Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 22

Chapter – 22 

 The story of Gurudatta Bhattu 

Sri Sreepada alone can confer the results of the horoscope in the astrological science to His devotees.   Gurucharan, Krishna Das and myself remained in an inexplicable elated exhilaration in the presence of Sri Sreepada. One astrological pandit named Gurudatta Bhattu came for the darshan of Sreegurudev. Sri Sreepada treated him with utmost cordiality. We were asked to conduct a satsang in a peaceful place. Our conversation turned towards astrological science. I questioned Sri Bhatt, “Sir!Are the results indicated in astrological science definitely to happen! Or is it possible to have changes and additions in the results? Is human life conditioned by past karma? Or is it controlled by human effort?” Then Sri Bhattu explained, “‘Bha’ wheel means the path of stars. The starting point for it is Ashwini star. There are two methods to specify the place of this star. They are ‘chaitra paksha and revathi paksha’. Revathi star is situated at a lower position of 8 points of potency than what is required. So it is not acceptable. It is difficult to recognize the sphere of Ashwini star. The Chitta star which is at 180 degrees from it is a single sphere, bright and clear. When 6 ‘rasis’ are added to it, it becomes Ashwini. Therefore, ‘chaitra paksha’ is accepted. Ashwini star is proved as consisting of three spheres as ‘turaga-mukha ashwini sreni’ (row of Ashwini stars with the faces of horses). There is a special reason for the birth of Sri Sreepada in Chitta star. Three spheres combined as a single star Ashwini. It is His Form. It is the beginning of ‘Bha’ chakra constellation. That is His Form of Dattatreya. His very first incarnation was that of Sri Sreepada Vallabha. His birth star Chitta is exactly at a distance of 180 degrees in straight line from this Ashwini star. The strength of any planet or star would be concentrated at a point of 180 degrees distance. Human beings are born in consonance with their past karma in a mathematically appropriate arrangement of planets. Planets do not have love or hatred towards human beings. Different rays, different vibrations emanating from them are having the power to create relevant incidents in those times and in those places. To escape from undesirable results we must possess vibrations and rays capable of arresting and defeating those negative vibrations and rays. This can be achieved by mantras,tantras, meditation, prayer and such similar methods or by our personal yogic power . However, if the karma of previous births is extraordinarily strong the above mentioned procedures will not work. Under such circumstances only Sri Sreepada can rewrite the writings on our forehead. For Him to revise our writing there must be some situation wherein some good advantage will be gained by the world through us. This will not happen in ordinary circumstances. Sri Sreepada will never interfere unnecessarily in the programmes of creation and in the activities of deities of destiny. Nevertheless,the suffering of a devotee will move Sreepada. Due to the force of the great influences of love and compassion that swell from the heart of the Lord, the strength of the deities of fate becomes weak. Fate is inert. Sri Sreepada is consciousness personified. When He feels it necessary, He turns dust into sky and sky into dust and displays His capacity for reconciling the irreconcilable. This is a very natural thing for Him.” I was under illusion in my ignorant state that I am a great scholar in astrology. I belong to Karnataka. I cannot speak fluently in Telugu. I can communicate freely in Sanskrit. Luckily I went to Pithikapuram. I heard from some people about Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha. Our family deity is Sri Dattatreya. I visited Self-existent Datta in the Kukkuteswara temple which is Paadagaya Kshetra. I worshipped Datta with devotion and diligence. When I was in meditation I heard an inner voice clearly “You! Fool! How long ago you died? You are bragging that you are My devotee! You are giving camphor Harathi to My face and driving nails in My feet. Have you come here to drive nails into My feet at Paadagaya and see My blood?” These words were repeatedly heard by me. As I was an astrological pandit I made calculations of my horoscope. I was in the presence of Self-manifested Datta in Paadagaya Kshetra at the exact date and time at which I should leave the body. I felt my pulse. Pulse stopped. I felt the beat of heart. It also was not working. I saw my face in the mirror. Instead of life symptoms, symptoms of death were prominent in the face. While laughing I looked at my face in the mirror. What was there to be proud of? It looked like a corpse of a dead man with an ugly aura turning as a ghost and laughing. The priest in the Swayam-bhoo Datta temple was a very greedy one. I could see his subtle body. His