Monday, January 11, 2010

Nithyananda Ashram - Tiruvannamalai, Shortcut to Instant Samadhi

Tiruvannamalai, the spiritual incubator of the world, ...
- the place where Shiva rests as the Mountain - Arunachala, the Linga and the Master,
- the place, the name of which when uttered, brought a 16 year old kid running towards It who later became the enlightened Master Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi,
- the place which has seen an unbroken lineage of enlightened Masters continuously grace planet earth,
- the place with the huge Shiva temple which attracts devotees from all over the world,
- the place which is now seeing the enlightenment expression of living avatar Paramahamsa Nithyananda...

This was my second trip to Tiruvannamalai with Swamiji for his birthstar celebrations (the first trip was also on the same occasion three years ago). But it felt as if I have always been there. This place has such tremendous energy that anyone, from whatever culture, creed, country, religion, tradition they are, feels at home. More than a 100 Life Bliss Engineering participants, majority of which were westerners, all of them had the same response - Its brilliant.

Its literally a home coming for anyone who goes there. Ofcourse it would be... it is Shiva's place after all or should I say the whole place is a Shiva linga, as someone told me.

This time, my trip was even more fulfilling. This is the first time I was visiting Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam Tiruvannamalai. I reached the ashram late night on 7th Jan. Let me explain you the morning of 8th Jan; this particular morning has filled my inner space with unfathomable joy and bliss.

I wake up at about 4.30 am and got ready by 5.30 am and came out. The darkness was just then being replaced by Sun's soothing morning brightness. As I come out of the ashram, I see the Arunachala formed a beautiful backdrop behind the ashram, just a few meters away. That was a breathtaking sight. The ashram is located right at the foothills of Arunachala. I kept gazing at It with awe and deep fulfillment, just looking at the beauty of the mountain. Low lying cottony clouds moved past the peak of Arunachala making it even more beautiful, as if Shiva has been crowned by them.

My awe was just the beginning. I walked a few steps, backward, without losing my sight of Arunachala. And then in my viewing pane, I see the 1008 Shiva Lingas beautifully clad in white and rudraksha and the mighty Arunachala was overlooking them.
That was the sight of my life:
Morning breeze bathing everything with its coolness, the 1008 Shiva Lingas all systematically installed radiating the energy of Arunachala, that is overlooking them like a proud father and the soothing Sun rays massaging everything around with their warmth.
My joy knew no bounds but was it the end... I don't think so.
A few steps behind me were Anandeswara and Anandeswari dressed in white, bejewelled in gems and smiling at the 1008 Shiva Lingas.

I was in instant Samadhi, seeing all this at one go. What a blessing... what an opportunity and this was not all ...

Because in a few minutes, Shiva Himself was going to step out of the Ashram to celebrate His own birthday :-)
Ah! that's it! That's all one needs for this lifetime...
(Watch Swamiji speak about His fond memories of His birthplace in this video)








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