Post by jksivan on Nov 3, 2013 9:31:09 GMT 5.5
Dear Children,
32 STOMACH ACHE
Why do we tell so many stories to children? Because stories have the power to attract and are best retained in the mind at one's young age. Any story I was told when I was young is still fresh in memory. So it is very useful and benefits, to bring home any good information to be remembered in the form of a story. It gets then embedded in the mind. As we grow the thought flow develops and whatever good we have been taught is always readily available for recollection.
There are so many stories about Vijayadasar. I have been telling you stories in which Vittalan is the centre piece. Everything revolves around him. His relationship with devotees is based on pure love and affection He bears for them in return for theirs to Him.
In the village, where Vijayadasa lived, there was a sanskrit pandit by the name Srinivasa Rao. He used to give religious discourses. He was learned in sanskrit and proficient in Vedhas and Upanishads and scriptures. His discourses did not impress the people who listened to him because he was all the time trying to impress upon them his knowledge and superiority over others. Only his close friends obliged him by attending his discourses. Rao observed a good number of the residents of the village and many from other places thronging to the ashram of Vijayadasa to listen to his discourses. Naturally he was very jealous and angry at Vijayadasa. He asked himself "People are willingly going to Vijayadasa's bhajans but why they are not interested in attending my discourses? ".
Srinivasa Rao did not keep quiet. He went about telling whoever he met, '' Vijayadasa does not know anything. He is not edcated or trained like me in sastras, vedhas and spiritual subjects. He does not know the divine language Sanskrit. No manthras are spiritual knowledge is within his knowledge. He is just singing and dancing to attract people using his insignificant knowledge of his local mother tongue misguiding people and gives false impression that he knows everything. He is an opportunist.''
''Can Vijayadasa becme a scholar like me?".
Rao never stopped talking like this and the news spread every where. Vijayadasa came to know of this and felt very much pained at heart. He lamented "Hey Vittala! I do not know sanskrit to sing songs and surrender myself to you. If you find any fault in my Kannada, please forgive me (Kannada was his mother tongue). I know that I know nothing but my love for you is unblemished and pure''
Days passed by. Suddenly Rao developed a severe stomach ache. Initially he tried to cure it himself. It persisted. He went to local physicians and medicine men. They tried various medicines and herbs on him but there was no improvement. Rao continued to suffer from the severe stomach pain. He approached spiritual persons to cure him. He only wasted time and money. He could not get over the pain even after consulting some astrologers. He became sleepless and was not able to even continue his own poorly attended discourses.
When he met an old spiritual person, he was told to proceed to Tirupati and pray to Lord Venkateswar (Balaji) so that he may be cured. Rao went to Tirupati and stayed there for one mandala (48 days). Every day he used to take bath in the Pushkarani (holy tank) near the temple, and pray to Balaji. There was no remedy yet to cure him from the severe stomach ache. He sincerely prayed to Balaji.
One day, Balaji appeared in his dream. He said " Why are you looking at wrong places to cure your stomach ache? It was available to you where you were''
''My Lord I dont follow what you said. Please take pity on me and guide me where I have to go and what I should do'' Rao begged Balaji.
''You could not recover from stomach ache because you spoke ill of my devotee Vijayadasa. The only medicine for you is his Padha theertham". (the water used in washing the feet)
Rao felt like thunderstruck by Balaji's words. He realised what a big sin he had committed. Being an educated and spiritual person himself he recognised his folly. He rushed out of Tirupati hills, back to his village, immediately and ran to meet Vijayadasa. His stomach ache continued.
When Rao reached the ashram of Vijayadasa, in his village in Karnakatak, the latter was performing his Namasankeerthan to Vittal. Rao waited until the worship was over. Vijayadasa came out of the prayer hall and distributed the usual prasad to all who gathered there. There were many devotees and Vittal bakthas who enjoyed his nama sankeerththan. In front of every one Rao shouted ''Guru Maharaj forgive me'' and then he prostrated before Vijayadasa. He caught hold of Vijayadasa's feet and cried "I have committed a big sin by insulting you due to my ego. I am suffering because of that. Please forgive me and take me as your disciple.".
