AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Pujya Sri Swamiji Andhra Pradesh - 2007 - Tour Report 3

Rayalaseema Tour of Sri Swamiji
After a 4-day brief program in Mysore to attend Atirudra Yaga, Dharma Sabha and Anagha Vratam by School Children, Sri Swamiji had resumed the last leg of Andhra Pradesh Tour on 29th January 2007 – Bheeshmaikadasi. First program in the tour was the Consecration of Sri Venkateswara Temple, in Dharmavaram town, Anantapur District.

Dharmavaram
Dharmavaram, is known for the hand woven Silk Sarees. All the members of the Ashrama are weavers or traders of Silk Clothes. They have worked hard for more than 7 years, to build this magnificent temple for Sri Venkateswara Swamy, Goddess Padmavati and Sri Dattatreya. Ganapati, Nagaraja, Hanuman and Garuda icons are installed are outside the main Temple complex. This dusty region is quite plagued by water scarcity and poverty. It has been their time tested belief, that the area witnessed sufficient rainfall to tide over the water crises for the season, as and when Sri Swamiji had set His foot on this soil. With this conviction of benefit to the region, many devotees have rendered service to make this temple project a reality.

Appreciating their efforts, Sri Swamiji has decided to give a charming idol of Sri Venkateswara Swamy to this Temple. His Holiness got two idols (one fromTirumuruganpoondi and another from Allagadda) for consecration in Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple in Mysore. He averred that on the chosen day, whichever idol gets unveiled first, would be installed in Mysore. Accordingly the idol from Tamilnadu was consecrated in Mysore. The other idol was kept for worship and Darshanam in the Nakshatra Vanam of Datta Peetham in Mysore for 8 years.Though reluctant to part with His favourite icon of worship, Sri Swamiji was compelled by the devotion and dedication of Dharmavaram devotees to install this magnificent Venkateswara idol.

Sri Swamiji has arrived in Dharmavaram, at 6 PM and partook in the consecration ceremonies, conducted by Vaikhanasa Agama scholars led by Sri Vedantam Bhaskara Acharya and Satyanarayana Acharya. (The rituals started on 28th January, Sunday). In his welcome address, Town Municipality Chairman Sri K Harinath, (who is also a member of the consecration committee) had spoken about the imminent benefit to the citizens from the visit of Sadguru Deva. Sri Vasudeva Sastry, had spoken about the importance of Sri Venkateswara worship.

30th January 2007
In the morning, Ksheera Adhivasam was performed along with Jala Adhivasam. It was a wonderful sight of Sri Swamiji doing Abhishekam to Lord, with utmost affection and zeal. In the evening Dhanya Adhivasam and Sayya Adhivasam. (Invoking the cosmic energy of the almighty into resepctive stone and metal idols). Later in His message, Sri Swamiji corroborated the relationship between Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and Datta Peetham and gave a detailed narration about the circumstances under which Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple (Mysore) was consecrated. The artists, namely Sri Durugadda Tirumala Achary, Potulurayya Achary (Idol Sculptors); V Subrahmanyam Achary (Dhwaja Stambha Sculptor); Murugan (Cement Ornamentation sculptor) and Sri Tirupal (Engineer from Anantapur) who offered tireless services were felicitated. All the donors were blessed on this occasion.

31st January 2007
Yantra Pratishtha was performed by His Holiness at 9.46 AM, Meena Lagnam amidst chanting of Govinda, Govinda and Vedic Hymns. Srichakrapuja and Narayana Homa followed. After Purnahuti, Kumbhabhishekam was performed to the shrines of Sri Dattatreya, Sri Padmavati and Sri Venkateswara Swamy. In His message, Sri Swamiji had asked all the devotees to undertake service to the country; to make it mandatory to help the deprived sections of the society; to chant the glory of the Lord. He further cautioned that one should not convert into other faiths. If he changes his faith, that would amount to the falsification act against the will of God, who caused the birth in this particular pantheon. At the time of Samprokshanam to all the deities, people felt the experience of holy sanctum sanctorum in Tirumala. To emphasise the point that Lord dwells here in this idol, Sri Swamiji had pointed towards the dampness (due to sweat) on the cheeks. Thousands of devotees had Darshan till evening. 20 thousand people were fed on this occasion.
In the evening, first ever Kalyanam to Sri Venkateswara Swamy was performed by Sri Kishor Acharya (Chief Priest of the Temple) and Sri V Hari Prasad (Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple). Sri Swamiji had stayed overnight at Jayalakshmipuram Ashrama.

1st February 2007
During a brief visit to Anantapur, Sri Swamiji had inaugurated Neeraja Nature Cure Centre and visited Sri Gnana Sagara Datta Temple. At 11AM, Abhishekam was performed to Lord Srinivasa. Civet Nama was applied after Abhshekam. His Holiness had launched Nitya Puja and Permanent Abhishekam schemes and advised devotees to perform Sankeertana on every Saturday.
In the evening Divya Nama Sankeertana, Govinda Kanna, Venkataramana, Palaya Govinda, Vande Mukundam and other select bhajans were melodiously sung by Pujya Swamiji to the delight of hundreds of devotees.

2nd February 2007
Today was Magha Poornima. Thousands of people assemble for a bathing festival at far distant Tirumakodalu Narasipura (popularly known as T Narasipura) near Mysore. It has been the endeavour of many heads of Mutts in Karnataka to revive the great tradition of Maagha Snana at this holy confluence of Kaveri, Kapila and (subterranean) Sphatika Sarovara. To attend the program, Sri Swamiji had undertaken an arduous journey by road and helicopter.
In the evening, Sri Swamiji had arrived at Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant (RTPP), Erraguntla to reach Prodduturu.  It has been the prayer of the staff of RTPP that His Holiness should visit the area for many years. Hundreds of families had assembled to have a glimpse of Sri Swamiji. In His brief address, Sri Swamiji had spoken about the significance of this day and Kumbha Mela at Dakshina Kasi (T Narasipura). Later He visited the Venkateswara Temple consecrated in the colony and blessed the ongoing construction of Shiva Temple.

Prodduturu in Kadapa district was a famous trading town for many decades on 20th century. Sri Swamiji had spent few years in His childhood with his aunt Yogini Smt. Venkamma, an exponent of Hatha Yoga. He had also studied under Late Sri Shatdarshanam Soma Sundara Sarma. Prodduturu Ashrama is the second Ashrama after Mysore. Sri Pabbati Ramayya was the founding members of this Ashrama known as Satyanarayana Swamy Temple Complex. Besides Sri Satyanarayana Swamy (presiding deity); Hanuman, Yogiraja Vallabha Dattatreya, Shiva and Chamundeeswari Temples are consecrated over a period of time.
Upon arrival, Sri Swamiji visited the ornate stone wall, adorned with Sapta Swara Deities on top. During the last two years, Sudarshana Narasimha Temple was added to the temple Complex and entire temple complex was renovated. Specialty of this temple was that a monolith stone has Lord Yoga Narasimha on the eastern face and Lord Sudarshana (with 10 hands) on the other. Sri Makam Ramanjaneulu, Sri Bali Reddy, Sri R Sadashiva Sarma, Sri Prabhakar and other members who had rendered great services were blessed upon arrival.

3rd February 2007
Sacred Sudarshana Narasimha Yantram was placed on the sacred pedestal (Aadhaara Peetham) at 5.40 AM in Brahmi Muhurtam. Justice L Narasimha Reddy, Smt. Vijayalakshmi district judge had participated in the program. After Srichakrapuja, Sri Swamiji had explained the significance of Sri Narasimha. (It is only the second Narasimha Temple in Datta Peetham Temples and only Sudarshana Narasimha Temple in Andhra Pradesh). (Click here for the text of the speech.) Clothes were distributed to poor children on this occasion. Kriya Yoga group of Prodduturu had sponsored the clothes.
In the evening, Divyanama Sankirtanam was conducted at Municipal High School Grounds at Prodduturu. It is fact of interest that His Holiness was an alumnus of the school in 1950s. Municipal Chairperson Smt. Malleeswari lit the inaugural lamp to start the Satsang. In His eloquent discourse, Sri Swamiji had listed out the maladies every faces in daily life and wanted the devotees to include a minimum 10 minute meditation session in daily schedule, in order to safe guard one self from any turbulence.

4th February 2007
Abhishekam was performed to Dattatreya Swamy. After Srichakra Puja, Sri Swamiji had announced the construction of a new community building, to be named after His Hatha Yoga preceptor Yogini Venkamma.
In the evening, local judge Sri Krishna Murty had welcomed Sri Swamiji. His Holiness had declared that a stage would be built here to commemorate Sri Swamiji’s association with this school. Later, Narasimha Swamy bhajans O Narasimha, Narasimha Narasimha were explained. Sri Swamiji had reasoned that the concept of Narasimha is to prove the existence of God in every particle. To annihilate the ignorance of people about the existence of Supreme Self (Paramaatma), Lord has incarnated. The Satsang lasted more than 150 minutes.

5th February 2007
Sri Swamiji had reached “Tim” Dattanatha Kshetram" located at Viswanathapuram Village, Yerramukkapalli, Kadapa at 10 AM. Sri Dattatreya, Sri Bala Subrahmanya, Sri Rajarajeswari and Sri Karya Siddhi Hanuman temples are consecrated in this Ashrama. For the past 4 years, Ganapati Homa was being performed in this Ashrama. To mark Sri Swamiji’s visit, Sankatahara Ganapati Homa (with 1008 Modakas and other ingredients) was conducted by the scholars from Datta Peetham. After Srichakra Puja, Sri Swamiji had instructed that Seetarama Kalyana should be performed. The ceremony was conducted with the newly presented idols of Rama and Seeta.
In the evening Mayor Sri Raveendranath Reddy and MP Sri Sai Pratap had visited. Dattatreya was decorated with new Silver Kavacham.

6th February 2007
After Srichakra Puja, Sri Swamiji had declared that Kumbhabhishekam for Dattatreya shall be conducted next year (after the completion of 12 year cycle). On this occasion, a prayer hall would be constructed along with guest rooms, He announced. Karyasiddhi Anjaneya Puja and was performed with betel leaves along with Poorna Phala Samarpanam. Sri Swamiji left Kadapa at 2 PM to reach Madanapalli town at 5 PM.
Datta Devotees have been conducting Satsang for 7 years. They were constantly participating in many programs of Sri Swamiji seeking a visit. Pujya Swamiji had given Darshanam to thousands of devotees in Mayuri Kalyana Mandapam and permitted the members to start an Ashrama Branch. Local MLA Sri Prabhakara Reddy, MLA Ramesh and Municipal Chairman Dr.Ravi Kumar had attended the Satsang.

7th February 2007
Sri Swamiji had departed from Madanapalli at 8 AM to reach Mysore to conclude the 55 day long eventful trip to Andhra Pradesh.

Jaya Guru Datta