Swamiji'S Miracle On Ugadi Day

Raj Bathija

Come Ugadi and Swamiji was to host another of his lovely poojas.

The meditation hall in the Bidadi ashram had been completed and the inaugural ceremony was to take place the same day. The first pooja was performed on the night before Ugadi around 11 p.m. With the onset of the pooja came torrential rain, lashing at the very site of the pooja - Muneeshwara's statue, now installed on a stone studded hillock, under the 600 year-old banyan tree. It is not difficult to imagine the purity, sanctity and the quiet calm that prevails even today 500 years later at the very spot under the ancient banyan tree.

It was here that some of my friends witnessed the miracle of nature. Swamiji went ahead with the pooja undaunted by the shower. With the end of the pooja ended the 'waterworks', leaving all of us in no doubt that the beginning and ending of the pooja and the beginning and ending of the torrential cascade was no mere coincidence - both nature and the cosmos had blessed this very occasion. I believe neither the pooja diyas nor the camphor dhoop had been affected by the onslaught, both burned gloriously. Even the soaking audience who witnessed the miracle remained in their places and took in the blessings of the higher spirits reverentially. Three o'clock in the night, and return in the morning around eight o'clock for the next pooja was nothing unusual with Swamiji! And a feast for the eyes it was - the noon ceremony on Ugadi day - April 2, 2003. The hot summer's noon sun beating mercilessly upon Bangalore had spared this spot completely. Only the cool shaded peace prevailed here - high on the Balming Energy.

The various abhisheks performed by Swamiji clad in silken orange attire were one of a kind. The robes of Sage Muneeshwara and the 7 foot high Nataraja in the meditation hall matched his own saffron robes, complete with the saffron turban.

Milk, curds, haldi-chandan mixture, even mixed fruit melange added to the glory of the various abhisheks. Unrivalled was the decorative beauty of the flowers, garlands, tikkas of vibhuti of both sage Muneeshwara and Lord Shiva, lovingly, creatively, reverentially performed by Swamiji.

These ceremonies accompanied by bhajans in the background and Swamiji's own recital mesmerised the devotees and transported us all to a space and time when the hustle and bustle of modern day civilization was left far behind. Only being with him (Swamiji) and the cosmos was the supreme reality.

The Havan-Homa in the meditation hall before the Nataraja was another befitting pooja, performed with reverence and correct decorum and very artistically yet another feast for the expectant eyes. Even the abundant smoke of the homa fire moved in the direction away from the onlooking devotees.

There was clear sign of plenty everywhere throughout the Ugadi day at the ashram. The hordes of people who had come from far and near left with a satisfied feeling that though in some parts of the world, war showed the ugly claws of imperialism and greed, here peace, faith, beauty and oneness with the cosmos prevailed.