Our
ancient land is called Punya Bhumi as it is the abode of saints. Sages and
siddha purashas. In every part of our land you will come across numerous saints
who have trailed the religious path and are source of inspiration and devotion.
One of such sants is the subject of this booklet popularly called Sri Odukathur
Swamigal. We have very little information about his bolyhood and other relavant
materials. This little information that we have about his life is only from
here say evidence and from early devotees who became greatly attached to him
and some of whom appear to have followed him from place to place. One such is
Sri Chellappa Swamigal is another and who at our request took the trouble of
collecting information regarding Swamigal’s latter life which was mostly spent
in the Odukathur forests near Madanapalli and round about villages. On the
notes furnished by Sri Naidu garu from his personal knowledge and from
information gathered from other friends who had known, revered and served the
Swamigal in other places, the present tamil version is based. The facts are
vouched for by persons of unquestionable intergrity and proved bonafide.
With
a view to acquaint non Tamil knowing devotees and others, an attempt has made
here to give, a glimpse into the Swamigal’s life in English, based on the Tamil
version which details some of the many miracles attributed to the Swamigal and
his spiritual attainments and how this illuminated soul radiated spiritual
light all round him and who continues to shower his blessings to various
kanikes dropped into the Hundi near the Smadhi temple of the Swamigal.
The
Swamigal came of a Telugu family of Naidu’s in the North Arcot District. His
father, Likiah Naidu was in the Military Service and rose from the ranks to
that of a Sebedar. His mother Balamba, a pious lay who having had issues. Pined
for one observed many a Vrata to achieve her cherished object and after long
years of devout fasting and prayer, she gave birth to a son who was later
destined to become a Sivaganani. The parents called the child Seshiah.
Seshiah,
even during his days of schooling, was found too precocious and appears to have
longed for solitude and took little or no interest in his surroundings and
later developed a mental attitude of detachment. The parents noticing this
introspective mood of their only son, got alarmed and thought that marriage
would wean him from his attitude of detachment and hastened to look for a bride
for their son. They went in search of bride to Hydrabad and our hero took that
opportunity and slipped away from home, never more to return, bidding goodbye
to all that was considered dear to man. He sought solitude and endeavoured to
seek peace in Gnana Marga, like great Rishis of Old, in forests away from the
din of the world.
In
the beginning, he wandered from place to place in search of God: to Kalahasti, Kanchi, Tiruvanikkaval,
Chidambaram, Madurai, Rameshwaram and finally
reaching Vellore,
sought asylum in an inaccesable forest near Odukathur, a village in the
Madanapalli Taluk. As he spent a large part of his life in the Odukathur,
forest, where he seemed to have attained Siddhi, he came to be later called
Odukathur Swamigal. He was a Mouni and rarely spoke. His fame spread far and
wide and people from all parts came to the forest in search of him to pay their
respects Many miracles are attributed to him. He was once found missing for
several days after a heavy flood and some cowherd youth who used to see him
often in the forests missed this ‘Pichavadu’ (madman) as they called him, for a
long time but later, an anxious search they found him fully with sand mound in
the river bed, in deep Yoga Samadhi and extricated him.
It
is within the knowledge of many, some of whom are alive, that this great
Yoga-Pursha lived only an air for months on end, absolutely unconscious of the
world around him. He rarely spoke and still more rarely ate or drank. He did
not seem to have answered even calls of nature nor covered himself whatever the
season. His was a rugged personality, coarse in a appearance, tall of stature,
with well cut features and disheveled hair. The far away introspective look in
his brilliant eyes was suggestive of the communion with divine within in
supreme Advaitic bliss.
He
was a –lofty spiritual personality, who exercised great spiritual influence on
all those that came with him. He is still adored and worshipped by those who
have seen and served him. It is difficult to evaluate his invaluable
contribution to the spiritual advancement of his devotees whose number is
innumerable. He has rescued many alive still to bear witness to his apritual
greatness and the many miracle that he performed. He was finally brough to Bangalore after
considerable efforts from Madanapalli in the year 1914 and he stayed. In Ulsoor
for about a year which became a centre of pilgrimage. The Swamigal entered
Mahasamadhi in the year 1915. The Mutt called after him is the place sanctified
by his holy Samadhi to which hundreds come for worship from far and near. It is
said that God’s ways are strange and inscrutable and more so are those of his
saints. The earnest prayers of devotees never go unfulfilled.
The
Trustees of the Mutt are thankful to Vidwan Sri.K.Natesa Mudaliar for the
trouble he has taken, as a Labour of love, in preparing the life history of
the Swamigal, prefacing it with an
enlightened reference to the spiritual hierarchy of Siddha Purushas whose
illustrious line the Swamigal followed.
The
Trustees are also thankful to Sri.Muniswarny Naidu of Gudyattam and Challappa
Swamigal and other devotees and friends who have helped to obtain information
about the Swamigal’s life.
