Guruji Sri Amritananda Nath Saraswati
The visionary behind Devipuram is a former nuclear scientist by the name of Dr. Nishtala Prahlada Sastry. Lovingly called Guruji today, he worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai (Bombay) for 23 years; later he worked as a professor in Africa for two years.
Guruji resigned his job after receiving a wake-up call from Sri Bala Tripura Sundari at the Balaji Temple, Hyderabad. Prompted by Her, he began building this temple to Lalita in the form of Sri Chakra Meru, in order to share the worlds he had seen and the joys he experienced in Mani Dweepa, the sacred Sri Chakra, abode of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari.
At Her instance, he performed a Devi Yagam in Visakhapatnam in 1983, when he received the place where the temple stands today. After coming here, he saw the Goddess of Creativity, Kamakhya Devi, in a triangular pit formation in a rock boulder nearby. She showed him all the various deity forms who receive puja in Sri Chakra, and gave him many experiences of the Kula pujas of yore, which she enjoys. He recorded these visions of yoginis and deities through the visual medium of sculpture. She guided him at every step in the building of the present temple. He struggled for 11 years in this wilderness to bring this Sri Meru Nilayam temple into reality.
Not content with merely sharing his spiritual visions, Dr. Sastry – by this time known by his Diksha name Amritanandanatha – founded a registered public charitable trust called the Sri Vidya Trust. Assisted by a band of committed youngsters, he initiated an array of rural development activities, including 50 night schools for dropouts in the 6-14 age group; mobilizing 4,000 women to run a Macts(mutually aided cooperative thrift society); a self-help, thrift-banking project called Jagruthi; a hospital on wheels; designs for low-cost housing; a computer-assisted adult-education project covering 12 villages; and so on. The vision of Sri Vidya Trust is to inspire people to improve their lot in life, and to empower them to make positive and enduring contributions to society.
As Guruji says, “If God had patented the air, we could not breathe.” He believes that we all benefit by sharing our love and ideas. Only by sharing love does one grow. Devipuram has become a great resource for quenching the thirst of serious Sri Vidya Upasakas, who marvel at the vision behind it. Spiritual renewal is a subjective development, best experienced by oneself. Devipuram has everything necessary to elevate you mentally, physically and – most important – spiritually. So come, enjoy, empower and realize yourself.
Contents
Guruji Sri Amritananda Nath Saraswati
The visionary behind Devipuram is a former nuclear scientist by the name of Dr. Nishtala Prahlada Sastry. Lovingly called Guruji today, he worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai (Bombay) for 23 years; later he worked as a professor in Africa for two years.
Guruji resigned his job after receiving a wake-up call from Sri Bala Tripura Sundari at the Balaji Temple, Hyderabad. Prompted by Her, he began building this temple to Lalita in the form of Sri Chakra Meru, in order to share the worlds he had seen and the joys he experienced in Mani Dweepa, the sacred Sri Chakra, abode of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari.
At Her instance, he performed a Devi Yagam in Visakhapatnam in 1983, when he received the place where the temple stands today. After coming here, he saw the Goddess of Creativity, Kamakhya Devi, in a triangular pit formation in a rock boulder nearby. She showed him all the various deity forms who receive puja in Sri Chakra, and gave him many experiences of the Kula pujas of yore, which she enjoys. He recorded these visions of yoginis and deities through the visual medium of sculpture. She guided him at every step in the building of the present temple. He struggled for 11 years in this wilderness to bring this Sri Meru Nilayam temple into reality.
Not content with merely sharing his spiritual visions, Dr. Sastry – by this time known by his Diksha name Amritanandanatha – founded a registered public charitable trust called the Sri Vidya Trust. Assisted by a band of committed youngsters, he initiated an array of rural development activities, including 50 night schools for dropouts in the 6-14 age group; mobilizing 4,000 women to run a Macts(mutually aided cooperative thrift society); a self-help, thrift-banking project called Jagruthi; a hospital on wheels; designs for low-cost housing; a computer-assisted adult-education project covering 12 villages; and so on. The vision of Sri Vidya Trust is to inspire people to improve their lot in life, and to empower them to make positive and enduring contributions to society.
As Guruji says, “If God had patented the air, we could not breathe.” He believes that we all benefit by sharing our love and ideas. Only by sharing love does one grow. Devipuram has become a great resource for quenching the thirst of serious Sri Vidya Upasakas, who marvel at the vision behind it. Spiritual renewal is a subjective development, best experienced by oneself. Devipuram has everything necessary to elevate you mentally, physically and – most important – spiritually. So come, enjoy, empower and realize yourself.
