Vishnupuran

Rayaru at Tirumala

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He then proceeds to digvijaya yatre. He halts ina place called Aalooru. That night he is busy writing sacred books andcompletes '" THATVA PRAKASHIKA BHAVA DEEPIKA. Late in the nightone of the sishyas tells Him that it is past midnight and should rest for theday as they have to go a long way next morning. He says He is not tired andsleepy while scripting the books praising the Lord. However to enable thesishyas to rest He agrees to call it a day.( Sishyas do not go to bed unlessGuru retires.) That night SRI TEEKACHARYARU ( JAYATHIRTHARU ), comes in hisdream and tells Him that he has to script lot more books and has no time torest. Sri Teekacharyaru is known for his articles explaining most of the booksby Srimad Acharyaru. One book of Acharyaru, he has not written the teeke and left it for Sri Raghvendra is ANU BHASHYA. He tells him that he has toscript this, which Rayaru writes. He completes and calls it ANUBHASHYA TEEKE.He also writes THATHVAMANJARI. ( in total He has written 42 books )

He then proceeds to Sri Shaila and then toThirupathi. At Thirupathi he does pooja to Lord Venkateshwara. The archakas inthat temple says that they have experienced a rare glamour when He performedpooja which they had naver seen before. They say Lord is pleased to accept thepooja from Rayaru and requests Him to continue pooja for some more days as perDwaitha rituals. One day after pooja Rayaru plays veena in the Gharba gudi. Toevery ones surprise all of a sudden the flower garland on Lord Venkateshwara isfound on Rayaru. He says Lord has accepted His pooja and offered him with thegarland.

From there he proceeds to Kumbakonam.

For general information, Sri Madwacharyaru haswritten 37 books. They are called SARVAMOOLA GRANTHAGALU.

Plight of Kumbakonam

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On the other side, therulers of states sorrounding kubakonam are getting ready to attack the ruler ofkubakonam since the prince of kubakonam is not oerforming his duties to thepeople of that state. His mother and the minister are followers of Gurugalu.They approach Him to save the state of Kumbakonam from being attacked. Gururajaappears in the dream of the rulers and tells them not to attack kumbakonam andthat the minister will approach them for peace. Likewise the ministerapproaches the kings next morning. This surprises all the kings.

Story of the Greedy Priest

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Another story: The wife of a priest isgreedy about a gold chain on the deity. She somehow wants this. She steals thisone night and later on suffers to her misdeeds and looses her speech, husbandloses his job and son is severely sick. Ultimately she rushes to Gurugalu who saves her and her family.

One brhamana (visihtadvaitha) by name Ranganatha and hiswife are living happily in their village. One night Lord Vishnu comes in hisdream and tells him to donate to the people of the village lberally. From thatday onwards he starts donating whatever he had to the locals. His wife also cooperates with him. Once when all things are exhausted and has nothing todonate, they decide to leave the village early next morning before anybodyapproaches them for rheir needs. That night Lord once again comes i his dreamand tells him to continue to donate. Since he has no more left with him he istold by Lord that next day morning a bikshuka will come to their house. Holdhis hand and take him inside your house and then he will have enough cash tostart donating.

As told by Lord in his dream a sanyasi comes to his housein the morning. He holds the sanyasees hand and he immedaitely vanishes leavingbehind heaps of gold and silver coins. Once they are rich with the coins, theychange their mind. Instead of donating they decide to retain the wealth totheir needs and refuses to people who come to them. To teach them a lesson,Lord sees to it that the riches are stolen from them that night. When they getup next morning and comes to know that it is missing, they decide to leave thevillage in search of some food and shelter. They keep walking but are unable tofind food and shelter. Ranganatha is exhausted and collapses. Wife is desperateand helpless. She cant even find some water to feed him. At this point of timeGurugalu is on his way to Bijapur comes across this couple. By his Divyadarshanhe can see what all had happened to this couple and the reason for the misery.

Rayaru explains to the wife the reason. They did not obeyLords orders to continue giving arms to the needy and that they were greedy tohave all the wealth to themselves. However for the daana they had already given,Lord will pardon them due to their prayaschitha. The wife then agrees to lead alife akin to brahman, to live and let live and would continue to donate to theneedy.

He then asks for water but his followers say that the water is exhausted andthere is no water nearby. He chants a sloka and from the rocks comes a fountainof water. Sprinkling of this water Ranganatha wakes up, and comes to know thatnone other than Sri Raghavendra Swamigalu gave him a rebirth. He then decidesto go back to his house and lead a good life and requests Rayaru to go to his house for his seva. That night after every one is asleep the stolen coins areback into the same place and seeing that the wealth is back Rayaru and his teamleaves the place without informing Ranganatha and his wife. The couple is surprised in the morning seeingthe coins but repents they could not do any seva to Gurugalu.

Later Swamigalu enters Bijapur then ruled by Shivaji. Hecomes to know about this. Shivaji performs Pada pooja to yathigalu and takes avow that he will gaurd the Mysore state and that all religions live in harmony.

Miracles Galore

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Next Sudhindra Thirtharu asks Rayaru to go to Ramachandrapurafor a visit. On his way he is approached by parents of a young boy who is nomore. They pleads Rayaru to bring him back to life. From his doora drushtiRayaru comes to know that the boy has lost his life since he steps on to alemon thrown on a road. He sprinkles holy water and the boy wakes up.

On their way again to Ramachndrapura, they come acrossa village. A farmer ploughing the field, asks the troop to have tender coconutin his field and asks them to go over to his farm house. The two Yathis tellsthe team members to accept the invitation of the farmer. When they go a fewsteps the farmer turns around and abuses the team. Says "who asked you tofollow me. cant afford to feed you all. go back" So the team goes back.Farmer follows and when he comes near a particular place he again requests theteam to go with him. This repeats for some time and the members refuse to goand tells Gurugalu that he is a mad fellow. To this Sri Sudheendra thirtharutells that he is not mad but the sthala mahime. He asks his followers to digout the spot where he was speaking kindly to them. On digging they find astone carving of HANUMANTHA VIGRAHA. Gurugalu says it is the work of SriVyasarajaru and decides to install it in the same place.

In the same village there is a guy who does notbelieve in God and bothers all those who perform poojas and homas. All thebrhamins in the village are afraid of him. This guys comes to know that onesaint has come to this village and that he intends to install the HanumanthaVigraha and build a temple. To this he objects to and one night goes to theplace where the idol was kept. He is fully drunk and abuses the idol and triesto drop a huge boulder on the vigraha. As he is about to drop the boulder he ishit on his back heavily, but is unable to see any one. He repeats this over and over again but in the end ends up in getting beaten up. Next day he goes tomeet the Saint and starts arguing with him. But in the end he admits hismisdeeds and becomes a follower of Raghvendra Swamigalu.

One more incident takes place enroute His visit to Ramachandrapura. Padmanabha achar, who was forcing that young woman to jump into the funeral pyre of her aged husband, to gulp the huge assets of the old man, is now suffering from leprosy and other incurable diceases. Gurugalu comes across him and tells him that he has to suffer this ailment till he comes across that lady and she will have to excuse him. Meanwhile he sprinkles holy water so that he will not suffer from pain .Gurugalu then proceed to Ramachandrapura.

Sudheendra Thirtharu sees Sri Moola Ramachandra in his sleep, one night and has a conversation with Him.

Rayaru's wife dies

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Unable to bear the news that her hubby became a saint, V's wife falls into a well and commits suicide. Her tormented soul though still lingers with Gurugalu. He blesses it and it finally reaches its logical end.

The three oldies includingthat madi hengasu were struggling in their old age at V's forefather's hermitage, due to disrespect they gave to venkatanatha and his father. However on humanity grounds Gurugalugives them mukthi by sprikling holy water, and later all three dies. This isanother pavada He made. Because of this the other fake achar tries to defameGurugalu by Kuthanthras.

That fake achar,took to vamachara and goes to a thantrik totake revenge on Rayaru. He takes help of the thanthrik to create a demon tosuck Rayarus blood and thereby finish him off. That lady demon is after Rayarubut cannot even come near Rayaru. Makes lot off efforts but fails. It thenturns to this fake achar and goes after him to suck his blood. Finally herushes to Rayaru and requests him to ward off this devil, for which Rayaruagrees to save him. Pashchathapa saves him and the lady devil goes back to thethanthrik. Thar fake achar realises his mistake and becomes Rayaru's disciple.

Venkatanaatha Becomes Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy

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When V visits ST, ST informs that DL's visit was to make him reject Life and it's desires. His (V) true purpose is to become a sanyasi (saint). With that in mind, V is made to perform funeral rites by dipping in Tungabhadra river for his own self and transform into Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy.

Venkatanatha taking a dip in Thungabadra river afterperforming his own funeral rights. Removal of yagnopavithra, discarding hisclothes and changing over to Sanyasins dress and taking the Danda from seniorgurugalu. Sri Sudheendratheertharu gave deeksha bypronouncing the upadesha manthra after performing pooja to Sri Madwaru.Sprinkling of Gagodhaka from Shanka. Sri Sudheendratheertharu also performs abhisheka with gurugalu holding a plateover his head in which is placed Moola Rama vigraha chanting vedic mantras and advising him to bring fame to Yahi varendaru of Sri Rayar Mutt and pronounces him as next Peethadhipathi and hold dignity of the parampare.

Daridra Lakshmi Leaves

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Disaster after disaster continues in V's house. Fresh flowers turn pale. Cows start to disappear. Land becomes barren. Very soon, there is no food in the house. Despite this, when farmers from neighboring districts come, V gives the stocked up savings away. Servants and maids in V's house go away for greener pastures. V, his wife and his son all suffer from hunger.

DL had informed V that she will go away when his wife goes to ST for help. Despite knowing this, he forbids his wife to go to ST although she suggests this. More sufferings.

Looks like finally V's wife went to ST to seek help anyways. DL would have left V alone then.

Daridra Lakshmi Visits Venkatanaatha

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‘Daridra Lakshmi’(poor version of Goddess Lakshmi)visits Gopala (Lord Krishna playing about Earth as a boy) and asks what hernext task is. Krishna asks her to go to V’shouse. He also advises Her to seek permission from V and his Guru before goingabout Her task.

So when V is sleeping, DL aka Alakshmi visits V and asks hispermission to go about Her task. V is mildly shocked and asks why she had tospray her doings in his house where all good deeds were going on. DL informsthat she is just doing Her duty and that she was asked by the Lord Himself.Apparently making V poor and destroying his life will lead to a future good(Loka Kalyana). V says why permission but DL informs that since he is so strongin his chants and prayers and his good deeds that DL will not be able tosurvive without actually seeking V’s permission. So She needs his help to stayand make him poor, plainly because it is now his turn and that the Lord Himselfdesires so. V gives her permission.

Up in Lord’s Abode, Padmavathi is shocked to see DL visitingV and complains to Lord Venkateshwara about it but Lord informs that it is allpart of pre-planned plot. He says that it is necessary for V to get rid of ‘Me’and ‘Mine’ (naanu and nannadhu in Kannada) and for this to happen, DL had tovisit V. Only then can V come out of the vicious cycle of Life and Death andLivelihood (samsaara in Kannada).

DL also visits ST. ST is shocked to see DL and asks what thevisit is attributed for? DL says that she wishes to visit one of ST’sdisciples. ST asks in what way can he stop Her from visiting for She has morepowers than him. But She informs that although DL is an instance of GoddessLakshmi who stays near Lord Vishnu, seers like ST are an instance of LordVishnu Himself and hence ST does have more power than her, and hence it isnecessaray for Her to take permission from him. But why my disciple, asks ST.DL informs again that it is for the greater future good that she has to visit V. ST is sad that Vhas to suffer but his hands are tied. Specifically, DL informs that ST shouldact as if nothing is wrong and should not grace V with any helping aid duringthe ensuing days of V’s distress. ST agrees subdued.

Next day, in V’s house, as Mangalamma is carrying a pail ofwater, she collides with her hubby who is hitching a plot to steal the silverplate, and the pail of water spills all over the floor. V looks at theinvisible DL and resigns to his Fate.

What an honor that the Goddess Herself has to takepermission to cause trouble to one of her own creation!!

Sudheendra Theertha's Nephew Asks For Sanyaasathva

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Much is happening at ST’s ashram. The new comer Mukundacharya (same person who had taken the gandha from V and given to the appliers) (who joined ashram after the miracle that V performed) and the ill-minded Achyuthacharya are at loggerheads. M teaches A a few lessons and soon shows that A is not so well versed that A thinks he is. Meanwhile, ST’s nephew continues to ask for sanyaasathva but ST denies him although the nephew knows all.

Venkatanaatha's generosity

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V’s relatives try to dissuade V to stop running the vidya peeta but V pursues. V’s brother-in-law gets Srinivasacharya and his wife to assist V in day to day tasks. Mangalamma thinks her presence is no longer required but V and his wife say no but that they need additional help.

Once on the way, V and his wife and son sit in the same tree where V had taught the three ghosts a lesson. It all comes back to him about what he had told the ghosts (God had entered his soul then) but he thinks it is a dream.

V’s neighbour falls ill.The neighbour has a number of children and they are in poverty. So V’s wife gives milk to them all. Similarly, a few farmers from neighbouring village come to V’s house because of extreme hunger. V gives them all food and grains. V’s generosity is present for one and all.

Gopika Dies

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V begets a son. No one trusts Mangalamma who is now taking care of the children in the absence of V’s wife who has gone to her mom’s house for giving birth to her son. Son is named Lakshmi Narayana. ST asks VT to see ‘The Great Person’ which VT had hinted will come to ST. V’s mom is becoming old. Her sole joy is to be with her grandson Lakshmi Narayana. So V’s wife comes home but finally V’s mom dies. However, just before she dies, she sees the past lives of Venkatanaatha – Shanku Karna, Prahallad, Bahalik King, Vyaasaraja Swamy. She is shocked when she sees his past lives and then she breathes last. There is much grief all around.

