'BHAGAWÃN's AKSHARAMANAMÃLAI' (2) R.R. Sabha, Chennai 16th October -- 21st Ocotber, 1995 & 24-25th October, 1995 Sri Swamiji has been rendering ‘Upanyãs’ (discourses), in Tamizh. This is being brought to you here. There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãs’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamiji.

“ It is absolutely necessary for every man to take refuge in a Guru. Who could that Guru be? How do we identify the Guru? “

- Sri Swamiji

Sri Swamiji,

“ The greatness of the lineage of Sri Seshãdri Swãmi can be seen from its name - 'Kãmakoti Vamsa' (the lineage of 'Kãmakoti'). Ãdi Sankara established the 'Sri Vidya Pooja' at Kãncheepuram; thereafter, he shifted thirty families living on the banks of the Narmada to Kancheepuram (to preserve the worship). Sri Seshãdri Swãmi hails from one such family.

Let us take a look at the birth of Sri Seshãdri Swãmi. His grandfather was Sri Kãmakoti Shãstrigal. Sri Kãmakoti Shãstrigal gave his daughter in marriage to a student who was studying the Vedas from him. The couple was childless for many years.

Sri Kãmakoti Shãstrigal himself was a great Mahãtma who took up 'sanyãsa' in later years and lived in Sri Varadarãja Perumãl temple. He prayed to Sri Kãmakshi for the sake of his daughter. Sri Kãmãkshi commanded him through a dream - "Feed your daughter with some butter and she will beget a child".
Kãmakoti Shãstrigal, as instructed by Sri Kãmãkshi, offered butter to his daughter and she gave birth to a wonderful child. And that child was none other than Sri Seshãdri Swãmi.

The child was as beautiful as the form of Sri Krishna. Even as a child he would sit alone in dhyãna. His hand would hold the 'chin mudra'. He would be seated in 'Padmãsana' (a kind of yogic posture). He used to accompany his grandfather who visited many villages to perform 'upanyãs' (discourse) on the Holy Texts such as the Ramayana and the Bhãgavata. Even on hearing it just once, Seshãdri used to repeat the entire discourse to others. 'Mooka Pancha Shathi' is a 'stotram' on (hymn in praise of) Sri Kãmãkshi. It consists of 500 slokãs filled with Bhakti and Vedãnta 'rasa'. The child knew it by heart. Visiting the Kãmãkshi Temple, he would do hundreds of 'pradakshina' (circumambulation) even while chanting the 'stotram' with tear filled eyes. Even before completing 13 years he would always sit in solitude and do japa and meditation.

During this period when Seshãdri was intensely dispassionate, a Swami by name Bãlãji Swami from Kãsi Kshetra visited the banks of 'sarva teertha' (confluence of the seven sacred rivers - Kancheepuram). This child began to serve him. The child, standing in the pond in Ekãmareswara temple, would chant various kinds of 'mantras'; he would visit Kãmãkshi temple and do 'pradakshinãs' and repeatedly fall down in prostration; he would also visit Sri Varadarãja Perumãl temple and have the Lord's darshan.

Once, his mother took him to the 'utsav' (festival) at Sri Varadarãja Perumãl temple. A man had a sack full of beautiful dolls of Sri Krishna and was selling them. Seeing the dolls, the child developed a desire to have one and asked the mother, "Amma! Would you please buy just one Krishna doll for me?" His mother said, "Child! I haven't got any money with me now. We will buy tomorrow". However, the seller, mesmerized by the divine beauty of the child, said, "Oh! Child! With your own little hand, pick up a Krishna doll."

The child, too, picked up a Krishna doll. He began to perform daily puja to it. (This Krishna doll is still found with the people who have come down in his family lineage).

The next day the mother took the child to the 'utsav'. The seller of Krishna dolls fell at the feet of the child. "Oh! Mother! This child is no ordinary child! I have, till date, visited many 'utsavs' for selling dolls. I would hardly manage to sell ten dolls. But, yesterday all the dolls were sold out! This child does not appear to be an ordinary child." Saying so, the seller of dolls took hold of the child's hand and said, "Golden hand ('thangakkai') Seshãdri!" "

GOPIKA JEEVANASMARANAM!
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!”

NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

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