Saint Sri Avadhuta Brahmananda Maharaj

Swami Brahmananda Sri Shiva Prabhakara Siddha Yogi Paramahamsa is a greatest avadhuta, a disciple of Sri Pambatti, who was a master of the Siddha tradition.

Officially, Brahmananda was a sannyasin of a very well known Advaita Vedanta school, the Shaiva Kaula Siddhanta. This is an ancient monistic yoga school established by Maharishi Nandinatha of Kashmir, the teacher of Maharishi Patanjali and Vasishtha Muni.

Shiva Prabhakara became Master of the Avadhut laiyakshana tradition through prolonged solitary practice under the supervision of his guru, Sri Pambatti. He demonstrated a large number or miracles, thus having proved the greatness of this tradition. Swami said that he had been a Root Master, a holder of the secret Avadhut Laiyakshana tradition, for six hundred years.

Brahmananda rarely interacted with people. He lead the life of "God's fool”. He was a radical, otherworldly master of "mad wisdom", indifferent to the opinions of others about him. And, like all sadhus, he did not adjust himself to anyone.

He was not too fond of talking about himself and his life, believing that it was not useful for sadhana and only distracted from self-exploration. It was impossible to convince him otherwise.

Swamiji is very well known in the Indian state of Kerala, where he has many devotees and witnesses of his miracles. He lived under different names without aging for many years in many places, both in the North and South India.

A master of the secret technique Parakaya Praveshana, he many times “moved” into the bodies of other people.

Tamil pilgrims give evidence of Swami Brahmananda's siddha miracles.

Some saw him fly, others bore witness to him become invisible.

He repeatedly demonstrated such abilities as floating in the air in the Padmasana, bathing in boiling water, communicating with poisonous snakes, animating inanimate objects, turning metal into gold, reading the thoughts of others, and predicting the future.

He worked many unexplained and mysterious miracles. The greatest miracle of all was his dissolution into the Light right in front of those who were present on the astrological day of his birth. Coverages of this were published in the “Mathrubhumi” and “Malayala Manorama” newspapers.

Swamiji realized his Mahasamadhi in 1986 in Omallur, Kerala, India. After that, Siddha Brahmananda has come to his chosen disciples many times to impart the secret knowledge to them, thereby showing that he has transcended the laws of Space, Time, and Death.

Some sources claim that Swami is an incarnation of the great saint Pulinayak Swamyar. Other sources say that Swami is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Still other sources say that he was an incarnation of the Sun God’s son, Red Karna. But whoever he used to embody, he was an incarnation of the Absolute, of Dattatreya himself.

 

Pulinayak Swamyar - the chief counselor of God Ayappa

 

According to ancient sources, Swami Brahmananda was a reincarnation of the great saint Pulinayak Swamyar, who had been chief counselor of god Ayyappa.

 

 

The name of God Ayyappa comes from the Sanskrit words "Aryan" - "worthy of respect", and "Appa", father. According to ancient Indian Puranas, God Ayyappa was born from the mergence of Shiva and Vishnu. He inherited from Shiva the true Siddha Jnani awareness and the power of eternal justice. From Mohini (a Vishnu’s admirable form), He derived the qualities of sensitivity, devotion, and love. The Puranas include a story of the churning of the Milky Ocean. This story says that demons (Asuras) defeated gods (Devas) and took possession of the divine nectar of immortality, Amrita. To save the gods and get back the nectar, Vishnu assumed the form of a beautiful woman, Mohini. The Asuras could not resist Her charms and on their own free will gave back the Amrita to the gods.

Ayyappa first appeared many centuries ago on the Nilgiri Mountain in Kerala, seated on His vahana (a Bengali tiger). He became the moving force for the development of the great branch of practical philosophy.

God Ayyappa is a master of transformation and transfiguration of destructive demonic forces. His magnificence was glorified and immortalized by the sage Agastya, who said: "Immortal, limitless, omnipresent Tarakabrahma!”

Just as Svamyar visited the palace of God Ayyappa, God Ayyappa often appeared on the Tiger Hill at Svamyar's place.

