Swamiji often visited Srisailam, Kadalivanam, Papanasam, Pothigai hills, Suruli, and Lada maharishi’s abode with his devotees and meditated in the caves. The devotees who visited these places with Swamiji often had their own experiences and these experiences are highly personal and are subjective interpretations of the devotees. Some of the experiences are recounted in the following sections. Devotees interested in sharing their experiences may write to the webmaster for posting on this webpage.
Devotees' Experiences @ Vadarevu
Normally on a full moon day, Swamiji performs the night pooja for Ambal at the Aadiparashakti temple in the ashram and has his meal for that day. In 1994, on a full moon day after this pooja, when everyone had gone to have their food, there was a young lady at the temple on her own. One devotee had asked her who she was visiting at the ashram at this time of the day and chased her. She said ok and went away. It was raining at that time. Sundaramma, a devotee who lives in the ashram, came out of her building and saw the same lady with a silver waist chain and felt this was Ambal. She had asked her to come inside and sleep as it was raining outside. Another devotee at the ashram also witnessed this young lady. When they looked for her the next moment, she had disappeared. It is believed it was Ambal who visited on that day. On every full moon day, the devotees who visit the ambal temple and sleep there overnight have their own experiences.
The devotees, who visited Vadarevu ashram, noticed they were successful in their business and their professions and were cured from their diseases after receiving blessings from Swamiji. People from various parts of South India visited the ashram for treatment from Swamiji and some have even been cured from terminal illnesses such as leukemia through his siddha medicine. For some people, Swamiji helped them to overcome their difficulties by giving Vibhooti that was used in prayers. Swamiji often suggested devotees, who seek his help, to perform homas and yagnas for their benefit. Swamiji annually performs Chandi, Rudram, Mahendram, Shanmuga homam, Navadurga, Navagraha, Varuna, Lakshmi, Mrityunjaya homam, Sudarshana homam, Ashta Ganapati homam, and Hanumantha homam for the betterment of the world.
Devotees' Experiences @ Suruli Hills
At Suruli range of hills, down hills there is a waterfall which is called Suruli falls. The general public and pilgrims have bath at this falls. People from the surrounding villages were accustomed to doing their ancestral duties for the death anniversary (“thivasam”) at the river that flows from this Suruli falls. It is a place where sannyasi’s and saints often visit and the pilgrims give annadanam and dharmam to these saints. There was a lady called Lakshmi who lived in a small thatched cottage at the foot of the Suruli hills and cooked the food for these Sannyasis and Saints. In 1982, one day she visited Swamiji at the Suruli aandavar temple and cried that she had two children and had no clothes or any means of living. Swamiji blessed and gave her a Sari and some Vibhooti and asked her to start a small tea stall. Upon that suggestion, she started a small tea stall, which became very profitable to her and now she has a huge guest house for pilgrims in that area and also earned other lands and properties. Her children are also doing well with their own business.
Swamiji used to visit Suruli hills almost every month from Vadarevu, as this is a place he has been in tapas for many years before departing to Vadarevu. Some devotees visit with him on his trip. They visit the Palani Aandavar temple at Palani hills before going to Suruli hills. At Suruli, there is a waterfall beside the Suruli Aandavar temple and it is called the “Suruli teertham”. This water passage touches the Suruli Aandavar (Subramania Swami) statue at the temple before getting collected beside the temple. Lot of devotees who have visited with Swamiji have benefited from bathing and drinking this water, as it has medicinal value since the spring passes through several herbs of medicinal value during its passage. If you drop a fully ripened banana skin in this water, in two days it becomes like a stone, after the water is absorbed. Due to the high medicinal value of this spring, it is also called as “Kayakalpam” meaning for whoever bathes and drinks this water it gives a strong disease-free long life.
According to an ancient story it is said that when Adi Shankaracharya visited this temple, he chanted three mantras:
“Muppathimukkodi devarkaluku Araharokara | Napathielayiram brahmarishikalukku Araharokara | Suruli Aandavarukku Araharokara”
The meaning of this mantra is that when Surapadman troubled the Devas, Rishis, Sages and others, Subramania Swami asked them to take the form of an ant and take refuge in the Kailasa cave near Suruli Falls and meditate and that He is on top of the cave protecting them. Even now, when devotees visit the cave there are several ants present. The belief is that even now the Devas, Rishis, Sages and others are visiting this cave in the form of ants and meditating.
