The Ardent Wish of the Devotee and The Lord - 3
From his response, I could make out that the Deputy Executive Officer (DEO) was flabbergasted. The DEO knew the procedure for the appointment of a TTD 'asthana vidwan' - conferring a prestigious title. The TTD annually constitutes a committee of experts to decide on the appointments of 'asthanamvidwans'. The committee reviews the areas/fields in which 'ashtana vidwans' have so far not been appointed, consider eminent people in those fields and recommend a short panel. The TTD Board considers the recommendations and chooses the persons. Informal consultations with the Chief Minister and the Endowments Minister are held. Later the consent of the awardee is obtained before a formal announcement is made.
During Lord's 'brahmotsavas' at Tirumala the title is conferred on the artists in the presence of a gathering of devotees.This had been the well-established procedure. When the Deputy Executive Officer tried to explain the procedure, I cut him short by saying, "Leave it all aside. By early morning, before I leave, whatever I have said shall be done". The Deputy Executive Officer muttered something, communicating his disbelief.
During Lord's 'brahmotsavas' at Tirumala the title is conferred on the artists in the presence of a gathering of devotees.This had been the well-established procedure. When the Deputy Executive Officer tried to explain the procedure, I cut him short by saying, "Leave it all aside. By early morning, before I leave, whatever I have said shall be done". The Deputy Executive Officer muttered something, communicating his disbelief.
Dr Rallapalli Ananthakrishna Sharma with Nobel Laureate Dr Rabindranath
Tagore. Newspaper clipping.
Thanks to TTD staff's efficiency, all the materials requisitioned had landed at my home before I left for Bangalore. On arrival at Bangalore, I sent word to Sri.Ralapalli's residence that I would be calling on him in the afternoon. At 3-00 pm, my wife Gopika and I reached Sri Rallapalli's home. A number of people , with sadness writ large on their faces, had assembled there. On inquiry, I was told that Sri Rallapalli, ailing for some time , was seriously ill. We were conducted into a room.
There was uneasy silence in the crowded room. Sri Rallapalli had been unconscious for almost a week. It was, perhaps, his son who took me near him and tried to communicate something to his father. The old scholar in a coma, would not respond. Holding the 'prasadam' and other things, I felt embarrassed. The son looked at me helplessly. Might be to satisfy me or overwhelmed by the developments, he loudly shouted into the ear of his father four or five times, "Prasadam' and Lord's blessings have come from Tirumala for you". We noticed movement in the frail body lying still... With great effort, he opened his eyes. His half-open eyes stared at me. His son told him who I was. I did not know whether he made out anything.
There was uneasy silence in the crowded room. Sri Rallapalli had been unconscious for almost a week. It was, perhaps, his son who took me near him and tried to communicate something to his father. The old scholar in a coma, would not respond. Holding the 'prasadam' and other things, I felt embarrassed. The son looked at me helplessly. Might be to satisfy me or overwhelmed by the developments, he loudly shouted into the ear of his father four or five times, "Prasadam' and Lord's blessings have come from Tirumala for you". We noticed movement in the frail body lying still... With great effort, he opened his eyes. His half-open eyes stared at me. His son told him who I was. I did not know whether he made out anything.
Swayed by some inexplicable emotion, I adorned him with the dollar necklace, covered him with the shawl and placed in his hands the order appointing him TTD 'asthana vidwan'(poet laureate) and the 'prasadam'. His sons lifted his head, propped him up with pillows and made him lean against the wall. Them I noticed; he was looking not at me but at the 'SriVari prasadam' and the appointment order in his hands...
Tears streamed down his cheeks . His lips quivered. Slowly, he lisped a few words in a whisper. We could not make out what he was saying. His sons tried to listen to him with their ears close to him. He was not talking to us. He was talking to the Lord. Finally, we could comprehend him say,"Oh Lord, have you at last chosen to shower your blessings on me?". He cried as he seemed to have an intimate dialogue with the Lord.
We felt that we should not disturb him in his state of bliss. Gopika and I quietly left the place after a few minutes.
Sixteen hours later,(i.e.,) the next morning as Gopika and I were about to leave for Tirupati, our Bangalore Information Center manager bought the daily newspaper carrying a big picture of Sri Rallapalli Anantakrishna Sarma, on the front page.
Tears streamed down his cheeks . His lips quivered. Slowly, he lisped a few words in a whisper. We could not make out what he was saying. His sons tried to listen to him with their ears close to him. He was not talking to us. He was talking to the Lord. Finally, we could comprehend him say,"Oh Lord, have you at last chosen to shower your blessings on me?". He cried as he seemed to have an intimate dialogue with the Lord.
We felt that we should not disturb him in his state of bliss. Gopika and I quietly left the place after a few minutes.
Sixteen hours later,(i.e.,) the next morning as Gopika and I were about to leave for Tirupati, our Bangalore Information Center manager bought the daily newspaper carrying a big picture of Sri Rallapalli Anantakrishna Sarma, on the front page.
