3. The Dattatreya Form !

 

Every year on Sivaratri day, in the presence of a huge concourse of devotees and amidst the singing of bhajans, a Siva-lingam forms within Baba. This precious and marvellous creation is then ejected from His mouth signifying the origin of the creation from f the Creator. In 1977, when I was present there on 4 this wonderful festival in Prasanthi Nilayam, Baba l made a divine declaration, “henceforth this great I festival of Sivaratri will not be celebrated at Putta­parthi in the manner that it was being done." In March 1978, Baba was at Ooty and accompanied by some of His college students and Seva-dal volunteers went to Madhumalai, a hill-resort at the foothills of Nilgiri ranges near Bandipur forest. There, from the sands, He created a 'lingam' in the shape of the moon with all its details and gave a divine discourse about the moon. "The moon has a deep influence on the mind as the deity of mind is the moon. If man con­tinues his spiritual sadhana (efforts) then with the waning of the moon, the vagaries and fickleness of the mind also get gradually diminished. On this day of Siva-ratri (the moonless night) if man keeps awake and meditates and prays to Lord Siva, singing His glories, surrenders himself, then all the ill effects of bad influences on his mind get dispelled and erased completely; thus man can conquer his mind."

 

At this stage one student, though listening very attentively to Bhagavan, was still doubting the Divinity of Baba. Turning towards that student Baba

said, "You are still doubting as to who actually I am. The student nodded in the affirmative. Then Baba if told him, "You have a Polaroid camera, you can take my photograph. I shall prove to you my true reality and my real form." The student clicked. Lo!  Behold!  A Divine Miracle. In the photograph, in­stead of Baba, there appeared the TRINITY of BRAHMA, VISHNU and MAHESH in the most beautiful form of Lord Dattatreya.

 

Accompanying that charming form, four cows (four Vedas) and a dog symbolising faith and loyal­ty) had appeared in the picture; just as they have been depicted always accompanying the Dattatreya form.