Happenings...

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Meanwhile AT tries to steal ST’s nephew’s works but gets caught and is ashamed. ST’s nephew forgives him.
Meanwhile Thanjavur king honors ST and sings a song to him. It is borne upon the king that his neighbours are planning a war against him. So he asks army to get ready.
Meanwhile V saves a kid which has fallen own inside a well in a haunted house.

Mangalamma Tries To Poison The Children

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Meanwhile, V’s wife becomes pregnant and there is happiness everywhere except Mangala (neighbour) who is jealous. She tries to convince everyone around her that V’s family is bad but is unsuccessful. She wishes harm to V’s family and hence poisons their milk hoping it will be given to the vidyapeeta children thus causing death and wholesome grief. But V’s wife accidentally slips the milk and it pours onto the floor except leaving only a few drops which she gives to Mangala who had asked for it earlier. Mangala unsuspecting that this milk is the same milk she had poisoned, drinks and suffers. V realizes that it is poison and saves her somehow. Mangala is ashamed and repents her action. Although she transforms herself, no one believes her.

Lord Krishna visits Venkatanaatha

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Meanwhile the vidya peeta at Kaveripatnam grows and more and more children in surrounding towns start joining the vidya peeta. Venkatanaatha’s house becomes small for all the children flowing in. One day V gets a dream from Lord Krishna that LK will come as a disciple and V has to teach him too. V is shocked. LK says he might come as anyone – perhaps a lower caste student too. V agrees. After that incident, V sees Krishna in every new entrant! One fine day, a non Brahmin kid enters the house. Other Brahmin kids shoo him away but V sees that it is Lord Krishna Himself and runs after him but is unable to locate him.

Sudheendra Theertha's Nephew

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Seer Sudheendra Theertha’s nephew returns to Seer ST after extended stay outdoors. He comes back (he would have undergone training and tutelage under ST earlier) resolved in thought that he wants to become sanyaasi. ST discusses with him in more detail. Achyutha Theertha wants to question the knowledge of ST’s nephew but loses big time. AT justs boasts whereas ST’s nephew knows all.

Meanwhile a learned traveler visits ST’s place and boasts of his knowledge. In the debate that ensues between the traveler, AT and ST’s nephew, the latter wins hands down. The traveler resumes his traveling having apologized for his ego. AT still does not accept that he is better than ST’s nephew.

Raghunatha Bhopala

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Meanwhile, the King of Thanjavur Raghunath Bhopala visits Seer Sudheendra Theertha. Apparently when RB was still a small kid, his father the then King of Thanjavur asked the then seer Vijayandra Theertha to give all knowledge to Raghunath Bhopala. VT appointed ST for tutelage. ST, together with V’s father Thimmanna Bhat, taught RB accordingly. Even as a kid RB composed a grammatically very sound poem called Parijatha Harana which ST appreciated a lot. Now a king, RB gifts SR with gifts for making him a gifted and talented person. RB uses his education to make his kingdom one of the finest and makes more citizens literates. Also RB appreciates VT’s efforts in enhancing the education system in and around Thanjavur due to which Thanjavur has now progressed. RB prays in front of VT’s brindavan at Kumbakonam for a few minutes.

Money for Vidya Peeta

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They head to their home in Kaveripatnam and finally reach. People there are pessimistic about him opening up vidya peeta. As his grandfather was unsuccessful, people think he too will be unsuccessful. V meditates for VT and asks if it will be successful. VT says yes. So gururaja and V, in need of money, think about asking money from farmers who are using the Mutt’s land for their gain since so many years. All farmers turn hostile towards V and Gururaja and refuse to give land’s profits to them. Gururaja tries to make them understand but when farmers say that they themselves are poor, V convinces Gururaja to let go of farmers. With whatever money he has, V starts the vidya peeta.

However soon after all the sackfuls of grain in every farmers’ house turns into mud. All farmers are shocked. They realize that this is because they turned down the request to give money to Mutt. Repenting their action, they finally yield and give their profits to Mutt as the land belongs to Mutt. Soon Vidya peeta functions smoothly.

Venkatanaatha chanting power miracle

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Meanwhile next day morning, on their way again, V and his wife are confronted by fellow clan to attend a ceremony in the nearby town. They agree after hesitation. In the pooja ceremony, V is asked to help out in churning the gandha (sandalwood) to be served for Brahmins during lunch. V sets out in his task but while doing so, he chants the Agni sloka just so to be occupied during this monotonous task.

When the gandha is served to Brahmins during lunch, they get skin irritation and ‘fire’ kind of feeling. V is immediately suspected of putting masala powder. He comes to the scene and understands what has caused this issue. He immediately chants the Rain god sloka to bring in warmth and coolness. This too happens and all sufferers are relieved from burning pain. They are all shocked about what V has achieved – that of invoking God through sloka. They all bow to him. Those who had humiliated him after suspecting his mischief also ask for forgiveness. He is then honored by the host of the pooja ceremony. However, what he gets as honor he donates right then and there for another Brahmin. All are much pleased about this. He informs that his power of sloka is not meant for earning money.

Achyutha Theertha tries to steal from Venkatanaatha

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V then visits VT’s Brindavan in Kumbakonam. He can feel VT wishing him well. ST then asks him to better the Vidya Peeta in Kaveripatnam and gives him some money. This is seen by Achyutha Theertha and this makes him jealous. To degrade V, AT thinks of stealing the money from V on V’s journey back to Kaveripatnam when they halt at night. When AT sends his followers to steal money, they are unable to do so. The money bag keeps distancing itself from them. Thus, AT’s followers drop the idea and admit defeat to AT who slaps them.

The story of Rajeshwari

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Meanwhile, there is a spate of robberies going on in the town where V is staying, including his own house. Usual suspects are V’s neighbors (Mangala) and her hubby as they are known to be petty thieves and loud mouths but actually they aren’t. The actual thief is Mangala’s sister who is now dead but moving around as a devil. The devil is getting into Mangala’s hubby’s body at night and stealing jewelry in and around the locality. Finally, after months of thievery, Mangala’s hubby gets caught by the townsmen. When enquired, he feigns ignorance and says he doesn’t know anything although he is dressed in a saree. Finally, when he is being taken to the King’s palace to be hung, V comes to the rescue.

He asks townsmen to give a few minutes of their time and shows how the devil has gotten into Mangala’s hubby’s body. He separates the body from the devilish soul and asks what the story is all about. Story is thus:

Long ago when the devil aka Rajeshwari aka Raji was happily married to a priest, Mangala and her hubby had visited their house. Their house had Temple jewelry that day but when Mangala left the house, the jewelry went missing. Raji knows Mangala stole it but latter denies. King finally hangs raji’s hubby but Mangala never admits the robbery. Hearing the fate of her hubby, Raji commits suicide but her soul is not satisfied because revenge is not yet taken on her sister Mangala. So in the devilish form, she has entered Mangala’s hubby’s body and committed the crime so as to get him to die too and make Mangala commit suicide. Finally V talks her out of it and alls well that ends well.

Vijayendra Theertha passes away

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V and his wife enjoy the life of a newly wed. So much so that they both are not able to concentrate on God during prayers. V’s mom notices it and is happy.

Meanwhile Vijayandra Theertha realizes his time has come to an end. He informs so to Sudheendra Theertha who is shocked. People in the Mutt too are shocked. Some old-timers (who had initially given pains to Kanakachala Bhat (V’s granddad)) are also suffering from old age and want to die but VT says that the pontiff who will be appointed next only can give them the grants to die. People wonder who the next pontiff is going to be. In his last minutes, VT informs all to be good and do well and mesmerize in the Lord’s thoughts. He finally lies down to sleep and passes out of this world. He had by then authored 108 books of high significance. His contribution to the Dwaitha Philosophy is extreme.

News of VT’s death comes to V through his dream. In the dream, VT informs V that all is going as per plan but there is still lots to do and V should do so accordingly. Dwaitha Philosophy’s future depends on V, is what VT says to V in his dreams and then passes away (dies). V suddenly wakes up and thinks it was just a nightmare only to hear the actual news next day morning. He is shell shocked and feels he is orphaned. The house is filled with gloom.

Venkatanaatha goes to Kaveripatnam

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Soon news comes that Saraswati is matured. So V and Saraswati spend their first night together. ST gives opinion to Gururaja to allow V to take care of a vidyapeeta after Gururaja himself declares unfit for such a role but Gururaja tells ST that V too is unfit although V agrees. ST indicates that family issues might arise due to family now being big but Gururaja does not think so.

One day Gururaja asks V to take care of a field work. But seeing 2 disciples running away from Vidya peeta, V is way laid and in turn starts helping them out with their studies. Gururaja comes to the field and does not see V anywhere. He is extremely angered and scolds V at end of day in front of all family members. Gururaja’s wife is not happy about Gururaja’s anger.

V’s wife is sad about the humiliation. She suggests staying apart. V tells her about ST’s offer of staying in Kaveripatnam. V’s wife likes the idea. Eavesdropping this, V’s mom tells Gururaja about dissecting the family into two homes. Gururaja is shocked but is unable to convince. So, V, his wife and his mom move to Kaveripatnam.

In Kaveripatnam, the current residents still remember Kanakachala Bhatt and his son Thimmanna Bhat who is V’s father. They speak highly of the two. Nostalgia makes V and his mom sad. They are given a place of shelter – same as the place where Kanakachala Bhat stayed. V and his wife clean the house and make themselves home.

Due to V’s policy of not taking any gifts from others, he is soon bereft of money and food and hunger strikes the family. V is unable to make enough from Vidya Peeta. Seeing this, Gururaja sends stuff. V rejects. V’s rich in-laws send stuff. V rejects. The in-laws complain to V’s brother-in-law and sister who visit V to convince him that accepting stuff is not wrong esp when a family of wife and mother is dependent on him. After hours of debate, V is finally convinced that what he is doing is wrong and hence accepts the stuff from his brother. After a long duration, V’s wife and mom have a nice dinner.

Venkatanaatha excels in Studies

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One Achyutha is not happy about the progress V is making in terms of education and knowledge. He is jealous. When ST asks some tough questions, A is unable to answer but V answers. So one day when V is studying hard at night in creating some scriptures, A visits V slyly and the moment V sleeps, steals the scriptures. He catches V off guard the next day about the scriptures. But Naani who had witnessed the whole incident slyly comes to V’s rescue and gives V the scriptures which V had created. This makes A twitch in anger.

Another day when a complicated topic is taught by Surendra Theertha Swamy, V notices that none in the class has understood. When after class he informs all to teach the same, no one responds enthusiastically and all go to sleep. However, V continues to study till wee hours of night outside under a bonfire. Seeing this, ST realizes that V is none other than his Master’s Master re-birth. So, he places his own shawl on V to save him from cold.

Next day when A sees this, he thinks V has stolen ST’s shawl and complains accordingly. But ST informs him the truth and tells all the V was working on writing a summary for Jaya Theertha’s Sudha Paata which is supposed to be extremely tough in understanding. Apparently V’s Summary is very easy to understand and seeing this, Vijayandra Theertha Swamy confer on V the name of ‘Parimala’ and also name V’s book as ‘Parimala Sudha’. VT is very happy with V.

Venkatanaatha Marries

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Needless to say, Venkatanaatha wins the battle. It is a high strung battle of wisdom and knowledge. The debate goes on for hours but ultimately Venkatanaatha wins. The King of Madurai is much honored to have him in his city and honours him and asks him to sing a song for him. Venkatanaatha obliges.

Meanwhile, there is much talk of V’s wedding. V keeps saying no but his family keeps insisting him. Then one day, Surendra Theertha Swamy comes in V’s dream and asks him why he is saying no to wedding. To this, V says that V knows he is destined to become a Swami one day, renouncing life- so why to waste a girl’s life. To this, S says that it is but fate for the young lady to let go of her husband and it is also destined for V to marry in this life and overcome the lust of marriage. V once more pleads that it is not right for him to marry a girl despite knowing his future but S says that V is becoming self centric and egoistic to solve all of world’s problems. This shames V. He suddenly wakes up to feel a change in him. As a surprise to all, he agrees to see the girl. Very soon, his marriage takes place but since the girl Saraswati is a minor, she is asked to stay in her mom’s place and V is asked to learn higher Vedic concepts under the tutelage of Surendra Theertha Swamy.

Prep for Adwaitha Vs Dwaitha Battle

2010-11-07T12:45:00.000+05:30

Kumbakonam Pontiffs Sudheendra Theertha (ST) and Vijayendra Theertha (VT) come to Madurai. ST informs V’s BIL that they heard about V’s antics with the King. BIL is guilty about not informing the episode himself to the Pontiffs but ST informs that BIL need not be guilty. Sometimes the news spread faster than fire. Anyways. ST informs that for Truth, there will always be tests and this was one such test. He asks V to study even further and become as much educated as possible. VT then sees V and blesses him good luck. VT too asks him some basic questions like ‘Who is sanyaasi?’ etc which V answers proficiently. VT asks some questions from his own book too to test V’s understanding of Madhwacharya’s Dwaita philosophy.

Meanwhile, ST tells V’s BIL that a major test for V is on the cards. Although the King was satisfied with V’s ability, some in the Court’s members, who are deemed Knowledge experts want a competition with one of the famed Knowledge Gurus of South India. This person is known never to have lost any debate with anyone and is a staunch follower of Adwaitha philosophy. So, for the battle of Adwaitha Vs Dwaitha where the Learned battle out against the Disciple, the stage is set.

