SRI GURU CHARITRA - DAILY PARAYANA

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 11

Namadharaka was eager to know the details of the miracle. So, Siddha resumed his account:

“Oh Namadharaka, in a town called Karvir, there lived a Brahmin couple. They had a son who was illiterate. People heckled saying, ‘You are indeed an animal without a tail and horns but endowed with only two legs. It is the good fortune of cattle that you do not feed on grass. Education is a treasure of which no one can be robbed. It grows by being given away to one’s disciples. It can make even the lowest of the lowly, a great man. Even a poor man can gain wealth through the power of education. Like a chaste wife, education affords pleasure and it protects us like a mother. It comes to one’s rescue in a crisis, like a friend. In doing good, it is like the father. It’s like the guru in enlightening us. You who are devoid of such precious education are indeed a beast’.

The boy felt humiliated. He at once retired to the forest, forswore food and sleep and meditated on the Divine Mother. As she did not grant him her vision, he cut off  his tongue the next day. That night, the Divine Mother appeared in his dream and said, ‘There is a sannyasi on the other bank of the river Krishna. Seek refuge in him. It will do you good.’

Accordingly, the young man visited Sree Guru the next day and bowed to him in reverence. Sree Guru placed his hand on the young man’s head in blessing. At once the young man regained his tongue, and also attained mastery over all branches of learning in a trice. There is nothing strange in this. Such defects as dull-wittedness are destroyed in those who ever meditate on the sacred feet of Sree Guru, which have in them such mystic signs as Vajra. What to say then, when the Lord Himself personally blessed a man? The Brahmin youth returned to his native place, Mahurapura, and by leading a life of spiritual discipline, attained perfection.

Later, Sree Guru set out in the southern direction. After visiting the holy place of the eight sacred rivers (ashtateertha), he proceeded to the place of confluence of rivers Krishna with five other sacred rivers. Then he reached western shore and stayed there for some time. In this place, rivers Saraswathi, Siva, Badra, Surabhi and Bhogavathi join the two rivers Krishna and Veni. Thus, it came to be known as the confluence of seven rivers. It is the most sacred of all places of confluence of rivers. This place has the township of Kurupura which is as holy as Kurukshethra, a confluence of rivers as holy as Prayag and a Yugaalaya (shrine of the Yuga) like Kasi. The fig tree (Udumbara) in this place is as great as Lord Vishwanadha of Kasi. Here abide the sixty four yoginis. By worshipping them, man can attain godhood. He who battles at this confluence of the rivers in the lunar month of Maagha is sure to attain heaven. Here are a crore holy spots. The place can bestow liberation on those who aspire for it, worldly comforts on others and is pleasing to the pious. The Lord made his abode under a fig tree.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 11
Continuation...

In this village of Amarapura lived many learned Brahmins. One day, Sree Guru went to the house of a Brahmin and called out for alms. As there was no rice in the house, the housewife offered him a vegetable. The Lord was satisfied with this. But while leaving the house, he uprooted the creeper that afforded vegetable to that family and walked away to his hermitage. The housewife saw that and said to herself, ‘Alas, why did he uproot this plant? I hope I have not committed any folly to incur his displeasure’.

Her husband consoled her saying, ‘Oh pious one, do not weep. Joy or sorrow is the result of one’s own previous actions and are never caused by others. The whole creation is subservient to the Lord. One has got to experience pain or pleasure at the allotted time. No one can alter it. He, who gives us life, sustains us. The Lord who is the creator, preserver and destroyer of this universe looks equally on a beggar or a king, the intelligent and the unintelligent. Do not be sorry for the destruction of the plant. This act shall prove for our own good’. So saying, he tried to replant it and in the process, discovered a treasure pot underneath! At once he went along with his wife to Sree Guru and reported the matter.

