Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 21

Chapter – 21 

 Visit of Dhandiswaami to the Kukkuteswara Temple 

Necessity of purity of place and feeling for spiritual aspirants 

In compliance with the orders of Sree Maha Guru I along with Gurucharan started on a visit to Maanchala village. On the way we were talking about the sportive plays of Sri Sreepada. I learnt many matters relating to spiritual education from Sri Gurucharan. I asked Sri Gurucharan,“Sir! Sri Sreepada said that a person having trait of Sage Vasistha would come to His Samsthan as a priest! Who is that very fortunate one? During which time he comes?” Then Gurucharan said, “Shankar Bhatt! He declared that after many centuries a great Samsthan would be established in His name at His native place. It is the Will of Sreepada that some great hermit would come to His ‘Maha Samsthan’ as a priest. Without the divine Will great sages will not arrive. Meditation for long periods, worship, chanting of Holy sacred mantras,procedure of adoration with devotion and diligence, purify the airy region there.Waves of ideas are broadcast from all the ten directions in the internal universe. People with sacred feelings accept sacred vibrations. People with impure feelings receive impure vibrations. A particular place attracts effortlessly through many wonderful ways great persons by touching their mental consciousness when the waves of ideas in that spot become extremely powerful.On the other hand, if in a place bad waves of ideas are prevalent, it will attract bad people to it by touching their mental consciousness in many strange ways.Therefore, a spiritual seeker should reside in areas having purity of place. He should have purity of mind. He should have friendship only with such people. He should accept money or food only from those who have purity of money. Those who arrogated as great scholars in vedas and vedanta could not obtain the grace of Sri Sreepada. Scholars with moderate accomplishments having unblemished minds gained extraordinary benefits from Him.I went to the great holy place Jagannadhapoori in Orissa for business. I found there Sri Sreepada in place of Jagannadh. There were three or four devotees of Sreepada. he gave them darshan in the forms of their chosen deities and at once appeared to them as Sreepada. He taught them through silence that He is the embodiment of all forms of deities. Destroying the pride of a Dhandiswaami On the day we went, a Dhandiswaami accompanied by his 108 disciples came there. It was our habit to salute to the feet of great persons when we meet them. As soon as we saluted, Dhandiswaami lost his speech. We prayed to Sreepada Sreevallabha to grant speech again to the Dhandiswaami. Dhandiswaami regained his speech immediately. When they knew that we were the disciples of Sri Sreepada, those people started to argue with ill conceived logic, “The person known as Sreepada is a low class magician. These persons who are His disciples are also low grade magicians! With their debased magic they deprived speech to our Dhandiswaami but, because our Swamijee is very powerful he regained health. Our Swamijee will expose the real nature of your Sreepada. Our great Swamijee will visit Pithikapuram and receive victory testimonials after making Sreepada suck dust. The people of Pithikapura village will arrange us a grand victory ride on a chariot.” We could not reply.As a part of divine sport of Sri Sreepada the dependant will be thrown into very critical conditions and when he cries for rescue, he will be rescued in a very strange way. That was His habit of saving devotees. He is the one who creates the problem! He is the one who shows a solution and renders help! This sort of divine play is experienced by all Datta devotees.After some days the Dhandiswaami came to Pithikapuram. Fortunately I also came to Pithikapuram which was on the way of my journey. There was no dearth of people whose nature was to emit hatred and poison towards Sri Baapanaarya, Sri Appalaraja Sarma and Sri Sreepada. Dhandiswaami visited the deities in the Kukkuteswara temple. They saw Self-existent Datta also. Dhandiswaami said, “The greatness of the Self-existent Datta who is here is unbounded. The Self-manifested Datta made me an instrument to snub the arrogance of Sreepada who is puffed up with pride declaring that He is an incarnation of that Datta. Good days started in Pithikapuram from today. You remain carefree.” Saying so, he created vibhooti ,kumkum and other materials by his will power and gave them to his followers. The brahmins of Pithikapuram went to Kukkuteswara temple to bring Dhandiswaami amid chanting of vedas. A public