Fwd: Experience

[Chelluri Nageswar Rao]

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Forwarded message:
From:   Chelluri_N_Rao_ at smtp.ncd.usace.army.mil
To:     chelluri at aol.com
Date: 96-09-11 17:41:19 EDT

                               Om
                          Sri Matre Namah
      Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides - Rigveda
     NAMASTE!
     Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to share and also
     seek explanation for my spiritual experience.
     Allow me to give a brief background to facilitate proper
     understanding of where I am coming from.   My mother is a
     SriVidya Upasaka and father Siva Bhakta.  I have an option and I
     choosed DEVI as my Ishta Devata (Beloved Deity).  Eleven years
     ago a noble thought came to me to do parayana (recitation) of
     Durga Saptasati and perform Chandi Homam (Havan, Fire Ceremony)
     at all 18 Devi Temples called Ashtadasa Peetalu.  My parents
     advised me not do it until I get approval and blessings from
     Paramacharya, as it is a very powerful kriya (act).  I went to
     Kanchipuram and the Paramacharya gracefully gave me permission
     to perform parayana and Chandi Homam.  He also blessed for
     success.  The first of eighteen Chandi Homams was performed in
     Sri Kamkshi Temple.  Paramacharya himself came at the POORNAHUTI
     time and received my offerings.
     I have no guru per se and I consider all as mu gurus,
     irrespective of age and sex, who impart knowledge and wisdom.  I
     don't do much of meditation as ritual at a specific time frame.
     Sri Devi is constantly in my consciousness- awake, dreaming and
     in deep sleep.  I have love and bhakti towards her and I am aware
     of her presence all the time.
     Having given a brief background, let me narrate the incident as
     it happened.    Whenever I start to recite Durga Saptasati,
     perform chandi mantra japam, involuntarily my spine becomes
     straight, head bends a little backwards and I sit there like
     sculpture.
     January 14, 1986   5 AM
     I wokeup at the sound of the alarm, shut it off, went to the
     bathroom and returned back to make the bed.  I am looking at the
     clock and the time is 05:08.  Suddenly things started happening.
     First all my senses were suspended and the mind came to a
     standstill.  I am aware of my name and what is happening.  I said
     name only because there is no body.  The body shrunk to a tiny
     dot and the consciousness started expanding at a very rapid pace.
     It has no shape, form or color.  First the entire room, then the
     house, town, country, the whole earth and am everywhere without a
     body. Me and what perceivedare same yet different.  Though it is
     winter, the whole world looked like spring.  I felt that I am the
     Tree with beautiful flowers,  the white clouds in the sky are me
     and lonely bird, a white eagle is me flying freely.  I am all
     these and they are all me, one and the same.  It is a wonderful
     feeling.  I was in that state for quite a long long time.
     Suddenly a sensation came over and I (consciousness) started
     shrinking rapidly to a tiny dot, which eventually assumed my
     shape, form and color.  My eyes are still open looking at the
     clock - only one minute passed- it is now 05:09.  It looked as
     though ages.  All my senses returned back and the mind assumed
     its functions.
     I tried to find an explanation for what happened but could not
     come up with a logical response.  I am healthy. I am not
     sleeping, dreaming or imagining things.  I am fully aware.
     May be one of you can give me a reasonable explanation.

     REGARDS                  SHUBHAM                      RAO