Then the Lord said to him, ‘Oh blessed couple, this is a profound secret. If you proclaim it, the treasure will vanish. Enjoy this wealth and pleasure along with your children. Later you shall attain liberation. Go home for the present!’ Returning home, the couple devoted all their time to meditation on the Lord.”

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 11
Continuation.....

Namadharaka asked, “Oh! Holy one, why did the Lord live by alms? Besides, when the peepul tree is so sacred, why did he take shelter under a fig tree?”
Siddha replied, “Son, living by alms is the way of Lord Shiva. That is why Lord Datta manifested himself as a mendicant and accepted cooked food as alms in accordance with the scriptural injunctions. Now for your second question: Lord Vishnu, in his manifestation as Man-lion (Narasimhaavataara), tore the demon king Hiranyakasipu’s body to pieces and destroyed him. Afterwards, owing to the poisonous action of the demon-king’s blood the Lord’s claws pained very much. He was relieved of the pain only through the efficacy of the leaves of the fig tree. Henceforth, this tree has acquired the power to destroy the sins, agony and misery of the Lord’s devotees. Lord Vishnu proclaimed that he, along with his consort, goddess Lakshmi, would abide in the fig tree.

Wherever the Lord who is the Self of the whole Universe is, there abide the Vedas, all the holy places of pilgrimage, holy rivers and gods. Therefore, the fig tree has come to be a veritable Kalpavriksha on earth. Hence, in this place, the Lord, then manifest as Sree Guru, was being worshipped by the yoginis and fed by them everyday. Not knowing this, certain Brahmins of this place wished to observe how Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi lived without seeking alms from the village of Amarapura and hid themselves nearby.

One day at noon, seeing the manifestations of the yogic power of Sree Guru, they were scared and ran away in dismay. Then they employed one Ganganuja to keep watch over the Guru’s movements and ways. After witnessing several spontaneous manifestations of the master’s divine power, he was converted and became a staunch devotee. He used to visit the Master everyday and render homage to him.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 11
Continuation...

One day, Ganganuja came for the darshan of the Lord and witnessed a miracle. As the water in the river Krishna gave way, Sree Guru walked into it! The devotee also followed him in amazement and saw him enter a heavenly city on an island. Then Sree Guru sat on a high throne and was accepting the worship offered to him by the Yoginis. The Lord noticed Ganganuja and said, ‘Who are you? Why have you come here?’ The devotee replied, ‘Lord! My name is Ganganuja and I belong to this region. I came for your darshan. How deluded are mortals that take you for a man!’

The Lord blessed him and said, ‘My son, as long as I stay in this part of the country, do not divulge what you have seen to anyone’. The man agreed. Henceforth, he used to visit Sree Guru every day and pay his respects with greater faith. One day he asked the Lord, ‘Holy one, they say that a pilgrimage to Tristhali is very meritorious. Please enlighten me about it’. The Lord was pleased with his question and said:

The three holy places, Prayag, Varanasi (Kasi) and Gaya are collectively called Tristhali (the trio of holy places). So too, in this place, the confluence of the rivers, the Yugaalaya and Karvir together constitute the Tristhali. Then the Lord made the man wear his own wooden sandals and mysteriously transported him to both the Tristhalis, i.e., to the six holy places in all, which are hundreds of miles apart. When they were back again, as mysteriously, the  Lord said, ‘I have shown you both of them; you recognize the similarity between them, follow the path of righteousness that befits you and attain liberation’. Accordingly, Ganganuja broke the shackles of ignorance through meditation on the guru and attained liberation in course of time.

Later, once the Lord reflected: ‘The glory of this place is spreading fast. Hence, many unrepentant sinners will flock to this place, along with the righteous. So, I will have to change my abode’. The Yoginis of the place knew of this and one day, they entreated him saying, ‘Lord, leaving us all, where do you intend to go?’ and they wept.