announcement was made in the town by the beat of tom-tom, “Sreepada who is styling Himself as an incarnation of Datta should realize His mistake and prostrate before Dhandiswaami. Sri Baapanaarya should personally present himself before Dhandiswaami and beg for pardon. Sri Appalaraja Sarma should attend before Dhandiswaami and hand over the statue of Kaalaagni Shamana Datta which he was worshipping in the family through successive generations. He should submit himself to the punishment to be imposed by Swamijee.” The Aarya vysya parishad met under the presidentship of Sri Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti. They resolved that either Sri Sreepada, or Sri Appalaraja Sarma or Baapanaarya should not bow down to Dhandiswaami and such misdeeds should not be supported. The assembly of kshatriyas which was held under the Presidentship of Sri Narasimha Varma passed a similar resolution. Sri Sreepada rested under the shade of audumbara tree in the house of His maternal grandfather. Sri Sreshti who looked at His face radiating divine brilliance, was shedding tears from heavy grief. Sri Narasimha Varma, Sri Sreshti and Baapanaarya sat silently near Sri Sreepada. Appalaraja Sarma sat motionless like a lunatic. Sri Sreepada who is an equal to Sree Krishna woke up from sleep and said that He was hungry and that He would eat curd-rice. His maternal grandmother brought in a silver bowl rice mixed with curd. Sreepada ate it with great haste. Sri Sreepada asked His grandfather to recite vedas. Appalaraja Sarma also participated in that vedic recital. Sri Sreepada also joined them and was chanting vedic hymns. Narasimha Varma and Sri Sreshti were listening to that melodious sacred vedic hymns with profound delight. In Kukkuteswara temple lumps of curd rice appeared on the face of Self-manifested Datta. When the priest was cleaning them away they were again appearing. It was strange that the statue of Self-manifested Datta exhibited such miracle. Dhandiswaami with his disciples and the new disciples in Pithikapuram started from there amid loud chanting of vedas. They were going step by step but the earth appeared to them as expanding. For the onlookers they looked like moving their legs, but remained static unable to move forward. With this sort of peculiar feats much time elapsed. Seeing this wonder all people were amazed. In the meanwhile, the Brahma-danda (the staff carried by ascetics) broke into two pieces. Dhandiswaami felt as if his spine was broken into two. He fell flat on the floor. This incident struck awe in the brahmins of Pithikapuram. They realized that Sri Sreepada was more powerful than Dhandiswaami and harbouring enmity towards Sri Sreepada would land them in troubles. Albeit, they were not knowing how to leave that place and reach their homes. Moksha comes from destruction of moha There was one Abbanna in Pithikapuram. He was making a living by catching snakes and displaying them to the public. He came to the house of Baapanaarya playing the magic of snakes. Sri Sreepada asked the vedic recital to be stopped. Abbanna was fed to his full contentment. Sri Sreepada called Abbanna and instructed him, “You take your pot completely filled with water from here and go to Kukkuteswara temple. When the incarnation of Lord Datta with hands, feet and other limbs is moving in Pithikapuram, some great sinners who for no reason abused Him, are in the Kukkuteswara temple. Chitragupta decided that they should take the birth of ghosts after death. I spoke to Chitragupta and worked out a method to nullify that sin. Mother earth is also enraged. You go there and request Her as My word to become calm. If those who want to have darshan of Sreepada express their consent, sprinkle this water on them. Go to the house of maadiga(cobbler caste) Subbayya and take him with you. Take out the curd rice from his pot and distribute it to all as maha prasaad .” Abbanna and Subbayya went there and brought all of them to the house of Baapanaarya. Sri Sreepada in a furious form thundered, “You! How much proud you are that you are a Dhandiswaami? You are an incorrigible idiot who cannot recognize Datta whom you adore, and who is in the form of Sreepada Sreevallabha. You are having a group of disciples with you, who suit you like ‘ganthaku tagga bonta’ (a miscellany patchsuited to a quilt of motley patch work). They match you in foolishness. There is a new set of disciples gathered in Pithikapuram. What can you do to Me? What is your existence before the sole power that rules all the creation? What is your capacity? A great sin caught you and all those who depend on you because of the abuse of divinity. Chitragupta decided that