Bala Tripura Sundari and Sri Tadepalli Raghava Narayana Sastry
Last week I suddenly saw on internet that Bala Tripura Sundari lives in a home in Nemili, near Kancheepuram as a child. Many refer to her only as Bala (child). Nemili is located 55kms from Vellore, 24 kms from Kanchipuram, 16 kms from Arakonam, 30 kms from Sholingur.
Nemili Sri Bala is a small and young Goddess, the size of the little finger but considered as powerful as the sun by her devotees.
Sri Bala Peetam is not a temple, but a small house where the Sri Bala idol decided to reside.
And then within two days, one of our Achyuthan group member sent us information regarding a divine devotee in whose house SHE resided.
And so magnificently is Devi Maa’s blessing…
I bought a picture of Her sometime in Aug last year and miss placed it somewhere. After reading about Her we decided to dedicate this episode to Devi Maa.
Wonder of wonders!! I suddenly I found the same picture as above yesterday which I thought was lost. I only take it as a blessing and that Devi Maa wanted us to write about Her. She is showering Her love on us in this way.
This episode is a real story that occurred a few years back.
Sri Tadepalli Raghava Narayana Sastry was a prominent devotee of Goddess Bala Tripura Sundari. He was popularly called as Chandolu Sastry. He was born in Gorantla village located in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh on August 25th, 1896 in a Brahmin family. His family followed strict traditions. He was the youngest of the siblings born after five daughters.
He was a great Sri Bala upaasaka (devotee) and a great yogi with divine powers. However he never used them for his personal requirements. He accepted everything as Prarabda karma (karma of previous birth). He was well versed in Vedas and Ayurveda shastra.
He received the Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Manthra from Sri Kedhara Lingam a well learned scholar and expert in Sri Vidya Upaasaka.
Sri Bala Peetam is not a temple, but a small house where the Sri Bala idol decided to reside.
And then within two days, one of our Achyuthan group member sent us information regarding a divine devotee in whose house SHE resided.
And so magnificently is Devi Maa’s blessing…
I bought a picture of Her sometime in Aug last year and miss placed it somewhere. After reading about Her we decided to dedicate this episode to Devi Maa.
Wonder of wonders!! I suddenly I found the same picture as above yesterday which I thought was lost. I only take it as a blessing and that Devi Maa wanted us to write about Her. She is showering Her love on us in this way.
This episode is a real story that occurred a few years back.
Sri Tadepalli Raghava Narayana Sastry was a prominent devotee of Goddess Bala Tripura Sundari. He was popularly called as Chandolu Sastry. He was born in Gorantla village located in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh on August 25th, 1896 in a Brahmin family. His family followed strict traditions. He was the youngest of the siblings born after five daughters.
He was a great Sri Bala upaasaka (devotee) and a great yogi with divine powers. However he never used them for his personal requirements. He accepted everything as Prarabda karma (karma of previous birth). He was well versed in Vedas and Ayurveda shastra.
He received the Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Manthra from Sri Kedhara Lingam a well learned scholar and expert in Sri Vidya Upaasaka.
How Bala Tripura Devi Entered into Sri Sastry's life?
It is believed that whoever have the blessings of Bala Tripura Devi Amma roams in their home in the form of a small kid. With continuous penance, at the age of 19 itself he got the blessings of Bala Maa. She used to speak to him at regular intervals from that age itself.
Once, before sleeping, Sri Sastry had a thought of ‘Who I am? Why did I come into this life? What good and bad deeds I have done in my previous births to come into his life’.
Then by the blessings and power of doing Bala Upaasaka, Amma appeared in his dream and said ‘I will tell you, why you were born’ and took to him the First aavarana (step) of Sri Chakram. He saw the First aavarana parivaaraa devathaas, step by step she took him to the Fourth aavarana of Sri Chakram. In all the four aavarana’s while moving forward he saw the respective devathas (Gods) of those aavarana’s.
At last, in the fourth aavarana Amma explained him the reason behind his human life. She told him that once he was one among the Parivaara moorthy of 4th Aavarana of Sri Chakra. She also told him that due to his continuous upasana (devotion) of HER, he got rare opportunity of knowing the reason behind his present birth.
It is believed that whoever have the blessings of Bala Tripura Devi Amma roams in their home in the form of a small kid. With continuous penance, at the age of 19 itself he got the blessings of Bala Maa. She used to speak to him at regular intervals from that age itself.
Once, before sleeping, Sri Sastry had a thought of ‘Who I am? Why did I come into this life? What good and bad deeds I have done in my previous births to come into his life’.
