Prozac for Mind, Body and Soul

I always feel that one has to get a call from the divine to embark on spiritual trips, be it Tirupathi or Vaishnodevi. God must be willing to see you more than us wanting to see him. Our Iccha (wish) must become his/her wish. I was recently reading this book “The Alchemist” where Paul Coelho says “The Universe conspires to make one’s dream happen”. I don’t know if I was dreaming or just wishing to be a part of the Jayanthi Celebrations of Kanchi Mahaswami on Jun 10, 2006. But the dream and the wish that came true this weekend was like an instant lottery. In the last hour I decided to leave for Kanchi. I don’t know where I got the energy from but within twenty minutes I was ready to leave. Call this a divine invite or whatever.

My first visit was to Thenambakkam, 5 kms from Siva Kanchi. I passed by the mighty walls of Varadaraja temple to reach Thenambakkam. It is believed that this place was very close to the heart of the Saint. There is a beautiful Shiva Temple where the Jayanthi celebrations were being conducted. Right behind the Lingam in the Garbha Graham there is panel carving of Adi Shankara, Shiva, Ganesha, Kamakshi and on the wall. I have never seen such a carving in the Garbha Graham. There was no one around to explain the purana associated with the temple. There is a small room in side of the temple where the sage stayed during his visits to the temple. They have preserved the room and made it into a worship room with pictures of the Sage. Adjacent to the temple they’ve built a small shrine for the Sage of Kanchi. A life size idol in Marble looks very much real and living. A week long homams were conducted in the premises and small vidyarthis from the nearby patashala had come over to chant Rudram for the abishekam. When I had reached there abishekam was over and they were getting ready for the aarthi. Sitting in front of my guru reminded me of the verses from the Dakshinamoorthy ashtakam, where Shiva is surrounded by Sanakar, Sanatkumarar, Sanandhanar, Sanatanar.

" Chitram vata tharour mooley - He is seated under the Vata Vriksha
Vridhaa sishya gurur yuvah - Students are old and Guru is young
Gurosthu mouna vyakyanam - Only communication is silence and lessons are learnt that way
Sishyasthu chinna samsayaha" - Students get their doubts cleared and enlightened by the mere aspect of Guru

I saw the aarthi and collected the prasadam and then went to the Rig Veda Patashala near Varadarajar Temple for lunch. An elaborate lunch on thalai vazhai leaf was served with care and love. It was a little over 2.30 in the afternoon and I came to the Moola Brindavanam in the Mutt. Though he was not there physically but one could feel his presence there. There are enough stories and miracles he has played in peoples’ lives. His devotees were fervently thronging the mutt with the same fatherly and grandfatherly affection towards the saint. His brindavanam was packed but still he spent personal time with every devotee and I was sitting in front of him with rapt attention. Classical music concerts were going on at the Brindavanam. Truly one can enjoy themusic when his mind calms down and that was the feeling I had. The lyrics stirred some reactions in my soul which is beyond words.

As more people started to flow in I left to see the Mother of the Universe. Only after I stepped in the temple I realized that it was pournami. Mother of creation was calm and she is just being an affectionate mother. The lotus garland adorning her entire body, golden parrot on her right hand, the sugarcane bow on her left, and arrows of flowers on her right and She was radiating love and karunyam in her eyes blessed every soul that came to see her and that meditated upon her.

Then I came to Ekambareshwarar temple and did the sayaraksha rudrabhishegam. I chanted Rudram along with the priest and it came from my nabhi and I witnessed the abishegam for the shiva dampathi. Shiva and Parvathi in a seated pose behind the lingam reminded of the Kailash. I could see the look in the eyes that conveyed I am here, I am taking care of you and the world and I plan for your future and leave your worries with me. I didn’t have any special wish list to be handed over. With the feeling of total contentment I left for Chennai. My father used to say let us charge our spiritual batteries by making a trip to Kanchi and seeking the blessings of the sage. I felt very much enervated and I got spiritually recharged. Such trips are the real Prozac for the mind, soul and body.