Brahma Sri Tadepalli Raghavanarayana Shastry Garu – Jeevitha Charitra Part – 1 by Shreeram Balijepalli

Article by Shreeram Balijepalli

Let me narrate the great story of one Srividya Upasaka who lived in Andhrapradesh in a series of postings. Those who even hear this story will attain the blessings of Goddess Sri Rajarajeshwari Devi. I can hit the ground thrice and say this with certainty.

It is said that the following categories:

1. Karanajanmas
2. Shaapagrasthaas
3. Yogabrashthas

are born again, finish whatever divine tasks they have been ordained to do, finish their prarabdha (good or bad) and then become Keerthisheshaas (ending of their lives in divine glory).

In this category was this Mahapurusha BrahmaSri Tadepalli Raghavanarayana Shastry Garu. He was born in Chandavolu Gramam in Guntur district in Andhrapradesh. He lived from 1896 to 1990 (Born as per Hindu Calendar in 1818 Shaalivahana shaka, Durmukha Nama Samvatsaram Shravana Bahula Vidiya Mangalavaaram in Vrushabha Lagna night time‐‐25‐8‐1896 born in Gorontla near Guntur in his mother’s place.). He was called lovingly “Chandavolu Shastry Garu”(Vyavahaara Naamam).

He was born as the first son to Venkatappayya Shastry. Venkatappayya Garu was a great Vedakala Rishisamaan, paramanishtaa, Shaastra Kovida and Mahaakavi. His Sanskrit texts are four in number, Andhra kruthis are 20 in number. All magnum opus of that age. He founded the Sanskrit Pathashala and ran the organization for 40 years without kula‐matha bheda, taught Sanskrit and other shastras to those interested, also conducted annadana to all including the vidhyaarthis (students) ‐‐before being taken over by Shankara Vidyalaya.

To such an illustrious father was this shining star Chandavolu selected by Amba to be given a rightful birthplace. His Aksharabhaaysam was conducted in the fifth year. For an unknown reason at that age itself, he was given the Bala Tripura Sundari mantra by Tadikonda Vaasi Kedaralinga Ayyavaru Garu (1880‐1941 AD). The young boy started doing the japa of Goddess Bala from that age till the age of 16 and due to this Balaambika used to respond to this Boy’s call every time miraculously.

He learnt Tarka (Logic) from Dendhukoori Paanakaala Narasimha Shastry and Siddhantha Koumudhee from Taadikonda Muddhigonda Naagalinga Shaastry. He finally topped his education from Seetharama Shastry Garu of Podili with Mantra‐Tantra Shastra. All this was apart from Veda Vedanga knowledge being received from his father. After all this education, he decided to take up Sanyaasa deekshaeven before he was an adult.

This made his father Venkatappayya a bit worried. ‘Why does this Balaka want to take up sanyaasa at this young age? Why this early detachment to things worldly? Have I not married? Will marriage impede his spiritual activities?’ Thinking thus, he set upon to venture into the child’s past birth. Now, there was one person by the name of Govindarajulu Seethaaramayya Shastry. His wife was a great yogini and her name was Shyamalaamba. She pronounced emphatically “There is a Surya Mandala Antharvarthi (a yogi in Surya Mandala etheric sphere) who was born thus.

As Venkatappayya was worried on this count, he himself dreamt a strange dream in which his step‐mother showed his son (Chandavolu Shastry Garu) as a great Siddha and that Goddess Sri Chakreshwari Kameshwari Devi standing near the boy.

Beside her there were Yuvathis (young women) and Amba asked one of the girls to go near Him. She came and she seated herself on her own accord on his lap. He began to quiver a bit and Amba smiled and said “Your mind has perturbed a bit because of this young woman. Both of you go and be born as human beings and marry each other and then come back here after your karmic thing is over.

