Shirdi Sai Baba Stories,Leelas and Teachings.: B.V Narsimha Swami ji -Chapter 1 & 2.

Dear Readers,
Happy Thursday and Happy Baba's day ,

On the auspicious day of Gurupurnima we had started with Introduction of biography of Pujya Shri B.V Narsimha Swami ji's book .With blessing of Shri Sathguru Sainath we are posting the 1st and and 2nd chapter of the book "As the flower sheds its fragrance" on Baba's day.

Devotees are requested to click on the links provided at the end of this post ,if they miss on any part of this book .without writing any further I start with 1st and 2nd chapter .Jai Sai Ram .

CHAPTER 1 and 2.
THE EARLY YEARS

OUR GURUDEV
A short figure, covered in a long shirt, and a single dhoti going round the waist like a lungi, broad forehead, fronting a head almost bald, carries a cloth bag that comes down from the shoulder and walks briskly along. The bag holds small packets of”udhi” from Shirdi, copies of pocket size “Ashtotharam “ on Sai baba compiled by him and pictures of Sai Baba in card size- these are his gifts to the sick and needy that accost him for relief and the gifts work wonders. As he passes on the udhi he mutters-“Sai Baba Paripoorna Siddhirasthu”. This great soul is worthy of remembrance by any Sai devotee forever.

Prior to 1940, all over India, hardly anyone knew about Sai Baba or heard of the place “Shirdi”. But today we find temples of Sai Baba in nooks and corners of the country. Associations of Sai devotees, Satsangs, Samajs are in plenty.

Many have given Baba’s name to their children. Many shops, Institutions, Industries bear Sai Baba’s name. It was Sri Narasimha Swamiji’s pioneering efforts of Sai Prachar from village to village, city to city and making individual house visits to take Sai Baba out of the small hamlet of Shirdi in the remote corner of Maharashtra to all over the country and even abroad. For this purpose, every Sai devotee should be ever grateful for the strenuous efforts of Sri Narasimha Swamiji from 1936 till he attained ‘Mahasamadhi” in 1956. When we offer obeisance to Sai Maharaj, our foremost’pranams’ should be to Sri Narasimha Swamiji.

Who is Sri Narasimha Swamiji? Who are his parents? How did he live? How did he realize Sai Baba? What are his efforts to distribute the treasure of ‘Sai Baba’s grace” to one and all? An attempt is made in all humility to tell the fascinating story of this messenger of Sai Baba in the following pages.

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD

Bhavani in the Erode District of Tamil Nadu, has been known over the centuries as a place of pilgrimage. Thousands of devotees from all over South India visit Bhavani round the year to sek the grace of Lord Sangameswar and Goddess Bhavani here. The town is situated in the confluence of three rivers-Kaveri, Bhavani and Gupthagamini. It is popularly called the ‘Triveni Sangam’ of Tamil Nadu.

A Brahmin couple belonging to ‘Srivatsa Gothram’, Venkatagiri Iyer and Angachiammal, offered daily prayers a the temple of Lord Sangameswar and Bhavani for the gift of a son. Angachiammal’s faith in Lord Sangameswar was reinforced by a chance visit of a ‘Sadhu’ to her home. Knowing her desire, the Sadhu asked her to visit Lord Narasimha at Sholangar. Departing, he told her that Lord Narasimha of Sholangar would definitely bless her with a son.

Soon after a trip to Sholangar, the most cherished desire of that pious woman was fulfilled. Angachiammal became pregnant and the couple was happily looking forward to the arrival of the baby. The D-day was on “Sravan Panchami,’ August 21, 1874. On that day, at dusk, around 6-15 P.m.- at the time when cattle would return home. The auspicious time considered ‘Godhuli Muhurtham’: a son was born to Angachiammal under most unusual circumstances.

At the moment of his birth, the woman was walking towards the cattle shed in the spacious compound of her house. The Child, who was later to be known as Sri Narasimha Swamiji, took his birth without warning and, with a suddeneness and agility that is rare in such cases, even before somebody’s assistance could be summoned.

