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Swami's the second trip to US, in July 2000; New York...

   During the second trip to US, in July 2000, Swami asked my husband and myself to go with him to New York to Dr. Prabha's house, another devotee of Swami, after the poojas at our daughter's house in York, PA. It was Tuesday, a day before the Gurunathar pooja. Prabha took us around New York city and we came across a famous church called St. Peter's cathedral. My husband asked Prabha whether one was allowed to go inside and see it. She said that Swami did not go inside the church during his previous trip to New York. We asked him and he agreed to come and we went inside the church. Some holy water was kept in a vessel with a written sign board. When Swami kept his palm on top of the sacred water, suddenly from nowhere a sticker with a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus came and got stuck in his palm. It was an exhilarating scene. Swami explained to us that one of the reasons for undertaking the US trip at that time was to conduct the marriage of his devotee Mr. Krishnan, a south Indian brahmin with a Philippine girl. He further said that he asked Lord Jesus whether the latter approved of the alliance and the positive reply was affirmed by the materialization of the sticker. When we came out, Swami stuck the sticker on the entrance gate of the church.

   Let me narrate how the marriage was conducted on 20^th August at Kentucky in the presence of Swami. Swami asked my husband and me to accompany him as Krishnan's father and mother personified. We went to Louisville, Kentucky where Mr. Rengarajan, Krishnan's friend, came to meet us and drove us to his house. It was he who had made all arrangements for his close friend Krishnan's wedding. Krishnan's late father had requested Swami to be present and have the marriage conducted and bless the couple. After the initial welcome and formal introduction of his family members to Swami, Swami was served food and then we all ate. After food, Swami wanted to see the prayer room in their house to find out what made the marriage to be held there in Louisville and why was he in Rengarajan's house. In the prayer room was an idol of Goddess Meenakshi similar to the one Swami materialized at St. Marteen in Raman's (Krishnan's brother) house during Devi pooja prior to the marriage. He then took that idol out of his box and kept it in the Swami sannadhi. Rengarajan told Swami that he had arranged for a priest by name Koteeswaran from Nashville and that the priest had given him a list of requirements. As per the list, he and his wife with the help of their friends had made all the arrangements for the marriage. Since the marriage was blessed by a divine person, Swami said that Lord Venkatachalapathi and Goddess Padmavathi would be the sakshi (witness) and there was no need to have other customary rituals as in normal weddings. He also gave instructions for the procedure to be followed for the marriage the next day. He waited for the priest to arrive and then wanted to go to the temple where the marriage was to be held.

   When the priest came he was in pants and since he felt that it was not proper to meet Swami in pants he changed over to dhoti and then paid his salutations to Swami. He told him that his native place was Ettukudi in Tamilnadu and he was working in a Murugan temple prior to his coming to US. Swami materialised a Murugan with a mayil vahanam. After that we all went to the temple and one of the priests met Swami and introduced himself. He enquired of the details of Swami and his divine mission. He then went inside the Venkateswara sannadhi and showed aarthi. Just then the temple bell rang and the clock there indicated 8 pm. Just before that, the bride Doinks Quinane, called Rani (Tamil for queen) by Swami arrived with her family members and Swami met them and materialized a dollar of Mary and gave it to her saying that it gave her the signal to marry. He told her and others that God is one for all. Swami indicated to the priest that he was conducting the marriage the next day and he would like to have the same performed in front of Lord Venkateswara sannadhi and after the mangalya dharanam, they should go to the Devi sannadhi and perform archanai. The priest readily agreed. We all went with Swami around the temple. The idol of Murugan installed in that temple was similar to the one Swami had materialized earlier. Swami was taken around to see the hall in the temple where the marriage functions were normally conducted. Just as he entered the hall, a lady by name Sukanya was introduced to Swami by Rengarajan and Swami was told that she was the lady who gave Mr. Rengarajan the Meenakshi idol kept in his house in appreciation of the services he rendered in the temple during Kumbhabhishekam.

   Within the hall, Sukanya told Swami that she had been to the Vaitheeswaran temple in India which happened to be her family deity. She also said that she had some prasadam from there for Bala (Rengarajan's wife) who was ailing from thyroid and kidney problems. Swami asked for a glass of water and after he drank some water from the glass, he asked Sukanya to extend her hands cupped. Out came from his mouth an athma lingam in spatikam. He then said that there is a specific way to worship at Vaitheeswaran temple and called out — Muthu Kumara, Selva Muruga. Just at that moment, came in Subramanian, Rengarajan's friend. Swami linked his calling Murugan with Subramanian's arriving there. The latter paid his salutations to Swami. Swami asked Subramanian whether his kula deivam was Ethumanoor Sivan. Subramanian was taken aback and he confirmed the same. Swami took out a bana spatika lingam and gave it to him. He also said that he would get vaitheeswaran prasadam next day and Bala should take it for her ailments.

   After reaching home, Rengarajan told Swami that his father was having some mental problems in the recent past. Swami through his vision found that it was due to the non-fulfilling of a vow to carry out thulabaram to Lord Guruvayurappan. He then materialized a small idol of Krishna holding a flute from thin air and gave it to Rengarajan. While we were talking, Swami suddenly got up and went towards the Swami sannadhi where there was a photo of Siva and there appeared suddenly two packets of prasadam from Vaitheeswaran temple. We were all amazed to see that incident. Bala took a little bit as the first dose of medicine as per Swami's instruction. Swami wanted all of us to be ready at 6.30 in the morning the next day and he suggested to Koteeswaran that the pre-marriage rituals be done by Krishnan and completed between 7.45 and 8.45 am. He added that Krishnan should chant as many Gayathri japams as possible before leaving for the temple for the marriage ceremony.

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