Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam - 5

Chapter – 5

Arrival of Shankar Bhatt at Tirupati –Visits Tirumala Das at Kanipakam

The prevention of harassment of Saturn by the Mercy of Sreepada

 

In my itinerary I reached the sacred Tirupati maha kshetra. I felt some inexplicable peace of mind. I took bath in the pushkarini of Tirumala. I had darshan of Sree Venkateswara and went into meditation in temple premises. In meditation I found Sree Venkateswara as a female. That icon which appeared as Bala Tripura Sundari changed into the form of Parameswara within seconds. After some time it changed as Maha Vishnu. After meditation for some more time that statue appeared like a handsome young Yogi of sixteen years. The looks of the child yati are full of nectar. Affectionate love of a thousand mothers was emanating from His two eyes. In the meanwhile a black ugly one approached the young sage. That ugly person said to the young yati , “Lord Sreepada Sreevallabhaa! You are a master of the Universe. From today the period of 7½ years Saturn period is beginning to your devotee Shankara Bhatt. I will put him to all troubles that are possible in this world. I am standing for the orders of the Lord.” The compassionate Lord said, “Saneeswaraa! You are the cause for destiny. You make the people experience the consequences of their deeds and release them from the bonds of karma. You carry on your duty. As I have a vow to protect aasrita bhaktajana;you see in which way I protect and release Shankar Bhatt from the troubles you inflict on him.” After this conversation of Sreepada and Saneeswara, both disappeared from my meditation. It became difficult to meditate upon the idol of God afterwards. I understood that difficult times were ahead and that Sreepada would rescue me from troubles. I came to Tirupati from Tirumala. In the streets of Tirupati I was wandering as I liked. Mind was wavering. One barber forcibly stopped me and said, “Are you not Subbayya who absconded from house 20 years ago! Your parents became worried. Your wife attained puberty. She came of age. Therefore,you accept her and live happily with children.” The barber thundered in his demanding speech. Then I explained, “Sir! I am a brahmin from Karnataka named Shankar Bhatt. I am a traveller visiting holy places. I am devotee of Datta. Having heard that Lord Datta incarnated as Sreepada Sreevallabha, I am going to Kurugadda. I swear on holy Gayatri. I am a bachelor. I am not at all the barber Subbayya as you all presume.” 

