Post by jksivan on Dec 6, 2013 4:38:44 GMT 5.5
Telang Swami (also Telanga Swami, Ganapati Saraswati) (Telugu: త్రిలింగ స్వామి)
- J.K. SIVAN
I wonder how many of you know about HH Trailinga Swami. To be honest, I did not know about him until my friend Sri V.V.Rao sent me a book written by him about this Yogi.
From out of the notes I gathered from various sources including Sri Rama Rao’s book I present below the details of the great Swamiji which you will find very interesting. He was known as Ganapathi Saraswathi Swami, Kasi Ganapathi etc., He lived for many years in Varanasi (Kasi). He lived for more than 280 years they say. He was regarded as an Avathar of Lord Siva.Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa referred to his disciples about this swamiji as ‘’Walking Shiva of Varanasi”.
Trailinga Swami was born in Andhra in the early part of the 17th century (1607) in a Brahmin family. He was given the name Trailingadhara. His mother witnessed a miracle one day when she observed something like a bright light was entering inside the child while sleeping. Even during his childhood he was different from other children. He was found seeking solitutde doing meditation and bhajans to himself. He refused to marry when he grew up. After his parents died, he wandered in search of a Guru and in 1685 found Bhagiratha Swami, who initiated him into Sanyasa naming him Ganapathi Saraswathi. He attained many siddhis in due course and was recognized as an ASHTAVADHANI and later a SATHAVADHANI. He was however not interested in these attainments and was seeking Brahma Gnanam. He wandered nude as an Avadhutha. For many days in a month he never ate any food!
Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa met him once and asked the swamiji ‘’Is God one or many?’’ – Trailinga swami answered ‘’In transcendental state He is one, though materialistically He is viewed as many”. Many have seen the swamiji consuming deadliest poison which had no effect on him. At Manikarnika Ghat, of River Ganga, he used to lie on bare hot slabs with blistering heat, motionless for many hours or found swimming or floating on Ganga for many hours. He did not preach or talk for long hours. He spoke a very little.
A wicked man once offered a bucket full of calcium-lime mix, used for white washing walls, which Trailinga Swami drank without a break fully. Nothing happened to him but the wicked who offered it fell down writhing in pain!
Once the king of Kasi while hunting was chasing a tiger, which tried to escape and came where Trailingaswami was sitting in a secluded forest area. The angry tiger on seeing the Swamiji sat like a cat near him. Swamiji bade the king away saving its life. The king was startled by this miracle and bowed and prostrated before the Swamiji.
A grieving mother brought the dead body of her 7year old son, and Swamiji by simply touching the dead body, bringing back life to the boy.
Once he told many around him that a particular boat will capsize at a particular time in Ganges but nobody believed him calling him mad, but Swamiji himself swam near the boat at the particular time and saved as many people as possible from drowning in the deep Ganga. He cured the diseases of many who came to him without any reward.
An English magistrate once offered him non-vegetarian food to eat with him, and the swamiji accepted subject to the condition that the whiteman should eat what he ate. He then ordered a disciple to bring cow dung and began eating. The magistrate withdrew his officer and went away asking the swamiji to forgive him. One of his disciples, Umacharan, wanted to see the Goddess Kali.
Swamiji showed him the real form of goddess Kali. Umacharan begged to know ‘’Guruji how is it possible?. Swamiji replied: ‘’If only you believe in God, by His Grace everything is possible”
Once he dived into Ganga and brought out a big stone of 300 lb, much to the surprise of everyone,and requested a Siva Linga of 5 ft tall, be made out of it. It would have taken minimjm 20 people to lift it even on a flat surface. The Swamiji dived into the river to the bottom of it, and brought it by himself- what a miracle!
Swamiji knew when his end was due. He commanded them to seal him inside a box and drop it into Ganga on a particular day in 1887. The greatYogi, Yogananda writes in his Autobiography of a Yogi, that his guru Lahiri Mahasaya, was friendly with Trilinga swami. For days together Trailinga swami would sit on water in River Ganga or remain under the water. He was superhuman
Because Trailinga swami was moving naked, the English magistrate imprisoned him inside a locked cell. But Swamiji was seen on the roof of the cell though it was remaining locked.
There are many saints and Swamijis who are unknown to us. They are not after publicity, cheap tricks and name or fame. They are godly and protect us and this world. This is what we should understand and remember.