Walking God Shri Siddeshwar Swamiji Stops His Walk Abruptly

Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji of the revered Jnana Yogashram in Vijayapura district headquarters and popularly referred to as a Walking God, Buddhi (a learned person), Apparu (Father) and Ajjaru (Grandpa) has succeeded in having his own choice to give up walking in the mortal world. The seer’s resolve has been against the desperate wishes and prayers of thousands of disciples, followers and well-wishers not just in his home state of Karnataka but elsewhere across the globe.

An accident fall becomes the villain: Sometime back the seer had an accidental fall in the bathroom of a disciple’s farmhouse. The fall led to fracturing one of his legs. After a few days, the Mutt sources made a public announcement stating that the pontiff is recovering from the injury. Now it has turned out that the media release was just an eyewash to console devotees from thronging to the Ashram premises to inquire about his health. The same exercise was done in recent weeks as well in vain as thousands of people kept on rushing to have a glance from a distance on the first floor of the Ashram. Just a few days before a portion of the wall had to be broken and later giant screens were installed to enable the believers below to have a glimpse of their philosophical Guru.

Samadhi wishes remained a wish: In fact, according to the Mutt sources Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji had opted for burial while being alive (Jevanth Samadhi) as he had foreseen further deterioration in his health conditions. But people around him were against any such move as they could not imagine the thought of burying the sacred soul. Although the walking God was insisting upon fulfilling his last wish it was never to be accomplished as contrary to such thought people at the helm of affairs were hell-bent on not ensuring the same.

Drips during rest: Irrespective of the sentiments of his close ones it looks like Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji had made up his mind to give up the physical form as he had stopped taking food and liquids for more than 10-12 days. But he was forcibly injected nutrients by drips while he rested and without seeking his permission for the same. This process continued for a while and people from nook and corner continued to rush to the premises.

A simple soul with impeccable intellect: Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji, unlike run-of-the-mill and so-called Swamiji’s was gifted with an impeccable intellect. For record sake, he did his post-graduation in Philosophy from the Shivaji University at Kolhapur, after graduating from the Karnataka University of Dharwad. But his simple life and discourses in equally austere, chaste and rustic language later took him to great heights and made infallible marks on people who happened to listen or got in touch with him.

Addicts give up drinking spurious liquor: Maruti More, a native of Katral village in Chadachana Taluk in Vijayapura district is an ardent devotee of Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji. He got acquainted with the sadhu at the nearby Siddeshwara Swami Ashram in Chadachana Taluk right from his childhood days. The chance connects evolved into a lifelong Guru and Shishya relationship and in the meantime, Maruti More developed into a big businessman owning BMS Diesel Systems Private Limited in Bengaluru. The company established in 2003 has earned specialization in trading and supplying an array of Gensets, Mobile Gensets, Silent DG Gensets and Diesel Generators…
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… A few decades back, recalls Maruti More-“Some people in our native Katral village had become addicts to illicit liquor and were creating ruckus in the evenings while the local law-abiding people were scared of these mischief mongers. The development reached the ears of Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji who summoned the daily drinkers and advised them to give up drinking the hooch…

…The sermon failed to make any change in the situation for the better and Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji again summoned the troublemakers’. This time he suggested the vagabonds perform his pada puja, drink the water and take a vow to refrain from boozing country liquor. The culprits did as told and later went on and gulped their holy water! Surprisingly, all of them started vomiting early in the morning developing severe stomach pain and voluntarily rushed and fell at the feet of Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji. They confessed their breach of trust and promised to give up the vice once and forever. At the same time, they also begged to at least forgive them to chew tobacco”.

Villages bloom with prosperity: Maruti More recalled on how the region around Katral village in the state and neighbouring Maharashtra started to prosper following the frequent visits of Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji to his Ashram located on the interstate borders. Interestingly Maruti More’s farms are spread across both, Karnataka and Maharashtra adjoining one another! He says-“The hitherto barren lands with rain-fed crops and less yield transformed into well irrigated rich fertile fields fetching high income with sugarcane, grapes and many a horticultural crop, thanks to the able guidance of Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji”.

