శ్రీ విజయ
దుర్గా పీఠం

"This was in 1955. Though I was still a student, I got involved in politics. As Secretary of the Youth Congress, I participated in the election campaign that year on behalf of the Congress. In that connection I visited Dharmavaram. Someone suggested to me, 'here is a Swami in Puttaparthi. Would you like to go and see Him?' I told them it would amount to selfishness to seek blessings for our candidates — we had to win on the righteousness of our manifesto. We won in Anantapur, Kadiri, Putlur and Dharmavaram."

"I returned jubilant and continued to dabble in politics. A break came in 1972 — the stage was set for my nomination to the State Legislative Council, to be followed by inclusion in the Cabinet of Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao. After everything was finalized, I rushed home on an urgent errand, reaching late at night on August 18, 1972. My mother and wife, who usually waited awake for me, were both asleep. I did not disturb them and went to bed, tired."

"When I awoke around 12:42 in the night, I saw my wife's tired countenance and felt aversion to politics. As I was thinking thus, I heard a bang — I thought enemies were throwing bombs. Then I saw a flash of sublime light. I was wide awake; it was not a dream. Suddenly I found a lady in a green sari by the window, riding on a tiger, dazzling with divine beauty."

"She said, 'I am Durga. It is me who inspired your grandmother to name you God within five minutes after your birth.' True — my mother's mother, who knew no English, had christened me God soon after birth. 'The world is full of selfish people,' the Goddess continued. 'I have picked you for my work because you hail from a family known for its righteous behaviour, magnanimity and spirit of charity. I will give you my moolamantra of 32 letters along with pooja-vidhanam. Recite it. Ease yourself out of politics, but continue to serve people.' She gave me the mantra and disappeared."

"Next day I called on the Chief Minister. 'Come, Mr. Would-be-Minister!' Mr. P. V. received me warmly. I related all that had happened. When I concluded, he got up and prostrated before me. 'I had a hunch all the time that you have been growing spiritually inside,' he said, 'no matter how you tried to cover it up.' He did not press me. In my place I recommended Mrs. Y. Savithri Devi, and he readily agreed."

"I yearned to visit all 18 Shakti Peethas and began my pilgrimage from Kashmir. Told that a ten-foot-tall yogi named Kankaleswara resides deep in the Naimisa forest near the original idol of Kali, I trekked into the forest in 1973. As darkness fell amid eerie sounds, I chanted the moolamantra to subdue fear. A hoary voice boomed: 'Who is that guy that came from Vedurupaka?' Before me stood Kankaleswara, ten feet tall, reading my very thoughts."

"He led me to a cave. When I grew hungry he struck an altar and hot, tasty pooris appeared; later, when I described pesarattu and upma, those appeared too. He had me stand on one leg in the hot sun for three and a half hours while he performed a yajna, then drew lines on my tongue — and I began chanting Veda-mantras like a tape recorder just switched on, with full comprehension. 'Kanchi people are doing a yajna in Kasi. Go there,' he said."

"A car sent by the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham was waiting at Ujjain and took me to Varanasi. 'How blessed you are to have darshan of Goddess Kali,' said the Paramacharya, 'I await such grace still.' He bade me perform the yajna. 'You are purified now,' he told me, 'you can return.'"

"On the twelfth day of the full-moon fortnight in Karthika, 1974, Goddess Durga appeared in our house riding a tiger. Kankaleswara had explained why She rides a tiger and not Her lion: a lion kills only when hungry, but a tiger kills indiscriminately — as people are indiscriminately violent in these times. She left Her indelible left footprint: 'It will be here for all to worship and get deliverance.'"

"'I will make you nameless,' She said, 'lest any wicked tantric perform abhichara against you.' She gave me the pravara: 'Brahma, Vishnu, Parama Sivasya Thraya Risheya… Sri Sri Sri Sri Sri Vyaghra Vahini Sri Vijaya Durga Anamadheya Kinkara.' She blessed me with Sankhu and Chakra in my palms and feet, and the Srichakra-meru in my feet, and struck my ankle with Her club: 'That is where I shall reside. I fulfil the wishes of all those who pray, touching that place on your ankle.' Because the Goddess Herself fulfils the devotees' wishes, She absolved me of the burden of their prarabdha. I am now Her un-named servant (anamadheya kinkara)."

"His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidya Thirtha Swami, Head of the Sringeri Peetham, came to Vedurupaka and installed Sri Vijaya Durga Peetham. Daily homas, archanas and recitation of Veda-mantras are conducted uninterrupted, along with Narayana Seva. The Peetham has performed Devi Nava Rathris at one place for 33 years without break, in my presence."

"I came to Prasanthi Nilayam on February 25, 2005 for darshan of Bhagavan. It occurred to me that we should all pray for the day He walks in good health. For my part, I decided to conduct Ayush Homa for 40 days from March 04, 2005 at Vedurupaka for His complete health and longevity — a yajna I resolved to perform personally."