Devotees who visit Suruli hills with Swamiji have a bath in the Suruli theertham and enter this cave by crawling like a snake as the entrance to it very narrow. They meditate there and several have had experiences of listening to the sound of “aum” and having darshan of a cobra on the Lingam inside the cave. Devotees have also felt that they benefited in material wealth by meditating in this cave.
The villagers from the surrounding villages congregate at the Suruli Aandavar temple once every year on the day of Tamil hindu new year. They collect this Suruli teertham in a vessel and store it in their prayer rooms as a precious item for one year. The teertham is used as prasadam when there is a problem in the house (by sprinkling around the house) or taken orally as teertham if someone falls ill.
In the Suruli range of hills, there is another hill on top of which there is a Sannyasi appan abode (Lada Maharishi’s abode). A sage called Lada maharishi has attained “Karpurasiddhi” at this abode. When Swamiji visits Suruli hills, he also goes up this mountain at times. Devotees who visit with Swamiji to Lada maharishi’s abode have had their own experiences. Once when a few devotees visited with Swamiji in 2002 to the abode of Lada maharishi, there was an old man in the group who climbed up the hill with the help of several others. He was determined to do so. When the devotees were up the hill, they had a bath in the river and Swamiji performed a pooja at the Sannyasi appan temple. Swamiji and the group of devotees started descending down the hill. The old man in the group was behind everyone, walking down slowly. When few devotees reached the bottom of the hill where there was a spring, they saw this old man in their group lying down on top of a rock in the middle of the stream and smiling at them. It is a miracle that he had descended the hill without any apparent help, before everyone else.
The trek to Lada Maharishi's abode is strenuous and takes about 4 hours to reach with no milestones or marked pathways. The path is through a jungle with several wild elephants roaming freely. In same trip as mentioned in the previous paragraph, two people who were behind others in the trek lost their way and were yelling for help. Three sadhus appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and guided them to Lada Maharshi's abode to join with the rest of the group. These 3 sannyasis also participated in the pooja that Swamiji had performed and had prasadam with the group. When they were asked about themselves, they declined to talk saying they had been observing silence for several years. After partaking the prasadam, when the group started the trek out of the jungle, the 3 sadhus proceeded deep into the jungle and disappeared seemingly into nowhere. (Note: The webmaster, Vamsee and content writer, Shanthi were also part of this group and witnessed these 3 sadhus).
In 2003, when a group of devotees visited with Swamiji to Lada maharishi’s abode one close devotee of Swamiji was in deep crisis. He had a bath in the river and chanted “Siva Siva” and walked up to the Sannyasi appan temple thinking why Bhagavan is testing him so much with problems in life. When this devotee was doing the pooja with Swamiji to Agastya'a statue, he felt a current passing through him. He recounted his experience to Swamiji and Swamiji replied to him that "your time has come and Arunachaleswarar will help you and you will settle there." He is now settled near Tiruvannamalai with all his problems sorted.
On another occasion, another devotee of Swamiji (the family lives in Thaniyal village 10km from Pasumalai and were staunch devotees of Lalitananda Swami) who was cheated in his business by his partners and almost lost his wealth, had a pending case at the Chennai high court for recovery of money. He visited Suruli hills and Sannyasi appan temple with Swamiji and prayed. After his return from Suruli hills, the defendants of the case approached him and asked for an out-of-court settlement and repaid the amount in installments. This devotee is now settled at his village in Thaniyal doing service to Swamiji.
There was a man called Karuppan who was helping Swamiji while he was doing tapas in Suruli for years. In 1999, his grandson was missing and when Swamiji visited Suruli, Karupan said about his missing grandson. Swamiji said to him that he will return within one week. Accordingly, they managed to find him within a week and now he is married and is leading a good life.
