Appa at Malenahalli
"Sri Ranganatha, friend of shiva, weilder of Kaumodaki, Nandaka, Sharnga, Sudarshana, Lover of your devotees, verily my Guru Shankaralinga, I bow to thee." So runs a prayer to Ranganatha of Malenahalli.
His temple is a thousand years old. Chalukya VI Vikramaditya's subordinate ruler had donated a field to the deity. He was Ista and kuladevata of Shankaralinga.
After the seventh Aradhana saptaha at Nulenur, Appa came to Malenahalli Lakshmi Temple. When people from far off places came to invite him, he said. "Chidambara is not moving out of the premises"
The Temple complex was in shambles. Ashwatha tree had arisen on the tower of Ranganatha temple. Thick vegetation had grown up all around . Outside the premises a thick thorny forest had sprungup. Wild beasts like leopards were reported to have been seen in the temple premises. Nobody dares to go there after 3 PM.
Gopalappa a cousin of Appa had told him "Ranganna you are a Godly person, you have to renovate the temple. Otherwise it will fall down and the blemish will come upon our family"
The villagers of Malenahalli had also requested him to renovate the temple. So, Appa said "we will reside here until the renovation is over. We have no money and we are not asking anyone to contribute.
The villagers said "How can the work be completed" Appa "We are requesting Lakshmidevi regarding this, as this is the service of her husband she has to find a way."
And so did it happen, A woman by name Lakshmamma, came and told Appa "Yesterday Halli Ranga (affectionate name for Ranganatha) had come in my dream along with you. He said that he had come as you. My husband had reserved some money for constructing a small dam. He asked me to give it all to you" So saying she gave all the money.
The villagers of Malenahalli volunteered to work in shifts without remuneration. Mallappa of Rangapur donated a pulley. Four workers from Tamilnadu adept in building temples came to their own accord and agreed to work.
Materials were supplied voluntarily. Being Chidambara's own place food was prepared aplenty and supplied to all.
The dilapidated temple was dismantled within 12 days. The workers went to Tamilnadu for a few days and returned. The rebuilding took only 13 days .
Two instances are worth recording here:
While the rebuilding was taking place, A big stone slab was falling down. It could have caused the death of many men. But Appa asked them not to panic and the slab stayed there in the air, until all were out of danger.
Once the workers asked for weekly wages and Appa said "we are Sadhus without any money." The workers were perplexed . It was late in the day and they had to go to Shanty(weekly Bazaar). At that time two strangers came running, gave exactly the amount required and ran away.
It was the time if World War II; which resulted in rationing of food grains. Appa strictly enforced the use of Ragi. He arranged for two to attain self sufficiency.
Once the Deputy Commissioner of Chitradurga district visited Malenahalli, looked at the renovation work.. He was profoundly influenced by Appa. He said "I will give all help that you can get from the Government." Appa replied "Ours is Rama's government, which needs no help from anywhere. It is self sufficient.
Appa was least interested in the news of this world (Lokavarta) He had a great freedom fighter of India as his disciple. Once the government ordered his arrest. So the Circle Inspector and Head Constable of Holalkere came to Nulenur to arrest him. He was sitting in front of Appa, listening his words. The policeman could not spot him. They searched the Ashram and nearby fields and went empty handed.
In 1945 the Lakshmi Temple was built and a new Varalakshmi statue installed. Appa requested Lakshmi "Amba (Mother) protect our Shishyas. Another small temple was built for Maruthi and Ganapathi. A Chidambareshwar temple was constructed opposite this temple.
A yogamandira was built to the right side of the main gate. Another house was built behind the main temple for residence. A small chariot was built for Rathotsava. The Rathotsava was arranged on Ratha Sapthami.
Rajanna learnt Vedic hymns for that purpose. But when the chariot was to start, Bhutanatha obstructed. He told Appa "you have to sit in the Ratha along with the utsavamurthy of Ranganatha." Appa said "He is the Lord of 14 worlds and I am his humble servant. How can I sit along with Him?" He convinced Bhutanatha, to allow the Rathotsava, by putting the Padukas of Sri Shankara Bhagavan.