When God Ayyappa decided to return to his heavenly abode, Pulinayak Svamyar accompanied him to Kailas. The shastras, however, say that anybody born on earth must die also on earth. Thus Svamyar was born again – as Prabhakara Siddha Yogi. This happened in 1263, in the family of an ancient royal lineage with a rich tradition. The great Parashurama is considered to be the founder of this lineage.

 

The divine glory of Swami Brahmananda's family line

 

In the tales of Kerala, Parashurama is mentioned, who was the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. By throwing his axe, he indicated the boundaries of a land which was called Kerala. This land stretches from Gokarnam to Kanyakumari. Parashurama blessed and praised the sixty-four sages - brahmanas of the Namputhiri lineage with their families, and gave them authority over the land of Kerala.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the Advaita Vedanta philosophy establisher, is known as a descendant of this respected Namputhiri brahmanic family.

Then these brahmanas divided into two lines – the Akavurmana and Azvancherry clans.

The Akavurmana family line, to which the great Maharishi Vararuji belonged, observed the solar dynasty traditions (Surya-vamsha). The Azvancherry line, who also called themselves “Samuthiri clan”, followed the fire dynasty traditions (Agnihotra Vamsha).

Maharishi Vararuji had twelve children:

Melathol Agnihotri, Rajagan, Perunthachan, Tiruvalluvar, Vaduthalainayar, Karaykal Ammayar, Uppanchan, Paakanar, Narayanathu Pranthan, Akavur Saathan (Unnikkonar), Raakanar, and Vaila Kannilappan.

Brahmananda's father and mother were in the different clans (father belonged to the Akavurmana, mother to – the Azvancherry lineage), so Brahmananda is considered a descendant of these both ancient clans.

The Akavurman clan was a noble family whose members were selected rulers of those lands. This family belonged to the Brahman varna. They were engaged in religion and ritual ceremonies, and always possessed mystical powers.

Akavurmana was a kingdom with a huge amount of land and more than nine hundred large villages. Two thousand years ago, Akavurmana was located in Kodungallur.

One of the Akavurman family’s palaces was something mystical. Located in Sangarapazzi, it was known as Shodashanam, because it had sixteen (“shodasha”) floors, while all other palaces had six or eight floors. The Shodashanam was so enormous that it accommodated not only a large number of people, but also fifty-five elephants, who lived in it. All the people who lived in this palace were called "Raja-gurus". They were revered as rulers, and the folks sought their advice, help, and protection. Brahmananda was given the Maharaja status at his birth, because his father was the ruler of Akavurman.

Incarnation of Swami Brahmananda

Brahmananda was born in Akavurmana, in the village of Chovvara of Alvaya, on March 31, 1263, during the Malayalam month of Minam. His birth star was Pururuttati. Brahmananda was incarnated by God Ayyappa and Pulinayak Swamyar, who both descended from the Mount Kailas.

His father, Iravi Narayana Namputhiri, belonged to the Akavurman lineage. His mother, Srimati Govri Antarjnanam, belonged to the famous aristocratic Azvancherry family of Malabar. Of their twelve children, Brahmananda was born the tenth.

On that day, fifty-five elephants came to the palace to pay their respects to the great siddha.

 

Sri Pambatti Siddhar

 

Shiva himself, in search of Brahmananda, took the form of Sri Pambatti to instruct Brahmananda and become his guru. Sri Pambatti Siddhar, the snake charmer, is one of the famous eighteen Tamil siddhas who attained the eight supernatural powers – Ashta siddhi. He was also popularly called Mauni Baba, Goswami, Guru Baba, and Ayappa.

When Brahmananda was three and a half years old, Sri Pambatti, a sadhu of the Kozai Vamsam family (descendants of the Marudamalai dynasty in Tamil Nadu), came to their palace. He frequented the palace and, after some time, settled near it. The sadhu lived like a beggar, traveling around and eating from handouts. Sometimes he would disappear for a few days, to come back and perform various miracles, surprising everybody with his mystical powers.