Devotees' Experiences @ Papanasam
In 1997, when Swamiji went with a group of devotees up the Pothigai hills to Kalyana theertham, several devotees with him experienced different things while meditating in front of the Agastya Lingam. One experienced the fragrance of flowers (Jasmine), another experienced the fragrance of Vibhooti, one experienced the sound of omkara (“AUM”), and another experienced the sound of a pleasant music that was never heard before. On this trip, another devotee of Swamiji witnessed an old man with a walking stick on top of the Pothigai hills as he was climbing up. He could not see his face but felt a great power.
In 2002, when a group of devotees visited the Pothigai hill Kalyana theertham, Swamiji did abhishekam for the Agastya Shivalingam and when the arati was shown, Seetharamiah of Duggirala had the vision of Uma Maheshvara on the lingam.
In 2004, when a group of devotees from UK visited Papanasam Shiva temple with Swamiji, Ramanan, a little boy aged 10 years had a dream that he was visiting a temple that had a white cow and a Lingam, and he was doing pooja with white flowers with “Om Namashivaya” as music at the background. The following morning, when he visited the Papanasam Shiva temple with Swamiji, there was a white cow in front of the temple and he recollected his dream and said the temple and the Lingam in his dream was the same Shiva temple. They had Jasmine flowers, with which they did the pooja.
All devotees, who visit Papanasam with Swamiji, have a bath in the Pothigai waterfall before going up to the Kalyana theertham. The belief is that if one has a bath on a full moon day at this waterfall and pray at the Agastya Lingam temple in Kalyana theertham, they could reduce their bad karma and fulfill their wishes. Several people who have visited this temple with Swamiji have benefited in their material life. Some incidences that happened are; unmarried people have been married, people have obtained employment, people have done well in the business and some people have been cured of untreatable diseases after visiting this temple.
Devotees' Experiences @ Srisailam
At Srisailam, Swamiji carried out a pooja for Subramania Swami's moorti for 47 days and performed daily pooja for Mallikarjuna samadhi at the temple in Srisailam. The devotees who were staying with Swamiji at Srisailam during this period had the vision of several sannyasis visiting the room, where the pooja for Subramnania statue was performed, and snakes were also seen at the entrance of the cottage a few times. This statue was later installed at the ashram in Vadarevu.
Ishta Kamakshi temple: On another occasion, Swamiji had a vision that in the Srisailam forest there was an Ishta Kamakshi temple. He visited Srisailam with some of his devotees in search of this temple. One morning when they set out to the forest in search of this Ambal temple, a man who was at the Nandi temple which is straight ahead of the Srisailam main Shiva temple asked Swamiji to solve his problems. He was wearing dirty clothes and Swamiji ignored his request because he was concentrating on finding the Ambal temple in the forest. This man started putting flowers at Swamiji’s feet from a small bag. The devotees with Swamiji witnessed a continuous flow of countless number and variety of fresh flowers (not seen in that region) that were put in front of Swamiji’s foot by this man. Then the man asked Swamiji to keep his hand on his head and Swamiji did so and proceeded with the group. The man was then smoking a beedi in front of the Nandi temple and disappeared when the group looked back at him. Swamiji and the group of devotees proceeded to the forest in search of the Ambal temple. At the entrance of the forest, they were not aware of the path to this temple. A dog guided them initially and then two little children (a boy and a girl) wearing Vibhooti on their body appeared and asked Swamiji if they were going to the Ambal temple and guided them. When they reached the Ishta Kamakshi temple, they did a pooja and prepared prasadam. The children had the prasadam and then disappeared unknowingly. On their return, again the dog appeared and guided Swamiji and the group to the entrance of the forest. Following this re-discovery of Ishta Kamakshi temple by Swamiji, this temple was visited by other devotees too by Jeep. At present, the government of Andhra Pradesh is planning to develop the path and the temple to facilitate pilgrimages by devotees. (Note: The webmaster, Vamsee, had visited this temple with Swamiji in 2003 and witnessed an old sadhu asking Swamiji for a mantra upadesam. The sadhu was, then, living alone in the middle of the jungle adjacent to a stream where tigers come to drink water. His protection was only a mosquito net. When asked if he was scared, the sadhu replied that Ambal takes care of him. Srisailam forest is one of the largest tiger reserves in India.)
