The emperor of Saints Shri Vyasa Theertha was presented to the world by the distinguished Shri Brahmanya Theertha. He was a pure soul who chanted all the mantras with the highest level of observance and achieved perfection. It is not intended to narrate his entire life chronicles here. The purport is an effort to recount an astonishing occurrence. I heard of this incident for the first time 10 years ago at a lecture by the His Holiness Shri Suvidyendra Theertha.
While worshipping God it is mandated by Shastra to perform Tatva Nyasa and Matrka Nyasa in succession. This procedure is time consuming and seemingly elaborate. Generally those strapped for time skip this step in their daily worship and adhere to the remaining procedures. However, for spiritual aspirants none of this is arduous. They willingly worship according to the procedure prescribed. Shri Brahmanya Theertha is the crowning jewel among such aspirants. While worshiping Lord Shri Gopalakrishna, he would worship the Kalasha in a poised manner accompanied by the systematic recitation of Mantras described by Acharya Madhwa. This composure of his appeared slow-paced to others. Particularly for Swamiji’s assistant, this systematic worship turned out to be a daily trial of his endurance.
Unbearably, one day he made a suggestion to Swamiji. He said ” Swami!, why do you spend so much time on just the worship of the Kalasha? Can’t it be completed quickly and the subsequent steps of worship be performed?” Swamiji smiled. The assistant reiterated. “From tomorrow if the worship is performed and completed quickly, it would be convenient for everybody to get back to their work.” Swamiji smiled again and said “Oho is it? Why from tomorrow? We shall implement your suggestion from today itself. Alright, pick this Kalasha and place it outside, lets proceed with the subsequent worship.” Swamiji’s words made his assistant delighted. He immediately leaned forward to pick up the Kalasha. But he was unable to even move the Kalasha. He felt it to be a little heavy. He presumed that the place he was sitting in was awkward and hence moved a little ahead and tried to lift the Kalasha. No, the Kalasha remained stable. With raised eyebrows he tried yet again but in vain. Wondering why the Kalasha had become so heavy, he stood up and tried to remove the Kalasha, he then realized that the place he was seated in was right, but the Kalasha itself had gained excessive weight. He looked at Swamiji interrogatively. Swamiji’s face continued to wear a smile.
Before him Swamiji himself questioned : “Oh Brahmin! had we merely worshiped the Kalasha you could have easily lifted and placed it. But if the principle deities are to come and accept the worship everyday, are devotion and a systematic approach not required? When they approve of our approach and come how can we not have a little patience?”
Thus the assistant fully understood the background of the Kalasha gaining enormous weight. He learnt that the principle deities actually came and stood in the Kalasha and received the worship at the hands of Swamiji. He was astonished at the preeminence of Swamiji and tendered his apologies.
Some extra information:
The sixteen fold worship performed for God requires extremely pure water. It is mandatory to offer a ritualistic bath to God only using the water from holy rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, etc. However, it is not possible to go and fetch water from these rivers! Thus, the principle deity of each of these rivers are invoked into the water in front of us by the proper and ceremonious chanting of Mantras. That done, it results in the presence of all the holy rivers of the universe within the Kalasha and it becomes eligible to be used in the worship of God. Thus, it is procedural to worship the Kalasha first.
Even to this day, an immaculate level of sanctity is being maintained at Shri Brahmanya Theertha Sannidhaana. His Vrindavana Sannidhaana is at Abbur near Chennapattana along the Bengaluru – Mysore highway.
To queries pertaining to whether God would come by the mere chanting of mantras, the above incident is the answer.
Picture courtesy: http://madhwamixer.blogspot.in/2007/11/madhwa-kashetragalu.html
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