Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 38

Chapter– 38 

 Explanation of Bagalaamukhi worship

On the way, during our journey to Pithikapuram we came across a sanyasi. He sat at the foot of a audumbara tree. His eyes were lustrous. By the time we approached, he asked us whether we were Shankar Bhatt, and Dharma Gupta. We replied in the affirmative. He asked us to take rest for some time at the foot of that audumbara tree. He questioned whether the leather sandals of Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha were with us. We replied in the affirmative. He told us to give those leather sandals to him in exchange for the gem of kaala naagu (black cobra) with him. We agreed.I asked him, “Sir!When I had the intention of writing the divine biography of ‘Sreevaru’ I am coming across devotees of Sreepada, who are narrating a particular incident that happened in a particular year.What might be the reason?”  Then Sanyasi

said, “Sri Sreepada is a combined personification of Aadi Bhairavi and Aadi Brahma. He is a Kaala Bhairava who commands time. He is a personification of time.Kaala purusha

is not different from Him. He is the form of maha kaala(the great time). He only knows when and what incident should take place. So it is impossible for those who are captives of place and time to scent the shape of resolve of Sri Sreepada. His play with space and time, is like a sport with ball. All living beings, their evolutionary process, natures of those living beings, their duties, their properties, their results and their influences are under His control. He can turn a person who is proud that he is a great scholar into an ignorant one in a second. He can turn a great ignoramus into a great scholar well versed in veda vedaangas. His is a rich yogic incarnation. To recognize Him as an incarnated person, and as verily Lord Datta, huge mass of sins has to be burnt down. Huge mass of punya has to fall into heaps and heaps. This is a general condition. However, if His mercy and benign looks are available He would protect devotees surpassing these common conditions. He revels in sportive plays in each and every moment.

For those who study the ‘Charitamruta of Sri Sreepada’ development programme occurs in a gradual way. Therefore, only one or two incidents in a year of His life were informed to you. They were also intimated to you in a gradual manner. All this is an integral part of His divine sport. It is a mistake to think that He incarnated only for the development of the globe. Many crores of universes are created, maintained, and destroyed every moment. The entire procedure of evolution in all these always remain in His hands. In the ponds of His divine eyes crores of universes develop and get destroyed. This is His real nature. It is a great miracle that the para tattwa which is really formless and that maha tattwa which is not known in what position it remains in the imperceptible state, incarnated in a human form in Pithikapuram. Where is the end to the Godly games played after incarnation. Even vedas described Him to some length and remained silent. His knowledge is infinite. The knowledge of vedas is limited. His strength is infinite compassion infinite. He dwells in all countries and at all times. He is truth unto truth, wisdom unto wisdom, and infinitude much beyond infinitude.

Disciplined and dedicated devotion of Bagalaamukhi

In fact I am a resident of Bengal. I am a devotee of Bagalaamukhi. She is one among the dasa maha vidyas. Those who want the destruction of enemies in individual form, worship this Devi. The power of destruction of Parameswara in its comprehensive form is also Bagalaadevi! By the worship of this Devi perfection of speech is achieved. It means that in case of those who lead a righteous life and observe unity of mind speech and action, whatever word they speak comes true. There are differences in speech known as Para, Pasyanti and Madhyama. In satya yuga a terrible storm devastating the whole world broke out. Vishnu Bhagavan seeing the plight of the living beings became sad. When He undertook penance Goddess Sree Vidya Maha Devi emerged in the form of Bagalaamukhi. She appeared before Sreeman Narayana and restrained the storm which caused destruction. Some people consider Her as Vaishnavi Devi. She was born during dead of night of Chaturdasi on Tuesday. She is the personification of the power of immobilization. The solar region stood steady only on account of Her. In the same way Heaven also is kept in its place. She can grant comforts of this world as well as the other world. She obstructs the evil forces raising havoc in the life of the spiritual seeker. Similarly She immobilizes the blind and dark forces and grants protection to the progress of the aspirant. She is also called Badaba Mukhi, Jaataveda Mukhi, Ulka Mukhi, Jwaala Mukhi and Bruhad Bhanu Mukhi. In fact Brahma Deva is the foremost one who practised Bagalaa Maha Vidya. Brahma Deva saw this Maha Devi in the form of Baala in Tirumala and adored Her. He worshipped this Goddess as Sri Venkateswara with His consort Sri Padmavati and started the Brahmotsava celebrations.

