Great Bhaktas
The great Shrī Rāma Bhakta, Kāka Bhuśuṇḍi
The story of Kāka Bhuśuṇḍi is well known. Once Garuḍa Bhagavān came to Kāka Bhuśuṇḍi and Kāka Bhuśuṇḍi told his previous janma vṛttāntam:
O Vihageśvara! I was an Ayodhyāvāsī for many years in Kaliyugam. Once durbhikṣham came and I left the divya Kṣhetram. Finally I reached Ujjaini, lived there for sometime and earned some sampada. There only I continued my Śiva seva. In Ujjaini there used to live a sādhu vipra who was a parama śānta murti, dayālu, nīti-nilaya and a great Śambhu upāsaka. However he never used to do Hari-ninda. I started to do seva to him with Kapaṭam. The great vipra used to look after me as his own putra and give me Vidya. Once he gave me the upadeśam of Śiva mantram. I used to go to the Śivālayam and do Śiva mantra japam. Since I was a duṣhṭa, nīca, pāpasaṅkulamati; dambham and ahaṅkāram started increasing in me and I, becoming a mohavaśa, started Haribhakta ninda and Sādhu, Vipra ninda. My Gurudeva became very sad seeing my Viṣhṇu, Sādhu -droham and tried to teach me good many times. Will hitabodhas and nīti be liked by a person who has dambham? (No)
One day my Gurudeva called me and taught me many nītis and said "O kumāra! The phalitam of Śiva seva is avirala bhakti on Śrī Rāma Pādam. Even Parameśvara and Brahmadeva do nāmasaṅkīrtanam of Śrī Rāma. O abhāgya! doing Viṣhṇu droham do you think of getting sukhas?" He continued "Śiva is the greatest Rāma bhakta". Listening to those words my heart was burning. I never obeyed and believed in these words of my Gurudeva. Like this everyday I used to do Gurudeva-droham. However my Gurudeva was a kṛpālu; he did not even get slightest krodham on me. He always used to teach me good.
A nīca will first destroy that satguṇam which gave him the greatest unnati. One day I went to Haramandiram and as usual started doing Śiva nāma japam. My Gurudeva happened to come there and with my ahaṅkāram I did not get up and do yathāvidhi namaskāras to him. Since my Gurudeva conquered krodham, he did not say anything. Doing an avamānam to Guru is a mahāpāpam. Maheśvara could not bear this. Through akāśavāṇi He said like this: "O Hatabhāgya, ahaṅkāri, mūrkha! Your Gurudeva is not having any krodham, since he is a kṛpālu, yathārthajñāni. Even then I am giving you a śāpam. O śaṭha! a nīti virodhi can never be a bhakta of mine. A person who has īrṣha on his Gurudeva will suffer in Raurava-narakam for 1 crore yugas. From there after many paśu-pakṣhādi janmas, he will have great duhkhas for 10000 years. O pāpī! You sat like an ajagaram before your Gurudeva. O duṣhṭa! go become a sarpam and keep living in some hole of a tree trunk."
On hearing to Lord Śiva's dāruṇa śāpam, my Gurudeva did mahākāras, his hṛdayam had atyanta paritāpam for me and I was shivering with bhayam. My Gurudeva did sāṣhṭāṅga praṇāmam to Paramaśiva, doing praṇāmāñjali, in gadgada svaram he did the adbhuta Rudrāṣhṭakam to make Paramaśiva prasanna.
"Īśā, Īśānā, Mokṣhaswarūpā, Prabhū, Sarvavyāpakā, Brahmasvarūpa,…. " like this he called the Lord with divya Śiva nāmas. Śiva, the Sarvajña, heared the sannuti of my Gurudeva and noticed the anurāgam of my Gurudeva and "O ḍvijavara! Please ask me some varadānam. I will give it." said the Ākāśavāṇi. My Gurudeva said "O Prabhu! If you really became prasanna by me, first give me acañcala Śiva bhakti, then please donot do krodham on this jaḍa. This jīva came into the grips of your māya and became a pāpi. Dīnadayālu, Saṅkara, please show kṛpa on this fellow. Please bless him that he will get śāpavimukti is very less time and get many śubhas". Seeing the parahita vākyas of my Gurudeva Ākāśavāṇi said "May it happen like that only" and it continued like this:
"Even though this person did ghora pāpam and I gave him a śāpam, seeing your sādhutvam I will show viśeṣha karuṇa on him. A Kṣhamāśīla, Paropakāri are very priya to me like the Kharāri, Śrī Rāma Candra. However my śāpam cannot be vyartham. Surely this person must take 1000 janmas. Janana, maraṇa duhkhas are unbearable. However he will not have pain due to these duhkhas. In any of his janma he will always know who he was and never loose this jñānam". Śiva continued "O śūdrā! Listen to my words:You were born in the great Ayodhyā nagaram. Always you did My seva. Because of Ayodhyāpura prabhāvam and my kṛpa, in your hṛdayam will arise Śrī Rāma bhakti. O Sodara! Now listen to my satyavacanas: Sādhu, satpuruṣha, dvijas are equal to Ananta. People who cannot be destroyed even by Indra's Vajrāyudham, My Viśāla Triśūlam, Yama's ḍaṇḍam, Hari's Cakram, will be easily destroyed by the sādhu, vipra – droham".
