By:- Shri S. N. Huddar
Chaturmas-21-Shak 1832 (1910 A. D.)
Havnur
On Ashadh Purnima Swamiji observed Vyas Puja ceremoni¬ously. This created regard for him in the minds of the people and they began to invite him for alms. He did not go to Vaishnavas for alms.
Shri Vamanrao Gulavani wished to see Swami Maharaj after leaving Bombay and completing 7 Gurucharitra Parayan at Ganagapur. He started on foot in search of Swamiji and after 2 months reached Havnur. He was very much delighted to see Swami Maharaj, who warned him not to inform anyone about his chaturmas at Havnur.
Vamanrao Gulavani served Swami Maharaj devotedly. He studied Yoga and some Sanskrit scripts under Swamiji's guidance. As anniversary day of his father approached, Swamiji asked him to go home. He felt very sorry to leave Swamiji. While departing he asked, "When shall I see thy holy self again?" Swamiji said, "keep this figure of mine in your heart. "Swami Maharaj's name and fame had spread far away, even in Karnatak.
Dumb Boy says a shloka
Gopal Rajadhyaksh of Brahmavarta came here and observed Bhajan week and on the last day he collected cereals for feeding. With the co-operation of the citizens, cooking was done and about 500 persons were fed. When rows of persons sat for .dinner Swamiji asked every one to say a Shloka. One,dumb,,boy 'was also dining. Swamiji asked him also to say a sholka the wonder of all, he too said a shloka.
Sheshgiri, a Vaishnava Brahmin came to Swamiji with his sister who after marriage had sciatic trouble in leg due to which she could not walk and could not even see with her eyes for the last 3 to 4 years Swamiji sprinkled water from his bowl on her body and asked her to apply it to her leg and eyes After doing that the spirit in her shouted, " I am going, I am going". Swamiji assured the spirit of his salvation. The woman could then walk with her leg .and see with her eyes very WelI. ; 0
Havnur is 22 miles from Haveri Railway, station,,'The Station Master there was a Maharashtra Brahmin. He guided the persons who came to Swami Maharaj. But he could not get leave to come to Swamiji to pay his respects.
However before Swamiji's departure he came,to see,Swami Maharaj who said to him, "If you were given leave who would have looked after the visitors coming here? You have done good service to God." Swamiji gave him a silk cloth, Rs 10 and a cocoanut as prasad.
After chaturmas on Bhadrapad Purnima, Swamiji did Simolianghan, read llth chapter of Geeta and gave prasad to all present. Next day he started from there. This year Guru (Jupitor) was in Tul (LIBRA), therefore Ganga had merged in Tungabhadra}. Swamiji bathed in the river and arranged to give "halad", "Kumkum" and "Khan" to married women, ( whose husband^ were living) cloth to Shastris and sweets to the children.
Shringeri
Passing by Tungabhadra - Vardha sangajn, he came to Agathi, then to Kupeloor near Rambenur. He observed" Navratra here. Via Sinoga he came to Shringeri. Shri Shankaracharya was not there. So he bowed to the Acharya Peetha and offered prayer. He then went to Harihar and returned to Shringeri. Swamiji stayed in Narsinhawan on the other bank of Tungabhadra and he would go for alms to Vaikunthapuri It was one mile off. Passing through forests he reached Banvasi in Kartika.
Banvasi & Gokarna
He observed Datta jayanti at this place. He wrote 'Shat Panchashika' stotra on philosophy and gave it to a learned disciple there. Madhukeshwar linga is about 8 feet high. Thence via Shirsi, Swamiji came to Siddheshwar. Balwantrao Bhagwat and Deovrat Gajanan Sharma had come there from Gokarna and stayed in Ahilyabai chaatra. Swamiji gave here a pravachan (Sermon) on Rikmantra in the morning and explained Vasudeo Manan in the evening. Swamiji stayed here for 12 days and had the Sankranti bath. This time people distributed one and a half maund of Tilgul.
