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While a boy of tender years, he experienced Saktinipata
or Descent of Grace and was led by a light to the famous Kshetra in
Maharashtra, Pandharpur on the banks of Chandrabhaga River. There
he met his Guru Sri Swami Sivaratna Giri, belonging to Jyotir Mutt,
the northern regional mutt established by Adi Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya.
Whenever he referred to his Master, emotion surged in him obstructing
the flow of words. Obviously, years spent by him in the tutelage of
his preceptor were replete with scintillating episodes of joy and experience.
Himalayan Sage - Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya, wandering
monk, par excellence
After the Mahasamadhi of his Guru, Sri Gnanananda renounced his title
to the pontificate and retired to the remote heights of the Himalayas
for intense penance. How long he remained there and how long he traversed
the entire length and breadth of India, Nepal, Burma and Sri Lanka could
only be a matter of conjecture. But he revealed familiarity with most
of the places in these parts of the sub-continent at a time when modern
means of transport did not exist. He was fully conversant with the writings
of Tamil saints acquired most probably from his long stay in Tamil-
speaking areas of Sri Lanka. His knowledge of Sanskrit was good. He
could converse freely in Hindi, Malayalam and Telugu with the same facility
as in Tamil and Kannada. It was clear from his casual references that
he had come into touch with spiritual luminaries of the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. Ramalinga Swamigal, Saibaba of Shirdi, Sendamangalam
Avadhoota Swamigal and his Guru known as "Judge Swamigal", Vithoba of
Polur, Seshadri Swamigal, Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, Aurobindo and several
others were amongst them. During his stay in the Narasimha Guha of Sampatgiri
hills near Polur, he used to visit Sri Ramana when he was in Virupaksha
cave. Many devotees believe that "Kulla Swami" mentioned by the patriot
poet Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati refers to Sri Gnanananda who was in
Pondicherry at that time.
Attayampatti and Siddhalingamadam
Sri Gnanananda was a Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya,
an itinerant Sannyasin teacher par excellence, who loved anonymity and
obscurity and moved about freely avoiding permanent stay at any particular
place. However, early in the twentieth century when he came to Attayampatti
in Salem district he yielded to the entreaties of the poor people and
allowed them to construct an Ashram for him. In the late thirties, he
moved to Siddhalingamadam situated at about six miles from Tirukoilur,
in South Arcot district, on the southern bank of the South Pennar River,
renowned as Dakshina Pinakini - southern Ganges. From time immemorial,
the place was associated with Siddhas. In 1951, he shifted to a mango
grove on the northern bank of the river. An ashram called Sri Gnanananda
Thapovanam grew around his presence. It is believed to be the sacred
spot where sage Mrigandu, the father of the immortal Markandeya performed
penance. It is situated at about 3 km from Tirukoilur on the highway
to Tiruvannamalai.
Spiritual eminence of Tirukoilur
According to ancient religious tradition, this part
of Tamil Nadu known as Krishnaranya in the hoary past, was sanctified
by the presence of great saints through the centuries. Here, Lord Krishna
, pleased with the penance of the sage Mrigandu gave darshan to him
as Vamana, the Trivikrama Avatar of Vishnu. The first three Alwars (Sri
Vaishnavaite saints) met and ecstatically sang the glory of the Lord
in this ancient temple. Tirukoilur is an important center for Saivaites
also. Kilaiyur shrine is one of the Ashta Veerattana or the eight special
temples of Siva. Saivaite saints have offered hymns in praise of the
Lord who had slain the demon Andhakasura. Avvayar, the Siddha poetess
pleased Sri Ganesa in the same temple by offering her immortal composition
"Vinayakar Agaval" replete with deep insights of yoga. Saint Gnanasambandar
was steeped in ecstasy on the sight of Arunachala from the shrine of
Atulyanatheswara situated on a big rock on the northern bank of the
river. Nearby is the Mula Brindavana of Swami Raghottama Tirtha, a saint
highly venerated in Madhwa tradition. He took his Eternal Abode in Samadhi
more than 400 years ago.
Situated within easy reach from Tiruvannamalai, Tirukoilur partakes
of the spiritual grandeur of Arunachala, as Lord Siva has decreed that
its potency will help all aspirants living within the radius of 3 yojanas
from the holy hill attain Sayujya, no separate diksha being necessary
for cutting off the knots of bondage. Considering the spiritual importance
of this hallowed spot dating back to many centuries, it seems no accident
that Sri Gnanananda has chosen it for locating his Ashram towards the
close of his long spiritual ministry and for resting in it in Samadhi
for eternity, keeping unbroken the tradition of the eminence of the
Kshetra.