Vijayadasa raised him up and said politely with affection, ''Panditji, you should not do this. You are a very elderly person, and a learned scholar. You have an ocean of knowledge in Shastras. You should not talk like this"
Rao told him about his illness and the dream he had in Tirupathi in which Lord Balaji appeared. Vijayadasa flatly refused to permit the learned pandit to wash his feet and drink the water. But Rao insisted and swore upon lord Balaji.
Finally, Vijayadasa uttered in agony ''Hey Vittal, what is this, your leela, making this learned pandit to fall at my feet and drink the padhodhakam (feet washed water) and agreed to permit the scholar to do padha abishekam. While Rao was performing the padha abishekam and collecting the washed water Vijayadasa remained still closing his eyes and praying to Vittal to forgive him for this sin.
When Rao drank a spoonfull of the washed water, his stomach ache was gone for ever.
He left his home and family and everything and remained a disciple of Vijayadasar from then on and accompanied him wherever he went. He bcame very pious and good and time went on like this for many years.
One day the old Srinivasa Rao told Vijayadsa ''Guruji, I wish to have Vittal dharshan''
''You may proceed now to Pandarpur and receive Vittalan blessings".
Accordingly Rao went to Pandarpur.
He remained there for long. One day, while he was bathing in the Chandrabhaga river something hit him in the head. He looked for what it was. He found it to be a beautiful Vittal statue submerged in the river. He took it and ran back to Vijayadasa.
Vijayadasa was very much pleased to see the beautiful Vittal statue. ''Panditji, did you see Vittal's kindness and grace on you. He is known as Jagannath Vittal. Because He had chosen you to take Him with you, by Vittal's grace, from this day you will be known as Jagannath Dasa'' and you will continue your mission to sing and discourse on Him wherever you go and make His devotee feel Him and be hapopy. Jaganath Dasa fell at his Guru's feet with tears of gratitude and regard.
Both Vijayadasa and Jagannath Dasa performed many many nama sankeerthans on Vittal and they both wrote numerous slokams and songs on Vittal. During Vittal Bhajans, we can hear some one singing these even today soulfully. Dear children, develop the habit of daily singing one song at least and enjoy yourself and make others too happy. They are divine gift to us, and eternal like Vittal's grace to all His devotees.
32 STOMACH ACHE
Why do we tell so many stories to children? Because stories have the power to attract and are best retained in the mind at one's young age. Any story I was told when I was young is still fresh in memory. So it is very useful and benefits, to bring home any good information to be remembered in the form of a story. It gets then embedded in the mind. As we grow the thought flow develops and whatever good we have been taught is always readily available for recollection.
There are so many stories about Vijayadasar. I have been telling you stories in which Vittalan is the centre piece. Everything revolves around him. His relationship with devotees is based on pure love and affection He bears for them in return for theirs to Him.
In the village, where Vijayadasa lived, there was a sanskrit pandit by the name Srinivasa Rao. He used to give religious discourses. He was learned in sanskrit and proficient in Vedhas and Upanishads and scriptures. His discourses did not impress the people who listened to him because he was all the time trying to impress upon them his knowledge and superiority over others. Only his close friends obliged him by attending his discourses. Rao observed a good number of the residents of the village and many from other places thronging to the ashram of Vijayadasa to listen to his discourses. Naturally he was very jealous and angry at Vijayadasa. He asked himself "People are willingly going to Vijayadasa's bhajans but why they are not interested in attending my discourses? ".
Srinivasa Rao did not keep quiet. He went about telling whoever he met, '' Vijayadasa does not know anything. He is not edcated or trained like me in sastras, vedhas and spiritual subjects. He does not know the divine language Sanskrit. No manthras are spiritual knowledge is within his knowledge. He is just singing and dancing to attract people using his insignificant knowledge of his local mother tongue misguiding people and gives false impression that he knows everything. He is an opportunist.''
''Can Vijayadasa becme a scholar like me?".
Rao never stopped talking like this and the news spread every where. Vijayadasa came to know of this and felt very much pained at heart. He lamented "Hey Vittala! I do not know sanskrit to sing songs and surrender myself to you. If you find any fault in my Kannada, please forgive me (Kannada was his mother tongue). I know that I know nothing but my love for you is unblemished and pure''
Days passed by. Suddenly Rao developed a severe stomach ache. Initially he tried to cure it himself. It persisted. He went to local physicians and medicine men. They tried various medicines and herbs on him but there was no improvement. Rao continued to suffer from the severe stomach pain. He approached spiritual persons to cure him. He only wasted time and money. He could not get over the pain even after consulting some astrologers. He became sleepless and was not able to even continue his own poorly attended discourses.
