Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Mrs. Narasamma

Mrs. Narasamma,
Venkatareddipalli,
Near Penukonda,
Anantapur District.

      Mrs. Narasamma (58), a housewife, relates her experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

'I was born in a lower middle class family of agriculturists at Gooti. While I was a child, a snake used to appear on my bed near my head. Once or twice the snake was killed, but the same type of snake used to appear again as if it had come alive.

Once when I was a small girl, Mother Goddess appeared to me in a vision and took me with her in the astral plane. She took me to Prasanthi Nilayam. We went to the hillock on which Kalpavriksham stands. There is a tunnel at the foot of the tree. It is still there. Mother Goddess took me inside. Inside it is a spacious cave. On one side is an idol of Mother Goddess with eight hands. It is bigger than the one we have here in our temple. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was sitting on another side and was in deep penance. He appeared to be of about 25 to 30 years of age. After having darshan of Swami and the Mother Goddess we returned.

After my marriage with Mr. Narayana of Venkatareddipalli I shifted to my in-laws' house. Even after marriage, my experiences of the Divinity have continued.

Once my husband and I went to Puttaparthi and had darshan of Bhagavan. But I could not go to Kalpavriksham.

Though I used to have several experiences in my childhood, I did not comprehend their significance. We were in a rented shed at Venkatareddipalli for sometime. It was on the main road. One night at about 11 p.m., Lord Venkateswara came to our house. He wore His crown and jewellery. Surprisingly He was only five feet high. I do not know if Swami came like Lord Venkateswara, as Swami and the Lord are one. He took my hand into His, and we both went to Tirumala on the astral plane. We went by the stairs and not by the ghat road. We both bathed in the pushkarini. Lord Venkateswara took the holy dip keeping all jewellery, crown and silk clothes on. He showed me all places of interest on the hill, including Gogarbham where He lived earlier, Akasaganga, etc. On the way, I saw some fruit trees. I plucked a fruit or two of guava and ate them. He took me into the temple and fed me sumptuously with laddu. He also showed me His bedroom. While I was there, a lady of unearthly beauty came there. She brought a golden jug of water. I withdrew to outside the room. At about 4 a.m., Lord Venkateswara came out and brought me back to my house. This happened consecutively on five Saturdays.

After about two years, we built a shed in the site where our house now stands and shifted there. One night, two boys came to me. They were like twins. They were very handsome. They brought food for me. The rice was mixed with a little green-gram. It was very tasty. They served the food in two leaves separately. One they gave me. The other they took and ate from the same leaf. 'Who are you?' I asked them. 'I am Surya' one of them answered, 'and he is Chandra'. I thanked them for the food. 'Please go back carefully and safely' I told them. 'We are always safe' one of them replied, 'we have neither old age nor changes that come by passing years'.

Once I was taken by some of the villagers to Kalahasthi. At that time I had a child. As I had to carry him, I could not walk as fast as they did. On the way, I had darshan of Lord Siva. He was standing on one leg showing a dancing posture, blowing dhamaruka. I was so happy that what little amount I had with me at that time I gave to the poor as alms. For some days, I could not recover from that hang over.

One day, a Jangamadevara came to my shed in the evening. It was Monday. I realized intuitively that He is Lord Siva. He had Jatajuta from which the Ganga was trickling down. He had no beard or whiskers. He had the third eye and the crescent. He wore rudrakshas and had a trident in hand. He wore tiger skin. I alone could see Him; the snakes around His neck were even touching my head with their hoods. 'I am Siva' He told me, 'observe silence on every Monday. Worship me with tummiflowers. Offer broken wheat, milk, ghee and honey as prasadam. Don't cook them.' When I prepared the prasadam and offered it daily, the fingers were printed on the prasadam as if someone had taken a little of it to eat.

We had six acres of land. We had to sell it away for the marriages of our daughters. We were left with only nine cattle.

Around 1980, one lady from a traditional Hindu family came to my hut. She was of ethereal beauty. She put a dot on my forehead with red kumkum. Earlier, I used to put blue kumkum. As she put red dot on my forehead, the casket with blue kumkum of mine became empty after the lady had left! Nine months after her visit, a black complexioned stout person came. He was frightening in his looks. 'Don't come' I cried. 'I don't harm you' he replied, 'I came for your cattle.' That night all nine heads of our cattle died without any obvious cause. Many thought that it was an act of the devil.

We went to a priest in Penukonda to consult him. 'The lady who came is Mother Goddess Raja Rajeswari Devi. You are lucky. When she comes again, kindle a lamp and offer perfume stick'. She came again. We had only half used perfume stick that I lighted. 'Who are you?' I asked her. 'I am Peddamma' she said. She came again after six weeks. 'I am Raja Rajeswari Devi' she told me, 'you have to observe certain rules hereafter.' I noted them and began complying. One of the rules was to give up non-vegetarian food. Many Divine experiences followed. She wrote Devi Bhagavatam in Telugu and presented it to me to pass it on to devotees. Mr. B Prasada Rao, a retired Dy. Collector and a devotee of Bhagavan, got it published titled 'Devi Bhagavatam'. Devi wrote it on palm leaves in easily intelligible Telugu.

With the cooperation of devotees, a temple has been constructed at our place and an idol of Raja Rajeswari Devi installed. Later, an idol of Vinayaka has also been installed.

Mother Goddess took me once on the astral plane to Her residence in Manidweepa and showed me Her resplendent diamond-studded golden castle.

Whenever I give arati, Mother Goddess takes over my psyche and answers questions of devotees Herself. When I regain my physical consciousness, I do not remember even a single word uttered by Devi, though through my tongue. Whatever Devi says invariably comes true. That is what the devotees say.'

-- Mrs. Narasamma

   (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 02.04.2006)