He consoled them and said, ‘Oh Yoginis! Indeed, I shall ever abide here, but to the eyes of the ignorant, I shall seem to have left this place. Lord Amareshwara, Goddess Annapurna, Lord Vighneswara and I shall ever be here, fulfilling the wishes of the devout. Henceforth, this holy place shall grow famous and become a populous town with many comforts. Such obstinate forms of illness as typhoid, diseases of the eye, leprosy, diabetes, tuberculosis, asthma, paralysis and chronic diseases of the digestive system shall be miraculously cured in this place. Barren women will be blessed with children. The poor shall be blessed with wealth and the devout shall be liberated. In short, every one shall be provided with the object of his desire. A sacred bath, taken at the confluence of the rivers on the days of sacred festivals, will bestow on devotees the merit of having given away a thousand cows as a gift. Even a little japa, homa (fire-oblation) and bestowing gifts on pious Brahmins will secure infinite religious merit to the performer. Every step which a devotee takes in circumambulating any holy object in this  place will confer on him the merit of having performed the religious sacrifice called Aswamedha (the horse-sacrifice). Any ritual offering made shall elevate one’s ancestors to the divine realms’.

Having thus comforted the Yoginis, Sree Guru left his wooden sandals under the holy fig tree and blessed them saying, ‘Whoever takes a bath in the Ashtateertha and worships my padukas along with the Yoginis shall secure the fulfillment of their wishes’ and he left the place for the banks of the river Bheema”.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 12
As Siddha went on thus recounting the divine acts of Sree Guru, Namadharaka Sharma, who was listening attentively, asked: ‘Sir, you have said that Sree Guru left the banks of river Krishna for the banks of river Bheema. Yet you say that he abides on the banks of former river as invisible Spirit, answering the prayers of the devout! Has anyone experienced the truth of this claim? If so, I long to hear at least one instance of it’.
Siddha began: ‘Oh Namadharaka, the Supreme Spirit of Self does not have anything like movement from place to place, location or any particular state of existence. What seems so is but the divine play of the Lord. He will be experienced as per one’s own attitude to him. Now listen: In course of time, people came to know from Ganganuja how the Lord blessed the Yoginis and assured of his presence there in spirit. So they worshipped the padukas with due reverence. Indeed, all their wishes were fulfilled. I shall recount one incident.
There was a Brahmin lady living in that area. All her children died immediately after birth. In desperation, she revealed her plight to a pious and learned Brahmin priest. The latter was divinely inspired to tell her thus: ‘Madam, there can be several karmic causes, belonging to one’s previous lives, for the loss of one’s children in the present life. It can be the consequence of killing cows, Brahmins, dogs, snakes and children, or of stealing other’s wealth. In your previous life, you unfairly appropriated the wealth of a Brahmin of the Sounaka Gotra. He has become a vengeful spirit and has been killing all your children. One is obliged to reap the consequences of one’s misdeeds of a former life. There is no other way to workout one’s past karma. You too shall do so’.
The lady could not bear these words. She prostrated to his feet and begged him to teach her a way out of her pitiable plight. The latter replied, ‘Madam, perform the religious rites necessary for the elevation of the Brahmin’s soul to higher realms of existence, along with the special rites of absolution and repentance. Observe such religious vows for a full month. Then take a holy dip in the Ashtateertha and worship the sacred padukas and the fig tree. Then feed Brahmins and give away gifts of money plentifully to a pious Brahmin of Sounaka Gotra.’ The lady submitted, ‘I do not have a plentiful store of money. I shall certainly observe the monthly vows and worship the padukas’.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 12
Continuation....

Subsequently, the Brahmin lady started observing the vow along with her husband. On the third night, the spirit that was killing her offspring appeared in her dream. She immediately ran to Sree Guru who was seated under the fig tree and sought his refuge. Sree Guru consoled her and sternly reprimanded the spirit, ‘You mean spirit! How dare you threaten a helpless woman?’ The latter replied, ‘Lord it is not proper for you to be partial to her. She misappropriated my money in her previous life. In order to win it back by tormenting her, I have assumed this form’.