Then by the blessings and power of doing Bala Upaasaka, Amma appeared in his dream and said ‘I will tell you, why you were born’ and took to him the First aavarana (step) of Sri Chakram. He saw the First aavarana parivaaraa devathaas, step by step she took him to the Fourth aavarana of Sri Chakram. In all the four aavarana’s while moving forward he saw the respective devathas (Gods) of those aavarana’s.
At last, in the fourth aavarana Amma explained him the reason behind his human life. She told him that once he was one among the Parivaara moorthy of 4th Aavarana of Sri Chakra. She also told him that due to his continuous upasana (devotion) of HER, he got rare opportunity of knowing the reason behind his present birth.
Marriage Life
Initially Sri Sastry wanted to take sanyaasam, but on one auspicious day he got a dream in which Bala Amma suggested him to not take sanyasam and instead asked him to get married.
He was married to Smt. Parvathi and was later renamed as Smt. Sreedevi by father of Raghava Sastry (people used to call her Devamma).
Initially Sri Sastry wanted to take sanyaasam, but on one auspicious day he got a dream in which Bala Amma suggested him to not take sanyasam and instead asked him to get married.
He was married to Smt. Parvathi and was later renamed as Smt. Sreedevi by father of Raghava Sastry (people used to call her Devamma).
After marriage they went through the very worst phase of their life suffering from poverty. Sometimes they did not have anything to offer as naivedyam to Bala Amma. He never used to ask anyone for help and he believed that Amma would take care of him and that he would only accept whatever she gives. Once, he prayed to Amma continuously for three days chanting the Bala Sahasra Naamam. As he did not have anything to offer, he only offered water as Naivedyam.
Our pranamams to him for being so devoted to Devi Maa and believing that She only would take care of him.
On third day, by night fall, he felt like he was losing consciousness. He put one hand on the floor of pooja room and slowly went to sleep.
Bala Tripura Sundari appeared in his dream and offered Biksha to Sastry. She blessed him saying ‘You don’t have to look back in your life. You also don’t need to ask anyone for any help. I will take care of everything for you’.
Our pranamams to him for being so devoted to Devi Maa and believing that She only would take care of him.
On third day, by night fall, he felt like he was losing consciousness. He put one hand on the floor of pooja room and slowly went to sleep.
Bala Tripura Sundari appeared in his dream and offered Biksha to Sastry. She blessed him saying ‘You don’t have to look back in your life. You also don’t need to ask anyone for any help. I will take care of everything for you’.
She also said that a horse cart would come the next morning and ordered him to go on that cart. The next day when the cart came, then he went to the King and as requested by the people there he gave various discourses. After few days he returned to the house. When he wanted to enter his house he was unable to open the doors.
Can you guess why??
There were rice bags all over his home. He was shocked to see so many rice bags and enquired about them. He got the answer that it was sent by none other than Bala Amma through the King. The King realized his greatness and wanted to give him a specific amount each month as a salary. Being a great devotee he refused it as he was not interested in taking anything which would come free.
Can you guess why??
There were rice bags all over his home. He was shocked to see so many rice bags and enquired about them. He got the answer that it was sent by none other than Bala Amma through the King. The King realized his greatness and wanted to give him a specific amount each month as a salary. Being a great devotee he refused it as he was not interested in taking anything which would come free.
Paayasam
Whenever Sri Sastry’s wife (Devamma) made payasam, she used to place the vessel of payasam in the middle of the house for serving. Interestingly, the payasam would be sufficient to serve all the people who visited their house on that particular day.
No one would go without partaking the prasadam. If by any chance the payasam was over, then that would mean that the flow of visitors of that particular day was completed.
Such was the blessing of Devi Maa on Sri. Sastry. She would make the vessel into an AKSHAYA PATRA.
Whenever Sri Sastry’s wife (Devamma) made payasam, she used to place the vessel of payasam in the middle of the house for serving. Interestingly, the payasam would be sufficient to serve all the people who visited their house on that particular day.
No one would go without partaking the prasadam. If by any chance the payasam was over, then that would mean that the flow of visitors of that particular day was completed.
Such was the blessing of Devi Maa on Sri. Sastry. She would make the vessel into an AKSHAYA PATRA.
Sometimes Mother Goddess used to answer devotees through Sri Sastry. Due to his Mantra Upaasana, Bala Amma would accompany him all the time. Many a time, while he was sitting in the corridor of his house people would mistake him to be a lady and request HER to call Sri. Sastry. Sri Sastry would get irritated and shout at them saying that he was only Sastry and only after they would realize it was him and not a lady.
Blessed are these people who could see Devi Maa in Sri Sastry’s physical form.
Let us bow down to his devotion to Devi Maa.
Blessed are these people who could see Devi Maa in Sri Sastry’s physical form.
Let us bow down to his devotion to Devi Maa.
Although he was blessed by Bala Maa he never used it for his benefit. He used to bless devotees and used to grant boons to them. Many devotees’ wishes were fulfilled due to his blessings.
