Sheshadri Swamigal

Homa or Fire Ritual at Sheshadri Swamigal Ashram in Tiruvannamalai

Sri Sheshadri Swamigal lived from 1870 to 1929. He came from Kanchipuram to live at Arunachala. At his passing a samadhi shrine was built at his ashram. Though nearly 90 years have passed since his passing, I can feel the energy present at the samadhi. Priests perform homa, a fire ritual, and abishekam, bathing of the Siva Lingam that is in Sheshadri’s samadhi shrine, on a daily basis that add to the already existing energy at the shrine. On days when I am very receptive I can feel the energy already outside the samadhi hall near the bookstore.

Buried Ardhanareshwara Yantra

Recently I learnt that in the back of the samadhi shrine is an Ardhanareshwara Yantra buried. Ardhanareshwara is a form of Lord Shiva in which his form is half male and half female symbolizing a joining or melting of male and female energies as One. The yantra is covered by plates and is not visible yet it receives symbolically abishekam through the plates covering it. This yantra was found buried in the ground while the construction of Sheshadri’s samadhi shrine happened, which means it likely was a place of worship before Sheshadri.

Mansarovar Devi in Sheshadri’s Samadhi Shrine

I was always curious about the female image inside the shrine; she is small and dressed up in a way that I could not recognize her. One of the priests told me that it is an image of Mansarovar Devi. The Mansarovar Lake is near Mount Kailash high in the Himalaya Mountains and is a form of Devi herself.

29 Siddhas Meditation Hall

For some time I had visited the Sheshadri Swamigal Ashram almost daily after I discovered their meditation hall in the back, west side of the property. The meditation hall has 29 beautiful images carved out of black granite stone showing siddhas and enlightened masters that had left their bodies. It is a quiet place to meditate.

At the ashram I also observed abishekam holy bath that was done to the lingam in the small samadhi shrine of Sheshadri Swamigal.

The bookstore manager, a friendly and talkative fellow had always some interesting things to tell about the ashram, Sheshadri, some books, or simply answered my questions, so I also visited with him quite often. This time he told that there was daily homa performed. I love homas, fire rituals, and decided to check into it sometime. He showed me a small booklet about the life of Sheshadri Swamigal. Most literature at the ashram is in Tamil but this booklet was in English. I got a copy and started reading it at home.

Sheshadri’s Golden Hands

From the age of two Sheshadri showed signs that he was no ordinary being. The booklet contained the first of many similar stories that when Sheshadri touched items in a shop and even made a tremendous mess there, if the shop owner let it happen, the shop owner very soon was blessed with financial abundance. The first story unfolded when Sheshadri was only three years old. On the day Sheshadri touched the gods’ images the shop owner did not sell his average 100 for a festival but over 1,000! Sheshadri became famous as the one with golden hands.

While reading the first story I suddenly remembered that I heard about it many years ago. I had completely forgotten about it. I then only had the wish to experience a touch of those golden hands of Sheshadri in my life as I surely needed it. His energy is at his samadhi; all is possible I thought completely enthused through the story.

Next day morning I watched Satsang on the internet. At the end of it was a manifestation process. Suddenly through the Kundalini energy in me my arms, clasped together at the hands, moved up and over my head while at the same time my head moved backwards. It was nothing new to me, the energy working its way through my nadis. While this happened within a few seconds I visualized unlimited abundance, and had a colorful vision of Sheshadri Swamigal. He was calling me, and, gosh, I knew what to do.

This particular day when I put a new kumkum bindi, red dot on my forehead between my eyebrows I looked into the mirror and saw my face, then Sheshadri’s face, my face again, his face again. I saw it very strongly. I had heard about this kind of mystical experience; now it happened to me for the first time.

I then went to Siva Shakti Amma for meditation. I sat down, closed my eyes, and looked into my spiritual eye between my eyebrows. There on the red kumkum sat Sheshadri. I saw him sitting there on and off. When I left Amma, Sheshadri was everywhere outside on the road and in the sky. When at his ashram I went to the office and booked a homa, fire ritual, for the next Tuesday. That’s what I had to do.

The day passed in a high energy and exciting mood since I had the vision of Sheshadri in the morning. In the early evening I visited with an old sadhu to see how he was doing. Leaving him I was extremely happy. Going back home on Siva Shakti Road I had another vision of Sheshadri Swamigal being present in the sky and everywhere. This continued the next day.

