SRI SWAMIJI IN NAGUVANA HALLI - 7th May 2003

Sri Swamiji visited the small village of NAGUVANA HALLI near Mysore on the 7th May 2003 evening. Sri Swamiji was returning from Bommeparthy to Mysore after the 50th Jayalakshmi Mata Aradhana.
Sri Bore Gowda a native of the village had arranged this visit of Swamiji . Programs were held in the Radha Krishna temple. Smt Jayalakshmi and Sri Vasudev, aged couple caretakers of the temple performed Pada Puja to Sri Swamiji. The elders of the village offered garlands to Swamiji. Sri Swamiji in his discourse made a startling revelation. Here it is :
I was born to Jayalakshmi Mata and Narasimha Shastry. Their meeting in Mekedatu village which in the 1930s was not even a village. That only house that stood there was the house of Sri Lingannayya and Smt Savitramma, the parents of Jayalakshmi Mata. After the marriage, Jayalakshmi Mata moved to Bommeparthy village in Andhra Pradesh state which was about eight hours drive from Mekedatu. Sri Lingannayya who had agnostic feelings was averse to his daughter marrying the person of her choice. On that particular day, Jayalakshmi Mata had announced that she would marry the person who would come to her that day. So, Lingannayya had taken precautions to see that no man came close to their house. But as divine fate had it, a new bus service from Bangalore to Mekedatu that had started to ply on the day came to the Kaveri river area. Narasimha Shastry and his sister who were unexpectedly on that bus waded through the chest deep waters of Kaveri river to reach the only light that was coming from the forest. It was getting dark. That was the house of Lingannayya. The hard lined Lingannayya was standing in the front entrance of the house while Narsimha Shastry and his sister went in to the house from the back door from river side. Hearing sounds from the house, Lingannayya rushed to the house and was dismayed to see a dark looking person talking with his beautiful daughter. He was distraught to learn that they had come from the back entrance. His grief increased when he learnt about his daughter’s wish to marry this person. Any way , it happened and the newly wed moved to Bommeparthy. When pregnant, Jayalakshmi Mata moved to her parents house. I (Swamiji) was born. Lingannayya seeing me as a baby was so moved, his divine feelings started to flow and he firmly believed that it was time to give up his possessions and gave away the lands to the workers. Jayalakshmi Mata left the world (died) in some years and the grief stricken Lingannayya decided to move away from Mekedatu. He became a vagabond and moved from one place to the other with his wife and baby Swamiji. He went to Hunsur, Mysore, Champakadhama Swamy temple in Banneraghatta near Bangalore. In that period of gypsy like moving, he was working for a while in this village of NAGUVANA HALLI. He worked in “Upaadhayaayara Thota” (teacher’s farm). I must have been six or seven when he was here. My grandmother would ask me to buy some vegetables or groceries or fruits from the only shop in the village. The Shop keeper was known as Bale Subbanna (bangle seller SUBBANNA). One day, I was asked to buy some lemons. Swamiji walked the few miles to this small shop and stood before the counter and requested for some lemons. The elderly and smiling Subbanna started to remove the lemons from the pile of lemon which was displayed on the counter. At that time of lemon removing, a small lemon fell down and rolled to a corner. I silently bent and picked up the lemon and put it in the pocked. Thief Satyanarayana!!!!! Poor Subbannna who was chatting while packing gave the package and I left without saying a word with the small loot of a single lemon in my shorts pocket. The next work for me was getting the millet milled in a flour mill. After that work was over, I started to walk home. After having walked for some distance, I heard his name being called. I was horrified to see Subbanna coming on a cycle and frantically gesturing me to stop. I shivered at the thought of being caught. Hurriedly he shoved the lemon from the pocket in to the milled Millet flour. Subbannna came and asked if he had taken the fallen lemon. Apparently he had noticed it falling on the floor and must have decided to pick it up later. Not being able to find it, he had come to the conclusion that it must be the handiwork of no one else but me. Checking the pockets and not being able to find it, Subbanna apologized and started to leave. At that time, I, understanding the gravity of the sin committed, I proceeded to open the flour can and removed the shining lemon from the flour. Subbana was startled by the innocent openness and remorse look on my face. He hugged me and took me back to the shop and gave a dozen more lemon. I was so startled by my behavior that I was not able to sleep or eat for a couple of days. This is the connection between me and this village. I am greateful for having learnt the lesson. Are there any descendants from Bale Subbanna’s family?

One person raises hand and says he if Venkatesh the son of Subbanna.

Swamiji called him and have him a lemon and Prasadam.

Swamiji returned to Mysore by 7.30 PM.

Jaya Guru Datta

Sri Swamiji speaks about the childhood incident
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Sri Vasudev, the care taker of the Radha Krishna Temple performed Pada Puja to Pujya Swamiji.
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Venkatesh, the son of Bale Subbanna

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