What is Samratchana? Why did you start this Organisation? How is it different from other Hindu religious organizations?

Samratchana is a Sanskrit word meaning total protection. In villages, this word is colloquially used in Tamil to mean ‘taking care’.

The first of Shirdi Sai Baba’s ten quotations is ‘whoever steps inside, I take over all his responsibilities’. This word ‘Samratchana’ reverberated within me in 1984 when I was in meditation. As I often quote, ‘I am not what I seem to be externally’. The Lord ordains everything; He grants me the words. 

It was in 1984 that the Samratchana logo as well as the phrase ‘Saranam, Abhayam, Aiswaryam’ appeared in my vision during meditation.. So also did the form of the Poorna Brahmam idol that is now consecrated in our Kelambakkam temple. These come by intuition, by the Grace of God.

The symbol of Samratchana is the Lord’s Lotus Feet placed on a Lotus blossom with eight petals – each petal representing the grace of each of the AshtaLakshmis (Lakshmi : The Goddess of Wealth); if you have wealth but not valour, what is the use? That is why eight petals depicting the eight Lakshmis.

Why Lord’s Feet? So many saints have sung the glory of the Lotus Feet that grant protection to those who seek them; God resides in the lotus hearts of yogis.

‘Saranam’ is surrender. Surrender to whom?  To God. The Lord’s Feet are portrayed; surrender to them. Then Abhayam. I placed my hand there; my hands bear the marks of divine weapons of the dasavathara (ten prime incarnations of Lord Vishnu)– the divine conch, discus, bow and arrow, Muruga’s lance, Shiva’s deer and mazhu (a weapon). Once you surrender to the Lord’s Feet, He grants you protection through me as His instrument and gives you overall prosperity signified by the presence of the Ashtalakshmis represented by the eight-petalled Lotus.

When you have surrendered to the Lord, I will grant you protection, wealth, education and a mind detached from worldly afflictions.

The blue flame in the logo represents salvation. Only when you attain this blue flame, will you be liberated from this human birth. Till then, you remain the physical form. If you are mellowed, I can grant you Moksha too. The sky is blue, so is the ocean. Krishna is blue. Science says that anything that is pure has a tinge of blue. Only when you attain that blue Jyothi, can you attain Moksha. This is what Samratchana’s logo signifies.

Even the Poorana Brahmam idol appeared to me in my vision ages ago. I augmented the strength of that power, the light within that idol with the power of my penance.

You cannot understand me. I am chanting the Lord’s name every second. I may be in casual conversation with you, yet inside, the chanting is on. I continuously chant the ShivaShakthi mantra. I use Shadakshara mantra when I am blessing people. I have been chanting Shiva mantra for so many years now, it has become my very breath. This along with the power gained by doing charity is all set to grow to gargantuan proportions.

SakuntalaAmma composed these lines long ago, ‘the day when a diamond crown will adorn you’. Samratchana was then at Mannady, Chennai. See for yourself, I have bequeathed a diamond crown to the Perumal idol. Another song goes ‘Chandra Surya Nayana’ –‘ the sun and the moon are your eyes’; a photograph taken by a German photographer has revealed the sun and moon in my eyes!

Everything written since 1984 about me, about Samratchana has come true, and you are witnesses to our growth. Be it SakuntalaAmma or Ilandevan or Pancharatna Bharathi, or Mahadevan, anyone – whatever they sang of us has become true, has it not?

The Viswaroopa idol you see at Kelambakkam temple was sparked by a vision I had way back in 1984. Ratnagiri Balamurugan Adimai Swamigal was surprised by the idol. Sri Ganapathi Stapathi who had come to inspect the temple for kodi maram, was taken aback and asked me, ‘What sampradaya does the idol/temple follow?’