Night-long dramas: On a visit to Maruti More’s farms recently a peculiar development came to be noticed. Although his farms are a few kilometres from Katral village one could hear the sound of drama shows going on the whole night. And not just the night alone, in fact, it kept on continuing even when after sunrise. The only difference was due to humid weather the sound was less audible. When pondered, Maruti More informed candidly-“The farmers are happy, have become wealthy to afford cultural programs and also have enough time to enjoy the same”.

Reluctant for any renovation: Basavaraj Kadkol, a Bengaluru based Architect known for his passionate multi-crore residential projects all over the state had his own reminiscences’ with Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji-“The Mutt authorities wanted to renovate the premises of the small simple room Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji used to stay whenever in Vijayapura Jnana Yogashram. So they suggested me seek his permission as they themselves had failed in doing so. One of them introduced me to the seer and I proposed doing some minor changes in the room. But Shri Sideshwara Swamiji politely refused any changes in his living room. He plainly told me to go ahead with whatever assignments suggested barring his room”.

Failed farmer evolves into a successful consultant: Shivayogi R. Byakod is an Agriculture Post Graduate originally from Vijayapura district headquarters. He came down to Ranna Belagali village near Mahalingapur town of Mudhol Taluk in Bagalkot district to do farming. He drilled around 22 bore wells but failed to get water. Perplexed not knowing what to do next he was struggling to make a modest living. It was at a such juncture that Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji was having a discourse in Mahalingapur…

…Once the religious talk got over Shivayogi R.Byakod accompanied his friends and met the seer, who casually inquired about what they were doing? He narrated the plight of drilling 22 bore wells in vain. Then Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji wondered, despite boasting of an agriculture academic background how come he is allowing his talent to go to waste. In this manner, the former guided the latter to take up a consultation as an alternative to help farmers in the region to be benefited…

…Such a suggestion became a turning point in the life of Shivayogi R.Byakod. Initially, he was hesitant and had his own genuine doubts about whether the counselling profession would be of any help to him. With such thoughts in mind, he started the Sneha Krushi Agri Clinic and Agri Service Center at Mahalingapur. To his surprise, the new venture completely transformed him for the better in a very big way. Gradually his business went on growing in leaps and bounds and not only his but even the income of all those in the region who consulted him started thriving. And all this was made possible just by an informal conversation with Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji.

Love towards farming and farmers very appealing: Shivayogi R.Byakod recalls-“His admiration and love towards farming and farmers was very appealing in most of his discourses which used to be attended in large numbers, known for pin drop silence and promptly timed, never ever mistimed. Common people were spellbound by his command over Puranas, Vedas, and Upanishads. His masterpiece: Vachana Nirvachana”. He concludes-“In fact, there are thousands of people inspired by his simplicity, nobility, words of wisdom, inspiration etc. A truly great scholar and an intellectual in the real sense”.

                          
Refused Rs 102 crores! Perhaps there could be any number of such instances where the lives of people completely changed for the better with the advice of Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji. But, on his part, the Swamiji never thought of changing himself. The ever-seeker of knowledge went on creating awareness among the masses in villages, towns, cities and countries with his noble speeches.

Maruti More recollects-“Once Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji had been on a tour abroad for spiritual lectures along with Shri Suttur Deshikendra Swamiji. Impressed by his addresses the audiences were on a donation spree and the total amount in this form went up to Rs 102 crores! Yet, on the way back he refused to even touch the amount. Those in the Mutt Management felt upset at such a stance. They tried to reason with the Swamiji that the money could have been utilized for building educational institutions to benefit society at large. But Swamiji was upset at the money-making ploys to such an extent that he left the Ashram and camped in Salotgi village for months giving religious lectures”.

A simple man with a great vision: Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji never believed only in advocating philosophy to his listeners. He led such a life himself to become a role model to all others. Unlike other Swamijis’ he only wore a white shirt and lungi while his shirt had no pockets. He never went behind money and popularity and humbly refused the Padma Shree honour. Perhaps the number of people who benefited from his lectures and contact could turn out to be amazing figures. These days you find more religious heads on the streets agitating for various causes but a very less number of them like Shri Siddeshwara Swamiji only vouched for the human cause, betterment and upliftment of mankind.

-Manohar Yadavatti