On one occasion in 2004, when a group of devotees were going by Jeep to this temple with Swamiji, they were stopped by a man and a lady carrying a child (looked like a gypsy). The man offered a fruit (Bael) to Swamiji and asked if they could have a lift by our vehicle to wherever we were going. Swamiji accommodated them in one of the jeeps and when we reached the temple, the family of three who traveled with us disappeared into the jungle.
On another occasion in 2006, when some devotees from Guntur visited this temple with Swamiji, he asked them to perform abishekam to Ambal. When they did the abhishekam, they felt the face of Ambal like a real body. This experience was shared by few ladies who were performing the abhishekam to Ambal.
Kadalivanam Cave: This is a mountain and the base is reached by a 90-minute boat trip on Pathala Ganga from Srisailam main temple and by climbing five mountains spanning over 12 km. This cave was given this name, because when saints perform tapas at this cave, Ambal gives them a banana as prasadam. When Swamiji visited this cave for the first time with devotees, a saint appeared from a cave and asked Swamiji why he had brought all these people and that if he came on his own he could stay for a few days. While meditating at Kadalivanam, Swamiji had the vision of Hanuman a few times. It is believed that Hanuman and Datthathreya Avadhuta are living as Chiranjeevis on this mountain. Swamiji’s devotees who have visited this cave have had several experiences themselves. While meditating at Kadalivanam cave, some devotees have seen Ambal while some others have seen several sannyasis moving around them.
In 2006, Swamiji had a vision of a particular Subramania Swami statue in the Srisailam hill and Swamiji said when Subramania Swami gives permission, he will take his devotees in search of it.
Sri Sastry
Sundarammma, wife of Sri Sastry, first visited the ashram in 1966 with her landlord's family. On Januray 1st 1967, Sri Sastry also visited because a friend asked him to visit Vadarevu Swami. When he first saw the Swami, he obtained peace of mind and concentration power that he had never experienced before. Hitherto, he did not believe in God or any religious rituals. Vadarevu Swami asked him what he was doing and where he was living. So Sri Sastry said, he was working in a book shop and staying in a rental house in Vijayawada. Then he has shown a size of a room and asked if it was this size and he said yes, Swami laughed. After 15 days he visited for the second time and stayed for 1 day and the third time he came on a Shivarathri day and stayed for 5 days. On that day, Vadarevu Swami appeared on the lingam for Sri Sastry. Vadarevu Swami visited Vijayawada once and four of them collected Rs. 116 and gave it as dakshina to him. The fourth time when Sri Sastry came to see Vadarevu Swami, he had brought some raagi flour to make a porridge (as advised by his friend). Other people had given fruits and when Sri Sastry offered his raagi flour, Swami had said he will come back and take it from him. After a week Sri Sastry returned to Vijayawada and learned that Swami was unconscious and the following day he had a telegram that Swami had attained Samadhi.
For 4 years when Sri Sastry was living in Vijayawada, Vadarevu Sswami used to appear in Sri Sastry’s dreams. Sri Sastry was ill for 2 years and he had given up his job and was worried about his illness. Whenever he had a shivering, he would keep Swami’s photograph and show aarthi. After giving up his job, he returned to his native village (Peddavaram, near Vinukonda) and stayed for 2 years.
At that time, there was one Sri Ramachandra Iyer who was a retired railway employee staying at the ashram. Sri Sastry visited the ashram occassionally for functions. In February of 1973 , he came to Vadarevu to give tuition to the local kids and stayed at the ashram. In December of 1973, P.V. Swami had visited this ashram from Thiruvannamalai to look at it. He visited for the 2nd time in June 1974. In May of 1975, on the guru pooja day of Vadarevu Swami, P.V. Swami arrived at the ashram. P.V. Swami was at the ashram from 1975-1981, he obtained legal status for this ashram by registering it with the endowment board. After his arrival the ashram started functioning in a disciplined way. Sri Sastry says that P.V Swami also knew the present and the future. He had predicted that another Swami will come and develop this ashram and they hardly believed what he said. He also predicted that Sri Sastry’s first two daughters will marry and the third will not marry but she will be devotional. At that time Sri Sastry did not believe what he said. P.V Swamy attained Samadhi in May of 1981 at the ashram.