I replied, ‘Mukkoor Lakshmi Narasimhachariar in his ‘Kurai Onrum Illai’ quotes an incident. He was taking a dip in the holy Pushkarani (temple tank) at Tirupathi, when another pilgrim nearby uttered, ‘Gohinda! Gohinda!’ Mukkoor Achariar was just about to chide that man and correct his pronunciation to ‘Govinda! Govinda!’, when that man continued, ‘O Lord! I had your darshan (vision) last year; you gave me prosperity. Grant the same this year too’. Only then the Achariar understood his agnana. The Lord was taking care of that pilgrim, which meant the Lord cares not for grammar or pronunciation, but for devotion.

I quoted this and said, ‘Forget about whether I have built the temple based on a particular sastra. Today, in this city of Chennai, here is a temple where people are in thoughts of the Lord, attending satsangh (congregation) not minding the duration; the temple premises are so well maintained by the volunteers; this is one of the four temples in Chennai where Homam (ritual fire) is performed daily. The temple vibrates with the chanting of Suprabhatham, Vishnu Sahasranamam at 4:30 am, followed by daily homam, cow worship, chanting of Annapoornashtakam and distribution of prasadam (food offering). So many people recite Vedas during the homam, regardless of caste or gender. This is unique in itself.’

The Perumal idol is adorned with new and rich silk garments every day.  He wears a two and a half kilo diamond crown with one hundred and seventy eight diamonds; apart from this, He has a golden crown, a silver garment, ten other crowns, and is housed in a marble sanctum. There is no gate. The temple premises are expanding on a daily basis. Flowers abound the vast temple gardens.

Such cleanliness! Such beauty! Such exquisite decorations! How have we been able to accomplish this? Which other temple at Chennai is open beyond 9:00 pm? Where else will you find so many people singing to the Lord, chanting Vedas and mantras to His praise? Where else do you find devotees thronging in such huge numbers on all days, not just special days? Here it is always garland time, be it morning or evening. (Baba puns on the Tamil word maalai meaning ‘garland’ and ‘evening’)

All these gardens are maintained by the inhabitants of this Ramarajya spiritual complex. Everyone does some voluntary service at the temple – right from maintaining the gardens, polishing the temple floors, cleaning the pooja vessels…

Forget about whether the temple follows any particular sastra. This temple that is not bound by any particular sastra, is towering in stature above all other temples. What proof do you need of its sannithyam (sacredness)? You built so many temples. Yet Kelambakkam temple is bestowed with such prosperity; so many devotees visit here; every Pournami (Full moon day), we have free meals distribution in the afternoons and tiffin in the evenings; SathyaNarayana pooja and for this pooja, the worship materials are provided by us to each person and free of cost! Who else has been able to achieve this in spirituality?

If you think about all these, you will understand. This establishment called Samratchana was not created by the human being addressed as Siva Shankar. It was God who willed Samratchana to the world. At the stipulated time in Kaliyuga, when it has been ordained that people need to only come here, participate in the Yagams (fire offering on a large scale), eat well and attain a full fledged life, God’s Grace is just waiting to reveal this Light, this Eternal Truth to the world.

This has not happened by human effort; it has happened because of God’s sankalpa (will). The cause, effort, knowledge, wisdom, effect – every single thing is the Lord’s decision. We installed a silver lizard in the temple. A golden one followed suit. The temple is designed on Lord Venkatachalapathy’s crown. In the four towers of the temple, we consecrated the idols of Koti Mahaan, Paramacharya, Raghavendra Swami, Shirdi Sai Baba. We have stairs on all four sides, the one facing the Lord with eighteen steps representing the eighteen siddhars and the remaining three sides, twelve steps each. The temple has four small sanctums for Vinayaka, Muruga, Ambaal and Ranganatha. Ramanuja is installed in the sanctum of Ranganatha. People quoted a lakh and a half for sculpting an idol for RamSurat Kumar. Today we have installed an idol that cost a few thousands only; and also allocated him a cot shaped in the form of Adisesha (Divine Serpent).

Observe how all these happen. God is doing His work perfectly. He guides us well. We just need to follow His guidance. This temple is bestowed with such divine power.

Samratchana happened thus.

Continues next week ......

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