Love for God is what one Really ought to seek from Saints

Love for God is what one Really ought to seek from  Saints

Whenever Shri Brahmananda maharaj visited Gondavale, he used to bring along with him one or two cooks. They used to prepare a new delicacy every day as offering of Naivedya to Rama, and it was served generously to all during meals. Once they had prepared Raghavdas Laddoos fo Naivedya. In the afternoon, after the meals were over, the kitchen was tidied and closed. At about three O’clock Shri Maharaj was sitting before the idol of Rama. Some persons stood around. About this time, a woman went into the kitchen, gathered some seven or eight laddoos in the fold of her sari, and started to leave. She would have to pass in front of Shri Maharaj As she advanced, a woman from Shri Maharaj’s entourage smartly pulled the fold of the sari. The laddoos rolled on to the ground. The woman was greatly embarrassed. But all that Shri Maharaj said to her was “Please take away those laddoos. I would have gladly given them to you had you asked for them. Rama is in want of nothing. But do not do this again.” After the woman had picked up the laddoos and left, Shri Maharaj said to the company, “There is nothing to regret about the woman taking the laddoos, but I feel sad that no one comes forward to receive the love for God, which I am here to give.”

Shri Venkannaiah's Jayanthi -11-4-2010

To-day being Poojya Venkannaiah's 128 jayanthi, many people who had seen or whose family had contacts with Shri G. Venkannnaiah visited the Mandir. The programes went on well. Some spoke about Shri G.Venkannaiah, whom they personally new. All expressed gratitude for Shri G.Venkannaiah, with whose intense labour all of them came into Shri Maharaj's hold.

Sri G. Venkannaiah. a brief history of his life

(Founder of Sri Brahmachaithanya Sri Rama Mandir,Chintamani)

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Sri G. Venkannaiah,(1885 to 1969) is a direct disciple of Gondavalekar Sri Brahma chaithanya Maharaj. He belonged to a place called Ganjur, near Chintamani, about 75 kms from Bangalore. This is an attempt to tell how he came into contact with Sri Brahmachaithanya Maharaj.

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Sri G.Venkannaiah,was the eldest son of Sri Timmappaiah and Smt.Putta Lakshmma . Sri Timmappaiah was a teacher. He had  lands in  Ganjur village near Chintamani.. Venkannaiah studied civil engineering in Govt. Engineering School in Mysore. He was appointed as Sub-Overseer in the Government public works department. In 1913 he had been transferred to Chikkanayakana halli Taluk. He was posted to supervise the construction of a tank in Malligere village,about 22 miles from Chikkanayakana halli. to supervise the construction of a tank.

 One day, in November,1913, during lunch break, when Venkannaiah was meditating on Sri Ram, sitting under a tree, he heard a big shout  of “Maha Purush, Maha Purush”. When he opened his eyes, he saw a Saint standing with two disciples, before him. When Venkannaiah prostrated before him, the Saint  asked him to come to Gondavale (Gondavalyaave), and vanished immediately. Sri Venkannaiah did not know what was said as he did not know Marathi. So, he noted it down in his dairy. In the evening, he returned to Chikkanayakanahalli, where he was residing. One of his friends who knew Marathi, said the word expressed by the saint was, “ come to Gondavale”. But, neither Sri Venkannaiah nor his friends knew where Gondavali was. That night he dreamt of a Sri Vaishnava reading Bhagavadgita, and some one pointed out to him that his doubts will be cleared by the Sri Vaishnava. A few days later, when he was returning from the morning walk, he suddenly came across the Sri Vaishnava of his dream, coming in opposite direction. Sri Rangachar, that was his Name, took Sri Venkannaiah to his home. After learning about his experience, Sri Rangachar, went to the pooja room, closed the door, and sat for meditation. Sri Rangachar, was a yogi, and after an hour, he came out from the Pooja room, and told Sri Venkannaiah that the Saint who gave him darshan was Sadguru Sri Brahmachaithanya Maharaj of Gondavale. He said, that he met Sri Maharaj, in his meditation and Sri Maharaj asked both of them to go to Gondavale. He told that Gondvale was a place in Maharashtra, and explained the route to reach the place. Both, Sri Venkannaiah and Sri Rangachar started for Gondavale with in 8 days. When they reached the place, some of the devotees staying there told them that Sri Maharaj had cancelled his programme of going to some other place stating that he has to meet two devotees from a far off place, on that day. They had a nice welcome and they were allotted a room to stay.

In the morning, Venkannaiah, who was standing behind the group of devotees surrounding Sri Maharaj, was called by Sri Maharaj .

  Sri Maharaj  initiated him to Ram-nam, by whispering the Taraka Mantram in his ear.. He asked him to do: 1. Do Namasmarana without break. 2. Spread or propagate Rama-nama. 3. Construct a small Ram-Mandir.4. Carry on Upasana.

Sri Venkannaiah returned to his place and started his Anusthan. After a month, Sri Venkannaiah received a telegram intimating   Sri Maharaj’s departure from his mortal body. Immediately, he went to Gondavale and participated in the funeral ceremony.

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Sri  Venkannaiah, who was in the Government service,  could not plan to construct the Sri Rama Mandir  early, as he was being transferred from place to place. But, he did Bhajans and japaanusthan and pooja to Sadguru paduka, at home. He participated during functions in Gondavale and he even went to functions arranged by Sri Brahmanand Maharaj in Venkatapur and Beladadhi. Sri Brahmanand Maharaj used to call him ‘Mysore Buva’.

