Shri Jabalpur Nagaraja Sharma is one of the most blessed devotees who was instrumental in finding Sri Govinda Bhagavatpadar’s cave in the banks of Narmadha River in Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh.
This treasure hunt (of finding Sri Govinda Bhagavatpadar’s cave) was not an easy ordeal for Jabalpur mama… From 1971-1978, he had spent his every breath in finding this cave. MahaPeriyava had kept this treasure hunt, a truly adventurous and a lifetime experience for mama. Mama has been put into enough acid tests in this journey and has been guided and saved by MahaPeriyava throughout.
As with the usual Periyava Thiruvilayaadal, when mama had darshan of HIM and was sitting to discuss about the cave details, Periyava asked, டேய் ஸ்ரீ கண்டா. மிளகு ரசத்துக்கு மிளக நெய்-ல பொரிச்சு போட்டா நன்னா இருக்குமா, அப்படியே போட்ட நன்னா இருக்குமா ?
Sri Govinda Bhagavatpadar’s cave in the banks of Narmadha River in Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh
Every time mama goes for HIS darshan, Periyava talked about many things but not about the cave! When mama was close to the finishing line, Periyava asked him, இப்போ இந்த குகையும் இல்லனா என்ன பண்ணலாம்னு இருக்க?
Here is one of the clues that led mama to get to the actual cave… In the video, mama mentions about a book named “The Age of Sankara” in which he found a clue about the location of the cave. Below is the excerpt from the page of that book that gave mama the master clue to his treasure hunt…
Seven years of tough ordeal, life threatening adventures, tiring moments and more…
After all that, mama asked Periyava,
பெரியவா, நீங்க யாருன்னு நான் தெரிஞ்சுன்டேன், ஏன் பெரியவா ஏழு வருஷம் என்ன அலைய விட்டேள்? குகை எங்க இருக்குன்னு சொல்லி இருக்கலாமோனோ ?
Though our Adi Sankara Swaroopam, Sri MahaPeriyava knew all about the cave from the very beginning, HE did not tell mama the exact location. Why? Periyava’s reply to mama gives us a teary eye thinking of HIS Karunyam!
குகை கண்டு பிடிச்சது பெரியவா தான் – I’m just a tool, says Mama.
The complete book “Age of Sankara” can be read below. Thanks to http://sankaramathas.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-age-of-sankara-part-i-tsnarayana.html for this archive.
Anantha koti namaskaram sir, what an interview(s), amazing. Every so called trouble is only for our benefit is a lesson that our maha periyava has said and taught so many times but I have failed to understand this every time when in trouble – arpa manusa janmam.
You are doing a great service, cant even imagine first finding such people, meeting them in their own place be it Delhi or Chennai or Kanchipuram or Udaiyarpalayam and recording their experiences with maha periyava. Each interview you have taken is a gem on its own. No words to explain the happiness and fulfillment you bring to us sir! And I have no “taguthi” to talk about the mahaans who have spent time with mahaperiyava and have done kaingaryams like this Jabhalpur gentleman, it is all their immense purva janma punya and maha periyava kadaksham. namaskaram, namaskaram to you and all these people. And every time I see such an interview, I really long that I had at least seen our maha periyava once in person if not spending some time with him while he was in his body here. HE is Adi Sankara, HE is ambal, HE is parameshwara. Jaya jaya shankara, hara hara shankara. maha periyava potri, potri.
Ellam Bhagavan Seiyyum ThiruVilayadalgal. Ennavendru solvadhu. Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara.