Below is a fascinating narrative written over twenty years ago about Isakki Swamigal who was living at Tiruvannamalai. Isakki Swamigal is now deceased and his samadhi is located at the Pancha Mukhas (Five Faced Vision of Arunachala after Kubera Lingam) on the northern side of the Hill.
Isakki Swamigal and Boon from Shiva-Parvati
Encircling the mountain at its foot, is a necklace of road, some eight miles in length. Along this necklace, the pilgrims make their journey, circumnavigating the mountain, travelling in a clockwise direction. It is said that a boon comes to those who make the journey and the more austere the means of travel the greater the boon. Most pilgrims walk around. Those hoping for a greater boon do the eight mile journey on bare feet, while those far advanced in age or suffering from physical disabilities travel by a horse-drawn vehicle or even by taxi.
One man we met on our first visit to Arunachala had done the circular sacred journey round the mountain in a remarkable way and had a truly remarkable boon. This was Isakki Swamigal and we met him one evening as we stood by the side of a road coming out of the town. Along the road towards us, with the beat of drum, sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals, came a group of men. There must have been a dozen of them, some carrying a canopy under which walked a man. Surely a prince must be approaching, we thought. And when the group came in front of us and stopped, we could see that he was truly a prince of the spirit. His eyes were shining, a smile lit up his radiant face and around him was the unmistakable vibration of one who has reached a high level of attainment. My wife was so overcome that she pushed in through the crowd of men around him and touched his feet. Then she stood up and moved to join our friend and myself by the side of the road. Then the procession moved on with its joyous marching music.
Our friend, Ma Tallyarkan, who was residing at Tiruvannamalai, told us that it was Isakki Swamigal with a group of his devotees. From her, and from other people, we heard the story of his journey around the mountain and his boon. It seems that, lying horizontally on the ground, he rolled the whole eight miles along the circular route. When he stood up at the end of it, Lord Siva with his consort Parvati, were standing before him. With this boon of the Siva-Shakti darshan, came the gift of healing.
It was reported that Isakki Swamigal healed with miraculous spiritual power, and people came to him in great crowds. His consulting rooms could not cope with this huge influx, so he took up a position near the road on the other side of Arunachala from Tiruvannamalai. It was a quiet, pleasant spot. He went there at about three o’clock each morning and droves of people surrounded him at that time. But the good, compassionate doctor did not have unlimited energy as does an Avatar. So eventually, his vitality and healing power began to wane. Then he went away and stayed somewhere in seclusion until his good health came back. Eventually, he returned quietly to his practice in the town. Even so, drawn by his elevated spiritual level, people began to gather around him, treat him at their guru, and move about with him as we saw that evening by the roadside.
[Extract from Howard Murphet]
