Introduction of Bhaktha Bandhava |
Near their place, there lived one Sanyasini in an ashram. She denounced
all comforts and was spending her time in studying Gita and in Puja.
Sucharita was taken to her by her parents. They told her that her
daughter did not beget children till then though she was married
several years ago. They narrated to her what all they had tried
till then. They requested the Sanyasini to suggest them a remedy.
The Sanyasini meditated for a while and said that they may be
blessed with a child if they made prayers to Lord Venkateswara and
promised to offer Him something when their desire was fulfilled.
blessed them She good luck.
Sucharita was pleased. She returned to her in-laws' house. She
told her parents-in-law and her husband what the Sanyasini had advised
them to do. They also felt glad. As advised by the Sanyasini they
prayed Lord Venkateswara and promised to deposit their offerings
in the Hundi at the Lord's temple and in addition have their heads
tonsured, perform Aradhana to the Lord and drop in the Hundi gold
equal to the weight of the child. They promised to celebrate Brahmotsavam
to the Lord. They took a saffron dyed cloth and tied their offerings
in it and kept in their Puja mandir and worshipped the Lord devotedly,
daily. This also did not help achieve the result.
Though much worried, Sucharita did not lose hope. She prayed the
Lord that she may be blessed with a child, and if her desire was
fulfilled she promised to throw the child under the wheels of the
chariot of the Lord after enjoying the pleasure of rearing the child
for just four years. She felt that the four years company of her
child would sufficiently satisfy .her desire for the child.
Probably God wanted to test her integrity. He blessed her. Soon
Sucharita became pregnant and delivered a son. Words would not suffice
to explain how happy the entire family rejoiced over the birth of
the child.
The baby was beautiful and lovely. On the day he was put in the
cradle, there was a grand celebration. As the baby was .born out
of the blessings of Lord Sri Venkatachalapathy" he was named
after Him and affectionately called 'Chalapathy'. Under the loving
care -of the grand parents and parents the child gradually grew.
In company of the child they forgot the world behind. Such was their
affection towards him.
That way four years passed. It was time for them- to throw the
child under the wheels of the Lord's chariot. But their affection
towards the child made them forget their promise to the Lord. It
was now the duty of the Lord to remind them of their obligation.
So, He made everybody in. the family fall sick and suffer. Even
the child was not spared. He suffered of high fever and delirium.
He lay unconscious in bed. Doctors attended on him.Pujas were performed.
No improvement was noticed.. Sucharita was afraid. She closed her
eyes and prayed the Lord to restore her child's health. She soon
felt fast asleep. She had a dream as if a chariot ran over her,
her child who was playing nearby was crushed under the chariot,
her husband was celebrating the Brahmotsavam of the Lord Venkateswara,
he was leading a procession carrying on his shoulder a silver cane
and so on. She immediately woke up from sleep. He explained her
dream to her husband and others. That was how the Lord reminded
them of their commitment.
They had decided to fulfil their vow to the Lord and hence fixed
an auspicious day for pilgrmiage to Tirupati. Soon every body in
the family recovered from their sickness. On the appointed day they
started on pilgrimage to Tirupati carrying with them their offerings,
money and materials.
On the first day they visited Lord Govindarajaswamy temple and
had darshan of the Lord and Nancharamma, bathed in Kapila theertham
and offered Shrardha to fore fathers, went to Tiruchanur and had
darshan of Alamelumanga . Thayar (Padmavati). They rested at Tirupati
for the night.
The next morning before sun rise they started climbing the Tirumala
hills, with names of the Lord on their lips, As they climbed the
Hills they cried "Govinda, Govinda, Apad bandhava, Anada Rakshaka,
Vaddikasula vada, Apada mokkula vada, Bangaru Gopuram vada etc"
Pilgrims from different parts of the country also joined company
with them. Forgetting the hardships of the journey in their company
and uttering the names of the Lord they comfortably arrived Tirumala.
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