In the Yoga tradition of India, we can find incredible gems that are often poorly documented or completely ignored in Western countries. While researching such great siddha mahatmas, I came across the sad realization that even in India, many of them remain unknown to the majority of people involved in various Yoga schools—from Advaita to Dvaita and Bhakti traditions. This is the case with one sadhu who truly captivated my mind through his life and siddha powers: Swami Trailanga. His life is spectacular from every point of view. In the following story, Swami Trailanga is visited by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
In the Yoga tradition of India, we can find incredible gems that are often poorly documented or completely ignored in Western countries. While researching such great siddha mahatmas, I came across the sad realization that even in India, many of them remain unknown to the majority of people involved in various Yoga schools—from Advaita to Dvaita and Bhakti traditions. This is the case with one sadhu who truly captivated my mind through his life and siddha powers: Swami Trailanga. His life is spectacular from every point of view. In the following story, Swami Trailanga is visited by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Sri Trailanga Swami ji was born in Kumbilapuram (now known as Kumili of Puspatirega Tehisil) at Vizianagaram District in Andhra Pradesh, with the name of Shivarama. His biographers and his disciples differ on his birth date and the period of his longevity. According to one disciple biographer, Sivarama was born in 1529, while according to another biographer it was 1607. His biography has been written by Biruduraju Ramaraju as one volume of his six volume project Āndhra yōgulu.
At Varanasi he came in contact with Ramakrishna Paramanand and Dayanand Saraswati. Once Shri Ramakrishna moved out to take darshan of Trailanga Swami and reached the burning ghat on the way. It is believed that those whose bodies are burnt on the Mani Karnika Ghat, get salvation at the hands of Shri Kashi Vishwanath. On reaching the Ghats Shri Rama Krishna got into Samadhi and saw the divine couple Shri Shiva and Parvati standing before him—Parvati giving a bowl of nectar to Shiva in his conch and Shiva pouring that nectar in the ears of the burning bodies and giving them salvation. This account is recorded by his biographer, his disciple Shri Sharadanand Swami. Here is a brief account of the dialogue that took place between these two realized souls.
Ramkrishna God is one or two ?
Trailanga Swami in reply showed his fore finger.
Ramkrishna What is religion?
Trailanga Swami :-Nothing but truth.
Ramkrishna What is the duty of a living soul ?
Trailanga Swami To see in his own soul the divine soul or universal soul and
serve him.
Ramkrishna What is love?
Trailanga Swami To worship your own deity by all the modes (nine in number) of Bhakti and to get into ecstacy until tears start flowing from your eyes.
The famous Bengali Saint, Sri Ramakrishna, visited Trailanga Swami and said that although he had taken a body, Trailanga Swami was truly Lord Shiva and the embodiment of Wisdom. Both of them were so happy to be with one another, and yet few words were exchanged. They communicated at the level of the heart. Ramakrishna recognized all of the signs that indicated Trailanga Swami’s saintliness. Trailanga Swami also was most respectful.
One question that Ramakrishna asked was whether God was one or many? Trailanga Swami answered in sign language. “In samadhi, you will know that God is one. And when you have a taste for the world, God is many.”
One day Ramakrishna wished to feed Trailanga Swami pudding and gave him 25 pounds of sweet rice boiled in milk. Trailanga Swami ate the entire offering in one sitting.
The great Avadhoot had predicted the day of his demise. Before that he assembled a meeting of learned pandits; had discussion with them and then gave instructions for a wooden box to be brought. He told his disciples as to how he was to be given a ‘Jala samadhi’. In the box, then, he sat in ‘Padmasan’ and got it closed by placing a huge boulder over it. The box with its cover was then taken into the Ganga river, where it is said that it did not sink but floated over water and after some time a huge glow of divine light started coming out from the inside of the box and proceeded in upward direction. Thousands of people who had gathered there saw this huge beam of divine light in the sky. This was in the year 1881. The stories of Shri Trailanga Swami are quite well known in Uttar Pradesh and reference can be had to old editions of Benares District Gazeteer. European civilians had several experiences about his miracles.
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