Venkatanaatha Versus Krishnappa Nayak

2010-11-07T12:44:00.000+05:30

Back in Madurai, V is playing his veena in divine mood in Kali temple when Madurai King Krishnappa Nayaka suddenly enters the temple. Listening to the divine rendition, he immediately asks his chieftain to ask V to play the veena in the Queen’s palace. V humbly refuses. He informs that he is still a disciple and his rendition is only for the Goddess and not for Kings and Queens. This infuriates the King and his chieftain. They come to know that his BIL is the guru and BIL is called for at the King’s Palace.

Much debate ensues about V rejecting to play Veena in the Palace. Many think he should have because the King is considered as the God and one should not refuse the God. Many feel King’s fury has no end and it is better to perform as ordered rather than die. But V is a class apart and he does what is right. So when V’s BIL ventures to the King’s palace, V too accompanies.

In the palace, V’s BIL apologises for V’s behavior but V says that there is nothing to be sorry about. He insists that his rendition is only for Goddess Saraswati and is not meant for public entertainment even if the public is the King himself. This impresses the king and he asks V a lot of questions about Dharma, Truth, King, Arishadvarga, etc for which V answers magnificently and the King is very much impressed. Finally the king understands that he was being selfish and V’s actions were indeed correct. So he respects V and lets him go. Everyone at home is relieved and happy about V.

Venkatanaatha refuses marriage

2010-11-07T12:43:00.000+05:30

Back home, story of S being tied with V makes waves and immediately V’s mom asks Gururaja to initiate V’s wedding plans. So G goes to Kumbakonam and talks to Pontiff Sudheendra Theertha who tells him about Vasudevacharya’s daughter whose name is also coincidentally Saraswati. But G worries that Vasudevacharya is a rich person and it might not be a best fit. When news comes to V, he flatly refuses marriage.

The story of the Dharmaadhaakari

2010-11-07T12:42:00.000+05:30

In Madurai, people are very happy to see V due to his radiance and knowledge. He is answerable to all knowledge questions. In one such instance, there is a talk of the temple’s Dharmaadhaakari being on death bed. People try to get astrologers to check if his life span can be increased but V says that his life has neared its end. But nobody will listen to him. Even astrologer informs that his stars are not in the right position.

There is a push by his (Dharmaadhaakari) near ones to obtain that Dharmaadhaakari post (and wealth) but he is unwilling to give away the post. So his near ones want to get him married to a girl from poor family so that the near ones can control the bride’s life and Dharmaadhaakari’s money. V is totally against this. But the Chief Astrologer informs vaguely that in case the Dharmaadhaakari (D) gets married to this poor girl, his life span might increase. V is angered at this because he knows that that is not true. But no one pays heed to him. D’s brother-in-law and sister and their son is desperate to get the wealth and the one way of doing this is by controlling the poor girl after she becomes a widow.

In spite of V’s valiant efforts, the marriage happens. For V’s ‘butting-his-nose’ attitude, V’s brother-in-law (BIL) gets a mouthful from D’s BIL. So V’s BIL tells V to mind his own business and not poke his nose into other family matters. But V is concerned about the poor girl (Saraswati (S))’s life and especially her life as a widow. So V even comes to the wedding hall but is obstructed and sent out forcefully.

Soon after marriage, D gets to death bed. S is very sad and is trying all in her power to get D back on life but is failing. D’s BIL spreads word around that S is a very dedicated wife and is a very obedient and traditional wife.The idea is that once D dies, they want to convince the world that S, on her own, chooses to do Sati (entering husband’s pyre alive to attain moksha). Finally D dies. As planned, word is spread around that S will enter pyre. S herself is shocked but she is then brainwashed about the difficulties of leading a widowed life and hence she too thinks she was destined for Sati and hence agrees, as if in a trance.

Once she enters the pyre, V enters the scene and appeals to the audience to stop this nonsense which is amounting to murder. He bares all facts and asks if any of the womenfolk present also get into Sati. No one agrees. No man wants it too. Then V informs that S’s entering pyre is all part of master plan from D’s BIL to get the wealth. Then people realize the truth. The Chief Astrologer too comes and tells that when he saw S’s kundali (birth-chart), he found that her first husband will die and in her second marriage, she will attain bliss. Noticing that D was anyhow going to die, he informed all that this was an ideal marriage for both D and S. Now that D was dead, S should be set free to seek her happiness. D’s BIL and family are fuming to see their plan go kaput but sensing that the people around were all against them, they finally succumb and S comes out of her trance.

But although she does not die, she cannot enter hubby’s house because she had decided to do Sati, she cannot go back to parents’ house because she is married. People around ask V to marry her but V is shocked. He says that his role was just to save her life and not that of a hubby. So he asks her to just go away and seek shelter where she finds it best and she leaves the town. Thus ends the story of Dharmadhaakari. It is not clear who finally got Dharmadhaakari’s wealth!

Venkatanaatha becomes an adult

2010-11-07T12:41:00.000+05:30

Meanwhile, Venkataamba is pregnant, just as V had told. BIL and sis are happy and thank V for his prediction. News reaches Gopikamba and she is very happy.

Life goes on and V becomes an adult. Gururaja completes his studies and is on par with his dead father in terms of education. So he takes leave from the pontiff and heads back to his house. Gururaja too becomes a father.

Venkatanaatha vouches for Lower Caste again

2010-11-07T12:32:00.002+05:30

Meanwhile, V’s studies go on smoothly. Once, when he is in temple, a lower caste person calls for the priest to assist his ailing cow. Since priest was not present, V gives him Theertha (sacred water), flower, etc although the person refuses. Still V insists. The priest suddenly enters the premises and sees V giving him Theertha and scolds him. But V informs him that in front of God, all Men are equal and there are no distinctions. The priest refuses to understand. He proceeds to complain against him. But V knows that what he did was right and that the Scriptures does not differentiate amongst different Men and hence he is confident that he is right and if he is punished by mortal Men, he shall be left unscathed because of God’s love.

At home, his brother-in-law (BIL) scolds him a lot for getting astray. He teaches him that although God created Fire and Water, it doesn’t imply that Fire and Water is same. Although sugar and bitter guard is created by God, it doesn’t imply that both are same. So each have to be distinguished. Similarly, lower caste and Brahmins are to be divided. But V says that both fire and water have their own uniqueness. Pooja is done to fire and Man cannot live without water. Sugar is used in sweets and bitter guard is used as medicines. So, there is value for everyone. To this, BIL says that since Lower caste people do not keep themselves clean, they are untouchables. To this, V says that lower caste are unclean because of their nature of work. And they are working to give food to Brahmins. If they are unclean, it is the duty of every Brahmin to teach them the best way to lead life. BIL gets angry and asks him to do as he says and follow what he orders as long as he stays in his house.

Narayanachar (Naani) visits Vijayendra Theertha and Sudheendra Theertha. The pontiffs ask what made Naani visit them. Naani tells them that V is asking for lower caste people to attend Temples, etc. Is it fair? Naani is scared about V. The pontiffs say that all will be well. Vijayendra Theertha says that V has seen future light and V has power to lead this light in future. Sri Hari is filled in V and V will be safe. Naani’s concern vanishes.

Venkataamba wants a child

2010-11-07T12:29:00.002+05:30

V’s sis’s (Venkataamba) has not given birth to any child even after years of marriage. So when one neighbour comes and calls her for a newborn’s ceremony, another neighbour scolds her for inviting Venkataamba because if Venkataamba is barren, then the child may suffer diseases similar to the child which suffered diseases since 1 year as a result of Venkataamba touching and caressing that child during it’s new born ceremony. Hearing this gossip, Venkataamba and V are much depressed.

When Venkataamba is crying about this, her husband tries to console her and tells her that since her mother took 10 years to bear children, perhaps she too might take 10 years to bear children. To this, Venkataamba says that just like her mother, she might have to go to Tirumala to seek Lord Venkateshwara’s blessings. Hearing this, V tells her not to trouble herself as she is pregnant and she will soon give birth to a child. His brother-in-law is shocked but his sister is very happy to hear this as she trusts V’s sixth sense.

Upanayanam for Venkatanaatha

2010-10-04T22:36:00.000+05:30

In Madurai, V sits in front of Kali temple and prays to Her to allow him to talk to his father TB. After much begging, Goddess Kali delivers TB to V. TB speaks to V and informs him not to ask for him as he is on his way to Heaven and it is not right to bring back the dead. He also tells V to study properly and achieve stardom. Finally V lets go of him.

Meanwhile, Gururaja is told by Sudheendra Theertha pontiff to perform Upanayanam to V in order to bring some cheer to Family. Since its been more than a year since TB died, its fine to do Upanayanam to V. Everyone in the family is happy about this decision.

Upanayanam goes fine. V asks some questions about Upanayanam like Gopichandan, Mudras, etc which his broter-in-law (Lakshmi Narasimhachar) answers. V is happy to perform the Upanayanam.

After Upanayanam is complete, V does not want to go back to Madurai because he does not want to leave his mother. However, his mom insists him that he should go to Madurai, complete his studies and once he achieves stardom, her responsibilities come to closure and she can attain the life of her husband’s. With great difficulty, he leaves Ramachandrapura and his mom and goes to Madurai, where he now learns to do pooja full-fledged.

Venkatanaatha goes to Madurai

2010-09-30T18:44:00.001+05:30

Soon, relatives who had gathered in TB’s house start leaving. Naani too leaves. V is much sad that Naani had to leave. He tries hard to stop him but Naani says that him being a bachelor, he should not be in that house which is yet to see a number of happy celebrations. Finally Naani too bids adieu.

V and Gopikamba both dream about TB. While latter dreams about TB taking away V, V dreams about TB informing him to study hard and excel in life. Days pass with both Gopika and V remembering life with TB.

Finally, noticing that V needs a change of place, V’s sister offers to take him to his house in Madurai. But at Madurai too, V is desolate and sad. So, one day V’s sister’s husband offers to take V to Vidyapeeta so that V can spend some time with children of his age. In vidyapeeta, there are lot of educated people discussing about Literature and Scriptures. V asks some spiritual questions like ‘What is Dharma?’ etc and is interested in the wide variety of response.

Meanwhile, Gopika is too sad herself. She is once alone in the house and she feels too lonely. So she shouts at TB’s soul to take her away too so that she can be once again be united with him. Hearing her shout, Gururaja and his wife come and console her.

V is now keeping himself busy. He visits temples and asks priests theosophical questions. He once asks why Durga is called so. The priest responds thus:

Once upon a time there was a demon called Durgama. Durgama tries to understand why demons don’t have power whereas the Demi-gods (devatas) had. He realizes that it is due to Vedas. Since demi-gods have Vedas, they are powerful than Demons. So, Durgama does penance for years together and finally Brahma is forced to fulfill Durgama’s wishes. Durgama asks for Vedas which Brahma is forced to give. After doing so, world comes to a standstill as the demi-gods lose their power. Rivers run dry, scorching heat everywhere, famine, etc. When demi-gods pray for Goddess Lakshmi, she saves the world. She approaches Durgama and unleashes all her Anger Power and kills Durgama. Hence she is called Durga devi. Also, since she gives (shakahaari) vegetarian food to saints before the death of Durgama, she was also called Shaakambari (story needs to be validated).

Meanwhile, messengers are sent from Vijayandra Theertha Swamy to Gopikamba to ask Gururaja to visit their shrine soon.

Venkatanaatha is inconsolable

2010-09-19T22:46:00.001+05:30

Vijayendra Theertha and Sudheendra Theertha are talking about TB’s untimely death. Former says that this is all God’s play for what’s gonna happen soon. Former gives example of Dasharatha and Kausalya giving birth to Rama and suffering so much despite bearing Vishnu a life. Same thing is happening here. He again hints that V has a long way to go. V is answerable to lot of worldly questions.

Meeanwhile TB’s family grieves TB’s death. V is the most inconsolable of the lot. He plays veena just the same way TB played Veena when TB’s parents died. Naani sees this and cannot help comparing. When kin try to console him, he asks questions about Death, about Soul, about need for his mom to shave her head and wear a red dress. He asks if TB’s soul will be happy seeing Gopika thus. No one is able to answer V’s questions.

When he asks his brother-in-law about current status of TB, latter replies that TB’s soul will be traveling to Heaven for the next 1 year and in this 1 year, it will suffer for all the mistakes it did. Then. V asks why people have to suffer after their death for their actions if the actions were initiated by God Himself in the first place – after all, if God didn’t will it, then how can Man perform the ill-actions? So why should Man be punished if he is just a puppet? Again, no one is able to answer V’s questions.

Thimmanna Bhat Dies

2010-09-19T22:45:00.001+05:30

Sons arrive and TB asks Gopika for privacy. Gopika leaves crying. TB advises sons to take care of themselves. He says this might be the last chance for him to speak freely lest his body fails further. He asks Gururaja to take care of V and also to become a famous pundit after undergoing studies with Sudheendra Theertha. He also informs how in near future there is going to be a massive change in the world, where atheists will become theists and miracles defy science. Gururaja says he cannot understand, but TB hints that the answer is within the room. But neither Gururaja nor V understand the significance that the answer is V. TB advises further and asks them to be truthful and lead life honestly. He says that he can see his end and both sons are crying.

At night, TB hears Vijayendra Theertha saying that he has done all he has to do in life, so he might as well move on. TB wakes up and almost bids farewell to all his dearest – the idols, the veena instrument, etc. With love, he plays the veena and prays to God. Hearing the song, all in the family come and see him. TB finishes his singing. He remembers his entire life. He rests his head on the veena and then breathes his last. In the mid of night, Vijayendra Theertha – at his resting place - realizes that TB is dead and wakes up and wishes him well. TB is cremated.

Thimmanna Bhat falls ill

2010-09-15T23:06:00.000+05:30

Then, V goes out to play veena. His friends come and ask him to join in child’s play but he refuses stating that he had to learn a lot. Kids say that it isn’t the age but V says that there is no age to learn and that the entire childhood should not be wasted in playing. So the other kids start following V.