subtle body was having more ugly features than mine. The discriminating power hidden in some corner of my personality awakened. I understood that my sorrowful condition would not be removed unless I have the darshan of Sri Sreepada. Deities are persons of perfect bliss. Even without the heart beat, and pulse movement they have the exalted position of happiness. My position was much worse. There was no happiness to my soul. On the other hand, there was heavy sorrow. When soul departs from the body, the troubles of the body end but, my soul did not leave my body. However, in a compelling condition to live, functioning of my heart was stopped. Sreegurudev created a peculiar situation wherein, by hearing the words of most despicable people and sinners I was deceived and as a result I lost the most precious diamond– Sri Sreepada. The misleading mischievous statements such as, “Oh! ‘Swayam-bhoo Datta’ who is a stone, incarnated in the house of Ghandikota family; but then a stone will not have the pulsation of nerves and the pulsation of heart? Then Sreepada has the pulsation of nerves and heart? It is said that on mahaalaya amavasya –a very sacred day for ancestor manes some avadhoota came and took bhiksha. It is said that He was Dattatreya and that supreme Lord was born as the maternal grandchild in the Malladi family. What a wonder!What a deceit! What a fraud!” – resulted in my forfeiting the precious diamond Sri Sreepada. I went running quickly to the house of Sri Sreepada. Sri Sreepada aged ten years came into the street and reprimanded, “Come, Come! Bloody fool! Come! To give nobler states to useless fellows like you who fell dead and to devils in human form; for the sake of your ancestors who are undergoing terrible troubles in ‘Rourava’ and other hells on account of your misdeeds; one in the guise of an avadhoota came on a Mahaalaya Amavasya day seeking bhiksha from this holy house. Do you know who it was? It was Dattatreya. Do you know who is Dattatreya? It is Me. At the mention of whose name hordes of raakshasas and devils shiver with fear,I am that Datta. I turned you into a rock but retained hunger and thirst. I took away your life making you look alive to the world. Let us decide afterwards whether I am Datta or not. First tell me this. You are really dead. So can you deceive as if you are alive.” When He questioned in that thundering voice I trembled violently. In the meanwhile Sumati Maharani came out. She was struck with fear on seeing me and called,“Krishna Kanniahaa! Who is this aghori(an extremist sect of devotees of Lord Shiva, who conduct poojas etc. at burial grounds) completely covered with the symptoms of a corpse? You come inside! I will remove the evil eye.” Then Sri Sreepada said, “Mother! This person has not become aghori as yet. He is going to take a birth as an aghori when he will eat corpses by burning them. He came to Me prior to that ensuing birth. Mother! Give him some chaddi-anna(cooked rice stored in buttermilk) that is left behind.” Sreepada requested His mother. Akhanda Lakshmi Sowbhaagyavati Sumati Maharani kept some chaddi-anna or taravaani-anna(rice soaked in sour or fermented rice water) for Sri Sreepada. Sri Sreepada gave me that taravaani-anna and asked me to leave that place. I ate that taravaani-anna in the open place opposite to Kukkuteswara Temple. As soon as I ate it all my miserable state vanished. I went again for the darshan of Sri Sreepada, but, Sri Sreshti took Him to their house. Sri Sreepada was in the grocery shop of Sri Sreshti. He was personally receiving varahaas and putting them in cash box. Sri Sreshti was personally measuring corn and rice and giving them to customers. Sri Sreepada asked, “Taataa!Today is day of budget and account! How much dakshina is for father? How much dakshina for Me?” Then Sri Sreshti replied, “ Kanniahaa!That which is given to father is a monetary gift to a scholar and that which is given to you is a money promised by vow to Lord Venkateswara. There are no bargains between us. You can take whatever you want.You have to give me what I want.”What an enchanting spectacle was that! Sri Sreepada took a small piece of jaggery and put it into His mouth. He gave me another piece of jaggery as prasaad . Sreepada said, “Taataa! The Ganesh pooja conducted by Me is finished. Ganesha has put the piece of jaggery in His mouth as naivedya. If you want proof see My mouth.” Saying so, He showed His throat. We do not know what great spectacles Sri Sreshti saw in that. After sometime Sri Sreshti said, “ My Golden Kannaa!Ganesha can take as much jaggery as He desires as naivedya without asking me,when He feels hungry.Tell this to Him.” In the meanwhile Akhanda Lakshmi Sowbhaagyavati Venkata Subbamamba came and took Sri Sreepada for anointing bath.Gurudatta Bhattu said, “My child! Shankar Bhatt! Sri Sreepada saved me in this way the misfortune of being born as an aghori as I was spoiled on