Yesterday posted 'I Am Still In Shock,' about a visiting pilgrim's experience with Mottiyan Swamiji (Mooku Podi Swami). Today I received the following narrative from the same pilgrim concerning her, 'Trip to Chennai,' with Swami.
Trip to Chennai
“Anyway, I was planning to rest today after doing the girivalam yesterday in 3.45 hours, a record for me. But No, I had an inner feeling that I must visit Mottiyan Swami.
I took him some snacks and surprising got the same auto driver who took me two days ago. Mottiyan Swami was pacing the floor in the headmasters office when I arrived, and left in a huff with his two sticks. I was a little scared. was he angry with me for something?
But no, the headmaster asked me to sit down and wait for appa swami to return. Appa was back in a few minutes, he snapped the two short bamboo sticks on the floor and demanded repeatedly to be taken to Chennai.
As he was saying that a taxi owner who had more than a year ago prayed that if he could get out of the rental business and own his own taxi, then he would love for appa to ride in it. Careful what you wish for they say. He got it. Appa got in his taxi a few weeks ago and demanded to be driver around and around the Arunachala mountain in an anti clockwise and then to Chennai and some other nearby towns. Appa was in his car day and night for one full week. The only time the taxi driver got time off was to eat. Anyway, after that trip two weeks ago, today was the first day that taxi driver came to see appa for his blessings. and lo and behold, appa wanted to go to Chennai.
He asked me to come with him. I heard it once but didn’t want to go. So I pretended not to understand. All the people in the headmasters office said Appa wanted me to go to Chennai with him. To be sure for myself I repeatedly asked Appa if that was the case. At first he shyly pointed (with the two sticks) to a seat beside him. there was no way I was going to get in with him holding the two sticks. So he pointed very shyly and with a smile to the seat beside the driver. Still worried and wondering why we were going to Chennai and when we will come back, I sat in front.
It was the hottest day of the year. The sun poured in brightly thru the front window and the driver refused to turn on the AC because it would cost him more. I was baking and repeatedly wondering if I was sane to jump in the car with an almost insane (by Western standards, at least) Swami. I kept the front powder mirror down to keep an eye on Appa the whole trip
The three hour drive to Chennai was grueling but we did stop for chai that Appa graciously took from me. I offered him a snack, and he accepted that with a smile, Then he looked out the window and asked for guavas which I bought him. He asked for it to be cut. When we had them cut, he gave each of us in the car a piece. It was his prasadam to us.
That is when I found out that Appa had not bathed in 32 years. His body never smells. I Worried if I needed a tetanus shot but quickly put that thought out of my mind lest Appa found out what I was thinking. I noticed that Appa's body never sweats even though the rest of us in the car were sweating. He remained absorbed in something within himself the whole time. Off and on he would open his eyes but then close them again.
Once we reached Chennai, the driver had told us Appa would tell us where he wanted to go. But this time he didn’t The driver said Appa wanted to go to a wealthy devotee of his. My alert self wondered if it was because the taxi driver would get a baksheesh for the number of times he brought Appa to his house. So I checked with Appa myself if he wanted to go to this rich devotees house. Appa said a vehement no much to the dismay of the taxi driver.
Now the taxi driver and I had fallen out of sorts. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to be cheated just because I was a foreigner (and presumably loaded with money). We asked Appa if he wanted to go back to Tiruvannamalai and Appa said an enthusiastic Yes. We bought him lunch at a good restaurant that Appa ate in the back seat of the taxi. After he had eaten he threw the stainless steel tumbler out the window and the taxi driver had to jump into heavy traffic to retrieve it.
Then we were all on our way back to Tiruvannamalai. We stopped for chai that Appa accepted. Then when I got off on the way to catch an auto to the place I am staying, I bid appa good bye. He opened his eyes and with a smile nodded I could go.
