"Tulasi Leaves at Lotus Feet" - Swami reveals His identity with the Lord of Tirupathi to a devotee in 1967

[subbu prashant]

 

 Story behind the photo . Tulasi Leaves at Lotus Feet.

Source:  Thrayee Saptamayee. Article by Sri. B.S.Vijay Sai.

 

Bhagavan revealed  His Divinity to my father in a unique way.  My father , an orthodox Brahmin, once stayed on in Prashanthi  Nilayam, instead of attending annual rathothsvam  of family deity Lord Venkateswara, family shrine, Malekal Tirupathi, which was built  by one of our forefathers.  Being the eldest son, he was supposed to perform the ritual pooja. But, he had felt, that it was not worthwhile to go to a distant place to worship a stone deity, when he had the same deity in flesh and blood.

 

As he sat, that day in June 1967, on the sands opposite the Mandir, waiting for the Bhajan to begin, his mind was in turmoil. He was yet to wholeheartedly identify Bhagavan as the Lord of Tirupathi. So, praying that on that day at least, there should be a bhajan with either the name of Srinivasa, Venkatesha, Tirupatisha  to convince him of His identity. He busied himself with Maanasa Puja or mental worship of his Lord of Tirupathi. Actually, he was  afraid that his own family deity might be angry, that he had abandoned him for some other god. So, as a compensation, he took up the long distance mental worship of the deity. He mentally picked up Tulasi leaves, washed them, dipped them in sandal paste, and offered  at feet of His Lord. No, not of Swami, because he was still doubting His Divinity, but of his own family deity Lord at Tirupathi. He continued to do this, praying all the time that Lord Venkateswara should forgive him  for any lapse on his part by remaining  at Puttaparthi.

 

 Ganesha Bhajan ended and the second  bhajan began with the words, "Srinivasa, Venkatesha, Tirupatheesha, Sathya Sayeesha  . " My father stopped his maanasa Puja. Thrilled, he opened his eyes.   There, before him, stood Bhagavan, watching my father with a charming smile on His face. He was delighted to see Bhagavan standing upright, just like Lord Venkateswara.  As my father looked at the Lotus Feet to offer his obeisance, he saw Tulasi leaves, wet with the sandal paste and kumkum, the same leaves, which  he had mentally pictured and offered as worship to Lord Venkateswara, only a few moments ago, rolling from Bhagavan's Feet. !!!!

 

Thus, He revealed His identity with the Lord of Tirupathi!!!.

 

With Love Regards,

"Mumbai" Srinivasan

--
S Subramanian
Research Associate
Institute for Social and Economic Change
Nagarabhavi
Bangalore 560072
Phone: +91 9916357384
E Mail: prasha...@gmail.com, prasha...@isec.ac.in