4. First Independent Tour

Having toured in the districts of Kadur and Shimoga in the Mysore state for eleven months, the Mahaswamiji desired, before going to Western India, to perform the pilgrimage of Gokarna which had been the wish of his Guru’s heart even during his last moments. He entered the district of North Canara, having passed through Banavasi and Sirsi. He reached Gokarna at 8 o’clock on the morning of Sunday, the fifth of the dark half of Magha in the year Vyaya, S.S 1810 (1887 C.E.) and after being taken in procession through the tour, he visited the temple of Lord Sri Mahabaleshwara and was lodged in the branch Math of the Peetham. Gokarna is on the west coast. Here the linga of Mahabaleshwara faces west; the place is held in great esteem as stated in the Puranas. Hindus of all sects from all parts of India come in large numbers to visit the place.

Local tradition states that the linga was granted to Ravana by Lord Paramashiva, when he was practising severe penance on Mount Kailasa, that on his way to Lanka he had to stop for a time near this spot for purposes of ablutions, that on looking out for a person to keep the linga safe during his ablutions, a short Brahmin appeared before him, who agreed to keep it safe for a few minutes, on the understanding that he would call thrice before he left and would go away leaving it on the ground if he did not respond to the call. Ravana, it is said, agreed to the condition. While he was engaged in ablutions, the man (It is said that he is none other than Lord Ganapati) called thrice and as Ravana could not come at once, he left the linga on the ground and went his way. After that Ravana did his best to lift the linga but failed, and recognizing the will of Ishwara, worshipped the linga where it stood and went his way.

The Mahaswamiji stopped at Gokarna for two months, in the earlier part of which occurred the festival of Shivaratri. In the shrine at Gokarna, the linga can be worshipped by all Hindus. Ordinarily, some two or three hundred thousand people assemble here every year on the day of Shivaratri. As the Mahaswamiji arrived at Gokarna in time for Shivaratri, the number of pilgrims during his visit was double the usual number. How difficult it must have been for everyone to go into the temple and worship the deity in these circumstances! As the Mahaswamiji was held in great reverence, the people cheerfully gave way to the Mahaswamiji to proceed to the temple and exclusively worship the deity for long; the temple authorities extended their cooperation. The Mahaswamiji entered the temple in the third yama or at midnight and worshipped the deity for three hours with intense devotion, offered his valuable gifts of a diamond necklace with fine strings of pearls and a necklace of Rudraksha besides costly clothes. On the occasion the Mahaswamiji composed a special Stotram on Lord Mahabaleshwara and returned to the Math after having blessed the innumerable devotees. While he was at Gokarna, the Mahaswamiji became afflicted by a urinary disease and his illness gave cause for anxiety; but just as in the case of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada, for whom after the completion of the sixteen years of life vouchsafed to him by Ishwara, Vyasa Maharshi appeared before him and granted him an extension of another sixteen years of lifetime to vanquish various anti-Vedic cults and to reestablish Adhyatmavidya (wisdom of the Atman), even so, as there were many important duties to be fulfilled by Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji, the illness of this illustrious Guru subsided by the grace of Sri Mahabaleshwara.

The Mahaswamiji remained in the sacred place of Gokarna for two months; during this period, the disciples had the privilege of listening to the Mahaswamiji’s sagacious clarifications on a variety of knotty questions concerning Varnashrama-Dharma. From Gokarna, the Mahaswamiji proceeded North and travelled into the Bombay presidency, passing through the district of Dharwar.