The very circumstances of his birth are thus symbolic of the man, who, with characteristic agility and energy, was destined to wander the wide-open world; indeed, he was born in the open-in the lap of Mother Earth. The unbound, free soul was greeted by the vast expanse of the sky above. The departing rays of sun had just spread themselves over the lush green landscape, weaving varied patterns of light and shade through the trees. The nearby Bhavani river played melodious music as it flowed gently along the bank and the tall coconut trees swinging their leaves gently, seemed to lend graceful rhythm by the gently swaying of their fronds.

The child was welcomed as a gift from God. He was weighed in gold and silver, which were then offered to Lord Narasimha of Sholangar in grateful acknowledgements of his grace. He was named Narasimha as per the wishes of his mother, Angachiammal, even though the father wanted to name him as ‘Ramanathan’ as the child was born with the same star as that of Lord Sri Ramachandra. That is,’Punarvasu-4th padam’ of ‘Kataka’ Rasi.

The other famed personalities who share this star are Adi Sankaracharya and Ramana Bhagawan. At the time of his birth, auspicious planets were exalting and since three auspicious planets were in the Lagna, the family astrologer predicted a bright future to the boy, who would
Evolve to be a great man.

He was born in a rich and pious family. His father was a second grade pleader and owned a large area of land. The family had a big house situated in a beautiful quiet spot on the banks of the river Bhavani. Green paddy fields and coconut grooves afforded an ideal landscape to the place.

As time passed, Narasimha grew into a fine, handsome boy, well-built, agile and intelligent, with deep set eyes that were immediately captivating. From his infancy, he was joyful, imaginative, clever and mischievous too. The child was different from other boys. A teacher used to come home and teach the alphabets. Narasimha would gather all the children around him, play jokes on them and make them do things.

Right from his early days he was a leader. He liked to rule but never to be ruled. He would never pick a quarrel, but if it came to fighting, he was ruthless opponent. He would not tolerate any injustice and, with his fiery nature, he could be easily roused. He never allowed himself to be fooled by anyone. He was of a very independent nature. Strangely Narasimha had no close friends and hence no attachments either outside or within the family.

His mother pampered him, yet he was not spoiled. All loved him, and his playfulness and mischief endeared him to everyone. He was always full of vigour and looked rather too mature for his age.

Three years after Narasimha was born, that is in 1877, Angachiammal gave birth to another son. The younger son was named ‘Lakshmana’. Unfortunately he lived for a short period. When the second son was three years old, that is somewhere in 1880, some miscreants kidnapped him, robbed him of his ornaments and murdered the child. The younger son’s death deeply affected the parents.

One year prior to Laskhmana’s death that is in 1879 the parents were in for another shock. The whole family along with farmers and other workment had assembled on the banks of river Bhavani for a special ‘pooja’ on the ‘Sankranthi’ day. The five-year old child Narasimha while playing slipped into the river and would have met a watery grave, but for the timely intervention of a farmer who jumped into the river and saved the young child.

Venkatagiri Iyer and Angachiammal sought the opinion of their family astrologer. He predicted that Narasimha escaped an untimely death and hence would live for over eighty years. He advised change of place to the parents. He also predicted that Narasimha will be a great person of eminence and would guide the destinies of thousands of persons. But in the same stroke, the astrologer added a tangential remark that there is a possibility of Narasimha renunciating his family to become a’Sadhu’ later on.

This was indeed an unexpected prediction the parents as they had already lost their second son and if the first son too becomes a ‘Sadhu’ their lineage would snap. This was quite unthinkable to them.

The couple prayed for a divine intervention. Angachiammal was thirty-six years old and at her earnest request, at the temple of Lord Sangameswar and Goddess Bhavani, she and Venkatagiri Iyer took the vows of celibacy for the rest of their lives, so that Narasimha will take up a family life, when he grows up.

Based on the family Astrologer’s advice, Venkatagiri Iyer disposed of his house and a great portion of his landed property at Bhavani, retaining only few acres of paddy-fields and coconut grooves and decided to migrate to Salem forty kilometers away from Bhavani.

Venkatagiri Iyer changed his residence to Hastinampatti-an upcoming extension in Salem town. He continued his practice as a second grade Pleader at Salem. To be continued.

Chapters Posted:

Introduction.

For Reading in Tamil please click Here.

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