How the Avatar was recognized🔗

His Divine Holiness was born in a small temple town called Tiruvannamalai in South India, where He spent His childhood.

He was recognized as the Avatar (incarnation), and raised by a group of spiritual leaders of the place, belonging to the Hindu ethnic minority group of Adi Shaiva.

His spiritual leadership potential was recognized by the gurus of the community. From the age of 3 years, the gurus (spiritual masters) of His community started training Him for His future spiritual responsibilities. His accession to the throne of several ancient religious monasteries of the community was pre-decided by the leaders.

(Both Images) His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda with 232nd Guru Maha Sannidhanam of Thondaimandala Aadheenam (232nd Pontiff Thondaimandala Temple-Monastery). Maha Sannidhanam is the Kula Guru (spiritual master of the lineage) of more than 5000 year old Saiva Vellalar ethnic community. Maha Sannidhanam is a father figure for Paramahamsa Nithyananda and has guided Him since He was 8 years old. He coronated His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda as His successor as the 293rd Pontiff (Guru Maha Sannidhanam) of the ancient Thondaimandalam Aadheenam (Monastery).

The method to test and recognize the incarnations are many in Hinduism. The rare qualities of an incarnation do not remain hidden for long. Yet, it is those with divine insights from ancient knowledge that ‘see’ and precisely identify them.

By means of their birth circumstances, by means of evolved and enlightened spiritual masters, by means of astrological divinations from Hindu Cosmology, by means of extraordinary occurrences, by means of body symbols, body language and characteristics, the Avatar is recognised.

His spiritual leadership potential was recognized by the leaders of the community. The spiritual leaders performed some tests to the young children to recognize the next spiritual leader.

As an infant, He was tested to choose amongst various objects. Amongst them were highly spiritual sacred items like rudraksha (rosary) bead, amongst various precious stone jewelry items. He was seen to pick only sacred items like rudraksha.

Recognized as The Incarnation from Childhood

His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda was born on January 1, 1978 in the pilgrim temple town of Tiruvannamalai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. It is the primeval divine land, where divinity exists in three primordial forms, eternally.

(Left) Sacred Arunachala Hill, (Right) Sri Arunachaleshwara - presiding deity of the Arunachaleshwara temple.

successors

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (December 30 1879 - April 14 1950) had declared Yogi Ramsurat Kumar (December 1, 1918 - February 20, 2001) as the successor Avatar, who’s happening Bhagwan had described as “A Saint with a fan.”

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (sitting) with his disciple Annamalai Swamigal. Annamalai Swamigal had given a technique to His Divine Holiness which upon practise for 2 years gave Him a spiritual experience of being able to see in 360-degree all directions with eyes closed.

(Left) Yogi Ramsurat Kumar, (also known as Visiri Swamigal which meant the saint with a fan). (Right) 1993, 2 June, His Divine Holiness seen behind enlightened master Yogi Ramsuratkumar (bearded Saint in the center). This was taken in Oya mutt in Thiruvoodal street (Tiruvannamalai) when He was 15 years old.

When Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi was asked who would come after Yogi Ramsurat Kumar, he assertively said, “A laughing young boy sitting under a banyan tree.”

(Left) His Divine Holiness at the age of eleven in Tiruvannamalai. (Right) His Divine Holiness at the age of sixteen near Skandashram in Tiruvannamalai.

His predecessor Incarnation identified Him as successor before leaving His body His Divine Holiness was also recognized by Sri Yogi Ramsurat Kumar (December 1, 1918 – February 20, 2001) as His successor.

Enlightened sages of Tiruvannamalai Mataji Vibhudananada Puri, Yogananda Puri, Isakki Swamigal, were the enlightened sages of Tiruvannamalai, who recognized His Divine Holiness as an Avatar and trained Him.

Referring to His Divine Holiness, His Yoga Guru, Yogananda Puri had said, “I know you are an Avatar purusha (incarnation) and I wanted to be the first person to do the pada puja (ceremonial worship) to you.”

Recognition by contemporary Avatar - His Holiness Satya Sai Baba

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba coronates Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda as ‘the Avatar’

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is revered and worshipped as an Avatar, the Divinity Incarnate by millions of people worldwide. 12th June 2004 - Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba officially recognized His Holiness Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda and formally coronated Him as The Avatar (incarnation) as per Sanatana Hindu Dharma. He personally sent and gifted three divine items to Paramahamsa Nithyananda. The President of the Shri Sathya Sai Trust, along with a group of devotees of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Babaji visited the Bengaluru Aadheenam, Nithyananda Peetham and reverentially performed homa (ceremonial fire ritual) and Paduka Puja (ceremonial worship), and made these divine offerings of Swarna Padukas (two sacred golden sandals) and Kirita (the divine golden crown).

By this ceremonious offering of divine items, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba formally officiated Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji as the Avatar, the direct physical manifestation of divine superconsciousness. In Sanatana Hindu Dharma (Hinduism), the formal offerings made by an enlightened spiritual being or an Incarnation to another, is very rare and holds not just the tradition significance of honoring the Divinity, but also holds the cosmic significance of declaring to the world the spiritual legacy and unbroken lineage of Avatars.

Following are the pictures taken as on 12th June 2004 for this divine occasion of coronation of the Avatar.

Left: The President of the Sri Sathya Sai Trust seen with Sathya Sai Baba, who visited and coronated His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda. Right: The President of the Sri Sathya Sai Trust and his wife, offer Paada Puja (the traditional worship of sacred feet of the Avatar) to Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda on the Swarna Padukas.

(Left) : Pattabhishekam, the formal coronation ceremony as ‘The Avatar’ through the sacred ritualistic bath offered onto Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji by the representatives of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba. (Right): Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji adorns the Kirita, the sacred crown as the gift offering from Sri Sathya Sai Baba.