen!
AND
Thinking of whose grace, we cannot but weep in solitude!

'Uchhishtam' of the Guru is His Words/Upadesas!

Sri Swamigal -

"A 'Bhaktha' (devotee) is one who is ever thinking of His Guru/God. His priority is 'satsang'* and attends to other compelling matters on days when there is no 'satsang'. A 'samsari' (the worldly) is one who has no time for 'Satsang' and his priority is only his family, friends and relatives."

*SATSANG - The Guru is the 'Sat' (essence) and He the only 'Sang' (company). So, Guru's company is 'The Satsang'.

AND FRIENDS! THE MOMENT WE CLICK ON TO THIS 'SITE' WE HAVE ENTERED "THE SATSANG"

SALUTATIONS UNTO THOSE HOLY PADUKAS OF MY BELOVED GURU!

Jagajjanisthe ma-layalayabhyam
    Aganya punyodaya bhavitabhyam
Thrayee shirojatha niveditabhyam
    Namo Namah Sri Guru padukabhyam!   (1)

(Guru paduka Panchakam)

(Salutations unto those holy padukas of my Guru
Which are responsible for the birth, sustenance
    and destruction of the whole universe
Which can be attained only by the accumulation of
    countless meritorious deeds
Which are comprehended only by the Upanishads,
    the acme of the Vedas!)

The Guru paduka Panchakam (the five verses on Guru's paduka) poured forth from Bhagavathpada as soon as He beheld the Holy padukas of His Guru, Sri Govinda Bhagavathpada, outside the ashram on the banks of the river Narmada, when He went to have Darshan of His Guru.

Adi Sankara Bhagavathpada, in His Brahmasutra Bashyam says,

"One can attain Jnana through the three acts of

• Proclaiming the greatness of the Guru through all possible means
• Saluting the Guru's Paduka and performing puja to IT and
• thirdly annadhanam."

The Guru is no different from God and The Guru's paduka is no different from the Lotus Feet that IT adorns! And is as powerful as the Guru Himself ! Everyone is aware that the Paduka of Sri Ramachandra ruled the Kingdom of Ayodya for fourteen long years and during this period total peace prevailed in the Kingdom.

Every Mahatma right from Adi Sankara Bhagavathpada has sung the greatness of the Guru's Paduka.

Vipatthamasthoma - vikartanabhyam
    Sisishta sampatti vivardhanabhyam
Namajjanasesha visesha dabhyam
    Namo Namah Sri Guru padukabhyam !    (2)

(Salutations unto those holy padukas of my Guru
Which, like the Sun eradicates dense darkness of
    the cluster of our calamities
Which, helps attain all the great wealth
    of the world
Which bestows upon all those who prostrate
    all the 'purusharthas' in its entirety!)

Samasta - dustarka - Kalanka - Panka -
    Panodana - prouda - jalashayabhyam
Nirasrayabhyam nikilasrayabhyam
    Namo Namah Sri Guru padukabhyam !   (3)

(Salutations unto those holy padukas of my Guru
Which are like a reservoir of water in cleansing
    the mire of flaws brought forth by false reasoning
Which are sought after by the whole world as a refuge
     though they themselves are not dependant
    on any external support!)

Tapatrayaditya - karartitnam
    Chayamayeebhyam atisheetalabhyam
Aapanna samrakshana dikshitabhyam
    Namo Namah Sri Guru padukabhyam!   (4)

(Salutations unto those holy padukas of my Guru
The soothing and cool shelter for the souls scorched by the
    burning rays of the sun of 'adhyatmika, aadhidaivika and
    aadhibhoutika' - the three kinds of miseries that the human
    beings have to face in the world and
Whose sole aim is to protect all those who have
    taken refuge in them!)

Yatho giro (a) prapya dhiya samastha
     Hriya nivruthah samameva nithyah
Thabhyamajeshachyuta - bhavithabhyam
    Namo Namah Sri Guru padukabhyam!   (5)

(Salutations unto those holy padukas of my Guru
Whose glory even the entire Vedas along with its intellect
    and reasoning was unable to describe
    hence withdrew itself in shame
Which are looked upon with reverence by
    Brahma, Siva, Vishnu themselves!)

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