Brahma Deva taught this ‘Maha Vidya’ to Sanaka and other Sages. Vishnu is the important one among those who worshipped Bagalaamukhi after Brahma. Afterwards Parasurama also worshipped this Devi. In my pilgrimages I came to Pithikapuram. I visited Sri Kukkuteswara Devasthanam.Then I saw a charming young boy.” Then that boy said to me, “You! I know that you came from Bengal. From a very long time till recently I am imprisoned in this temple under the name Swayam-bhoo Datta. I am very much suffocated. I feel terribly sultry. So I wanted the priests to render Me services for giving Me cool treatment. They refused it. I said that I will go out because there was no other go. They said that instead of My going out they would drive Me out. Therefore, I came out a short while ago.” I understood the inner meaning of His words. I understood that He was verily Lord Datta Himself and that worship and devotional services were not properly offered to Him with due care and diligence. It was also clear that as He did not totally observe untouchability and as orthodox brahmins did not allow untouchables into the temple, He incarnated to personally save miserable, oppressed and distressed ones.

I requested Him to give me the darshan in the form of my devotional deity and gratify me. That supreme lord smiled. I saw Sri Bagalaa Maha Devi. These skinny eyes cannot see that great brilliance. I fainted. Some kind people who were there arranged a carpet beneath a tree there and laid me down on it. In reality I was not fainting. He gave an experience of supreme bliss. I was like that for eight days enjoying that divine happiness. Heart beat and pulse stopped. The citizens did not understand my position.

The account of the ‘Sanyasi’ 

 

My affair created an uproar in Pithikapuram. Propaganda was carried that some brahmin sanyasi entered Sri Kukkuteswara temple and visited Self-manifested Datta; that he was a mean magician who tried to employ the witch craft on Kukkuteswara, Self Existent Datta but, on account of the rigorous disciplined conduct and regulations of the priests the powers of Kukkuteswara and Self Existent Datta did not dwindle and from the negative results that followed the sanyasi fainted and lied with stoppage of pulse and heart beat. Generally rumours spread in a moment. People here are great experts in commenting truth as untruth, untruth as truth and make others believe. Sreepada Sreevallabha who incarnated amidst them was much more dexterous than all of them. All the happenings here gave great entertainment for Him. He is the one who rejoices eternally; a divine reveller. The importance of priests enhanced in Pithikapuram. A propaganda started that by their discipline and regulations a low magician fainted and remained like a corpse, and by taking their help all afflictions were removed and, by performing special poojas through them much greater welfare would accrue. Poojas were commenced by priests. Liberal monetary gifts were given to the brahmins. Suddenly a worry started in the priests. They were worshipping with great exertion of body Swayam-bhoo Datta and Kukkuteswara. So they were getting various kinds of swayampaakam(rice, vegetables etc. donated to a brahmin to cook and eat) and generous monetary donations. The money which they were keeping in the boxes in their houses was disappearing by the morning. They had to compulsorily conduct the worships for all according to their agreement, but the money earned was disappearing. Not only that. Even though plenty of swayampaakams were given and even though they ate in great quantities they were feeling weak and exhausted. It was quite strange that weakness on one side and disappearance of money on another side was taking place. If they disclose the truth about these happenings they would face embarrassing situations. As it was widely propagated that the great priests were experts in mantra and tantra saastras, the fact that they were subjected to the influence of a