O Garuḍa! From then onwards I took many janmas, but in any of them I did not leave Śrī Rāma bhajana, did not leave Sādhu jana seva and because of Śivānugraham, never felt the duhkhas of the samsāra-sāgaram. However I use to feel great paścātāpam for the Guru-droham I did.
Later in his last janma, Kāka Bhuśuṇḍi gets the upadeśam of Śrī Rāma Carita Mānasam from the great Lomāśa maharṣhi and becomes a paripūrṇa Śrī Rāma Bhakta. He always goes to Ayodhya whenever Śrī Rāmāvataram happens, sees the divya bālya līlas of Śrī Rāma and gets ananta divya paramānandam. (The long story of Kāka Bhuśuṇḍi's last janma is very beautiful and out of scope of Moral Stories.)
Morals in the story:
- The importance of repecting the Gurudeva and adhering to his ājña is clearly explained in the story. Even the parama dayālu, Parameśvara could not bear śiṣhya not respecting his Gurudeva.
- The greatness of a Gurudeva is shown through Kāka's Gurudeva. It is well known that if God gets angry a Guru can save, but if a Guru gets angry none can save.
- The paropakāra svabhāvam, śāntam, kṛpa and karuṇa of Kāka's Gurudeva must be inculcated by all of us.
- Though Paramātma is all prevailing, there are a few sthalas in which He gives Pratyakṣha darśanam and have great Māhātmyam. In our Karma-bhūmi, Bhāratadeśam, we are blessed with innumerable such divya Kṣhetras. As Paramaśiva said, just by taking birth in the great Ayodhya nagaram, Kāka qualifed for His anugraham, though he did many pāpas.
- Kāka's Gurudeva was always a Śiva bhakta only, but never did Viṣhṇu-ninda.
There are many great Divya Kṣhetras in our Bhāratadeśam. We are indeed very lucky to be born in this Deśam. In our Āndhra Pradeś itself, itseems there are around 32 thousand prācīna Devasthānams and in very very high percentage of these Devālayas itseems, there is no one even to give a Dīpārādhana to the God, leave aside pūja-punaskāras!!
Let us utilize the opportunity of being born in this Karma-Bhūmi, let us try to make sure atleast everyday Dīpārādhana is done in all of these Divya-dhāmas. (Please contact Chilkur Devālayam for exact details to help these Devālayas)
Bhakta Purandaradas
Navanidhi Shrinivaasa Naayaka was a great dhanavanta. However he was a parama-lobhi. His arthaangi, Saravasti Bai was a Bhakta and Daanagunashiili. When she used to do namaskaar to Shrinivaasa Naayaka, he used to say “What aashiirvaadam shall i give you? Shall I say do more daana-dharmas?”. Sarasvati Bai used to reply “after taking your anugnya only I am doing the vratam”. “Aa! aa! you took my anugnya. I thought it was Tulasi-puuja only and hence no expenditure will be there. But in that name you did dampati-puuja, many daanas,… so on. I came to know only when our suputra, Varada, told the accounts today. If you do 4 more of these, each of us must take a bhiksha-paatra and beg on the streets”. “Please donot say like that. If we dont give when God gives us, then can we give when He doesnt?” said Sarasvati. Naayaka used to reply “Now what is there that God gave in this? I, my father and ancestors earned it doing day and night hard-work”. “Dhanam which is not used for Daana-dharmas is it not waste? Also the Saadhu-sajjanas say that these are our stepping stones for satgatis in param” replied Sarasvati. “Aa! Leave these hita-bodhas of Saadhusanyaasis. We will get nothing in Iham if we listen to them. Look Sarasvati! Only a wealthy person is an uttama, uddanda and unnata. One who doesnt have it is a alpa, niicha, adhama. The importance will be realized by a person who earned it”. This was a small example of the kind of sambhaashanas the two had.