I have no idea what to make of this trip. I got to be in Appa's company for six full hours. I am wondering if he was observing me to while in meditation. I hoping he was dissolving some of the bad karma I am experiencing in his meditation. I don’t know what to make of this trip. It sure was meant to be, the way I got the inner prompting to visit Appa on my day of rest after a girivalam, and then to hop into a taxi on the hottest day of the year. Will keep you informed Meenakshi Ammal of what happens. I feel blessed though to be in Tiruvannamalai and having met Mottiyan Swami.”
Trip to Chennai
“Anyway, I was planning to rest today after doing the girivalam yesterday in 3.45 hours, a record for me. But No, I had an inner feeling that I must visit Mottiyan Swami.
I took him some snacks and surprising got the same auto driver who took me two days ago. Mottiyan Swami was pacing the floor in the headmasters office when I arrived, and left in a huff with his two sticks. I was a little scared. was he angry with me for something?
But no, the headmaster asked me to sit down and wait for appa swami to return. Appa was back in a few minutes, he snapped the two short bamboo sticks on the floor and demanded repeatedly to be taken to Chennai.
As he was saying that a taxi owner who had more than a year ago prayed that if he could get out of the rental business and own his own taxi, then he would love for appa to ride in it. Careful what you wish for they say. He got it. Appa got in his taxi a few weeks ago and demanded to be driver around and around the Arunachala mountain in an anti clockwise and then to Chennai and some other nearby towns. Appa was in his car day and night for one full week. The only time the taxi driver got time off was to eat. Anyway, after that trip two weeks ago, today was the first day that taxi driver came to see appa for his blessings. and lo and behold, appa wanted to go to Chennai.
He asked me to come with him. I heard it once but didn’t want to go. So I pretended not to understand. All the people in the headmasters office said Appa wanted me to go to Chennai with him. To be sure for myself I repeatedly asked Appa if that was the case. At first he shyly pointed (with the two sticks) to a seat beside him. there was no way I was going to get in with him holding the two sticks. So he pointed very shyly and with a smile to the seat beside the driver. Still worried and wondering why we were going to Chennai and when we will come back, I sat in front.
It was the hottest day of the year. The sun poured in brightly thru the front window and the driver refused to turn on the AC because it would cost him more. I was baking and repeatedly wondering if I was sane to jump in the car with an almost insane (by Western standards, at least) Swami. I kept the front powder mirror down to keep an eye on Appa the whole trip
The three hour drive to Chennai was grueling but we did stop for chai that Appa graciously took from me. I offered him a snack, and he accepted that with a smile, Then he looked out the window and asked for guavas which I bought him. He asked for it to be cut. When we had them cut, he gave each of us in the car a piece. It was his prasadam to us.
That is when I found out that Appa had not bathed in 32 years. His body never smells. I Worried if I needed a tetanus shot but quickly put that thought out of my mind lest Appa found out what I was thinking. I noticed that Appa's body never sweats even though the rest of us in the car were sweating. He remained absorbed in something within himself the whole time. Off and on he would open his eyes but then close them again.
Once we reached Chennai, the driver had told us Appa would tell us where he wanted to go. But this time he didn’t The driver said Appa wanted to go to a wealthy devotee of his. My alert self wondered if it was because the taxi driver would get a baksheesh for the number of times he brought Appa to his house. So I checked with Appa myself if he wanted to go to this rich devotees house. Appa said a vehement no much to the dismay of the taxi driver.
Now the taxi driver and I had fallen out of sorts. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to be cheated just because I was a foreigner (and presumably loaded with money). We asked Appa if he wanted to go back to Tiruvannamalai and Appa said an enthusiastic Yes. We bought him lunch at a good restaurant that Appa ate in the back seat of the taxi. After he had eaten he threw the stainless steel tumbler out the window and the taxi driver had to jump into heavy traffic to retrieve it.
Then we were all on our way back to Tiruvannamalai. We stopped for chai that Appa accepted. Then when I got off on the way to catch an auto to the place I am staying, I bid appa good bye. He opened his eyes and with a smile nodded I could go.
