It was 5:00 AM the next morning, and Madappa's household started waking up slowly, before dawn broke. Sarojamma, Madappa's wife had woken up and bathed, getting her archana (ritual offerings) samagri ready. Before that she had swept and washed the rough stone courtyard and now she started offering prayers to the Holy Tulsi (Basil) plant at the center of their courtyard. The rest of the household stirred, slowly awakening to the rhythm of their natural cycles.

As Madappa washed up and stepped into the courtyard, he suddenly was startled to see a white silhouette in the north-eastern corner of his yard, standing absolutely still, as if a stone statue. It was still not bright outside, and in the grayish light, as he squinted at the figure, he realized that it was Bhadramanu. He was standing as if suspended from the top of his head (by a thread coming down from the heavens), completely relaxed, with knees slightly belt. All he could see was his chest and diaphragm moving very slowly, breathing -- so slow that Madappa could barely discern it as breathing.

As Madappa observed Bhadramanu's inert frame, the Sun broke free into the horizon, a bright red ball of magnificence. Bhadramanu seemed to rise with the rising Sun, slowly, effortlessly, and his hands gently swung up from the sides in an arc, as if swimming in an ocean, breaking the water in a circular motion till they stopped in front of his chest, almost together (as if in the Anjali mudra), but not touching. And again, as the Sun climbed a little higher, the hands moved up towards the sky from his chest, and seemed to part the sky into two halves, as they formed the shape of a funnel, palms slightly facing the sky. Madappa later would swear that he saw a wide beam of the morning sunlight flowing down from the sky, right in between those two outstretched arms, as Bhadramanu's countenance seemed to glow.

As he watched on, curious and partially mesmerized by the old man's movement, Bhadramanu turned and looked at him. His eyes were soft and yet brilliant pools of light, and his strong voice was gentle and soft as he said "The early morning hours are a very auspicious time to make a connection with the Holy Mother, her Shakti (power) is very strong at this time".

Madappa realized that Bhadramanu had probably been doing some kind of meditative practice and also realized that this old mendicant was exceptional. He had met a few Sadhus in his time and none seemed to have the presence as powerful as Bhadramanu.

Madappa asked “Swamiji, what was this you were doing? I haven’t seen any one meditate this way before.”

“There can be meditation in anything we do…sweep the floor, walk, eat, sleep…anything” Bhadramanu replied…and added with a smile “Also, since you asked specifically about this practice, why don’t I show you, if you are interested?”

Madappa said “Oh surely  I would like to learn this meditation Swamiji, but will an old man like myself be able to train his indisciplined mind?”

Bhadramanu said “Don’t worry about all that. Anyone can learn to meditate at any time. Just come stand next to me here and stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent…right…exactly like that. Now close your eyes and tilt you chin slightly downward. Correct…just as much as feels comfortable to you. Now just imagine as if a thin silk thread has descended down from Swargaloka (Heaven) itself and attached itself to the top of your head. Wait for a few minutes with your eyes closed and you should feel a tingling sensation at the top of your head”

“I feel a sensation Swamiji, like a little tickling sensation on the top of my head, right in the middle of the top of the head actually. It feels very nice…also what is this I feel? I feel as if my body is filling with some fliud, but it is not liquid…it actually feels like a light honey-like viscosity…Oh! I can feel a warm sensation in the region below my navel….and expanding like a balloon!” cried Madappa.

Bhadramanu said “Good! You have just connected with Mother Chamundeswari”

Madappa suddenly froze, as if slapped! “Swamiji, but I am a devotee of Lord Ranganatha…am I allowed to connect to Mother Chamundi?”

Bhadramanu understood Madappa’s predicament. In many places, the core essence of religion had been replaced with mindless rituals and blind faith. Also rampant was the bickering between various groups, each with different primary deities. The Shaivas (Worshippers of Lord Shiva) claimed that theirs was the true way and Lord Shiva the supreme master of the Universe. The Vaishnavas (such as Madappa was) claimed that theirs was the true way and that Lord Vishnu was the supreme master of the Universe. The devotees of Shakti (Such as Ma Chamundeshwari or Kali or Durga) claimed that theirs was the most perfect way. No wonder Madappa was confused…he didn’t know any better!

“Madappa, I will share a little secret with you today…I have learnt this from my limited experience and with what little intelligence a wanderer such as myself might have. All this bickering about whose God is more powerful is for those who haven’t connected to any of these Gods. If the Lingayats (Shaivas) knew what Lord Shiva truly was, they would not try to assert the supremacy of their way. Same thing with Vaishnavas or Shaktas or Buddhists or Jainas or Christians or Muslims or any other religious group! That which you connected with today, I merely call her Mother Chamundi, because she is the Goddess whom I find most approachable. I can devote my “Bhakti” to her, and love her the best, as the Divine Mother. So I can connect with that which is the ground of everything more easily” said Bhadramanu. “And further more, all these deities that different people worship, or even those who don’t worship any deity, they all are trying to connect to the only eternal truth in all of this creation (Srishti)…we just have forgotten that these different names and forms are just means to make the unknowable a little easier to access” he added.

Madappa now had a very bemused look on his face, with thoughts racing through his mind. He must have been in the state of “connectedness” (with the Divine Mother) for a good fifteen minutes and he had never felt more alive or alert before in his life. “But what was all this the old Sage was telling him?
All Gods are basically the same? How can that be? Isn’t Adi Ranga the supreme master of the whole universe? What had he learnt from his grandfather, and his father and the Village Pujaris?” Madappa thought furiously. “But if the sensation I got was any proof, then perhaps Bhadramanu is telling the truth?” he rationalized.

Bhadramanu was aware of the chaos that the experience had triggered in poor Madappa’s mind. He was a simple elderly villager, a farmer who lived a simple good life, a dutiful Hindu Vaisnava.  What did he know about the intricacies and nuances of the various traditions that form this rich tapestry called Sanatana Dharma (the Eternal Order)? But Bhadramanu had seen goodness in this old man and wanted to help him by connecting him with the true path. In this true path, one used one’s mind, body (the five senses) and one’s intellect to first connect with the supreme divinity and then merge with it. There was no sectarianism in this way…only the possibility of truly connecting with that (which cannot be named or described, but can only be felt and known).

He said “Madappa, please forgive me for having caused you so much confusion. Let me assure you that Adi Ranga will not be displeased with you for connecting with Mother Chamundi. For is she not another form of Lakshmi? The consort of Ranganatha?”

Hearing these words, Madappa’s mind  returned to normal. “Of course…since Mother is only another form of Sri Ranga’s consort, Laskhmamma, this must definitely be alright” he reasoned with himself.

It was around seven in the morning by then. How time had flown Madappa didn’t even realize till his daughter came by with steaming hot steel tumblers full of milky sweet tea.  It was time for his morning tea. As the two men sipped their tea, Bhadramanu broached the topic of the mysterious happenings near the temple.

He said “Madappa, please take me to the place you mentioned yesterday. Let us see what this trouble is all about”.

So after finishing their tea, the two men set out towards the temple.  The sun was out nice and bright by then, it was about half past seven.

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