19 Aug 2023
[By Shri Manikanta]
Padanamaskaram Swami,
I, Manikanta, want to share a miracle that happened by the grace of Swami on my sister’s marriage occasion.
Initially, my sister’s marriage was fixed on 26th August, 2021. While I was discussing about the muhurtham with Shri Phaniji, I told that there were two grandparents in the bridegroom's house who were very old. Immediately, he paused for a second and jokingly asked if we were planning to perform the marriage before or after they both pass away! I was shocked listening to this but I know that there will be truth even in the jokes of our Swami and Phaniji. I replied to him saying, "No, it shouldn’t happen like that". Then, I recalled Swami's teachings that I don’t know what is good for me or for her. So, I prayed Swami to please do whatever is good for her life.
We started the preparations for her wedding as planned. On 25th of August, which is one day before the wedding, bridegroom’s parents and relatives were supposed to come to our home and take my sister to their home so that they will get her ready as the bride (pellikuthuru) on the same day. But suddenly, we got a phone call saying that bridegroom’s grandmother (85+ yrs) had passed away and we stood clueless of what to do next. My family was in utter shock and I could think only of Swami, my true guardian and saviour. I prayed to Swami and phoned to Phaniji for guidance. Meanwhile, groom's relatives have postponed the marriage.
In the morning, my sister looked so beautiful in the saree that I immediately went and bought a silver idol of Venkataram Murthy to gift her. But then, everything turned upside down in few hours. I felt really sad and left for Datta Ashram in Eluru. I put the idol into the hundi and came back home.
After a few days, I learnt that my Sadguru, Shri Datta Swami came to Vijayawada. I took His permission to meet Him and narrated what all had happened in the past. Swami soothingly told to me, "Don’t worry! Lord Datta will do whatever is good for the soul and make it happen in the best way it can".
As time passed, we started planning for the second muhurtham. Unfortunately, we came to know that bridegroom’s grandfather (95+ yrs) is ill and admitted in ICU. Immediately, I phoned to Phaniji and connected with Swami on a conference call to setup an immediate muhurtham. Swami and Phaniji finalised that there was a muhurtham two days later and we conveyed the same to groom’s family. Luckily, they also accepted it and we decided to perform the wedding in Annavaram.
Actually, we booked the Kalyan Mandapam for the second time in Annavaram but again, the muhurtham got preponed due to which our new booking was unacceptable. Some others have already booked it on that muhurtam. Although we personally went to Annavaram and verified the availability of a Kalyana Mandapa, we found that all mandapas were booked. In that dire situation, we again reached out to the mandapam that we booked earlier and requested them. By Swami's grace, they reacted very positively this time. They realised that there is 14 hours gap between the two bookings in their mandapam and our muhurtham falls during that gap. They themselves promised to make an arrangement for us during that time. I thanked Swami from the bottom of my heart for this. Many relatives gave up the hope that we would find a mandapa. I was afraid that we would be forced to perform the wedding in a small vedika which not only costs very high but also not give any satisfaction. Undoubtedly, it is by Swami's grace that they realised a 14 hours gap between their two bookings.
There were multiple miracles that happened during the wedding. One among them is my sister getting her menstrual cycle 12 days before her actual time which happened only once in her lifetime till then. Actually, the marriage date falls on the 5th day of her menstrual cycle. When we told the same thing to Swami, Swami enlightened us about the real reason why women are advised to take rest during their menstruation and ensured us to go ahead with the wedding. He told us not to worry about it but He didn't even give us a chance to worry about it!
Finally, the marriage was performed very well with the grace of Swami. We felt very happy and thankful to Swami. After the marriage, I had a conversation with Phaniji and he asked me for how many days should the life of the grandfather (who is in ICU) have to be on hold? Many thoughts ran my mind. Generally, a yellow thread of Mangala Sutram is tied to the bride by the bridegroom during the marriage ritual and later on, it will be changed to a permanent one in gold. I thought that nothing bad should happen in the house until the yellow thread of the mangala sutram of my sister is changed to a permanent one. Therefore, I requested Phaniji to please hold the life of the grandfather until that happens. Phaniji told that he consulted Swami on this matter and told that Swami told ok and closed conversation. It is a miracle that the grandfather passed away on the very next day after my sister received the permanent mangala sutram. Me and my entire family thanked Swami but 'Thank You' is a very small word before the infinite compassion of Swami on us.
Prema Swarupa, Dhayananda, Karunamaya
Pranam Pranam Pranam
Padanamaskaram Swamiji
- Manikantha
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