Thursday, February 5, 2009

At the shores of Tungabhadra !

Manchala was favourable for Gurugalu's meditation and prayers. Some times people from Kumbhakonam and Tanjore visited Manchala, for Gurugalu's blessings. These days Gurugalu were not delivering any spiritual discourses. They were spending most of the time in meditation, singing songs, playing veena, teaching students and performing Sri Moola Rama puja. Devotees visiting the place found an extraordinary aura of peace and bliss. 

Gurugalu descibed about Goddess Manchalamma to who ever vistited the place. The daily prayers went on very well. Venkanna Charya, the son of Gururaja Charya who was Gurugalu's brother in the Poorvashramam, was a student of Gurugalu. Also, the great poet and Gurugalu's nephew, Sri Narayana was also a student of Gurugalu. Among these students was yet another great scholar, Sri Raghava Charya. It was difficult to decide who was best among the students of Gurugalu. Each one were excellent in their own way. Gurugalu taught them great scriptures and compiled few books for their future reference. 

Poeple of all races, sects, status etc visted Gurugalu for their blessings. Sometimes King Vijaya Raghava Raya himself came to Manchala for the darshanam of Gurugalu. The Nawab of Adoni too visited quite often. From a pauper to a King, every one visited Gurugalu at Manchala, for their blessings. And all were equally blessed by Gurugalu. 

Once, from Kerala, three great astrologers too came to Gurugalu, to take their blessings. Gurugalu, with a smile, asked them to analyse their horoscope. Those astrologers analysed the horoscope of Gurugalu separately and concluded about Gurugalu's age. Each one concluded that Gurugalu's life span would be 76 years, 300 years and 700 years respectively. Students present there did not understand and rejected their analysis. But Gurugalu praised the three astrologers and blessed them. Gurugalu explained to their students that all the three were correct predictions. Gurugalu said that they would live in this world for 76 years, their works and teachings would have prominence for 300 years and they would save the needy and bless their devotees for 700 years. 

Days rolled on. Dewan Venkanna visited almost every alternate day. Once when Venkanna visited, Gurugalu told him that they would enter Brindavana in Manchala itself. And asked Venkanna to get a stone from Madhavaram, where Lord Sri Rama during their exile in forest had sat on that stone for 7 minutes. Gurugalu then explained Venkanna about the features of the stone and wished that their Brindavana be built using that stone. Venkanna followed Gurugalu's orders.

One day Gurugalu were teaching their students. Suddenly their concentration deviated and they looked into the sky. They paid obeisance by saluting to someone. Some lucky students who looked into the sky saw an elderly man speaking to Gurugalu silently with a smile. That elderly man was waving their hands and showing 2 fingers at Gurugalu. The students who observed this were stunned. After sometime, Gurugalu back in this world, explained their students about this incident. That elderly man was Sri Veda Vyasa. Gurugalu asked them their life span in this world, for which Sri Veda Vyasa replied back saying "2 years, 2 months and 2 weeks" more. After that, Gurugalu revealed to their students that they would enter the Brindavana alive. 

As time passed by, Venkanna Charya(nephew of Gurugalu) assumed Sanyasa from Gurugalu. And they were named as Sri Yogindra Theertha. Gurugalu declared that Sri Yogindra Theertharu would be ascending the throne of Sarvagna Peetam next. 

Shalivahana Shakam, 1593, Virodhikruth Nama Samvatsaram, Sravana Masam, Krishna Paksham, Vidiya - another day to go ! As per Gurugalu's decree, Diwan Venkanna was arranging to build the Brindavana. 700 best Lakshmi Narayana Saaligraamas were brought to place in the Brindavana. The stone from Madhavaram was also brought and was used in the built. 

It was dawn and Gurugalu along with one of their students walked to the shores of Tungabhadra to bathe. The river, the trees, every single sand particle knew that it was the last day they would be viewing their Lord. The atmosphere was serene. Sri Raghavendra Gurugalu, after bathing, have performed their Sandhyavandane and other prayers on the shores...

Sri Raghavendraya Namaha !!! 


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