Homa Fire Ritual at Sheshadri Ashram

Tuesday, the day of the homa fire ritual came. Two priests attended to Vedic mantra chanting to perform the homa for the worship of Ganapati, Lakshmi and the Navagrahas or nine planets. At times I repeat certain mantras. I threw little firewood sticks into the fire pit at each ‘Swaha’, and the same with a mix of rice and black sesame seeds. At the end I stood up and did the final offering and threw flowers, a broken-up coconut and another item that were on a plate into the fire. Kundalini loved it. After receiving prasadam they sent me next to watch the abishekam, bath of Lingam, Nandi and Mansarovar Devi in the Sheshadri samadhi shrine. When the priest was about to pour sandalwood water over the lingam he asked for my rudraksh mala that I had worn inside my kurti. I handed it to him, a bit hesitant though as the mala was given to me by my guru. The priest put it around the lingam to energize it and poured the sandalwood water over it. After that I received my mala back and put it around my neck again. Sandalwood is amazingly cooling and good-smelling. It was a delight to experience this. The prasadam I received consisted of my favorite, vibhooti or holy ash, then red kumkum which is processed turmeric powder, a flower garland they put around my neck, again a broken-up and offered coconut, and pongal, a simple rice dish.

As if that was not enough, two worker ladies grabbed me and took me to a small snake shrine which I had not discovered yet. They did a small and simple puja ritual. As it is customary to give the priests a donation I also wanted to give those two ladies a few rupees but I ran out of money and had only RS 13 left. They took the RS 10 bill and returned the three rupees change which I spent at the book store for a photograph of Sheshadri Swamigal to add to my pooja area at home.

Miracles do Happen

About an hour later I met with a blind friend who I sometimes helped out with his email. I told him about the homa; and right away he said he wanted to experience it too. At the end of our meeting he gave me some money in gratitude for my continued help. I did not expect any money; neither was I asking for it. He gave me the exact amount I had spent for the homa without me even telling him how much it was in total. Amazing blessing!

A few days later, by now it was Saturday, I started feeling frustrated over breakfast. Nothing had evolved to the extent that any income manifested except a few rupees here and there. I was already on the ashram premises, so I decided to go to Sheshadri’s samadhi shrine. While walking around it I noticed someone decorating the small Tirupati Venkateshwara image they have. It was the ashram trustee getting ready for the Saturday morning Vishnu Sahasranama, recitation of one thousand names of Lord Vishnu or Perumal as he is called here. I sat down behind him and listened to his chanting that was more a whisper. Once he ended the mantra chanting he gave me a few flowers and aromatic smelling mint leaves as prasadam. I gave an offering of RS 100 which left me with RS 10, just enough for a small cup of chai at one of the tea stalls along the main road.

Once I had paid for the tea and was penny-less, I for a brief moment experienced some relieve that all money was gone now. No more worries, I felt free. A few moments later my worries about not having money and what to do, the usual thought current, came back. It went on for some time but eventually when I took up some physical activity I experienced a shift and my mind went back to the usual elevated state.

Being in that state I was able to witness again how my mind rules and dominates my happiness and all. And worst if I don’t give it awareness I get caught up in it. And so it goes on and on, happiness and unhappiness, all afflictions of the mind. It is self created; the circle can be broken though through awareness itself.

One last story: Once I asked Sheshadri for a blessing in English. His response was in German! German being my mother tongue. I was utterly surprised but knew that my mind could not doubt what I had perceived as an answer because it was in German.

• Name: Sheshadri Swamigal Ashram
• Town: Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
• Special: Language does not matter w an enlightened being
• Directions: SW of Chennai, 3.5 hours by taxi
• Event Fee: RS 600 for Homa Fire Ritual
• Donations: RS 200+ to each priest
• Photography: Ok
• Access: Open to Hindus and Non-Hindus
• Spiritual Takeaway: Witnessing the ups and downs of the mind breaks the self-created vicious cycle of pain and suffering

In the comments below share your experience visiting this ashram. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Ma Udaysree has lived for six years in South India and is the founder of Sacred Temple Journeys. She offers small group spiritual temple tours to Tiruvannamalai, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Bidadi, and other places in South India. Udaysree is the author of ‘Living at Arunachala.’