Relation with Kanchi Paramaacharya
Sri Sastry had a desire that Kanchi Paramacharya should visit his house. His wish was fulfilled when the mela in which Paramacharya Swamy travelled carried by Vedic pandits came to his village.
Paramacharya had great regard for Sri. Sastry. If Vedic scholars had any doubts regarding any shastras then Paramacharya used to suggest Sri Sastry’s name. He would tell them that Sri Sastry was blessed by the knowledge directly from the Goddess and not from reading books, so any word which comes from Sri. Sastry’s mouth was directed by the Goddess Herself.
Relation with Kanchi Paramaacharya
Sri Sastry had a desire that Kanchi Paramacharya should visit his house. His wish was fulfilled when the mela in which Paramacharya Swamy travelled carried by Vedic pandits came to his village.
Paramacharya had great regard for Sri. Sastry. If Vedic scholars had any doubts regarding any shastras then Paramacharya used to suggest Sri Sastry’s name. He would tell them that Sri Sastry was blessed by the knowledge directly from the Goddess and not from reading books, so any word which comes from Sri. Sastry’s mouth was directed by the Goddess Herself.
As was the norm at the time, Sri Sastry was known to be very intolerant of any violation in the practice of the traditional behaviours. Once due to the anaachara (deviance from traditions) Sri Sastry thought of ending up his life. Then Paramaacharya gave Darshan to Sastry in a dream and asked him not to commit suicide. When Sri Sastry went to Paramaacharya, Sastry told about the reason why he thought of ending his life. Then Paramacharya put a shawl on Sastri’s shoulder and said from then on, no anaachara (violation of aachara) would ever touch him.
Navrathri Festival incident
At one time, during the Navarathri festival his disciples came and told him that there was no food available to offer to Devi maa as well as the devotees who would come to take blessings. They wondered as to how to manage this situation.
Sri Sastry’s reply was ‘This is Amma’s festival and she will take care of the arrangements’. The very next day a truck came with all the required material and the driver informed that it was sent by a devotee and gave a name and address.
When the disciples enquired, they could not find any devotee with that name at the address provided.
Do we need to ask who sent all the required material for the Navratri?
Sri Sastry ordered his disciples not to store any items after the Navaratri festival. Whatever was left was to be distributed to the passengers travelling in buses and trains. Such was the generosity of this great man.
At one time, during the Navarathri festival his disciples came and told him that there was no food available to offer to Devi maa as well as the devotees who would come to take blessings. They wondered as to how to manage this situation.
Sri Sastry’s reply was ‘This is Amma’s festival and she will take care of the arrangements’. The very next day a truck came with all the required material and the driver informed that it was sent by a devotee and gave a name and address.
When the disciples enquired, they could not find any devotee with that name at the address provided.
Do we need to ask who sent all the required material for the Navratri?
Sri Sastry ordered his disciples not to store any items after the Navaratri festival. Whatever was left was to be distributed to the passengers travelling in buses and trains. Such was the generosity of this great man.
Janmaanya theethaani kiyanthi meho
Uchaavachathvam yadhabhooth sukha dukha hetho
Aajeeva daasathamathaa mabhi padhya Punyaath
Baale thavaanu grahavashaath mama Suprabaatham
(The above suprabhatam was written by Sri Sastry for Bala Maa)
Using his powers bestowed upon him by Devi Maa, Sri Sastri constructed a temple for his favourite Bala Tripura Sundari in Tenali, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Miracle occurred at his last rituals
Sri Sastry left for the Holy Abode of Bala Amma on 10th December 1990. During his last journey many people witnessed Bala Amma coming from his flames and going to the sky. Remembering Sri Sastry’s name itself is enough to make Bala Tripura Sundari Devi happy.
Uchaavachathvam yadhabhooth sukha dukha hetho
Aajeeva daasathamathaa mabhi padhya Punyaath
Baale thavaanu grahavashaath mama Suprabaatham
(The above suprabhatam was written by Sri Sastry for Bala Maa)
Using his powers bestowed upon him by Devi Maa, Sri Sastri constructed a temple for his favourite Bala Tripura Sundari in Tenali, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Miracle occurred at his last rituals
Sri Sastry left for the Holy Abode of Bala Amma on 10th December 1990. During his last journey many people witnessed Bala Amma coming from his flames and going to the sky. Remembering Sri Sastry’s name itself is enough to make Bala Tripura Sundari Devi happy.
Let us bow down to such a divine soul who was blessed by Bala Tripura Sundari.
OM MAHA TRIPURA SUNDARYAI NAMAHA
HARE KRISHNA
OM MAHA TRIPURA SUNDARYAI NAMAHA
HARE KRISHNA