From May 1981- October 1991, the endowment committee just did the functions in the ashram but, Sri Sastry had to collect funds from individuals and businesses to maintain the ashram. Whenever, Sri Sastry had a problem and thought about leaving the ashram, he had dreams and visions of all three previous Swami’s of this ashram persuading him to stay at this place. During these 10 years both his daughters got married. Although the ashram did not have any assets, Sri Sastry feels that the Swamis gave him the “atma balam” (strength) to continue his service at the ashram. Sri Sastry says that all the Swamis in the ashram made people who visited the ashram to overcome the karma from past births.
In 1991 October, Swami Arulananda arrived at the ashram. Five to six months before coming to the ashram, Swami Arulananda appeared in Sri Sastry’s dream. He did not understand at that time. When Swamiji first arrived here, Sri Sastry had undergone so much hardship, he did not believe that Swamiji would do much. Swamiji also told Sri Sastry his date of birth and time. Sri Sastry conversed in his English at the beginning and gave him normal food. . Swami initially gave divine discourses in which people were not interested. Then Swamiji started giving food, clothes and material things to people. Then a lot of people started coming to the ashram. Swamiji knows everything but he asks others what to do as though he doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t talk much. From 1991-1995 Swamiji was giving medicines without asking any donations from people. After he arrived, Sri Sastry had no financial problems and Swamiji looked after his and other families serving the ashram.
Sundaramma had seen ambal after Swami Arulananda had visited the ashram. She saw a lady near the Ambasador car when she woke up in the middle of the night. When she asked who she was she did not answer. Then after half an hour she was sleeping at the entrance. The next day, when Sri Sastry asked her who she was, she disappeared. Swamiji had asked them the next morning if they saw ambal. Heart problems, diabetes, blood pressure and cancer were treated by Swamiji at the ashram. He goes himself in the car with a driver and brings the herbs and prepared all the medicines. He was able to cure these patients because it was a divine medicine. Patients only paid the cost and they were also fed in the ashram while undergoing the treatment.
Sri Sastry says "All Swamis are same, they talk with each other in meditation and make decisions. We do not understand. After 1995, Swamiji took over the pasumalai ashram and started maintaining it. Some devotees gave trouble to Swamiji and he was strong and did not care about it. Swamiji knows everything; he is good at thought reading. If someone was going to make a mistake, if Swamiji thinks he should help he will call them and advice. If not, he will allow them to make the mistake and face the consequences. Swamiji also tests people. When someone visits Swamiji he knows why and what the person needs. He will not say anything about it."
In 1992, Swami built the first building, in 1995, the current building was built. Swamiji has taken Sri Sastry several times to the temples in the South. All development of the ashram came about after Swamiji came in 1991. In another instance in 2004, Swamiji was talking to Sri Sastry in a room on the ground floor. Swamiji had then gone to the bathroom upstairs and Sri Sastry was waiting for him to come out. Even after 15 minutes he did not appear, then Sri Sastry saw Swamiji coming up from downstairs. Sri Sastry was amazed by this as he did not see him go down stairs. On another occassion, when Sai (Sri Sastry’s grandson) was traveling with Swamiji in a jeep on a fullmoon day for the thanial temple kumbhabhishekam, there was a big pit on the road. They heard a female voice from the seat where Swamiji was seated. Then the vehicle fell in to the pit but by Swamiji’s grace nothing happened to any of the passengers.
