This riveting memoir by Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, was first published in 2012 on the global Namadwaar website and the Tamil Madhuramurali magazine.
In Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam, when Bhakti Devi tells Sage Narada about herself, she says that she was born in Dravida desha (Tamil Nadu) and grew up in Karnataka (utpannA drAviDe sAham vriddhim karnATake gatA…). Hence the name of this series, where Sri Ramanujamji details a divine journey to interior Karnataka with Sri Swamiji (in late 2011), with a lovely unfolding of their experiences and studded with lovely insights shared by Sri Swamiji throughout the trip.
We are re-publishing this multi-part series in this GOD USA newsletter, so all devotees can once again relish and travel on this divinely sweet and insightful journey.
Part 1 – The Journey Begins
With the divine blessings of our beloved master, I am very delighted to share a few words on the blissful experience of travelling with our Sri Swamiji to Karnataka. The experiences we had with him were very unique; the practical learnings we gained were immense; and it was above all very blissful as we were in the close company of our beloved master! Sri Swamiji took us to Kollur, Varadapura, Ambu theertha and Udupi. Each place was a blissful learning experience.
Prologue
After a couple of months of travel outside India, I returned to Chennai eager to have the darshan of Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji completely inundated me with his benign compassion; and since this forms an introduction to the travel story I am sharing, I mention this.
Sri Yogesh Bhat is a Sama Veda scholar who is blessed to do nityaseva of our beloved Thakurji – Sri Madhuri Saki sametha Sri Premika Varada Swami. His elder brother Sri Naveen Bhat had come to our patasala as a very young child and after completing Sama Veda adhyayana, is now doing nityaseva to Sri Sundara Anjaneya Swami in Bengaluru. Both the brothers are very devoted to our Sri Swamiji. Their father Sri Gopal Bhatji was celebrating his Bheemaratha Shanti in their hometown, in Hosanagara Taluk, Shimoga district. The whole family, out of their immense love, prevailed upon our Sri Swamiji to bless them on this auspicious occasion. Thus the divine journey was set in motion!
25th December 2011: Madhurapuri Ashram, Late morning
Sri Swamiji was preparing to leave the Ashram. His vehicle was ready and with a slightly heavy heart we all in the Ashram saw the car disappear beyond the gates. While I began to contemplate on what to do next, the ‘call’ came from Sri Hari! I immediately rushed to join our Sri Swamiji near the Sri Premika Varadan Free Clinic, with whatever I could pack up; and the journey began.
Sri Swamiji was heading to Bengaluru Sri Sundara Anjaneya temple, and then planned to proceed to Shimoga. The blissful journey was punctuated with sweet nectarine words of wisdom from our beloved master. We were drenched in excerpts from Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimad Ramayana, lives of Mahans, and about various sadhanas. We reached Bengaluru in the late afternoon. A stroll in a nearby area with Sri Swamiji talking about how we need to be fully human by appreciating fine arts, and another darshan of Sundara Anjaneya Swami drew the day to a close.
26th December 2011: On to Shimoga
We started for Shimoga in the morning along with Sri Naveen Bhat. Every minute spent with Sri Swamiji is certainly an experience and lesson drawing us closer to divinity. We miss many, but by his grace we catch some!
The route to Shimoga was filled with greenery. In this region filled with the beauty of nature, trees such as teak, sandalwood, mango, jackgruit and tamarind were in abundance. There were also the lovely areca palms (betel nut trees) everywhere. As we were travelling in the car, Sri Swamiji spoke about the uniqueness of each of the places we crossed. In the afternoon, we were close to Bhadravati, when a wildlife sanctuary caught the attention of Sri Swamiji. We all alighted and entered the sanctuary. Sri Swamiji had been there before. A lion from Chennai called Suresh was there the last time that Sri Swamiji had visited the place. Sri Swamiji with a tender voice asked us to enquire if Suresh was still here. The sad response was that he was no more and had died only couple of months before. The flash of compassion in Sri Swamiji’s eyes told us stories! That lion was blessed indeed!
We then went to enclosures containing bears, leopards, tigers and pythons. Sri Swamiji gave some insights into the habits of each of these animals. When we reached the python enclosure, we saw an incredible sight! A rooster and a hen were pecking some grains a couple of inches from the mouth of a long python. A hen is food for a python. But this one did not touch the hen. In fact, the python did not even move. And the rooster and hen showed no signs of concern. Sri Swamiji said with wonder, “See! We read about ajagara vritti – a spiritual seeker’s way of life where, like a python, the seeker does not go in search of food or ask for bhiksha, but instead partakes only of the food that finds its way to him. Not only that, when there is no physical need, even if food comes to him, the seeker is disinterested in it – like this python! It won’t even touch the hen when it is not hungry! What a vaichitriyam (wonder) of Bhagavan’s creation!”
We then reached the Ashram of Ramachandrapura. The 33rd pontiff of this Matha – Sri Sri Raghavendra Bharati Swamiji has collected 30 of the 33 pure Indian cow breeds in existence presently, and has housed them in an expansive goshala. Sri Swamiji spent quite some time in the goshala explaining to us the various breeds and their distinctiveness. A Gir, a cow breed native to Gujarat, had its ears hanging downwards. It was huge and Sri Swamiji reminded us of Gokarna’s story in Bhagavata Mahatmyam. Sri Swamiji was pulling us to Bhagavatam and Bhagavan with every trigger from the outer world! We have heard him say that mahans always associate any worldly happening with something divine. Here we were also experiencing it directly!
We all then went to the main temple whose deity was Sri Ramachandra Murthy. We all then heard about a rare and amazing Shiva linga!
Wonder what was rare and amazing about that Shiva linga? Let’s wait till the next episode of this series!