He did not pay heed to my words. Many people gathered there. All of them were abusing me. Each one was abusing me in his own way. They took me to the house of Subbayya. The parents of Subbayya regarded me as their own son and requested me in many ways. They were telling me moral principles that I should not desert them and that it is a heinous crime to abandon a wife who attained maturity. One of them pointed out that Subbayya became nasty with grown beard and moustache and suggested that a clean shave would restore his normal personality. They did not listen to me even though I was remonstrating. Forcibly they shaved my head. My beard and moustache were removed. They also removed the sacred yagnopaveeta(sacred thread worn by dwijas) from my shoulders. They summoned a sorcerer known to them to treat me. That person wore strange costumes. His dreadful looks pierced my heart and caused intense pain. They bound me hand and foot and made wounds on my scalp with a sharp knife. They applied lemon  juice and other juices to those wounds. I was suffering unbearable pain. They decided that a brahmin devil possessed Subbayya after he left home and for that reason Subbayya wore a sacred thread and started chanting mantras. The brahmin community in Tirupati also kept mum. They thought that the traveller in the town was Subbayya and that a brahmin ghost took possession of him. When I was taken to the brahmin elders in the town, I told them that I was from Karnataka; a smartha brahmin belonging to the lineage of Bharadwaja; and that I knew Namaka Chamaka mantras and that I perform sandhyaavandana daily. Those brahmin elders did not believe me. They said that a Kannada brahmin devil caught me and that with correct treatment I should be made a normal person. I fainted from the pain caused by the wounds. My lamentation became a cry in wilderness. When I came back to senses, I understood that an ugly person with black aura resembling me sat opposite to me. He did not speak anything with me but simply merged in me. He became one with me. It occurred to me that due to the influence of Saturn my fate turned topsy-turvy and that 7½ years period would be an extraordinary difficult time for me and that only Sreepada Sreevallabha can save me. Even in that anguish I was mentally chanting the name of Sreepada Sreevallabha. As I was chanting the name of ‘Sree Charan’ my pain was diminishing. The sorcerer sacrificed chicken and goats and was conducting strange and weird rituals. I was given a regulated diet. The sorerer decided that vegetarian food should be served to me as a brahmin devil possessed me. I was worried that meat also might forcibly be fed to me, but on account of the mercy of Sreepada I was given vegetarian food. This brought some consolation to my mind. For three days I underwent a hellish agony. Even in that state I did not stop remembering the name of Sreepada. So the pain abated from the fourth day. Queer experiments were conducted on my body. The witch doctor was dealing whip lashes also on my body. I writhed with pain and cried. “Sreevallabhaa! Saranu! Saranu!” How can hellish troubles torment devotees who serve Lord Datta with undivided devotion? In the meantime a miracle took place. I did not get atleast a little pain even though the blows of whip fell on my body. On the other hand, the witch doctor writhed with pain. He did not understand why he was getting the pain of the blows when he was whipping me. He was looking at me with queer looks. I noticed the divine play of Sreepada and laughed. Even though I was eating sick diet it was very delicious. I was eating meals to my hearts’ content.I was eating the food with the idea that it was the prasaad of Sreepada. Inspite of the fact that the sorcerer was eating chicken and goats liked by him; it was turning into poisonous food. His health was deteriorating. He stopped harassing me and spent his time merely with mantras and rituals. His house was burnt on the fifth day he commenced treatment to me. Even though no fire was ignited in the sorcerer’s house on that day fire broke out suddenly in the presence of all and it was reduced to ashes. On the sixth day the sorcerer came to the house of Subbayya with a pale face. He said that a brahmin ghost who was a witch took hold of Subbayya and that the devil burnt his house with witch craft because he started treatment. Many rituals were to be conducted to win over many evil forces like Bhetala (ghost) and for that purpose a large amount of money was required. I knew that no use was there for the treatment and that the witch-doctor was making all suggestions for the greed of money. It came to my mind that nothing would be more unfortunate, and treacherous than to accept the wife of Subbayya as my own succumbing to the course of cruel fate. I could not understand why fate was playing so mercilessly with me. I felt as if my heart was cut open with a hack saw. I told the parents of Subbayya, “My dear parents! Don’t fall into the magic trap of this sorcerer and sell away all your movable and immovable properties. I am considering you both as my mother and father.” With that I was freed from the sorcerer.

The parents of Subbayya were happy. My eyes also became wet on seeing the happiness shining in their eyes. I prayed mentally to Sreepada humbly to save me from a moral downfall as the wife of another man is to be considered as a mother. So I prayed to Sreepada to save me from the impending danger. On the seventh day when my medical treatment commenced I said to the wife of Subbayya who was attending upon me, “What are you thinking about me? Are you believing that I am Subbayya really?” For that she said, “Marriage took place when I was two years old. Now I am 22 years old. No one except God knows whether you are my husband or not. Any male who enters fresh youth cannot remain steady when he sees his wife. Though you are undergoing all these troubles you did not regard me as your wife. You did not even touch me. This is possible only for those who have sublime culture. I don’t have any opinion about you. I want to lead a virtuous life according to the traditions of the family. If you are my husband don’t leave this humble servant of yours. On the other hand, as my husband fled from the house 20 years back and as my marriage took place when I was quite ignorant, you can accept me as your wife. I walk in your foot steps. Who is Sreepada Sreevallabha about whom you always think? If He is a Sadguru I will also pray to Him to show a ethical solution to this knotty problem.”Her argument appeared proper to me also. Then I said, “Sreepada Sreevallabha actually is Lord Dattatreya. He incarnated in this kali yuga. Now He is in Kuruvapuram. He behaves according to our idea about Him. If we consider Him as Sadguru He grants us experience as a Sadguru . If we consider Him as Paramaatma (Superself / Super soul) He will prove Himself as Paramaatma.Good. You also chant the name of Sreepada Sreevallabha. Your duty surely will be known to you. A solution acceptable to all becomes available.” 

