Posted on: 25 Sep 2022
[By Smt. Rama Sundari]
Sri Guru Datta
My name is Rama Sundari and I’m the second daughter of Sri. C.B.K. Murthy. I studied under Sri. Veerabhadrayya garu (Father of Shri Datta Swami). We had a long association with Sri. Veerabhadrayya garu as he used to visit our home regularly. Interestingly, we never knew the family of Sri. Veerabhadrayya garu. We knew only his wife. All this was the matter of the year 1975. In 1976, I got married. In 1992 February, on the auspicious day of Mahashivaratri, Shri Datta Swami came to my brother’s home (Sri. C.V. Ramana) in Baghlingampally, Hyderabad. My parents (Sri. C. Bhavani and Sri. C.B.K. Murthy) were there at my brother’s home and Shri Datta Swami introduced Himself for the first time.
Whatever was mentioned in the 'Shri Datta Vedam' book is absolute truth. We developed faith in Shri Datta Swami initially as a Guru. Whatever Swami said, we used to follow. We were in severe financial difficulties during those years. Once Swami came to my home along with my parents. He understood the difficult times we were going through and He suggested me to recite the below verse from Soundaryalahari 108 times every day & offer Paayasam (Rice cooked with milk and jaggery) to Sri Mahalakshmi Devi and recite Kanadhaaraasthotram (by Shri Adi Shankara) 3 times (Thri Sandhya) every day.
SMARAṂ YŌNIṂ LAKṢMĪṂ TRITAYAMIDAMĀDAU TAVA MANŌ-
RNIDHĀYAIKĒ NITYĒ NIRAVADHIMAHĀBHŌGARASIKĀḤ ।
BHAJANTI TVĀṂ CHINTĀMAṆIGUNANIBADDHĀKṢAVALAYĀḤ
ŚIVĀGNAU JUHVANTAḤ SURABHIGHṚTADHĀRĀHUTIŚATAIḤ ॥ 33 ॥
Apart from this, I used to read Shri Guru Charitra written by Shri Ekkirala Bharadwaja and Shri Datta Stavam every day. In this way, my entire day was filled up with Shri Datta Swami and He became my entire world. With the blessings of Swami, we bought a flat in Chaitanyapuri, Hyderabad. My husband used to go around many cities and towns across India due to official camps & I used to stay along with my two children.
On 8-Mar-1994, the real exam started (Shri Datta Pareeksha) and I was totally unaware of it. It seemed that someone had totally covered me with a heavy blanket, and I had severe fear with breathlessness & continuously cried heavily. This happened for continuous 3 years, daily around 3 PM. In the second year, I had a dream where I was walking on a mud road and one person aged around 65 years was running behind me. I was reciting Shri Datta Stavam and I was also running until I reached a main road. There was one lady sitting over a cot and there were many photos of Gods behind her on the wall. She advised, ‘Leave Dattatreyam and Recite Lalita’. I told her that I’ll not leave Dattatreyam and I’ll not recite Lalita. She said, ‘Both are same’. Dream is over and I’ve written a letter to my father about this. My parents took this letter and went to Lakshmipuram, Guntur as Swami was working there in a college, and showed it to Swami. Swami said, ‘To worship Shri Dattatreya or not – She has to decide’. My father wrote to me a letter mentioning the same. However, I decided in my dream itself that I’ll not leave Shri Dattatreya. My trouble, which was mentioned above, has intensified day by day. So, my parents took me to Vijayawada & we had darshan of Shri Baroda Maharaj. I repeated all the above crying & He recited a Rudra Mantra and sprinkled water on my head. Later, he asked me to recite the verse below from Soundaryalahari.
sudhāsindhōrmadhyē suraviṭapivāṭīparivṛtē
maṇidvīpē nīpōpavanavati chintāmaṇigṛhē ।
śivākārē mañchē paramaśivaparyaṅkanilayāṃ
bhajanti tvāṃ dhanyāḥ katichana chidānandalaharīm ॥ 8 ॥
There was no major change, and my problem further intensified. I was taken to Psychiatrist as well multiple times & there was no use. In the third year, my situation was horrible, and I was always under severe fear, breathlessness & used to cry continuously. One day, my son (Pavan) took me to Shri Anjaneya Upasaka and He gave me Dattatreya Beejaakshara Mantram and asked me to recite. While all this was happening, my parents came to my home, and I knew that I was at the last stage of my life. My father called up my elder brother (Sri. C.S. Bhaskar) in Vijayawada and asked him to inform Swami about this situation. Swami told my brother, ‘Ask her to recite Chandrasekhara Ashtakam’. At my home, we had Shri Satya Sai photo (in a sitting and Abhayahastam posture). Whenever Shri Datta Swami came to my home, He used to have conversations with Shri Satya Sai. Every day, during this troublesome period, I went to Shri Satya Sai photo, hugged Swami, and used to recite Chandrasekahara Ashtakam, crying.
Shri Datta Swami used to work in KLC Engineering College and one day He was in Vijayawada Bus Station waiting for a bus to reach Narasaraopet. Shri Dattatreya appeared to Shri Datta Swami & asked Him to immediately go to my father’s home in Krishnalanka, Vijayawada and asked Him to perform Abhishekam, failing which, Shri Dattatreya mentioned to Shri Datta Swami that a corpse will move out of home. Immediately, Swami reached out to Krishnalanka & asked for Shiva Lingam and it was with my father in Hyderabad. My brother took Shiva Lingam from the opposite house and Swami started to do Abhishekam. On that day, it was raining heavily and there was no power at home. Every time Swami recited a mantra, He also performed Sashtanga Pranamam to Shiva. My brother and sister-in-law informed us over phone that they haven’t seen such Abhishekam in their lifetime. After completing the Abhishekam, Swami slept & He mentioned later that He went through such pain as if a heavy truck crushed His head. After a couple of days, Swami came to my home in Hyderabad and stayed for a week. After everyone slept, again, my story repeated at midnight. I was continuously crying & Swami was sleeping on a cot. Entire night, I was holding Swami’s feet and crying & Swami didn’t move an inch. At 5.30 AM in the morning, my father emotionally said to Swami, ‘We are unable to see our daughter going through such pain. Either save her or take away her life’. Swami immediately got up from His bed and asked fiercely, ‘In which birth, you are the father? I’m the father from crores of births. Don’t I know what to do? Kaalabhairava is not accepting!’ My father couldn’t answer and was silent. Swami then started reciting Rudra Mantra. Everyone in the family was awake the entire night and were observing the ongoing incidents. Early morning Swami performed Mahanyaasa poorvaka Abhishekam in front of Shri Krishna’s photo & recited Vishnu Sahasranamam in front of Shiva and gave me Teertham (holy water). He did this every day for one full week. My parents asked my children (Lavanya and Pavan) to request Swami to save me & my children didn’t ask as they had faith in Swami. Later Swami said that Shri Dattatreya has tested you in three ways – Brahma Pareeksha, Vishnu Pareeksha and Rudra Pareeksha and you surely have won it. This problem of mine has slowly receded day by day & I got better and healthy.
Swami’s kindness is immense, infinite, and eternal. My sincere pranaams to the lotus feet of Shri Datta Swami. I love you, Krishna Datta. I’m your devotee and please bless me with your Paadaseva in every birth. This life is your Bhiksha (alms). Many miracles of you are still alive in my heart and I still remember them. My heart is filled with joy and tears are just rolling off my eyes. Please forgive me for my mistakes. Swami – You are very dear to me. Sri Krishna Datta – To your lotus feet, my heartfelt Pranaams. You are my Mother, Father, Guru and the Lord.
Jaya Guru Datta.