I have no idea what to make of this trip. I got to be in Appa's company for six full hours. I am wondering if he was observing me to while in meditation. I hoping he was dissolving some of the bad karma I am experiencing in his meditation. I don’t know what to make of this trip. It sure was meant to be, the way I got the inner prompting to visit Appa on my day of rest after a girivalam, and then to hop into a taxi on the hottest day of the year. Will keep you informed Meenakshi Ammal of what happens. I feel blessed though to be in Tiruvannamalai and having met Mottiyan Swami.”
9 comments:
for sure a blessing to have staid for so many hours in Mottayan Swami's presence no matter what the reason for this trip during which he was doing his 'work'...
Dear Anon what a fantastic sxperiance you had.just sit silently doing nothing and the grass will grow by itself.all the best.
Hi anon,
I am keerthi.I am the person who shared the experience with appa.
I am extreemely happy for you dear.
I read what you had written and came to understand that you were in deep pain.Appa could not bear to see you in pain and so he made you to come visit him.
Now that you have met him and got his blessings, there will never agian be a moment of pain in your life.When appa is with you no one can be against you.
When appa forcees that you still have some pain to undergo, he stays with you in some form.For one lady he asked for her bracelet and was wearing it when we saw him.
For us, he stayed with us in form of a leaf bunch.Your trip to chennai was also something like that.
You are very lucky that appa had interacted with you and had taken the chai you had offered.He usually does not take offerings.He takes it only when he wishes to adn only form those he wish.
I am very happy for you anon. be restassured you are blessed.Your life is guided from the moment you met appa.
I pray to lord arunachaleswara that appa's grace and blessings should reach out all in the globe.
Everyone should feel the divine experience of meeting appa atleast once in their lifetime.
keerthi
Keerthi,
Thank you. I was beginning to have doubts why I met Mottiyan Swami and you put words to it.
I actually saw Appa SEVEN times on this visit. Thrice I went to see him or the headmaster where he was staying. But four times, I saw him while going on my girivalam.
I actually sent Meenakshi ammal a lot more emails with severe doubts I had about meeting Mottayan Swami and another New Age guru who has set up 'shop' in Tiruvannamalai.
I am glad Meenakshi Ammal never published them. I will never forget what she told me.
She said, "You were meant to meet them. Siva arranged for you to meet them. Enjoy the blessings that are being showered upon you."
Hi Anon,
I can only second what meenakshi amma has said to you.
You are blessed, your life is guided henceforth.
Do not fear for anything anybody.
When appa is with you no one can be against you.
I am very happy to know that you had a wonderful trip to thiruvannamalai.
We Indians believe that if you just think of that place and the lord you will not have rebirth, such is the power of the place and of the ever loving almighty god living there.
A trip to this holy place is always life changing for one and all.
It is a divine experience i cannot compare with any other.
I am very glad you were able to make it and even more glad that you were able to meet appa and be with him for sometime.
I hope this experience stays with you forever and guide you in testing times.
keerthi
Have immense faith in god not people
I too hope this experience of Tiruvannamalai stays with me forever. After searching for many decades, doing all kinds of intense sadhanas, I found both my guru and my God in Arunachala Siva.
BTW, Meenakshi Ammal, you may want to get a more recent photo of Mottiyan Swami. He has cut his hair (on his head) and trimmed his beard. No one has mentioned so far that he is only about 4 feet tall and very slim. He looked quite respectable (by his standards) when I met him in the school. His nails were overgrown and brown but I noticed he never sweats and his attention was always indrawn, except when he was bugging people to take him to Chennai. I still haven't figured out why he likes to go to Chennai so much. May be he likes to ride in cars? But why? His eyes were closed the whole time!!!
May be he likes going to the big Devi temple in Chennai. God knows. Only time will tell.
September 14, 2009
"I still haven't figured out why he likes to go to Chennai so much. May be he likes to ride in cars? But why? His eyes were closed the whole time!!!"
He wanted you to benefit from his presence because you were not empty in your mind. So he was buying time to gift you good vibes. Do not compare any siddha's activities to that of a worldly minded man. Their intentions are quite different.
Thanks for this nice post. I was in immediate need of such detailed info and thanks to your post I can now better plan my holidays and travel plans and can go ahead with it in a more confident manner.
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