Post by Amritha Varshini on Aug 3, 2013 10:20:45 GMT 5.5
VITOBA, THE NECTAR
3. RARE DARSHAN OF VITTALAN
Dear Children
Have you ever seen a gopuram made of gold? Have you seen a temple surrounded by beautiful gardens? Have you heard about the Devas and Gandharvas doing the puja? Yes. It all happened in Pandaripuram Pandurangan Temple and Vittalan made all of these possible just to save the honour of his favorite devotee. Shall we see the story in detail now?
In pandaripuram, lived a brahmin who was so devoted to Vittalan. He had a very big family. Once he decided to go on a long pilgrimage to earn money for his family. He managed to earn some money and finally went to a town called Vidya Nagar. This town was ruled over by a good and generous king named Rama Raja. Having heard about the king's good deeds, the brahmin decided to see him for alms. So he went to the palace. At the gate, the security asked "who are you?". The brahmin replied "I am coming from Pandaripuram and I am a Vittal devotee. Please go and inform this to the king". Accordingly he informed the king and the king welcomed the brahmin happily. After a while, the king said "Everyday I go to the nearby Ambigai temple to do the prayers and after HER darshan only I take my food. Would you like to come with me today?". The brahmin gladly accepted and went with the king.
On the way, they saw a very big beautiful garden. The king boasted " Look here! I have planted nice trees and plants which would give beautiful flowers and fruits for prayers. It is very difficult to find such garden isn't it". The brahmin said "yes".
The king invited the brahmin's attention to the temple. "Look. You can see the temple now". The brahmin saw the temple and was stunned. The walls were made of silver and the temple was a very huge one. Inside the brahmins were chanting the vedas and the priests had kept everything ready for the prayers. The tall Ambal looked very beautiful with lot of jewels and silk garments. The king sat for the prayers. After the prayers, everyone was given the prasadam.
After taking the prasadam, the king asked the brahmin "Have you ever seen such a huge temple, Ambal and elaborate prayers anywhere? Do you have such elaborate prayers for Vittal in the Pandaripuram temple? I know in Pandaripuram a few brahmins do the naama sankeerthanam and with that earnings they are doing the prayers to Vittal. How can you expect such rich prayers there?"
That was it. Being a sincere devotee of Vittal, the brahmin got very angry and felt the king had insulted Vittalan. He asked the king "Maharaja! Have you ever been to Pandaripuram to pray to Vittal?". The king replied "No. Not yet". The brahmin said "Oh! You have not been to Pandaripuram. That is why you are saying like this. Pandaripuram temple wall is made of Gold and not silver. You built this temple. But Pandaripuram temple was built by the Deva Sculptor Viswakarma. Do you know something? The Ambigai whom you pray to everyday, comes to Vittal's sanctum to clean up the place. Moreover, here the greedy brahmins are chanting the vedas. Pandaripuram is a very sacred place where all the devas and Ghandharvas come to perform the prayers. Have you heard of Chandrabagha river? A person who takes bath in that river will be rid of all sins committed in many births. You showed a garden here. On the way to Vittalan's temple, there are many Kalpatharus which fulfill everyone's wish. Each cow is a Kamadenu. The saligramams available in the Chandrabagha river are capable of fulfilling everybody's wish. You are talking like a frog in the well which has not seen outside world".
The brahmin went on and on like a mad man. Upon hearing these words the king got very angry and decided to punish the brahmin. He asked the brahmin "whatever you said are they all true?" The brahmin replied "Maharaj! I explained only a little". The king called his minister and asked him to get ready for a trip to Pandaripuram. The king followed a group of people and the brahmin proceeded to Pandraripuram.
In the meantime, the brahmin was so scared. He said to himself "what have I done? Because of so much love and affection to Vittal, I exaggerated. I do not know what the king would do to me when he finds out the truth. However, Vittala! I am not worried. How can I keep quiet when he talks ill of you? I am willing to lose my life rather than hearing such lowly words about you." He kept on praying to Vittal throughout the journey.
Finally the king and his retinue reached Pandaripuram. As the king was seated on an elephant, he could see the temple gopuram from a distance. He was stunned and exclaimed "Oh! what a beautiful temple this is? This looks exactly like what the brahmin described. The temple is surrounded by lot of flowering plants and trees with fruits. Vaishnavas are taking bath in the Chandrabagha river which looks like a silver stream." The king was also surprised to see the Devas, Gandharvas and Rishis taking bath in the river. He got down from the elephant and rushed to the brahmin. The king said "Swami! Whatever you said are true. Because of you, today I had the rare darshan of Vittal."
Before going to the temple, the King went to the Chandrabagha river and had a bath with the brahmin. Then both of them went into the temple. The king was wonder-struck seeing the beautiful smiling Vittal with all the jewels and decorations. He was also surprised to see his favourite God Ambigai serving Vittal. He said to himself "I am really lucky to witness all this. Here Naradhar is also playing his Thambur". The King could not control his happiness. Being a devout person, he prostrated to Vittal.
The brahmin was so touched by Vittal's kind gesture and lamented "Vittala! Your kindness cannot be expressed in words. Just to make my words true, you made everything possible. I am really lucky"
The King came to the brahmin and prostrated and said "from now on you are my Guru. You opened my eyes. I managed to see the wonders which I have never seen before. Where else can we see a Devalokam like Pandaripuram?".
Finally the king decided to go back to his kingdom. Before leaving, he made a request to Vittal. What could it be? Well. We have to wait till the next story unfolds.
Dear Children, There is no wonder great saints like Namdev, Thukkaraam, and Gnaneswar were attracted by Vittal of Pandaripuram and the added attraction was the fine river Chandrabhaga to cleanse the body and mind. Visit once with your parents.
