gurucharitra adhyay 10

Sripada Sri Vallabha's continued showering of His Grace on his devotees
even after his Mahaprasthan.

The devotee Vallabhesh being protected from murderous thieves.

Namdharak entreated Siddhamuni to enlighten him further on the Leelas and Mahimas of Sripada Sri Vallbha, which are said to continue, to be occurring even after the physical form of the Avatar.

Siddhamuni narrated the following ancedote which is just one among countless such occurrences.

There was a Brahmin by the name of Vallbhesh. He used to earn his livelihood in some small trade. He was an ardent devotee of Sripad, and used to visit Kurvapur every year for the Darshan and worship of the Guru Padukas enshrined there. Once he was planning to take up a new business venture, which was fraught with considerable risk. He took a vow that in case he would succeed in the venture through Sripada's Grace, he would feed a thousand Brahmins at Kurvapur. To his joy he succeeded in the venture and earned a handsome profit.

In order to fulfill his vow, Vallabhesh set out to Kurvapur, taking along with him quite a sum of money for spending for the proposed feast. A group of three thieves learnt of his journey and followed him. they told the Brahmin that they were also devotees of Guru Nath and visited Kurvapur every year for the Darshan and worship of the Padukas. Vallbhesh believed them and felt happy that he had good company for the journey. They halted in the forest for rest in the night. The Brahmin fell fast asleep. The thieves dealt a heavy blow on the head of the Brahmin with a huge stick. The Brahmin opened his eyes writhing in pain, and felt aghast to see his companions trying to kill him. He closed his eyes and prayed to the Sripada mentally and uttering "Digambara Digambara Sripada Sri Vallbha Digambara". As the thieves dealt further blows, also inflicting knife injuries in his neck, he fell unconscious and died. The thieves seized the bag of money of the Brahmin and started to run away from here. But they were aghast to find a person with matted hair smeared with ashes and holding a trident in his hand and looking fiercely at them and blocking their way. The strange Sanyasi pierced three of the thieves with his Trident who died instantly, and he was about to kill the fourth one also. But the latter in mortal fright, feel at the feet of the Sanyasi and pleaded "Oh Divine one! please spare my life. I was actually not in that group but just accompanied them. I pray you to pardon me." The Sanyasi relented and giving Vibhuti to him, said, "Apply this Vibhuti over the injuries of the Brahmin and keep strict watch for the safety of the body until daybreak." Saying thus the Sanyasi disappeared just as instantaneously as he appeared before. The thief was spared his life, did as commanded by Sanyasi. Lo! in the early hours of dawn, and as the darkness was melting away giving way to the light of sunrise, the Brahmin came back to life, just as if waking from a sound sleep. There were no marks of injury on his head and body. The survivor thief narrated to the Brahmin all that had happened, and begged his pardon. The Brahmin, seeing also the dead bodies of the three thieves, realised that it was none other than Sripada Sri Vallabha Deva that had come to his rescue. With tears of gratitude welling out from his heart, he sang praise of him. The thief completely reformed now, handed over the money bag safely with him.

The Brahmin safely reached Kurvapur, and gave a rich and sumptuous feast to more than four thousand people, and fulfilled his vow in a much bigger way.

The Siddhamuni finally said Sripada Sri Vallabha Deva is ever present, and is everywhere, giving succor and protection to whosoever prays and offers devotion to him".

Gurucharitra adhyay 9

Sripada Sri Vallabha blesses the Washerman

Siddha Yogi narrated another incident which took place during Sripad Sri Vallabha's stay in Kurvapur. Everyday in the morning, midday and evening, Sripada used to come for his bath to the Sangama, which is the confluence of two rivers, Krishna & Venya (Veni). A rajak (washerman) also used to come there daily with loads of clothes for washing. This he used to have Sripada's Darshan three times a daily. He used to wash Sripada's clothes daily, dry them and thus used to serve him. Deep devotion grew in him for Sripada. One day it so happened that a Muslim Sultan was camping on the banks of the river (near the confluence). As usual, when the washerman went to the river with his bundles of clothes for washing, he saw the Muslim king and his wives bathing in the river. The women were wearing rich ornaments and precious jewelry. There were many guards keeping watch around the camp. The rajak's eyes were dazzled seeing the glory and pomp of the king. He thought how lowly and miserable his own life was, and felt that a life like that of a Nawab alone was worth living. He started thinking how happy he would be if he also were to be born in a royal family and be a king. His mind was brooding thus. Later in the day, when the rajak met Sripada, the latter asked him what was plaguing him. Sripada knew what was going on in the rajak's mind, and he had love for him because of his devotion and the services he was doing to him (Sripada). Sripada told him that he was blessing him to be born in a royal family in his next life and to have all his heart's desires fulfilled. He further said, "if you so desire, I will make you a king even in this life, why even now itself". The rajak was overwhelmed with joy for Guru Nath's solicitude for him. He said, "Lord, I am now too old for any pleasures of the world. Whatever blessings you want to confer on me, please defer them for my next birth, but please do not ever forsake me. How can I live without your Darshan?" Sripad then said, "Let it be so; In your next birth you shall be born in the Nawab's family at Vaiduryapura (Bidar). You will enjoy all royal luxuries and pleasure to your heart's content. You will have my darshan too, but not in my present form, but in my new incarnation, then as Sri Narasimha Saraswati. But remember, that it is not earthly pleasures and indulgence of the senses one should covet in life, but one should even aspire for the grace of God alone, which is far above all the earthly enjoyments and attachments. Anyway, because of your devotion to me, I will grant you liberation too, in your next life. Sripada Sri Vallabha decided a little latter, that he should now end his sojourn on earth in the present avatar of his. He had lighted up the lamp of wisdom. He had helped many yearning souls on the spiritual path. He had relieved the sufferings of many. He had revived that Sampradaya - of attaining liberation through devotion and service to the Guru and through practice of renunciation and observance of the moral codes of life. On the Aswiyujasuddha Dwadasi (12th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Aswiyuja) Sripada Sri Vallabha walked into the waters of the confluence of the rivers and disappeared just as Lord Rama had ended his avatar in the Tretayuga, by merging himself in the waters of the Srayu river of Ayodhya. Thus ended another one of the most glorious avatars of the Lord. Although Sripada Sri Vallabha had withdrawn his avatar, yet it is known that he did appear countless number of times and still continues to do so, in his very physical form, to all those who have set their hearts on that Holy form and offer their devotion to that form in all sincerely and earnestness. Thus ends the Ninth Chapter of Sri Guru Charitra describing "Rajak Vara Pradanam". Glory to the All-merciful, the Omni present and the ever responsive Guru Nath. The Kalpavriksha grants whatever we ask for. If we seek 'Sheyas', from it, it will readily grant it to us, if we seek, 'Preyas', that also will be readily granted to us by the self-same celestial tree. It all depends on what we yearn for. The rajak symbolises our (i.e., the normal man's) state with sensuous cravings and worldly longings. Sage Patanjali says that Ishwara is the one who, by his mere Sankalpa can grant the Kaivalya pada (the highest spiritual state) to the aspirant. Most of us do not know what to seek from Ishwara. We ask him to grant us the trinklet joys of the world, but we do not ask for the eternal and divine bliss which is ever ready to grant to us even now and here itself. Just as his devotion to the Guru redeemed the Rajak eventually and granted him liberation in his next life, may we too cultivate devotion and earn our own redemption too.