Kaliyugada Kalpataru
Fourth Delight
Sri Vyasa Raja Yati Sarvabhouma
Authored by Raja, S. Gururajacharya
7. The Blessing of Sri Brahmanya Tirtharu
After serving Sri Nara-Narayana at Badrikashrama and receiving the boon of being blessed with an exceptional disciple, Sri Brahmanya Tirtha returned to Attur. Some time later, prompted by Sri Hari, he set out on a journey and accidentally arrived at the Bannur region. Delighted by the sight of the Kaveri River, he wished to bathe in its sacred waters.
Sri Brahmanya Tirtha bathed in the holy Kaveri River, which glowed with waters as pure as nectar, and then completed his midday rituals, including japa (chanting) and tapa (austerities), with his disciples. Following this, he proceeded to the Bannur Agrahara, located in the northern region of the Kaveri River.
Bannur Agrahara was a community filled with scholars of various disciplines, experts in the Vedas and Vedanta, skilled in performing rituals, and diligent in their duties. The householders of this agrahara, possessing saintly virtues and committed to excellent religious practices, were like divine beings on earth. They seemed to be prepared from a previous life to serve and recognize the great personage who would descend to refute heretical doctrines and be an incarnation of Mukhyaprana Deva, destined to be a future Brahma on earth.
By the grace of Sri Jayadhwaja Tirtha, we were blessed with six intelligent sons. I am the youngest. Despite divine grace and your blessings, I was troubled, like grass in a storm, due to the lack of children. My wife, Lakshmi Devi, brought another woman, Akkamma, and married her to me for the sake of offspring. Unfortunately, she too did not bear any children. Thus, we have been distressed. You, a great and compassionate soul, must fulfill our heartfelt desire and bless us.
Upon hearing Ramacharya's words, Brahmanya Tirtha meditated for a moment. He recalled the boon granted by Sri Hari at Badari, and it became clear that the disciple who was to come to him was destined to be the son of Ramacharya and his wife. Filled with joy from the success of his penance, the guru spoke:
Brahmanya: "Ramacharya, you are truly fortunate! Soon, you will be blessed with a son who will be a foremost devotee of the Lord. Tomorrow, we will personally conduct the necessary havanas (sacrificial rituals) with you to ensure this blessing. This will also fulfill our own heartfelt desire."
Hearing the guru's words, Ramacharya and his wife were overwhelmed with joy. They bowed to the guru and expressed their gratitude. Brahmanya Tirtha outlined the necessary rituals and promised to return the next day. He then visited the temple of Rama Deva. The night passed.
The next morning, as the sun rose, Ramacharya gathered all the necessary items and, with musical and grand accompaniment, brought Brahmanya Tirtha to his home. The house was decorated with fresh garlands. Ramacharya welcomed the guru, who was seated on a divine throne, with great reverence.
Under the guidance of the guru, the Vedic scholars and priests invoked the deity of the yajna (sacrifice) and decorated the sacrificial pit with fresh darbha grass and flowers. They then conducted the ritual worship of the sacred deity Sri Yajneshwara, who is revered in all three worlds, using various offerings such as ghee, rice, sugar, and wet sesame seeds.
As the fire in the sacrificial pit blazed in a circular pattern, it was evident that the deity of the yajna was pleased with the offerings. In the presence of the radiant fire, Brahmanya Tirtha took the remaining sacred havis (offering) from the ritual, divided it into three parts, and after chanting mantras over it for a long time, placed it in Ramacharya's hands. He said, "Ramacharya, by accepting this offering, you will be blessed with three children very soon, who will shine like the sacred fires of the Tretayuga. To attain piety, great success, and abundant wealth, you should dedicate the youngest of your three sons to our institution and thereby live a blessed life."
As Brahmanya Tirtha spoke these words, Ramacharya and his wife were filled with joy and reverence. Recalling Sri Vedavyasa Deva's instruction in the dream to follow Brahmanya Tirtha's guidance, Ramacharya looked at Lakshmi Devi and resolved to fulfill the divine directive. He said, "Gurudeva, we accept your command with utmost respect and will follow your instructions."
Content with their pledge, Brahmanya Tirtha blessed them and instructed Ramacharya's wives to partake of the sacred prasadam in three portions. They then bowed to the guru, received his blessings, and offered him special alms and performed the ceremonial washing of his feet, feeling immensely fulfilled.
After spending a couple of days receiving the devoted hospitality of Ramacharya and his wife, Brahmanya Tirtha took leave of the disciples and devotees of Bannur and returned to Attur.
By the grace of Sri Hari and Vayu and the blessings of Brahmanya Tirtha, Lakshmi Devi conceived. This brought immense joy to Ramacharya and his Shashthika relatives. In due course, Lakshmi Devi, wife of Ramacharya, gave birth to a daughter named Bhimakka, who was as precious as the ocean receiving Sri Lakshmi Devi and Airavata, and a son named Maddupaati, who was full of brilliance and formidable to his adversaries. Ramacharya and his relatives were overwhelmed with supreme happiness at the birth of Lakshmi Devi's children.