Appa went to Hampi in 1944. On the way he visited the Samadhi of his Parama Guru Sri Sahajananda at Koragal. (Now the Samadhi is submerged in the waters of Tungabhadra dam)
At Hampi Appa celebrated Aradhana Sapthaha of Ajja. He arranged for special puja of Sri Virupaksha Swamy, Pampambika and Bhuvaneshwari. One day while he was returning from Tungabhadra River after bath, his body was attacked by malaria. The party stayed at Hampi for a fortnight, went to Tippapura, worshiped the Samadhi of Sri Shankara Bhagavan and returned to Malenahalli. Malaria attack became severe and one night, he asked his three disciples to stand at the door of his room singing Bhajan and not to enter the room unless expressly asked by him.
In the middle of the night the three disciples heard a conversation between Appa and Lord Yama. After that Appa asked the sishyas to bring a big utensil. He spat the phlegm and asked one of them to bury it in the earth. He asked them to shift him to Yoga Mandira before Sunrise.
Once during a Rathotsava Bhimanna, Son of Gundappa passed away. Appa asked Gundappa to participate to Rathotsava, went to Bhimanna applied some Bhasma to his body, covered it with a cloth and said "Bhima" he said 'you have slept for long., enough of it, you wake up". This as a message for all his shisyas. We have been sleeping in jeevabhava and it is high time for us to wake up.
Many are the miracles which happened during his stay at Malenahalli. One of his Shisyas was accused by the Bhadravathi municipality if misappropriating funds. Everyone who came to the court said "we have not given any money to him.'
One Mrs. Lakshmidevamma alias Papakka followed Appas instructions, performed Seva to Audumbara and got a child after 25yrs of married life.
Appa once told Ramaswamy his son "we got Ashtasiddhis while very young, and then these siddhis began troubling us. They said "use us".
But soon we joined Guru Sampradaya. Those who exhibit siddhis cannot attain Brahmajnana. The people are not satisfied with any amount of miracles for greed has no end. In Guru Sampradaya these Siddhis are utilized to help sishyas.
At Malenahalli Rajanna, Kittanna, Satyamma Shetty were serving Appa. Venkanna of Hadadi gave up his business and came to Appa who gave him protection.
Bapu Dixit of Gurla Hosur came to Malenahalli and resided for some time.
Govindappa a Patel from Hanumali about whom we have spoken earlier came to Appa and cried "my son is in his twenties has lost both his legs" Appa specified him to leave his son Eshwarappa at Malenahalli for 21 days. Even on 21st day the patient couldn't stand up. In the evening Appa came and said "Eshwara, getup and go round the temple thrice" hearing this he recovered his legs.
Excerpts from Appa's letter:
(1) We are very happy to notice your happiness which you experience when you remember up. We hope that this develops into a state of Ananda
(2) Guru has no work left. He resides in your heart in Awoken dream and deep sleep states and gives bliss
(3) To those Bhaktas who believe (and act accordingly) that Guru is Parabrahma and there is nothing greater than him, Datta the great Guru
sanctions greater achievement in Sadhana. We pray to him accordingly. As steadfast bhakti and Universal love increases the end product is Brahmananda.
Certain people requested Appa to assume Sanyasa. Appa replied "there is no necessisity of Sanyasa to us. Another thing is where can we find saints like my Gurus ShankaraBhagavan and Dattarajayogendra? Even then if Jagadguru Sri Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamy sends his sanction and blessings, Danda, Kamandalu and Sheshavastra." We will assume sanyasa."
Within a week Sringeri Mahasannidhana sent the assent Danda, Kamandalu and sheshvastra to Malenahalli through Sri Sri Krishnananda Saraswati.
Letters were dispatched to all devotees and they gathered at Malenahalli in large numbers on Kushmanda Homa and Atma Shraddha were performed by Appa. Viraja homa was performed on 5-5-46 and he assumed sanyasa Ashrama on vaishaka suddha panchami(6-5-46) i.e. on Shankarajayanti.
He addressed his followers in the Mukha Mantapa of Ranganatha temple. He assumed the name of Sri Shankaralinga Bhagavan Saraswathi Paramahamsa. He followed sanyas vidhi for an year and he performed danda tyaga at Harihar.
He visited Bangalore in 1947. He had a visitor who asked for his guidance. He was a follower of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said that Paramahamsa had asked him to take guidance from Appa. He visited R. Krishnaswamy Iyer on his request and stayed there for a night. ( R. Krishnaswami Iyer was a follower and biographer of Sri Chandrashekara Bharathi Mahasannidhanam, Jagadguru of Sringeri) He visited Mysore and Bowringpet where Sri Puttaswamaiah his bhakta resided. He gave the statues of Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sitadevi. They were brought to Malenahalli and Appa got a statue of Statue of Sri Anjaneya.
