Worship of the Sandals

The devotion to duty of those who were responsible for the enthusiasm with which they made all the arrangements for the festivities connected with the Kumbhabhishekam is indeed commendable.

The devotion to duty of those who were responsible for the enthusiasm with which they made all the arrangements for the festivities connected with the Kumbhabhishekam is indeed commendable. The Asramites, the police, the scouts from various schools, the volunteers and hundreds of devotees made the function a grand success by working day and night. With a view to honour some of the important ones amongst them, the Sarvadhikari, Sri Niranjanananda Swami, began giving gifts to the vaidiks, to the pandits, to the Asramites and other devotees. The chief among them was Vaidyanatha Stapathi, the sculptor of the temple. A gold medal with Bhagavan’s picture thereon was given to him.

In the afternoon of the 19th instant, at 3, Sri Niranjanananda Swami invited the Stapathi to come into the presence of Bhagavan, when Bhagavan himself presented him with the medal. The Stapathi, full of devotion, prostrated before Bhagavan and said, “I had the great fortune of doing this service in Bhagavan’s presence. Bhagavan will bless us to the effect that this medal will be worshipped as our family god and as our saviour.” Bhagavan blessed him with a look of endearment.

There was another event on the morning of the 20th instant. Sri Giddaluri Sambasiva Rao decided to worship the feet of Sri Niranjanananda Swami in the front hall of Mathrubhuteswara Temple. He brought new ochre robes and all the materials required for Pada Puja and brought Sri Bhagavan to the hall and made him sit on the sofa, after telling him (Bhagavan) of his intentions. He then prevailed upon Niranjanananda Swami to come, brought him there with a number of Brahmins and made him sit on a dais in the centre of the hall. Overwhelmed with feelings of humility, Niranjanananda Swami said, “So you all want to catch me napping. Enough of your devotion. I will not agree to this worship. Pada Puja is only for those who do not have the sense of ego. It is not for others. I am not worthy of it.” So saying, he got down and squatted on the floor. Sambasiva Rao however would not allow him to go, and began pressing him. Swami was in a dilemma. In those embarrassing circumstances, his face suddenly lit up. Something occurred to him. With a tremulous voice, he said, looking at the students of the Patasala, “So it means, you will not leave me alone; Bhagavan’s sandals are near that Linga, bring them; do puja to them.”

A devotee had brought those sandals with silver plating before the Kumbhabhishekam and had given them to the Ashram. They were touched by Bhagavan’s feet and placed near the Linga to be worshipped. In accordance with the orders of the Sarvadhikari, the brahmin boys brought those sandals in a plate and placed them before the Sarvadhikari. After Sambasiva Rao had done abhishekam, Swami cleaned them with a cloth and replaced them on the plate with great reverence. After the usual puja was performed, the ochre clothes were placed on the sandals and the plate containing them was handed over to Niranjanananda Swami who received it, touched the sandals with his eyes and accepted the clothes as a prasadam. While doing so, he said, “Look. I have accepted the puja of the sandals this time because of your pressing request. This should never be done by anybody else. Things of this nature should never be done in the presence of Bhagavan.”

From the day of the Kumbhabhishekam, abhishekas according to Mahanyasa are being performed every day regularly. On Monday the 2nd of May, corresponding to Vaishakha Suddha Chathurthi, Mandalabhishekam will be performed.

It is no exaggeration to say that when the great ceremony is performed in the presence of Bhagavan who is the embodiment of Sat-Chit-Ananda, one is reminded of the Rajasuya Yaga of Yudhishtira. Even though so very many things were being done in his presence, Bhagavan was seeing them and listening to them only as a witness (Sakshi) merely saying, “Yes, yes.” He was like Sadasiva seated on the sofa looking with compassion at all those who came to him.