yakshini(a female fiend) if breaks out, would degrade their honour. Therefore, the brahmins kept these matters in their minds and did not reveal to anyone. They decided to confirm whether the fainted sanyasi was alive or dead and if dead to cremate him. They placed this matter before Baapanaarya. Then Baapanaarya who examined the body of the sanyasi announced that the sanyasi did not die or that he did not faint and that he was in a state of samaadhi. Some people thought that if the body of the sanyasi was cremated without caring for the word of Baapanaarya the evil effect of yakshini would be eradicated. Some others said that when cremated the powers of sanyasi would violently flourish and create many more calamities. Only by the peculiar resolve of Sri Sreepada my body was not cremated. After eight days I became normal. Sri Sreepada with His divine auspicious hands touched my head. None of the brahmins gave me alms. Boarding and lodging were provided in Sri Pithikapuram in the house of some shepherds. As I did not follow caste restrictions all the shepherds became intimate to me. A woman among those shepherds was named Lakshmi. Her husband used to treat her with great love. He was not only the chief of all those shepherds but was also acting as a judge to settle disputes in that caste. Though young in age as he was educated, he was reading documents of properties, distributing them as written in those documents, attending to the drafting matters relating to lands. Therefore, his caste people elected him as their chief regardless of his age. His wife Lakshmi was having the qualities of a devoted wife. She became a widow recently four or five years back. Since I know the greatness of Sri Sreepada I told Lakshmi that she would have well being if she had some relationship with Sri Sreepada. In the meanwhile the cow in the house of Sri Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti went dry. So Lakshmi used to bring milk to the house of Sri Sreshti. Sri Sreepada used to come to the house of Sri Sreshti often. Even before His asking, “Grandmother! I am hungry”, Maha Lakshmi Srimati Venkata Subbamaamba used to heat the milk and was giving to Sri Sreepada. In addition she was giving cream and butter. When Lakshmi was bringing milk to that house Sri Sreepada said that He was very hungry. Srimati Venkata Subbamaamba asked Lakshmi to bring some more milk. If she had to bring some more milk, milk in her house would get depleted. She had to drink watery buttermilk. Even then Lakshmi who was having the spirit of sacrifice was selling to the house of Sri Sreshti, the milk which she kept for drinking and other consumption. Worship and other rituals went on in the temple for ten days. Large sums of money were given to the brahmins. However, a great void remained due to the influence of yakshini  Swayampaakams in large quantities were given but brahmins instead of becoming stronger decayed with weakness.

The story of a Pouranic Pandit

Then a Pandit conducting discourses of puraanas(quasi legendary historical and religious accounts) came to that town. Brahmins said that puraanas were meant for soodras and not for superior brahmins like them and there were no puraanas not known to them. Sri Baapanaarya, Sri Sreshti and Sri Varma offered to give some money on their part to the Pandit. It was agreed that all soodras would attend to the puraana sravana(hearing of puraanas). Not only that. It was announced through beat of the drum that soodras can give monetary offerings to the Pouranic Pandit. Some among the brahmins suggested that half of the amount given by soodras to the Pandit should be credited to the council of brahmins and other half can be taken by the Pandit. For that Sri Baapanaarya rebuked them saying,“This is called mushtilo mushti, veera mushti. You said that you would not even listen to the puraana. On the other hand, you are trying to snatch away the hard earned money of the Pandit who is taking the trouble of giving the discourse. Unless you change your behaviour and methods of thought, you have to experience severe punishments from the