Because of Shrinivaasa Naayaka’s puurva janma punyam and because of the saushiilyam of Sarasvati Bai, Shri Paanduranga Vittala wanted to change Shrinivaasa Naayaka into Purandaradaasa. Everyday Shri Paanduranga Vittala used to come as a deena-braahmana, ask Naayaka for help. Everyday Naayaka used to send him away without giving anything. Sometimes he used to bring a baalaka and ask Naayaka to help do his son’s Upanayanam. However Naayaka’s reply was all the while “no”. Aaha! It is difficult to imagine how many pains the Lord took to change the lobhi. One day Shrinivaasa Naayaka told bluntly “I will not give You anything”. Vittala Nath replied “Ayya! some shubha-kaaryam. First I came to you only. Give me something. I will take whatever you give Me”. After confirming repeatedly that Vittala, who is in disguise of a Braahmana, will take anything he gives and goes away, he searched his entire house and finally brought a rusted coin and gave it to Paanduranga Vittala.
After Naayaka left to his shop, Vittala Nath came back to Naayaka’s house and told Sarasvati Bai that Naayaka gave Him a rusted coin, which how much ever He cleaned could not make out the denomination. With a lot of shame, Sarasvati Bai hide her head. Paramaatma replied “Amma! If you give that nose-ring to Me, My purpose will be solved”. Seeing the dainyata of the poor Braahmana, Sarasvati Bai gave away her nose-ring.
But what will she tell her husband? In no time Naayaka was back and immediately noticed that her nose-ring was missing and asked for it. Sarasvati Bai did not know what to say, how to convince him. Naayaka asked her to bring it if she kept it somewhere. Sarasvati Bai went inside. Told her deenata to the Lord Vittala. She thought it is not Satyayugam for miracles to happen and decided to take poison and did Daiva praarthana. She heard Vittala from Aakaashavaani “Saadhvi! I am very happy with you. You bought me completely by giving Me your nose-ring. Please take it back”. There were no limits to Sarasvati Bai’s aanandam. Shrinivaasa Naayaka was shocked to see the nose-ring, because the poor Braahmana sold it already to him in his shop. Both of them realized that it was Lord Vittala who came as the Braahmana.
The Punya-dampatis from then onwards became great Bhaagavatottamas and always did Bhagavannaama sankeertanam. Bhakta Purandaradaasa wrote around 4 lakh Keerthanas!! and gained the name of “the Karnataka Sangeeta Pitaamaha”
- Neither Paapam nor Punyam will be destroyed. Because of Naayaka’s purva janma Punyam, the Lord wanted to change him.
- Our elders many times stress the importance of the Gruhini having sadgunas. A purusha, by being good can save himself. But a Gruhini, who is a Saushiilavati like Sarasvati Bai, can change the entire family. Such a women will also be able to bring-up the children well.
- Lobham is a very dangerous durgunam. Even Paramaatma had to put so much effort to change Naayaka.
Guggula Kalasha Naayanaar’s Bhakti
He used all his wealth for doing Shivapuuja with dhuupam. His siddhaantam was that never Shivapuuja must stop. One-by-one he sold his land and bought guggula-dhuupam and did Shivapuuja. Slowly he had to sell all his property, lands etc.; but he never stopped doing Shivapuuja.
Finally he and his family had to do upavaasas. After experiencing such difficulties, one day Kalasha Naayanaar’s wife asked him to sell her mangala-suutram and with that money buy dhaanyam and save the life of the kids and family.(She just wore a mangala-suutram made of Turmeric). Kalasha Naayanaar went to the market to bring dhaanyam. However he came across a Vyaapaari who was selling Guggulam. On seeing this, Naayanaar totally forgot that he had to buy dhaanyam for himself and family; instead he thought if he can buy it, it will be useful for Shivapuuja.