After eighteen months, the sadhu offered to give him a Namputhiri family’s child for schooling. Such an offer confused the parents. However, they realized that it was a happy occasion for teaching one of their children secret sciences. The parents were anxious that they would have to part with one of their children, and could not choose a child for the sadhu. They suggested that Pambatti chose himself. The sadhu then gathered all the children and asked them:

"Who is willing to follow me on my long journey?"

The royal children were high-fed and used to enjoying honors and wealth. Though they understood the greatness and power of the sadhu, they could not go with a beggar, which meant deprival of all the benefits they had received as king’s children. Brahmananda was the only one who replied:

“I agree to go with you, great sadhu. I will do as you command.”

At that moment, Brahmananda was five years old.

He made up his own mind to follow the guru, serve him faithfully, and take nothing in return.

Guru and disciple. Wanderings

Sri Pambatti and Brahmananda left the palace and proceeded to the palace of Panthalam, where the child received a blessing from the ruler.

The guru and disciple wandered for a long time, living on handouts.

Step by step, the guru initiated Brahmananda into various practices. He taught him the art of pranayama, hatha- and laya-yoga, initiated Brahmananda into the ancient secret knowledge of Ashta Siddhi. He also transmitted to Brahmananda the secret art of entering various bodies (called Parakaya Praveshana in Tamil). In the ancient times, this practice was also named "Kuduvittu Kudupaithal" (from “kudu” – “shell”, which was compared to the body). In Tibetan, it is known as "Trong Jug". The acarya also taught his disciple the secret methods of Thiraskarani – the art of dissolving oneself into the sunlight by transforming the body into a perfect, indestructible, imperishable one, that casts no shadow and is able to show up anywhere in the Universe.

They headed north to Margam Kagana through Nepal, and came to the Himalayas. On the slopes of the mountains, Pambatti shared with his disciple very hard practices. Exercising strict discipline, Brahmananda performed them for many years. The guru made his disciple promise to stick to his instructions: to practice solitary sadhana in the woods or mountains for at least seven years; to remain silent; not to talk with anyone about his past or his practice, hiding himself from people like a deer and living on alms only; to meditate without socializing until the enlightenment was reached, and, when reached, to pass his mastery to many people from many countries.

Brahmananda spent seven years in solitude, remaining silent, in the mountains of Kailas, Manas, and others. Each night, he had visions of the Guru, who instructed and encouraged him on his spiritual path. He wholly imitated his Acharya. He performed sophisticated sadhanas, traveling from one place to another without communicating with anyone, totally ignoring any requests from the public and any secondary things unrelated to sadhana. Only occasionally, he would go down from the mountains for food, but he did not socialize or preach.

Then he spent another twenty years wandering – exactly like his guru did, allowing no one to approach him. Yet, there were rare occasions when, for inexplicable reasons, he would pay attention to someone. However, he communicated using secret symbols only, drawing them in the sand with a stick. For this, he was nicknamed Achintya Baba - the Inscrutable Baba. Teached by Sri Pambatti for a long time, Brahmananda became a master of Ashta Siddhi, an Inscrutable Siddha, a saint.

Pambatti Siddhar's Samadhi

Pambatti Siddhar and Brahmananda kept spiritual relationships as guru and disciple (Shishya). Once Pambhatti transformed himself into Golden Light, entered Brahmananda's body and dissolved himself into Brahmananda. Thus the two bodies became one. Then Pambhatti made it back, thereby demonstrating the great potential of human abilities and a high level of his personal spiritual realization.

Then Brahmananda and Pambatti went to Dwaraka. There they lived for some time. In that period, Brahmananda honed his sadhana skill. After that they visited Athirimalai and met Athiri Maharishi there. Following that, they went to Shankarankovil and there, on Punnayvanam Hill, they erected Gomatha Amma’s divine statue.

They wandered like this for a long time.

One day, after eighteen years of wandering, Sri Pambatti (Mauni Baba) said to his disciple, “I am going to Kailas, and you must stay and pass the knowledge to the people.” Then he promised Brahmananda to fulfill any of his wish. But there was no reply, because Prabhakara wanted nothing from his Guru. He had no desires left. His mind was empty, his heart – crystal-clear with infinite devotion to his guru. At that moment, owing to Brahmananda’s greatest devotion, the consciousness of Shiva, manifested through the body of Mauni Baba, merged with Brahmananda’s consciousness, like flowing oil merges with the oil in a pot being filled.