Sree Guru said, ‘By assuming this form and frightening her like this, you will not achieve your salvation. I shall teach you the means of attaining higher realms of being. Listen: it was in a previous life that she deprived you of your wealth. In this life she is poor and has no means of paying you back. I shall see that she scrupulously performs religious rites which will secure higher states of existence for you and I shall make her offer as much money as she can manage, to a man of your Gotra. Besides, I shall secure liberation for you. If this satisfies you, it is well. If it doesn’t, do what you can, but I shall certainly protect her!’

The spirit submitted, ‘Lord, at the very sight of you, I am freed from the thrall of my evil tendencies. You may do as you please and I shall be satisfied.’ Sree Guru turned to the lady and said, ‘My dear, did you hear what he said? You do accordingly that shall be liberated. Thereby, your offspring will prosper’. And the Lord disappeared.

The lady woke up and informed her husband about the dream and acted accordingly. Thereby, she was freed soon from the cursed torment and from the fruits of her former misdeed. Later, Sree Guru again appeared in her dream, gave her two fruits and said, ‘My dear, feed Brahmins and eat these fruits!’ When she woke up, she found the fruits by her side and did as she was told. Soon she conceived and, in course of time, she was blessed with handsome twins. The happy couple performed all the rites enjoined by the Sastras and brought up the children with love and tenderness. In their eight year, they made all the arrangements necessary to invest the first child with the sacred thread.

To their amazement, the boy was laid up for few days with typhoid and died. The mother could not withstand the calamity. She beat her breast and lamented loudly saying, ‘My son! Where have you gone? How long will you sleep? Wake up! It’s time for lunch. Take your food and play in the front yard. Your playmates are awaiting you. I cannot live without you. Of the five children born to me, you are my very life. At your birth, all the grief caused by the loss of earlier children was wiped clean from my heart. Leaving me in the ocean of grief, where did you go? It’s cruel on your part to do so. Who will support us in our old age?’

The people who gathered there tried to console her saying, ‘Lady, your lamentation will not revive the child. Do not weep. Death does not spare even god, seers and demons. Think upon this truth: Even avatars like Rama and Krishna had to pass away’. She was disconsolate and said, ‘The fruit that was given to me by the Lord and which has saved me from the wrath of the spirit has now proved fruitless. Henceforth, who can trust His promises? I shall take this news with me to the worlds beyond death!’

Then a sage emerged from the crowd, approached her and said, ‘My child, why do you lament the death of a son? It does not deserve to be lamented. Think: Is he the body, or the soul? If he is the body, even now he is before your very eyes with all his flesh, bones and skin, as before. If he is the soul, then he is ever birth less and immortal. Whom do you lament then? This world which has originated from Time, karma and the three modes of manifestation (Gunas) is like a magic show. How can it be trusted as real? All relationships like mother and son are self conceived and transcient. It is coincidental as the coming together of two logs of wood, drifting down a flowing river. Who was your husband in your previous birth and who was your son? Can you tell me? Birth and death are subject to time. Like day and night, both these are inevitable. Just as youth succeeds boy-hood, death also confronts the embodied soul. This delusion can be overcome only through the grace of the guru. One who is born is bound to die. So, do not weep. The dead cannot be brought back to life by grief, lamentation or by any other means.’

The lady interrupted him saying, ‘Sir, your metaphysical teaching does not appeal to me at the moment. How can I ever trust the Lord who has given the fruits, but failed to keep his promise?’

The sage replied, ‘Then my child, go to him from whom you have received the blessing.’

The lady took up the corpse and quickly reached the hermitage of Sree Guru. There she furiously knocked her head against the holy padukas. Even at sunset, she refused to give away the dead body for the performance of the last rites. All the people went away, leaving the poor couple. That night, Sree Guru appeared in her dream and said, ‘My child! How have I wronged you? I have even blessed you! The vital force had already left the body of your son, but I have brought it back’. So saying, the Guru disappeared. When she woke up, she could not contain her joy at the sight of her son who was alive. She showed him to her husband.