hearing the words of crooked people.If I am merely left to my fate I would have completely fallen down.” On account of their pure love for mankind Sadgurus free us skillfully from the consequences of fate from previous births. For this they spend their valuable power and time. The horoscope of Sri Sreepada has to be calculated according to saandra sindhu veda. That cannot be approached through ordinary mathematics. Tithi, day and stars will be in accordance with saandra sindhu veda. Sri Sreepada, Sri Appalaraja Sarma, and Sri Baapanaarya used to speak in Sanskrit along with Telugu in their house. They were speaking in Sandhya language which was in use in Himalayas in the sacred land of Sapta-rishis. This language spoken in Sambala is different from Sanskrit. It is not possible to describe the sweetness or smoothness of that language. Only Sri Sreepada, Sri Baapanaarya and Sri Appalaraja Sarma could speak this language in Pithikapuram.Sri Sreepada said to Sri Baapanaarya who was famous as‘Satya Rusheeswara’, “Grandfather! Sree Krishna was not speaking either truth or untruth.He was only a preacher of duty.” Then Sri Baapanaarya said, “Kannaa! We should always speak truth.Even casually, untruth should not be uttered.” Sri Sreepada smiled. That day in the afternoon Sri Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti came to the house of Baapanaarya. Sri Sreshti had an intense desire. That was, Sri Baapanaarya should take meals in their house, and that he should compulsorily accept dakshina after meals, and that too during the period of‘Mahaalaya Pakshas’. His ideas was that by that his ancestors would be greatly pleased. Sri Sreshti had a doubt in his mind whether Sri Baapanaarya would honour his request or not. Even then he thought about Sri Sreepada in mind and expressed his opinion in front of Sri Baapanaarya. Sri Baapanaarya said that he would definitely take meals in the house of Sri Sreshti and that he would also receive dakshina. The words came from the mouth of Sri Baapanaarya effortlessly. The happiness of Sri Sreshti knew no bounds. Sri Sreepada was highly adroit.During the ‘mahaalaya pakshas’ Sri Sreshti and Sri Baapanaarya forgot about the promise. In the afternoon of mahaalaya amavasya Sri Sreshti came to the house of Sri Baapanaarya. Sri Sreepada smilingly said, “A promise should not be made. After making a promise it should be performed. If the promise that was made is forgotten, at least those who received the promise must remind about it. I demand an explanation from both of you.” Then both of them realized their mistake. It was known from this incident that Sri Sreepada is as much capable of making people aware as He is equally capable of making them forget. They were sorry for their mistake. He consoled them saying, “My role is there in bringing forgetfulness to both of you. The ego ‘I’ and ‘I’ is in the form of consciousness in every human being. A living being derives not only the body but also consciousness from parents. For this consciousness of ego there is a responsible function to perform in the universal plan. This is the bond of karma that comes in succession in the order of birth from father to son, and from son to grandson and so on. Only when the order of asceticism is taken after leaving the order of a householder, a release from this bond of karma takes place. This promise made today or the promise received in this birth of limited name and forms need not be redeemed only in this birth between both of you only. This is transferred to the consciousness called ‘nenu’ (the greater form of ego). Therefore, at some place and during some time a person in the lineage of Baapanaarya can eat and receive dakshina in the house of any person belonging to the lineage of Sri Sreshti during ‘Mahaalaya Paksha’. You should not ask Me when, how and in what manner it happens. The karma(structure of fate) is very complicated. It is very subtle. For certain actions physical time and fruition time vary. According to physical time this ritual has to be done in these ‘Mahaalaya Pakshas’ only. (Ritual of ‘Mahaalaya Paksha’ = Offerings are made to the manes of departed ancestors from full moon to new moon in the month of Bhaadrapada.). Nevertheless, since the time of fruition did not arrive, it was pushed into the distant future.” Sri Sreepada spoke to both of them beneficially. Then I asked Sri Bhattu to explain to me in detail about physical time any yoga time preached by Sri Sreepada for the benefit of the people. Then Sri Bhattu said, “Along with bhowthika kaala(physical time) and bhowthika desa(physical place) there are also maanasika kaala (mental time) and maanasika desa(mental space). Together with them there are yoga kaala and yoga desa. Suppose a person is aged 60 years but, he is constantly in the pursuit of education like a person of 20 years. Then his physical time indicates 60 years. That relates to his body. However, his mental age is regarded as 20 years. Assume in the same way, a youth aged 20 years is shouldering load of responsibilities of an old man of 60 years. His physical time is indicating 20 years. That relates to his body, but his mental time is deemed as 60 years. In this way there is no rule that physical time and mental time should agree as the same time. They may be different.Whoever constantly feels eager mentally to live in Kashi or Pithapuram, derive the fruits of residing in Kashi or Pithapuram. Even if the body is in a Kshetra and the mind does not dwell there, the fruits of residing in that Kshetra are not obtained.