Sri Krishna Rao
Sri Krishna Rao had visited the Vadarevu ashram when he came to the seaside for bath with his friends. They identified the ashram in 1989 and had been visiting once a year for functions until 1992. He says he had peace of mind by visiting the ashram and that was the reason for visiting initially. They would inform Sri Sastry to arrange for meals before they come down. After 1992, they met Swami Arulananda in the ashram and then started coming to the ashram very often. He says Swamiji is like a friend and guardian who advices him and his wife on all affairs other than spiritual matters. When he initially met Swamiji, he was not aware of a guru in his life. He now says that Swamiji transformed him as his sishya without his knowledge. His whole family is devoted to Swamiji and follow as per his instructions. He feels it is Swamiji’s greatness to accept him and his family as his disciples as they do not know any traditions of respecting a guru. When he visited Suruli temple, he had the vision of Subramania Swami with Swamiji’s help. In Srisailam, Sundipenta hills they had the vision of Shiva and Parvati, while meditating. They were throwing flowers from a swing in the sky. Initially, he did not realize it was a divine appearance. When he shared it with Swamiji, he realized it was Shiva and Parvati. Weeks together he had been going on pilgrimages with Swamiji setting his profession (law) aside. The cases used to get adjourned and when he returns he gets lot of cases that would give him adequate money for living and another pilgrimage. He is still successful and happy in his life.
Rajyalakshmi (Smt. Krishna Rao) had gone with several pilgrims on a trail to find Ishtakamakshi temple. The men were walking ahead. She had the company of a little boy, a small girl, and a dog. They were talking to her about that forest unitl she reached the temple, giving her company and guidance. When she met the others and reached the temple, they have disappeared. She felt that little boy was Shiva and the little girl was ambal. The dog was Bhairava escorting her.
At Suruli hills in 1994, Sri Krishna Rao and a group of other devotees were performing Mahendra homam. Swamiji had said they could finish by 4:30pm. They were all watching their clock and performing the pooja thinking at 4:30 they could stop and leave the forest. At 4:30pm, Swamiji came down to the homa kundam and said unless Mahendra comes and accepts the homam, we will not be leaving. So everyone thought they will be there forever. They all started to concentrate and do the homam piously. They observed a white light appearing behind them every 10 minutes for 4 times. They did not realise what it was and continued the homam. Around 8:30pm Swamiji came and said, now we can complete the homa and return. That is when they understood that Mahendra had appeared as a light and accepted their homam.
Once when a Sri Krishna Rao and a group of devotees traveled to Palani temple, it was 8:30pm by the time they reached the foot hills. There were several old and sick people in the group. Swamiji thought that the whole group had to stay in Palani as they will not reach the temple on time. Few devotees suggested that two people could go quickly and ask the priest to keep the temple open for some time. Then the rest of the group started climbing up the hill on foot. To their dismay, they had all climbed the hill within 10 minutes and had a good darshan. They felt it was Swamiji’s grace that made them all to go up on time to have the darshan.
Their view is that Lalithananda Swami established the ashram and the subsequent two Swamis protected the ashram and Swami Arulananda has developed this ashram to expand its activities. He had always aimed high and achieved all his aims. So they have an admiration for Swamiji’s will and making things happen through people.
Sri Arumugam
Sri Arumugam met Swamiji at the Thanial Rajarajeshwari temple on a fullmoon day in 1993. His father was a devotee of Lalithananda Swami and Sri Arumugam has met Lalithananda Swami as a child. He was not interested in temples or religion much. After meeting with Swamiji, he has started visiting several temples with Swamiji. At Thiruchendur, when the devotees had the experience of visualizing Subramania Swami, he was there too. He also had visited Lada Maharishi’s hill in Suruli and had great experience. He says there were wild elephants in the vicinity and they were protected while going up the hill in the presence of Swamiji. They were able to perform their poojas and return safely.
Personally in his life, once Swamiji has said to him “Arumugam you are in the middle of a burning banana plantation. You have to be careful”. After 3-4 months, Arumugam incurred a colossal finacial loss in his business and was devastated. He did not understand initially when Swamiji had warned him and was not able to prevent the loss. He said since then he believes in the words of Swamiji.
In another incident, while he was on a spiritual trip, Swamiji had asked Sri Arumugam to go by another vehicle and arrange food etc at the ashram. His vehicle had a fuel tank problem and he was held up at a garage for sometime. At midnight, Swamiji had traveled himself to find what had happened to Sri Arumugam as he had not reached the destination. Since they had no meals, Swamiji had arranged for some tea and biscuits to be delivered from a shop to them and returned to the ashram. The ladies in the vehicle were sent by another vehicle. This illustrates Swamiji’s care for his devotees. Swamiji used to ring and give them instructions or warnings just before adverse incidents happen in the lives. He feels Swamiji at his highest spiritual level need not ring them personally and inform. They respect him for his care and attachment to his devotees and hence in return their devotion and loyalty to Swamiji had increased over a period.