kaala  purusha in future.” Meals were arranged for the Pouranic Pandit in the house of Sri Baapanaarya. Lakshmi used to give him boiled milk before commencement of pouranic discourse. After drinking that milk he used to start the discourse of puraana. As Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha resided in the hearts of all there was nothing which was not known to Him. The Pandit was a great jnaani and a great yogi . From his yogic  power , he found the other forms assumed by his soul. He attracted the consciousness in those forms into himself. Then he found his soul in an infant aged four months in the house of a brahmin zamindar. When he saw Lakshmi with yogic vision at the time of giving milk he came to know that his soul will be the husband of Lakshmi in her next birth. It meant that the above infant will be the husband of Lakshmi in her next birth. All the masculine forms of aatma already merged in the Pandit, who was their essential basic nature. When he searched with his yogic insight about his shakti forms he understood that Lakshmi was the essential basic nature of all feminine forms. He noticed that in addition, all his feminine natures were merged in Lakshmi. Lakshmi was very much fond of her husband. She understood that the consciousness of her husband could not leave his old body. She found many a time that the form of her husband stood by her side. Cows were gifted to cross Viraja River. She knew that the mother cow after taking her husband safely across Viraja River, took birth as a cow on the earth. The reason being, she saw mother cow also. The all knowing Sri Sreepada knew that the consciousness of the husband of Lakshmi who crossed Viraja River remained merged in the Pouranic Pandit who was the basic essential nature of the former. However, that Pandit came to Pithikapuram with a decision to complete his karmic bonds of indebtedness and to liquidate the karmas of the other forms of his soul through his yogic strength and to merge with almighty. In case the Pandit merged in the almighty like this, the infant of the brahmin zamindar aged few months will also die. If it happens like that, Lakshmi in her next birth has to live and die as a virgin since that brahmin boy who would have to be her husband in that birth had already died during her preceding birth. However, Lakshmi had an intense desire to have next birth. Therefore, after the fall of the mortal body and when regained state of consciousness she should be born in a virtuous brahmin family. Her husband who was an infant of few months of the zamindars must grow up as an adult. Alaas! Lakshmi was innocent. Without being aware of it, she followed ardhanaareeswara yoga. All this was the sportive play of Sri Sreepada! The drama called puraana pravachana (discourse of puraanas) concluded. The Pandit accepted monetary gifts from soodras. Lakshmi was born in the soodra caste. As the Pandit accepted the connection with soodras he thought that his bonds of karma with Soodras was redeemed. He wanted to burn in yogaagni remaining bonds of karma, if any. Since he took meals in the house of Sri Baapanaarya, he felt that his bond of indebtedness relating to his brahmin birth would be severed. Sri Baapanaarya went inside to give monetary honorarium to that great yogi . In the meanwhile, Lakshmi came to the house of Sri Baapanaarya. As a cow in the house of Lakshmi delivered a calf she brought milk for preparation of cheese. Lakshmi had great devotion and care for Sri Sreepada. Baapanaarya gave monetary honorarium to the Pandit. The Pandit sought permission to leave. Sri Sreepada said, “All people gave you leave. Only two persons refuse to give you permission to leave. I am well-versed in the accounts of traders. Unless it is finally settled how much debt is there, how much is repaid, and such other things you cannot stir out from Pithikapur.”  The brahmin was agitated. He heard previously that Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha was an incarnation of Datta. Sri Sreepada said, “My child! This Lakshmi is innocent. She lives only for few years. What should become of her after death? You were born as a brahmin in the form of wisdom and as a cowherd in the form of ignorance. She shared weal and woe with you having that form. The mother cow which ferried your consciousness across the river Viraja when you were in the form of cowherd returned freely to the earth. This lady retained with her the consciousness of her husband with the fire of her love. This consciousness which is in the form of a shepherdess cannot change into the brahminic consciousness with the fall of her body after few years. Can it change? She is a brahmin in the shape of a shepherdess. You are a cowherd or shepherd in the shape of a brahmin. I know very well about your Karmic relationships. I am a personification of Padmavati Devi and I blessed this lady who is taking birth in future as a brahmani by fixing a golden mark on her forehead. I created a maangalya also for her and preserved it in Hiranya Loka. When the connection with gold is snapped, the connection of the wife with husband is also snapped. Therefore, we preserved safely her golden auspicious wedding ornaments in Hiranya Loka. When your consciousness which is at present encased in an infant of few months is withdrawn, any giant may take possession of the body and indulge in undesirable acts. Therefore, you receive donation of gold from this woman and retain the bond of karma. In the next birth may you live as ideal couple and as My devotees and be liberated!” Saying so Sreepada blessed them, “My dear children! In that way the brahmin infant aged few months will grow up. Lakshmi will take birth in a brahmin family and become his wife.”The sportive plays of Sri Sreepada are indeed wonderful.

Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!