(Karapathra SivaPrakasa Swamigal)
After
multiple follow-up I was able to get few details from the madam and a
small book on swamigal. The contents here are excerpts pulled from that
book (our thanks to Kaasivaasi Sivananda Yateendra swami and
paranthamanar (for compilation) of these contents in th book). In days
to come I'm not sure whether this book may exist at all. A special
thanks to Deiva from our group who guided me to reach this great place.
Sivaprakasa
swamigal was born in Thiruporur as 4rth son in his family. His father's
name was Muthuswami and mother's name Sengamalam. They belonged to the
lingayat group and hence the linga tharanam was made to swamigal when he
was very young. He had a habit of calling the lingam " swami, swami"
when he was a kid. As swami reached 16 years his father expired and the
family had to move to chennai. His elder brother and sister-in-law alone
stayed back in Thiruporur. Swamigal after coming to Chennai got into
the business of betel leaf wholesale auctioning in chennai. He gave the
daily earned money to his next brother and sister-in-law with whom he
dwelled with in Chennai. During this period he met few disciples of
easoor satchidhandar and started reading his books. (Easoor
Satchitanandar samadhi is in Purusavakkam near old Vasanthi theatre, A
photo of this place is below )
Post that he met his guru Rathina desigar. Based on his teachings he followed the words of pasithiru, thanithiru, vilithiru which were also the golden words from vallalar. These three words have more than one meaning, leading one to the spiritual life. Rathina desigar gave a book on Ribhu gita and asked him to go through. ( pasted a few URL's for people who like me have heard the term Ribu geetha first time in their life)
http://www.intermission.nu/wp-content/uploads/heart-of-ribhu-gita.pdf
http://www.scribd.com/doc/19493174/Ribhu-Gita
http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Essence-of-Ribhu-Gita-ebook.pdf
Swamigal
got well versed in Gita, Thirukural, vedantham and other books in due
time. His practise also improved by then. Once during his practise he
had reached the state of samadhi. Swami's mother while looking for him,
found that he was in a very still state. She called her other son to
take a look at Swami and was scared if her son died. Meanwhile a crowd
gathered in the place and among them there was another practioner who
knew swami well. He smiled and asked others to leave the place and acted
as if he was checking the pulse of Sivapragasar. Then the stranger said
don't worry mother keep dropping this divine ash (thiruneeru) on his
head and due time he will come back to normalcy. After this incident
once swami from his business place went to Chennai Beach. There was a
saukku thoppu (Not sure of English translation for Savukku tree) near
the beach. He went there dug a small pit and buried the money and sat
over it on padmasana and started meditating. By the time he was out frp,
meditation it was late in the night. So swami slept there and woke by
3am had his bath in beach then did his morning round of mediation and
left for his place.
After these incidents one day swami met
his guru and asked his permission to renounce. His guru said renounce
from within. So swamiji continued to do his betal leaf business without
external attachments. However he was giving the money to his
sister-in-law and life continued like this for a year.
RENOUNCING
Lack
of interest in external things for Swamiji became a growing concern to
his brother. His mother too asked swami “son you are not showing
interest in anything and also not wanting to marriage is of great
concern to us”. Swami said "Naan kalyaanathai thedi kolgiren".which had
two meanings in it. Swami's guru also expired during this period which
created a lot of grief to him. Brother said "I had taken loan and
created business for you, but you seem to be spending time with useless
people". Based on this entire Swami decided to go out of house now. So
he walked to his mother and said "Mother I'll be here for 3 days. Please
let me know if i need to do anything for you". Mother was upset now.
However swami had made up his mind to go out of family. To console his
mother swami told that he is going to make money for his kalayanam. On
the particular day he stepped out of his house and reached pattinathar
samadhi in thiruvotriyur. He prayed to him and said please take me as
one among the divine crowd of Gnanis and removed all his clothes there
and wore a small loin cloth (kovanam). He was 19 years then. His brother
at home came to know that his younger one is renouncing and wanted to
stop this. He wanted his brother to be normal like others, hence he came
in front of Swami at thiruvotriyur and said give me back my money that
was put in business because of you. So swami said let's go the eldest
one in Thiruporur where I'll get the money for you. The eldest brother
asked his youngest brother (swami) to step inside however sivaprakasar
refused. His eldest brother pleaded him to quit sainthood. Sivapragasar
instead asked his brother to take sainthood. Finally they all gave up as
sivapragasa swamigal was firm and was not willing to quit sainthood for
any worldly things. Alas his brother said atleast let us feed you.
Swami still refused to go in and said I'm taking pitchai (Biksha) so
come out and feed me with 3 hand portion of rice. (moonru kavala sooru).
He opened his hands and took the rice in his hands and consumed it.
Hand is called Karam in tamil and Pathiram is Vessel) From then on he
use to take 3 portions of rice in hand as biksha. This is the reason
why he got the name "kara pathira swamigal".