all of you should live like ghosts for many hundreds of years. Because of My unstinted compassion I cancelled it. It was resolved that you should face difficulties in very low births even after taking human birth. I withdrew it also with a very small amount of punishment. The form of Sreepada Sreevallabha is like a blazing fire. Playing with fire will lead to accidents. Think what is salvation, when Myself and My maaya are indivisible.Moksha is destruction of moha. If any living person desires to experience the form of pure bliss, I Myself will grant it if he deserves it. It will also be granted, if he wants to remain as an embodiment of happiness in an exalted state of heavenly bliss transcending maaya . In My view there is no difference between the attributeless one without a form and the one with a form having attributes; between liberation and bondage. Every moment countless new worlds are created, maintained and destroyed. There are no limits or bounds to the supreme states or superb happy states of existence to be attained by living persons. Those who want to come to Me, after death will definitely come. My Will decides as to how many hundreds of divine years they have to remain in those states, and when they should be sent back. I– a director of a cunning drama– am at present in the shape of a man before you. You are seeing Me. I came down from that highly elevated position as a human being to tell you that even in formless state also I will be always looking after you. The yogic powers of great yogis must be employed for the welfare of the world. World does not mean only this earth.It is your duty to help the helpless people who are in a lower position to you.I am incarnated to preach the paths of dharma,karma,yoga,bhakthi and jnaana. I am the sole truth. The origin of all truths. I am the sole dharma. I am the origin of all dharmas. I am the single cause creating all causes. Nothing is to be formed in this Creation which is not in My Will. Without Me there is no creation. Because I am here you are here; so also the creation. How can truth be told more than this? Go to Himalayas and undertake penance, without any attachment. Don’t collect disciples. Even if you won’t get liberation, or upliftment no loss is there to Me or to the creation. The activities in the creation will be carried out as required. This is the real matter. The procession of the brahmins in Pithikapuram following you is like the opera of donkeys in the marriage of camels. While the asses are praising the beauty of camels, camels are praising the melodious music of the asses. Even though they are indulging in mutual admiration, reality remained as some thing different.” Sreepada made this beneficial preaching. Relationship between Arundathi and Vasistha I asked Gurucharan, “I heard Mother Arundathi was born in the caste of pariahs. How did she marry Sage Vasistha?” Then Gurucharan narrated the episode, “In ancient days Vasistha did penance for thousand years. At that time one pariah girl named Akshamala served Vasistha in ways permissible for her. That sage who was pleased asked her to request for any boon. She requested Vasistha to be her husband. Vasistha questioned, “I am a brahmin and you are a pariah woman. How can the marital connection between us be proper?” Then she replied, “you asked me to request for a boon. I requested. If you want,give the boon. If not permit me to leave.” Then the sage who was afraid of breaking a promise asked her if she agreed to meddle with her body as he pleased. She agreed. That sage reduced her to ashes and again brought her to life. He did like this for seven times. As all the impurities of the low caste birth were purged in the seventh birth, she became extremely pure. Then Vasistha married her. As she did not obstruct even slightly the rituals conducted by her husband she became famous under the name of Arundathi. Sreepada told this matter during conversation to Narasimha Varma who hailed in the lineage of Vasistha. A person born to a sudra lady through a brahmin can be converted as a brahmin in his seventh birth by the investiture of holy thread. It is better that all the four castes follow their respective duties according to the divisions ordained.On account of bad actions a brahmin may gradually fall down and turn into a sudra. A sudra by performing good deeds may gradually rise up and become a brahmin. However, those who repose unshakable faith in Lord Datta achieve exalted positions quickly according to their eligibility. Lord Datta can grant longevity, health and wealth required for a comfortable life to His devotee irrespective of the caste in which he was born or the conditions