Kalasha Naayanaar bought it and went off to Shivaalayam to do Shivapuuja. Kalasha Naayanaar always was thinking about Parameshvara and hence didnt even remember about his or his family’s hunger! Kalasha Naayanaar’s wife awaited for a long time. Children cried for sometime and then fell unconscious. Kalasha Naayanaar’s wife, due to weakness, was in a state inbetween sleep and awake. Then she had Paramashiva’s darshanam. Parameshvara gave her abhayam and said that they will get all sampadas. As soon as she opened her eyes she saw dhana-dhaanyas everywhere. She immediately cooked food and fed her children and herself. Shiva, the Laya-kaaraka, told Kalasha Naayanaar to go home, eat and then come back. He followed Shiva-aagnya and was surprised seeing the Dhana-dhaanyas in his house. Later he came to know from his wife that it was Iishvara-prasaadam.
Then onwards they had all sampadas, but they never had any garvam and were always very cautious to stay away from Durgunas. They never stopped Shiva-puuja and always did seva of Shiva Bhaktas.
Once the King, on noticing that the Shiva-lingam in Tiruppanandaal was becoming a sidhila, ordered the reconstruction of the Devaalayam. However, how much ever people tried, they were not able to move the Shiva lingam and place it in correct position. They even tried pulling with huge elephants. Kalasha Naayanaar came to know about this and reached the Devaalayam. He tried pulling the Shiva-ligam and bringing it to correct position using his uttariiyam. To everyone’s surprise, the Shiva-lingam came back to the correct position. Everyone thought that with a rope called “Bhakti”, Kalasha Naayanaar did punara-uddharana of the Shiva-lingam. Later according to Shaastras, the Devaalayam was reconstructed.
Later Kalasha Naayanaar did uddharana of many people, did seva of great Bhaktas like Gnyaanasambandha Naayanaar and Vaageesha Naayanaar and finally reached Kaivalyam.
Morals in the story:
- Daiva-dhyaanam, Daiva-bhakti must always be in one’s mind, like Kalasha Naayanaar. He never forgot Shiva-puuja and always did whatever he did for that only.
- Once a person has Bhakti and surrenders himself totally to God, God only takes care of the Iham-param of the person. This is well shown in the story.
Vishnuchitta
After Jala-kreeda in Sarovaram, the women used to take Shuddha-jalam in pots for Shri Hari Abhishekam. The also used to take Kamalam and other Pushpas for Vishnu puuja. Later they used to do adhyayanam of Bhaagavata-aadi Puraanas.
Ducks sleep with their heads covered in their feathers. Seeing them, some used to think they are the Vastrams (white clothes) of the Vipras who did snaanam in the Nadi before Suryodayam and enter the water to return them back to the Vipras. The ducks, disturbed from sleep, used to then go away from them. Instead of praising them for their honesty, the Baalikas who saw all this used to laugh at them.
The main Devaalayam of the Nagaram was that of Mannaaru Krishna Svaami. It is on the Northern side of the Nagaram. There were two huge Rathams for Krishna Svaami which resembled Meru and Mandara Parvatams.
The Gruhasthas in the Nagaram, on seeing an Atithi, used to do Saashtaanga-namaskaaram. Then they used to take them to their Gruham, wash their feet, always remembering that “Abhyaagatah Svayam Vishnuh”. After the Atithi took some rest, they used make him sit on a mat made of Naarikera-patrams (coconut leaves) and put aahaaram in a Vishaala Kadalii-patram (plantain leaf). They used to serve rice (Odanah) made from best quality grains (tandulaah), Daal, Go-ghrutam (Cow ghee), many varieties of Vyanjanams (curries), Go-ksheeram (Cow milk) and Go-dadhi (curds). After the Bhojanam, they used to give the Atithi Taambuulam and do their Paada-seva. As soon as the Atithi says “ok, I must go”, they used to do satkaaram to the Atithi according to their Sampada, go along with him for some distance and come back sad to have got only that much chance of doing Atithi-seva.
In such Shri Valli Puttur Nagaram, in the 46th samvatsaram after the start of Kaliyugam (that is around 5000 years ago, Svaatii-nakshatram, was born the great Bhaagavatottama Bhattanaatha (Bhaṭṭanātha), with the amsha of Shri Garuda Bhagavaan.
For him, Kashtam and Sukham were both same. Before doing Vidyaabhyaasam also, he had Gnyaanam and Vairaagyam. He was a parama-Vishnu-bhakta. Impressed with his Bhakti, Mahaavishnu started to make Bhattanaatha’s hrudayam as His nivaasam! Hence everyone used to call Bhattanaatha as “Vishnuchitta”.