Swamiji had once informed about a cave temple in the midst of a river. The following trip when they visited Swamiji, they visited Srisailam and went by boat to a cave temple. There they found the akkamma cave and the lingam that was worshipped by her in the cave. He believes that Swamiji is Lalithananda Swami’s reincarnation and he is completing his mission.
Other Devotees
Smt. Papamma: She has been visiting the Pasumalai ashram since she got married with the blessings of Gopala Krishna Swami who was Lalithananda Swami’s disciple. Her mother-in-law was Lalithananda Swami’s devotee and she visited the ashram at Pasumalai after marriage.
She has an experience with PV Swami. She had 2 children when she first met him. PV Swami told her that she will have another child. She did not want and she had said that to PV Swami. After a few months she conceived. When she saw PV Swami, he said that she needs this child and that he will be with her to look after her. So she had this child. Eventually she lost her eldest child. Then, she realized the reason why PV Swami wanted her to have the third child. Once there were 5 young pregnant unmarried women, who were sprinkled with water by Vadarevu Swami and he asked them to go behind a tree and go home not entering the ashram. All women consequently had aborted. Vadarevu Swami used to appear in her dream and bless her with vibhooti.
Papamma says that Arulananda Swami does not tell why he is doing things. He does things for people and does not say anything. When Arulananda Swami had first visited Vadarevu, Papamma had sent some money to the ashram as dakshina for a pooja to be performed. Swamiji had asked her to come down to the ashram immediately. She came and met Swami and when she spoke to him she felt as though she had known him for years. Papamma was once staying at the ashram and serving the devotees who visited. A saint had visited at that time and Swamiji asked her to look after him until he stays in the ashram. One day that saint hugged her and put some kumkum on her forehead. Then she remembered all her good and bad days. The saint said to her I’m like your father and when she saw his face he was crying and she was also crying. Then he said to her that I will come and meet you again. Swamiji had called Pappamma that day and said you have to go back to your house today. She did not understand but left to her house. When she arrived, she saw the body of her son who was supposedly murdered. She had then come to the ashram and wept. Swamiji told her that he could not do anything to save him and he has finished his purpose of life.
Sri Rajamanikam: He met Swami Arulananda in 1993 regarding his own temple renovation work. Swamiji helped him to renovate his temple and did kumbhabhishekam in 1996. Swamiji has helped around 25 temples in Chengi district for renovation. He is helping the renovation of Thaniyal Sivan and ambal temple at present. In Thiruchendur, in 2006, when pilgrims were with Swamiji they had an experience. They were all coming around the temple and an old man appeared and spoke to Swamiji. Swamiji looked at him and he was also looking at Swamiji, when Swamiji turned to him to offer some money he had disappeared. All devotees believe that they had witnessed Subramania Swami in person on that occasion.
At Suruli hills, When Sri Rajamanikam sat on a round rock and meditated he had the vision of Shiva and Parvati at this place. He believes that Swamiji has guided him spiritually and had obtained deeksha from Swamiji. In 2005, when Swamiji and his disciples were traveling for a kumbhabhishekam, they met with a very bad accident. Sri Rajamanikam believes that although he had a small whiplash, the car was written off and it was a mere escape of death because of Swamiji’s presence. He feels, in his experience, for the past 15 years, Swamiji is God in human form in their presence.
Smt. Ramanamma: She has visited Pasumalai ashram to see Lalithananda Swami with her parents as a young girl. Lalithananda Swami wanted a Narmada Lingam to be installed at his Samadhi temple and she has witnessed this ceremony at the age of 15 years. She said there were several young ladies who wanted Swamiji to attend their wedding. Lalithananda Swami would appear at their weddings as well as be at the Pasumalai ashram simultaneously. Ramanamma was also a trustee on the board. She believes that all Swamis who had succeeded Lalithananda Swami of Pasumalai are his reincarnation. She says they are all one. Recently in 2007, she was bed ridden with an illness for two months. All her relatives lost hope in her. She felt that Swami Arulananda lifted her up from her death bed and she has a second life now. Most days at 3am, Ramanamma visualizes Swami Arulananda in her dream who clears all her doubts. She has visualized Swamiji doing a pooja at Mookambika temple and it was confirmed to be true by Swamiji.