At that time, the Raja of Jamkhandi was Ramachandra Rao Appasaheb, a direct descendant of the famous Parashuram Bhau of the Peshwa days. He was accomplished, capable and courageous and he had raised his little State to a condition of great prosperity by his skillful administration and had proved himself a wise administrator. As his activities, right from his boyhood, were mainly worldly, his faith and devotion in matters spiritual were very limited. However, he had belief in the existence of God. In proof of this, it may be stated that he had built a beautiful temple made of marble in his State and had dedicated it to the Goddess Tripurasundari and he had also made necessary arrangements for Her daily worship as well as for a grand procession during Dasara. Appasaheb learnt that Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji, the Jagadguru of Sringeri, had come in the course of his travels close to his territory and that he was a great Guru. Under ordinary circumstances, the Chief would have felt no attraction towards an ascetic; but as the result of the good deeds done by him in his past births, he felt drawn towards the Mahaswamiji by an inexplicable love and devotion and he became desirous to behold him.

When the Mahaswamiji was at some distance from Jamkhandi, Appasaheb sent his agents to the Mahaswamiji with a request to the Mahaswamiji to grace his capital city with his presence. The Mahaswamiji learnt through the Raja’s agents and others, the past and present mental state of Appasaheb and that his want of faith in the past was due to the absence of proper influences for bringing about a change. He saw that it was his duty to enter the territories of the Raja and give him an opportunity for developing his faith. He, therefore, sent a reply through the Chief’s agents accepting the invitation. The Raja was extremely happy to receive a favourable reply from the Mahaswamiji. He made suitable arrangements to receive the Mahaswamiji in keeping with the Guru’s greatness and his exalted rank. He had a pandal erected near a lake called Kattegiri about a mile and half from Jamkhandi to receive the Mahaswamiji and beheld him for the first time.

No sooner had the Mahaswamiji inquired of the Raja’s welfare with his smiling countenance than the Raja lost for a time, all consciousness of the things around him. His joy knew no bounds. The hairs of his body stood on end. Tears began to flow profusely from his eyes. His voice became choked. Needless to say, the Raja had undergone a transformation. At 8 o’clock in the morning of the 16th of September, 1887, the Mahaswamiji entered Jamkhandi, accompanied by the regalia of the Sringeri Math and the Jamkhandi State and encamped on the beautiful and holy place known as Ramatirtha. The Raja’s respect and devotion to the Mahaswamiji had grown considerably even in that short period. He entertained the Guru as his respected guest for some days in his capital city and submitted to him a beautiful diamond necklace of exquisite European design costing about Rs.12,000/- and bearing on the obverse of its central pendant, an engraving of Dagi Saheb, his own adopted son. He prayed to be allowed to defray every year all the expenses incurred in Sringeri on the day of Moola-Nakshatra during Dasara and to send his own agents to Sringeri every year to pay the annual contribution from his State. He subsequently made the offer in writing and from that day to this, the promise has been fulfilled every year without a break. In these and other ways, he served the Mahaswamiji with great zeal and earned his love and regard. He received valuable advice for his guidance as well as Mantropadesha at the hands of the Mahaswamiji and became one of his most prominent disciples.

It may be mentioned here that when the Mahaswamiji was in Bellary on his way back to Sringeri, Ramachandra Rao Appasaheb once again visited him and after obtaining initiation for his son at the hands of the Mahaswamiji, returned to his State. And again after the Mahaswamiji had returned to Sringeri, he came there with all his retinue, enjoyed the hospitality extended to him by the Mahaswamiji, offered a tribute of gold coins to the Mahaswamiji and made a gift of a beautiful silver throne to the Mahaswamiji. He showed his reverence for the Mahaswamiji by requesting him to place his foot on the back of his little son before ascending to take his seat on the chair placed before the image of Sri Sharada. The Mahaswamiji was greatly touched by the devotion shown to him by the Raja, accepted the gift of the silver throne and permitted him to return to his State after treating him and his equally devoted son with royal honours.

