Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar -- Helper of the Distressed

Visited Swami at his Ashram about a week ago. As well as wanting to discuss matters relating to a family member, I rather enjoy visiting him at his peaceful Ashram in the Tamil countryside. 

Flagpost with Nandi and Shiva Shrine Doorway in background

On arrival immediately noticed how quickly the Temple and Ashram are developing. The Flagpost and Doorway with Steps to the Shiva Shrine are now covered with a layer of Panchaloha. [Panchaloha is a composite alloy believed to bring balance and ensure abundance and good fortune. The five metal alloy, the composition of which laid is down in the Shilpa Sastras is an amalgam of; gold, silver, copper, iron and lead (nowadays tin or zinc may also be added)]. 

Flagpost inside Temple

Steps and Doorway to Shiva Shrine

The next major development work that will be undertaken at the Ashram is the flooring both inside and around the perimeter of the Temple. 

Flooring to be laid outside perimeter of Temple. Trees to be planted in this area

    

Swamis Room and Office Rooms

As to the Ashram, noticed lots of new greenery and also that the dining and kitchen areas are being expanded to cope with the increasing number of devotees visiting his Ashram. 

Dining area is being enlarged

Enlarging the kitchen area

If you go to an earlier posting with photographs of Swami’s Ashram at this link here you will be able to see how quickly the Temple and Ashram are developing. 

New Greenery in parts of the Ashram

In an earlier posting on Arunachala Mystic I recounted Swami’s words on how he attained his healing and clairvoyant powers. 

Swami's interview area

“Following an incident in his life, Guruji stopped taking food, and continued in this manner for seven months whilst staying at Kanchangiri Temple’s Ashram. One day, when his body was in a dire condition, and there was no hope left for him, he prayed to Lord Unnamulai Ammal, tearfully beseeching, ‘you give food to the whole World, so why can’t you take care of my needs and feed me?’ Immediately on uttering this pray, five ladies and five men suddenly appeared and came to Guruji and laid him on the floor. The five ladies sat below the head of the prostrate body, and the five men sat above the head. Each of the five ladies started to remove parts of Guruji’s body, bit by bit, and made up small packages of the body parts. 

Swami's Chair and entrance to modest room

During this whole process Guruji felt absolutely no pain. Finally only his head remained. Thereupon the ladies said, ‘give these small packages, to those that come to meet you, as prasadam.’ . . . After this, the five men sitting above him, placed their hands upon Guruji’s head and after a few moments disappeared. At that very moment Guruji’s body reappeared and from that time till this day, Guruji has not had a single problem with his body, even though he hasn’t taken solid food for a number of years. 

Altar next to Swami's interview and sitting area

Some days after this incident whilst Guruji was in meditation, a Lingam suddenly appeared. In his excitement he tried to touch and lift the Lingam but as it was so heavy he wasn’t able to move it even an inch. Upon being unable to move the Lingam, he decided to perform a puja, so stood up in order to perform the ritual; as he stood the Lingam also lifted up to his position, slowly came towards him and then mingled with him. From that time onwards Guruji has been able to read peoples’ minds and see and understand their problems”. 

Blessings from Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar

In the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 16, it is stated: 

catur-vidha bhajante mam 

janah sukritino ‘rjuna 

arto jijnasur artharthi 

jnani ca bharatarsabha 

"Four types of people seek Me – the distressed, the seekers of Knowledge, those desirous of good and the men of wisdom."

The distressed is the one who seeks refuge from the sorrow and suffering experienced in the world. The seeker of Knowledge is the one of an intellectual nature who comes to the Divine with the desire for knowledge. The devotee desirous of good is the person of practical nature who approaches the Divine as the giver of good in the world, and sees God as a means to fulfill worldly ambitions. Finally, the man of wisdom is the jnani who combines devotion and knowledge in order to attain complete unity with the Divine. 

Swamiji

 

Thus it could be said one worships God according to one’s own karma and follows the path to God according to one’s faith and past actions. 

As per Swami’s own Divine Dream, he has been given powers and abilities to see and help understand the problems of those in distress and those in need of guidance and support. From my own experience and from those of others I have learnt of, Swami helps, inspires and guides those who come to him. 

Visit to Siva Siddhar Mona Swamigal

It was such a beautiful Sunday. The sun was toasty, and the sky almost violet in its intense colouring. It just seemed to right kind of day to venture into the nearby countryside and have a nice adventure and to give myself a treat. The adventure I chose was to catch an autorickshaw with a friend and travel into the countryside a short distance to visit Sri Siva Siddhar Mona Swamigal. 

As is always the custom as soon as we arrived at his ashram, at which ten sannyasins currently reside, we were offered tea. We decided to forgo tea and meals for the chance to take immediate darshan of Swami.

Swami was warm and welcoming and asked why it had been so long since our last visit and then preceded to give both myself and friend private interviews. After giving specific guidance and directions to us both, he sent us to the dining hall for meals. 

While we were eating our meal, Swami continued giving private interviews to the constant stream of visitors to his Ashram. He himself needed to take no repast, as he has been living on a liquid diet only for many years. 