Galgati - Place of Vaishnavas
Swamiji did Kshour on Kotitirth on Poush Purnima and came to Galgati Via Gurlhosur. He stayed here for two months. A woman said that if her son was cured she would give Rs. 1100/- as Dakshina to Swamiji and placed the amount before him but he asked her to take it back. She refused to take the amount back. Swamiji therefore asked a priest to take it and utilize it for Kirtan, Puran, Bhandara etc Galgati had been a place of Galava Muni. Vaisbnava Brahmins here dispised the Shaivas. They did not give even pots for cooking for Bhandara. So the pots were brought from other places.
But when Vaishnavas fell sick they came to Swami Maharaj and prayed for relief. Swamiji angrily said, "you call yourselves Brahmins and do not give pots for feeding Brahmins." When they begged pardon, Swamiji told them Shiva-mantra and said, "If you recite this, you will get relief from fever." They recited the Mantra 1200 times and they were free from fever.
When Swamiji started, the Vaishnavas requested him to stay for some days more. Swamiji did not agree. Still they followed him. Hence Swamiji drew a line and said, "If you cross this line, you will be issueless."
At Galgati 12 Swahakars ( 3 of sanhita, 7 of Pawaman and 2 of Rudra) were performed. Thousands had come for the function and the learned Brahmins were given Dakshina liberally.
Gandabua performed Laghu Rudra Swahakar for the completion of Shivratri Vrat of his mother. Thus he was free from his mother's debts. Swamiji then went to Jainapur and stayed in Datta mandir. He composed here a stotra of Shri Datta which ran thus—
From here he travelled by the bank of Krishna and reached Malaprabha Krishna Sangam on Chaitra Amavasya. He observed here the anniversary of Shri Narayan Swami and went to Chhaya Bhagwati the place of Vishwamitra's penance. It is in the hills where there Is not a single tree. Pilgrims come here on Akshayya Tritiya. Gayatri, Paduka and Chhaya Bhagwati are worshipped.
Thence Swami Maharaj and Gandabua came to Kopargaon. They stayed here in Narsiha mandir. Swamiji had fever. After two days even with fever on they proceeded further. Jn a village near Kadlor on krishna Bhima sangam, Gandabua inquired for butter milk for Swamiji at the house of a Brahmin named Joshi, but he abused swamiji. At Kadlor also he could not get butter milk. Then they started and anyhow reached Kuru Gaddi, the Nirvan place of shripad Shrivallabha (Shri Datta's incarnation) on Vaishakha Vad 6.
Chaturmas-22- Shak 1833 (1911 A. D.) Kuru Gaddi
This is an island like village surrounded by the Krishna river. It is about 20 miles from Raichur Railway station. There being rocks in the river a ferry of gourds is used instead of a boat. Shripad Shri Vallabha had asked Swamiji to come here for Chaturmas, so that many persons would also come here.
Senior priest Bhimanna of this place was also told in dream to make good arrangements for this great sanyasi Bhakta i. e. Swami Maharaj.
This place is also known as Kuravpur. Shripad Shri Vallabha after his mission was over, disappeared in this river on Ashwin Vadya 12 Gurudwadashi in about the 13th century. Telgu and Kannad languages are spoken here. The town of Kuravpur is one mile long and half a mile broad. At one end of it there is the Datta Mandir and at the other is the town. In between there are fields. On a stone on the side of the river, the foot prints of Shripad Shri Vallabha Swami are seen. At one place all parts of a body in a bowing position are also visible.
In the town there were only two Brahmin houses, one of Shri Kulkarni and the other of the priest, who had three brothers all unmarried. Swami Maharaj arranged for the marriage of the youngest brother Shri Vallabharam. Swami Maharaj bowed to the Paduka of Shripad Swami and stayed there.
The priests lived like Shudra and so Swami Maharaj did not like to live there. Shripad Shri Vallabha appeared in the form of a Brahmachari and said to Swamiji "This is a place given by a Rajak (washerman) Bhakta. Naivedya and Nandadeep are provided for from the income. You should therefore have no objection to receive alms. Don't look to the way of living oi| the Priests Purity of mind and money is there. You should not give foot teerth to anyone and also do not give mantra to the incapable. All should observe purity as at Ganagapur and Vadi.'