Morals in the Story:
- The Atithi-seva tattvam of Bhaarateeyas is well shown in the story. They consider Atithi as Vishnu.
- The unnata-samaajam of Bhaarata-desham is well shown in the story. They were always near to the Nature, followed their Sva-dharamam and always did Daiva-chintanam.
If we read Amuktamaalyada, from which this series of stories will be taken from, or ShrimadRaamaayanam, or Raghuvamsham, we will find descriptions of how well the cities of those days were developed. Once we contrast with the present “modern” city we will really come to know whether we have really made “progress, development” by leaving our Bhaarateeya Smaskruti and Saampradaayam and copying the West?
Vishnuchitta -2
In every season, according to the climate, he used to serve what pleases the Atithi. In rainy season, he used to serve rice made with paddy, Daal, 4-5 curries, many kinds of Appalams, curds etc. In summer, he used to first offer Shrii-chandanam to apply on their body. Then he used to serve hot rice, Sweet rasam, Sambar made with curd, Sugar-cane juice, coconut water, Bhakshyas, Phalas, sweet smelling water, Buttermilk. In winter, he used to serve rice made with grains that smelled like a sungandha Dravyam (punugu), pickle with pepper powder, hot curries, Paayasam, many kinds of pickles, ghee, milk etc.
In his house, all the while there used to be Vishnu-bhajans, Hari-kathas. Even though he used to take so much care while preparing the bhojanam for Atithis, he used to say “there are only a few curries, no special items. Please show your Krupa on us and eat in our house“. Saying this he used to invite Atithis.
Thus Vishnuchitta showed us the nirvachanam for the suukti “Abhyaagatah svayam Vishnuh“.
Bhakta Chikroḍa and Govardhana
(Chikroda
means Squirrel)
Indraprastham Gayaam chaiva pratyushe pratyaham smaret ||
Such is the greatness of Indraprastham. What more needs to be said about a Nagaram which was once ruled by the great Yudhishthira? This story happened in Tretaa-yugam during Setu-bandhanam:
Every one was enthusiastic. Setu-bandhanam was going in full swing. Vaanaras were bringing huge paashaanams (boulders), writing Divya Shri Raama Naamam on them. Nala-Neela were throwing them into the ocean. Due to Shri Raama Naama mahima, the stones floated.
Everyone showed their Bhakti towards Shri Raama, the purushottama. Even though they knew that their small effort doesnt matter for accomplishing the impossible task of Setu-bandhanam, and that it is the power of Shri Raama only helping them, they put in effort and were doing whatever they could. Everyone was doing Parishrama according to their capability. Parama Bhakta Hanumaan was bringing huge Parvatams and throwing into the ocean. The tiny Chikroḍa (squirrel) was rolling in water, then rolling on the sands and then rolling in water so that the sands stuck to its body go into the water. Seeing the Parishrama and Bhakti of the Chikroḍa, Paramaatma took it in His hands, carresed the squirrel’s back and blessed it. (Only Indian squirrels have three lines on their back)
But some duutas (messengers) from Shri Raama came and informed Hanumaan that Setu-bandhanam is over and He can return to the Saagaram. Listening to this news there was no end to the duhkham of Govardhana. He thought due to some paapa-kaaryam he did in his previous janma, he now is not able to serve Parandhaama, Shri Raama. Seeing the duhkham of Govardhana, Hanumaan went to Shri Raama and told about Govardhana.
Shri Raama had great aanandam seeing the Bhakti of Govardhana. He gave a varam to Govardhana that he will do Uddharana of Govardhana in Dvaapara-yugam when He is Shri Krishna.
For 7 days, Shri Krishna lifts Govardhana Parvatam and saves lifes of the Gopaalas. Govardhana then has great aanandam for being of some use to the Paramaatma Shri Krishna.
Morals in the Story:
- We must always put in efforts, hard-work for doing a good deed, whether or not it is possible or impossible for us. God will be happy with the Parishrama (hard-work) we put in and bless us immaterial of the result. Though it was not capable of doing much, the squirrel did whatever it could and impressed the Lord.
- The nishkaama Bhakti of the squirrel and Govardhana must be inculcated. God always protects His Bhaktas, like He did to Govardhana.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
( A tribute to the great Bharatiya Samskruti)
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