Aug 31, 2010

Vijayendra Theertha hints about future

One day, some messengers from Kumbakonam come to TB’s house and deliver a message to TB. When TB reads the message, he is shell shocked. It is not shown to the viewers but it is apparent that its contents have information related to V’s future. Gopika asks about the contents of the letter but TB is asked in the letter not to reveal the contents to anyone and hence he doesn’t utter a word.

Bewildered by the way V is growing up and soon after TB reads the letter, TB and Gopika take V to Kumbakonam to get blessings from Vijayendra Theertha. V sits very near to Vijayendra Theertha and TB chastises him. But Vijayendra Theertha says that it is fine because he is a kid and kids are equivalent to God.

Vijayendra Theertha also reminds TB about the letter he had sent. TB is pained at heart. Vijayendra Theertha also tells TB and his wife to allow V to do whatever he wants.

Aug 30, 2010

Venkatanaatha's antics

V asks his parents about Maaya. He asks them about how to cleanse both inner and outer layers of the body. He questions religious speakers on topics like Aham Brahmasmi and Aajanmapurusha. He questions his parents about doing yearly funeral ceremonies to the departed. Most of his questions are unanswerable due to the deep theosophies involved and his parents are at a loss to answer him.

One day when V is in the living room and mom is in the kitchen, a beggar comes and asks for some rice. V promptly gives the rice to the beggar. When Gopika comes, she asks him about the jewelry that was in the rice bowl. But V is not aware of the jewelry in the rice bowl. So he says that the beggar was destined to have the jewelry. But mom is not convinced.

When mom and son are still arguing about the matter, the beggar returns to the house to return back the jewelry and mom is overjoyed about the honesty. However V informs the beggar that they will not take it back as they had vowed not to take anything from others. His mom is shocked and is forced not to take it although the beggar insists. Finally V convinces the beggar that the jewelry is actually his and not their own now that it was given to him. Finally beggar relents and takes the jewelry with him but Gopika is not happy about this and complains to TB that they are not bringing up V appropriately as he cannot lead life like this.

Venkatanaatha's Miracles

One day when Venkatanaatha is playing with a ball along with his friends, he tosses the ball to his brother who is near the walk-way. But he misses the target and hits a grand old woman on the back who is limping with terrible back pain. All the boys run away fearing tirade but V comes to the old woman and apologises. To his astonishment, her back ache has vanished and she thanks V for getting her relived from the decade-long back-ache. V's brother is astonished.

Another day when V and her mom are walking back home in the fields, they encounter a group of running villagers. Upon asking, it is learnt that a small boy is bit by a snake and is almost dying. All villagers are sad that the boy is about to die. V suddenly runs and holds a stone on the snake-bit location on the boy. The stone turns blue and the poison is thus sucked out of the boy and the boy lives. The mother is astonished.

Then another day, a young man is on his death bed. His parents are crying and everyone thinks that this is his last day. The young man is having heavy breathing issue and his breath is coming in gasps. So the parents are about to pour Ganges water into his mouth when V intervenes. He takes the Ganges water from the parents' hands and he himself pours into the young man's mouth. Soon after, the young man's breathing improves and he gets his life back in full. Everyone in the room is astonished at V's miracle.

Once, during a walk in the fields with Naani, he sees a young boy walking with a coconut held at arm's length and couple of farmers following the young boy. He asks Naani what was happening and Naani explains that the young boy has special powers of finding locations in earth where water is easily available. The young boy has just got to walk around with the coconut and wherever the water is easily reachable, the coconut will automatically turn upside-down. But on this day, the young boy has had no such luck and is struggling to find any place in the huge land where water is reachable. When V hears of this, he scans the entire field and suddenly goes to one particular location in the field and informs all that water is available in that location. Sure enough, when the young boy nears that location, the coconut turns upside-down indicating that water is available. Everyone is shocked at V's miracle.

Venkatanaatha is born

As part of baby showers, a sacred liquid is put through Gopika’s nose. The baby showers are grand and all around her are excited and happy that a baby will now be born.

Finally a baby boy is born. He is named Venkatanaatha which means destroyer of Evil. His childhood days are enjoyed by one and all. From childhood, he shows extreme intelligence. He easily says ‘Om’ even when he is unable to talk properly. His understanding capability regarding theosophy is immense.