MEDITATING AT THIRUVANMIYUR
Swami
from thiruporur reached thiruvanmiyur near a place where thiruvanmiyur
swaigal ashram (..not sure where this place is now) and started
meditating most of the time there. He fed himself only from people who
desperately reached him and gave 3 hands of rice. Thiruvanmiyur swamigal
saw the deep state of Karapathira swamigal and ensured there is no
hindrance for Karapatra swami’s nirvikalpa state. Swami used to meditate
continuously below a tree irrespective of rain or shine. Once people
saw a huge snake moving over swami's body while meditating and from then
on many came to know that this was a great gnani.There were a quite a
list of people who started visiting him now. Once when they came to meet
him, he was sitting a paddy field (can you believe places like besant
nagar and thiruvanmiyur had paddy field then...100+ years before. We are
losing suburbs now..) In the paddy field there were shepherds who were
disturbing him without knowing that Karapatra swamigal was in deep state
of samadhi. So he was taken to nearby abandoned temple by his
well-wishers and vistors to continue his meditation. However next day
Karapathirar was seen meditating in the nearby suddukadu (graveyard).
People again took him to the abandoned temple, however from the next day
he was seen below the same tree near the Thiruvanmiyur swamigal ashram
where he was before. It is said that due to constant practice swami had
strong dysentery with blood discharge. He was taken by his well-wishers
and disciples and treated for the same, amongst which one was a good
doctor. Post that swami again came back to the place near the madam and
started meditating again.
BODITHAL
Swamigal
then came to a place near Vepery which was his first disciple's place.
The disciple was the doctors who use to feed him earlier. This place
called as Chengalvarayar thottam in vepery is a place where Vallal
peruman also use to meditate. Many people started visiting him and swami
had to come out of him mouna stage. He used this time to teach thathuva
neri, athuvitha nilai and gnanam below a kichili tree. Over a period of
time many people started visiting him and the crowd started gathering
frequently. This was a hindrance because there was no time available for
him to be alone. So he left without telling anyone to podhigai malai.
After 3 years one of his disciples pleaded and got him back to chennai.
Swami now came back and sat below a magilam tree this time. The disciple
who got him back created a small ashram for him there. Swami used to
lock the doors and meditate so that he doesn't get disturbed. he use to
live only on milk for days together. There were times when he went to
samadhi state for 48 continous days without food. During this time a
snake bit him and he stood in water for some time and the poison was
washed away. People started visiting him on pournami (full moon days).
There was anna dhanam during this periods and swami's fame started
spreading like anything. There were many visiting to hear upadesam from
him. During this time there was a big meeting of sadhus held in thottam.
Many people got benefitted since they got a chance to meet many
practioners during this 5 day vizla.
DISCIPLES
There are many and we are covering only a few prominent ones in this.
Veerasubbaiya swamigal
For
the sadu sangam Veerasubbaiya swamigal was made as Leader by
Karapathira Swamigal. He used to meditate like Swami and gained
popularity like swami. VS swamigal took his final samadhi state in
Purusawakkam. This place and easoor satchitanandar place is just
seperated by a distance close to one km. He is known for his popular
speeches on Gnanam. A place for siddha practioners to sit and meditate.
Sagajanandar
Sagajanandar
was a harijan who was looked below by many people. But he was a great
favorite of Karapathira swamigal. Sagajanandar was know for his amazing
discipline, good deeds, knowledge and obedience. Based on a discussion
one day Sagajanandar left to Chidambaram to take care of nandanar madam.
He looked after the madam, school, sangam and worked for the
downtrodden people.
American Doctor
Sorteris (Not sure if I got the spelling right) came to Chennai and met swami. He stayed with swami for many days and had a complete discussion on human mind. He started practising with swami and had reached high levels in samadhi. After that he went back to America to spread the meditation practice there.
Kaasivaasi Sivananda yateendrar
Kaasivaasi swamigal is a main reason we have these content here. He had recorded most of swami's life and preaching in detail.
Manana Chinthamani - Thiratu
Periya Manana Chintamani- Thiratu
Aanma puranam - Veera Subbiah swamigal
Thathuvvaanu Santhanam - Athuvida nool- Thogupu
Advaita Bodha Deepika - 12 chapters ( for free download click the following URL )
http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Advaita-Bodha-Deepika.pdf
SETTING UP ASHRAM in VYASARPADI
Swami created an ashram for himself and other Sadhus in Vyasarpadi. The ashram's land was bought by the collection of various donation. Per writing it says the place was quiet area with small pond a nagaraj temple. Hence the anandashram was created there with help from various people in creating the buildings there. Over a period of time swami moved from chengalvarayar thottam to Vyasarpadi. There were many rooms for disciples in ashram to meditate. The sadhu sangam had regular meetings now in Vyasarpadi including the pournami celebrations instead of chengalvarayar thottam. Veera subbiah swamigal was the one who regularly gave speeches . The another ashram he had created was in Padi.
SAMADHI OF SWAMI
During
last moment swami hinted many people his time has come. He told keep
few bags of cement, there are other works. He called his disciples for
the last time and did thattuva bodham. For the next three days he kept
on saying " Sambo, Sambo" and took samadhi in the year of 1918.
"அன்னையே அருளா லயம் அதாய் அடியார்
அகத்துளே அறிவுரு வாகி
முன்னை மாமறையும் மோனமாய் மொழிந்த
முடிவில்லா பரம்பொருள் தன்னை
பன்னுசீர் வியாசர் பாடியில் வளரும்
பரமனே பத்திரக் கரைத்தொஒய்
என்னை நீ ஆள்வாய் சிவப்பிரகாச
இறைவநல் தேசிக மணியே "
- காசிவாசி சிவானந்தா யதீந்திர சுவாமிகள்.
- காசிவாசி சிவானந்தா யதீந்திர சுவாமிகள்.