On that day a pariah-jangam (Shaivaite worshipper) came there. There were many books of palm leaves with him. He became a venerable person to all the residents of that locality in a short time. He was telling past, present and future events to all those who met him. He was telling that all those palm leaf books were naadi books (astrological books containing predictions)and it was called ‘ramala science’ and all the predictions from those books would take place exactly as foretold. On their request he came to the house of Subbayya’s parents. He gave some sea shells to me and asked me to cast the shells on the ground. He made some calculations and took a leaf from the palm leaf books and read out as, “The questioner is a Kannada brahmin by name Shankara Bhatt. He will write the life history of Sreepada Sreevallabha. In his previous birth he and another person were born in Mogalicharla village situated near to Kandukuru town. Both of them became very much interested in gambling. There is a famous Self-manifested Datta temple in that village. He was born as a brother of that temple priest. In the absence of his brother he was conducting temple worship and other rituals. He was indulging in gambling with his friend in the temple premises. That is a highly objectionable matter. One day he played the gambling game with his friend under peculiar stipulations. If his friend were to win, this man had to give him the amount of money stipulated. If this person were to win the friend had to hand over his wife to this gentleman. Lord Datta was the witness to this deal. They solemnly swore to that effect and gambled. Lord Datta was observing that this highly reprehensible thing was taking place in His very presence. Shankara Bhatt won in the gamble. The friend refused to hand over his wife to Shankara Bhatt. The dispute was referred to elders. The elders of the caste assembled. They resolved that it was an unpardonable offence that such a misdeed took place in the very sacred presence of Lord Datta. They also resolved that hot boiled oil should be poured on the head of Shankara Bhatt who was enamoured with the wife of another person and who wanted to enjoy her in a crooked way. They further resolved that the genitals of the friend who staked his wife should be slashed to render him impotent and that both of them should be expelled from the village after execution of the decree. The resolution was duly executed. As Shankara Bhatt performed service to Datta for a short while he was born in this birth as a person with some devotion to God. His friend would take birth in a barber’s house in the holy town of Tirupati with the name of Subbayya. With mental instability he becomes mad and runs away after marriage. The wife of Subbayya was innocent. As no offence was committed by her the lunacy of Subbayya decreases on account of the efficacy of her matrimonial fidelity and Subbayya returns to this place on the next day after this ‘ramala science’ is heard. Shankara would get released on that day.” 

“On account of the grace of Sreepada Sreevallabha the 7½ years duration of Saturn due to harass Shankara Bhatt would elapse in 7½ days by making him suffer such above mentioned troubles.Those who swear in the name of God and make false and unrighteous declarations are severely punished by Lord Datta. For the cure of mental instability of Subbayya some portion of the punya of Shankar Bhatt was transferred to the credit of Subbayya by Chitragupta.

People should understand the fact that the

influence of karma works in the most subtle way. Therefore, they should perform good deeds and refrain from doing bad deeds. The horoscope of Sreepada Sreevallabha reaches Pithikapuram through Akshya Kumar, a follower of Jain religion residing in Tripura province. This will happen some centuries after the incarnation of Sreepada was concealed. Before that a book with the title ‘Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitaamrutam’ describing the Divine Sportive Plays of Sreepada comes to light.”

How can I describe the mercy of Sreevallabha? The next day Subbayya came to his house. His lunacy was completely cured. I treated Subbayya’s wife as my sister. I took leave from the parents of Subbayya and reached Kanipaka village in the Chittoor region. Village Kanipakam was at a short distance from Chittoor. The temples of Sri Varadaraja Swamy, Sri Manikantheswara Swamy and Sree Vara Siddhi Vinayak are in that village. I came out after seeing Vara Siddhi Vinayak. A dog of big height was standing there. I was afraid and went back into the temple of Vara Siddhi Vinayak. I meditated on God for some time and came out. That dog was accompanied by another dog of the same size. I feared that I would be surely bitten by those dogs. Again I entered the temple of Vara Siddhi Vinayak. The temple priest found my behaviour queer and asked me, “Sir! You are repeatedly going out and coming into the temple. What is the reason?” I told him about my fear. Then that priest said, “They won’t harm anyone unnecessarily. Those dogs belong to a washerman. That washerman is a devotee of Datta. That washerman declares that Sree Datta has incarnated with the name of Sreepada Sreevallabha. Even though there is no restriction for the entry of washerman into the temple, he did not step into the temple. He sends his dogs. I pack Swamy’s

 prasaadaminto a bundle and hand it over to the dogs. They carry the bundle and go over to their master. You said you saw two dogs. I will give the prasaadam only when all the four dogs come together. Let us see whether the other two

dogs arrived.” When we came out there were four dogs. The four dogs surrounded me from all the four directions. The priest said, “You go to that washerman as per the wish of those dogs. It augurs well for you.” 

