Universal Temple

The temple consecration (Kumbabishekam) function was done on February 9, 2014. The temple is managed by a team of volunteers and employees where the daily Yagna, Pooja etc. are done as joint prayers dedicated for universal peace, welfare and happiness.

There is a dedicated Pooja mandapam inside the temple campus where the devotees are allowed to light ghee lamps for the welfare of not only themselves but also for the extended human community across the earth. It is the desire of the Guruji that Ekta Koti Deepa Seva (Lighting One Crore lamps with Ghee) must be done in this mandapam over next few months for the benefit of the society. The trust has taken initial steps in this regard and first set of thousands of lamps have been already lighted.

Sri Guruji states the importance of lighting the lamps and praying as Divine Mother is in Deepa Mangala Jyothi form (powerful light or flame) and SHE alleviates the impurities and sins of Karma in individuals. In addition, by participating in the Ekta Koti Deepa Seva a sincere devotee gets rid of physical ailments, gets mental peace and all desires satisfied. Sri Guruji has also graced with the Slokam to be chanted while lighting the lamps which has been captured elsewhere in this booklet for the benefit of all.

Some of the miraculous events observed by the devotees right from the Kumbabishekam Stage to date in this universal temple are captured in the following section.

After Kumbabishekam date announcement by Guruji, the trust members were closely working with Sri Muthiah Stapathi for various pending activities including Moola Vigraha of Swarna Kamakshi Devi. At the Stapathi’s Shila Koota (gallery), there were hundreds of Vigrahas(idols) and in particular there were atleast 2-3 Kamakshi Devi idols in semi-finished stage with each one in different size and dimensions. Stapthi enquired us which idol is to preferred so that his team can expedite the work. The trustees reached out to Guruji over phone who was out of station at that time. Sri Guruji replied as below “select the Kamakshi idol that is directly opposite to Bhairava idol” and kept the phone down. With full of curiosity all went around searching the idols and finally found in two different rows a Kamakshi Devi and a Bhairava idol opposite to each other!!

Which Kamakshi Vigraha?
After completing the Vigraha of Swarna Kamakshi, Sri Stapathi handed over the Vigraha to trust members after a brief ceremony at his gallery. From there the Vigraha was kept at Guruji’s Ashram for devotees Darshan for a week first worship. Throughout this period various requirements of the Goddess Vigraha ranging from attire, pooja materials, flowers, Prasad materials etc. came automatically on time every time without being asked for !!

Further when the Vigraha was moved to Kannanthangal few days before Kumbabishekam through a convoy of vehicles (Karikol Oorvalam), there was tremendous response from scores of public in the way. An incident to mention was the vehicle which carried the Vigraha suddenly developed a snag in one of the wheels mid-way between Chennai and Kanchipuram district!! The trust members were worried both about the safety and reaching Kannanthangal as per schedule and prayed. And surprise the vehicle kept moving without any further hindrance and reached Kannanthangal temple site on time which was miraculous given the size of the Vigraha and its overall weight!!

 

Guruji’s Atma Guru, Sri Maha Periyavaa has given an elaborate explanation on the significance of the word Kamakshi. The word can be split into Kaa, Maa and Akshi in Sanskrit where Kaa refers t to the consort of Lord Brahma namely Goddess Saraswathi, Maa refers to the consort of Lord Vishnu namely Goddess Mahalakshmi and Akshi refers to having both Kaa and Maa as her eyes. Kamakshi Devi with Goddesses Saraswathi and Lakshmi as her two eyes blesses her devotees through her eyes itself. Guruji further adds that Kamakshi Devi satisfies the desire of all her devotees through her eyes (Kama + Akshi) hence her name Kamakshi. Well, many of us might be aware of these two elaborations but it was witnessed and experienced by handful of few on February 9, 2014 during evening pooja. This was the first pooja after Kumbabishekam and the pooja was done by Sri Guruji himself and after Alankarams were completed the devotees witnessed the rarest of rare event “both the eyes of Shree Swarna Kamakshi Devi were moving left and right” No this was not imagination of mind nor was it experienced by single person instead all the devotees there witnessed and that too for a continuous period of 20 minutes… there are no words to explain the bliss enjoyed.

Swarna Kamakshi Devi did not just stop with displaying her mighty eyes to set of devotees but she went about doing something more to a young devotee few weeks later. This young person was one of the two daughters of one Mr. Prasad who had come for Darshan in Mandalabisheka pooja at the temple. After the completion of Aarthi, this young person became silent and wanted to return to Chennai with parents immediately without uttering a word being in some form of shock. On reaching Chennai, she elaborated her experience “after Doopha and Deepa upchara, Naivedya to Swarna Kamakshi was offered by Poojari and I saw the jaw of Swarna Kamakshi Devi moving in sideways as if accepting the offering and eating the same”. She further added that this experience lasted for almost a minute and was real.

Mr. Prasad and family were elated and they shared their bliss with one and all. Post this; devotees learnt that Swarna Kamakshi Devi does accept her offerings genuinely submitted to her.

As per Sri Guruji’s direction, the Maha Periyavaa Vigraham was to be made of Pancha loka seated in lotus posture (Padmasana) a rarity. And Sri Guruji instructed trust members to connect with Sri Mettur Swamigal (since obtained Sivaloka Prapthi) who not only blessed the Swarna Kamakshi Temple project and Maha Periyavaa Sannidhi but also introduced to a person who can guide us for Vigraham. Through this gentleman Mr. Venkat, the team went to Swamimalai and met Sri Stapathi, an expert on Panchaloka Statues.

The biggest surprise was, as the team entered Shri Raju Stapathi’s workshop in Swamimalai suburbs, they were greeted by a nice portrait of Maha Periyavaa seated in Padmasana!! It is needless to add that the team was bound by the abundant grace of Sri Maha Periyavaa and Kamakshi Devi and indeed the Vigraham was delivered on time.

On the evening preceding Kumbabishekam, Maha Periyavaa Statue was to be moved from Yaga Saalai in to the main hall of Shree Swarna Kamakshi temple. About 20 devotees volunteered for almost an hour and the statue did not move an inch! Then Sri Guruji asked the devotees to chant ‘Thotakshtam’ before trying further to move the statue. Immediately after this, Maha Periyavaa Statue moved freely into the temple and made everyone delighted.

Few other experiences of devotees

  • On the evening of the Kumbabishekam day, a devotee from USA who had come for Kumbabishekam was feeling discomforted due to strange itchy feeling. The first aids and the medications did not help. She prayed to Shree Swarna Kamakshi from outside the temple under the ‘neem tree which is the sthala vriksham’ and forgot about it. Only next day she realized that the discomfort had gone completely after the prayer in previous day and profusely thanks the Goddess.
  • Another incident involving an overseas devotee of Guruji which happened few months after Kumbabishekam. This person is highly devoted to Divine Mother and on hearing from Sri Guruji came to India to visit Mangalapuri Swarna Kamakshi Devi. After his Darshan, he said ‘I experienced divinity in the temple throughout my stay inside the temple there were positive vibrations which was revealing’.
  • All the devotees had wonderful Darshan of Shri Garuda (eagle bird) at the time of Kumbabishekam at the temple top. But temple staff was little more fortunate to have this Darshan again few months later inside the temple, yes the divine bird on a week day entered the temple from Northern gate encircled the Mahamandapam thrice and left without any trace. In fact this has been captured in the video camera on a routine review and all were wonderstuck on viewing this.