Thursday, April 29, 2010

Good Company Brings About Betterment With Ease

Good Company Brings About Betterment With Ease

Shri Maharaj often used to say, "whoever merely stays put here, will have his task accomplished automatically". When Vaman Rao  Jnyaneshwari asked him to explain the meaning of "have his task accomplished automatically."  Shri Maharaj said, "The minds of those who stay put here are like sooty, burnt utensils, and virtuous company is like a flowing brook. I leave the utensils to soak in the brook of virtuous company. When the utensils get thoroughly soaked, they can be cleaned easily by going over them only once. Likewise, the minds of these persons settle easily into a state of nearness of God."

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Book - Reading Session by Sri Y.G. Anantha Shastri

Sri Y.G. Anantha Shastri

A book-reading session, by Sri Y.G. Anantha shastri, is going on in the Mandir for the past three years, starting from 30th July 2007, every day, between 5-00p.m and 5-30 p.m.
Starting from Sri Maharaja Charitre, Books like Tulasidas' Ramacharitha Maanasa, Bhagavatha, and others were read. Now, Sri Anantha Shastri is reading Samartha Ramadas's Dasa Bodha, with commentrary by Poojya Baba K.V. Belsare and translated into Kannada by Poojya  Kulakarni..

Sunday, April 25, 2010

The guilty should be persuaded to good ways with love

The Guilty should be persuaded to Good ways with Love.

Once Shri Maharaj was performing ablutions in the village brook. Two thieves guarded by two policemen in front of them and two behind them, were passing by on their way to Dahiwadi for attendance at the court.
One of the policemen was a disciple of Shri Maharaj. He took permission of the leader and went to the brook to meet Shri Maharaj and pay his respects. Shri Maharaj asked him, "What assignment brings you hee?" He replied, "We are going to the court at Dahiwadi with two persons accused of stealing." Shri Maharaj said, "It  will soon be time for serving Rama's prasad. All of you can resume your journey after partaking it." When the police man put forth the difficulty that the accused could not partake of prasad because they were handcuffed, and that he did not have to authority to remove the handcuffs'. Shri Maharaj said, "Ask your leader's permission; if the handcuffs are removed for them to partake of prasad, I guarantee that the accused will not run away." The leader agreed to this, and all of them had a good meal. When it was time to leave, the accused came to Shri Maharaj to touch his feet in supplication.Shri Maharaj said to them, "If Rama is merciful this once, will you give up stealing?" Both of them agreed to do so.
Later, the trial took place and, given the benefit of doubt, both of the accused were acquitted. They returned to Gondavale and swore at the feet of Rama that they would not thence forth steal. Shri Maharaj instructed them in the practice of chanting Nama. When sending them away after some days, Shri Maharaj gave one of them one hundred rupees and told him to do the business of a shepherd; to the other he gave another one hundred rupees and told him to take up the business of poultry-keeping. Thereafter the lives of both of them turned to a good course.















Friday, April 23, 2010

Tiru nakshatra - shree Ramaanujaachaarya's Paadukaas visit the Mandir.



ಶ್ರೀ ತಿರುಮಲ ತಿರುಪತಿ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನದ  ಆಳ್ವಾರ್ ದಿವ್ಯ ಪ್ರಭಂದ ಪ್ರಾಜೆಕ್ಟ್ ನ ಆಶ್ರಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಮಂದಿರದಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ತಿರುನಕ್ಷತ್ರ (ಜಯಂತಿ) ಯನ್ನು ತಾ: 21-4-2010 ರಂದು ಆಚರಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.
ಉಭಯ ವೇದಾಂತ ಪ್ರವರ್ತಕ ಶ್ರೀ ತಿರುಸ್ವಾಮಿಗಳು ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ದಿವ್ಯ ಪಾದುಕೆಗೊಂದಿಗೆ ಆಗಮಿಸಿ 'ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜ ಅವತಾರ ವೈಭವ' ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರವಚನ ಮಾಡಿದರು. ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜರ ಸಮಾಜೋದ್ಧಾರ ಕುರಿತು ಶ್ರೀ ರಮೇಶ್ ಭಟ್ ರವರು ಮಾತನಾಡಿದರು.
ಅಂದು ಸಂಜೆ ಶ್ರೀ ಬಿ. ಶ್ರೀರಾಮಮೂರ್ತಿ ರವರಿಂದ 'ಕರ್ನಾಟಕಕ್ಕೇ ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ಕೊಡುಗೆ', ನಂತರ ಶ್ರೀ ಜಿ.ಹೆಚ್. ವೆಂಕಟೇಶ್ ಮೂರ್ತಿ ರವರಿಂದ 'ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ಶರಣಾಗತಿ ತತ್ವ ' ವಿಷಯವಾಗಿ ಉಪನ್ಯಾಸಗಳು ಜರುಗಿದವು.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