Thus Brahmananda received the Supreme Knowledge.

Mauni Baba gave his disciple a Shaktipatha by touching the top of his head with his hand, thereby initiating him into the essence of all non-dual teachings and into divine abilities. Thereupon, Mauni Baba dissolved his physical body into the Light, thus having accomplished Swarupa Samadhi, and became everliving. Subsequently, his disciple Brahmananda also realized the Samadhi at this place, praising the infinite greatness and glory of his Guru.

Oachira Parabrahma Hill

Brahmananda, perfecting his practice day and night, moved on to the next stage, having become Swami. One day Swami came to the Akavurman palace and took on Saathan as his disciple. Saathan was a cousin of the poet Tiruvalluvar and a relative of Swami. He was born from a member of the Akavur clan and a girl of low caste. The Akavur clan, therefore, did not recognize Saathan as their member and regarded him as a member of the low caste. His family of twelve children served in the palace of Thirumenih Akavur. Saathan himself was a simple gardener.

Swami and Saathan went together to the Oachira hill to perform a worship (Puja). During their journey, Saathan asked Swami if he had ever performed any practices with reciting a secret Japa. Swami laughed and said that he had recited as a secret mantra the word "Maadapottu", which meant "buffalo". Saathan took the Guru's reply seriously and began to recite this "mantra" while performing his Japa. Once, when he was repeating this word, Parabrahman suddenly appeared to Saathan in the form of a buffalo. Thus Saathan was blessed by the vision of Parabrahman – through the mystical power of Brahmananda, his Guru.

 

Oachira Parabrahma Hill

 

On Oachira Hill, they both perfected themselves for a long time, performing extreme austerities. They transformed their bodies into divine ones by immersing them into the Samadhi. Swami attained the Samadhi on the eastern slope of the hill, Saathan – on the western one. Two wonderful, huge banyan trees grew later right there.

The Oachira hill grew more and more popular due to Brahmananda's fame. It became known as Oachira Parabrahma, or Oachira Jyoti (Light-bearing) Hill. Numerous devotees worship this place and perform rituals every twelfth day at twelve o'clock. In this story, Brahmananda passed his knowledge to a disciple from a low caste. By this, he showed that the caste-based division needs not be something predetermined and fixed. With Brahmananda's blessing and guidance, his disciple attained the Samadhi and the divine body.

Tiger Hill in Omallur. Mahasamadhi

Over three hundred years, Brahmananda wrote many texts and provided much valuable information about the ancient methods of Shiva Yoga. Being able of body-to-body consciousness transfer, Swami constantly changed bodies, using the bodies of people from various castes. In such a way, Swami lived 723 years, having changed about fifteen bodies and having dissolved them one by one into the Light.

 

Brahmananda entered his fifteenth body in Tuticorin and dissolved it in the Light at his Prabhakara Siddhashram in Omallur, on the Tiger Hill (Pathanamtitta, Kerala), where he lived for over thirty years in the Manasaputran hut. "Tiger Hill" in the Malayalam language sounds like "Pulippara Mala.”

In the Tamil month of Panguni of the star Pururuttati, on April 6, 1986, his astrological 723rd birthday, Bhagavan realized the Mahasamadhi in front of many devotees. Ancient scriptures say that no one can attain Samadhi in his month of birth. Brahmananda surpassed those limitations as well, thereby having shown his infinite power.

At that time, he was sitting in his room in the Padmasana, doing a pranayama. Then he said to Janardan, "I am leaving," and gave him the below mantra. Brahmananda bequeathed that the following mantra be repeated by people:

OM NAMO NAMAH SHIVAAYA OM SHIVA PRABHAKARAYA

OM NAMO NAMAH SHIVAAYA OM SHIVA PRABHAKARAYA

OM NAMO NAMAH SHIVAAYA OM SHIVA PRABHAKARAYA

OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTIHI

 

Manasaputran hut on Tiger Hill

 

Then there was a loud sound above his head, followed by a strong vibration, and the Light came out of his body through the top of his head. Swami had let people know about this moment beforehand – as early as two years before the Mahasamadhi.

