Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 46

Chapter – 46 

Visiting the house of Sri Dhana Gupta 

Appearance of mantraakshatas on the Sree Paadukas–Paadukas given to Sri Bhaskar Pandit. 

We were about to take permission from Bhaskar Pandit and leave the place. Bhaskar Pandit went into meditation for some time. We already handed over the Paadukas of Sri Sreepada to Bhaskar Pandit.Mantraakshatas began to appear on those Paadukas. We wondered at that miracle. Sri Bhaskara Pandit said, “Dear Sirs!The divine diversions of Sri Sreepada are inexplicable. The birth star of Mother Padmavati is Mrugasira. The birth star of Sri Venkateswara is Sravanam. Uttara Phalguni star is a friendly star to ‘Sreemaata’, and it is a very friendly star to Sri Venkateswara Swamy. Therefore, their divine kalyanam was fixed during the Uttara Phalguni star. My dear ones! Today is also Uttara Phalguni star. By the appearance of mantraakshatas on the Paadukas of Sreepada Sreevallabha on this day of that divine star Uttara Phalguni, Sreepada made it known that He is verily the form of Padmavati-Venkateswara. So keep these divine mantraakshatas with you. May you get auspiciousness! May the grace of Sree Charan always be on you.” Various holy places visited by Shankar Bhatt and Dharma Gupta in their peregrinations What a great fortune! It was felt as if He was observing every movement, every thought and every action of ours. We travelled for some distance on bullock carts. That bullock cart belonged to a marriage party. Then we travelled in a horse carriage of some prominent vysyas. They were going to Kondaveedu. Dhana Gupta, a prominent vysya was telling “Dear ones! Today is a great auspicious day for us. You gave mantraakshatas of Sri Sreepada to the marriage party travelling in a bullock cart. After that you gave them to us. Once I went to Pithikapuram for the purpose of business. I had the darshan of Sri Sreepada in the house of Sri Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti. Then Sri Sreepada said to me with love, “I will give you mantraakshatas with My blessings in connection with the marriage of your son. You give 11 varahaas as dakshina to the poor brahmin through whom those mantraakshatas will be handed to you. A prominent vysya also comes along with him. You promise to give your daughter in marriage to his son. You give hundred varahaas and celebrate the confirmation of marriage in Kondaveedu by exchanging betel in a betrothal ceremony.” Neither I nor Dharma Gupta had any money with us. We reached Kondaveedu. In Kondaveedu the marriage of the son of Sri Dhana Gupta was celebrated on a grand scale. Dharma Gupta is a distant relation to the family of the bride. The family of Dharma Gupta was invited to the marriage. Nobody in his family knew about the whereabouts or the time of return of Dharma Gupta The family members of Dharma Gupta arrived into the house of the parents of the daughter-in-law of Dhana Gupta. Dharma Gupta’s son also came for the marriage. Betrothal ceremony for the marriage between Dharma Gupta’s son and Dhana Gupta’s daughter took place in Kondaveedu. I who remained moneyless so far received 11 varahaas. Sri Dharma Gupta who was penniless up to that time got 100 varahaas. Oh! What a strange series of incidents! There Dharma Gupta got acquaintance with important traders connected with diamonds’ business. They wanted to stay in Kondaveedu for sometime to confirm the sale and purchase transactions relating to it. It was common knowledge that Lord Datta wanders in disguise in Kondaveedu region. It appears that Lambika yogis, Shiva yogis and alchemists also live there. It was decided to send me to Vijayawatika (Vijayawada) in a horse carriage. I reached Vijayawatika. I was provided accommodation in the house of Dhana Gupta’s relations. In that great kshetra Krishna river flows. There is Sri Kanaka Durga Malleswara Swamy Temple. I bathed in Krishna and visited the temple. I came across an old ascetic in the Temple of Sree Mother. He was very much eager to go to Pithikapuram and visit Sri Sreepada. Both of us started from Vijayawada and arrived at Rajamahendravaram after some days of journey. We visited Markandeswara and Koti Lingeswara. Our journey was going on very comfortably. I told the old sanyasi with me, “We will reach Pithikapuram in a few days. We will visit the house where Sri Sreepada incarnated. We will meet Sri Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti, and Sri Narasimha Varma. We will receive blessings of Sri Baapanaarya. We meet mother Sumati Maharani and father Appalaraja Sarma. An excellent prosperous time is approaching us. This is an auspicious time when successive auspicious events happen. After that we will go from Pithikapuram to Kurungadda and have darshan of Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha.” Sanyasi was in a rapturous mood. We were visiting temples located on the way. We reached Pithikapuram in a few days. Boarding and lodging facilities were arranged in the house of Sri Baapanaarya. We heard about so many childhood leelas of Sri Sreepada. We knew that we were understanding the nature of Sri Sreepada little by little. How many leelas of Sri Sreepada can I describe? It is not possible even for thousand tongued Adi Sesha to describe all leelas. I was including in the book only few leelas as small examples illustrating the magnitude of His leelas. The journey of dependant relatives of Sri Sreepada to Kurungadda Sri Narasimha Varma, his wife Ammajamma wanted to go to Kurungadda and see Sri Sreepada. He submitted the same matter to Sri Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti. He also agreed. The matter was broached with Sri Baapanaarya. He also had a desire to see once his grand son physically. Sumati Maharani pointedly questioned the people about the welfare of her child. Even though appeared deeply profound Sri Appalaraja Sarma inwardly desired to see his child once.Journey to Kurungadda was decided upon. Total 18 horse carriages were commissioned. All of us travelled together to Kurungadda. All of us felt that the journey might take many days but as the journey was confirmed we might see Sri Sreepada on any day. Sumati Maharani was shedding tears with anxiety as to when she could see her tiny tot. All people were consoling her with courageous words of confidence. Sri Sreepada giving darshan again to His parents and Grandfathers An omnipresent one, a director of the drama of delusion Great Lord Sreepada Sreevallabha was observing all the activity going on there. Suddenly all the people travelling in 18 horse carriages fell into stupor. The people driving the carriages were also swaying with intoxication. Horses appeared to be running in the sky instead of on the ground. We started from Pithikapuram at the time of sun-rise. It was getting midday. Those driving the carriages told that we missed the correct route and that we were in an unknown area. I also got down from the carriage and examined around to know which area it was. Then we questioned the travellers there about the name of the village. They informed us that it was Panchadeva Pahaad. They added, “Today is Thursday. So we came to the durbar of Sri Sreepada. He was inquiring about the welfare of all those who approached Him and remedying their worries and diseases. All the visitors are served with plenty of food.” I was amazed whether it was a dream? Or a reality? It could not be understood however much we might have thought, how it was possible to reach Panchadeva Pahaad in such a short time.It was established that it was a reality and not a dream. Sri Sreepada’s mother Sumati Maharani embraced Him and wept. Sri Sreepada said, “Mother! You are the great fortunate one who gave birth to a child who is the supreme phenomenon who is attributeless and formless. You are a pativrata siromani (crest jewel among devoted wives)equal to Mother Anasuya. Will crops grow in that land where you shed tears?” Questioning like that He wiped the tears of His mother with His divine hands. Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!