WIN THE HEART WITH FORGIVENESS.

               WIN THE HEART WITH FORGIVENESS.

   A rich couple from Atpadi used to visit Shri Maharaj. The woman had with her a superbly beautiful idol of Balakrishna made of a valuable alloy. She used to worship it, and admiringly to display it to all sundry. Shri Maharaj repeatedly told her not to do so; but the woman ignored the advice. The consequence was as one might expect. One woman stole the idol. She wrapped it in an old rag and hid it in the ceiling of another room. It was her intention to take it with her at the time of leaving Gondavale. When the idol disappeared, the woman from Atpadi began to weep for it. The idol could not be found even after a great deal of searching. Eventually she informed Shri Maharaj. He said, “ I had already cautioned you about this. Anyway, do not feel sorry about what has happened. Imagine that Balkrishna is embodied in Shri Rama, and continue the practice of worship.” Where upon the woman said, “Maharaj, you are clairvoyant. You must know who has taken my Balkrishna. Please bring him back to me.” Shri Maharaj protested stating that he was not clairvoyant, but the woman was unhappy and went on a fast. Shri Maharaj tried to dissuade her, but the woman was adamant. After a couple of days the woman who had stolen the idol received a letter that her son was ill in her village. When he heard of this, Shri Maharaj said to her, “ I will provide a bullock-cart for you tomorrow morning. It is necessary that you go.” In the early morning, Shri Maharaj called Wamanrao Jnyaneshwari and told him, “The Mamlatdar of Dahiwadi will be arriving in the afternoon. He will stay in the sitting room.  Please get the room cleaned and lock it.”
   When it was time for the woman to leave, she went up to the room a couple of times. She was disappointed when she saw that it was locked. Shri Maharaj accompanied her to the bullock-cart and, finding her alone, said to her, “Even though it is an idol of God, it is nonetheless a theft. But let bygones be bygones. I will not reveal this to any one. But be careful to see that you do not commit such an act again.” The woman sincerely asked forgiveness from Shri Maharaj, and proceeded on her journey. Shri Maharaj returned and went to the room with Wamanrao. He opened the room, saying,”Let us see how the room has been cleaned”; and, looking at  the ceiling, said,”What is this package?” On its being taken down, the idol of Balakrishna was found. Shri Maharaj called the owner, restored the idol to her, and told her to give up her fast. While returning it he only said, “It appears someone had inadvertently kept it there, with out any thought of stealing it.”

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Genuine Repentence leads to cleansing of Heart.



Genuine Repentence leads to cleansing of Heart.

A man from Karnataka had received initiation (anugraha) from Shri Maharaj. He had once been a rich person, but had eventually lost all his wealth by getting entangled with a woman. Not only did his relatives hold themselves aloof from him, but even devotees of Shri Maharaj used to keep away from him. Shri Maharaj was on a visit to Bhimrao at Gadag. This man arrived there, waited at the gate, and sent up a message asking for permission to go in. Shri Maharaj immediately called him inside. He prostrated imself before Shri Maharaj and stood there, with his hands folded in supplication. Shri Maharaj said to him, “I will not forsake you even if the rest of the world were to do so. “On hearing these words, the man began to sob violently. When his outburst of feelings had subsided, Shri Maharaj said to him, “If your remorse is genuine, I undertake the responsibility for sins committed by you hitherto. But, you will have to touch the feet of Rama and take a vow that you will not behave thus henceforth.” He did accordingly. Later, he practiced chanting of Nama in an exemplary manner, and attained a greatly exalted state.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

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.”