Meanwhile, TB and Gopika arrive back home. TB is very tired. He is hardly able to speak and stand. They relate their pilgrimage in great detail to household. They inform about having been to daughter’s house and also visit to Sudheendra Theertha Brindavan in Madurai, after which they went to Rameshwaram and performed religious rites for 15 days. All are happy that TB and wife have come back safely although sons chastise TB for having lost health. But TB says it is more of a duty than a leisure activity. Saying so, he suddenly falls ill.

He is bedridden. Doc arrives and tells everyone that he is suffering from a mental disease more than a physical disease. Everyone tries to convince TB to speak his mind out instead of locking it up within himself but he still doesn’t open up. One day, he gets up and wants to talk to his sons. Gopika wishes to die as a married person than as a widow. So she is fervently hoping. So he asks him not to talk about deathly things and encourages him to live for the future when V might perhaps become a great person. For this, TB says that indeed V will become a great person and be the shining light for millions of people but he wonders if he will be alive to see it. Gopika is shocked at his words. Gopika pleads him not to speak thus.

Venkatanaatha cures Gururaja of shivering

2010-09-15T23:05:00.000+05:30

They think G is dead initially. But when they wake him up, he wakes up and they are all happy that he is alive. But G is shivering uncontrollably due to fear. They then search for V. They find V sleeping under that same mango tree where the devils reside (now chanting Vishnu’s name). They wake V too. V is very happy and fresh after having slept in nature. They ask if he wasn’t afraid but he said no one bothered him and he had a fitful sleep. He only regrets having missed the night’s music ceremony. They then head back happy that no one is killed.

In the house, G is still shivering. K tries to remove the shiver by traditional belief but she is unsuccessful. G and his wife decide to go to a temple. But when V assists him G in getting up (when V’s hand touches G), the shiver goes off from G’s body and he is fit and fine. This surprises everybody but they think that its because of what K had done.

The story of the 3 devils

2010-09-11T15:16:00.001+05:30

Meanwhile, in their house, Kamala (K) comes to Gururaja (G) and V. Gururaja keeps V inside the house to avoid him in making mistakes outside house. So V says if he is kept in house, truth will not be kept inside. So K asks V to be grown up after which his words will be heard and assimilated. Then, K informs about an all night song ceremony of Purandaradasa Festival in a house nearby in Chandrapura which K cannot attend because of prior commitments. So G and V proceed.

On the way, V talks about Purandaradasa in great detail. G is very devoted to Purandaradasa, he informs how P used to recite songs on Lord’s behalf and how his children wrote down due to which most songs are now documented and sung. G asks how V knows so much about Purandaradasa. This may be due to V’s prior life (Vyasaraja) but V assimilates it to having studied a book on Purandaradasa.

It is pretty late in the night. G and V encounter a fork in the road. Both go to Chandrapura but one road is less traveled. G proceeds with the commonly used road but V informs that the less traveled road is a short cut. On their way, they encounter a person who recognizes them as TB’s sons. This person informs that the correct road is via the commonly used road and not this short cut. He then goes on to say that this particular road has a mango tree upon which are 3 devils. He relates his own story about how one night he was going on this path and the 3 devils attacked him. With great difficulty, he was able to get away from the 3 devils by chanting a Shiva sloka.

Hearing this, G and V are persuaded to go back and use the longer route but V runs away before anyone can stop him. G runs behind him but V would have gained lot of distance. V finally comes to the mango tree but he doesn’t see any devils. He rests near the tree to wait till G comes but G, meanwhile, has fallen down near a skull and is his in wit’s end. He is too scared to even more. He is perspiring as if he has seen his death. With fear, he faints.

The 3 devils attack G and decide to suck his blood. At the same time, Lord Venkateshwara enter V’s soul and saves G from dying. The 3 devils try to attack V but when they touch V, they get a shock. They suffer from severe shock and they feel captured. They are unable to move. But V tries to free their souls. They inform how they have lead their lives – the Brahmin devil had took money from pilgrims; the courier devil had spied on his king; the doctor devil had looted money. So they are not sure if they can free themselves from their enormous ‘paapa’.

So V informs that they have to chant Hari’s name so that they can be freed from devilhood. He advises them that this is the time to do some good and get freed; repent what was done in their lives, and they can finally reach Heaven. Since they are not doing good and since they made lot of mistakes during manhood, they were neither in earth nor in Heaven and hence they were devils and if they continue their current lifestyle, they will continue to be devils for millions of years. This makes sense to the devils and they agree to chant Narayan’s name. Once they start chanting, they will become good and vanish into thin air.

Meanwhile, V’s soul comes back into V whose body is still sleeping under the tree.

Sun rises and the person who had warned G and V not to venture comes back on the path with some more men to search for G and V. They find G’s fainted body.

Thimmanna Bhat Hints too

2010-09-11T15:15:00.001+05:30

Meanwhile, TB is very tired on his way to Rameshwara. TB and wife decide on resting before proceeding. They rest soon to see that there is no water. So TB proceeds to get water. He gets water. Gopika gives TB some food. TB empathises with Gopika about the pilgrimage especially because Gopika wanted to stay at home with family. But Gopika informs that she is happy with the pilgrimage.

When TB gives him food, TB asks her to take it first. He says that customs should change as per the situation. So he says that he will have one bite and then she should consume food too. She appreciates him that even though they have 3 kids, he loves her so much. Bu he informs her that she has stood by him for so many tough years and he appreciates her for that.

He then tells her about the dream he had got about his Guru asking him to teach the sacred song Gandharva Gaana to V. Once done, he felt like visiting Rameshwar. So Gopika asks how a person chanting Vishnu wants to visit Shiva. But TB hints about him feeling nearing end of his life and hence the visit. Gopika chastises him.

Venkatanaatha saves the non-Brahmin boy

2010-09-11T15:14:00.001+05:30

Meanwhile, V is trying to help Kamala in her food-preparation. But she insists on doing everything herself. V too insists on helping the female folk. But Gururaja comes and gives him the elderly attitude and shoves him away to playground.

In the playground to where V goes, one of the boys falls from the tree when the others are playing. The kids do not want to help him as the victim belongs to a lower caste. But V is unfazed. He goes to the kid and touches him. The other Brahmin kids are shocked. They desert V fearing being ousted from community. But V informs that being Brahmin does not mean not to help the needy. But the other Brahmin kids run away. They consider V now as outcast because he touched a lower caste person. The parents of the other kids too shun him away. V informs the parents that first we are Men, then we are Brahmin and helping needy is utmost priority. But the parents degrade him and tell that he should be punished. V informs that God is there to punish him if need be and they need not bother V. The parents then go and conspire against him.

The boy’s parents come and rescue the boy from V. V wants to come with them. But the boy’s parents do not want him to come with them because of differences in caste and creed.

The Brahmin parents (BP) come to Gururaja and complain against V’s antics in Brahmin agrahara. The BP are concerned about their own kids. They give Gururaja their own peace of mind. V meanwhile comes to the house and informs them that helping another man is not against the Vedas. V said that God didn’t create any castes. But Gururaja scolds him for talking back to elders.

But the debate goes on. BP inform that Brahmins are greatest because they came from Brahma and also the upper portion of Lord Vishnu. V informs that by neglecting one’s own legs, can one go to temple? Can one bear the prick of a thorn on the feet? So one should not degrade different parts of the body.

BP informs that Brahmins are the foremost people. So V says that the fundamental flaw in the argument is that each person will appreciate his own caste as the upper most caste. Then BP ask how is it feasible to stay in cahoots with lower caste people. V replies that if farmers didn’t exist, then how to have food. If warriors didn’t exist, how to defend country, etc. So Brahmins should co-exist with all other castes.

V informs that rice, safety and food are the only things that all Man needs. Without Vedas people can survive but without the above 3, it is not easy to survive. Seeing that BP were losing the verbal battle, they seek Gururaja’s assistance and tell him to wash V in Cow’s urine and wash his tongue using dried grass and make him pure so that agrahara will be a better place. They also mention rice in the purity process but V points out that rice was created by lower caste people.

Gururaja asks the BP to leave and tackles V. V informs that if lower and upper caste is not there, then there is issue of purity. V also asks that even if V is washed in the outer layer, what of the inner thoughts? Gururaja cannot take it anymore and orders his wife to purify V using Cow’s urine and dried grass, etc.

Sudheendra Theertha Hints

2010-09-11T15:13:00.001+05:30

Naani visit Sudheendra Theertha (ST). Naani gives TB’s news of pilgrimage. ST backs up TB’s action. He even says 2nd Hoovilli in the house was alright as long as ordered by TB’s Swami. Also, in his mind, ST can see the future and inform Naani that doing Hoovilli through Gopika (when she was married) was the right thing to do. Apparently, since Shiva is the Destroyer (a kind of Lord of Death), it is good to visit Rameshwar to bid final salutes.

Thimmanna Bhat Leaves for Rameshwaram

2010-09-11T15:12:00.001+05:30

Gopika questions why Rameshwaram. But TB does not answer. She complains that Kamala is yet young and might not be able to handle the house. But TB is adamant. He says that that’s how they learn. He also insists that a Hoovilli (donation to 5 married women) has to be done in the memory of his mother. But generally, 2 Hoovilli is not done in a household within 1 year. 1 Hoovilli was already done in wedding. So another Hoovilli should not have been done. So Gopika is again shocked. But TB insists that this has to be done after which they have to go to Rameshwara and that will end their responsibilities. Gopika is shocked. There is a hint about a death in the family, perhaps TB’s own which also explains his lugubriousness.

Hoovilli is done. People enquire as to why Hoovilli is done so soon after a wedding. They also wonder why Rameshwara so soon after wedding. But TB and Gopika are silent. They suspect relations between parents-in-law and new daught-in-law. But not so.

Packing starts for Rameshwara. Children and daughter in law ask if they can accompany but TB says no. TB says its not their age yet. TB asks Gururaja to take responsibility to take care of farmland, house, Pooja, V’s children, etc. Since responsibility and wedding has both come in one shot, Gururaja might take it to head, so asks Gururaja to take caution. TB says expected arrival might be about 2-3 months. TB says V to give importance to education.

Then, TB and Gopika leave for their pilgrimage.

Thimmanna Bhat continues to worry

2010-09-01T22:32:00.000+05:30

Venkatamba and his hubby approach TB and ask him what is bothering him. TB says he is fine. But former says that Gopika informed that TB is in a constant worry that he is not sharing. TB says that nothing is wrong and all is well. Although TB is worrying about V’s future, he doesn’t share.

Venkatamba’s hubby then approaches V asks V why he is not playing around like other boys but concentrating more on Veena and Vedas. V says that he is immersed in Knowledge and his play and games is all in knowledge and that’s where his fun lies. Saying so, he invites the former for a game in Knowledge and asks him more theology questions like Artha Shaastra, why suffering amongst people, etc. Venkatamba’s hubby answers to the best extent possible.

TB approaches Gopika to inform thus: Need to go to Rameshwar. (This too was informed by Vijayendra Theertha in the dream after V was taught the Kalyani Raaga sacred song but he doesn’t mention so to her) .

Gururaja gets married

2010-09-01T20:29:00.002+05:30

Gururaja’s marriage goes off well and Kamala assumes responsibility as the daughter in law of the house.

Seeing the marriage, V asks his dad about the necessity of marriage. TB informs that marriage is an essential part of a man’s life. Only through marriage, man can fulfill 3 dues (parents’ (for the sacrifices they had done in bringing him up), ancient saints’ (for making complex topics like geography, mathematics, science, etc easy to understand) and God’s (for providing such a beautiful environment, fruits, etc). TB also goes on to tell about the importance of being a Brahmin and how precious it is to take birth as a Brahmin.

Dream fulfilled

2010-09-01T20:29:00.001+05:30

TB wakes up suddenly and remembers the dream he had just had. He is a shocked state. At dawn, he informs Gopika to get Gururaja married as time is nearing end. Gopika doesn’t understand but is joyous about son’s wedding. Daughter is already married to a Vidwan in the King’s court.

Conversations ensue in the household to hunt a bride for Gururaja. Finally they decide on Gopika’s brother’s daughter Kamala.

When one day TB is drawing water from the well, Vijayendra Theertha again flashes in front of him and again reminds him that TB has not yet taught the sacred and secret rendition to V. Vijayendra Theertha also says that this act will suffice TB’s gurudakshina to Vijayendra Theertha. TB apologises the delay and immediately arranges next day to have the house empty. During that time, TB informs V about the sacred and secret Gaandhaara song in the Kalyani raga and its specialties (to be sung only twice in lifetime, and not to be taught to anyone, etc). He also tells V how he won in the Thanjavur concert. With deep concentration, V learns this sacred song.

Thimmanna Bhat gets a Dream

2010-09-01T20:28:00.000+05:30

V’s antics and miracles are endless. His interests in theology are insatiable and the unanswerable questions keep coming. When he is sleeping one night, TB and Gopika see radiance in this face never seen before. They wonder what different they did in bringing him up that he has become so different from his siblings but couldn’t pinpoint on anything.

One night, TB sees Vijayendra Theertha in his dream. During the musical concert in Thanjavur that TB had participated and won (a face-saving event because Thanjavur was losing to a competitor) long time ago, TB had learnt a divine rendition called Gaandhaara Graama in Kalyani Raaga. It was this song that he had sung in Thanjavur to ultimately win the tournament. But the fact of the matter was that he had learnt this rendition from Vijayendra Theertha himself who had taught him (rather helped him in singing it in the Thanjavur concert). Vijayendra Theertha also had told him not to teach this rendition to anyone until and unless he gives permission and even if taught, it should not be sung more than twice in the entire lifetime. TB’s one-time is already used up during the concert. The second time, Vijayendra Theertha orders him in the dream, TB is to teach this rendition to V. Vijayendra Theertha also informs that time is nearing completion and tasks have to be done in a hurry. Thus the dream ends.