Soon, he is a young lad and he is asking a lot of questions to his parents about Life and God and Vedas and the parents get exhausted answering him.

Aug 29, 2010

Changes in Gopika

One day Gopika starts chanting the sloka Paanthwaswaan…. which is actually a sloka not to be chanted by womenfolk because it can harm the womb due to its intrinsic frequency intonations. But Gopika is chanting this sloka without her own knowledge. So when someone notices this, she chastises Gopika. Gopika informs that she wasn’t aware herself. Soon that someone notices that Gopika is carrying and blesses her. Gopika is glowing with pregnancy as she had never glowed before with her prior two kids.

Then, late into her pregnancy, one day, she finds the orange vasthra (shawl) - which is usually worn by swamis – and she dons it herself, which is a strict no-no for womenfolk. People who see her are shocked.

She also prefers to eat the prasadam given in temple more than her own home-cooked food. Seeing all this, TB too is angry with her and he cannot understand the change in her.

Needless to say, it is all due to the embryo within her.

Aug 28, 2010

Gopika Conceives

In the night in Tirumala, TB gets a dream in which Lord Sri Venkateshwara himself informs him that he is going to have a son who will be an incarnation of the Lord’s devotee Shankukarna. After saying thus, the Lord disappears. TB is overjoyed that he is going to be father of such a great devotee. He wakes up suddenly to find that it was a dream. He wakes up Gopika too and she too informs him that she too had a dream about the Lord. Thinking that their prayers were answered, they head back to Ramachandrapura.

In Ramachandrapura, Naani is taking care of Venkatamba and Gururaja. When the children see their parents back, they are overjoyed.

Life restores back to normalcy until one night when TB wakes up in the night and touches his wife Gopika. At that instant, he gets a severe electric-shock kind of feeling. This is because Gopika, at that instant, had Goddess Lakshmi within her and she was being prepared for the birth of the great saint. TB withdraws his hand and stays put. But he does not inform of this incident to Gopika.

Soon after, Goddess Lakshmi plants the sapling of the soon-to-be-born into Gopika’s womb and hence Gopika conceives although she herself is not aware.

The story of Shankukarna

Lord Sri Venkateshwara’s wife Padmavati is bemused seeing TB and wife’s prayers for 3rd kid. Padmavati asks the Lord why TB family is asking for more when they already have a son and a daughter. Then, the Lord informs they are just puppets in the whole show. He then gives her the big picture:

Once, long, long ago, in the world of Gods (devalok aka Vaikuntam), Lord Vishnu was displaying all his 10 Avatars to all concerned angels and Gods. For each of the Avatar, Lord Brahma took flowers from the plate offered by his aide Shankukarna and poured them on Vishnu’s feet, appreciating him of his feat. Each person being completely immersed in Vishnu’s Avatar, no one noticed that the flowers in Shankukarna’s flower plate was fast becoming empty. When Vishnu displayed his Rama Avatar, Lord Brahma reached out to the flower-plate held by Shankukarna, although his eyes were riveted on Lord Vishnu. When he got no flowers from the flower-plate, he cursed Shankukarna to be born 4 times and the first birth being in the family of Demons. Since Shankukarna had failed in his duty to ensure that the flower-plate is always never empty, Brahma thought that the curse would serve as a punishment to Shankukarna.

Needless to say, Shankukarna was shocked beyond belief. He pleaded not guilty and informed how he too was mesmerized by Vishnu’s Avatars due to which he had not concentrated on the emptying flower plate. But a curse given is a curse given and cannot be revoked.

Lord Vishnu noticing this, informed everyone present (including Shankukarna and Brahma) that the curse was destined to be so. It is due to this curse that a pious lad called Prahallad will be born in the house of the Demon Hiranyakashipu. Since Shankukarna was devastated by this news, Vishnu consoles him that Prahallad will still be a hard-core Vishnu devotee and he will become famous because of his devotion.

Thus, Prahallad was born. The second birth of Shankukarna was as a Bahalik King. Third was as Vyaasaraja Theertha and the fourth destined life was about to be born in the womb of TB’s wife. Hence TB and his wife were cleansing their mind and body by coming to Tirumala and performing the poojas.

Padmavati is satisfied with Lord Sri Venkateshwara’s response.

Note: It seems to be a mistake in the story (or in the direction of this episode) that Vishnu was showing off all 10 Avatars when apparently Prahallad himself – who is an integral part of Narasimha Avatar (#4) - was not born! The story in this link seems to be a better story. In fact, also refer this complete link for complete life and story of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy which is very well written.

Aug 26, 2010

Thimmanna Bhat Goes to Tirumala again

Gopika starts dreaming about another son. A son who is like Lord Krishna. A son who is shining in all his glory. A son who is near but never reachable. A son who is special in his own way. During one such dreamy nights, she yells out and tells about the dream to TB.

TB, much content with a son and a daughter, feels no need in having one more child in the family. But is disconcerted by Gopika’s recurring dreams. He is not sure why she is having such dreams and why the Almighty is making her dream so.

Being confused, he goes to Kumbakonam to check with the Senior Pontiff about demystifying the desire for one more child in the family. The Senior Pontiff has seen the future and knows well what is going to happen. Still, he asks TB to visit Tirumala Lord Sri Venkateshwara temple to seek his blessings.

TB and Gopika dutifully go to Tirumala and do Pooja service for couple of days to Lord Sri Venkateshwara.

Thimmanna Bhat Goes to Anegundi

Lo and behold, within a short span of time, TB is the father of an elder daughter named Venkatamba and a younger son named Gururaja. Both of them grow up to be very cultured and polite and decent and well-mannered, much like TB and Gopika.

TB feels that his time in Ramachandrapura has come to an end as the Vidyapeeta is now in able hands. So he goes to Kumbakonam to meet the Senior Pontiff who then asks him to move to Anegundi to set up one more Vidyapeeta there.

TB, still not wanting to stay away from Kumbakonam and the Pontiffs, relents and goes to Anegundi. The old-timers of the Mutt, who are now really old, realize their mistake in insulting KB – seeing how honest KB and TB were in their duty to the Mutt and not really in the pursuit of Pontiffness - and inform the same to TB and ask his forgiveness. TB convinces them that they never insulted his father and also convinces them that he nor his father had no ill thoughts about any of them.

Thimmanna Bhat Goes to Tirumala

In Ramachandrapura, during a classroom session, when the topic is about how barren parents feel for their infertility, a child asks TB if he too is sad as he is without kids. It suddenly hits TB that he is married for 8 years and still he has not had any children. Gopika too is very worried and crying for not having borne any children.

TB realizes that he needs to go to Kumbakonam to meet the Senior Pontiff to demystify the missing parenthood. Senior Pontiff reminds him that the then Senior Pontiff had asked him to go to Tirumala to seek the Lord’s blessings to obtain offspring. TB had completely forgotten it.

Thus realizing his mistake, TB immediately sets forth to Tirumala along with wife to seek Lord’s blessings to bear children.

Change in guard

Meanwhile the Senior Pontiff Sri Surendra Theertha realizes that his days are nearing. He knows that he is not going to live long any more and immediately asks his aids to take him to Madurai where he wishes to rest in peace after his death.

All the Mutt’s disciples assemble in Madurai during the Senior Pontiff’s last moments. Amidst heavy chanting, and in deep meditation, Senior Pontiff Sri Surendra Theertha finally breathes his last. There is much sorrow in all. Sri Surendra Theertha’s memorial (in the form of Brindavan) is erected at Madurai.

So, the then Junior Pontiff Sri Vijayendra Theertha becomes Senior Pontiff and a new Pontiff is chosen: Sri Sudheendra Theertha. Sri Sudheendra Theertha is a relatively new and surprise joinee to the post amidst high speculation amongst Mutt disciples.

Thimmanna Bhat Goes to Ramachandrapura

TB passes his time in Kumbakonam in utter grief and desolation of suddenly becoming alone in the world. The Pontiffs realize that something has to be done to end TB’s grief. So, the Senior Pontiff Sri Surendra Theertha advises him to get married.

Enter Gopika. Soon, a wedding is arranged between TB and Gopika. To lead a family life, the Pontiff asks TB to go to Ramachandrapura and manage a Vidyapeeta there. Senior Pontiff wishes him well and asks him to seek the blessings of Lord Sri Venkateshwara to obtain offspring. TB, although unwilling to stay away from the Pontiffs, finally relents and moves to Ramachandrapura with wife where he starts a Vidyapeeta.

Thimmanna Bhat Becomes Orphan

Hearing of TB’s musical achievement in the King’s Palace, KB’s mom wants to see him badly. But KB refuses. This saddens KB’s wife and she starts losing her health. Hearing this, TB comes looking for her. Once she sees him, she feels better and almost gets back to normalcy. TB returns back to his tutelage in Kumbakonam.

Soon after, her health again turns to worse and she becomes weak and weak. Again, TB comes back only to see her in death bed. Unfortunately, she dies and TB is struck with grief. He becomes busy with funeral ceremony for his mother.

On the 14th day funeral ceremony, his father, KB, too, collapses and dies. TB is shocked beyond belief to have lost both his parents within such a short span of time.

Thimmanna Bhat Earns Fame in Music

Meanwhile TB studies the ancient scripts from the Pontiff and further excels in Music. The Pontiffs almost decide on making him the next Pontiff. But the ‘hear-say’ of the old-timers in the Mutt diffuses the thought. The old-timers are still very much against KB and his family because KB and his family got more than what they deserved from the Pontiffs. Pontiffs, knowing what was coming in the next generation, gave special attention and respect to KB and his family, and the old-timers in the Mutt, not understanding this ‘attention’, mistook it to ‘favouritism’ and despised them.

The then king once hears of TB’s musical prowess and asks him to participate in a musical competition in the King’s palace. TB does so and wins the audience over. The competitor will not be able to match the skill of TB. TB wins accolades from the king and is awarded suitably.

Kanakachala Bhat goes to Kaveripattinam

Life ensues. Thimmanna Bhat (TB) grows to become a handsome young man. He will undergo his tutelage under Junior and Senior Pontiffs. He also starts excelling in Music, specifically Veena – a talent that comes naturally because of genes from his father. Naani also becomes his alter ego.

After considerable number of years in Kumbakonam, KB feels he has outlived in the Mutt and starts feeling that he needs to get away. He informs of his desire to the Pontiffs and the Pontiffs, as if knowing this would happen, informs KB that he has to go to Kaveripattinam – by order of the Divine - to up-bring a dilapidating Vidyapeeta (Student’s school). KB is much happy to execute this task which is expected of him but the Pontiff orders him not to take TB with him. This grieves KB as he is now very fond of TB. But an order is an order and he tries to console the inconsolable mother. Finally, KB and wife make way to Kaveripattinam without TB.

Kaveripattinam is in a complete state of mess. KB sets about himself to up-bring the dilapidated Vidyapeeta.

Kanakachala Bhat comes to Kumbakonam

The story begins with Kanakachala Bhat, his wife and his young son Thimmanna Bhat walking towards Kumbakonam from Vijayanagar. The Vijayanagar Dynasty was ravaged by war and on the brink of disastrous loss when Kanakachala Bhat (KB), who was the then a (Veena musician) servant in the Vijayanagar King’s Palace, found it prudent to escape the kingdom for safety. After a long tiring walk to Kumbakonam, they enter the Mutt where Senior Pontiff Surendra Theertha and Junior Pontiff Vijayendra Theertha reside.

Upon seeing the fatigue-laden threesome, the Pontiffs ask them to take shelter in the Mutt and become a part of the already-crowded-population-in-the-Mutt, much to the chagrin of the already-residents. While the threesome prepare for shelter with the help of an aide called Narayana (aka Naani) who is slightly older than Thimmanna Bhat, the rest of the people in the Mutt despise this new family as they are not willing to accommodate more people in the already-small Mutt. But with no other option available, the threesome make way and adjust in the surroundings amidst hostile glances from everyone.

Guru Raghavendra Vaibhava

The Life and Story of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy is now being telecasted daily at 10 pm in Suvarna TV. I started seeing this episode infrequently in the beginning because of the slow pace of the story but now, the pace is quite fast and the story is also absorbing. Hence it is now a daily ritual to end the week-day with Guru Raghavendra Vaibhava.

Although Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy is not an Avatar of Vishnu, His Holy life is still related to the celebrated Prahallad character which appears in Vishnupuran’s Avatar # 4. Hence, I will now continue this blog with Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy’s life as depicted in the daily episodes. What better way to start this than today which happens to be the Madhyaaradhane of Raghavendra Swamy himself.

Kindly forgive the errors in recording, if any.