Timeline
Early Life
Guruji's Childhood
His young mind was teeming with questions, searching for the truth
Amrita (Dr. N. Prahalada Sastry) was born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, the first child of Sri Narasimha Rao and Srimati Lakshminarasamma. Guruji, as he is fondly referred to, started his spiritual quest at a very young age. Blessed with divine experiences early in his childhood, his young mind was teeming with questions, searching for the truth. The stage was set for his spiritual inclination that was to intensify later in life.
Studies and Job
Doctorate in Nuclear Physics and Job in TIFR
In the course of time, his interest turned to science. He graduated from the Andhra University with a masters in Nuclear physics and received his doctorate from the University of Bombay, while working at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Guruji spent 23 years at TIFR, involved in research. In the final years there, he was working on a defense project for the air defense. But his spiritually inclined conscience was not comfortable with the destructive nature of his research.
Diksha by Guru
Sri Swaprakashananda Natha Thirtha Avadhutha of Anakapalli
In the meantime, in 1977, Guruji visited the Balaji temple in Hydarabad. He went in and prostrated before the Lord. He felt an extreme thrill pass through his body; and Guruji had his first initiation from Balaji, that is Balatripurasundari. This proved to be the turning point in his life. After deep thought, he decided to look into the spiritual aspects a little deeper and devote time to work for the upliftment of society. He received Sri Vidya Poorna Diksha from Sri Swaprakashananda Natha Thirtha Avadhutha of Anakapalli. He was showered with the Grace of Devi Saraswathi and given the diksha name of Amritananda Natha Saraswathi.
Professor of Physics
Help improve the standard of living of his fellow men.
Involved in defense research at TIFR, his mind was in search of the truth within himself. It was at this juncture that he was offered a position of Professor of Physics at the Lusaka University in Zambia. Realizing that this was an opportunity to take a fresh look at one’s self, he accepted a two year contract to work in Zambia. It was there that Guruji met his “spiritual son”, Sri Wijayaharan and accepted him as his disciple, in SriVidya upasana
Guruji returned to India in 1981. He resigned from TIFR and settled down in Vishakapatnam, into SriVidya upasana and worship of the Devi. He slowly started working on means to help improve the standard of living of his fellow men.
Making of Devipuram
1977
Bala Darshan
Instructed him to build a ‘home’ for Her
Devi appeared as Bala in his meditation and instructed him to build a ‘home’ for her. In meditative visions, She showed him the Sri Meru Nilayam and asked him to use that as the design. In pursuance of this vision, In 1983, Devi yagna was performed for 16 days, wherein Guruji was approached by the brothers of the Putrevu family, with a donation of three acres of land. Having acquired the land, Guruji was looking for divine guidance, a sign of approval to commence construction of the temple.
Summer, 1983
Kamakhya Peetam
He found a Sri Chakra Maha Meru made of panchaloha
In the vicinity of the donated land, there was a small hillock where Guruji would often spend time in meditation. On the slopes of the hillock, he noticed a formation very similar to that of the Kamakhya Peetam in Assam. One day, while in meditation he experienced himself lying on the Peetam, while four others were performing a homam with the flames emanating from his body. And during purnahuthi, he felt a heavy object being placed on his heart. Awakening from his meditative state, Guruji was prompted to dig that site. Unearthed from that very spot, he found a Sri Chakra Maha Meru made of panchaloha. It was later discovered that a huge yaga had been performed in that area more than 250 years ago.
With Her Blessings, he built the Kamakhya Peetam on the hillock and a Siva temple on the peak, in 1984.
1988-1994
Making of Khadagmala Devis
It took four years—from 1984 until 1988—just to see to the accuracy of the geometry of the yantra on the ground. Over the next 7 years, from 1988 until 1994, the Meru gradually filled with Khadgamala Devis.
In accordance with the Goddess Hladini instructions, Guruji meditated on each Khadgamala goddess. Hladini would take the form of each, while Guruji carefully noted their attributes and described them to a sculptor.
February 23-25, 1994
Mahakumbhabhishekam
Prana Pratishtha of Sri Sahasrakshi Raj Rajeshwari with all Khadagmala Deities in Sri Meru Nilayam
Construction of the Sri Meru Nilayam in Devipuram was started in 1985. Built covering an area of 108 square feet, the temple has 3 levels and stands 54 feet tall. The temple has the idols of all the Devis described in the Devi Khadgamala Stotra. The temple construction was completed in 1994 and the Kumbhabhishekam celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. This temple is unique in allowing the devotees to perform puja to the Devi themselves, without distinction of caste or creed.
Guruji's Documentary
