The Saint With The Golden Hand

Spiritual Masters

oi-Staff

By Super

Monday, May 21, 2012, 17:40

Saints sanctify the staggered souls that swirl in the whirlpool of Samsara, to draw them out of it to settle in eternal peace. They rather confirm the sanctity of the soul which shoves the fear of death, the root cause of all fears, entitling one to enjoy eternal bliss.

Their very life is a teaching thereby imparting guidance in a more profound way of instructing than by voiced verbal articulations. As understood by the spiritually advanced Sri Seshadri Swamigal was beyond the description of a saint, a reality that cannot be clutched and clasped by the mind leading one to realization. But to the laymen, a form that bestowed all the brilliance for a fruitful material and spiritual life.

Birth And Childhood
Sri Seshadri Swami was born of Varadarajar and Maragathamma in Kanchipuram, the divine abode of Ekambareswarar and Goddess Kamakshi on January 22, 1870. His mother belonged to the devout lineage of the Kamakoti Vamsa, the ardent practitioners of the Sri Vidhya cult of Devi worship. Seshadri Swami was born after faithful prayers to Goddess Kamakshi ensuing a vision that Kamakoti Sastrigal dreamt of. He was the adoptive father of Maragathamma. People claimed the radiant child to be the ornament of Goddess Kamakahi.

Little Seshadri showed early signs of devotion when he started singing devotional songs at the very age of four, as taught by his mother. An incident further added to the exposition of the divine nature of the child. Once little Seshadri wanted His mother to buy him a Krishna idol for his worship that he picked up in a shop. The shopkeeper came forward to give the idol away free of cost drawn by the devotion of the child. The next day the shopkeeper kissed the tender hands of the four year old calling it 'Thangakai' ( Golden hand) stating that all the other Krishna idols were sold out the previous day. Henceforth a prefix 'Thangakai ' was added to Seshadri's name, meaning 'Golden hand Seshadri'.

At a very tender age, Seshadri performed pujas, sang devotional songs, meditated and elapsed into trances. At the age of five Seshadri started attending the Patasalas in Kanchipuram to begin his education. The child amazed everyone with its excellent intellect and memory and debating skills. Seshadri lost his father at the age of fourteen. The family then moved to live with Kamakoti Sastri in Vazhur. It is here Seshadri claimed mastery over the Vedanta with three primary texts, The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads and The Brahma Sutras, besides The Vedas, Nyaya and Vyakarana.

His mother's attempt to get him married at the age of seventeen was dropped as his birth chart showed that He would be an acclaimed Sanyasi. Soon his mother also was about to shed her body. She repeated slokams from Bhaja Govindam and sang Ambasive on her death bed. She left her mortal coil while chanting the word 'Arunachala' thrice, placing her hand on Seshadri's chest. He was then initiated into Sanyasam by one Sri Balaji Paramahamsa Swamigal.

Seshadri and His younger brother Narasimha Josiar were then gladly looked after by their childless uncle. Here Seshadri took to performing pujas to Goddess Kamakshi, Lord Rama and the picture that He sketched of Arunachala on His own. He locked himself up in his room for long hours repeating the names of deities. He was also heard singing Vedic hymns and shouting the name of Arunachala.