Swami on his Verandah talking with a visitor

Visitors arriving throughout the day to talk with Swami

Samadhi of Sri La Supaya

Siva Siddhar Mona Swamigal’s guru was Sri La Supaya. Sri La Supaya was born on December 13, 1937 and attained samadhi on November 11, 2011. He hailed from Mahadevanmalay, Tiruvannamalai District. He achieved realisation around his 30th year. After his Guru attained Samadhi, Siva Siddhar Mona Swamigal according to his inner guidance came to this place and his ashram has developed accordingly. 

Top of Sri La Supaya's Samadhi a 3-dimensional Chakra

Letter to Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar

Yesterday evening I escorted a couple from Brazil, South America to the countryside ashram of Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar. We drove through a torrential rainstorm, but upon arrival the weather let up and we had a long evening visit with Swami. 

As it was so dark and wet I did not take any new photographs, thus the series of photographs below are from another time. 

Upon leaving Swami entrusted me with a book of letters written by previous visitors and devotees to his Ashram, telling of their experiences. For now, I post below, one such letter written to Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar from a devotee in Chennai. 

Development of Shrines at Ashram

Ashram set in Hilly Arunachala Countryside

Previous Function at Ashram

20-4-2013 

From Chennai 

Iyyah: I place my prayers at your feet and seek your blessings and guidance always. I wish to record a dream I had a couple of days back. It was around 3.30 a.m. in the morning, when this dream occurred. In the dream my son, my grandson and me are travelling in the front seat of our car and on the way, my son who is driving the car enters a cave and through it a long and dark passage. I feel apprehensive about the tunnel and tell my son that this is a path of almost no return and is going to land us in a lot of trouble. I therefore tell my son to retrace our path and exit the place immediately. 

He turns the car around within the tunnel, which seems miraculous and comes out of the tunnel into bright daylight. We stop and I get down and look into the cave to see who helped us and see a glistening white huge dog standing there and immediately understand that we have been saved by Siddhars like you. From there we reach your Ashram to inform you of this occurrence and thank you for your saving us and to seek your blessings. 

We sit on the steps by which we enter your room and when we look inside, I find a cot inside, on which you are seated with a huge aura around you and rays of light emanating from you. At that time, a huge jet black Labrador dog comes out of your room playfully. 

I was very happy to have this dream, since it showed your divinity and your true self. It also showed that you were guiding and protecting us in the journey of our life. 

Thank you Iyyah, we really feel blessed. 

A Devotee 

Miracle that gave Guruji Siddhis

OM NAMA SHIVAYA 

This narrative gives some information about the life of Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar, of whom I previously wrote at these links: here, here and here. The below tells about the miracle that gave Guruji the siddhi to read people’s minds. 

The story of the miracle goes like this: 

Kanchangiri is connected to Thiruvalam Temple by a legend. In the legend, the Nandhi (Lord Shiva’s Bull Mount) of Thiruvalam Temple destroyed the Hill demon Kanchan. After holy water was sprinkled on the demon’s flesh pieces (which lay scattered around the Hill) the pieces were transformed into Swayambu Lingams. 

Nandhi attacking the Demon (at Thiruvalam Temple)

Large Nandhi Guarding Thiruvalam Temple

With information of the legend, a number of researchers from an Ashram in Coimbatore visited the place. After arrival the group arranged all of the 100 Lingams at one place upon a plateau on Kanchangiri. 

The location of Kanchangiri is about seven kilometres from Ranipet en route Ponnai. After crossing a village called Agravaram, there is a spot known as Lalapet from which place Kanchangiri is visible. One can also come by way of Melpadi, at a distance of five kilometres. 

Kanchangiri

Kanchangiri 2

Kanchangiri 3

Exactly four years previously, Guruji stayed in Kanchangiri Temple’s Ashram, at the back of which was a Kanni Temple and this is the exact spot where Guruji was bestowed divine powers by Lord Shiva.

Following an incident in his life, Guruji stopped taking food, and continued in this manner for seven months whilst staying at Kanchangiri Temple’s Ashram. One day, when his body was in a dire condition, and there was no hope left for him, he prayed to Lord Unnamulai Ammal, tearfully beseeching, “you give food to the whole World, so why can’t you take care of my needs and feed me?” 

Immediately on uttering this pray, five ladies and five men suddenly appeared and came to Guruji and laid him on the floor. The five ladies sat below the head of the prostrate body, and the five men sat above the head. Each of the five ladies started to remove parts of Guruji’s body, bit by bit, and made up small packages of the body parts. 

During this whole process Guruji felt absolutely no pain. Finally only his head remained. Thereupon the ladies said, “give these small packages, to those that come to meet you, as prasadam.” 

Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar

After this, the five men sitting above him, placed their hands upon Guruji’s head and after a few moments disappeared. At that very moment Guruji’s body reappeared and from that time till this day, Guruji has not had a single problem with his body, even though he hasn’t taken solid food in the last four years. 

Some days after this incident whilst Guruji was in meditation, a Lingam suddenly appeared. In his excitement he tried to touch and lift the Lingam but as it was so heavy he wasn’t able to move it even an inch. Upon being unable to move the Lingam, he decided to perform a puja, so stood up in order to perform the ritual; as he stood the Lingam also lifted up to his position, slowly came towards him, and then mingled with him. 

From that time onwards Guruji has been able to read peoples’ minds and see and understand their problems.