Mrithika of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy and Miracles of Guru's Mrithika

Mrithika is a mixture of sand and clay that gains sanctity when brought in the prescribed manner and spread on the Moola Brindavan. The earth of Mantralya itself is sacred since it is the place where Prahlad had lived and performed yaga, its holiness having been further enhanced by the power of Sri Raghavendra's austerities.
 
From the garden of Tulsi plaints behind the Moola Brindavan, Mrithika is brought with sanctity every year amidst playing of musical instruments and spread on the Moola Brindavan. On the Mrithika saligrams are also placed. This is called Mrithika Sangrahan. This is done annually on Ashad Purnima which usually falls on a full moon day during the month of July - August.
 
The foremost procedure for installation of a Brindavan is, the Moola Mrithika from Sri Swami's Moola Brindavan at Mantralaya is brought with sanctity in order to sanctify the Brindavan to be installed. The pontiff of the Sri Math, while handing over the Mrithika to those connected with the installation of the Brindavan, blesses them and wishes them success. The Mrithika of Sri Raghavendra Swami carries His power and presence in it. The power of Mrithika has been known during the days of Guru Raghavendra Swamy. One of the routine works of Guru Raghavendra swamy is to teach vedas and spread bakthi. He will be group of sisyas with him to teach the vedas and travel with him.
 
One day, during early morning when Guru Raghavendra swamy was taking his bath in cauvery river, one of his disciple came to Guru and informed him that he is going to get married and he needs permission to go to his village and come back. This particular disciple was a very poor and do not have his parents or relatives to help him in his marriage. He has to be on his own. During those days, while taking bath, Guru usually applies the sand from the river and uses river water to clean the applied sand (Mrithika). When this disciple asked for permission, Guru wiped the Mrithika from his body and gave it to his disciple and blessed him.
 
Disciple was not sure what to do with the Mrithika but he thought of carrying it with him since Guru might have given this for some reason. While travelling back to his village, on a night, he sat outside a house to have a sleep and start his journey next day. When he was there, he heard a conversation with a father and daughter inside the house. The daughter gave a birth to a baby very recently and they both were crying. From their conversation, the disciple came to know that there is a ghost who will come and pick up the newly born baby. This has happened to their previous babies and both daughter and father were crying and felt the same will happen to this baby as well.
 
However due to tiredness, the disciple went to sleep. During mid night he heard some sound and he got up and saw a ghost waiting in front of this house. He got afraid, however he firmly hold the Mrithika in the hand and started to chant Guru's name. The ghost asked him that he has something with him which is stopping the ghost to enter the house. He said it is Mrithika of Guru Raghavendra Swamy.
 
When the ghost tried to enter again, it was thrown back due the power of Guru Raghavendra Swamy's Mrithika. Disciple of Guru asked the ghost to leave away, however ghost replied to him that it will have to take the baby as per law because the grandfather of the baby has made so much of sins and he has to pay for it. So it asked disciple to get away from this house so that it can enter and take the baby. By this time, both the grand-father and daughter heard the conversations and came out and told the disciple that they have face this due to the sins they made in their life and requested disciple to go away. However disciple informed them that how can a ghost do this to a newly born baby and said to them that he has the blessings of Guru Raghavendra swamy and the ghost cannot do anything.
 
By saying this, he took a small amount of mrithika and throwed it towards the ghost. Within seconds, ghost disappeared. Disciple and others heard just the voice of the ghost which informed them that it was in ghost form since it did not complete his life as ordered by almighty, however due the power of Guru Raghavendra Swamy's mrithika, it was able to get rid of his ghost form and thanked the disciple and informed the daughter and father that it won’t trouble them again.
 
By hearing this, the family was so happy and gave lot of rewards to disciple which he used for his marriage and came back to Guru to continue his education. This was not the only instance, even today, devotees of Guru who have Mrithika are seeing the miracles of it irrespective of the size of the problem.
 
Devotees usually take a clean bath and pray Guru. After this they take a pinch of Mrithika and mix it with water and drink it as a teertha. Mrithika has enormous power which cures and solves the entire problem if we trust and believe on Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy.
 
Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy knows when to give and what to give to his devotees and we all know he is "Kalpakaviruksha" as rightly said by Sri Appanacharya in Sri Raghavendra Guru Stotram.
Devotees should have trust and pray to Guru soul-heartedly and lead a life in a right way.
 
As Guru stated, "Without right living, right thinking will not come ".