Adhyatma Vidyalaya
In the initial stages of its development, Sannyasins
were the main inmates of Thapovanam. Later, when Sri Gnanananda settled
down there permanently, shifting from Siddhalingamadam, devotees came
to him from all parts of India and abroad. He called the Ashram an Adhyatma
Vidyalaya, a school for Self-knowledge and initiated a few disciples
into Sannyas in the traditional manner. He encouraged the study of Vedanta
and personally guided their Sadhana or spiritual practice.
His Teachings
Sadguru Gnanananda's teaching was pure Vedanta,
the timeless message of the Upanishads. It is fundamentally the way
of total renunciation, so that finally there is no ego left to manifest
itself. He is the Vedantic Ideal living in the Spaceless Here and Eternal
Now. By unintermittent Tapas of constant awareness of Self, he has with
his Presence, sanctified the entire world. He is a true Sadguru in the
line of Adi Sankara, abiding in the peaks of spiritual experience. The
traditional message issues forth from him in such pristine purity that
its import is always clear and the direction safe and authentic.
He was easily accessible to all. An inexhaustible fountain
of Divine compassion, God's mercy flows through him equally to all,
to the saint and to the sinner alike. His gentle response to those who
came to him for succour used to be "Let us pray". Though he did not
overtly perform miracles and in fact emphasized that they were mundane
and belonged to the realm of illusory phenomena, extraordinary things
happened in the presence of the great Jeevanmukta. He is verily a Kalpaka
Vriksha, a wish-fulfilling celestial tree who gives the devotees what
they want so that they may gradually turn Godward with a desireless
love and total self-offering and develop keen aspiration for attaining
Self Knowledge, which is what he really wants to bless them with. Truly,
Sri Gnanananda is like an immense iceberg much of that is hidden from
our vision. Established in Sahaja Samadhi, he was the greatest Bhakta
among Bhaktas, a peerless Yogi among Yogis and a Gnani of unequalled
stature among Knowers of Atman. Above all, he is Guru par excellence
among the preceptors, who teaches the import of the Mahavakyas by his
presence as Jeevanmukta. As the inner Guru, he lights up the Lamp of
Wisdom in the hearts of his disciples. Speaking to them in his eloquent
language of silence he transmutes their ego consciousness into constant
Self-awareness. Sri Gnanananda has been introduced to the west by a
French Benedictine monk, Swami Abhishiktananda (Henri Le Saux O.S.B).
He has written a book 'Guru and Disciple' in which he describes his
encounters with the Sage in whom he discovered his Guru.
Mahasamadhi
The great teacher who was embodiment of Absolute Truth
attained Mahasamadhi in January 1974. As per his instructions he was
laid to rest in the traditional manner, in a hexagon-shaped Samadhi
chamber constructed by him a few years earlier. The Jeevanmukta has
cast off the limitations of the physical body and now his presence in
Videha Kaivalya has become all pervading. An abiding peace encompasses
and permeates the Ashram premises and the very air is redolent with
his powerful Presence. Indeed it is not confined to Thapovanam. As before,
even now wherever devotees may be, they find his unfailing Grace and
immediate support in a more potent inner Presence. They now realize
the significance of his oft-repeated assurance "Swami will always be
with you". For him, a Jeevanmukta, there is no coming or going away.
Although the eternally youthful, lustrous, sweet and smiling face of
the sage, lotus-like in tinge and form, may not be visible to their
gross vision, his uninterrupted Presence and constant shower of Grace
have been the definite experience of all devotees who surrender to him.
Shrine of Grace
It was indicated by the sage that his Samadhi with
his eternal living Presence, which is the very heart of Sri Gnanananda
Thapovanam would become a place of pilgrimage and grow to be a great
center of spiritual sadhana for keen aspirants. As per his instructions,
the Sanctum Sanctorum of the shrine has been constructed in a hexagonal
shape. Twin forms of Ganesa, Siva, Vishnu, Surya, Devi, and Subramanya
are sculpted in the six pillars, as he is coming in the lineage of Adi
Sankara who is Shanmatha Sthapanacharya. Mahakumbhabhisheka and final
consecration of Sri Gnanananda Mahalinga were performed on 9th June
1978 with due Vedic rites, sanctifying to eternity, one of the holiest
places on earth. Subsequently, a Prakara (vestibule) around the Sanctum
Sanctorum and a sixteen pillared Mahamandapa in front of it have been
constructed with lovely paintings on the ceiling and ornamented pillars
with appropriate sculpted figures of Lord Siva. Rajagopura of noble
and imposing appearance with five terraces has been erected over the
main entrance on the southern side leading to the Shrine of Grace of
Sadguru. Mahakumbhabhisheka of the Rajagopura was performed on 22nd
June 1989. Kumbhabhisheka was again performed in May 1999, after renovation
of the Ashram temple and the Samadhi Shrine of Grace. Sri Gnanananda
Thapovanam is now one of the well known centers of spiritual importance
in South India.
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