There was no rain in this part till the arrival of Swamj Maharaj. He therefore asked to recite 'Rishya Shringa mantra and after doing this there was good rain. Knowing this maaj persons began to come to see Swamiji. No provisions ar«j available here. Everything is to be brought from Raichur.
Merchants and officers of Raichur gave co-operation. Gandabua arranged for cooking at one place for the visitors. Tuljaram Patange, a merchant supplied all the material till Diwali. Though this was an isolated place, people got delicious articles of food here daily.
Scorpion Bite for omitting Stotra
One day Swamiji gave Laxmanrao Naik a yantra and did not say a stotra of daily rituals. He was therefore stung by a scorpion at the time of alms. Swamiji said, "See what punish¬ment I am given for omitting one stotra of my routine. You forget so many things, then what punishment should be given to you."
Krishnamai Given Pulses
On Ashadh Shuddhall, Krishnamai told Swamiji in dream that she should be given at least pulses. Swamiji had observed Dathahar on the Malprabha and hence this request. Swamiji did Vyas Puja on Purnima and offered Naivedya of wet gram pulses and distributed them amongst the Shudra women.
A serpent lived in a cave here. Swamiji asked him to go elsewhere. Accordingly the serpent went away and lived on a tree but daily came to see Swami Maharaj hut did not affect anybody.
The cave was then cleaned and Swami Maharaj sat in it for meditation.
Gandabua poured water on the murti. He being a Gujrati he could not do so at Vadi, so Shri Datta asked Swamiji to stop Gandabua to do this. Swami Maharaj composed here a stotra which began as follows :-
Wamanrao of Harda ( M. P. ) an old Brahmin, came to Swamiji and requested him to come to Uti in Marathawada and get Swahakar performed by him A branch of Tamrind fell on the Brahmin's body and he became senseless. Swamiji sprinkled teerth on him and he came to senses. Swamiji then went to Uti and got the Rudra Swahakar done at his hands.
Mamledar of Kurugaddi came with his wife and children to see Swami Maharaj. As he had hair on his head, Swamiji turned his face. Mamledar's wife and children dined but Mamledar could not have dinner. Next day the Mamledar got his head shaved and then he could worship God and Swamiji. The Mamledar then fed many persons. Swami Maharaj also fixed the ferry rates for carrying persons and load to the island.
Swamiji's head was once touched by a crow beak thrice when Swamiji was here. This is the sign showing that Swamiji's life span would be 6 months only. To wipe off the evil effect, Shri Datta asked him to bathe in the Vainganga river.
On completion of chaturmas, Swamiji did Kshour, crossed the river and read the llth chapter of Geeta and returned.
Laxmanrao Vaidya got sons but they did not survive. Being advised, he came here with his mother and wife to Swami Maharaj. The mother narrated the reason of their coming. Swamiji said, "you have stopped the family routine of the Nagpooja, In the shravan month you worship the varul (place of residence of the Nag) and on the last day give dan of gold "nag." Worship the Varul on 5 Panchmis." They did as advised and on the last day a Nag appeared. They were frightened; but a Bhil came forward and said, "Do not fear Give milk to the Nag." After taking milk, the Bhil and the Nag disappeared. Then Laxmanrao had a son who lived long.
Swami Maharaj stayed here till Guru Dwadashi (Ashvin Vadl2) the Niryan day of Shripad Shri Vallabha Swami. Then he started by the bank of the Krishna river and came to Parali Vaijnath but as directed by Shri Datta he travelled by the bank of Godavari and reached Tuljapur. He prayed Tulja Bhavani. He bathed at the Godavary sangam and stayed there for 3 days and then he came back to Parli Vaijnath. He took darshan of Vaijnath, one of the 12 jyotirlingas and stayed there for 5 days. Here Nanasaeb Deshpande performed Maharudra Swahakar, for which thousands of persons had come Then in the Poush month swami Maharaj came to Rajur, which is on the bank of the Godavary.
Topic: YOGIRAJ VASUDEVANANDA SARASWATI (A Biography) ( continued from December 1974 i (Read 16076 times)