Vijayendra Theertha hints about future

2010-08-31T22:06:00.002+05:30

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.

Venkatanaatha's antics

2010-08-30T22:44:00.003+05:30

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

2010-08-30T22:10:00.004+05:30

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

2010-08-30T22:10:00.001+05:30

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.

Changes in Gopika

2010-08-29T19:12:00.001+05:30

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.

Gopika Conceives

2010-08-28T23:00:00.000+05:30

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

2010-08-28T22:40:00.002+05:30

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.

Thimmanna Bhat Goes to Tirumala again

2010-08-26T23:12:00.002+05:30

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

2010-08-26T23:05:00.001+05:30

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

2010-08-26T22:56:00.000+05:30

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

2010-08-26T22:49:00.001+05:30

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

2010-08-26T22:37:00.001+05:30

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

2010-08-26T22:24:00.001+05:30

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

2010-08-26T21:58:00.000+05:30

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

2010-08-26T21:53:00.001+05:30

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

2010-08-26T21:24:00.001+05:30

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

2010-08-26T21:02:00.001+05:30

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.

Epilogue

2007-08-18T13:17:00.002+05:30

And that is where my recordings come to an end. Due to personal reasons I had to stop seeing the episodes being telecasted, and also, the telecast itself became very infrequent in nature.

Based on knowledge, the rest can be put in a few words: Needless to say, Rama Avatar ends by Rama killing Ravana and freeing Sita. Sita will be made to go through fire to convince the people all around that she is untouched by Ravana and she is pure. She passes the test successfully. The 14 yrs also come to an end and Rama & Co goes back to Ayodhya. Sita is made to stay separately from Rama, in an ashram, where she gives birth to two sons Luv and Kush. And so the story goes on.

Meanwhile, Vishnu’s Avatar # 8, 9 and 10 are Krishna, Buddha and Kalki respectively. If these episodes happen to be telecasted, and if I happen to see them, I will surely update this blog. Until then…

May Vishnu take care of you!

Errata:
1. Chapter 47 was incorrectly numbered as 48. And so, the chapters from 48 onwards are one number up!
2. Chapter 87 has two occurrences. Hence, the chapters from 88 onwards are, in effect, in correct order!

Chapter 95: Rama kills Kumbhakaran

2007-08-18T13:17:00.001+05:30

Meanwhile, Ravana wakes up Kum with help of lots of band and noise. He becomes awake and shouts at all. Ravana says he needs his help.
“What?”
“War.”
“You win without me.”
“This time I need you.”
“Why?”
“I kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita and to get her back, he has declared war.”
“Give her back so that I can sleep peacefully.”
“Will you help me or not?”
“Well, alright, I will.”

Sun rises. War begins. Kum, Mammoth easily walks over a lot of people and all get scared. Kum Vs Rama. Kum is following his maryada and Rama is following his maryada. Difference is that Kum’s maryada is all blood while Rama’s is peace and dharma. Rama after huge battle kills Kum. Sun sets. War stops.

Vib comes to Rama’s camp and informs that Meghnath is doing tapas in Nikumba (?) Temple to gain immortality. Only way for him not to achieve it is by getting him out of the Nikumba temple in the night itself. Hanuman goes.

Chapter 94: Hanuman gets Sanjeevini Mountain

2007-08-18T13:16:00.002+05:30

A Brahmin disguise will be chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’. H asks him for help on search for Sanjeevini. Brahmin accepts and gives him water to help himself. On reflection of water, H sees Brahmin transforming into a devil, a helper of Ravana. Devil pleads guilty, saying working on boss’orders (Ravana’s). H kills him and goes forth.

He finds a mountain full of sparkling plants. Not sure which is Sanjeevini. So he gets the whole hill itself back to Rama’s camp. Meanwhile, Rama asks Sun God to rise late as Lakshman is yet to be cured. H arrives with hill. Rama and doc are all astonished. Doc picks few leaves and uses it to retrieve L back to life. All are happy. Rama thank doc.

Chapter 93: War begins: Lakshman is down!

2007-08-18T13:16:00.001+05:30

War begins. Heavy fighting. Meghnath’s Brahmasuthra downs Lakshman. Rama and Ravana are equal almost. Sun down. War stops. Rama is desperate for Lakshman. Jambuvan says only one person can cure L and that is Lanka doctor. In a flash, H brings the doc. Rama pleads that for a doc, no enemy, no caste, no side has to be taken. Their only aim is to cure the patients. Doc looks at L and says Sanjeevini plant is required. It sparkles in night. Hanuman goes to get it at night.

Ravana and son are happy that L is down. Mandodhari is concerned that this will make Rama more durious. Ravana says by sun down, tomorrow, Rama too would be down.

Chapter 92: Angadh’s feet

2007-08-18T13:15:00.002+05:30

Ravana belittles Angadh’s presence by saying that Rama is a coward. Angadh, full of confidence, introduces himself as Vaali’s son. Ravana asks how he can support Rama as Rama killed his pop. Angadh replies “I go against adharm (injustice). If my pop is adharm, I go against him. I wonder how Meghnath is silent seeing your adharm.”
Meghnath: “Don’t cross the border of being a messenger.”
A: “The conversation is between me and your pop. Why do you interfere?” He then asks Ravana again to let go of Sita. Ravana again belittles Rama saying he is just a manav. Angadh gets angry and asks him to test Rama.

He says he (Angadh) is one percent of Rama’s strength. And he puts one foot on earth firmly and asks him to remove it if he can. No one in palace can, individually or in group. Inluding Meghnath. Ravana himself comes. But Angadh backs off, saying no need to touch his feet Touch Rama’s. Saying thus he goes off, “Prepare for war!”

Chapter 91: Rama & Co arrive at Lanka

2007-08-18T13:15:00.001+05:30

Hanuman comes back to Rama and conveys all that happened. Prep start to cross the By of Bengal from India to Lanka. Lots of waves at Rameshwaram. So Rama shoots an arrow to calm the sea. Hence no waves at Rameshwaram.

Floating sones are brought and are built across the bay. Whole of Rama’s company (Sugreev and company) cross the bay and land in Lanka. Rama feels a chance has to be given to Ravana to allow him to give back Sita although he is the enemy. So Angadh and Vaali’s son goes to Ravana’s palace as a messenger chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram.’

Chapter 90: Hanuman sets Lanka on fire

2007-08-18T13:14:00.002+05:30

H bids adieu to Sita, but is hungry. So he decides to eat fruits in AV. News reaces Ravana that AV is being eaten away by a Monkey Man. Same time, his son, Akshkumar comes back from training. Ravana asks him to take care of H. H looks at him and says “You are so much of a child. Go, drink milk and play. I wanna meet you poppy.” Aksh challenges him. H easily kills him. News reaches Ravana. Mandodhari cries when she sees the servants lay down her son’s dead body.

Meghnath, the other son is willing to fight. Mandodhari refuses. Ravana says “Say Revenge. Not Sorrow.” So off goes Meghnath.

Intro before fight between Meghnath (Indra winner) and Hanuman (Ram bhakth). A fight ensues. Clearly Hanuman winning, when Meghnath uses Brahmasuthra (powerful Brahma chant). As a mark of respect to Brahma, Hanuman gets caught, and is taken to Ravana, where he makes a mockery of Ravana, saying “I didn’t get caught. I respected Brahma. Moreover, I wanted to see the coward who got a woman kidnapped, was beaten by Sahasrabahu and Vaali.” Ravana is infuriated. H asks for a chair. Laughingly, Ravana refuses. So, H grows his tail so long that it winds itself over and over again and a man-mad thrown-like structure made-of-tail gets created, at about the same height of Ravana’s thrown, who is annoyed by all this, especially when H says Ravana is not well-bred for king.

Ravana asks why he has come here. H replies. Ravana wants to punish him. “Why”, asks H. “Just for eating fruits in AV? After all I am a monkey.” Still Ravana asks all to fight against H. A big fight ensues. Vib comes and stops it all. He says that fighting in palace is bad for a king, although he has the right to punish.

Ravana agrees. His punishment against Hanuman is to set his tail on fire. All do so, and all laugh. But once, its done, all realize its mistake. H goes on a firing-spree and enlights and engulfs the whole of Lanka on fire and when the whole island is ablaze with fire, he sets out his tail fire with the help of sea water.

Chapter 89: Hanuman meets Sita

2007-08-18T13:14:00.001+05:30

Finally he reaches Lanka. Beach-keepers smell a non-Lankanhuman being. Hanuman becomes a 1-inch dwarf. Happily soldiers pluck him to eat. Promptly H gives one on the head and enters the palace. He roams around the palace when he hears a chant on Rama. Forgetting himself, he dances and enters Vibs (Chanter) room. Intro (Anjali putra, Bajrangbali, etc). Vib shows the path to AV.

In AV, Ravana meets Sita, who holds a strip of tree to protect her from him and chants. He asks her to become his but she starts comparing him to Rama. Rama is Sun, he is a small light, liable to be blown away, Rama is a sweet smelling flower but Ravana is a poison, etc. Ravana gets angry and goes to kill her. Mandodhari pitches in and says ‘Over my dead body”. She says to fight against a woman would decrease his fame. So he stops. But he gives one month time to Sita to become his.

After he leaves, Sita asks HAV to help her commit suicide. HAV refuses. So Sita begs AV to take away her ‘shok’ (sadness) by giving something from sky to acknowledge Rama’s presence. H, heretofore sitting on AV branch drops the ring that Sita had given to Rama and that which Rama had given to H. She is shocked. How could the ring come here? Has anyone stolen from him or killed him? Hanuman chants and all rakshasas fall asleep. He drops from AV and sits in front of her. She is shocked at Monkey Man. But he convinces her that he is Rama’s messenger. She is very happy.

Rama, somehow feeling nice that all is well. An intuition that H might have found Sita. A telepathy between Sita and Rama about how much Rama is missing Sita. How much he needs her, is addicted to her and a sorta cant-live-without-you feeling. Going days together without food and sleep.

Sita’s unsure of Hanuman’s powers. So H turns into Mammoth Hulk and shows how powerful he is. Then only Sita gets convinced that H can escape. H refuses to take her away from Lanka because of moral – something against the rules of war.

Chapter 88: Hanuman off to Lanka

2007-08-18T13:13:00.004+05:30

H and others rest desperately. Not knowing how to find Sita. All are disappointed. And to not want to return empty handed as well. At that time comes another Eagle-Man, thanking God that after so many days, atlast he has got so many people to eat. But upon descent, one of H’s Co says he looks similar to Jataayu. Eagle man says he is Sampathi – J’s bro. But how do they know about J? The story of Sita Kidnap and J’s fight in vain and ultimately death. Sampathi cries. By his literal foresight, he could predict that Sita is in AV in Lanka. All thank him and he goes off.
Sita feels twitching of her eyes. A good sign of good news. So HAV says maybe Rama came to know about her stay in AV.

H and Angadh (Yuvraj of Sugreev), Jambuvan and other come to beach and span the ocean towards Lanka. Mighty. No one can span it. How? Is the question.

Then, Jambuvan comes and tells Hanuman: ‘You are the strongest in this whole world. Even while you were a kid, you ate Sun, thinking it was a fruit, thereby darkening the whole world. Then, you went to Rishivar and broke his meditation to ask about Rama. Rishi only knew Ayodhya’s Rama but not Rama as the Creator of the World. For you, Rama is everything and all else of little value. Rishi, got angry as you put little value to him as well and cursed that you would not be aware of your strength until someone tells you. Here I am telling you. You are the strongest.’

H gains confidence. He flies across the ocean. He encounters a demonness who wants him to enter her mouth. He tells her that he is on a mission and promises to accept her wishes once he is done with the job. She: ‘No way. Go inside my mouth now. You have promised me!’ So he becomes his Mammoth Hulk and could not fit into her mouth. So she widens her mouth.

Suddenly he becomes very small and goes inside her mouth and comes out before she closes. So his promise is fulfilled. She transforms into an angel, saying she was sent by Devathas to test his ability to handle crisis and he had passed. She wishes him good luck.

Chapter 87: Sugreev’s army starts searching

2007-08-18T13:13:00.003+05:30

Rama is drenched in rain. Normally he would have enjoyed it but without his soul mate, who would have made his happiness twice as big, this rain was just another pain. Same drenching for Sita. HAV asks her to come to shelter, but Sita says when her hubby is getting drenched surely, then how can she shelter herself? HAV says men can withstand rain but not soft-hearted ladies. Still Sita refuses. Same drenching with Lakshman. He tells Rama: “This friendship with Sugreev is unfair. You helped him kill Vaali. He became king. He got his kingdom back, wife back. But his promise of helping you has gone down the drain.” Sugreev overhears. He is ashamed of himself. He begs Rama of punishment. Mentally Rama forgives him.

Sugreev takes action with respect to his romise. He sends all his servants, including Hanuman in search of Sita and not to come back without positive result. H says to Rama “I am sure of success. But though this is your task, I need your blessings. If I find Sita, how to tell her I am your friend?” So Rama gives his finger-ring to H. Then H, Jambuvan and all S’s servants go in search of Sita in forests. But all in vain.

Chapter 87: Rama kills Vaali

2007-08-18T13:13:00.001+05:30

Hearing this story, Rama says he will help Sugreev to re-attain the brother hood with Vaali. But Sugreev says he is passed the bounds of forgiveness now. Asking why, Rama gets the answer: “After becoming king, Vaali forcefully married Sugreev’s wife (Ruma).” This enraged Rama. No man should ever do this. Bro’s wife is like a sister and if such is the case, Vaali has no right to live. Rama says he will kill Vaali.

Sugreev says it is impossible because half of Rama’s strength will go to Vaali before the fight because of Vaali’s vow. Rama says he will secretly kill Vaali by shooting from behind. Sugreev: “But Rama, that is unfair, unlike you. You are ‘maryaada purush’ (respectable man). How can you do such an unworthy heinous unrespectable act?”

