Sri Seshadri Swamigal, also known as the "Saint with a Golden Hand", was an Indian saint born in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, but predominantly lived in Thiruvannaamalai where he attained Samadhi (state of meditative consciousness). Life Birth and childhood Sri Adi Sankara established specific methods of worship for the goddess Kamakshi and brought 30 devotees and their families from the banks of the Narmada to Kanchipuram to ensure that these methods of worship were adequately followed. These devotees, who had Kamakshi as their family deity and were responsible for the spread of Srividya Upaasana, were called "Kaamakotiyaar." All those belonging to the lineage of the Kaamakotiyaar are devotees of Kamakshi. About 200 years ago, there was a great scholar named Kaamakoti Sastrigal. He did not have a male child but loved the children of his elder brother, Chidambara Sastrigal, particularly the youngest, Maragatham, as his own. When Maragatham was of marriageable age, Kamakoti Sastrigal decided that his disciple, Varadarajan, would be the most suitable match. Varadaraja Sastrigal and Maragatham were yearning for a male child to continue their family lineage. One night, Mother Kamakshi appeared in the Sastrigal's dream and instructed, "Offer butter, and a child of wisdom shall be born". Providentially, Maragatham conceived. On a Saturday, 22 January 1870, under the auspices of the star/asterism/nakshatra Hastham, a boy child was born as Goddess Kamakshi's prasadam. He was named Seshadri. All the signs of a great soul shining in the future were seen in the child as it grew. Being a gift of Parasakthi, to be immersed in the thoughts of the almighty and to be involved in prayers and worship was but natural. As a child, Swamigal had spontaneous trances. For example, he would sit on his father's lap in a meditative posture with the chin mudra, while at other times, when his father was teaching a class, he would look at the book as if he was reading and comprehending it. At age four, Seshadri received his nickname, 'Golden Hand' (Tamil: Thanga Kai). One day Seshadri and his mother stopped at a shop full of bronze castings of the Gods. While at the shop, the young lad picked up a statue of Krishna and asked his mother to buy it so he could perform Krishna puja. Thinking that the radiant child resembled Lord Krishna, the trader gave the idol and refused payment. The next day the trader proclaimed the