under which he lives. It is a natural play for Sri Sreepada to cut as under bonds of karma of many births and accord an elevated position to His devotee.” The assurance of Sri Sreepada to Datta devotees We reached Maanchaala village speaking among ourselves about the glory of Sri Sreepada. The Village Goddess of Maanchaala granted us divine darshan and made us fortunate. She fed prasaad to us with Her holy hands and remarked, “Sree Dattatreya who preached as preceptor to Prahlaada in ancient times, is today living on the earth in the form of Sreepada Sreevallabha. The Will of Sri Sreepada cannot be comprehended. Sri Sreepada personally told Me that in the coming centuries Prahlaada will incarnate as ‘Guru Saarvabhowma’ and that this place will become famous as Mantraalaya. He daily takes the water of Tungabhadra river. May you have auspicious developments.” Saying so, she changed into Her former form. When we were about to move maala-daasari(a pariah mendicant who is a worshipper of Vishnu) named Krishna Das came there. The Village Goddess of Maanchaala gave prasaad to Krishna Das and gave him a flower garland as a token of Her grace and instructed him to go to Kurungadda. All three of us travelled to Kurungadda. All Datta devotees belong to one caste. The prasaad of Lord Datta is acceptable to them without regard to the caste to which the person offering the prasaad belongs. The association of Krishna Das with us infused new enthusiasm. During our conversation Krishna Das said, “If it is known about the significance of different numbers 16, 116 and 1116 offered as dakshinas, the meaning of 2498 number of Sri Sreepada will be understood. Just as world is emerging from aatma children are born from the father. At the time of marriage the bridegroom prayed to fire God, ‘Oh! Agnihotraa! Grant me birth of ten children in this bride.’ He is becoming the 11th child. So to beget ten children is approved according to dharma. Afterwards his wife has to be regarded as a mother. A son is 1/10th part of the father. When ten people having a decimal value each are put together a full numbered father is formed. As Shiva is personification of aatma, He is paripoornudu(a perfect person). When the sixteen decimals are divided by 10 the full number, 1 will arrive. It represents Shiva. Six remains as the remainder. Vishnu is the personification of original nature with the form of maaya. Nature is half of Purusha. So half of ten is 5 and when the above remainder 6 is divided by 5 the full number 1 is arrived as representing Vishnu but one decimal (dasamsa) is left as the remainder. Brahma is 1/10th of the fraction of Shiva and Vishnu (purusha and prakruti) as their off spring. So when the above remainder 1 is divided by 1 the full number 1 representing Brahma came as a result. No remainder was left. Poornam means zero. It is attributeless and so it is the form of Rudra. When everything is liquidated only the great vacuum is seen. Only in the great vacuum it is possible to liquidate everything but the form of Vishnu has the characteristic of infinity. In the nature of the existence of creation infinity is unavoidable. Sri Sreepada is resplendent with sixteen degrees of brilliant potency .My boy! Shankar Bhatt! When an article is divided into countless fragments, each fragment becomes a void. Only when such voids are assembled endlessly a limited shape is formed. Therefore, know that both Shiva and Kesava are not different. In the above decimal division, in the remaining six decimal positions after division by 10, the sum total of five decimal figures was taken as representing Vishnu. All the Creation made up of five elements is taken as the form of Vishnu. Vishnu told Veerabhadra–who destroyed the ‘Daksha Yagna’; “The fundamental nature assumed the form of Parvati for the enjoyment of Eeswara, the form of Durga at the time of battle with demons, as Kaalika Devi in Her angry mood, in the guise of a male as My form of Veerabhadra. The underlying idea is only this in telling that Sri Sreepada is Shodasa Kala Paripoorna (a perfect complete embodiment of sixteen degrees of brilliant potencies).” In that age of sixteen years only He left Pithikapuram. As He is an embodiment of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra it should be known that He is a Shodasa Kala Paripoorna. Different forms of deities As the Vishnu is the embodiment of nature, five decimal points represent Vishnu. As Brahma is the son from the yogic union of Parvati and Parameswara. His is 1/10th form of Shiva. The reason is very clear! Shiva who is the form of consciousness is important. As the form of Vishnu represents the illusory universe it is unimportant. Therefore, Brahma is 1/10thpart of Shiva. Number one stands for this 10 ‘dasamsa roopa’ Brahma. This single digit is spread in numbers 2 to 9, in the ‘Ashta Moorthis’. So Brahma got the shape of ‘Nava Prajapathi’ (9thPrajapathi). In the three numbers 16, 100, 1000 the last two numbers were specially calculated and 16 when linked with them, they became 116, 1116. When they were divided by 10, they represent different groups of articles. The complete number 1 represents Rudra, the two full numbers 11 stands for Vishnu, the three full numbers 111 represent Brahma. 