Rama replies: “Intention of any maryada purush is the destruction of papa (evil) in whatever manner possible. Compared to the papa of Vaali, the maryada of Rama is less. So Vaali has to be killed secretly.”

Sugreev goes to Vaali and intimidates him. Vaali comes to Sugreev with fervour to kill. They both start fighting. Rama tries to shoot Vaali but Vaali and sugreev are similar in looks. So he is unable to identify whom to kill. So Rama goes back to the mountain. Sugreev is unanimously defeated by Vaali. But Vaali does not kill him and lets him go and tell his now new friend how powerful Vaali is and how weak Sugreev is. Sugreev runs away, glad to be alive.

Sugreev comes and scolds Rama as to why Rama didn’t help. Rama tells he couldn’t identify. H garlands S and says now its easy to identify. Rama thanks H for his geniusness. Fight again. Easy for Rama. He kills Vaali. Vaali shouts ‘Unfair. Cheat.’ But Rama says he is a cheat for all his crimes. Finally Vaali dies.

Meanwhile, parvathi say to Shiva that ‘Still Rama shouldn’t have done it. Even if he had come in front of Vaali, as Vishnu, he could have easily killed Vaali.’ Shiva, then says, if that happened, there would have been no meaning of ‘wish’, people would stop believing in tapas or vow. Because the main reason Vaali got his vardhaan was such that as more and more people came to kill him, he would be more powerful than the enemy and he wouldn’t die. Also, since Rama had come to Earth in manav awatar he could not possibly technically convert to Vishnu. Parvathi is convinced.

Chapter 86: Story of Sugreev

2007-08-18T13:12:00.000+05:30

Rama asks the story of Sugreev. Sugreev says that Vaali got a vow that half of the strength of the enemies would become his every time he kills the enemy (both physically and kingdom-wise). He infact had kept Ravana once in the join of his hand and shoulder, squeezing his breath away.

Now, it so happened that that one night, while Vaali was sleeping, a powerful Rakshasa came and said ill things to Vaali, ridiculing the might of Vaali. Vaali became angry and set off to kill him.

A big fight ensues between Vaali and the magical rakshas, before which by the grace of Vaali’s vow, half the power of enemy goes to Vaali. Hence in the fight, Vaali is the outright winner. Sugreev comes to help. But the other rakshas run away.

Both Vaali and Sugreev chase him to kill him. But Rakshas goes inside a cave. Vaali tells Sugreev that if he doesn’t come back within 15 minutes, then take care of wife and kid (or something on those lines implying that he will be dead).

Vaali goes inside the cave. He finds rakshas and fights him. The blood of the rakshas pours out of the cave and rakshas dies. Waiting Sugreev sees blood and assumes the worst. But still he waits.

The family of the killed Rakshas then attacks Vaali who easily takes care of all of them. This extra time during which blood has come out of the cave but Vaali did not exit cave makes Sugreev think that Vaali is dead. Hence he thinks of a plan and with the help of huge boulder, covers the entrance of the cave so that no rakshas can come out, without knowing that Vaali is still inside, fighting. Crying, Sugreev goes back. He informs Vaali’s wife of Vaali’s death.

All the praja then unanimously vote Sugreev as their king. Unwilling Sugreev is forced to become king. Just when he is about to be throned, Vaali enters the kingdom, after having killed all the rakshas and having pushed the boulder. Without waiting for any explanations, he attacks Sugreev. Sugreev, not wanting to fight, nor able to explain gets almost killed, when Hanuman and Jambuvan, his close pals, help him towards the mountain. No one can go to that mountain because of its steepness. Only Hanuman and Jambuvan because of the Mammoth Hulk structure and flying capability. Since the day, Sugreev came to this mountain and he is safe as Vaali could not come near him, but Vaali wants to desperately kill Sugreev.

Chapter 85: Sita’s ornaments

2007-08-18T13:11:00.002+05:30

Both Rama and Sugreev express the need of a friend. Rama goes into all possible comparisons for the need of a friend (Sun – ray, life – breath, river – water, etc) He finally comes to the point and tells the story of Sita kidnap. H brings the jewelry and asks if its Sita’s. Rama is convinced. He aks L too, who says sorry, he cannot identify, as hasn’t seen anything of Sita other than her feet and yes, her feet ornaments are the same as one in Rama’s hands. Rama is much pleased. He is happy, now that Sugreev is his true friend. So, he extends his friendship by saying “Your friends are my friends and your enemies are my enemies.”

Sugreev says that his only enemy is his brother Vaali, who kicked Sugreev out of his kingdom when he was the king. All here call Sugreev as maharaj but now he is no longer the one.

Meanwhile, Vaali hears of the 2 visitors to Sugreev whose friendship might destroy Vaali. He sets off to kill them, but his wife gives him a stay-order that since they are Rishivar, he might burn into ashes once he sets foot on that mountain. So better let them come to you. He agrees and sends sevaks to tell him once they come out of that mountain. Sevak goes.

Chapter 84: Hanuman meets Rama

2007-08-18T13:11:00.001+05:30

Rama asks trees for Sita’s coordinates. Lakshman is angry against all trees for being mute spectators while Sita was being kidnapped. But he sees a mountain (name forgotten) and believes someone there would have surely seen the kidnap. So, the two set off towards that mountain.

Some human monkeys come to Sugreev and inform about 2 rishivars coming towards their mountain. Sugreev goes to Hanuman (who is chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’) and asks him to investigate the two. Hanuman goes in the guise of a Brahmin and approaches Rama. Even before speaking, he finds a kinship towards Rama.

Meanwhile, Parvathi asks Shiva who this Brahmin is. Shiva says it is himself in disguise. The very purpose was that he (Shiva) would visit Rama (Vishnu) atleast once during Vishnu’s tour as manav.

Meanwhile, introductions done, and Brahmin transforms into H after coming to know that it is, after all Rama. He is overjoyed. He asks for forgiveness for his disguise, but Rama says it is alright, because, an enemy has to be attacked only after knowing the enemy’s true intentions.

H remembers his chat with God of Sun:
H: “What is the purpose of life?”
Sun: “Service.”
H: “Whose?”
Sun: “For you, it is Lord Rama.”

So, H is much pleased that the opportunity has atlast arrived for him to serve Rama. When Rama says he has to go to top of the mountain, Hanuman grows into a Mammoth Hulk and takes R&L each in the palm of his hand and places the miniscule-now-ant-like creatures into each of this shoulders. Finally, they all arrive at top of the mountain. Again, introductions. All are at top of mind, seeing it is after all, Rama and not any enemy.

Chapter 83: Shabari attains Moksha

2007-08-18T13:10:00.002+05:30

She was forced to marry a drunkard by her parents. So she ran away and approached this kuteera where Rishi Mathang stayed with his pupil. She helped them all with cooking, flowers, etc and all were happy. But one day, they came to know about her community (adivasa) and started untouchability policy towards her and felt that they had all become impure. So they all left her high and dry. And since that day she is waiting for Rama, alone. She wonders how they felt pure before knowing her and how they felt impure after knowing about her. Rama is angered by Rishi Matang’s behavior. He curses him saying no river will be a river to Matang and no tree shall help Matang.

Shabari tastes each cherry and if sweet, gives it to Rama. If ripe, she throws it away. So it continues. She gives one to L. He throws it away (not sure why perhaps thinking that he did not deserve it). The Rishivar that Rama had met earlier comes to Shabari’s cottage and asks for forgiveness to Rama. It seems no river remained river and no tree helped them. Shabari says the same Rishivar was Matang and his disciples. Rama asks them to ask Shabari for forgiveness. They do. She forgives them all. They all go away.

Rama asks permission to go. Shabari becomes senti and says how she can give permission for him to go when all her life she wanted to see him. So, she sits down on the ground and chants his name, saying it is death that she wants now, to achieve moksha. Rama grants it. She dies. R&L namaskar the ashes and move on.

Chapter 82: Shabari

2007-08-18T13:10:00.001+05:30

Rama is awake during the nights as well, mourning for Sita’s loss. He is all sadness. He says a guru always teaches with a purpose. When he was a kid, his guru had made him win over sleep for days together and he had wondered whats the use. But now he realized how useful it is to to be awake for nights together. Lakshman is pained to hear this.

R & L encounter Rishivar. Greetings exchanged. Rishivar asks R & L where they are heading. Towards lake. They advise not to, as lake is impure, as an untouchable and adivaas community lady takes bath there. Rama gives him his peace of mind saying there is nothing called untouchability, lady impuring water. A woman is a supreme human being equalling God. How can anyone treat her like that. And water is supposed to make impure people pure. A water can never get impure. He advises Rishivar not to teach such baseless things to his students. Parvathi is much impressed. Shiva is happy too and says ‘That’s Rama!’

Upon asking the address of that adivasa lady, R&L head towards her house. She happens to be Shabari, a great fan and devotee of Rama, waiting for him since ages, so much so that she has almost forgotten her own name. So when he calls out to her ‘Maathe’ she replies close-eyed ‘Raam?’ Some tender moments, of how she had waited all these years and of how she would like to keep looking at him for ages together. Rama is touched. She sits them both down and upon prodding, tells her story.

Chapter 81: Ravana’s mother repents

2007-08-18T13:09:00.002+05:30

At one point of time, Ravana had jailed Kaala (Time God). He now approaches him, who is laughing at Ravana. Kaala says that by capturing Sita, Ravana has scripted his own Death. Ravana laughs away. He is the one who captured Time. There can be no death to him. But Kaala laughs at this. He infuriates Ravana and hits him. Kaala laughs away.

Mandodhari enters then. She says she believed Sun will use his power, that mountains will become less foreboding and sea would lose its camness but never that Ravana would punish a chained man and would kidnap a helpless married woman. Ravana says, to kill Rama, one who had pained Shurpanakhi, he can do anything. Mandodhari asks what is the real reason? Is it the beauty of Sita and revenge of his humiliation at Swayamvara?

Ravana laughs and says “Don’t worry, she is not gonna take your position away”. M says she is not worried about losing her position. Rather she is afraid of losing him, as Brahma had not given the vow of “No death from Man” to Ravana. Ravana belittles the vow and Brahma Himself and goes away. Kaala pities mandodhari, a devoted wife, and M pities Sita, a devoted wife.

Dharthi Maa informs that chal (spite), hut (arrogance), sometimes looks as if its winning, and is victorious (as Ravana’s feelings now), but in reality, it is the way for their own sarvanash (Destruction).

Ravana’s mom calls for Vibhushan. She is concerned about Ravana’s doings. Vib is asked to talk to him. He politely refuses saying how can he convince Ravana, when Ravana disobeys his own mother and guru (mom). Mom says she has never disapproved of Ravana’s doings, but this time feels insecure. Vib says her never disapproving Ravana’s doings has made him this way. The path shown by a guru should be towards kalyan and not sarvanash. Mom realizes that she has never been a good mom nor a good guru to Ravana and repents herself and cries.

Chapter 80: Ashoka Vatika

2007-08-18T13:09:00.001+05:30

Sita meanwhile keeps throwing beads, necklaces, bangles to earth from PV. Some of these fall on a community of human monkeys the head of which are Vaali and Sugreeva. They gather the ornaments and realizes a woman being kidnapped. They order Hanuman, the Most Valuable Player amongst them, a pious follower of Rama to gather all the ornaments and safeguard them. Hanuman does so, thinking the ornaments either belong to munivar’s wife or woman who was given these by a Munivar’s wife.

PV arrives at Sri Lanka and lands at a place called Ashoka Vatika (AV). All women rakshasis are there. Ravana asks the head to take Sita to jail. But Sita requests the head not to jail her as she is not supposed to be in confined quarters for 14 years as her hubby. Ravana agrees. She requests him to kill her. But he laughs and refuses. Now that she is his, how can he kill her. Also, if he kills her, Rama could not come to her, and he would’nt able to kill him, who had humiliated his sis.

Ravana leaves her. Sita, accompanied by head of AV (HAV) rests herself at AV tree. HAV asks Sita if she needs any help. She is a kindly one, though others around are not. Sita calls her “Maatha” and requests death. HAV says Maatha doesn’t kill daughter. And leaves her alone. Sita looks at Sun and says : You see me and you see Rama. Tell him where I am and show him my plight. (same words to Moon at night)

Shurpanakhi hears of Sita at AV. Believing that only if Sita is killed, will Rama be hers, she proceeds towards AV. But just before killing, HAV stops her. Little fight before Ravana enters the scene and cools Shurpanakhi and orders her to go away. He also orders HAV to kill Shurpanakhi if latter disobeys him. He convinces Shurpanakhi of value to him if Sita is kept alive.

Chapter 79: Jataayu tries to save Sita

2007-08-18T13:08:00.002+05:30

R & L reach Panchavathi. They see the fallen fruits and assume the worst. They cant find Sita. They go out in the forest in the hope that the kidnappers haven’t gone away far, although the diversion technique of Mareechi becoming golden deer was brilliant.

The constant shouting of Sita falls on Jataayu’s ears. He sees what happening. He is an old eagle. Still, he flies towards Ravana and tries to hurt him. But Ravana calmly cuts both of J’s wings. J apologises to Sita and falls down, with great pain and starts shouting “Rama.”

R & L in their search of the woods hear J’s shouts. They approach him. From him they gather that Sita is kidnapped by Ravana. J dies. But just before that, Rama tells him not to tell his pop in heaven about Sita’s kidnap else D will think how incapable Rama is! Rama considers the death of his pop’s pal as very sacred and performs the last rites thinking J was his father himself.

Chapter 78: Ravana kidnaps Sita

2007-08-18T13:08:00.001+05:30

L meets Rama a while later with Mareechi. Rama asks Lakshman why he left Sita in spite of his orders. Lakshman tells the story. They realize the horror and set off towards home.