The blessed pair was immensely happy. With redoubled faith, they paced around the fig tree thrice and prostrated to the padukas. The Brahmins of the village cam to know of the miracle and glorified Sree Guru. The Brahmin pair had a dip at the confluence of the sacred rivers, worshipped Sree Guru, fed Brahmins and returned home. Their son grew up to be a youth of great learning and suave manners. He lived up to a ripe old age in wealth and prosperity. Similarly, many have achieved the objects of their wishes in that holy place. In this age of Kali, Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi is very much alive in spirit. He responds to every call of his devotees, ever ready to bless them. Whoever serves him with faith and devotion shall prosper, even like the Brahmin lady.”

Contd....
Jai Sai Ram
 

[Kavitaparna]

[size=14t]OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA[/size]

Chapter 13

Namadharaka asked Siddha, “Holy Sir, tell me what the Lord did after arriving on the banks of river Bheema.”
Siddha replied: “The Lord stayed for a long time at Gandharvapura (Gangapur). The confluence (Sangama) of rivers Bheema and Amaraja near the place is as holy as that of the Krishna with the five other sacred rivers. For some time, Sree Guru lived there incognito, sustaining himself by holy alms (bhiksha) with the intention of uplifting the devout who offered it to him. As he was accepting bhiksha from the poor, the well to do of the place spoke light of him. As the sun continues to shine bright and cause day-light even when hidden behind the clouds, and as musk continues to give out its perfume even when it is concealed in a box, it was impossible for the Lord’s divine attributes to be hidden from the folk for long.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

SHREE GURU CHARITRA

Chapter 13
Continuation....

One day, the Lord went to the threshold of a poor Brahmin for alms. There he saw a very old barren she-buffalo and asked the lady of the house for its milk. The housewife said, ‘Sir, we have been using this buffalo to carry loads. For it’s barren and it does not yield milk.’ Sree Nrisimha Saraswathi laughed and said, ‘Mother, do not tell me lies!’ Finding no other way, she fetched a vessel and milked the buffalo, just to show the Master that her words were true. Lo, milk flowed plentifully from its udders! Amazed at the strange transformation in the creature, she boiled the milk and offered it to the Lord. The latter drank of it with gusto and left for his abode on the banks of the river. The Master of the house, having heard of the powers of the Lord’s words, at once proceeded to the Sangama along with his wife, worshipped him and received his blessings.

The servants in the Brahmin’s house came the next morning and were amazed to see the old barren buffalo yielding milk. The news flashed across the land and reached the ruler of that region. The latter ascertained it from the Brahmin and visited the hermitage of the Lord, along with his royal retinue. He then approached Sree Guru and prostrated to his feet. Even at the very sight of the Holy One’s divine form, the king’s heart was fired with devotion. As tears of joy and love trickled down his cheeks, he submitted in a quivering voice, ‘Sir, I am your humble slave. May you bless and protect me!’ The Lord said, “Oh Prince, I am a sannyasi; I live and move about in this wilderness and survive by begging food from others. Why have you, a wealthy and powerful Prince, come to me? What can I do for you?’

The chief said, ‘Sir, you are the Supreme Spirit, just sporting in a human form and not really a common mortal. I request you to grace my city and sanctify it’. Sree Guru acceded to the request, sat in the royal palanquin and set out. The chief personally served him, held the royal umbrella over Sree Guru’s head and fanned him, as the royal procession moved on. The royal attendants sounded drums and trumpets all along the way. The chief walked by the side of the palanquin as one among the royal attendants. Pious Brahmins chanted the Vedas, while the heralds loudly proclaimed the progress of the Lord of the Spiritual Wisdom to the town.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[shalabh]

sai  ram

[dayalvasnani]

Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai