Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 4

Chapter – 4

Shankar Bhatt had vision of Vaasavaambika in Kuruvapuram 

 

We three wanted to do meditation in accordance with the instructions of Palaniswamy. Sri Palaniswamy said, “My Child! Madhavaa! My Boy! Shankaraa! Let all the three of us meditate. Let us discuss about our spiritual experiences felt during meditation. As this is the command of Sreevallabha some extraordinary spiritual development will be invariably experienced by us in future. English era will be in use in future. According to English era today is 25-05-1336. Today is Friday. This day is a very auspicious day having comprehensive yogic potential. This day has a special significance in our lives. I will leave my physical body here and go to Kuruvapuram in my subtle body. It is a child’s play for me to roam in four or five places at

the same time in my subtle form. We will all remain in the meditation of Sreepada Sreevallabha. When His permission is granted I will reach Kuruvapuram in my subtle body.

The way for accessibility of Swamy’s grace

 

On hearing the words of Palaniswamy I wondered and said, ”Swamee! Madhava saw the divine auspicious form of Sreevallabha. You are always in communion with Sreevallabha in subtle planes but, I know only His name but, not His form! How can I meditate upon Him?” Palaniswamy smiled and said, “My boy! If you have devotion for Sreepada everything is achieved. A tortoise protects its offspring with thought waves even if they are left at a very far away place. A cat carries its kitten from one house to another keeping them in its mouth. It will keep them in a place which is considered by it as safe. In the same way at first Sreepada treats his devotees in ‘Kurma –  Kishore nyaaya’. After some progress the devotees are treated in ‘Maarjaala –  Kishore nyaaya’. Then the devotees are trained in  ‘Markata –  Kishore nyaaya’. In ‘Markata –  Kishora nyaaya’ the child of the monkey has to attach itself assiduously to its mother. After further progress devotees will conduct themselves as small fish freely swimming with their mother. When you sit for meditation, He will give darshan to you. Sreevallabha wanted to take an important decision for the future. So He wanted me to go over to Kuruvapuram in my subtle body on this momentous day. As soon as I receive His orders during meditation I will at once proceed to Kuruvapuram. There some important incident is going to take place. Lord Sree Datta has granted me the unique opportunity of witnessing that event completely with my eyes.”

Saying so he went into meditation. Myself and Madhava also took to meditation soon after. Meditation went on like this for ten ghadiyas

 (a ghadiya is a Hindu hour equals to 24 English minutes). All of us became our normal selves curiously at the same time. After meditation Sri Palaniswamy was in very high spirits. Myself and Madhava requested Swamijee to narrate his experience during meditation. He narrated it with all smiles in the following manner.

The Story of Shiva Sarma. The result from contemplation of Sreepada Sreevallabha

 “How fortunate are the people living in this kali yuga! Even Kuruvapuram is a small village; a vedic scholar and a pious brahmin named Shiva Sarma who recognised the greatness of Sreepada was living there along with his wife Ambika. Theirs’ was the only brahmin family in Kuruvapuram. Daily he used to cross the river and earned money through acts appropriate for brahmins to eke out a living. After making some money he used to return to Kuruvapuram. He belonged to the lineage of Kasyapa Sage. Shiva Sarma was a great scholar; a strict adherent of religious practices and belonged to yajur veda sect. He was losing his children in a very short time. At last one son survived. Unfortunately, he was a dullard and a blockhead. Shiva Sarma became weak and sick as a skeleton due to the distress caused by the useless child. One day he recited veda in the presence of Sreevallabha and stood silent. Sree Sreepada noticed the sorrow in his mind and with a gentle smile said, “Shiva Sarmaa! I am a slave to those who forget all worries and constantly meditate upon Me. Tell me about your desire.” For that Shiva Sarma said,  “Swamee! I wished that my son should become a greater scholar and orator than me. All my aspirations became futile. My son became an incorrigible idiot. For You who can do and undo things easily, it is not difficult to make him a learned and useful one. I leave it to your kind Will.” 

In reply Sreepada averred, “My child!The fruits of past actions are unavoidable even to great people. The entire creation is moving subjected to unbreakable laws. Women get husbands as fruits of their worship. One begets children as fruits of his devotion. One should always donate to deserving people. Donations made to unworthy persons bring undesirable results. If food is offered to a good natured person, the donor of food derives some part of the merit accruing from the good deeds performed by the good person. Donation should be made without arrogance. Then only it gives good results.On account of the past karma(acts and their effects in previous lives) you got a dull witted one as your son. You couple wanted a child with long span of life. You did not want a short lived child. So I granted you a son with complete span of life. If his sin earned in the previous life has to be erased and he has to be made a good scholar, you have to be ready to sacrifice your life. That has to be done in consonance with the karmic principle.If you are prepared to sacrifice your life I will make your son a worthy scholar. For that Shiva Sarma replied, “Swamee! I entered old age. I am ready to relinquish my life. What more can I aspire than my son becoming a great scholar and speaker like Brihaspati.” 

Then Sreepada who, capable of making things happen and not happen declared, “Yes! You will die soon. After death you will remain for some time in subtle body and undertake penance in an underground cellar below a neem tree in Dheesila town. Afterwards, you will take birth in the holy land of Maharastra. Don’t reveal this to your wife under any circumstances.” 

 

Unveiling the future birth of Sreepada Sreevallabha

 

Shiva Sarma died soon. Ambika was begging along with her son and lived a miserable life. There was no end to the taunts and remarks of ridicule of neighbours. That useless brahmin youth could not bear the derisive remarks of the people. He ran towards the river to commit suicide. His helpless mother also wanted to end her life and she also ran after him. On account of the punya earned before, Sreepada saw them on the way. He dissuaded them from their suicide attempt. With His boundless compassion He converted the foolish boy as an erudite scholar by His mere Will. He instructed Ambika to spend the rest of her life in worshipping Shiva. He expatiated at length the result obtained from worshipping Shiva on Saturdays during evening times. He granted her a boon that in her next birth she would be blessed with a son who is equal to Him in all respects. However, as there was no one equal to Him in all the three worlds He, Himself resolved to be born as her son in her ensuing birth.

The intention for the birth of Narasimha Saraswati

 “Repository of all auspicious qualities, Oh! Vaasavaambika! May your wish be fulfilled. I will stay for 14 years more and will remain in this body of Sreepada Sreevallabha till I attain 30 years. Afterwards, I will disappear. Again to revive the order of

sanyaasa (asceticism) I take birth as Nrusimha Saraswati and remain in that incarnation for 80 years. 

Afterwards I stay in intense penance for 300 years in Kadali Vana (forest of plantain trees) and conclude my incarnation in Prajnapura under the name Swamy Samartha. In the form Avadhootas and Siddhas ,I perform miracles and incredible sportive plays, with my illimitable divine virtues.” Sreepada spoke sweetly. Men become weaklings with the passage of yugas. Therefore, the Almighty descends to lower state on the prayer of sages. The incarnation of Lord in human body is an indication of His complete Grace. This descent of the Lordship to lower levels enables humans to obtain excellent results with little effort. Therefore, human beings in kali yuga are fortunate. By mere remembrance, the grace of Lord Datta would be available. There are many opportunities for the downfall of man in kali yuga but there are equally twofold number of opportunities for obtaining the grace of Sreepada. This is a sacrosanct truth. Remembrance, adoration and other activities establish association with Lord Sreepada. By these all the sinful acts, impure sensual influences, behavioural patterns of the devotees enter into the consciousness of Lord Sreepada and auspicious vibrations enter into His dependant devotees. Sree Charana (one with auspicious feet) destroys those heaps of sins, and black auras which entered into His consciousness by taking a single dip in a holy river or He will burn them into ashes in the blazing fire of His yoga . He will personally undergo penance and dedicate the fruits of that penance to His dependants. Thus He protects the devotees without violating the principle of karma . If considered necessary He would command the inert karmic nature and grants liberation for those who take refuge in His auspicious feet. Every second He destroys karma for the welfare of His devotees, in a very ferocious form. Therefore, who surrender to His Paadukas get freedom from the shackles of karma, even without being aware of it. When Palaniswamy explained in the above manner I was bold to question him about a doubt that had cropped up in my mind. “Swamee! I heard that when Saturn afflicts for 7½ years even Shankara cannot escape from the trouble. Pray tell me how Sreeguru Saarvabhowma(Emperor) wards off afflictions from planets.” 

“My child! Shankaraa! The planets in the zodiac do not have friendship or enmity towards living beings. When a person is born, the planetary position form according to his past karma (accumulated papa and punya from previous births). He derives good and evil effects according to the movement of planets. When the subtle rays from the planets cause ill effects and mantra, tantra, yantra remedies cannot abate them one has to resort to japa, tapa,and homa practices. When they cannot also alleviate the suffering one has to take refuge in the Paadukas of Sreeguru. Sreepada is omnipotent. Good and evil forces also exist. The vibrations of those forces cause good and bad developments respectively. Each planet has a dominance on a particular part of human anatomy. When planetary afflictions take place the relevant part of human body ruled by the adverse planet becomes sick. Undesirable results follow when the subtle vibrations flowing from the universal consciousness are received. Variations take place in the attraction and repulsion caused by vibrations. A person who is hitherto in good company suddenly will be subjected to ill effects like bad company; friendship with low class people; unreasonable quarrels; loss of relatives; disputes with family members; and reduction in the power of personal attraction. The Universal forces create vibrations continuously. They work steadily in a state of sthiti for some time in the concerned persons. After sometime they leave those persons and reach the bodies of persons who are destined to come under their influence. They begin to give results again according to the rotation of the wheel of time. People who are devotees of God and observe spiritual practices like japa and tapa  can get some respite from their rigour to some extent. Sages conduct various kinds of sacrifices for the Universal welfare. They dedicate their spiritual power derived through tapas for the well being of humanity. As a result of this practice, harmful influences arising in the Universe revert back to their origin instead of harassing men. It means that they return to the centre of their origin. This can be termed as tirodhana(disappearance or retreat). Grant of abundant auspicious results even for small amount of good deeds is called

anugraha(grace). My son! I explained to you the concepts of srushti, sthiti, laya, tirodhana and anugraha according to the doctrine of kriya yoga. In future the powers of Sreepada Sreevallabha flow in a large measure in the Muslim Fakir you saw in your meditation. You saw four ‘nanda’ lamps in the underground cellar beneath the neem tree. This is an extraordinary matter. Sreepada Sreevallabha granted you this experience with a great intention in mind. He only knows the inner purpose of it. His divine acts are indeed superb. They have a very deep purpose. Moreover, they may be divine secrets not to be divulged to others. I can only explain to you to the extent He permitted me. The entire creation moves very close to the eye-signs of Sreepada Sreevallabha. He is an authority unto Himself. The glories, yogic powers of the master of this Universe are immeasurable and cannot be comprehended in terms of measurements,limits and quantities.” 

My mind immensely rejoiced at the explanation of Sri Palaniswamy. From the time I started from Udipi Kshetra till I reached Kuruvapuram many wonderful and strange things were taking place. I wanted to write a book about them and obtain the permission of the‘Sreeguru Saarvabhowma’. I wanted to request Sreepada in this regard after getting His darshan. Sri Palaniswamy grasped the feelings in my mind easily and said, “I have understood the ideas of your mind. You wanted to write His history for the benefit of devotees of the future. Sreepada Sreevallabha will surely bless your effort.” Then Sri Palaniswamy asked Madhava to speak about his experiences gained in his meditation. Madhava narrated his experiences.

Installation of Sreepada Srivallabha Paadukas; Installation of Idols of Sreepada Sreevallabha, Sree Dattatreya and Sree Nrusimha Saraswati Swamy; in the birth place of Sreepada Sreevallabha. 

 

Sri Palaniswamy said, “Madhavaa!The house of the maternal grandfather of Sreepada Sreevallabha which you visited is the birth place of Sreepada Sreevallabha. It has attracted all your powers. In the Paataala(lower world) below the

Paadukas, there are hermits doing penance from several hundreds of years. Sreepada Sreevallabha Paadukas will be installed only in the birth place of Sreepada Sreevallabha. After some years from the installation of Their Pious Paadukas there, ‘Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam’ comes to light effortlessly. In the place where you meditated, the Idols of Sreepada Sreevallabha, Sree Dattatreya, and His next incarnation Sri Nrusimha Saraswati will be installed. Afterwards many Divine Sportive Plays take place in that Kshetra.”After that Sri Palaniswamy became silent. He asked the corpse of the youth buried near our cave to be exhumed. He began to chant the Pranava(Oum) after the body was taken out. Vyaaghreswara Sarma came there with loud roar of “Sreepada Raajam Saranam Prapadyae.” Sri Palaniswamy entered into the body of the new youth. Vyaaghreswara Sarma who was in the body of a tiger took the body of Sri Palaniswamy which decayed with age to throw it in a nearby river. 

Palaniswamy who entered the new body ordered, “Leave this place immediately. My boy! Madhavaa! Go to your Vichitrapuram. You saw the pious people of Pithikapuram in your subtle body. That is enough for you for this life. My child! Shankaraa! You go to Tirupati maha kshetra. Madhavaa! May the grace of Sreepada Sreevallabha be showered on you.” 

Then Madhava went towards Vichitrapuram and myself towards Tirupati. Where is the end to the Divine Sportive Plays of Sreepada Sreevallabha! 

Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!