Meanwhile Ravana nears Panchavathi tasting success. But he cannot cross the Lakshman rekha. So he assumes the guise of a swamy (munivar) and asks for food. Sita comes out with fruits but doesn’t cross the line. Munivar does not take fruits across the border. It is his humiliation. So he is angry and sets off. Sita says no one can go out of Rama’s house empty and she silently apologises to Lakshman saying she doesn’t have a choice, but to cross the border. So, she crosses the Lakshman Rekha.

Munivar immediately transforms into Ravana. He tells her of the humiliation that he faced in her swayamvara and says she is all his now. But she tells him that she is all Rama’s. He drags her forcefully out to Pushpaka Vimana which carries them both towards Lanka, all the time during which Sita wants to break free. PV is like an airplane.

Chapter 77: Lakshman Rekha

2007-08-18T13:07:00.002+05:30

Sita, meanwhile, hears the shout and tells Lakshman to go and search for Rama, as it seems he is in trouble. L pacifies her. How can trouble-shooter be in trouble. It is not possible. Also, he foresees that it’s the act of some wicked witch in the forest playing tricks. Not Rama. He can never be in trouble. But nothing pacifies Sita. She is femininely sure its Rama. She starts abusing Lakshman. That he is a coward, that his love to Rama is a show-off, etc (Ideal woman?)

Lakshman says ‘please do not say all this. It is heart breaking. You are like my mom.’ So Sita says ‘Your mom is ordering to go help Rama.’ So, Lakshman shouts to Trees, Earth, Air and Universe : ‘Please be my witness. I did not wish to leave Sita and disobey Rama’s orders. But Sita herself is making me leave.’

He then draws a line surrounding anchavathi, saying it is ‘Lakshman Rekha.’ No one can cross this line. He advises Sita also not to cross the Rekha till he returns. He sets off.

Chapter 76: The Golden Deer

2007-08-18T13:07:00.001+05:30

He meets Mareechi and tells the status quo, asking for help, but M is afraid of Rama, as Rama had thrown him to Lanka with just a small stick in their last encounter when he was trying to impurify Viswamithra’s place. He also tells Sita is also powerful. This brings back memories to Ravana too, when he had come to lift the bow in her swayamvara and how he had failed and people had laughed at him. So, now, he wants Sita as well.

Mareechi refuses to help. Ravana threatens him murder. Mareechi thinks it is better to get killed under Rama than Ravana and so agrees to help him. Ravana whispers in his ears as to what guise he has to put on.

The day is Ramanavami. Rama’s birthday. Sita in an effort to make Rama happy, has made a ring out of tree wood. Rama feels he owes something in return to her. So he asks her what she wants. She looks around and spots a golden deer and informs Rama that she wants that golden deer. Rama tries to convince her that there can be no deer that is golden and if there is one, it should be the magic of the devils. But to no avail. Sita becomes adamant (ideal woman?) and tells Rama that she wants the deer or nothing else. Rama is bound by his vow to give her something. So he tells Lakshman to keep an eye on Sita while he tries to get the deer. Rama sets off after the deer.

The deer is nothing but Mareechi in disguise, pressurized by Ravana to have this get-up. The deer makes Rama come far away from Panchavathi. Finally deer bows to Rama and tells its his pleasure to get shot by Rama. Rama shoots the deer. Mareechi shouts ‘Sita, Lakshman, Sita, Lakshman.’ Rama is perplexed to see M instead of deer. He comes over. Mareech says that this is his last crime, but provides no further explanantion other than saying ‘Jai Sri Ram.’

Chapter 75: Shurpanakhi wants to marry Rama!

2007-08-18T13:06:00.002+05:30

Ravana appoints 3 of his bros to look after 3 different parts of Earth (like managers) and Shurpanakhi (his sis) as overall in charge. Rama, also comes in contact with his pop’s pal Jataayu (a talking eagle) who provides him with a lush space called Panchavathi to stay in the forest.

Ravana’s sis Shurpanakhi’s eyes fall on Rama and his pleasing attitude. She falls in love with him and wants to marry him. She approaches and tells him so. He says ‘forgive me, but I am married.’ She is not bothered about it. She wants him badly. So she approaches L as means of getting near Rama. L says he is married, though currently single. She offers to be his sevak. He refuses to have sevaks because responsibility on Rama increases. Then Sita comes out of house. Shurpanakhi sees Sita and becomes jealous of Sita’s beauty. In a flash, she tries to attack Sita and disfigure her face.

But L cuts her nose with the help of an arrow. Hence that place became famous as Nasik (?) Shurpanakhi cries and brings her 3 bros to fight L and kill him and Sita and get Rama to her. The 3 say Rama is maanav, so not good match for her. But when they see Rama, all agree. Rama is too good to resist. But Rama and L kill all of them easily.

Shurpanakhi goes to Lanka to seek Ravana’s help. He hears of Rama, a maanava and how he had killed his 3 manager-brothers. He sets off to fight. But Mandodhari, Ravana’s wife, with the help of Ravana’s mom tells him not to go, for she is afraid. Although he is all powerful, Brahma has told that it is maanav who is dangerous to Ravana, when he (Brahma) had given vow that Ravana would not get killed by Rakshasas or Devathas. How much ever the women try to convince him, Ravana refuses to step ack as a coward, and goes forth.

Chapter 74: Bharath visits Rama

2007-08-18T13:06:00.001+05:30

B is forced by kulguru to take up the mantle of Ayodhya, as the praja are asking for King. B says, it rightly belongs to Rama and no one else and refuses. Kulguru says Kau asked him to become king. B says, following her order is ‘puthradharm’, but being son of KK, it was also his puthradharm to correct his mother’s mistake. If nothing was done, these historical mistakes will continue to happen. So he asks permission to go to Rama to persuade him back to Ayodhya. Granted. Kulguru says, Man can die, but Life cannot.

B’s wife visits Kau, upon KK’s orders to do seva and service, as KK feels guilty of sending Kau’s son and daughter-in-law away. Kau asks why KK is considering its her mistake every time, while actually it’s the Fates. She tells B’s wife to go back to KK and do seva to her, as it is KK who has become lonely, after B’s infamous tirade against her. KK upon hearing all this, feels ashamed of bringing misery into Kau’s life and praises Kau for having such a big heart.

B visits Kau to ask for permission and to ask her and Sumi to join him in calling Rama back. Kau says although Rama took birth in her, the special place that KK has in Rama cannot be taken away by anybody. So, ask KK to go with B. B refuses to speak to her. Kau scolds him saying KK spent 9 tough months to give birth to him and this is what he has to say? “Respect your mom!”

B comes to see KK. KK hides, for she is afraid to face him. B comes and apologisese to her for being rude. KK asks how she can forgive when she is the cause for everything. B says things can be set right if only she would accompany him and go to forest to get Rama back. She is all for it.

Meanwhile, R & Co visit Bharadwaj. Respects exchanged. Rama says they are on their way to Chitrakoot. Sita’s parents hear of happening in Ayodhya. Sita’s pop sets off to visit Ayodhya.

Nishaadraj and Co decide that no one should harm Rama as long as Rama and Co are in forests. He encounters Bharat and Co and asks them to visit his kuteera (haven), as Rama too had visited it. Bharat agrees.

B & Co meet Rama & Co, and persuade him to come back. Rama refuses but convinces B to hold the ship afloat and run the show in Ayodhya while he can continue his peaceful life in forest! B & Co return back.

Chapter 73: Kaikeyi repents

2007-08-18T13:05:00.004+05:30

Meanwhile, Kau goes to call KK. B stops her. Kau asks him if Rama would have done the same. B lets her go. KK is facing her other good self in her room which is shouting at her that she has taken away life of her husband, she has been opposite of a woman, a witch, full of hatred and selfishness, etc when Kau entes the room and calls her. KK apologises to her saying she is the cause for all deeds, Kau consoles her saying its all Fates, and leads her to place where mourners sit beside D’s dead body.

KK comes to touch the D’s feet. B stops her. Kau scolds him. Mahamanthri stops her. He says those are orders from D himself that KK should not touch him. Kau tells what if she orders him now? He replies that he will just bow his head. Then KK speaks up saying she is impure and is the cause for all this disaster. So, atleast, let his soul rest in peace and she decides not to touch and impurify him in any case. She cries and runs away.

Rama looks at the setting Sun and sees gloom and despair and ashanthi all around. He tells L how the sun portrays the whole life. Rising sun is beautiful to watch, like watching kids. Morning Sun is warm. Noon sun is all fiery and power. But then the sun has to set implying that all of them have to leave this world however powerful they might have been. He prays Shiva and Mother Earth to give peace and shanthi to all.

B lights the D’s pyre. KK watches the ashes of D. D’s soul comes up and gives her a curse (missed what the curse is). And she weeps.

R & Co come to Prayag (?) – a place where Ganga and Yamuna meet and where Saraswati flows underneath the two. All are happy to see it. Rama compares it to Gyaan (knowledge) and Bhakthi (dedication) but Vivek flowing underneath. They encounter some rishivars and ask them for direction towards Guru Bharadwaj. Upon hearing the same, they head towards there, also to purify themselves in the river.

Chapter 72: Bharath returns

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The voice of crying females reach KK. Manthara tells her maybe it is because they all wanted Rama to be yuvraj and now he is not. Then, B’s wife comes crying over to KK and informs abt D’s death. KK cannot believe it and is shell-shocked. She collapses to the ground. Immediately she rushes to D’s room, but D’s guards block her. Perplexed, she asks why they are not letting her in. The guards say it was D’s last wish that KK should not be allowed to enter. KK is ashamed and walks back, dejected.

The other wives feel the absence of KK as D’s dead body is laid on the floor. But they don’t crib about it and go on weeping.

B and bro are now back in Ayodhya. Although KK has no interest, Manthara makes KK give ‘aarthi’ to B, but he stops her. He is not the Yuvraj to receive such honour. But he asks KK, why all in palace are weeping and sad. She asks him to come to her room and she would explain all.

He expresses desire to see Rama first as it is almost impossible for him not to see Rama and moves forth to Rama’s room. But KK uses power words like ‘Saugandh’, etc and B is forced to go to KK’s room. Both assemble in her room.

KK tells B that whatever she has done is in the best interest of a mother towards son. She has asked 2 wishes from D. First is that B is to be Yuvraj and not Rama.

D refuses. He says he is not gonna take part in any such crime. He cannot take over the position which rightly belongs to his bro Rama.

Then KK informs him the whole story. 2nd wish being Rama to be away from Ayodhya for 14 yrs. How D dinna wanna let that happen. How he lost health and finally died. B is shocked at his mom. He tells her that KK did all that not because of mamatha towards son, but because of her selfishness, etc. He scolds her a lot, while the mourning in the palace continues.

Sita has dreams of D coming out of palace in saint robes towards forest. Wakes up in a start. Rama consoles her saying no raghuvamsh character leaves kingdom behind.

Chapter 71: Dasharath dies

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KK’s good self and soul fights against her bad self and soul telling her all the bad things she had done. The bad self tells good self that she only did for her son B. The good self asks her what if B himself scolds her, for she had immense love to Rama. Thinking this, she has great fear when Manthara comes and allays her fear. She has got Yuvraj’s crown with her. KK says how she got it, as it is supposed to be sacred. M says she now has all the powers as her B gonna become Yuvraj. This lightens KK’s mood.

Parvati asks Shiva if this is the final day for D, the king who won over 10 devils which gave him the name. Shiva says yes, this is Fate. The shaap finally has come true for D. If there was no shaap, then life would have taken a different route. It is all Fates.

Mahamanthri comes to palace. Doc orders him not to tell D as it might kill him. MM says he is Mahamanthri. His job is to inform the king and he should not delay it, irrespective of consequences. He goes forth and tells D that Rama did not return to Ayodhya. D tells him that perhaps MM did not convince Rama sufficiently.

D cries for Rama. Rama, in forest, hears in his soul his father’s cry, He pours Ganga water from his bowl to earth as if he is feeding his pop. D in his palace is fed Ganga water by Rajguru, foreseeing the nearness of D’s death. The Ganga water from Rama synchronous to be Ganga water to D. D very happy, thinking water is from Rama. D breathes his last. All start crying.

Chapter 70: Rama leaves Ayodhya

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D comes crying and shouting ‘Don’t leave, Rama’ to the main door of the palace, but Rama and Co carry on in their journey, along with Mahamanthri in the chariot. Seeing them go away, D faints again at the doorstep. He is carried back to the bedroom where he is doctored, but he informs that his only solace would be the sight of Rama back in palace. The wives except KK cry along with him.

Bharat and bro strangely feel something going wrong in Ayodhya and cant sleep whole night. They inform their granpa of their anxiety and granpa tells them to go check on Ayodhya if all is well.

Rama and Co are met by the small village head Nishaadraj, one of the chieftains who had voted Rama as Yuvraj in the court. N is surprised to see Rama in Saint’s dress, when actually he is supposed to have become yuvraj that day. They tell him of latest happenings. Rama & Co take rest in N’s place and finally comes to the river frontier that separates Ayodhya from woods.

But to Rama’s dismay, there are no boatmen at the coast to assist Rama and co to cross the river. The reason, N explains that all boatmen are afraid of Rama’s feet’s dust which perhaps might turn their boat into something else, because of which they might no longer be boatmen. Rama is perplexed as to what needs to be done. N solves the problem by watering Rama’s feet – a feat which Rama initially refuses but finally agrees to get done.

Once that is done, all are set to leave Ayodhya. Rama takes a handful of Ayodhya’s sand and bids adieu to it. Mahamanthri requests Rama to come back for pop’s sake. Rama says pop’s ‘pran’ (promise) is more important than ‘praan’ (life). If needed D can visit Rama at the forest, but Rama will not go back to Ayodhya palace for 14 yrs. The mahamanthri waves goodbye and returns to palace.

