Travelogue of a divine journey with Sri Swamiji
This riveting memoir by Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, was first published in 2012 on the global Namadwaar website and the Tamil Madhuramurali magazine. In this series, Sri Ramanujamji details a divine journey to interior Karnataka with Sri Swamiji (in late 2011), with a lovely unfolding of their experiences and studded with lovely insights shared by Sri Swamiji throughout the trip.
We are re-publishing this series in this GOD USA newsletter with permission, so all devotees can once again relish and travel on this divinely insightful journey.
Read the earlier episodes of this travelogue here:
Part 1 The Journey Begins: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatah/
Part 2 The Journey is the End: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatah-2-a-unique-throwback-series/
Part 3 Sri Swamiji’s Nectarine Downpour: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatha-part-3-travelogue-of-a-divine-journey-with-sri-swamiji/
Part 4 A Surprising Discovery: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatha-part-4-a-surprising-discovery/
Part 5 Sri Sridhara Swami’s Inspiring Life: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatha-part-5/
Part 6 If You Seek Sri Rama’s Darshan: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatah-6-sri-sridhara-swamis-inspiring-life/
Part 7 The Adhishtanam of Sri Sridhara Swami: https://godivinity.org/vriddhim-karnatake-gatah-7/
Part 8 – Reminiscing Lord Ganesha
We were immensely enjoying this madhura yatra! First, it was totally unexpected. Secondly, it was totally unplanned… to the normal eye at least! Thirdly, all the places we visited and the route we took were all ‘firsts’ for me. And above all, it was a journey with the Master! And that too, a road trip with a lot of time to listen and interact with him in close quarters! We just didn’t want the yatra to end. Our end was the journey itself!
Sri Swamiji would always say how the path of Bhagavata Dharma – which takes us straight to Sri Krishna, the very embodiment of joy and bliss – where we sing and dance blissfully in thoughts of Krishna, is itself so joyful; and. Similarly, when we travel with Sri Swamiji, more than seeing new holy kshetras, the joy of traveling with him is indeed more joyful!
It was so joyful to listen to him as he spoke to us while we traveled along. That’s the reason we wanted to keep seeing new places with him.
Those who know Sri Swamiji, know how much love, adoration and respect he has for mahaans of all sampradayas. We have heard how, in his early itinerant days, he used to spend a lot of time doing dhyana at the adishtanams of Sri Bodhendra Swami, Sri Sadashiva Brahmendral, Sri Atma Bodhendral Swami, Sri Raghottama Swami, Vada koti brindavanam, Sri Pinnavasal Periyava adishtanam, Amarendrapuram Sri Ramachandra Tirtha, to name just a few. When he speaks about these mahans, we can palpably feel the love he has for them. His visit to Varadapura Sri Sridhara Swami’s adhishtanam was also one such occasion. We saw earlier how when our beloved Master gets absorbed deeply in worship, especially on divine holy occasions like Gokulashtami or Radhashtami, then his whole walk, talk and speech reflect that bhava of worship. We also saw how when Sri Swamiji gets a deep thought about something, then circumstances and incidents that follow also take a similar course. We experienced this the previous day. It took the whole day to realize and appreciate that fact.
The next day was December 28. It was a chilly, pleasant morning with a slight hint of mist. We had spent the night at Sri Ramachandra Matha. As usual, Sri Swamiji got ready before dawn and his compassion was such that he was waiting for us to get ready. We took a walk to the Sri Rama temple and Sri Swamiji was in constant thoughts of Lord Gannesha that day! Sri Swamiji mentioned a very lovely Ratna Ganapathy that the Pontiff had in his pooja retinue. He spoke sweetly about sweet Ganesha who looked sweet in any form. We were relishing his divine words.
Sri Swamiji then recollected incidences from Kanchi Mahaperiyava’s divine life. How much devotion the mahaan had for Lord Ganesha. Mahaperiyava used to religiously break coconuts for Vinayaka (Ganesha) before commencing any new yatra. Once he prayed to Vinayaka when he was on his way to attend the divine procession of Kanchi Kamakshi. The moment he prayed, an elephant that was leading the Goddess’ procession stopped walking and refused to move. The elephant is a form of Ganesha, isn’t it? Only after Mahaperiyava arrived there did the elephant allow the divine procession to continue.
The conversation then slowly shifted to Sri Swamiji’s early days. Today, the Namadwaar at
Manjakuppam in Cuddalore is in the very house ‘Sri Savitri Sadanam’ where Sri Swamiji was born and grew up. There is a Siddhi Vinayak temple in the same street as Sri Swamiji’s house. Sri Swamiji would often enquire about this temple from those who visit Cuddalore Namadwaar regularly. During his school days, Sri Swamiji used to often have darshan of this Siddhi Vinayaka. The temple was recently renovated and Sri Swamiji actively got information regarding its progress from those at Cuddalore Namadwaar. Sri Swamiji reminisced that Vinayaka also that morning.
During his youth, Sri Swamiji would often go to the kshetra called Tirumangalakudi, near
Kumbakonam. Once Sri Swamiji had the desire to offer worship at a small Ganesha temple
there. A young boy came just in time and ran around to get all the pooja accessories and
material. Sri Swamiji felt a bond of affection with this unexpected guest! After the whole pooja was completed, the boy took leave of Swamiji. After he had taken a few steps, Sri Swamiji asked one of the devotees nearby to enquire about his name. They called out for him and asked for his name. He was already a dozen steps away. He casually looked back slightly and, with a smile playing on his lips, said sweetly, “Vignesh!” and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared! When Sri Swamiji spoke about the love that welled up inside him for this boy, we then understood who this Vignesh must have been!
As Sri Swamiji continued to reminisce Lord Ganesha all day, a wonderful experience unfolded. Stay tuned to this series next month to read all about it.
(The madhura yatra continues…)
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Click here to see all articles in July 2025 issue:
https://godivinity.org/newsletters/nama-dwaar-newsletter-july-2025/
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