Shirdi is a small village in Kopargaon taluk, in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra State. When Baba was physically present at the age of 20 in Shirdi, it was a small village of 80 thatched houses with mud walls Now it is a big town with palatial modern buildings and shops. It is also a famous pilgrim centre.

Manthralayam for that healing touch

The benevolence of Sri Raghavendraswamy has been felt by thousands of devotees. ARCOT EASWARAN cites a few instances here.

Adorned with sandal paste for Raghavendra Aradhana.

Poojyaya Raghavendraya Sathya Dharma Ratha Yacha

Bajatham Kalpavrukshaya Namatham Kamadenuve.

(The worship of Sri Raghavendraswamy, who is the embodiment of Sathya and Dharma (Truth and Righteousness), bestows whatever boon one aspires like Kalpavruksha, the Celestial Tree, and Kamadhenu, the Celestial Cow. Incessant chanting of this hymn is a panacea for all ills and problems in life, especially in this age of tension. Also, chanting of ``Om Sri Raghavendraya Namaha," helps immensely.)

IT WAS by force of circumstances that Shankukarna, who was serving Brahma Deva, was ordained to manifest in this world, through all the four yugas, as a staunch devotee of Sriman Narayana. In Kritha yuga he was born as Bhakta Prahalada, in Kali yuga he is said to have reincarnated as Vyasaraja of Vijayanagar and there after, Sri Raghavendra Swamy.

Sri Raghavendra Swamy was born in 1601 A.D. at Bhuvanagiri (Tamil Nadu), by the benign Grace of Lord Venkateswara, when all the planets were in exalted and auspicious houses, bestowing a long divine life, (700 years) full of miracles and healing powers for the welfare of humanity. He ruled the Vedic Samrajya from 1624 to 1671. His 331st Aradhana was celebrated on August 24, when lakhs of devotees thronged Manthralayam and the hundreds of Brindavans in India and abroad.

Glories Of Pandaripur

Once Suta, the prince of the Powranikas, was asked by Sownaka and other sages to tell them of a place possessing the three qualities of " Kshetra, Thirtha, and Godly presence." He said that the same question was put by God Kumaraswamy to Lord Siva and then narrated the following as once told by Lord Siva to Kumaraswamy, Agastya and Parvati.

To the south of the river Bhima, there lies the Panduranga Kshetra. Once a Brahmin by name Pundarika lived there. He possessed all the good qualities. Though rich, he had no glamour for worldly splendour. He was a sanyasi in the midst of worldly life. His wife was a fitting partner to him, endowed with all chaste qualities.

Possessed of many servants, Pundarika himself attended on his parents and received the guests. After puja to Lord, he used to feed his parents first, then the guests, and afterwards he would take his daily meal. His wife would take her food last.

After some time Pundarika's parents passed away, in peace, and he was blessed with children who enjoyed life without any want. Then he removed himself to a hut, spent his days in deep meditation on Lord Sri Hari with penance and austetity. Pleased with such pure devotion, Lord Sri Hari appeared before Pundarika and asked him to name a boon that He would grant. Pundarika was overjoyed at this and out of pure selflessness implored God to grant that the spot on which Sri Hari was giving darsan to him should bs
sanctified with Thirtha, Moorthy and Kshethra and He would give darsan to devotees in the very from as He then appeared to him. Lord Sri Hari was immediately pleased with this selflessness and readily granted the boon.

Lord Sri Hari further said that the place would bear His name and henceforth be called Pandaripur and Panduranga Kshetra, and he would be known as Panduranga, that the river Bhima would be a sacred Thirtha, and thus the locality would be great in having a combination of Thirta, Kshethra and Godly presence. God is thus revealing Himself at Pandaripur as Tri-Moorthi as Brahma in the morning, as Shiva at noon and as Vishnu in the evening.

The place has thus become great and religiously important. It is said that Maharishis offer worship to the Trinity there. It is also a firm belief that whoever offers worship to God Panduranga in sixteen ways is blessed with happiness and prosperity in this life and with Moksha after death.

It is stated that the above results follow if one carefully observes the following ways of worship. First the Tirtha, and then the Moorthy should be worshiped. The peepul Aswattha tree on the banks of the Padma Tirtha is sacred on account of its being worshipped by Gods as the dwelling place of Nara Narayana and that tree should be worshipped.

