Sri Brahmam

Many pilgrims and visitors who come to Tiruvannamalai have the wish to meet saints, sages or sadhakas more advanced than themselves who they hope will resolve doubts and inspire them on their spiritual journey. In this respect I am including below an extract entitled ‘Spiritual Journey’, giving a short biography of Sri Brahmam (V.V. Brahmam) which appears on his website:

Spiritual Journey

"Sri Brahmam was born in 1944. Since childhood he always questioned the purpose of life, knowing that everybody will eventually die. When he was about six years old, the mantra "Om Nama Sivaya" arose naturally in him and kept repeating inside spontaneously at all times.

At the age of 25 he saw a photograph of Ramana Maharishi at a friend's house. He was strongly attracted and immediately travelled to Tiruvannamalai to the Ramana Ashram at the foot of the Arunachala Hill. So far he hadn't read any books about spirituality and hadn't met any spiritual teacher or guru. He was a very pure young man - he hadn't been influenced by duality of the world, since the mantra was always repeating inside.

Once he arrived at the Meditation Hall of the Ramana Ashram, he sat in front of Ramana Maharishi's photo. In his heart he fully surrendered to Ramana and gave up all his desires. A strong force pulled him inwards, his breath and thoughts stopped and silence and peace filled him completely. After he got up, thoughts gradually came back, but inside there was no attachment to them.

This state was new to the young school teacher. He went to Sauris Ma, whom many people regarded as an enlightened being and was told that his Self-Realization was completed. His life was transformed. Within the following period of his life the remaining tendencies, desires and attachments were destroyed by the grace of the Self for ever. Only the Self remains.”

Sri Brahmam is readily available to meet with sadhakas and pilgrims to Arunachala and even though he has an Ashram in Tadpatri, spends many months of the year at Arunachala. For contact information please check out his website:


In an interview with Premananda, Sri Brahmam was asked the following question on ‘Mental Structures’:

“What about vasanas, the tendencies of themind? Must these be removed before Self-realisation can become permanent? Is it enough to achieve a sattwic (peaceful) state of mind and to know one’s vasanas so that they no longer bind? How to remove the vasanas?”

To watch a video of his answer to this question please click on the following link.

Trip to Chennai

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.”

"I Am Still In Shock"

I made an earlier posting of Mooku Podi Swami, at the time he was spending the days and nights mostly at the (old) Deepam Hotel on Car Street. For quite sometime now Swamiji has vacated that spot and is currently spending time at different places around Arunachala.

Subsequently I received a narrative from a reader of Arunachala Grace, briefly telling of her experience with this Appa. The story was posted at this link here.

I now post below the story of a reader, received today, who wishes to remain anonymous, outlining their own experience with this reclusive Swamiji:


"I am still in shock, I met Appa Swami yesterday and again today.

After reading the story on your blogsite, I wanted to meet Appa very badly. I came from North America to meet him but no one knew who he was. Then I showed them the photo that Meenakshi Ammal so graciously gave me to show all the auto drivers. Then, walla, everyone knew him, but no one knew where he was presently. So I was resigned to the fact that I didn’t have the karma to see him.

I was walking along on a hot day with no more hopes of meeting Appa when on a whim I asked an auto driver and he said he saw him in the morning in a temple nearby. He had ridden twice in his auto around the Arunachala mountain - of course anti-clockwise.

I jumped in and asked him to take me to the temple. Appa wasn't there but one good samaritan said he was in the school some distance away. BUT I could not go in. My North American arrogance took over and I said, "Well, watch me".

I walked into the school, introduced myself to the headmaster who graciously invited me to his office where Appa was sitting on the ground as though he was waiting for me. He had a shy smile on his face. I folded my hands and prayed to him about my problems. He started saying something that I didn’t understand.

I asked the headmaster and the headmistress who had joined us by then, what he was saying and they said that they had no idea who he was. Just that he had walked in that morning and a policeman who was with him asked the headmaster to treat him well. If Appa had chosen to come to the school, then good things must happen in the school.

Moments before I arrived, Appa had ordered for himself lunch from some far off Temple. The headmaster had sent someone to get it. The headmaster kept saying "Who is he?" I told him to read about him on the internet and gave him the details. I then pulled out the picture that Meenakshi Mammi had given me and showed it to Appa saying. "Appa you are famous. You are on the internet and the whole world knows about you." Appa took a keen interest in what I was pulling out from my bag, looked intensely at the photo, realized it was him and then looked shyly but a little proudly out the window. Then he returned to staring at the floor ahead of him with his awareness inside of him.

Appa started gesticulating more and saying a few more things. I was trying to understand what Appa was telling me. It was obvious he was talking to me because he was repeating the same thing over and over again. Then I changed my question and Appa again responded as though he was angry with the people who were causing me so much pain. He didn’t make much eye contact the whole time, but it was obvious that Appa was tuned into me and very sad and angry at my plight and it was obvious he would help me. I started repeating the mantra and Appa seemed very happy and put up both his hands to bless me.

In the meanwhile the Headmaster and Headmistress had no idea so much was transpiring between Appa and I. The Headmaster stood up to open his almirah and take out some toffee when Appa's attention turned to him and the plastic envelope that the headmaster was opening. Appa seemed so keen to get a toffee. The Headmaster offered him one and Appa took it very gladly. I offered him one but Appa refused. I thought maybe because I had not taken off my shoes. But no. The Headmistress tried. She took off her chappals, opened the toffee wrapping and offered it to Appa with a lot of love and he refused again. That made me feel better. In the meanwhile, Appa put the toffee the headmaster gave him behind his ears.

The Headmaster and Headmistress left the room. I sat for while with Appa feeling blessed he will take care of my problems... I didn’t want to leave him but then he suddenly got up and went to the room next door. I was scared because he had two pieces of stick with him that he used when people annoyed him. I thought maybe I had annoyed him... but no, he was indicating to me that the meeting was over and I could go... I didn’t get the message so I followed him to the neighbouring room.

Appa took a u-turn and walked back to the Headmaster's office and waved his hand signalling to me to leave in a very loving way. I bowed my head and asked for his blessings. He nodded and signalled me to leave.. I offered him the toffee again and he waved his hand wildly asking me to go. I did so happy to have been chosen to meet Appa.

I got back in the auto and was about to give the toffee to the auto driver when a voice inside me said that it was Appa's gift to me. Elated I ate it. Appa's energy is now within me. I asked the auto driver what came of the two times Appa rode in his auto. The auto driver said he owned his own auto then but was also in a lot of debt. Since the rides, he has sold his auto and is completely out of debt. He is now carefree renting his latest auto deciding what to do next. I gave the auto driver twice the amount he asked for the ride. It is money I would have given Appa if he would have taken it. I figured Appa was using me to pay the auto driver for the rides he took. I feel happy about it.

This morning I went on girivalam. Today being full moon day. I walked by the school wondering if the Headmaster had left his office open for Appa to sleep. The Headmaster's office was closed but I saw Appa pacing the floor outside. He had bathed and worn a fresh zari dhoti and looked luminous to me. I called out his name and he looked. I folded my hands above my head in namaskar so Appa could see it over and above the gate. Then the same shy smile came on his face and he looked away and stood more at a spot where I could see him clearly. I bowed and went on my girivalam.

I feel in such peace. I know I am taken care of. Thank you Appa. Thank you Meenakshi Ammal for this blogsite and thank you to the lady who wrote the first experience with him.”

With love and regards,
ANON