“I am going on a pilgrimage to Kashi. I always reside in Kashi.” Whoever is mentally feeling anxious in the above manner will get the benefit of residing in Kashi. The reason is, he is mentally residing in Kashi only. Therefore, physically in whatever country he is living, his mental country shall be Kashi only. Similarly, a person who kills a cow living in Kashi cannot get the advantage of residence in Kashi. Also cranes standing in the waters of Ganges waiting for fish cannot have the punya of taking bath in Ganga. Likewise, even though one lives in Pithikapuram and visits Sri Sreepada physically, he cannot be reckoned as a resident of Pithikapuram or as the dependant of Sri Sreepada; unless his mental time and mental place are appropriately tuned.Yoga kaala and yoga desa are matters to be comprehended only by persons of rich spiritual strength. It is a divine unknown esoteric mystery when anyone can get yoga kaala and in which place yoga desa is formed from the divine grace of Sri Sreepada.Comfort from good action, misery from bad action, invariably follow as results. Even though bonds of karma of past lives, chase and harass us;yoga kaala comes about from the compassion of Sadguru. When that time comes, that karma will be quashed in such a yoga desa, where that karma has to be redeemed.This is a strange matter. In Pithikapuram there was a servant called Sivayya with Sri Narasimha Varma. Sri Sreepada suddenly saw him one day with intent looks. Immediately, there was a lot of change in his mental makeup. He abandoned food and sleep. He was speaking incoherently,“I am the cause for creation, administration and destruction. I am the ancient one of first origin. All this creation is originating in me; developing by me; and again merging in me.” Narasimha Varma took lot of pity on Sivayya. He prayed to Sri Sreepada to save Sivayya. Then Sri Sreepada took Sivayya to the burial ground. Sri Narasimha Varma also followed. The dried sticks of audumbara tree were got arranged in the burial ground and Sivayya was made to burn them. Then Sivayya was freed from the curious mental disposition. All this was strange to Narasimha Varma. Then Sri Sreepada said, “Taataa!There is nothing to wonder. One pandit in Vaayasapura Agraharam is always criticizing Me, “What a great offence! Where is Paramaatma–personification of vedas! Where is this young urchin Sreepada! It is said that this boy is the cause for creation, sustenance and destruction and that He is the origin of the Yore. All this is a fraud, a blatant lie.” He was having this sort of constant thought. Recently that pandit died. He became an ogre. In one of his lives Sivayya was slightly indebted to that pandit. I created yoga kaala and decided the burial ground as yoga desa. I arranged funeral with audumbara sticks as yoga karma and released the pandit from the life of a ghoul. I rescued our Sivayya from that ghoul.” My son! Shankar Bhatt! This great effulgence, dharma jyoti incarnated in Pithikapuram is today sanctifying Kurungedda.Planets give results following the Will of Sri Sreepada. Any kind of astrological results are not bound to occur in a specified physical time and physical place. That will be decided according to yoga kaala and yoga desa.Sri Sreepada can show grace and avert accumulated fate and even death If Sri Sreepada wills it, He can make incidents to happen now which are to happen after thousand years according to astrological science. Event that has to occur at a great distance will take place here only. That means He can determine the yoga desa . All events take place only in desa(place) and kaala(time). Sri Sreepada can alter those desa,kaalas at His pleasure. Once when a coconut was to be broken before God in the house of Sri Sreshti, Sri Sreepada personally broke it. That coconut was broken into pieces. It was full of blood. Then Sri Sreepada said to Sri Sreshti, “Grandfather! Today you are to die.Your head has to be broken into pieces and blood has to flow. I transferred those desa and kaala to this coconut and saved you.”Sri Sreshti was astonished at the words of Sri Sreepada. In the meantime dusk had set in. All the three of us took leave of Sri Sreepada and leaving Kurungadda we reached the opposite bank of river Krishna. Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!