Mother Umadeviar: Channel to Sri Seshadri Swamigal

Several of my last posts have been about the great Mahan, Sri Seshadri Swamigal. In relation to the great saint, the following is information about the luminary Uma Deviar (born May 22, 1942) who was believed to be a preeminent channel of the great Mahan. She was known to devotees of Sri Seshadri Swamigal but otherwise lived the quiet exemplar life of a married woman with meticulous attention to her duties to God and family. 

I was fortunate to have met Uma Deviar briefly in her home towards the end of her life, where she met me with kindness and courtesy and responded to a worrying spiritual difficulty I was experiencing in words that would be repeated almost exactly, sometime later, by my own guruji, Sri Nannagaru. 

Through her tapas and sadhana, Uma Deviar previously acted as a channel to various saints until she moved to Tiruvannamalai and her life became inextricably mixed with the great Sri Seshadri Swamigal. Of her connection with him; Mother Umadevi said that Swamigal would appear in front of her in response to questions asked, and thereafter she would convey the answers to those seeking his guidance. To read more about the life of Uma Deviar, go to this link here. 

Uma Deviar

I found the below narrative written by B.R. Kumar in which he talks of his experiences with Mother Umadevi, beautiful and inspirational and it reminds one that sometimes even in an ordinary guise in an ordinary home, lives a most extraordinary person. 

Mother Umadevi 

“The turning point in my personal and official life was in 1961 when I had the first darshan of Saint Uma Deviar at Thenmathadi Street, Tiruvannamalai. It was evening time, when we reached Tiruvannamalai from Pondicherry. We were at the residence of Sri S.R. Veeraraghavan, well-known Advocate-Scholar of Tiruvannamalai. Sri Veeraraghavan told us that we would be meeting a very rare personality in a few minutes time and he took us to the residence of Sri. R. Muthukumaraswamy, another Advocate of Tiruvannamalai and a prominent personality known for his erudition and benevolence. 

We were introduced to Saint Uma Deviar and we were talking to her. I was wonderstruck at her appearance, for she was bedecked with a huge Kumkuma Pottu on her face which was fully smeared with Vibhuti. I came to know that she was the wife of Sri Muthukumaraswamy. But I was wondering at her saintly appearance. She took each of us separately to an adjoining room and talked to us about our past, present and future lives. She gave vibhuti and blessed me saying that Mahan Sri Seshadri Swamigal was always with me for guidance and security. I was dazed at her words, for this was the first time in my life that I had met such a personality. 

We came away to Pondicherry the same night, but the memories of my meeting Saint Uma Deviar was haunting me and I wanted to make another trip to Tiruvannamalai immediately and meet the Saint once again. Yes, I did it immediately on my own and reached Tiruvannamalai within a couple of days. I waited on the verandah of the residence of Saint Uma Deviar. A servant woman came from inside and asked me whether I was from Pondicherry and if my name was Kumar. I said ‘Yes’ and I was wonderstruck. The servant maid said that the Saint was doing Puja and she would meet me very soon. After some time the Saint came out and took me inside and was speaking to me for quite a long time. She was seated in a chair and I was on the floor. Sri Muthukumaraswamy was also present by our side. After some time, with great reluctance, I took leave of her and came away to Pondicherry. 

Who is Mahan Sri Seshadri Swamigal and how does he speaks through Saint Uma Deviar? were questions that I was asking myself several times, but I could not find any answer, within my limited knowledge and experience in spiritual matters But I used to pray to both the Saint Uma Deviar and Mahan Sri Seshadri Swamigal, by continuously chanting the mantra, “Mahan Sri Seshadri Swamigal Tiruvaadikke”, which brought me immense benefits in both my personal and official life. 

In the meanwhile, I found in Sri A.D.M. Panneerselvam, a great poet and a devout follower of Mahan, answers to all my questions about the Saint and the Mahan. Sri Panneerselvam became my very close friend in the days to come and our bond of friendship grew from strength to strength. Even after 28 years, I find Sri Paneerselvam humility and friendship unfathomable. I do not know what good I have done for him but to speak to him once on the telephone brings me all memories of my previous Tiruvannamalai visits. 

