We took rest at a devotee’s farm house which had been unoccupied since many years. While sleeping, I was a bit fearful lest any extra-terrestrial beings come and interrupt my sleep. Tired as I was, I threw my apprehensions into a wild abandon, and lay down to rest.
I got up early in the morning around 3.40 a.m., and completed my chanting. We heard a lecture of HH Radhanatha Maharaja which he had given 10 years back in Hampi. We had been fortunate to visit Hampi that time and attend all lectures that Maharaja gave. I remember how we would desire to occupy a front seat in all the places where Maharaja would speak. That was the only yatra I remember till date of what I attended where Maharaja would come in the morning also to different places to give lectures.
The earlier yatra, in 2013, was in Vrindavan. My spiritual guide had caught me on two instances using my phone to click photos. And he had mentioned to me, “You can’t see Vrindavan just by clicking photos.”
So, in the next year, Hampi and Udupi yatra, I had made a resolution that I will not click a single photo, and I had followed that. As I was clicking photos today, I remembered that. Yes, clicking photos cannot definitely help us realise the Dham, but seeing photos with a devoted heart can! And when I go back and reflect on them, I can get a bit inspired. So I gave up my reservations in clicking them. And I assured myself that I will be focused in taking the darshans.
From our staying place, we came to the Virupaksha Mandir, which is an ancient Shiva temple.
Next we went to Hemakuta hill which is a very picturesque place, and hosts a plethora of places like Mula Virupaksha Mandir, few other temples and a sunset point.
While visiting the Mula Virupaksha temple, I prayed to Lord Shiva for all the devotees. I remembered his glorious temple of Cakreshwar Mahadeva in Govardhan, and I also collected a beautiful verse that Markendeya Rishi recites in glorification of Lord Shiva and prayed for the same – That I get attached to his Lord, and to devotees like him.
varam ekaṁ vṛṇe ‘thāpi
pūrṇāt kāmābhivarṣaṇāt
bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ
tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi
But I do request one benediction from you, who are full of all perfection and able to shower down the fulfillment of all desires. I ask to have unfailing devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and for His dedicated devotees, especially you. SB 12.10.34
Later, we saw and offered prayers to a huge form of Ganesha that blesses the place. It’s on the other site of the Hemakuta hill.
We hired an auto for the whole day to show us all places, not only on one side, but on the other side of Tungabhadra river as well. Generally, they take two days to cover it. But we had only one day.
We first paid our obeisances to a big form of Laxmi Narsimha that graces Hampi.
After seeing a couple of temples structures that were bereft of Deities, we were taken to various places of historical importance, which didn’t attract me the least. I was making up my mind that I won’t bring devotees there when I come with them the next time.
Finally, we arrived at Rama Hazare Temple, which was again not having Deities. But the temple boasts of artistic carvings depicting the pastimes of Lord Rama. Seeing that, I got reminded of the temple structure of GEV and Thane. HH Radhanatha Maharaja has so expertly got the best of everything from all over the world.
I remembered how Shrila Prabhupada told to Vibhu Chaitanya Prabhu, “There is no need to go outside of Krishna Balarama Mandir. Everything is present in here.” And Vibhu Chaitanya never left, save and except twice, when devotees took him to doctor, even though he didn’t want to visit. Shrila Prabhupada has definitely given us everything.
In one of Braj songs, it’s written,
झांकीया तेरे महल की कर रहे सब देवगण।
आगया बैकुंठ सारा तेरे बरसाने में है॥
Similarly, in Prabhupada’s ISKCON temples, a zipped version of the entire spiritual world exists. If we have faith, we can definitely get all the realizations.
Another temple of historic significance is the Vijay Vitthala temple, which again is bereft of Deities. I felt having a guide would have been better, as I could not understand much about that place. As we had many other places to visit, we dropped the plan.
We then proceeded to the other side of the river, where we first visited Anjaneya hills, the birthplace of Hanuman. We took 12 minutes to climb the top. A beautiful Deity of Hanuman graces this place. We saw some prasad distribution going on. As only two of us were there, we had got some parathas, murmura, and some fillers for a span of three days. I wasn’t expecting to get rice anywhere. But, by the grace of Hanuman and Lord Rama, we got this simple hot rice and rassam. And I was more than delighted to have it. Simple things give great joy when we don’t expect anything. But the same things have a tremendous potential to cause us suffering when our expectations are too high.
Happiness is a question of perception. It is not the thing that can make a person happy, rather it is the consciousness that determines whether a particular situation can award us happiness or not.
I prayed to Hanuman for strength in following the vows of brahmacari life, and I prayed for a drop of his service attitude. I recited the verse – manojavam marutatulyavegam. I was reflecting I must memorize more verses in glorification of Hanuman. I would recite Ramaraksha stotra daily since childhood without fail, which I continued for 6-7 years. But I never recited Hanuman Chalisa, or any Hanuman Stotra. I made up my mind that I’ll memorize something related to Hanuman.
We took the darshans twice, as the queue for darshan was very small. Rather than taking darshan of Hanuman, there were a lot of distractions like monkeys, clicking photos etc. on the small hilltop that were enough for anyone to lose their focus.
We then visited Pampa Sarovar, where Lord Rama first met Hanuman.
At this place, we find Shabari’s cave, where she patiently meditated each and every day, waiting for Lord Rama to come.
The next two temples that we visited were the most beautiful and devotional places. One was Malyavant Rama Mandir where Lord Rama is sitting in a yoga position, giving instructions to Laxman. And Hanuman is not folding his hands. He is having his hands open, showing to Rama the ring that Sita gave him. This was the place Lord Rama resided for the four months of caturmasya when he was in Kishkindha.
The pujari told us many things worth noting down and applying in our life. Few of which I remember now I am penning down:
1] He first told about the position of the Deities – Lord Rama in a sitting position, Lakshmana with his hands folded – and Lord Rama spoke the “Rama Gita” to Lakshmana. You cannot give someone upadesha in passionate mood, or an angry mood. You need to be composed and calm.
2] Rama had an urgent business to find Sita. But he waited. He had patience.
3] In this place, the topmost devotee Hanuman found the Lord of his life, and Lord Rama found His dear devotee Hanuman. Both of them received something.
4] This place was a cave before, and it can be understood while we are doing pradakshina.
5] Hanuman never desired any kind of post or position, even though he performed many herculean tasks. He was always happy to be at the lotus feet of Lord Rama. Trnad api sunicena is the highest attainment for a devotee.
Kodanda Rama temple was an icing on the cake. What amazing Deities of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Sugriva! It appears as if we can just keep gazing at them.
I prayed – sri ramachandra charanau sirasa namami.
The way to reach this temple is also quite picturesque with the banks of Tungabhadra on one side, and hills on another.
From there, we went ahead to see Sugriva caves. This was the place where Sugriva found the ornaments dropped by Mother Sita.
As we left from here, it was almost sunset. And exhausted yet refreshed by our whole day’s travel, we proceeded to our resting place, filled with enriching experiences and impressions by absorbing with the eyes and other senses, so many divine places connected to Lord Rama.
