Trip to Chickballapur

Hare Srinivasa !!!

Jai Bedi Anjaneya !!!

Jai VijayaRaya !!!


Every year Sri Palimur Mutta Swamiji Sri 1008 Vidyadeesha Teertharu spends at least a few days in my home town Chikballapura.
We left home, Bangalore at around 6 am, not much traffic and good roads meant we were in Chikballapur by 7:15 am. After a quick round of coffee. We went upstairs to pay our respects to Swamigalu. It was the end of the Sudha Patta; we were able to hear about 2 mins of it. Then as the students walked out we ushered ourselves into the room and prostrated before Swamiji; who always has a smile on his face. We requested for Upadesha; Swamiji told he would do that in the mutta after his japa. My dad asked a doubt; in Bhagavad Gita why has Sri Krishna called himself Dhananjaya among Pandavas. When Bheemsena is given so much importance then it should have been Bheemsena.
Swamiji effortlessly replied; Dhananjaya refers to Bheemsena as well; Dhanan jayati iti Dhananjaya. Therefore because of the company of Bheemsena; Arjuna was victorous. Hence Dhananjaya in the mukhya artha means Bheemsena and then Arjuna. Only with Madhwa shastra one can understand this sookshma. Sri Krishna has also delibrately chosen these words to divert the tamsik souls and to save the satvik souls.
The Swamiji had come in the previous night; amidst great rain. Our ancestral home being an open plan house; the venue of the pooja was decided to be shifted to the neighbouring Rayara Mutta. Soon Swamiji left for the Rayar Mutta where the preparations had already begun. We left soon after, since we wanted the upadesha.
Soon after we arrived and settled down; Swamiji emerged and sat down for his daily japa before morning Pooja.

Close up of Rayar Brindavana

Close up of Saligramas

Next we informed the shishyas that we were waiting for upadeshas; they assured us that they will let us know. We stood waiting for the most part; since it was in the mutta there was not much running around to do. We waited standing, patiently until we were called for.

Soon Swamiji signalled to his shishyas and we got the word and rushed to the spot; Swamiji explained the Pranayama, Nyasa, Dhyana Shloka and the mantra. We were thrilled on having received upadesha. We bowed down to Swamiji again and again.
In the meantime the Rayaru brindavana was very well decorated and so were the SeetaRama Anjaneya and Lakshmana vigrahas. I was told they were brought in from Tirupati under the old DasaSahitya scheme.

Main Pooje

 

Once the Japa was completed; the Shishyas started the Vedic Chants.
Firstly; Shree Sukta during removing the nirmalya.
Purushasukta while doing abhisheka ( not sure of this )
Then ManuSukta Parayana
Then Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama
Then Naivedya to Kodanda Rama Devaru with Dvadasha stotra paryana
Then Naivedya to Rayaru with Raghavendra Stotra

SriLakshmiNarasimha

Sri Anjaneya Swami abhisheka

SRIMANMADHWACHARYA HRISHIKEESHA TEERTHARIGE KOTTIDA SRI KODANDA RAMA DEVARU !!!!

After complete Alankara

Mangalarti

 

Anugraha sandesha by Vasu:
Vasu talked about the history of the program; Swamiji has been spending a week in Chickballapura since 1994. It's only offlate that this has been reduced; it's only because of Swamiji's affection for this place and the people here that he has made time out of his extremely busy schedule to come and visit here and to bless all of us. We all thank him from the bottom of our hearts for making it this time and hope to have many more visits.
( I forget the first part of Kapila Paramatma )

Anugraha Sandesha by Swamiji:
"smarAmi bhavasaMtApa-hAnidAmrutasAgaraM |
pUrNAnaMdasya rAmasya sAnurAgAvalOkanaM || Dvadasha Stotra 1.10 ||
SriMadhacharya is avatara of Sri Hanuman; he has explained in this shloka how he remembers seeing the kind look of SriRama.
Sri Hari is karuna sagara; if he even looks at someone that person is uplifted forever.
Whenever we go to Tirupati darshana all we remember after coming out is the diamond crown; golden ornaments etc. i.e. we pay more attention to the ornaments. Even if we pay more attention to the ornaments it will fetch some punya. Rather than seeing the ornaments in the showcase; it's much better to see them on the Lord.
SriMadacharya describes SriHari in the first stotra Aaapadashira sthothra – describing Him from feet to the Head; which is how darshana should be done.
SriHari like a mother always sees his devotees waiting for his devotees to give him one look filled with love. But as a child is distracted by all the toys and never looks at the mother. We devotees are always engaged in worldly desires and never look at the Lord.
SriMadacharya on the other hand says he has seen SriRama and he has seen SriRama see him lovingly. That look filled with love and complete bliss is ever fresh in SriMadAcharya's mind and he has passed that down to us. So whoever follows Acharya will also get the similar look"
As a sidenote to Swamiji's story there is a story in the puranas wherein Bhagawan VedaVyasa sees an insect. He lifts the insect and says; O insect I have seen you. Now tell whatever you want I'll grant it you. The insect replies that he wants to be a Chakravarti in the insect body. Bhagawan Veda Vyasa says Done! and for 10,000 years that insect becomes the Chakravarti; all because of Bhagawan VedaVyasa cast one glance on it !!!

After the anugraha Sandesha Swamiji sat down for bikshe. A few of us waited for Swamiji to finish to clean his yengalu.
Swamiji then went into the adjoining hall and started distributing mantrakshate there. We were distributing tambula and dakshine ( chasing after some people )
Time for second round; all householders sat and had sumptuous lunch.
Next we hurried back to the house; since Swamiji was leaving soon. Hurridely we were able to complete a pada pooje and a round of mantrakshate and Swamiji was off.
We came back into the house happy but a bit tired after the proceedings. Another round of coffee was passed around and we left soon for Talakalaya betta. We picked up some flowers on the way; and  reached Talakalaya betta in about 40 mins. The temple was almost empty; so we made our way straight to the garba guddi. The archaka recognized us and put our offerings on the God straight away. The darshana the Lord gaves us in Talakayala betta was phenomenal. The anugraha sandesha given by Swamiji and the look on Gods face there was in perfect Synch. Guruve Namaha; Harihi Om!!!
The archaka did not object to taking photos so I took a few; in each one the Lord looks phenomenal; his delicate smile; his benavolent look; his charm; his look !!!

On the way back we realized we missed the JeevAnjaneya devasthana so  we made our way back to the now crowded and traffic prone town centre and paid a quick visit to the temple. On the main road we had to stop for the famous putanna hotel's dosas.
On the way we hit the new year eve's traffic and made it slowly and steadily home. We were a bit exhausted but had throughly enjoyed every second of it.

Any mistakes are solely mine ! BharatiRamana MukhyaPrana antargata SriKrishnarpanamastu !!!

Jai Bharateesha !!!