The Concrete Badri Narayan
The Concrete Badri Narayan Om Sri Sai Ram 17th June [1958] was a Day of Days, a Day that will be enshrined in the memory of everyone in the party, for years and years. In pursuance of His Mission of re-infusing spiritual efficacy in all Holy Places where men congregate for acquiring peace and joy, a Mission which took Him recently to Ayodhya, Kasi and Prayag, Baba that day re–invigorated Narayana worship at Badrinath, by means of a unique cermony, whose significance is beyond our tiny understanding! During the morning Abhishekam to the idol of Badrinarayana, while Baba was inside the temple facing the shrine, about 8.15AM, Baba mysteriously materialised a four armed Narayana icon with Sankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma, about 12 inches, perhaps sublimating in that form the Divine Essence of the Narayana Tejas before Him. He also created a charming thousand petalled ‘gold’ Lotus, and before the wonder of the people around Him could express itself in an awe striken gasp, He waved His hand before the Shrine and, lo, there was a Jyothirlinga in His palm, which He placed on the shining Lotus. Baba came away to the Dharmasala with the devotees and the large number of officers and citizens of Badrinath. Their Excellencies also soon joined the gathering. The Badri idol, the nethra lingam and the thousand petalled Lotus Materialising a ‘silver’ Abhisheka Vessel full of holy water from Gangothri itself (as He announced), Baba Himself performed Abhisheka to that translucent Nethra Lingam. He had graciously taken the Linga round to everyone and made all to wonder at its quit effulgence and at a clearly visible Eye that was somehow incorporated in it. Devotees recited Sri Rudram, Purushasuktham and Narayana Suktham, while Baba was pouring the sacred water on the Lingam. Then, Baba created 108 miniature Bilva leaves or rather replicas of that holy leaf, in ‘gold’; they fell in a lightning shower from His Palm on to a silver plate. The golden bilva leaf manifested by Baba He again waved His Hand and this time, O Blessed moment, 108 actual ‘thumme’ flowers fresh with even the touch of the morning dew, fell from that Divine Palm! With these, Baba directed Dr.B.Ramakrishna Rao, presumably on behalf of all assembled to do Puja to the Linga, the Ashtottara Puja, as mentioned in the Sastras. After Puja, Baba collected the Abhisheka Ganga and gave a share of it to each one, Himself pouring it into the mouth with His own merciful Hand. Displaying the Lingams that He created at Badri Needless to say, the Lingam, one of the Five, which according to Baba, Sankaracharya brought from Kailasa, and which he installed in a sacred spot in the shrine to vivify the Badarikasram returned to the place from which Baba had drawn it for this epoch making ritual of re invigoration. The Lotus and the Icon, He granted to the devotees; the Bilva leaves of ‘gold’ He gave to members of the party, as mementoes of the Momentous Day, for being duly worshipped by them. About 12.30PM, the same day, Baba condescended to come to Brahmakapal, where the devotees had arrived to offer oblations to the pitris (forefathers). He advised everyone to pray for their ancestors and departed relations, in a spirit of faith and sincerity. Every member of the party had a rare good fortune of paying off the debt to the departed in the immediate presence of the Lord Himself! Then Baba went down to the Alakananda and took from the surging torrent a glass of water, but, lo! The glass held also a lump of Vibhuthi with the mark of Pranava on it and the til essential for ancestral rites! He poured the water on to the palms of the devotees who were handicapped by disqualifications form partaking in the Pinda Pradan, asking them to offer that water instead! Surely, the manes of all who shared in that day’s Brahmakapal ceremony are thrice blessed! In June-July 1961, Baba toured North India and visited many holy shrines in Haridwar, Srinagar, Rishikesh, Badrinath and Nainital. The purpose of the visit, in Baba’s own words, was to “charge the exhausted spiritual batteries of the temples”. Prof. N. Kasturi who was among the fortunate few who accompanied Baba on this trip recounts the astounding events that took place when they visited the shrine at Badrinath: ‘The visit to Badrinath was first mooted by Baba in 1958, at a Bhajan session held on the sands of the Chithravathi. He said then that He would take the Bhakthas (devotees) to the place where He was doing Tapas (penance) and everyone present there was wonder struck, for that was the first time they had ever heard of Tapas, associated with His earthly career. Every one until then was convinced that Baba indulged in no Tapas, here or anywhere, corporeally or extra-corporeally! But by the time the tour ended they had understood the actual import of Swami’s statement and the great significance veiled in it. Once the visit became a certainty, plans were ready and the party fixed, before the end of May. Since the pilgrimage to Badrinath involved a week long journey by train and bus and an exhausting climb of about 20 miles, Baba chose only a minute fraction of the hundreds of devotees who prayed to be given the chance to join Him. Baba greeted the fortunate few with His Darshan at the Ethiraja Kalyana Mantapam, Alwarpet, Madras (now Chennai) on the 7th day of June, 1957 and sent them by train to Delhi, where He promised to bless them personally, since He proposed to fly to the Capital, the very next day. The train reached Delhi about six hours late and when the hungry, tired and distracted devotees arrived at last, they found Baba shedding cool comfort and consolation and strength by His Smile and His Motherly attention. The next day, at Hardwar, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. B. Ramakrishna Rao, joined Baba, for he too had
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