N helps Rama and co to cross Ganga. Rama says he doesn’t have anything to thank him. N says showering Rama’s feet itself was enough for him. R & Co go into woods bidding adieu.

Chapter 69: The Great Depression!

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Farewells and depression galore! Lakshman bids adieu to Rama’s mom, who had hopes of having atleast L here in Ayodhya. But L says “L remaining where R is is the dharma.” Also, L’s wife had agreed and had said she would be here. All in high praise of Urmila, because she was not going with L. Urmi not going without L because L was going as ‘sevak’ to Rama. If Urmi too went, then she would be a burden on Rama. Hence her idea of vanavaasa was to stay in palace without hubby for 14 yrs. Too difficult. Sita offers to touch her feet. Urmi would have none of it.

Mahamantri too is inconsolable. His wife tries to help him but to no avail. He is sad because he had to hear from KK what he never wanted to hear, he had to say to Lord Rama he never wanted to say, he had to see King’s plight he never wanted to see. He wished God had made him dumb, deaf and blind.

KK’s maid comes to Rama to give him sweets for Bharat’s yuvrajness. Rama is all pleased and praises Manthara for getting sweets. He asks her to feed him so that its all the more sweeter. He apologises for L’s behavior when she gave him sweets. He also tells her that even his (R’s) opinion was for B to become Yuvraj and he had told king about it. Manthara is taken aback. Rama tells her that it was always his wish that he could see B on the throne, but now he couldn’t. He asks her to tell B now that he had sweets, he is all that more pleased.

More cries, more pleas by D. But Rama and Co sally forth. The siddhanth and neethi (rules of life) inform that ‘oath taken to be fulfilled’ is more important than that ‘cry-call of the father to son’ And they leave the palace.

Chapter 68: Rama prepares to leave

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Manthara distributes sweets saying Bharat’s gonna become Yuvraj. Lakshman overhears and shouts at her, who goes off. Rama sees this. He says that its inappropriate behavior, against a daasi from a rajkumar like himself. Rama tells all to L, who is shocked. He tells that he is gonna argue.

Rama tells that orders from parents are never to be disobeyed. [But D said “Don’t go” to Rama!] Rama says its rare to give back pleasure to parents and he feels happy to return the pleasure to his father who has given Rama so much of riches, by executing his promise to KK.

Sita comes to Kau and seeks permission to go to forest with Rama. Kau refuses. Rama arrives. He too refuses. After all, it is to Rama that KK has informed and not to Sita. But Sita points out that she is half of Rama (ardhaangi) and hence he should not be going to forest alone as his other half would still be in palace! Sita says the horror of forest with Rama is better than palace without Rama. Kau initially proclaiming that she would become alone if Sita goes off finally yields as she would have done the same thing if she were in her position. But Rama and Sita seek blessings and prep for departure.

L tells his mom about the latest happenings. She is shocked. How could this happen to such a happy family (raghukul)? How could KK who loved Rama so much send him to forest for 14 yrs? She speaks to Kau and informs her of her wish to protest. Kau forbids her. Says that its not right on the part of womenfolk to question what the king orders and the son does. So be it. So be it.

Bharat and 4th bro at KK’s place receive info that Rama’s becoming Yuvraj (msngr had left prior to latest happenings). KK King hurt that its Rama and not Bharat. B is overjoyed. He tells KK King that whatever happens to any one of them, all feel the same level of happiness and sadness. They decide to consult the doc on KK King’s health and then decide aout visiting Yuvraj ceremony.

D mumbles and mutters Rama’s name in pain. KK shuts him off. Bharat is becoming yuvraj and king unhappy. She spates in anger. D scolds her saying the least she can do is just shut up!

Rama get set to go. Aashirwad from all moms, draped in simple apparel, minus all royal jewelry. Same with Sita, seeing whom Rama is sad. L wants to come. Rama says only if L’s wife gives go-ahead. Urmila cries, but lets him go.

Chapter 67: Rama is told the news

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Meanwhile, Rama, as part of the last chapter of Yuvraj prep, visits Kau and touches her feet to seek blessings. The minister leads his way to Kau’s where Rama currently is. He thinks of running away rather than tell Rama the latest developments. Minister enters kau’s place. Kau, looking at his face, asks what the matter is. Minister tells that, asper KK, Bharat’s gonna be the Yuvraj and not Rama. Kau is shocked. Rama is overjoyed. He tells KK knows his mind. Also, Bharath is better politician than Rama. But, then minister says Rama is supposed to go to vanavaasa for 14 years. Kau is shocked again. Rama decides to visit KK. Sita overhears all.

D is slowly recovering. He offers her a deal. Let D and Rama go far away from Ayodhya. That should suffice KK. KK refuses. Rama arrives. He thanks her, saying Bharath is a better manager of kingdom. Also, he says, staying in forest is no big deal. It would give him pleasure to understand problems of people living there, to share their sadness, etc and allow him to solve their difficulties.

D shouts “Refuse!” He almost faints again. He tells Rama to become vidrohi (enemy of the state) Rama asks how D can say that. How can sunshine be outlaw to Sun. How can perfume be outlaw to flowers. No. He shall not become victime of ‘breach of promise’. He takes blessing from KK and preps to leave the palace.

Chapter 66: Kaikeyi’s Second Wish

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KK says that is just the first wish. The second wish is for Rama to stay in forest (vanavaasa) for 14 years. This hits D like no other weapon had ever hit him. He loses balance and its as if the world underneath him has collapsed. He faints and falls down.

When he regains consciousness KK asks him can he grant her the two wishes. D says there is no problem in making Bharath as the yuvraj as Rama too wanted that. But why 14 yrs vanavaasa to Rama. KK says it is because by 14 years, people would have forgotten Rama and Bharath would be the ruler. D is shocked to wits and wishes she had never saved his life during the battle against Ravana, to kill him like this bit by bit.

At that time he realizes one more curse he had received: the one rom Shravan’s parents which said that at the time of D’s death, no son will be near him. He realizes that KK is part of that curse and fate has its ways after all.

The minister (mahamantri) enters the room. Takes in the situation that of KK towering over the fallen D and is shocked too. KK orders the minister again about the fulfilling of her 2 wishes and tells him the 2 wishes. The minister is shocked and tries to change her wishes, but she cuts him off. She is now Power Incorporated and Obstinate as Hell. She asks him to bring in Rama. The minister obeys.

Chapter 65: Kaikeyi’s First Wish

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KK is very angry. Her eyes are burning. D visit the room and he sees that she is dressed in black, her jewels are all strewn over. He asks what the matter is. She confronts him with Rama’s Yuvajness and why is it that she is not informed about it. She uses expletives, and assumes that it is all against her and her son.

But D explains that that is not so. Him not informing her is because of her immense love of Rama and his intention of surprise to her about Rama becoming Yuvraj, which would result in a flood of happiness to her. But she is immuned by this reasoning and too much into her plans because of Manthara’s evil brain-washing. Her anger towards D and Kau and Rama is so intense for them not informing her that she now seeks revenge.

D accepts defeat. Agrees that his plan of giving her joy backfired and is now ready for punishment. KK reminds him of the times when she saved his life twice, during the battle against Ravana, and that, then, he promised to give her 2 wishes which she can ask of him whenever, wherever and whatever she chose. He remembers. She says this is the time and place.

‘Shoot’, says D. She asks her first vow: ‘Bharath should be made Yuvraj and not Rama.’ D is shell shocked. He tells her why is she asking this, as he always thought KK loved Rama more than anyone else. Also all ‘praja’ like rama to be Yuvraj. He then thinks that she never liked Rama after all. She was always selfish and always thought about Bharat, her son and no one else. KK says that is just the first wish.

Chapter 64: Manthara makes Kaikeyi to think ill

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Meanwhile, at Ayodhya, Manthara feels something wrongs gonna happen. She overhears rajguru giving instructions of Yuvrajness to Rama. She informs KK all the ill things about Rama becoming Yuvraj, KK not informed about it, Bharath’s absence adding fuel to all, Kausalya becoming RajMaatha and KK remaining as daasi, etc. So, KK decides to confront D.

D and Kau are talking when KK enters. She asks if they are hiding anything. Kau is about to say about Yuvraj news when D stops her. KK sees this. She knows all now about the hidden conspiracies of D and Kau, them being against Bharath, etc. She walks away in stunned silence and wants to be alone, when Manthara ries to ill-grow her. KK, henceforth being of nice thoughts, now starts encouraging revenge against D.

Kau meanwhile asks D why he stopped her. He says he wants it to be kept as a secret till Rama ascends the Yuvraj throne so that he can see KK in all her bliss and happiness.

D orders all ministers for readiness in all departments to prepare of Rama’s Yuvrajness the next day. The King is unable to sleep. He also sends ministers to KK to get Rama’s brothers provided King of KK is well.

Manthara overhears the next day’s plans. She conveys this to KK. KK cant believe that King is planning something big next day and not informing her about it. Manthara convinces her that the occasion is indeed planned. As evidence, she wants to show KK the eve of celebration in the town. KK says she cannot leave palace without D’s permission. Manthara forces her. So KK goes to town in disguise.

All in happy festive mood. She asks whats the occasion to the citizenry. People shout back “Shame on you! You don’t know? Its Rama’s Yuvraj ceremony tomorrow!” This angers KK against D. They both return to palace and KK is inconsolable. At this juncture of weakness in KK, Manthara reminds KK how she had saved D’s life twice in their very first encounter, and because of which D had given promise that whatever she asks he will grant her. Manthara says this is the time to ask. But KK asks what she should ask and M whispers in her ears.

Later, M asks D who has still not slept to visit KK as KK is angry. D goes to meet KK.

Chapter 63: Rama considered for ‘Yuvraj’ post

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D suggests ‘Prince’-ing Rama, who says Bharath is better equipped to be the Prince. But all devoted to Rama and Sita. Manthara distressed.

KK’s bro visits her, saying parents are ill and wishes to see their grandson Bharath. KK perplexed, but after consulting her co-sisters, she agrees. Bharat, although willing to go, says he has never had a day without seeing Rama and indeed it would be difficult. So he assigns the task of ‘morning-darshan’ of Rama to his wife Mandavi. Also he says to look after his mother KK from the bad habits of Manthara.

At the time of his departure, Rama is out with King. Bharath is sad to go without letting him know but he gets permission from Sita herself.

Rama, meanwhile, is telling all the ministers why he is not the right candidate for ‘Yuvrajship’. Ministers ask why he killed Subahu, why he gave Ahalya life and why he lifted Pinakini. Rama replies that he killed Subahu because he was following his Kartavya (work), gave Ahalya life because of dharma and lifted Pinakini because his guru told him to do so.

Ministers say that only such person who does his work, dharma-follower and guru-follower can become yuvraj. Rama is at a loss to say anything and accepts defeat, read ‘post of Yuvraj’.

Raja is happy. So is rani. So is kulguru, who advises Rama and Sita to undertake a host of actions before becoming Yuvraj, such as ‘Upavas’ (fast), mantras before breakfast, etc. Sita and Rama readily oblige.

KK’s father is on bed, sick, waiting for grandchildren. When they come, he is all pleased and assures them all, including doc that he will get well.

Chapter 62: All Marry!

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Ravana dreams of going angrily to Shiva and asks him how is it that him (Ravana) being the original owner of the Pinakini, he himself couldn’t lift it. Shiva tells him that Ravana’s tapas was for the best of society, not for his ego and that his ego itself is causing his fall. Ravana wakes up distressed. His mom comes and pacifies him. She says its fine to have ego and his ego and pride is his power. Ravana is happy.

Meanwhile, Swamy of Mithila goes to Ayodhya to convey the message that Rama has won the challenge of lifting the Pinakini and thereby winning Sita as wife, although not as competent in Swayamvara, but lifting upon orders of V. Raja D is amused and happy on the union of Ayodhya and Mithila.

KK is all happiness and informs to Manthara about departure to Mithila to witness Rama’s wedding. Latter is not excited and informs former so. Former dissatisfied with Manthara. KK strolls off.

Sita’s 3 sis asks questions like “Why kanya has to go off to groom’s place?” Reply: “New vamsh (family).” 3 sis asks Rama: “Whats a wife?” Reply: “Ardhangi (half life) and makes man complete.” Rama asks Sita through sis: “Whats a hubby?” Sita replies senti-ly: “Tree without water, life without air, etc.” Sis all shocked at both answers. Wonders if Rama and Sita were born for each other.

V talks with Mithila King and sets up 3 sis wedding to 3 sons of D. D arrives at Mithila. News to him about 4 weddings. The 4 weddings take place.

All 4 sons with 4 wives return to Ayodhya, after respective cryings! Jewels passed on from moms to daughters-in-law. Manthara’s anxiety over extreme love of KK towards Rama and not towards KK’s own son Bharath. Some jewels of KK presented by Indra during her wedding passed onto Sita and not Bharat’s wife Mandavi, for whom it really doesn’t matter saying Sita is her idol.

Chapter 61: Parashuram becomes Brahmin

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Raja Janaka says sorry. Rama owns ownership of unintentional breakage. Lakshmana comes to rescue and speaks loosely and without respect. He says “If your father had power to make head and rest of body as one, don’t you have the power to make bow as one if its broken, instead of shouting around?”

Rama restrains him to talk further and tells P to kill him, but just before he asks him to reconsider the motive. “Its just a bow, for God’s sake!!” Also, P’s anger against Kshatriyas is supposed to be only because of Sahasrarjun. Why kill all Kshatriyas? If part of fruit is rotten, why punish rest? Why the ahankaar? Soft words hit hard.

P apologises for his outburst. He realizes the intention of breaking of Pinakini was to make Parashuram a Brahmin. He gives his bow to Rama and walks away a Brahmin.