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FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => hearing the extremely melodious names of the Lord. My love for the cobbler enhanced because he became my co-disciple of our guru due to the spiritual relationship. In the next moment, I was pained with the realisation that I |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => was born in a superior Brahmin caste and that he was a low caste cobbler. The teaching of a cobbler called Vallabha Das to Shankar Bhatt After completing the singing, the cobbler came to me. The compassion |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => was overflowing from his eyes. His two eyes were suggesting the experi- 34 Sripada Srivallabha Charitamrutam ence of self. A doubt crept in my mind whether he was some yogi. He turned to me and said, “Sir, my name is Vallabha Das. I am an artisan |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => working with the hides of animals. I was born in a low caste. There is no doubt about it. Nevertheless, I want to tell you some information. I already knew that your name is Shankar Bhatt and that you are travelling |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => to visit Srīpāda Srīvallabha. Not only that. I also know why you were harassed by crows and snakes on the way.” I was astonished. I thought that he probably studied astrology and acquired some proficiency in the subject. Vallabha Das said immediately, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => “Sir, I am not an astrologer. Srī Kshetra Pīthikapuram is the birthplace of great scholars. It is the holy place where Sānga Vedārdha Samrat Pandit1 Malladi Bapannāvadhāni actually lived. The Vedas became tired in the |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => process attempting to describe the Supreme Being. They could not pinpoint the phenomenon correctly and simply ruled out everything by saying, ‘this is not, this is not’. Such is the nature of the Supreme Being. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Pithapuram is the sacred place where that Supreme Phenomenon took birth as Srīpāda Srīvallabha. Dry philosophy and meaningless debates cannot earn the grace of Srīpāda Srīvallabha. “There is no need for scholarly excellence to obtain the mercy of |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Srīpāda. On the other hand, pedantic pride will throw us far away from Him. “The crows that pecked at you were great pandits who lived in |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Pithapuram during their previous lives. They could not recognise the divine nature of Srīvallabha and they could not realise Him as Lord Datta. Thus, they wasted their whole lives. They could recite Vedas upside down, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => but what is the use? They were repeating words like krama, ghana, jata, swadhya and exhibiting their arrogance. After death they went to heaven. Indra praised them. He showered praise on them by saying, ‘Oh, you are |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => kramānta, you are ghanāpati, you are jati2. Oh, you are an expert in tarka3. What a fortune! How many hundreds and thousands of times you have recited Veda? What a merit! What a merit! Only because of that 1 An emperor in the Vedic lore |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => 2 Words relating to the kind and complexity of the recitation of the Vedas; examples for the arrogance of the scholars 3 Arguing 2. Srī Siddhendra Yogi and the Story of Vichitrapuram 35 |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => merit, you could step into swarga1.’ All the denizens of Indra Loka2 admired them sky-high. However, these pandits suffered the pangs of hunger. Divine ambrosia was available in heaven. They heard that one is freed |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => from hunger and thirst by drinking it. They submitted their problem directly to Indra as none paid any heed to them. To that Indra replied, ‘Veda is the form of the Lord’s inhalation and exhalation. The Lord is infinite and |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => deathless. Therefore, Vedas are also infinite. Vedas are the basis for all dharmas3. By chanting Vedas you have praised the Lord. As a reward for it we, the celestials, are also praising you highly. Otherwise, is it possible for |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => you to get encomiums from me? If one desires food, he must provide food to others. If one donates a grain, we, the celestials, enhance it to thousand grains and return them to the donor as a reward. When you have not |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => donated anything how can we help? Because of your Vedic recitation, you derived immense benefit. Therefore, you can reside freely in Indra Loka as long as it exists. Afterwards, you can go to another world. In this way you can remain eternally free.’ |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => “Those who heard the words of Indra faced a difficult situation. It occurred to them that living eternally without food and suffering prolonged hunger and thirst and it was indeed an unbearable punishment. Indra said |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => again, ‘You lived in the holy Pādagaya kshetra4, but you performed annual ceremonies to the manes5 of your ancestors without care and concern. You were always calculating the expenditure incurred for such functions. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => You were also absorbed in the thought that you were eating delicious food items, but you were devoid of the care and devotion required for the performance of those solemn ceremonies. As a result, your forefathers did |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => not attain noble positions after their death. Your heirs are also behaving like that. Your children also did lament that you lived too long and a large amount of money was wasted on medical facilities provided to you. They |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => even wondered, ‘Oh, how much food was wasted?’ Srīman Nārayana6 Himself incarnated as Srīpāda Srīvallabha in the midst of you. When He |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => was showing the way for salvation, you abused Him. You indulged in fruit1 Divine world to which you get access for a certain time through good deeds 2 World of Indra 3 Ethical principles |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => 4 Pithapuram, as the place where the feet of the asura (demon) Gaya fell 5 Souls 6 The highest God 36 Sripada Srivallabha Charitamrutam |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => less and counter-arguments. Even though all the auspicious traits like omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence and qualities of an incarnation were clearly visible, you became blind people who could not recognise |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Srīpāda Srīvallabha as an avatar of Srī Datta. It is ordained that you remain as crows in the forms of the manes of your ancestors till you drink |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => the blood of a person whose body was purified by the chanting of the sacred name of Srīpāda Srīvallabha.’” Srī Vallabha Das said, “Shankar Bhatt, it was for that reason they were born as crows and on account of their |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => previous merit they drank your blood and obtained noble status.” Then I noticed that Vallabha Das was not an ordinary person and that the grace of Srīpāda Srīvallabha was completely on him. Srī Vallabha Das |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => added, “Sir, the serpents who were attracted by the scent emanating from your body attained salvation.” I said, “Sir, great Vallābhā Das, why should this incident take place? If my body were to be used as food for crows, serpents and other living |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => creatures, it would be a harrowing experience for me. I am under constant fear of being attacked by any creature at any time.” Srī Vallabha Das said, “Sir, this is all a sportive play of Srīpāda. Don’t |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => have such fear. Such accidents would not take place in the future. “Only the One who gives life will have the authority to take out life. Therefore, such authority is not vested in anyone except God. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => “However, some of your ancestors worshipped goddess Kāli on the burial ground. With the help of the mantra used, they killed many persons whom they disliked. They earned great sin because they were responsible |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => for the unnatural deaths of those people. Due to that sin, they took birth as snakes, but as you were also born in their family, you were all blood relatives. Moreover, you obtained the mercy of Srīpāda. Because of this |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => small merit, this incident took place and they got salvation. “A Brahmin should be a seeker of truth. A Kshatriya1 should be bound by dharma. A Vaishya2 should attend to cultivation, protection of cattle, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => and be skilled in the sale and purchase activities. Therefore, he should be a calm person. A Shūdra should be a loving one and render services. Even then there is no distinction between caste, creed, rich and poor for the |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => grant of divine grace. A Brahmin can follow the duty of Kshatriya and can 1 Member of the class of rulers or warriors 2 Member of the class of merchants and cattle breeders 2. Srī Siddhendra Yogi and the Story of Vichitrapuram 37 |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => become a king. When a Kshatriya desires knowledge of Brahman, he can adopt the duty of a Brahmin. Had not Kusuma Sresthi, who was a Vaishya, chosen Kshatriya dharma and became a ruler? According to Brahmanic |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => dharma, killing an enemy is sinful, but in Kshatriya dharma it is a prescribed duty. You are a Brahmin and a seeker of truth. Therefore, non-violence is a supreme duty for you, but not for a butcher. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => “So, if a man wants to get proper results from his actions, he should perform the duties according to the dharma adopted by him irrespective of the caste to which he belongs. “As you are at present ill, it is desirable and necessary that you should |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => be with a doctor. That is why you were brought to me. Please note that Srīpāda Srīvallabha will observe us every moment. In your childhood you were reciting the prayers about Lord Vishnu. You were prattling with your |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => friends in a funny manner; it is indeed a prayer for Lord Ganesha. For the words in the sloka ‘Suklāmbaradharam Vishnum Sasivarnam Chaturbhujam Prasannavadanam Dhyāyet Sarva Vighnopa Shāntaye’1 |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => you were giving a perverted interpretation for the sake of fun; you were giving the following meanings: Suklāmbaradharam = that which bears white clothes, Vishnum = that which is everywhere, Sasivarnam = white ash coloured, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Chaturbhujam = four legs instead of four hands, Prasannavadanam = (i) the donkey will have a gracious face when it brays, (ii) the donkey will kick people with its hind legs. Dhyāyet = so its face is only pleasant to look at, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Sarva Vighnopa Shāntaye = (I pray) for abatement of all obstacles. “In this way you were jokingly giving a perverse meaning to that holy prayer and extended its meaning as a prayer applicable to a donkey. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => 1 A prayer sung at the beginning of auspicious occasions: ‘You are clad in white, oh all-pervading One, and radiating with the colour of the Moon, with four arms, you the all-knowing One. I meditate on your ever-smiling face and pray, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => please remove all obstacles from my way.’ 38 Sripada Srivallabha Charitamrutam Shankar Bhatt, Lord Datta is a skilled one. The Lord, in His presence, would also rectify the mistakes made by you for fun. The washermen |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => brought you to me on a donkey. At that time, you were covered with dust and bore an ashen colour. You came here with halting pace and sometimes you walked on all your fours, (two hands and two legs) supporting |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => yourself on your hands placed on the ground. Even though you came to the audumbara tree on all your fours gasping for breath, you could not avoid the accident. Your hope of escaping from the serpents was belied in |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => this way. You had a placid countenance if you did not convulse with pain. At last you were brought to the village of cobblers. In subjecting you to |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => so many miseries, Srīpāda provided entertainment and taught you a lesson. Those tanners were freed from their ignoble births. You were teaching the prayer-sloka of Srī Vishnu to your friends in a jocular manner. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => That is the reason why you have come to a position where you have to hear the teaching of a low caste person like me. Now you are here. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Tomorrow you may stay in the house of your own caste people. If you disclose this incident even by mistake, they will ostracize you.” With the good teaching of Srī Vallabha Das, the Brahmanic arrogance |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => in me decreased. The feeling that Vallabha Das was a pariah disappeared. I had brotherly love for him as if he was my blood relation. I accepted the hospitality of Vallabha Das for two or three days and left the village afterwards. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => What can I describe about the mercy of Srīvallabha? I was involved in very strange circumstances in a town called Vichitrapuram and came out in a strange way. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => When I was going on foot from Vichitrapuram, some royal servants approached me with humble obedience and inquired whether I was a Vaishnava1 or a Shaiva2. I told them that we were smārthas who observe |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => no distinction between Shiva and Keshava3, but we show some inclination towards Shivaism and that the pontiff of the Southern monastery Srī Sringeri Shankaracharya was our preceptor. They requested me to visit |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => their king. I went with them for the royal audience. On the way, I understood some peculiar matters. That king was inviting any Brahmin who was 1 Devotee of Vishnu 2 Devotee of Shiva 3 Name for Vishnu |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => 2. Srī Siddhendra Yogi and the Story of Vichitrapuram 39 seen on that day and was questioning, “If this-much is for that-much, how-much will be for this-much?” No one could give a satisfactory answer |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => to that question. That king conducted a sacrifice some years ago to beget sons. Fortunately, he got a son. However, from that day Brahmins faced peculiar troubles, as the son born to the king became a mute. The king |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => was of the opinion that because of the defective sacrifice performed by the Brahmins, his son became mute. Therefore, the king got the heads of Shaivaite Brahmins completely shaved, marked their faces with the paint |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => of vertical Vaishnavite lines and paraded them on the back of donkeys. Likewise, he got the heads of Vaishnavite Brahmins cleanly shaved, marked their faces with horizontal lines made of holy ash, and paraded |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => them seated on the back of donkeys. This situation became unbearable to both Shaivas and Vaishnavas. The king suddenly began to behave in a quixotic fashion. He was donating thotakura1 liberally to the Brahmins. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => He ordered that thotakura should be cultivated in a large acreage of the cultivable land. He was collecting half of the taxes in the form of thotakura. Cart loads of thotakura were collected and kept in the fort. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Thotakura was donated in very large quantities and Brahmins could not consume it fully. The cooking of rice and the eating of other victuals was forbidden for the Brahmins. After eating cooked thotakura in the main |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => meals, they had to eat cooked or uncooked thotakura as a snack. What can the poor Brahmins do? All the Brahmins who took great pride as scholars in logic, scholars in philosophy and scholars in Purānas2 shed |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => their arrogance and were praying to God silently and pitiably to redress their plight. There was a devotee of Datta who was an ardent follower of Datta sect among the Brahmins. He said that Lord Dattatreya becomes |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => merciful at mere remembrance and that only the Lord can remove their miserable condition. Therefore, all the Brahmins observed mandala dīksha3 and started worshipping Lord Dattatreya. As his son was mute, the king wanted to encourage the sign language |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => for the mute. He instructed the raja-guru4 to write a book on the sign language for the mute. That preceptor of the royal court was formerly 1 Green leafy vegetable; amaranth 2 Old Hindu texts with religious stories of quasi-legendary content |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => 3 A spiritual discipline for forty days 4 Preceptor of the king 40 Sripada Srivallabha Charitamrutam very haughty. He was in a very miserable state and undertook extensive research in the sign language. The discussion between Shankar Bhatt and Maharaja |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => I was taken before the king. I was perspiring profusely. I thought about the rigorous tests Srīpāda Srīvallabha imposed upon me. I was mentally chanting the name of Srīpāda without any pause. I was getting courage that I |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => never possessed before. The king posed the same question that he asked all the people. He asked me, “If that-much becomes this-much, how much this-much becomes?” I replied solemnly, “This-much only for this-much.” |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => The king was taken aback and said, “Mahātmā, you are great. I am blessed to see you. Only recently I had recollection of the knowledge about my past lives. I was a very poor Brahmin in my previous birth. I was growing |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => thotakura in my house. I was offering it freely to all those who asked for it. The Brahmins who received it from me were all wealthy and did not suffer from want of food and water. They simply took the vegetable gratis |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => from me, but they did not cooperate with me on any day. They did not show any