 Where ever he was transferred on duty, many friends of those places, became devotees of Sri Brahmachaithanya Maharaj. Later on, when he was transferred to Chintamani, his work was in many surrounding places like Hindiganal, Jangamakote, Sidlaghatta, etc where his devotion to Sri Maharaj, secured him many followers,

In the year 1939, a garbha gudi and a hall with thatched roof was constructed in the site previously bought for constructing Mandir, and pooja was carried on with photos of Sri Ram and Sri Maharaj, and Sri Sadguru Padaka.

Then, on 13-6-49, the marble idols of Sri Ram, Lakshman, Seetha, Maruthi and Sri Brahmachaithanya Maharaj, were installed in the divine presence of  Sri Tatya Saheb Ketkar Maharaj, and Sri Kundagol Narayanappa Maharaj.

Since then Anusthan is being carried on.  In early days, with a view of Annadaan, Mandir provided weekly Meals ( vaaraanna) for different students, hailing from different places, studying in Chintamani. His desire of starting a Vidyaarthi Nilaya (Student’s Hostel) was carried out in 1966, by his youngest brother Sri G. Honnappa..

 He left his mortal coil on 13-4-1969.

He led a saintly life that inspired many to take up Ram-nam. 

I shall appear whenever you call out to me in Desperation

“I shall appear whenever YOU call out to me in Desperation

An incident narrated by Shri. Ganapatarao Karandikar; “In 1904, Shri Maharaj went on a pilgrimage to Kashi, starting from Gondavale. At that time, my father had received a letter from  him, asking him, if possible, to join the pilgrimage to Kashi. Because of some domestic difficulties, my father could not go. After about a year and a half all of us went to Gondavale. My father expressed his regret to Shri Maharaj, that he had not been able to jo8n the pilgrimage to Kashi. Shri Maharaj said to him, ‘whenever you do go  on such a pilgrimage take it that I shall be with you,. If you call out to me, remember that I  shall certainly appear.’

“In 1913, Shri Maharaj cast off the mortal body. Later my parents, I and  my younger brother, went on a pilgrimage to Kashi. From there we went to Haridwar. There, my parents and I stepped into the Ganga for ablutions. Being too young, my younger brother stayed on the bank. While we were performing ablutions we unwittingly went into deep waters. A big wave swept us into still deeper waters, and we started to drift with the swift current. My father’s dhoti was firmly tied to his waist, and my mother caught hold of it, and I held on to her waist. Drifting with the swift current, we felt almost sure that we were going to drown. At the very moment, my father called out loudly to Shri Maharaj. Immediately, a Bairagi (an individual of a class of mendicants who renounce the world and practice austerities) from Maharashtra was seen jumping into the water. By one hand, he caught my father by his neck: by the other, he caught my mother; and he brought the three of us to the shore. While this was happening, there was an uproar among the persons gathered on the bank, and there was talk all round that a Bairagi had saved three persons. The very moment he reached the shore, the Bairagi entered the crowd and disappeared. My father made a good deal of attempt to find him, but he could not be traced.”

My fond desire is that everyone should sincerely take to the practice of Namasmarana

There was a person who had lived long with Shri Maharaj. About a fortnight before casting off the mortal body, Shri Maharaj said to him, "Commonly the eldest son stays in the company of his father for a great deal of time. Other siblings often stay in distant places, and are in their father's company for a relatively shorter time. Because of the close association with his father, the eldest son is well aware of his likes and dislikes. In such a case, the eldest son has a duty to perform after the death of his father, that is, to further the prestige of the family, he should inform his younger siblings of their father's likes and dislikes and to behave accordingly. "Shri Maharaj further said, "One can not foretell when Death may strike. You are in the know of my likes and dislikes because of our close association. You should tell others about them. If one were to ask about my likings, then I have only one keen liking, and that is that everyone should sincerely observe Namasmarana, and never fail to remember Rama. Do freely tell everyone about this fondness of mine."

Satsang at Sri Ashwathanarayan's House at Bangalore.-

A group of devotees from Chintamani Mandir participated in the Satsang arranged by Sri Jangamakote Ashwathanarayan on the occasion  of the opening ceremony of his newly constructed House.Later, the devotees visited the Swananda Ganapathi Ashram, off Kanakapura Road.

I know you better than you know yourself.

                          I Know You Better Than You Know Yourself

Some one said to Shri Maharaj, " Maharaj, you are clairvoyant. Please tell us how well you know us." To this Shri Maharaj said, "Are you prepared to believe what I will tell you?" The person said "Yes". Shri Maharaj said, " I know more about you than you know about yourself. It is a law of the world that the longer one has been intimately acquainted with something, the more one knows about it. The most intimate acquaintance that you have had is with your body. You are able to know of only that one. But, by the Grace of Shri Rama, all those forms you have put on in your births since the time you acquired the status of a living being, are known to me. From this you can understand how well I know you.

If one acts in accordance with the Guru's directions, although what is in one's lot may not get dispelled, it will surely becomes bearable

To a person who was attending the sacred festival of  Gurupournima, Shri Maharaj said, "Many observe the practice of visiting Pandharpur or Alandi, every Ekadashi (The eleventh day of the waxing or waning of the moon)". Similarly, do observe the practice of visiting here regularly, every Pournima(the day of full moon), " for a period of five to six months." Because of some difficulties, he was not able to do as Shri Maharaj had bidden him. Soon after, he took ill with an affliction of the liver. The illness took a turn for the worse. A well-wisher enquired of Shri Maharaj, in confidence, whether there was any danger to his life. Shri Maharaj clearly said that the suffering would last for five or six months,and that there was no danger to his life. When the person had gained enough strength to travel, he visited Shri Maharaj. Shri Maharaj said to him, "It was because I could see that this was in store for you that I had suggested that you visit here every Pournima. If you had done so, the suffering in your lot might  no have been avoided, but it would have been bearable.Rama would certainly have given you enough strength to visit here every Pournima.