Saint Uma Deviar used to politely tell all those who met her, to go around the Hill of Arunachala whenever they are in Tiruvannamalai. I used to think that it was only for others and not for me! One day, when I met her in the mid-afternoon, she told me that I should immediately go round the Hill and then return to Pondicherry. I was terrified and did not know what do to. She told me emphatically, “Yes! Go round and come back!”. With great reluctance I started, with a friend of mine from Pondicherry. It was quite hot to start with, but when I landed on the path to go round the weather cooled down and it was all pleasant. I completed the circle in about three hours and raced back to report to the Saint. She blessed me and me that I must undertake such going round frequently. 

Later in the company of Sri A.D.M. Paneerselvam, I have gone around the Hill at different times of the day and night. While going around the Hill during the nights, I have been guided by white glimmering lights to show the path and have seen red lights glowing from the Hill. I have been guided by the pleasant aroma of flowers, vibhuti and medicinal plants. Once a playful calf was leading all around the Hill and finally disappeared. Once a male saint with a dog and a stick in his hand was going in front of us and guiding us throughout our round of the Hill. And many more such incidents made me feel that the Mount Arunachala was a Hill full of throbbing life and that it took care of all those who went round at any time. 

Saint Uma Deviar became part and parcel of my personal life and our entire family bowed and followed whatever she said. Once on her visit to Pondicherry, I had arrange only for a limited number of laddus for distribution to those who came to meet her. But to our surprise, the distribution of laddus became endless and there even remained a surplus quantity! That was a very great miracle performed by Saint Uma Deviar. 

She visited us while I was at Tiruchirapalli in the year 1991 and went on a lecture tour of educational institutions. I took her to the Samadhi of Saint Thayagaraja at Tiruvaiyaru and there she rendered a beautiful composition in Telegu. Saint Uma Deviar could also play on the Veena very well. 

During my train journey from New Delhi, Saint Uma Deviar provided me a security guard and escort of an unknown person, when the train was attacked by an unruly mob. The security guard came with me till I reached my home at Pondicherry. And then he disappeared. During my unplanned long distance travels, Saint Uma Deviar used to send unknown messengers from the Railway Department, to arrange for my reserved accommodation. 

Once Saint Uma Deviar, accompanied me in an unknown form (I could not see it at all!) and set things right, with the higher officials at New Delhi. That was a great relief for me, for I was struggling with a peculiar problem for several years. She secured admission for my son in the Central School, so that I could easily move all over India on transfer. She gave me special numbers for chanting, so that I could solve problems instantly. 

Saint Uma Deviar had prepared and served coffee to me, with her own hands! Once she had served me lunch at her house. At the time, she told me that she had gone without food for over 48 days. Yet she was very cheerful and healthy. There was not a small trace of tiredness or weakness in her appearance. Always she had talked to me with a very bright and broad smile on her face. She used to be extremely cheerful and pleasant whenever she met with devotees. I have been fortunate enough to move with her very closely and I felt sad when she shed her mortal coil. She has not gone anywhere. She lives with all of us. Such is her power of penance. She had sat on the hot rocks of the Mountain of Arunachala at her young age for observing silence and penance. For years, she had not taken food at all. She had lived on a spoonful of milk and a small bit of banana fruit. For preparing the Golden Kavacha for the Goddess Unnamulai Amman of the Big Temple at Arunachala, she removed all the golden bangles that she was wearing on her hands and gave them to Sri Muthukumaraswamy to be taken to Chennai instantly for ordering ornaments for the Goddess. 

I had met her at odd times at her residence at Tiruvannamalai, both at Thenmathadhi Street and Gopal Pillayar Koil Street and she never once frowned upon me. She had always received me with great grace and benevolence and talked to me in a very sweet manner. Once she was on a very long penance of silence, but she welcomed me inside her house and talked to me personally for several minutes. 

Once when one becomes the staunch devotee of Saint Uma Deviar, well-known as “Amma” she takes care of the entire life of the devotee, along with their family. What is required on our part is only devotion, pure devotion.” 

[By B.R. Kumar]

Panchamukha Darshanam

The point known as the Pancha Mukha Darshanam located on the northeast side of Arunachala, has been highly revered for many years. It is said that the great Arunachala Saint Sri Seshadri Swamigal when as a child in his native place of Kanchipuram, would draw pictures of the Arunachala Pancha Mukha Peaks. Although the fame of the Pancha Mukha dates back to antiquity, it is only in the last thirty years that it has become a well known and outstanding aspect of Arunachala girivalam. 