mercy on me. Whenever they were deputing me on their behalf for annual ceremonies of ancestors or for marriages, the householders |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => used to give me large amounts of money and presents. Out of this, the people who were deputing me were snatching 99 percent and releasing one percent for me. The labour was mine and the reward was theirs. In |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => addition, they were getting a free supply of thotakura from my house. I was suffering from acute poverty, but I continued to donate thotakura as usual. Those Brahmins were saying that the vegetable was very tasty and |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => that no harm would happen by eating it daily. “The circle of time rotated swiftly. As I was donating thotakura in spite of my abject poverty, I am born as a king in this birth. Those Brahmins |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => who received that green vegetable from me took birth as Brahmins in my kingdom. In this way I was born many times richer and greater than them. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => By donating thotakura, I became a king. So, I am donating greater quantities of that vegetable in cart loads. So, I am asking everyone what would be the magnificent state I would achieve in the future as a result of my |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => present donations. Only you gave the correct answer to my peculiar ques- 2. Srī Siddhendra Yogi and the Story of Vichitrapuram 41 tion.” The king concluded his speech. Then I explained, “Rajā, thotakura |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => was very valuable under the circumstances of your previous life, but considering your present exalted position, its value is negligible. Being in a |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => position to donate diamonds, precious stones and gold, you are still donating thotakura. So, however much you donate of that green leafy vegetable, you cannot get anything more except one hundred times of that |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => thotakura.” The king was very pleased with my reply. It gave great relief to my mind that for a casual reply of mine the king gave an account of his previous life. I felt that thanks to the great grace of Srīpāda the dishonour |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => of riding a donkey was avoided. I had already mounted a donkey for misinterpreting the sacred verse ‘Suklāmbaradharam Vishnum’ for fun in my childhood. I offered salutations in my mind to Srīpāda who saved me from |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => riding a donkey in a disgraceful condition. Then started the second test. The test was held in the sign language for the mute, which was very dear to the king. The raja-guru1 began to examine me. Showing his fingers, the raja-guru questioned me with signs |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => whether it was one or two. I thought that he was asking me whether I came alone or I was accompanied by anyone. I replied with signs showing |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => one finger that I came singly. Then he showed me three fingers. That suggested to me about Lord Dattatreya. I assumed that he was inquiring whether I was a devotee of Datta. I felt that devotion should be kept as a |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => secret. So, I showed a closed fist and conveyed the message that it was a secret matter, which belongs to the innermost heart. For that, the raja-guru offered sweets requesting me with gestures to accept. I refused |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => to accept and I showed a pack of flattened rice. I took some flattened rice from the bundle and gave it to them. My idea was that I like flattened rice more than sweets and that they could also partake them. |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => Then the raja-guru in a profound voice praised, “Rajā, he is a great pandit. It is already known that he is a great Vedic scholar who mastered all Vedas. He is also a great expert in the sign language for the deaf.” All |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => of this was perplexing to me. Then raja-guru told the king, “Rajā, I asked him whether Shiva and Keshava2 are one or if they are different. Showing one finger he said that both are one. I showed him three fingers indicating |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => that Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara exist differently. He replied by 1 The guru of the king 2 Name for Vishnu 42 Sripada Srivallabha Charitamrutam showing his closed fist and questioned, ‘Are not the five fingers of the |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => hand existing collectively as one?’ I offered him sweets requesting him to accept me as his disciple. Thereupon he indicated that he is not bothered with disciples and that he leads a contented life like Kuchela1. Saying so, |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => he turned down my request and gave me parched and flattened rice.” I |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => was astonished. Oh! I wondered how vastly varied the methods of understanding minds and thoughts in the world are. Then came the third and final examination. Raja-guru was reading the mantras from Rudra Chamaka2 |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => and wanted me to explain their meaning. Remembering Srīvallabha, I began to expatiate their meaning according to my perfunctory knowledge. • “Ekachame means number 1. Trisrachame means number 3 added to |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => the previous 1, it is 4 and its mathematical root is 2. • Panchachame is the addition of 5 to the previously arrived 4 that gives 9 and its mathematical root is 3. • Saptachame signifies the addition of 7 to the already arrived number |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => 9. The total is 16 and the root of it is 4. • Navachame means adding 9 to the already derived number 16. The total works out to 25 and the root is 5. • Ekadasachame involves the addition of 11 to the number 25 already |
FROM Shripad Shri Vallabh Charitramrutam => worked out. The total is 36 and its root is 6. • Trayodasachame is the addition of 13 to the previous 36. The total comes to 49 and its mathematical root is 7. • Panchadasachame means the addition of 15 to the number 49. The total is 64 and its root is 8. |