Brahmananda's supreme realization manifested itself in actualizing of an all-pervading Body of Wisdom (Jnana Deha), a Body of Pure Elements (Pranava Dekha), and multiple Siddha Dehas, i.e. fully realized bodies, manifested at different times in different places.

He realized one of such bodies in Omallur. Following the Mahasamadhi, that body shrank to sixty centimeters. It does not decay and releases very strong vibrations, purifying consciousness of all those both near the temple and far from it. Even today, decades later, his body is still fragrant.

Swami Brahmananda used to say, “Samadhi is not death. It’s just a day when I will be gone.”

On that day, Swami personally cooked food, distributed it among his devotees, and immersed himself in the Samadhi of Light. The witnesses described various incredible phenomena that occurred before their eyes at that moment. They saw a hurricane suddenly appear. They also saw lightnings and clouds cover the whole sky, and then a blackout happened. Incredibly strong winds were blowing everything away, and lightnings were flashing everywhere. All this was happening in an extraordinary silence - neither people nor animals made a sound.

Swamiji promised to incarnate in three more bodies. He said that perhaps in his next birth, he would become a yogini.

He bequeathed the Tiger Hill as a sacred place to all devotees of all faiths. In this holy place, all have equal rights. Anyone can worship and pay respect to this place by offering gifts and performing a Puja. It is believed that if one visits this place at least once, one will never forget it and will receive endless blessings. Every month, Brahmananda’s devotees distribute food on Tiger Hill.

 

Tiger Hill, Omallur

 

Omallur is a center of pilgrimage for many spiritual seekers and followers of all religions and creeds of all castes. The Tiger Hill, a sacred place in Omallur, is blessed with the feet of many greatest saints. Here, Swami communicated with Ramana Maharishi and gave blessings to the singer Srikumar. Mahatma Gandhi visited here. God Ayyappa used to come to this place for the instructions of the holy Rishi Pulinayak Swamyar, who lived on Tiger Hill in Pulippara.

 

The Rakthakandeshvaram temple is located here. The Mahasamadhi of Swami Brahmananda Sri Shiva Prabhakara Siddha Yogi Paramahamsa also happened here.

 

Swami Brahmananda’s Museum

 

On March 16, 2015, Swami Brahmananda’s Museum was opened in Omallur at the initiative of Swami Vishnudevananda Giri's disciples.

 

 Swami Brahmananda's disciples and followers

 

Swami Brahmananda had many admirers and followers, but very few true disciples. To those who were really devoted to him and had a high spirituality level, he revealed the Greatest Knowledge.

 

In the twentieth century, two of Swami Brahmananda's disciples received from him the secret teachings: Svami Brahmashri Siddharajan and Svami Vishnu Dev. Brahmananda also called the second disciple as Swami Vishnu Devananda. In his notes, Brahmananda remarks that he has special hopes for future for a disciple named Swami Vishnu Dev, who will live far to the north. At one time, laughing, he called Vishnu Dev as “Maharaj”, apparently prophesying that his disciple would have many followers.

 

Swami Brahmashri Siddharajan

 

Swami gave his disciples the blessing of continuing the tradition of Laiyakshana Avadhutas, having initiated them into the secret methods of the ancient sages.

 

Almost all spiritual masters known from the twelfth century were his disciples. But he never admitted it. He did not seek any publicity, as he himself was beyond any relationship with this world.

For six hundred years Brahmananda led a hidden life, and not many knew about him. Swami Vivekananda wrote in his memoirs that he had received a blessing from Avadhuta Brahmananda under a banyan tree while he was performing rigorous tapas (ascesis).

