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Unique and thrilling experience I had with Swami

   Let me narrate to you another unique and thrilling experience I had with Swami, which made me believe beyond doubt that he is none other than Devi in human form. It was a Tuesday in the month of February and it happened to be Maasi magam (the most auspicious day of Chothanikkara Bagavathi). Swami was in Chembur. At the time, I was working as a lecturer of physics in a city college. My husband had already gone to office and I had to go to college and my lecture was at 2.30 pm on that day followed by practicals in the laboratory. A sudden idea sprang in my mind around noon beckoning me to go to Chembur and pay my obeisance to Swami and then from there proceed to college since that day happened to be Maasi magam. Chothanikkara temple also opens for devotees at 2 pm for special darshanam. With that idea in my mind, I hurriedly finished all the household work and managed to leave the house around 12.30 pm. The bus in which I was travelling to Chembur broke down on the way. I was cursing my stars and felt that Swami was testing me and also started wondering in my mind whether Ambal (Swami) did not want me to have his darshan. Helplessly, I waited along with other co-passengers for another bus to come. Suddenly an almost empty bus with Chembur marked as the destination came towards us. I got a sitting place in this bus along with few others and reached Chembur within fifteen minutes.

   It was almost 1.30 pm in the afternoon when I entered the devotee's home. The lady of the house welcomed me and hesitantly said that Swami had gone to sleep. I was terribly upset and disappointed but somehow managed not to show my feelings to anyone outside. I went straight to their prayer room and after praying to Devi fervently for about fifteen minutes, I picked up courage stepped into the room where Swami was fast asleep. In my mind I was continuously chanting Amme Narayana. Without making the slightest noise, I went near him and touched his lotus feet and paid my salutations to him. I sat down near the cot and started singing a devotional song on Chothanikkara Bagavathi. To my amazement, while I was singing Swami suddenly got up from sleep and looked around. He saw me singing and the lady of the house sitting by my side.

   It was exactly 2 pm. I became emotional and tears of joy rolled down my cheeks since I felt that finally Devi had fulfilled my wish. I paid my obeisance and explained everything to him. He in turn gave me the sandal paste as prasadam. After spending a few minutes, I left for my college since I was getting late for my lecture. Around 5 pm, I got a phone call from my husband, asking me to go over to Chembur on my way back from college. He added that guruthi (a holy red colored water which is normally used for guruthi pooja for Keezhkaavu Devi in Chothanikkara) had materialized in a vessel by Swami's divine powers immediately after I left the prayer room around 2.05 pm. I could not believe it and I felt so overjoyed that after finishing my college work, I rushed straight to see Swami who gave me a little portion of guruthi to drink as prasadam. The most thrilling fact was that though we had witnessed Swami materializing vibhuthi (sacred ash), sandal paste, kumkum, different idols of God, rudhrakshams, sacred tulsi malas etc., it was the first time guruthi came as per his divine command. This amazing incident confirmed my belief that he is none other than the embodiment of Chothanikkara Bagavathi himself. If one has sincere and absolute faith and devotion to God, then he will never let you down and will shower his grace without the slightest doubt.

   I was very curious to know the reason behind the depiction of Chothanikkara Bagavathi as a bare chested idol. I asked many people as to why this particular deity is depicted in this fashion. Unable to get any suitable answer to this question I approached Swami. He told me that the that the Goddess doesn't want any obstacles between her and those who seek Her infinite grace, very much like a mother breast feeding her hungry baby. The Goddess doesn't even want a few seconds time lapse between the devotees seeking Her grace and Her rendering it. In the sacred Lalitha sahasranamam, which depicts the glory of Devi in different ways, the line Avyajakarunamoorthaye Namaha (992), is testimony to Her unlimited grace.

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