When he met an old spiritual person, he was told to proceed to Tirupati and pray to Lord Venkateswar (Balaji) so that he may be cured. Rao went to Tirupati and stayed there for one mandala (48 days). Every day he used to take bath in the Pushkarani (holy tank) near the temple, and pray to Balaji. There was no remedy yet to cure him from the severe stomach ache. He sincerely prayed to Balaji.
One day, Balaji appeared in his dream. He said " Why are you looking at wrong places to cure your stomach ache? It was available to you where you were''
''My Lord I dont follow what you said. Please take pity on me and guide me where I have to go and what I should do'' Rao begged Balaji.
''You could not recover from stomach ache because you spoke ill of my devotee Vijayadasa. The only medicine for you is his Padha theertham". (the water used in washing the feet)
Rao felt like thunderstruck by Balaji's words. He realised what a big sin he had committed. Being an educated and spiritual person himself he recognised his folly. He rushed out of Tirupati hills, back to his village, immediately and ran to meet Vijayadasa. His stomach ache continued.
When Rao reached the ashram of Vijayadasa, in his village in Karnakatak, the latter was performing his Namasankeerthan to Vittal. Rao waited until the worship was over. Vijayadasa came out of the prayer hall and distributed the usual prasad to all who gathered there. There were many devotees and Vittal bakthas who enjoyed his nama sankeerththan. In front of every one Rao shouted ''Guru Maharaj forgive me'' and then he prostrated before Vijayadasa. He caught hold of Vijayadasa's feet and cried "I have committed a big sin by insulting you due to my ego. I am suffering because of that. Please forgive me and take me as your disciple.".
Vijayadasa raised him up and said politely with affection, ''Panditji, you should not do this. You are a very elderly person, and a learned scholar. You have an ocean of knowledge in Shastras. You should not talk like this"
Rao told him about his illness and the dream he had in Tirupathi in which Lord Balaji appeared. Vijayadasa flatly refused to permit the learned pandit to wash his feet and drink the water. But Rao insisted and swore upon lord Balaji.
Finally, Vijayadasa uttered in agony ''Hey Vittal, what is this, your leela, making this learned pandit to fall at my feet and drink the padhodhakam (feet washed water) and agreed to permit the scholar to do padha abishekam. While Rao was performing the padha abishekam and collecting the washed water Vijayadasa remained still closing his eyes and praying to Vittal to forgive him for this sin.
When Rao drank a spoonfull of the washed water, his stomach ache was gone for ever.
He left his home and family and everything and remained a disciple of Vijayadasar from then on and accompanied him wherever he went. He bcame very pious and good and time went on like this for many years.
One day the old Srinivasa Rao told Vijayadsa ''Guruji, I wish to have Vittal dharshan''
''You may proceed now to Pandarpur and receive Vittalan blessings".
Accordingly Rao went to Pandarpur.
He remained there for long. One day, while he was bathing in the Chandrabhaga river something hit him in the head. He looked for what it was. He found it to be a beautiful Vittal statue submerged in the river. He took it and ran back to Vijayadasa.
Vijayadasa was very much pleased to see the beautiful Vittal statue. ''Panditji, did you see Vittal's kindness and grace on you. He is known as Jagannath Vittal. Because He had chosen you to take Him with you, by Vittal's grace, from this day you will be known as Jagannath Dasa'' and you will continue your mission to sing and discourse on Him wherever you go and make His devotee feel Him and be hapopy. Jaganath Dasa fell at his Guru's feet with tears of gratitude and regard.
Both Vijayadasa and Jagannath Dasa performed many many nama sankeerthans on Vittal and they both wrote numerous slokams and songs on Vittal. During Vittal Bhajans, we can hear some one singing these even today soulfully. Dear children, develop the habit of daily singing one song at least and enjoy yourself and make others too happy. They are divine gift to us, and eternal like Vittal's grace to all His devotees.