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Sri Shivabalayogi
4.
Tapaswiji Maharaj
by Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao
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Sri Shivabalayogi (1968)
At this time, a famous North Indian saint named Tapaswiji Maharaj was residing in an ashram named Vishnu Sevashram built near the Pithapuram Road in Kakinada. his ascetic hailed from the royal family of Patiala; turning recluse in his fifth year he embraced Sanyasa according to the UDASI cult and attained Tapassiddhi by doing tapas for a long period in the Himalayas. Observing complete silence for 12 years, he first did Kadeshwari tapas and then Panchagni tapas for another 12 years. He did another tapas for 2 years on the banks of the river Ganges at Rishikesh. He lived for 187 years, after undergoing an uncanny treatment for rejuvenation three times, once in his ninetieth year, another in his 120th year and again in his 150th year. As an ascetic he adopted the name “VISHNUDHAMA” but still people out of deep respect addressed him as “Tapaswiji Maharaj.” He had an ashram near the Nandi Hills at Bangalore and another at Kakinada. He was staying in these two ashrams when he was touring in the South. He attained Mahasamadhi on the 12th day of October 1955 at Jhansi.
Once when he was sojourning at the Kakinada ashram, he heard about Balayogi and expressed a desire to see him. Then he was 180 years old, and the Balayogi was sixteen. In the first week of January 1951, accompanied by the famous Congress worker and orator of Madras, Bulusu Sambamurthy, the Swamiji came to Adivarapupeta from Kakinada and had a special Darshan of Balayogi. Then the Balayogi was in deep Samadhi, and did not notice the presence of Tapaswiji. As soon as Tapaswiji Maharaj saw Balayogi, he recognised his spiritual status. He greeted the Balayogi with folded hands, got flowers and placed them at his feet. After staying in his presence for a half an hour he returned to Kakinada. Another disciple of Tapaswiji was also present at this meeting.
Thereafter Tapaswiji came to Adivarapupeta often; as the yogi used to be in Samadhi whenever he visited, he was unable to converse with him. Once when the Balayogi had come out of Samadhi, mother Parvatamma informed him about Tapaswiji’s several visits; the yogi agreed to give Darshan to Tapaswiji Maharaj. As soon as this fact was known to Garaga Narasimha Murthy, T. V. Sathyanarayana Rao and Ravulla Sathyam, they went to Kakinada and informed Tapaswiji about this. Tapaswiji left for Adivarapupeta and when he arrived the yogi was not in Samadhi; he conversed with him.
The meeting between Tapaswiji Maharaj and Balayogi was unique. It was brought about through their previous contacts. The yogi spoke in Telugu as he did not know any other language; Tapaswiji’s language was Hindi; he was ignorant of Telugu. But both understood each other completely, heart meeting heart. Balayogi had just begun his yogic career; he had to face obstacles in the course of his Sadhana. Tapaswiji, who was a “SIDDHA” understood these difficulties and suggested remedies.
Once, while Tapaswiji was in the Nandi Ashram, near Bangalore, Balayogi doing Sadhana at Adivarapupeta suddenly experienced a burning sensation all over his body and this caused him great suffering. Tapaswiji, though far away, perceived this by the power of clairvoyance, and that very night he left Bangalore for Kakainada and came straight to Adivarapupeta. On reaching the place he met the yogi and enquired about his health. He had prepared and brought with him a medicated oil for relieving the burning sensation experienced by the yogi. He rubbed that oil over the yogi’s body, and the burning sensation subsided. Till then, as he did tapas for a long period, the joined palms and interlocked fingers could not be moved apart as they had got locked in and had become stiff like wood. Due to the application of oil by Tapaswiji this malady was also gradually overcome and sometime he was able to move his palms and fingers freely. In addition to the burning sensation his body was giving out a bad smell; this too disappeared on the application of the same oil. Tapaswiji explained that someone out of hatred had practised black magic on the yogi and therefore the yogi had to undergo these difficulties.
By this time the yogi had intensified his tapas by giving up the little milk that he used to take previously. Absolute starving had aggravated the trouble, On learning about this, Tapaswiji suggested that the yogi should take daily a measured quantity of milk, and the yogi consented. The yogi’s health gradually improved. Tapaswiji met the yogi’s mother Parvatamma, and bought her a good cow, to enable her to provide milk to the yogi regularly.
It was in 1951 on the Full Moon Day of Kartika that Tapaswiji initiated the yogi to Suryopasana (sun-worshipping) mantra. Due to the chanting of this mantra and the effect of Tapaswiji’s oil, the Yogi could now move his palms and fingers. But his legs were still not under his control. The yogi had stopped his midnight bath since a long period; he was unable to get up, stand or walk. This caused considerable inconvenience. One night, all of a sudden, the stranger who had appeared before at the time of his divine experience appeared again and moved his hands over the yogi’s legs and the legs were now under his control! The mandir where Balayogi was doing tapas had no ventilators and the roof was open to scorching sunlight. Therefore it was very difficult to sit inside the mandir during the summer. His tapas was often disturbed by the scorching heat of the sun. When the Tehsildar of the place informed Tapaswiji about this the latter suggested putting a Gopura (pointed roof) like a Stupa over the mandir. This was constructed by an engineer, Nandoori Seshgiri Rao, a disciple of Tapaswiji. Thereafter the summer heat was reduced in intensity inside the mandir.
158.JPG)
The Dhyana Mandir (Meditation Temple)
in the Adivarapupeta ashram.
Balayogi had not yet completed his tapas when Tapaswiji attained Mahasamadhi on 12th October 1955. The yogi had promised Tapaswiji that he would come to his ashram at Kakinada after completing his tapas. Accordingly, before visiting Bangalore in March 1963 he went to Kakinada and stayed in the Ashram for four days. Tapaswiji Maharaj had great admiration for Balayogi’s spiritual powers; the yogi also held Tapaswiji in high esteem. Tapaswiji who was well known throughout India as a “SIDDHAPURUSHA” (realised soul) praised the spiritual powers of the Balayogi of Adivarapupeta, and this made the young yogi celebrated.
After taking a vow to do tapas for twelve years, Balayogi commenced his penance facing East and it was at this time that Tapaswiji Maharaj visited the Balayogi. The commencement of tapas was on the day when he had divine experience on the bunds of the Godavari canal. It was on this day that he had the vision of “JYOTIRLINGA” along with the mystic sound and that he stepped into yogic life. He had completed one and a half years of this penance when Tapaswiji visited him. This twelve-year long tapas which commenced on 7th August, 1949, was completed on 7th August, 1961.
Download printer-friendly PDF of Sri Shivabalayogi (1968)