M.S. Subbulakshmi Centenary Celebrations: President Releases Sri Venkateswara Pancharatna Mala LP - The Hindu
Keerthana No. 391
Volume No. 4
Copper Sheet No. 366
Pallavi: Kevala Krishnavatara (కేవల కృష్ణావతార)
Ragam: Ramakriya
Language: Telugu (తెలుగు)
Volume No. 4
Copper Sheet No. 366
Pallavi: Kevala Krishnavatara (కేవల కృష్ణావతార)
Ragam: Ramakriya
Language: Telugu (తెలుగు)
Pallavi
|| kEvala kRuShNAvatAra kESavA | dEvadEva lOkanAtha divyadEha kESavA ||
Charanams
|| kiraNArka kOTitEja kESavA | hari lakShmInAyaka yAdikESavA |
girirAjasuta nuta kESava namO | SaradhigaMBIra SAyi jayajaya kESavA ||
|| kEkipiMCAvasaMta kESava | SrIkara guNABirAma cenna kESava |
kEki vAhanavarada kESava | pAkaSAsanavaMdya BaLiBaLi kESavA ||
|| kiMkarabrahmAdigaNa kESava nA- | mAMkita SrIvEMkaTAdri kESava |
kuMkumAMkavakSha veligOTa kESava sarva – | SaMkAharaNa namO jagadEka kESavA ||
|| kEvala kRuShNAvatAra kESavA | dEvadEva lOkanAtha divyadEha kESavA ||
Charanams
|| kiraNArka kOTitEja kESavA | hari lakShmInAyaka yAdikESavA |
girirAjasuta nuta kESava namO | SaradhigaMBIra SAyi jayajaya kESavA ||
|| kEkipiMCAvasaMta kESava | SrIkara guNABirAma cenna kESava |
kEki vAhanavarada kESava | pAkaSAsanavaMdya BaLiBaLi kESavA ||
|| kiMkarabrahmAdigaNa kESava nA- | mAMkita SrIvEMkaTAdri kESava |
kuMkumAMkavakSha veligOTa kESava sarva – | SaMkAharaNa namO jagadEka kESavA ||
Oh Kesava, you are the incarnation of Krishna. You are the supreme lord of the universe. Your body is divine.
Oh Kesava, you have the effulgence of millions of Suns. Oh Hari, Lakshmi is your consort. Parvati the daughter of Himalayas adores you. You recline on Adi Sesha on milk ocean. Victory to you again and again.
Oh Kesava, as Krishna you wore peacock plume on your head beautifully. Oh Chennakesava at Veligodu village, you bestow prosperity. You are ocean of virtues. You are benevolent to Kumara swami whose vahana is peacock. Devendra bows to you humbly. Hail Oh Kesava.
Brahma and other demi-gods are at your service. You are Sri Venkatesa. You dispel all our doubts . I salute you who established at Veligodu.
Oh Kesava, you have the effulgence of millions of Suns. Oh Hari, Lakshmi is your consort. Parvati the daughter of Himalayas adores you. You recline on Adi Sesha on milk ocean. Victory to you again and again.
Oh Kesava, as Krishna you wore peacock plume on your head beautifully. Oh Chennakesava at Veligodu village, you bestow prosperity. You are ocean of virtues. You are benevolent to Kumara swami whose vahana is peacock. Devendra bows to you humbly. Hail Oh Kesava.
Brahma and other demi-gods are at your service. You are Sri Venkatesa. You dispel all our doubts . I salute you who established at Veligodu.
Sri Rallapalli was no more.Soon after we left the house of Sri Rallapalli the previous day, he had breathed his last with the hand resting on his chest clutching the 'prasadam'.
Why did this happen?Was it a mere coincidence?
Then only I realized what I had done. The anxiety in the Deputy Executive Officer's voice resounded in my ears. The well laid out procedure to appoint an 'asthan vidwan' flashed across my mind. The Executive Officer does not have any discretionary powers in such sensitive issues, which have to be only decided by the board. If the Executive Officer acted unilaterally, the board could recommend his immediate recall and disciplinary action to the government. I was aware of the position.
Why did I behave like that?
What force had compelled me to decide in the middle of the night?
What could I do now?
But I could not undo the past. So, I was mentally reconciled to abiding by any resolution that the TTD Board might adopt.
The Board, under the chairmanship of Mr.B.Nagi Reddy, unanimously ratified my decision without any arguments after it heard me. The Board members felt honored to be associated with such a decision, willed by the Lord.
Then quietly I asked Mr.Nagi Reddy, "What would have been the Board's reaction had Sri Rallapalli been alive?"
Mr.Nagi Reddy , who had woven tales into films under the Vijaya Films banner, was perplexed by my question. For a few moments, he remained silent. The he looked at me thoughtfully and said "Look, Prasad garu, whatever has happened was destined to happen that way. We should accept that. Therefore, you should neither raise such questions nor expect answers. Okay?"
"O.K"-- I nodded . That was the only explanation I too could think of.
OM NAMO SRINIVASAYA
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA
OM NAMO VENKATESAYA
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA
OM NAMO VENKATESAYA