Besides there are other Tirthas, known as Gundali, Narasimha, Agastya, Ganapati, Kalafa. Senna, Brahma and Chakra. Those who take bath in the above tirthas are said to be rid of all sins and also enable their ancestors to attain salvation.

There are one or two stories connected with this Panduranga Kshetra, which will illustrate the above mentioned aspects. Once there was a Brahmin by name Nigama Sarma at Peetikapura. He drove out his parents and wife, who sought refuge in his sister's house. Nigama Sarma was addicted to prostitutes, who gradually knocked out all his riches and made him a beggar. Not inclined to leave off his evil habits he took to highway robbery and kept dancing girls. This too could not continue for long. He had to go to his sister's house. There he was well received by his sister and advised to behave well towards his wife and parents. For some time everything went on well. Sometime after, Nigama Sarma began to think of his early life at Peetikapura, and one night he skulked away with the valuable jewellery of his sister. But on his way he was robbed and beaten up by thieves.
He was given refuge by a cultivator who took him to his house. There he was well looked after by the farmer and his wife. Soon he became his former self and appeared handsome. The farmer's wife came to entertain lively thoughts on him. Nigama Sarma came to know of this affection and secretly loved her. In the absence of the husband in another village, Nigama Sarma eloped with his wife, settled down in a hunter's village and lived a hunter's life. The farmer's wife bore him a son.

But Nigama Sarma felt remorse for his evil life. One night he ran away to Narasimha Tirtha. There he lay dying. Yamadootas came to take his soul. But they were prevented by Lord Narasimha's Chakra. He attained Moksha. Though he was a great sinner, his death at the sacred place of Narasimha Tirtha absolved him of all his sins and earned him salvation.

The sacred town lies at a distance of 32 miles from Kurduwadi junction. It is noted for devotees like Pundarika, Janabai, Namdev, Tukaram, Jnaneswar, Eknath and Chokamela. They dedicated their lives to Vittoba. This is why the town has been held in great
veneration for ages.

The remarkable feature of the Vittoba temple is that all pilgrims, irrespective of caste, creed, or sex, are permitted to touch the feet of the image of Vittoba at the time of darsan.

It is firmly believed that God Vittoba is responsive to prayers of devotees immediately and this accounts for thousands of pilgrims who visit the temple in and out of season.

I have visited this holy town on nine or ten occasions. But the craving for another visit is not diminished in me, as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said that "God pervades the Universe everywhere, but you cannot see him everywhere, He manifests Himself more readily in sacred temples which are full of the spirit of devotion, diffused by the life and spiritual practices of the devotees of former times."

Sai Baba also often declared, " I am at Pandaripur." This was witnessed by Tatya Patel at Pandaripur when he visited the Vittoba temple. Tatya Patel was the chief devotee of Sri Sai Baba.

Saint Sayings Live humbly but nobly, braving all the storms of life with implicit trust in
God and His dispensation.

H. H. SWAMI KESAVAIAHJI'S SELECTION

Sri Moola Rama Devaru

The Moota Rama icon was reverently worshipped by Sita, Sri Hanumanta, and others. During the Dwapara yuga the icon ended up in the Moon Dynasty (Chandra Vamsha) and was worshipped by Bhimasena. With the course of time, it kept changing hands until it reached the Orissa kingdom. From there, it findally reached the hands of Sri Madhvacharya.

Jagadguru Sri Madhvacharya

Lord Narayana incarnated during the Dwapara Yuga as a Swan - the symbol of pristine purity and took up asceticism in order to spread knowledge about the acriptures. His glorious lineage was continued by great personalities like Brahma, Sanaka, Doorvaasa, and others. The thirteenth century saw Vayu, incarmating under the explicit command of the Lord, as the next great personality in this lineage. This was Sri Madhvacharya.

Sri Raghavendra Swamiji

It is popular belief, based pm testimonials from aparoxa gyants, that Rayaru is the incarnation of a celestial called Sankukarna. The incarnations of this celestial are as follows - Sri Prahiada, Sri Raghavendra Teertha. Let us take a closer look at each person in the lineage. Sankukarna was karmaja devata assisting chaturmukha brahma in the pooja of the lord. One day, he was a little late in bringing flowers for the pooja and Brahma cursed him to be born on the earth.