16, 116, 1116 are called shodasaadi tridakshina(three types of monetary gifts having 16 as an integral number). It was said that those who donate tridakshina got brahmajnaana. It amounts to donating body, money and mind when the three types of dakshinas are made. When money equivalent to those above figures is donated, the donor would derive the result of gifting the entire world. Pindaanda daana(donating the body) represents world. The shape of one body is constituted of three sacrifices. Sacrifice in the early morning, mid-day sacrifice, and the third sacrifice of Gayatri, Tristhup, and Jagati Chandas (prosody) are having specific number of letters as required by the representative Chandas. It means that Gayatri having 24 letters, Tristhup 44 letters and Jagati 48 letters, the sum total of these comes to 116 letters. Therefore, by the pindaanda daana(gift of body) the above result from the monetary donation is also derived.The incarnation of Sreepada is the result of Savitri Kathaka sacrifice.It is the brilliant light residing in the middle of the region of sun ( savitru mandala madhyavarthi ) which prompts all intellectual traits. That is Mother Gayatri. She represents number 24. Number 9 is the form of Brahma and number 8 is the form of maaya. Sage Bharadwaja conducted Saavitrakaathaka chayanam in treta yuga in Pithikapuram. In accordance with the promise made on that day it is born today in the shape of Sreepada Sreevallabha. He was seeking alms calling ‘do chowpathi dev lakshmi’ indicating that He is the form of shakti and the form of shaaktha having Ardhanaareeswara personality and that He is the great incarnation provoking the intellect and natures of the living beings to put them on a righteous path. No one knows His sportive pastimes and the grammar of His teaching methods. As He is the author of this new grammar, it is known only to Him.” I heard so many things from Krishna Das. I know many more new things. Those who have arrogance arising from scholarship can never receive the grace of Sri Sreepada.Krishna Das was telling like this, “Sri Sreepada spreads from an ant to a brahma. Once Sri Varma was taking rest in his fields along with Sri Sreepada. Many cobras came there. Sri Sreepada strangely removed the hood of each cobra from its body. He threw all of them into many heaps on one side. Sri Varma was sleeping. Many ants, which were not seen or heard before gathered there. Sri Sreepada killed all those ants so that the sleep of Sri Varma was not disturbed. Sri Varma woke up after some time. He pitied the ants which lay dead. Sri Sreepada said with a smile, “A king should save his servant. This is a regulation of nature. There is a strange king to these strange ants. He is coming soon.Look!” In the meantime a big white ant came with strange colour. It went around all the dead ants. All the dead ants came to life. Sri Sreepada with a smile said, “This ant king has the power of‘Sanjeevini’. With that power it rescued all its ants. Many such wonders are in the creation. Grand old father!If you wish I can show such miracles every moment.” Narasimha Varma was astonished on seeing the dead snakes. He noticed that it was also work of Sri Sreepada. Then Sri Sreepada joined the hood of one cobra to the body of another cobra and stroked it with His divine hand. Like that He granted life to all cobras. They came back to life and left after circumambulating Sri Sreepada. Who knows why those cobras came and why Sri Sreepada treated them like that? When I inquired from Sri Sreepada about this matter He observed, “When the strength of Raahu planet is not adequate, people will face obstacles in all their work. They experience as if they are in the firm grip of a python. This is called by some as ‘kaala sarpa yoga’.Raahu is the presiding deity of serpents. These serpents causing such obstructions are some where unseen by our eyes. I remedy this malefic effect like this and bring comfort and happiness to My devotees.” We reached Kurungadda safely. Sri Sreepada blessed us with a charming smile. Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!