I realised that the events in my life were taking place according to the direction of Sreevallabha. I felt that from the incidents at the house of Subbayya, one should not mind too much for the distinctions of caste and religion. A pariah may be born as a brahmin in the next birth and a brahmin may take birth as a pariah in his next birth. I learnt that a living being amasses the virtues and sins earned by him and with that bundled load he wades through the stream of fate through successive births.

The discussion between Shankar Bhatt and Tirumaladas

I went to the residence of the washerman according to the instructions of the priest. That washerman was 70 years old. He came out of his hut and seated me on a cot with cordiality. Much of my pride due to my birth as a brahmin was already destroyed. Whosoever they may be all devotees of Sreepada appeared as my close kith and kin. The washerman called Tirumala Das gave me the prasaadam of Sree Vara Siddhi Vinayak temple. I accepted it as a prasaadam of Sreepada Vallabha. 

 

The advent of Ganapati of Aiynavilli as Sreepada Sreevallabha 

 

Tirumala Das began to speak, “Sir! Today is a good day! I had the good fortune of seeing you. I am eagerly waiting to inform you about the important events of Malyadripuri and Pithikapuri. My boy! Shankar Bhatt! You received the prasaadam of Vara Siddhi Vinayak; You commence writing ‘Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitamrutham’ from today. You will receive the blessing of Sreevallabha in Kuruvapuram. I was a great vedic scholar in my previous life. I was a great miser. At the time of my death I noticed that the calf that was  just born was chewing an old rag.As I concentrated my looks on the dirty linen at the time of my death, I am born as a washerman. A person gets a birth according to his concentrated wishes at the time of his last breath at the final termination of this birth.Due to my punya in the past I was born in Malyadripuram of Palnad region in ‘Gartapuri’ (Guntur) district. This ‘Malyadripuram’ became ‘Malladi’ in the passage of time.In that village there were two families with their surnames as ‘Malladi’. One is the family of Malladi Bapanna Avadhanulu who was a great scholar. He belonged to the lineage of ‘Haritasa’ Sage. The other one was Malladi Sreedhara Avadhanulu who was also a great scholar. He belonged to the lineage of ‘Kowsikasa’ Sage. The sister of Sreedhara Avadhanulu, Rajamamba was given in marriage to Bapannaavadhanulu. Both the brothers-in-law were erudite pandits. Both of them went to ‘Aiynavilli’ village in the region of Godavari for the great sacrifice of golden Ganapati. Some savants argued that according to scriptures Ganapathi should receive the final homam

with his trunk and grant His vision of bright golden hues. The two great scholars who were officiating over the conduct of the major sacrifice swore that they would manage all proceedings strictly according to vedic scriptures and that they would make Sree Maha Ganapathi emerge before their eyes. At the end of the sacrifice Ganapathi granted His vision of golden coloured brilliance and accepted the last homam

with His trunk. He also declared that He would incarnate on a Ganesh Chaturdhi day with complete Potencies and Virtues shortly. All those who attended the yagna were amazed. There were three atheists in that congregation. They raised a controversy that all that seen was only an exhibition of magic and hypnotism and that Ganapathi did not figure at all in that final sacrifice. They argued that if it was genuine, Ganapathi should grant them proof once again. 