3. RARE DARSHAN OF VITTALAN
Dear Children
Have you ever seen a gopuram made of gold? Have you seen a temple surrounded by beautiful gardens? Have you heard about the Devas and Gandharvas doing the puja? Yes. It all happened in Pandaripuram Pandurangan Temple and Vittalan made all of these possible just to save the honour of his favorite devotee. Shall we see the story in detail now?
In pandaripuram, lived a brahmin who was so devoted to Vittalan. He had a very big family. Once he decided to go on a long pilgrimage to earn money for his family. He managed to earn some money and finally went to a town called Vidya Nagar. This town was ruled over by a good and generous king named Rama Raja. Having heard about the king's good deeds, the brahmin decided to see him for alms. So he went to the palace. At the gate, the security asked "who are you?". The brahmin replied "I am coming from Pandaripuram and I am a Vittal devotee. Please go and inform this to the king". Accordingly he informed the king and the king welcomed the brahmin happily. After a while, the king said "Everyday I go to the nearby Ambigai temple to do the prayers and after HER darshan only I take my food. Would you like to come with me today?". The brahmin gladly accepted and went with the king.
On the way, they saw a very big beautiful garden. The king boasted " Look here! I have planted nice trees and plants which would give beautiful flowers and fruits for prayers. It is very difficult to find such garden isn't it". The brahmin said "yes".
The king invited the brahmin's attention to the temple. "Look. You can see the temple now". The brahmin saw the temple and was stunned. The walls were made of silver and the temple was a very huge one. Inside the brahmins were chanting the vedas and the priests had kept everything ready for the prayers. The tall Ambal looked very beautiful with lot of jewels and silk garments. The king sat for the prayers. After the prayers, everyone was given the prasadam.
After taking the prasadam, the king asked the brahmin "Have you ever seen such a huge temple, Ambal and elaborate prayers anywhere? Do you have such elaborate prayers for Vittal in the Pandaripuram temple? I know in Pandaripuram a few brahmins do the naama sankeerthanam and with that earnings they are doing the prayers to Vittal. How can you expect such rich prayers there?"
That was it. Being a sincere devotee of Vittal, the brahmin got very angry and felt the king had insulted Vittalan. He asked the king "Maharaja! Have you ever been to Pandaripuram to pray to Vittal?". The king replied "No. Not yet". The brahmin said "Oh! You have not been to Pandaripuram. That is why you are saying like this. Pandaripuram temple wall is made of Gold and not silver. You built this temple. But Pandaripuram temple was built by the Deva Sculptor Viswakarma. Do you know something? The Ambigai whom you pray to everyday, comes to Vittal's sanctum to clean up the place. Moreover, here the greedy brahmins are chanting the vedas. Pandaripuram is a very sacred place where all the devas and Ghandharvas come to perform the prayers. Have you heard of Chandrabagha river? A person who takes bath in that river will be rid of all sins committed in many births. You showed a garden here. On the way to Vittalan's temple, there are many Kalpatharus which fulfill everyone's wish. Each cow is a Kamadenu. The saligramams available in the Chandrabagha river are capable of fulfilling everybody's wish. You are talking like a frog in the well which has not seen outside world".
The brahmin went on and on like a mad man. Upon hearing these words the king got very angry and decided to punish the brahmin. He asked the brahmin "whatever you said are they all true?" The brahmin replied "Maharaj! I explained only a little". The king called his minister and asked him to get ready for a trip to Pandaripuram. The king followed a group of people and the brahmin proceeded to Pandraripuram.
In the meantime, the brahmin was so scared. He said to himself "what have I done? Because of so much love and affection to Vittal, I exaggerated. I do not know what the king would do to me when he finds out the truth. However, Vittala! I am not worried. How can I keep quiet when he talks ill of you? I am willing to lose my life rather than hearing such lowly words about you." He kept on praying to Vittal throughout the journey.
Finally the king and his retinue reached Pandaripuram. As the king was seated on an elephant, he could see the temple gopuram from a distance. He was stunned and exclaimed "Oh! what a beautiful temple this is? This looks exactly like what the brahmin described. The temple is surrounded by lot of flowering plants and trees with fruits. Vaishnavas are taking bath in the Chandrabagha river which looks like a silver stream." The king was also surprised to see the Devas, Gandharvas and Rishis taking bath in the river. He got down from the elephant and rushed to the brahmin. The king said "Swami! Whatever you said are true. Because of you, today I had the rare darshan of Vittal."
Before going to the temple, the King went to the Chandrabagha river and had a bath with the brahmin. Then both of them went into the temple. The king was wonder-struck seeing the beautiful smiling Vittal with all the jewels and decorations. He was also surprised to see his favourite God Ambigai serving Vittal. He said to himself "I am really lucky to witness all this. Here Naradhar is also playing his Thambur". The King could not control his happiness. Being a devout person, he prostrated to Vittal.
The brahmin was so touched by Vittal's kind gesture and lamented "Vittala! Your kindness cannot be expressed in words. Just to make my words true, you made everything possible. I am really lucky"
The King came to the brahmin and prostrated and said "from now on you are my Guru. You opened my eyes. I managed to see the wonders which I have never seen before. Where else can we see a Devalokam like Pandaripuram?".
Finally the king decided to go back to his kingdom. Before leaving, he made a request to Vittal. What could it be? Well. We have to wait till the next story unfolds.
Dear Children, There is no wonder great saints like Namdev, Thukkaraam, and Gnaneswar were attracted by Vittal of Pandaripuram and the added attraction was the fine river Chandrabhaga to cleanse the body and mind. Visit once with your parents.