Smt. Sita: She thinks that Swami Arulananda is a living God. In 1988, she was suffering with leukemia and was diagnosed with blood infections. She met Swamiji in August 1992 and she was black in color. Swamiji asked her to come down to the ashram immediately and gave her some herbal medication for 18 months. She was fully cured and feels she had a second life from him. She is free of all symptoms since then.
Sri Ratnaswami (Chettiyar): He met Swamiko in 1992 because he was unwell with a kidney problem. He visited the ashram because he was forced by a relative to see Swamiji. When he first visited the ashram, Swamiji did not meet him for 3 days. He was thinking of returning as he did not get to see Swamiji. That night Swamiji had called him and spoken to him. He was given a small ball of herbal medicine and asked to take a walk. He returned after his walk and felt better. Then he was asked to come back on a full moon day and have treatment for 48 days at the ashram. Initially Sri Ratnaswami had said he was ok and will not be able to leave his job for so long. Swamiji had insisted that he could come. Accordingly, he came and had his treatment which completely cured him from his kidney disease. After the cure, he would visit with his family every full moon day and stay for 3 days for 3 months in the ashram. The doctors were surprised. He says that although he had tried to bring other people for treatment to Swamiji he has not succeeded as they are not destined. However, his brother-in-law who had lung cancer was similarly cured by Swamiji again to the greatest surprise of the doctors.
Sri Ratnaswami also had traveled with Swamiji to several temples on spiritual trips. He says these are places that he would have never visited on his own. But they just follow what Swamiji says after leaving the house. When they return home, they realise that there was always a reason for Swamiji in asking them to go on the trips. That is, there would have been more problems if they had waited at home. Swamiji often used to warn Ratnaswami about problems at work. He often does not follow his instructions. When things go wrong, he remembers Swamiji’s warning and advice.
Smt. Malleswari: She had been visiting Swamiji at the ashram for the past 13 years since 1994. She was introduced to her parents- in-law by Swamiji saying that she would be the lady to marry their son. They had to wait for a year for her father to permit the marriage. Since her marriage she has been regularly visiting Swamiji at different occasions. She says that Swamiji is like a father figure to her family. Whenever she has a problem, she feels that Swamiji comes in her dream and consoles her and most times solves it. She believes that Swamiji is a guru who is equivalent to God.
Sri B. Srinivas: He has been visiting the ashram since PV Swami’s time as a child. He met Swami Arulananda in 1992. He often visits temples and places of spiritual interest with Swamiji. When he visited Srisailam, he had the vision of ambal at Kadalivanam. He also had the vision of ambal developing in a homam at midnight at the Chilakkalu ashram when Swamiji performed a homam in 1994. In 2006, in Thiruchendar he has seen the physical appearance of Subramania Swami. In 1999, he and a group of devotees have witnessed Dattatreya.
Sri Laxmi Narayana: The family came with empty hands to the Vadarevu ashram without anything. With Swamiji’s blessings they learned how to run a general provisions store and have managed to educate both their children and the whole family.
Sri Ravichandran: He met Swamiji in 1999 initially because his father was sick. He has been visiting the ashram since then. He had experiences in Srisailam. He was one of the devotees who had traveled with Swamiji to the Akkamma cave the first time and also to the Ishtakamakshi temple. When they reached the Akkamma cave, they found a statue and a meditating saint as per Swamiji’s vision. The first time when they were visiting the Ishtakamakshi temple, all devotees had searched for flowers and were not successful. There was an old dirty-clothed man, who was smoking. He saw Swamiji and took some flowers out of a bag and started putting on Swamiji’s feet. As he took flowers out of the bag, flowers kept appearing throughout. They were all flowers that were not available in that region. When these devotees tried to offer him something, he disappeared. Sri Ravichandran says that his whole family is attached to Swamiji and his son often gets Swamiji in his dream.