One of the reasons for its increasing fame is its association with Isakki Swamigal, for more information go to these previous links here and here. Isakki Swamigal’s great love and belief in the Five Peak Point inspired many of his devotees to develop their own special connection with this spot. 

Arunachala Panchamukha Darshanam

One of his better known devotees, Mother Umadevi, developed psychic powers through the grace of her Guru, Isakki Swamigal and because of the time she spent at the Pancha Mukha. It was this grace and spiritual opening that lead to her connection with the deceased Sri Seshadri Swamigai, of whom she was later in her life regarded by many as a channel and spokesperson. In this respect many devotees of Sri Seshadri Swamigal would visit Mother Umadevi and ask her to be their intermediary in asking for Sri Seshadri's guidance and help. 

Mother Umadevi

The statue of Isakki Swamigal, was put up while he was still living to indicate the spot he favoured during his daily meditations at the pancha mukham darshanam. The statue also marks the place that nowadays he is believed to visit daily in his psychic body to give guidance and encouragement to devotees of Arunachala. The Samadhi of Isakki Swamigal is at the back of the statue and is identified by the presence of a Lingam. Intererestingly the Samadhi of Isakki Swamigal was constructed by A.D.M. Panneerselvam as guided by his own teacher Mother Umadevi.

Statue of Isaki Swamigal

Elsewhere at the Shrine of the Pancha Mukha darshanam, there are five lingams, which represent the five peaks of the Hill, viewable from this spot. These five lingams were only installed at this shrine comparatively recently.

Five Lingams at Panchamukham Shrine

An explanation of the five lingams, with each corresponding to a face of Lord Shiva (in his five-faced aspect) and to one of the Hill peaks follows below:

Five Faced Shiva, Mahashivaratri Kolam, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Shiva is Yogi Raja, the Lord of Yoga, the perfect ascetic. The five aspects of Shiva represent:

Ishana - Skyward Face:

The word Ishvara is form the root “Aisha – Aishwarye”. Total wealth means the total control and ownership of all the fourteen worlds. Such form of Shiva, who is the total owner of the fourteen worlds, is called as Ishana. This face is skywards. Which means it is on top of the other four faces which face the four directions. This fifth face of Shiva represents the creation; balance, annihilation energies and control and chaos energies. It is represented by pure crystal and signifies the top.

Tatpurasha - East Face:

The word “Tat” represents Paramatma. Tatpurusha means Saguna filled Para Brahma form. This represents the form of Shiva that is in meditation and Blessing the world. Hence this eastern face is considered as the first face. The word “Tatpurusha” means “his person”. One who is always behind a person to protect is Tatpurusha. It is represented by yellow and signifies the face.

Vama Deva – North Face:

The term Vama means Left or innocent. If we stand facing east, the north is to our left. Hence the north facing Shiva is worshipped as “Vaama Deva”. The left of a person is representative of the Shakti aspect. It represents “Maya and the feminine strength and beauty”, Hence in Ardha Nareeshwara aspect, we find the goddess on the left side. Represented by red and signifies the navel.

Sadyojata - West Face:

West is called as “Paschima or Pratyak”. The soul is called as “Pratyagaatma”. “Sadyaha” which means just now and “Jataha” means now born. Shiva makes his presence felt through the countless souls being born. Hence the apt name “Sadyosata”. This shows the creative aspect of Parameshvara. Since the very existence of any being starts from its birth, the Sadyosata aspect of Lord Shiva is prayed first. Represented by white and signifies the foot.

Aghora - South Face: 

If we stand facing east, south is our right. Hence right side is called as “Bala”. As important as right hand is for humans, the South face is important to Lord Shiva. This is also famously known as “Dakshina Murthy”. Those who worshipped the Aghora form of Shiva were called as “Aghoris”. Aghoris generally live in graveyards and are naked, use things which the world has branded as “inauspicious”, and perform harsh penance; because their main belief is that there is no such thing called “inauspicious” in the world because all that exists if Shiva himself. Represented by black and signifies the heart.