His disciples and followers include very famous ones: Sri Adi Shankaracharya, Ramana Maharishi, Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Chattampi Swami, Sri Narayana Guru, Mahatma Gandhi, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, Swami Vishnudevananda Giri, Sri Ravi Shankar, Guru Nityananda Swami of Kanyagadu, Brahmarishi Nilakanta Gurupadar, Swami Brahmashree Siddharajan, Satguru Remadevi Amma, Nathakujiyil Janardan Nair, actor Mohanlal of Malayalam Films and his uncle Gopipillai Mohanlal; Singer Srikumar; Prime Minister of Southern Kerala S. P. Ramaswamy Aiyar; Senior Kerala governor (in 1977-1982) Jyoti Venkatachalam, who was honored to know Yogiji since her childhood, and whose last days were foretold by Brahmananda. The followers also included many people from Oachira, Vallikavu, Santhapan, etc. All of them received blessings and awakening powers from Swami Brahmananda.

Mahayogi lived among common people as a stranger, helping them in critical situations. Extermination of poverty and disease was his goal in his travels around India. His blessings enabled the poor to live more dignified lives. Without any special evidence, he taught them to be mindful of God. Everywhere people showed him love and reverence. His way of life was very simple.

He imparted knowledge to every one according to one’s karma. He taught some people by drawing signs in the sand. Others received from him a Shaktipath when he touched them, thus bringing them into a Samadhi. Some disciples saw him in their dreams, where he, being in his illusory body, would give them instructions.

Swamiji often quoted shlokas from Vasishtha's talks with Rama, and often told his devotees:

«Study «Jnan Vasishtha» - there you will find answers to all of your questions».

The path described in Yoga Vasishtha is for spiritually advanced seekers, those who have almost reached the state of Awakening. The study of this magnificent work will undoubtedly help one attain the Higher Knowledge and self-revelation.

Memories of Swami Brahmananda

Sri Devi Amma

This is a story told by Sri Devi Amma on 3/17/15 in her home while talking with Swami Vishnudevananda Giri and his disciples.

 

 

Sri Devi Amma is the founder and owner of an Ayurvedic clinic in Kerala that is located close to the town of Pathanamthitta.

She recounted the following.

When she was 10 years old, Brahmananda would come to her father's house. He would take her on his lap and play with her. One day he predicted her future: he said she would set up an Ayurvedic clinic and become successful. Then he asked her to found a meditation school in the future, as he expressed, "for him.” He said that she would create this school in her old age, and that he would visit her at that time.

At the time of the story, as she mentioned, the foundation for this school had already been laid, but nothing had yet been built.

She also told that Swami Brahmananda was a great Master of Ayurveda. Brahmananda passed his Ayurvedic knowledge to her father, and her father passed it on to her. And she now develops it by applying it in her clinic.

She also said that half an hour before his Mahasamadhi, Guru Brahmananda was still driving along, and exactly at that time they received a postcard from him where he informed them on his departure. They had that postcard for some time, then it got lost somewhere and now they're looking for it, for then they didn't pay much attention to it.

Mataji said that all Brahmananda’s predictions had come true. She also said that she had always felt his presence and support in whatever she did, and that Guru Brahmananda's blessings were always in her heart.

He would usually come with three helpers, and she would prepare topinambur for all the four of them. She said it was his favorite vegetable.

She also told how he would go to the Pamba River not far from their house, meditate there, and then lie down on his stomach on a banana leaf and cross the river on that leaf without using his arms or legs. She saw it herself. According to Swami (Vishnudevananda Giri), Brahmananda was a master of the Plavini Mudra and other water-related Siddhis. He could perform underwater Samadhi for many hours at a time.

She said that in life he acted like an ordinary man and people were not really aware of his greatness. They worshiped him like an ordinary Swami. They recognized his greatness only following his Mahasamadhi, when so many miracles manifested.

Astrologer’s story

The following story is of Ji Chendra, an astrologer very famous in Kerala, an economic scientist, and a mystic.

This story was written down on 3/17/2015 in the course of Ji Chendra’s conversation with Swami Vishnudevananda Giri on the veranda of Chendra’s home in Changanassery.

 

 

Once, at the age of 23, he was traveling on a train through India. Swami Brahmananda was traveling on the same train. At some point, Chendra saw Swami Brahmananda going into one toilet and coming out of another, with the door of the first toilet still closed. When the ticket inspector came to check the tickets, he did not see Swami, though Ji Chendra himself could freely see him and talk to him.

