SANT GAJANAN MAHARAJ Born: First Appearance on 23 February 1878 in Shegaon Left the body abode: 8 September 1910 Birth Place: Unknown Known as: Bhu-Vaikenth”, “The Abode of Bhagwan Shri Vishnu on earth”. Incarnation of Lord Ganesha and Lord Dattatreya Known for: “Advaita Tattva” , He was Siddhayogi, He has done so many unusual things which were called “chamatkaras” who asked, “Did not Yama catch you when he was taking five others? And were you not terrified?” Manickam was to overcome with fright to reply. Then Swami said, “That was Yama, a big thief. Sleep is Yama. You should not sleep when you are in the advanced stage of spiritual path. And if you do, Yama will seize you.” Sourse- greatgurusofindia

SANT SESHATHRI SWAMIAL “No sooner the Light was perceived, happiness prevailed on me” who asked, “Did not Yama catch you when he was taking five others? And were you not terrified?” Manickam was to overcome with fright to reply. Then Swami said, “That was Yama, a big thief. Sleep is Yama. You should not sleep when you are in the advanced stage of spiritual path. And if you do, Yama will seize you.” After some time Swami asked him to sleep. Manickam said he would not sleep as per His warning. Swami agreed and instructed, “If you think of Me and apply the sacred ash before sleeping. Yama will not catch you.” Thus Avathar Sri Seshadri Swamigal used that strategy of Swapna Drishti to wean His disciple. With the pictures of Arunachala, Rama and Kamakshi his worship was going strong. He had no sleep and no appetite. He was seen in Chakrath-Azhwar and Kamakshi temples for several hours chanting mantras, slokas, etc. His rigorous and exacting religious practices were viewed with concern by his foster-parents who were taking care of him. He got immersed in Sri Kamakshi’s divine form and regarded himself as Goddess Parvathi (Sakthi aspect of Brahmam). He began doing his meditations in Rudrabhoomi (cremation ground) which was resented and questioned by his people. He was wandering in the streets of Kanchipuram, when he met a Gouda Sanyasi, Sri Balaji Paramahamsa, who finding him worthy and fit, gave him sanyasa (the fourth stage of asrama in one’s life). On the due date, Seshadri’s father’s annual ceremony was performed. To give him his father’s blessings, he was brought home forcibly and kept locked in a room. At a stage, when the room was opened his relatives noticed that Séshadri had disappeared from the locked room and then only realised his greatness and attainment. He was 19 years of age then. He will enter any shop on the roads and pull out anything from them. The shopkeepers revered him and considered his visit and touch as a great blessing. If anyone gives him a new cloth, he will wear it for a while and give it to someone. He was a saint of advanced spirituality. He possessed supernal powers and Godly possession. There was total abdication. He was in Swastik Asana, with his ankles crossed and the rest of his body poised over and out of contact with the ground. Born: 22 Jan 1870 Left the body abode: Jan 4, 1929 Birth Place: Thondai Mandalam, Kanchipuram Known as: Saint with a golden hand, Sanchara-Dakshinamurthi (God as man on the move). Known for: Mano-nasam (control of mind), Swastik Asana, with his ankles crossed and the rest of his body poised over and out of contact with the ground. Guru: Margathammal,(Mother taught him devotional songs) Sourse- greatgurusofindia