After Jamkhandi, the Mahaswamiji visited the native states of Miraj, Sangli, Kurundwad as well as other smaller States at the request of the Rajas concerned and having conferred his blessings on them and their people, he entered Kolhapur. The Raja of Kolhapur was yet a minor. The Mahaswamiji was received with great hospitality by the Maharani of Kolhapur and visited the temple of Goddess Mahalakshmi. There is a well known Math named Sankeshwara Math in Kolhapur, which is regarded as a branch of the Sringeri Math, and the people of Kolhapur, worshipped the Swamiji of this Math and held him in great honour. The Rajas of Kolhapur have granted some inam villages to support this Math. When the Jagadguru visited Kolhapur, the head of the said Math paid obeisance to him and respectfully invited him to visit his premises. The Jagadguru accepted his sincere invitation. Having learnt that the people of Kolhapur, both Vaidikas and Laukikas, were well-read in Sanskrit and capable of conversing in that language, the Jagadguru was greatly pleased. During his stay in that place, he gave lectures regarding Dharma and conducted discourses in matters of Shastra in Sanskrit itself; needless to say, his disciples were greatly pleased. In the course of this tour, the Mahaswamiji went very near to Pune. The Mahaswamiji was gratified at the love and regard shown to him in these places.

The Mahaswamiji decided to return to Sringeri and on the way back, had to stop at Bellary. Bellary is a fairly large town of the Madras presidency. Hearing that the Jagadguru was in their district, many people of Bellary begged that he should visit their city and bless them. This devout request was one that could not be ignored and so, the Mahaswamiji decided to visit Bellary. For some thirty years before this, communal tension had been brewing here. Some people of Bellary petitioned the British local authorities that the Mahaswamiji should not enter the town on a palanquin with all his paraphernalia. The Collector of the district looked into the connected old records and found that precedent had established the Mahaswamiji's right to enter the town. A riot was apprehended; but the authorities made the necessary security arrangements and the procession passed without a hitch. The fact was that, a person had only to see the Mahaswamiji and all his prejudices vanished at once. His genial smile characterized by an indescribable charm of expression won the hearts of all beholders, whether they were believers or otherwise. If a mere Darshan of the Jagadguru could do so much, what needs to be said of the privilege of hearing his sweet, simple, yet edifying flow of words, or of the rarer privilege of having a private audience with him? The Mahaswamiji performed his Chaturmasya-Sankalpa in Bellary and remained there for two months.

His disciples in that place took upon themselves the whole of the Math expenses during that period and served him with great devotion. It has already been said that the Raja of Jamkhandi visited the Mahaswamiji here. Another distinguished visitor was the late Rajyadhurandhara Sri K.Seshadri Iyer, the illustrious Dewan of Mysore who looked upon the Jagadguru as an incarnation of God. Sri Sheshadri Iyer came to Bellary and underwent Bhashya-Shanti at the hands of the Guru and received his blessings.

A short account of Sri K. Sheshadri Iyer’s career cannot be held to be out of place in this connection. He was born at Palghat in the Madras Presidency of poor parents. With the help of his elder brother, he received English education and had a distinguished educational career. Helped by Mr. C. Rangacharlu, Dewan of Mysore, who was a farsighted statesman and had marked him out for a great career, he entered the Mysore Service and held the office of Dewan for eighteen years and became famous. His associations, training and occupation were such that he was merged in worldly affairs and had no time for thinking of spiritual matters; but as the effect of his experiences in past births, he was led almost against his will to spiritual contemplation in accordance with the words of Bhagawan Sri Krishna, “By that very practice of a past life, he who has fallen from Yoga is carried forward even in spite of himself.”

This happened when he accompanied His Highness Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar to Sringeri in 1885. On that occasion, when he first caught sight of the Mahaswamiji, a veil that covered his mind was rent, his undesirable experiences of the past crumbled away and a light suddenly dawned upon him. The desire came upon him that he should bathe in the River Tunga, that he should smear the sacred ashes on his forehead in accordance with ancient practice and that he should perform his Sandhyavandana by the riverside; and he at once did it. He sought a private interview with the Mahaswamiji, and informed him of the change that had been brought in him. The Mahaswamiji was pleased and encouraged him in his aspirations, removed some doubts that had arisen in his mind by means of rational and Shastraic arguments and illustrations from daily life and brought him to believe in the Vedas and the Shastras, in right conduct and right living.

