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Baba's memorable visit to Tirupati

Om Vishnupad 108 Tridandi Swami Sri Srimat Bhakti Sravan Tirtha Goswami Maharaj ki Jai !!

The Harmonist, Dol Purnima issue, 2001 by Sukhvinder Sircar

 

It is said that truth is stranger than fiction; the story that unfolds below is as amazing as it is true.

There are hundreds of amazing stories associated with Baba's life. This too is one such story that begins in September 1997 when Baba visited Hyderabad on his way to Tirupati. It was the first of a series of Divine visitations, when the first of the Shaligram Shilas started getting attracted to Baba.

At Tirumala, Baba was to perform a special Seva of Venkateshwar Balaji. He went to Tirupati from Hyderabad with our entourage of around 22 devotees, from Hyderabad & Calcutta. No accommodation was available that day at Padmavati Guest House due to a wedding taking place there.

While Baba was waiting in the car, an unknown person rang up the executive at the Guest House enquiring if Baba had arrived, and to immediately arrange a suitable cottage for him. Such was the magic of this phone call, that Gandhi Chaudhury came running to Baba saying that a cottage had been organised for Him.

The cottage was a beautiful one, eminently to Baba's liking. He spent a happy day there, regaling his devotees with wonderful stories transporting them to a world of joyous bliss.

At 11 p.m. Baba was getting ready to be present for Suprabhatanm and Tambul Seva which begins in the wee hours of the morning. The devotees were also at their respective Guest Houses, getting ready to assemble at Baba's cottage by midnight. Only Mridula (Baba's attendent on this journey) was present with Baba, while Sailesh was outside in another room.

Just then, a Mahapurush from Vrindavan entered the cottage. He was dressed in pure white and had a remarkable presence. As he walked majectically towards Baba's room, the doors opened of their own to welcome him in.

Baba was busy with his tilak seva at that time. The Mahapurush praised the beautiful way in which Baba adorned his forehead, and requested Him to apply the tilak for Him too.

Baba happily applied the Tilak. The Mahapurush asked him "Don't you want to know who I am ?" Baba, who knows all, just smiled and asked him what he could do for him. At this, the Mahapurush said, "I have come to claim a special favour of you. There is a beautiful Kanjeevaram Vastra of yours in your suitcase. I want you to give that to me."

Baba called for Mridula to give Him the keys to open the suitcase. But the "Visitor" waved her away, and opened the locked suitcase magically without any key. He took out the Vastra, and gave it to Baba with a request to hand it over to him. Baba then handed over the beautiful Kanjeevaram silk bahirvas and angavastra to Him.

The Sage further told Baba that he had brought the rarest of gifts for him, and handed over the Venkateshwara Shaligram, He also told him that, soon, several more shaligram shilas would come to him, and he should keep this shila very carefully.

Baba told him that He was a devotee of Shaligram Shilas from His childhood and would like to see all the types of Shilas that are there. The Sage laughed and told Him that soon He would be blessed with all types of Shilas. He would shortly get more Shilas in Haridwar.

Saying that, He did pranam to Baba and left. No sooner had He left than the devotees started arriving and heard of this divine visitation. Those fortunate persons who had darshan of Baba at that time still speak of the radiance emanating from Baba that night.

Shortly, the priests from the temple came and ushered Baba into the Sanctum Sanctorum through the inner door for Tambul Seva. And what does Baba see ? Venkateshwar Balaji was adorned in the same Kanjeevaram silk that the mysterious sage had taken from Baba a short while ago! The readers would by now have no doubt regarding the identity of the sage.

While Baba performed the puja the garland from Lord Balaji's neck dropped around Baba's neck. This miracle was witnessed by all the Brahmins and devotees present there with stunned amazement. Pandemonium broke out as everyone rushed to get a flower from the divine garland.

 

Om Vishnupad 108 Tridandi Swami Sri Srimat Bhakti Sravan Tirtha Goswami Maharaj ki Jai !!

Jai Jai Sri Radhey !!