In May 1949, Appa handed over the responsibility of Sri Lakshmi Ranganatha Ashrama to Rajanna and left on a small bullock cart. He stayed at Chitradurga, Sirigere and Heggere near Bharamasagara. He asked Chayanna to plant a sapling of Audumbara at Heggere. If it grew into a big he would build an Ashrama there. (But the sapling withered) The journey continued. He visited Nirthadi, Davangere, Tumbigere, Hadadi, Miyapur, and Kaadaranahalli on his way to Kandagal where Lakshmana Rao(Achanna) was working.
He reached Komaranahalli on 27-8-1950, and stayed at the Dharmashala behind the temple. He gave an application to the Tahasildhar of Harihar for sanction of Place to build an Ashrama and continued his journey. He visited Kukkavada and gave Subbanna, his disciple the antim darshan.
He visited Bommenahalli and stayed in the Anjaneya temple for three days. He asked Shanubhog Shankarappa to renovate temple.
He visited Mallapur and performed Gurupaduka Pratishta there. He also visited Mustur where he bestowed Anugraha on Musturappa, a yogi. He took Appa to Konachagal a place associated with the name of Mahalingaranga author of the famous Anubhavaamritha. He stayed at Bommagatte where there is famous temple of Anjaneya.
Appa visited Lakkavalli, Sampura, Bagaur and Ajjampur. At Ajjampur Mahalingappa a Shisya of Ajja was overjoyed to see Appa and conversed with him about Ajja and Vedantha. He came to Bhadravati and resided at Puttanna's house. Hundreds of people came to meet him on the day before leaving his house, 10 seers rice fed approximately 1000 men. From Bhadravati he went to Kudali. There Sri Ramanarayana Avadhani performed paadapuja at his home. Jagannatha Sastry and Ananthaiah of Kudali visited him at Chintamani Narasimha Devalaya. Appa blessed them. Shastry became a noted author and Anantaiah (Anand) a famous painter. From there he went to Komaranahalli and Harihara.
Sri Venkatachalaiah better known as Avadhutha of Sakharayapatna Pattana came to Komaranahalli to meet Appa. As he was not there he went to Harihara and took darshan. Appa told him "you have to bear a heavy burden in future" that has come true as he is taking care of numerous sishyas.
Just prior to Navaratri (1951) he went to Pandarahalli to look after the Astabandha Mahotsava of Sri Ranganatha. There he blessed Chayanna and Subbanna of Bharamasagara.
When Appa came to Malenahalli, the thuryavastha had come to an end. Akhanda bodha (Non-stop discourse on Brahma) which lasted for seven to eight years, Saptaha seva, Bhajana Bhiksha stopped. He said "hereafter I will teach only those who asks me"
Anandini is a state where Atmananda gushes up like boiled milk. Thurya is compared to spilling of the milk. Appa was in thuryateetha avastha when he came to Malenahalli.
When one is satisfied with the thuryananda he becomes thuryatheetha. It is the natural state of Atmajnani. A thuryateetha is Jeevanmuktha. This state is exceedingly sacred and one is Atmarama in this state. (He resides in Atma) Even Hiranyagrabha Brahma has not attained this state. Thuryateetha is called a Shanthatma (experiences profound Ananda of Brahma)
A thuryateetha seems to possess a body but he is really akhanda Parabrahma, above the three gunas. When compared to this Ananda all the glories, riches, powers of this world are nothing. The worldly happiness can be compared to the taste of a finger dipped in water and tasted.
The health of his body was deteriorated and all his followers were much concerned about it. But Appa said to them the disease is for this body only and Sri Guru, Satchidananda is untouched by it Guru cannot be annihilated. He is pure love. He has no ailments'
He told his followers "Indulge in Namajapa always. Gurubhakti should be perennial. You offer all your happiness and Sorrows to Athmarama.
Appa who was a Shanthama like yagnavalkya and Narada said. "Guru is like mother. He never leaves you. Belief in Guru is enough. Your belief and Bhakti will protect you. We served our Guru. He benevolently showered kripa on us. You partook our thuryananda. Ajjas blessings are always with you".