SANT LOKENATH BRAHMACHAR From his earliest days, Lokenath’s family exposed Him to the highest principles of the vedas.  uru Bhagwan knew the magnitude of enlightenment Lokenath was to attain. For a period of thirty to forty years, the Guru guided Lokenath in the practices of the necessary yogic disciplines and hatha yoga. When Baba became interested in practicing raja yoga, His Gurudev tested His perfection of hatha yoga. After demonstrating that He could cook sweet rice pudding in a pot placed between His upper thighs, Lokenath began lessons in raja yoga. Lengthy and rigorous vows of fasting were regularly observed for thirty to forty years. Under the guidance of His beloved Guru, Baba withstood repeated, almost inconceivable austerities.  These yoga practices were a comprehensive training for Baba’s soul. When Lokenath asked about the need to study scripture, His Gurudev replied that He should not waste time acquiring borrowed knowledge from books. Instead, Guru Bhagwan advised him to utilize the practice of yoga, “If You know who You are, You will come to know everything. There is nothing in this external, manifested world which is not within you. Believe My words; there is no truth without, because your atman is ‘sarvatbhutatman,’ the Atman seated in the hearts of all creatures. In You is the dormant seed form of all the knowledge, power and wealth of this entire creation. Why should You leave the diamond and waste time on pieces of glass? One day, Baba was visited by a pundit from a local school who proceeded to lecture Him on the scriptures. As the pundit was talking, a crow began making an unpleasant sound which the pundit found intolerable. He threw a stone to make the crow fly away only to have the bird return immediately to the same branch and resume making noise. To Baba, the bird was freely expressing the beauty of its existence through its own sound. When the pundit tried to drive it away a second time, Baba interfered. Sourse- basicsofsikhi

SANT RAMALINGA SWAMIGAL “No sooner the Light was perceived, happiness prevailed on me” anak was a king of Mithlapuri and was a good-hearted person. He always ensured justice in his kingdom “You will beget a son, who will be able to deliver the art of deathlessness, which will be a boon to the entire world” So saying the saint disappeared. Though it has been acknowledged by all as a remarkable event, the intricacy lying therin has to be understood only from a higher plane. The very moment the lady heard the words of the saint that she would bring forth a child, she conceived and this form of creation is termed as “sambupaksha shrishti” the “sambupaksha shrishti” is a different one, where the embryo comes into existence, the very moment the utterance comes from the mouth of a holy saint and it is a rare phenomenon in the world. and was compassionate toward the poor. He worshipped Shiva Ji’s bow that was given to him. One day, a saint came to Raja Janak and asked him a question, “Hey Raja, who is your Guru?” Born: 5 October 1823 Left the body abode: January 30, 1874 Birth Place: Marudhur, a village near Chidambaram Known as: Vallalar, ‘Ramalinga adigalar’ Known for: ‘Arutperunjothi Agval’ which comprises of 1596 lines and is said that the whole poem was written in a single night. It is termed as the crown of ‘Thiru Arutpa’, Sathya Gnana Sabai – Temple of Wisdom, Dharma Salai – Food for Hunger, Jeeva Karunyam. Guru: Lord Muruga took the form of a Saint ArunagiriNathar (Brahmin) and imparted the teaching by speaking the words “Just be there and do nothing” and saved him. Sourse- basicsofsikhi

SANT PAMBAN SWAMIGAL One day a friend of Pamban Swami informed him that he was going to Palani, the sacred hill temple. Pamban Swami also wanted to got to Palani and left his family life without informing them. When his friend asked if he had permission from his god, Pamban Swami said ‘Yes’ and lied to his friend. On the same day Lord Palani Murugan appeared before him with a smiling face and said ” If I want your presence at the hill I could have done it easily. There is no reason for you to lie. I will call you when the time comes. You may remain there without any attachments.” Then He asked Pamban Swami to promise that he would not go to Palani without His permission.  To keep his word Pamban Swami never went to Palani till his last days. Pamban Swami also gave up the taste of lime, salt, and hot spices. He used to take plain rice with green dal and ghee. He used to take food only once a day before noon; if he missed the time he would take food the next day only. Pamban Swami always liked to do silent Aka Puja rather than audible puja One day Pamban Swami called Chinaswami Jothidar to look for land in Tiruvanmiyur as his last days were near. Pamban Swami marked the floor corners with his leg that portion of land to be purchased and all arrangement were made. On 30 May 1929 at 7:15 am Pamban Swami called his followers and advised them to believe in Lord Murugan. Then he took a deep breath, held it inside his stomach and entered samadhi state. Born: 1848 Left the body abode: May 30 , 1929 Birth Place: Madras Known as: Atiyaserma Sudha Vithiga Saiva Siddhanta Ganabanu , which means Pamban Swami is full of sayasi . He was a sannyasi who followed the suddha advaita in the Vaideha way of Saiva Siddhanta in the Dasa Marga. “Kumara Guru Dasa Swamigal” because of his deep love for Palani Murugan Sourse- greatgurusofindia