At that same time, while they were talking, Swami predicted to Ji Chendra that he would be a famous astrologer.

At present, Swami Brahmananda comes to the astrologer every night in a body of light, or just as a formless light. Before each such appearance, Ji Chendra prepares for it for about three hours. At such times, the air in the space thickens and all Chendra’s energy rises to the top of his head. Then Swami appears. Chendra says that the Swami’s body materializes in a perceptible way, so sometimes Chendra feels his touch as if that of a physical body. Swami takes him to different subtle dimensions and into the worlds of gods: Deva Loka, Indra Loka etc.

The astrologer stays awake at nights waiting for Swami to come to him.

At the same time, no one of the family members sees Swami.

The astrologer has a small (4-5 cm) shaligram submerged in water. It’s over 50,000 years old. Swami Prabhakara Siddha Yogi materialized this shaligram out of the air during one of his visits.

On our last day in Omalur, we had a joint satsang with Janardan Nair. Nair told about interrelationship of Swami Brahmananda and Ramakrishna, and a story of Brahmananda and Vivekananda. He also told of Brahmananda's lilas in Tamil Nadu, where he presently has many devotees and where the Mahasamadhis of one of Brahmananda's bodies and the body of his closest disciple Sidha Raja are located.

We remembered the bright festival not only for its decoration and natural beauty, but, most of all, for the devotion of the people who held it. We saw their burning eyes, heard their songs of praise, felt their loving hearts.

And all of us were rewarded with Swami Brahmananda's Infinite Flow of Grace during all those days!

Food for the foxes

This story about the saint Siddha Guru Shiva Prabhakara Siddha Yogi Avadhuta Brahmananda was told by Swami Janardan Nair at the Saint Brahmananda’s Museum on the last day of our stay in Omalur.

 

 

Once Swami was in Tiruvannamalai. There he came to someone's house at one o'clock in the morning and asked for food. The house owner's name was Nilakantha. He was the ruler of the community, the Tamburan. He said he had no food, because he felt that Brahmananda had addressed him without respect, not as a ruler should have been addressed.

Nilakantha became angry and said that he could only offer tapioca, food for foxes.

Brahmananda said: "All right, tapioca will do". He took it, asked for salt and pepper and ate the tapioca, saying it was excellent food.

He finished it and said that foxes were Shiva's vahanas, so he was happy to eat fox food.

Nilakantha recognized the saint's freedom of mind and his lila, and apologized to Swami.

A year later, Swami came to him again. He brought along a book of palm leaves with medical prescriptions for snake bites and told him to make free medications and give them away to people whenever needed.

Thus, Nilakantha began to treat people for snake bites.

Brahmananda gave him a blessing of knowing who had a snake bite and how to find that person remotely.

A year ago, Nilakantha's daughter came to Omalur, visited Pulipara, and told this story. This family currently lives in Kolam.

Contacts of Brahmananda Ashram Brahmananda’s dedicated followers:

tel.: +1-973-845-2005

+91-844-765-90-65

e-mail: satyatedjasi@gmail.com

satyatedjasi@gmail.com

ivanovatat@hotmail.com

ivanovatat@hotmail.com

Swami Brahmananda's ashram in Omallur:

NADHAKUZHIYIL JANRDHANAN NAIR

PRABHAKARA SIDDHA ASHRAM

OMALLUR P.O PATHANAMTHITTA

KERALA STATE, INDIA

tel.:0091-468-2230799, +919446188169

web: sivaprabhakarasiddhayogi.org

e-mail: satyatedjasi@gmail.com

ashram@sivaprabhakarasiddhayogi.org

Swami Brahmananda's ashram in Chingoli:

Sri Siva Prabhakara Sidha Yogeswara Ashram,

Chingoli .P.O

Pin:

690532

Karthikappally, Alappuzha (Dist), Kerala

tel.: 09947688384, 09446193734

web: sreeprabhakarayogi.org

e-mail: admin@sreeprabhakarayogi.org

admin@sreeprabhakarayogi.org