My Encounter With Spirituality

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Sai Ram. The earliest spiritual experience started a few days after my birth with my name itself! I was named as Venkateswara Rao since my father's name is Venkateswarlu and it is not considered good to name the child with father's name when the father is still alive. And Venkateswara Swamy is our family deity. My paternal grandmother was named Venkamma and my mother's name is Venkata Subbamma (my maternal grandfather was named as Subbayya, since Lord Subrhmanya Swamy is their family deity). So, I was named as Venkatreswara Rao, but within a few days, the first 'miracle' or 'spiritual experience' took place.

In the compound of the house where we lived at that time, there were some other portions too and one of the woman was suddenly 'possessed' and the 'possessor' was none other than the Lord of Tirumala Tirupati and His message was ummistakable and clear: This is a special child and his name has to be same as mine! So, immediatley they changed my name to Venkateswara Swamy! And our surname (family name) is Swarna, named after a village in AP from where my father's ancestors hailed (or migrated to other villages in AP). But Swarna also means Gold! More about Gold and myself a little later!

The next spiritual experience was again when I was still a small child. I could not speak till I was 3 years old. My mother was advised by some well wisher to do pradakshina (circumambulation, going around the temple) of Sri Anjaneya Swamy in Kothapet, Guntur. So, even though it was difficult for her (I was quite a heavy child and the place where my parents were staying was a bit far from the temple and she had to walk all that distance), she took me in her arms and started doing the pradakshina every Tuesday or Saturday (both days are considered holy for Lord Hanuman - now I don't remember whether it was Tuesday or Saturday, most probably Saturday).

Surprisingly (or rather not surprisingly), I started speaking one alphabet each week and in a few weeks was speaking like a chatter box! That was actually the nickname for me in school from the teachers!

When I was still a small child (I don't remember the exact age, may be around 8 years old), I was asked to serve water and rice etc. to my mother when she was still menstruating (and in those days, it was customary for them to sit separately for the first three days of the cycle). After I served some food etc. into the leaf plate that was already touched by her, I started experiencing burning sensations all over my body and was very uncomfortable. Being a child, I did not know anything and was only crying and groaning. My mother, being a very spiritual lady herself immediately realised that there was some mistake and prayed. Later she got a message in her dream that I was not to be given such jobs! Later on, I never had any such problem because my mother never allowed me to put food in a plate touched by her during the menstural period.

Again when I was may be 10 or 11 years old, I went to the sea for a bath along with my parents and others. A big wave suddenly pulled me inside and I was about to be swept away but was saved by a bystander. Divine grace was always flowing (it always flows always on all, but the effects vary - the transmitter may be on but the receiver has to be on and to be tuned to get the signal).

As an youngster, I was pretty rash and was always rushing into several areas out of my curiosity. I was working in Rajasthan and the place where I was staying (Rawatbhata, about 70 kms from Kota) is semi-arid. I used to go for long walks and the whole terrain was rocky. Several times, snakes used to suddenly rear up with a hissing sound when I stepped on a stone under which they were lying, but not even once was I bitten or was scared. I always felt that I am protected.

At that time, I got into some bad addictions due to my curiosity, again when I was in Rajasthan, since I was financially 'independent' and away from parental supervision. I knew I was in some trouble but I also knew that I cannot come out of that situation on my own. The Divine Grace again came to my rescue and suddenly, some mental switches were simply reset and lo and behold! Those addictions simply vanished! I got a great spiritual lesson that not only it is important to get powers but it is more important to use them properly. Sai Ram.

I will share more of my experiences in the next few articles. Sai Ram.