The above dream confirmed that Chandavolu Shastry (his son) was not an ordinary child and that there was a reasonfor His karma. Venkatappayya was amazed when at the age of 19 Chandavolu Shastry changed his decision from becoming a monk to suddenly marrying a very beautiful girl Parvathy (who was the daughter of Adepalli Mangamma and Paapayya Shastry). The reason for his amazement was that the beautiful girl (who looked like a devakanya) was exactly the same girl who came in his dream (‘Acchappu‐roopam’) as shown by his step‐mother!!

He knew within his heart (which he revealed later) that both of them came from Surya Mandala (a Deva Bhoomi in an etheric plane) as Karanajanmis.

Shaapagrasthaa is a rude word here because Amba did not give any curse but wanted the Karma of Her child to be annihilated and transcended with the girl and the girl’s karma with him and then come back to Surya Mandala. As Surya Mandala being a pure land it does not entertain a single thought of Kaama and thus both their kaarmic vibrations should not affect other upasakas there.

After marriage, Chandavolu Shastry Garu renamed his wife as “Sri Devi”. He started helping Venkatappayya in his day to day dealings in the Sanskrit Pathashala. Seeing his dedication some people in America too asked him to come to USA. But Chandavolu Shastryji did not like this idea.

He used to spend time in the educational activities and also added few more spirituo‐intellectual feathers to his divine cap like doing Netraavadhaanam with Pinapaati Veerabhadrayya Shastry and also Kavithwa sadhana with Eleshwara Purushotthama Shastry Garu. Luckily, Chandavolu Shastryji knew the Governor in those days and whenever he had some work regarding Vedas or temple activities, he used to get it done easily through the Governors orders.

Shastry Garu, toured the country and Andhra and did won many intellectual debates and finally he came home. But the financial situation in home was not good. Their family used to take one meal per day to save money. Apart from that they had a Rs.10,000/‐ debt (which was quite a huge sum those days) and also pecuniary troubles with the pathashala.

Once the situation took a worse turn insomuch as not having food for three days in a row! Then, on the third day night Shastry Garu started to do Lalitha Sahasranama Archana in a temple nearby to the tune of 27 times! He did not have any Naivedya to give Ammavaru, so He gave just water as naivedya and sipped that alone as mahaprasada and slept there itself after neatly spreading his Angavastra on the temple slab.

He had a miraculous dream in which he saw a ten year old girl who came to him and playfully said, “Hey! I will give you what you are begging. Just open your angavastram a bit wide. Hehe! (she giggled)”.

The playful girl poured a fistful of rice grains in it and said, “A vehicle will come, board it and go”.

Miraculously in the morning itself Kazeepalem Seethaaramaraju Garu’s (local king) vehicle came and picked Shastry Garu for Purana‐katha‐ kalakshepa in Raju Garu’s house. When he came home tired, he saw that Raju Garu had given rice grains in a rice bag to his house, which arrived before him. From that day on, Chandavolu Shastry Garu did not have any want.

One incident of his childhood reflects the later quality mentioned above.

As a small kid, once he was eating groundnuts in his aunt’s (mennattha) house. His aunt spoke harshly about his avariciousness to eat groundnuts. From that day onwards; he not only did not touch groundnuts but also did not use groundnut oil not even for cooking in his house.

Also, once while he was travelling in a train. Some arrogant youngsters, who were smoking cigarettes, did not allow him to sit next to the window (which was his rightful reserved seat). From then he did not go on trains except once for Kasi prayanam. (The whole journey being spent by standing near the door and sleeping next to it instead of in his seat!

About Author: I am a Telugu Vaideeki Velanadu Brahmin; my Gurunatha is Rajagopala Swamy of Nanganallur Sarvamangala Rajarajeshwari Ashramam. I have been intiiated into Srividya Margam and my father and mother are Sri Balijepalli Devendra Shankar Garu (A Dattaupasaka and direct disciple of Swaprakashananda Datta-Athivarna-Avadhutha) and Srimathy Balijepalli Vidhyavathy Garu.I have finished my MBA in USA and currently reside in Toronto. My Upasya Devatha is Rajarajeshwari Parabhattarika Devatha.