 

The greatness of Kanipaka Vinayaka 

 

Then the holy ash in the sacrificial pit took a human form and changed afterwards as‘Maha Ganapathi’. Then that Maha Ganapathi form said, “Fools! Shiva before He killed Tripurasura; Vishnumurti before subduing Bali Chakravarthy; Vishnumurthy at the time of obstructing Ravana from taking away the Aatmalinga of Shiva; Parvati Devi at the time of slaying Mahishasura; Aadiseshu prior to shouldering the weight of the earth;Siddhas for achieving all occult powers; Cupid for conquering the world; and all celestials in a similar way obtained their desires, only after worshipping Me. I am the repository of all powers. I am omnipotent. Divine forces as well as devilish forces are within me. I cause all obstacles. I am also the remover of all obstacles. Whom do you think is Dattatreya? He is verily DharmaSaasta– the son of Hari and Hara. Brahma and Rudra merged in Vishnu is the form of Datta. Ganapathi and Shanmukha merge in DharmaSaasta form also is the form of Datta. Know it that Datta is always a personification of the Trinity.As an indication that Maha Ganapathi is in the form of Sreepada Sreevallabha, His incarnation took place on Ganesha Chaturdhi.Be it known that the traits of Subhramanya solely make Him a gyana avatar (as incarnation of wisdom). Note that His aspect of DharmaSaasta shows that He is the beginning and origin of all righteous activities and rituals. His ensuing incarnation is not the result of coition between parents. Illuminating light takes a human form. I am cursing you. In spite of seeing with eyes personification of truth one of you uttered falsehood. He would be born blind. The other one ridiculed personification of truth instead of praising it with speech. He would be born dumb. The third one would take birth as a deaf one because he paid a deaf ear to the truth told by so many truthful devotees. The three of you would take birth as brothers and after seeing My Self-manifested figure you will be redeemed of your sins.” 

“My son! Those three persons were born as brothers in Kanipakam. If the trinity is abused, or Datta the personification of the trinity is abused countless calamities occur.These brothers took land measuring one, ‘Kaani’ (a measure of land about an acre) and were cultivating it. In that field there was a ground well. They were drawing water from it with the help of a country made lift. There was severe drought in one year. The ground water level depleted. On one day when all the water dried up the brothers attempted to remove sand with a shovel. The shovel hit a rock under the water and blood oozed out. When his hand touched the blood the dumb one gained speech. Water was rising in the well. The deaf one was cured of his disability on touching water. The third one who was blind gained sight when he touched the rock in the water. That rock is Self-manifested Vinayak statue. As the shovel hit the rocky icon on the head, blood started streaming out from there. To install that Vara Siddhi Vinayak, Satyarushi Bapannaavadhanulu and his brother-in-law Sreedharaavadhanulu visited that village. Vara Siddhi Vinayak said to them, “I came from Maha Bhoomi to this world. I am incarnated in the earthen nature. This nature undergoes many changes in course of time. My advent already took place in watery, fiery, airy and heavenly natures. The holy ash in the great sacrifice conducted in Aiynavilli took this form. I am instructing you about the future duties. In SreeShaila the degrees of potency are on the wane. You have to harness the brilliant power of the sun and deposit that power there. On the very day you perform shaktipaata in SreeShaila, by My grace shaktipaata takes place in Gokarna, Kashi, Badari and Kedar at the same time. The time is getting ripe for the incarnation of Sreepada Sreevallabha. Sreedharaa! I am changing your surname as Sreepada. Your family members belonging to the lineage of ‘Kowsikasa’ shall henceforth thrive with the surname of Sreepada.”  Tirumala Das who was a washerman said to Shankar Bhatt, “My child! Shankaraa!

Sreedharaavadhanulu and Bapannaavadhanulu migrated to Pithikapuram. I witnessed many childhood plays of Sreepada Sreevallabha. I will narrate them with more details tomorrow. I had a boy from my first wife. His name is Ravidas. He resides in Kuruvapuram village and is rendering appropriate services to Sreepada. I am staying with my second wife and children in Kanipakam in obedience to the orders of Sreepada. Here I am living by following my family profession. You will meet many great people in Pithikapuram. You will learn many important things on meeting the noble vysya (merchant) Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti. Sreepada used to call him with a change in name as Venkayyappa Sreshti. The protecting hand of Sreepada is available for the family of Sreshti garu. Meet Vaatschavai Narasimha Varma garu also. He has close affinity with Sreepada Swamy.

The book to be written by you on the life of Sreepada Sreevallabha will be blessed by Sree Charana. Except your written book no other can portray the comprehensive history of Sreepada Sreevallabha. This is the order of Sree Charana.

 

Victory Victory unto Sri Sreepada Sreevallabha!