Foreword by the author - B Radha Krishna Murthy (BRK)
Sri Poornananda Swamy, along with Gurumata with residing in our house in Project Colony of Pochampadu which is situated along the Godavari river. My friend, KBVG Krishna Murthy garu, who became a close devotee to Swamiji in a very short span, quit his job and started residing in Project colony to do service to Swamiji. We invited Swamiji’s childhood friend, Sri Krishna Shankar garu to Pochampadu, with the intention that he would be able to cook according to Swamiji and Gurumata’s liking. In a very short span, many residents of Pochampaadu became Swamiji's devotees. Swamiji would take a walk along the Godavari river every night. As our Project Colony was close to the river-bank, the atmosphere would become peaceful and serene by sunset time. Swamiji would take stroll on the banks of the river and sit under a huge tree in such a tranquil atmosphere. Swamiji took me along with Him on one such walks.
On one full-moon night, Swamiji took a small group of devotees to that tree. The happiness we obtained that night in Swamiji’s proximity is indescribable. I started chanting Srisuktham as Swamiji said, ‘It is auspicious to chant Srisuktham on a full-moon night’. As I was chanting Srisuktham and looking at Swamiji, I truly lost all sense of time. After a while, we experienced a mild drizzle. Surprisingly, it only drizzled u nder that huge tree, where we were all seated with Swamiji. We wondered if the drizzle originated from the tree itself. However, Swamiji, who made this miracle possible, looked at me with an innocent smile as if He was unaware of what had happened. Swamiji always spoke highly of Srisuktham,
“Srisukthamekamekanthe sarvaabheeshtham prayachhathi”.
As Swamiji always preferred staying in solitary, I wondered if He was uncomfortable staying in the house of a family man like me. I also thought that it would be a good idea if we could setup a small ashram for Swamiji, that would allow Him to stay by Himself. Since my superiors at work had also had Swamiji’s darshan, it became possible to implement my idea. I spoke to my superior and sanctioned a piece of land in the name of Swamiji’s childhood friend, Sri Krishna Shankar garu. With the help of the contractors and devotees, we were able to build an ashram for Swamiji. Gruhapravesham and Guru-pravesham into that ashram happened grandly amidst the chanting of vedas. Apart from the devotees in Pochampaadu, Swamiji’s devotees from Srisailam and Hyderabad also arrived to witness this celebration. Gurumatha and Krishna Shankar garu also started residing in the ashram, along with Swamiji. My friend, KBVG garu would also visit the ashram frequently and spend his time in the service of Swamiji.
During Swamiji’s stay in Hatakeswaram, I once asked Him, “Swamiji, I am unaware of these mantras and tantras. But is there a way to achieve karyasidhhi in a quick way?”. Swamiji replied, “There is a shastra told by Agasthya Maharshi for that”. KBVG garu, who was also present there, asked Swamiji for more details. Swamiji then recited some slokas, which I was unable to understand. Swamiji elaborated saying, “That is a yantram which belongs to Bhuvaneswari Kakshyaputiki. My father had blessed me with that vidya in my childhood”. As I thought to myself about how the yantram could be made, Swamiji drew it on a paper. Swamiji said to me that this yantram would be powerful if it is drawn on a copper sheet. I spoke about this to the assistant engineer, Narayana Rao in Pochampaadu. He arranged for a good quality copper sheet.
We were able to procure the copper sheet but I wondered who would be able to draw the yantram on the copper sheet. Narayana Rao then told me that an engraver could draw on the copper sheet and he also hired an engraver. However, on seeing the yantram that Swamiji had drawn on the paper, the engraver said that it was an extremely difficult job to do. Stating that it was impossible for him to do it, the engraver left. I, anyway, purchased the electric pen that is used to draw on the copper sheet from the engraver.
Eventually, we all forgot about the yantram and the copper sheet remained in a corner of the ashram. After a few months, I went to the ashram to have Swamiji’s darshan, early in the morning. At the same time, a five-year-old girl also came to the ashram. I had never seen that girl in my colony and did not know who she was. That girl sat down next to Swamiji and on noticing the copper sheet in the corner, she enquired, “What is that?”. Swamiji immediately asked her, “Who are you, child? What is your name?”. With a smile, the girl answered, “My name is Bhuvaneswari”. Pointing to the copper sheet, Swamiji asked the little girl, “We will draw your picture on it, will you stay?”. The girl agreed to it with great excitement. Meanwhile, the girl’s parents came into the ashram looking for her and took her with them. Swamiji immediately asked me to bring the electric pen that I had purchased from the engraver. Without further delay, Swamiji started drawing the yantram on the copper sheet. Swamiji chose Geetha matha and Kishan Rao garu’s house to perform this divine act. During the days that Swamiji was drawing the yantram, many miraculous events had occurred in Geetha matha and Kishan Rao garu’s house. By the time Swamiji had finished the drawing, His eyes had turned blood-red.
Since then, Swamiji always asked people to confide in Baba’s padukas and Bhuvaneswari Amma’s yantram about their difficulties and desires.
The yantram, drawn by Sri Poornananda Swamy Himself, is undoubtedly the truest form of Sri Bhuvaneswari Amma, the ruler of the universe. Along with Baba’s padukas, Sri Bhuvaneswari Amma is now residing in that yantram in our ashram’s Baba Hall.
to be continued...
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