From that day till the day of his death, the love and devotion of K. Sheshadri Iyer towards the Mahaswamiji was exemplary. He was initiated into several mantras by Mahaswamiji. He also learnt some of the principal methods of Yoga and made fair progress in it. He visited the Mahaswamiji often, was numbered among his most cherished disciples, learnt from him the methods of contemplating Nirguna-Brahman and endeavoured to secure supreme happiness; but as he was occupied with worldly affairs he was unable to perfect himself in spiritual training. It was his earnest desire to spend some years after his retirement at the feet of his Guru to complete his spiritual education but that ambition was not fulfilled owing to his sudden death.

The public never knew the attachment that existed between this Guru and disciple. It might have seemed to superficial observers that the Mahaswamiji loved his pupil for self-interest and that the disciple loved his Mahaswamiji from sectarian sympathy. But neither of these distinguished personages was actuated by motives of power, wealth or common-place ambitions. The real cause of attachment that existed between the Mahaswamiji and the Dewan was the love and regard that sprang up between them from many a discussion that they carried on with regard to spiritual matters. The fame of Seshadri Iyer as a capable and remarkable administrator was established both at home and abroad. His spiritual greatness was no less extraordinary.

Leaving Bellary, the Mahaswamiji encamped at a village called Belaguppe in the taluk of Rayadurga. Two adjacent, small mud-roofed houses had been reserved for the Mahaswamiji. One of these houses was for the worship of Chandramoulishwara and for the Mahaswamiji’s Bhiksha and the other for the Mahaswamiji’s religious duties and to serve as a place to rest. Tragedy struck on the night Mahaswamiji reached this place; thieves broke in and ran away with the costly items on which they could lay their hands. The box containing Ratnagarbha Ganapati and Chandramoulishwara-linga was also found missing.

When the Mahaswamiji was informed, he did not utter a single word. He rose, bathed and, wearing wet clothes, sat down in meditation, mentally repeating the Lakshmi-Narasimha-Mantra. Even as he remained in meditation, horsemen scoured the country for traces of the stolen things. The British authorities were informed and they assigned an Inspector of police noted for his detective ability to do the needful. The Mahaswamiji continued to fast and meditate in seclusion even as the days passed. On the fifth day after the theft, word came from the Inspector. That the copper cabinet used to keep the Chandramoulishwara-linga and Ratnagarbha-Ganapati had been found buried underground by a peasant ploughing the field. Thus the force of the Mahaswamiji’s spirituality and devotion, and the efforts of the Police Inspector resulted in the valuable items being got back. On that day, the Mahaswamiji specially blessed the Inspector, bathed at 7 o’clock in the evening and an intense puja that lasted all through the night and was completed only at 6 o’clock on the next morning.

It is well-known that the Chandramoulishwara-linga and the Ratnagarbha-Ganapati of the Sringeri Math were both worshipped by the great Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada and that they were handed over by him to his direct disciple Sureshwaracharya who was appointed as the head of the Dakshinamnaya Peetham and that from that day to this, they have been worshipped by all the Gurus of the Math in succession. It is stated in the Puranas that when Sri Shankaracharya was in Benares, God Vishweshwara appeared before him and presented him with five lingas brought from Kailas for his worship. Sri Shankaracharya worshipped these five Lingas and then gave one each to the four Amnaya-Peethams established by him for the spread of righteousness and gave the remaining one for worship at Chidambaram in the Madras presidency.

The Mahaswamiji travelled post-haste and reached Sringeri on Wednesday the thirteenth of the bright half of Magha of the year Sarvadhari S.S. 1812 (13th February, 1889). The first thing he did on his return to Sringeri was to place the Chandramoulishwara-linga and Ratnagarbha-Ganapati idol before the altar of his master's shrine and receive them back with his unseen blessings. The first tour of the Mahaswamiji had lasted about three years; he was now thirty-one years old. ⋖⋖⋖⋗⋗⋗