Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 27

Chapter– 27 

 Visiting Virupaaksha in the Panchadeva Pahad area 

 

Sri Dharma Gupta and myself reached the opposite bank of river Krishna. It was afternoon. That day was Thursday which was very sacred when ‘Sreeguru Saarwabhowma’ received bhiksha in various places at the same time. Sri Sreepada asked us to construct a house with straw grass, that too in a single day. We were not acquainted with the area. A site was required to construct the house. House construction implements were required in that place. Straw grass was required to cover the top and suitable labourers were required for doing all these things. 

 

 Importance of Panchadeva Pahad

We were wandering hither and thither like aimless travellers. We entered into a field. The cultivator was constructing a cow-shed for the cattle. He was arranging a high pedestal in an elevated place at a suitable location for the landlord to sit. The owner of that place invited us cordially and gave us meals. We were hungry. We were in a doubt whether we can eat meals served by a sudra. That owner spoke harshly, “Oh! You stole our cattl

e and sold them in other places. Now you came again to see if any cattle are still left so that you can stealthily drive them away. For such of you who come with that bad intention, a peculiar doubt arose whether food from a sudra can be taken!” We understood the matter. The landlord was thinking that we were thieves. We ate the meals with aversion. During the course of conversation it was learnt that his name was Virupaaksha. When we finished meals we were tied to two trees. I was a poor brahmin and made a living by begging. I did not have any money but, Sri Dharma Gupta had money. The landlord ordered his servants to snatch all the money with us.

The unimaginable divine sports of Sri Sreepada

We felt that there was no use even if we tell the truth about us. We became prisoners in accordance with the orders of that landlord and remained in helpless circumstances. In the meanwhile some ‘mylaars’ (followers of Petty Goddess) came there.In those mylaars there was a sect known as ‘ganga kaavillu’. These people bring ‘peethas’ of Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari. They apply ‘tripundras’ (the triple mark worn across the forehead by Shaivaites). They hold small victory bells in their hand and sing songs and verses eulogizing Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Devi. These people carry metal vases of large size with narrow necks in yokes and come during auspicious events like marriages and the Jayanti celebrations of Sri Vaasavi Maata. Besides these, another type of people called ‘veera mushtulu’ visit these places. They tie ‘prabhas’ (large cloth hoardings of multiple colours) to their hips and arrive making sounds of victory with the bells in their hand. Many insignia of warfare such as swords, shields, and armours are displayed in those ‘prabhas’.‘Veera mushtulu’ also came alongwith ‘mylaars’ to that place. Soldiers of Vishnu Vardhana Maharaj became devotees of Mother Sri Vasavi and joining with ‘Baala naagaras’fought with soldiers loyal to Vishnu Vardhana. The people in the families of those soldiers who were devotees of Mother Sri Vaasavi are called ‘veera mushtulu’. As they sacrificed their wealth, honour and lives in that sacred war on that day, the vysya kings honour them during auspicious occasions. That cultivator offered meals to ‘mylaars’ and ‘veera mushtus’ and honoured them. Then he got us released and requested us to participate in the construction of cow-shed. We agreed. When all the work was finished Virupaaksha asked me, “Do you know what is mushtilo mushti veera mushti(alms within alms is bigoted heroic begging of alms)?” I replied that I did not know. We were given meals in the evening also. He commanded that we should guard the cattle wealth and sleep there that night. Afterwards he left with his band of servants. That night we both recollected the name of Sri Sreepada and His sportive pastimes. When we woke up in the morning we found no trace of cows or oxen in the cow-shed. The cultivators nearby asked us at what price we purchased the land. We told them about the things which transpired yesterday evening. They did not believe our statements and considered us as mad people. It could not be resolved which was true and which was false.Then a stranger came there. He questioned us, “Did Sri Vaasavi Kanyaka take birth on Vaisakha Suddha Dasami (10th day of first fortnight of Vaisakha month)? Or on Sapthami (on 7th day). Sri Dharma Gupta replied that Sri Vaasavi Maata was born on Dasami and on that day it was full Dasami tithi and it was Friday. When he heard that reply he questioned,“Are you, two lunatics going to that lunatic in Kurungadda who is sitting without any work?” The conduct of that stranger was objectionable to us.Sri Dharma Gupta said like this, “Even if the stranger spoke offensively, he taught our duty. We must go to Kurungadda immediately.” We travelled to Kurungadda in a boat. There was no money either with me or with Sri Dharma Gupta to pay to the boatman. That boatman rebuked us, saying, “Now I am excusing you and leaving you. It is your duty to inform even before you get into the boat whether you have money or not.” The looks of the boatman fell on Sri Dharma Gupta. He took the rings on the hand of Sri Gupta. Instead of keeping them with him he threw them into river Krishna. We reached Kurungadda. Sri Sreepada took bath in Krishna and was in deep meditation.

Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!