KNOWLEDGE IS POWER .

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER .

Part-26 (Jan—8—2011) Saturday

Five thousands years ago, there lived a Brahmin family in the village of Krishnapuram on the banks of river Gouthami (Godavari). The family is known for erudite scholars. They were experts in various branches of learning. Vidyadhara belonged to that family. He was a child-prodigy, and eka-santha-graahi (could learn by heart any difficult verse of any number of lines if he hears it only once and never forget it in his life; he can recite the entire verse faithfully verbatim). His parents wanted him to acquire all the knowledge in the world. So they sent him to Gurukulam school when he was 5 years of age; he mastered the primary education and got by heart all the four vedams, veda-angams and Upanishads and sciences like astrology, astronomy, ayrveda-medicine, and philosophy just in 5 years. Generally it takes 50 years for a very intelligent person to master them all. Then he joined as a teacher in Gurukulam and taught the students various subjects with zeal. When he completed 18 years of age, his parents and family elders wanted him to go to Kasi (Varanaasi) and give examinations in the parishad of scholars and get a golden bracelet from the pareeksha-parishad (Board of Examiners) certifying him as a erudite scholar in all branches of learning. So he started on his journey to Kasi; there were no trains or buses; people walked the entire distance. It took him 3 months to reach Kasi. He stayed in a vidyarthi-dharmasaala (choultry; free inn) where free boarding and lodging was provided for students / scholars). It took him one month to complete all the examinations in all the various different subjects he mastered. He was given a special golden bracelet bedecked with nine gems to certify him to be world’s greatest erudite scholar by the parishad. He felt very happy. He spent another week visiting the various nearby temples and pilgrim centers. He started his return journey home.

In those ancient days, there were dangers of dacoits, plunderers, snakes, wild animals, and diseases, inflicting heavy loss of life to travelers. So travelers traveled during day-time and took rest during night at some free choultry (inn) or in the house of some kind and charitable person. Vidyadhara kept concealed his golden bracelet in the quilt securely sown in. He looked as an ordinary poor brahmin pilgrim and dacoits had no suspicion of his having gold or money. He traveled safely for some days. One evening he was hastening through a forest to reach the nearby village before dusk.

But he lost his way; it was dark; he could not see the path to walk. So he reached a big banyan tree and rested there. At midnight a brahmaraakshsi (ghost) got down the tree and woke up the traveler, Vidyadhara.

It shouted fiercely that it shall kill him and eat him. Vidyadhara trembled with fear. He prayed the raakshasi; “Oh! Sir, do not harm me. I am a erudite scholar and returning home after earning the gold bracelet from the parishad there. If I can do any help to redeem you from the cursed state of a ghost; I promise to do anything for you; please spare my life.”

The brahma-raakshasi was pleased with the prayers & promise of Vidhyadhara. It told its story. “Oh! You promise to help me redeem me from course and this raakshasi state. I am happy. I was a Brahmin pandit (scholar) with mastery over vedic sciences; and also rare sciences which enable a person (1)to reach distant lands in one minute by uttering a mantra; (2) to see and listen to persons at great distances; (3) to fly in air and travel to distant places; (3) to stay under deep-water for days without air-supply, (4) to turn base metals into gold (5) to turn pebbles into gems and many more such miracles. I became rich and renowned. I was proud and arrogant. Once a great Brahmin scholar approached me to take him as my disciple and teach me the rare knowledge I possessed. I was afraid he becomes my rival if I teach him. Also I refused his request and insulted him. He was hurt by my insult; he cursed me. “You shall become a brahma-raakshasi and live in the forest, killing and eating travelers.” I fell on his feet and to pardon me and tell me redemption for the curse.” The Brahmin was pacified; he told me redemption. You teach all your knowledge to some worthy Brahmin scholar. Then you get redemption from this curse. Till now I spent a thousand years on this tree searching for such a scholar. So now I have you here, a worthy Brahmin scholar. I teach you all my knowledge. I teach you every midnight one hundred difficult verses; you must recite them in day-time and repeat them verbatim next night before me and learn another 100 verses; this you do for 30 nights. When all my knowledge is transferred to you completely, I get redemption from my curse. Till then you should not leave this banyan tree; if you try to escape, I shall catch and kill you immediately.” He agreed.

The teaching-learning program went on well, without any hitch, for 30 nights. All these days, he had no food, he starved and became very weak. On the dawn of 31 day the raakshasi disappeared; its curse was removed; a brahim appeared there. He blessed and thanked Vidhyadhara for his sincere

learning and helping him to get redemption. He gave his golden bracelet also as a gift to Vidyadhara; and disappeared.

Vidyadhara drank water to his heart’s content and started towards the next village. He reached there by noon. The sun was blazing hot. He was tired and found a marble-deck before a rich mansion. He laid there fast asleep. The work-maid reported of this man sleeping on the varainda (front porch) to the lady of the house and her daughter. They came and saw Vidyadhara; they understood he was

a Brahmin scholar, emancipated and tired. So they took him into their house and placed him on a comfortable silk bed to sleep and called a medical expert to examine him. The doctor told correct diagnosis and treatment. “I find this Brahmin spent over 30 days without food and sleep and worked day and night. I can not tell the reason. You give him hot water bath and wash and clean his entire body with soap-nuts’ juice and medical decantation I give you now, twice a day. You prepare paste of powdered rice well-cooked (gruel), mix it with the powder-medicine I give now and smear that paste once every six hours, four times every day. This gives him nourishment; he sleeps for two weeks and wakes up. He recovers well by the treatment we give him now-on.” The daughter of that house-lady took up the service duty of Vidyadhara; she gave all the treatment-cum-services personally and sincerely. She was in her teens and of 18 years age. She was bewitched by the beauty of this youth. On searching his belongings, they found the two gold-bracelets with emblems of Varanasi Vidya-parishad engraved on them. They understood him to be a very great brahmin scholar, honoured by pandit-parikshaa-parishad of Kasi city. The girl fell in love with him and told her mother her intention to marry him.

The lady of the house, named Ratnavali, is the chief dancer in the royal court and is very well liked and treated by the king. She become a multi-millionaire with king’s patronage. She possessed several bags of gold coins, gold-ornaments, gems and gorgeous silk clothes, huge mansions, gardens and hundreds of hectors of lands, agricultural / horticultural lands. She has only one daughter, named Kalavathi; she is everyting thing for Ratnavali. She also felt the Brahmin scholar is a very worthy, healthy and handsome. So the mother Ratnavali agreed for his daughter’s proposal, but wanted to enquire about his family and antecedents and take approval of his parents before celebrating the marriage.

On the 15^th day morning, Vidhadhara woke up from his deep sleep. All felt happy at his recovery. He was given good clothes, a feast and royal treatment and good rest. Next day the mother and daughter got full information about Vidyadhara. Then this information was passed on to the king and his important courtiers.

After three days Ratnavali took Vidhadhara to the king’s court and introduced him to the king and other top officers. They were awe-inspired when they saw the gem-bedecked golden bracelets and the bracelet presented by Brahmin-raakshasi-teacher. Vidyadhara also explained the various subjects he mastered. The king and his ministers found he had all the 32 noble qualities of an able king and ruler. His astrological charts were carefully examined by experts, they told he is fit to become an emperor and his sons become famous persons in the history of the entire world.

Ratnavali told king of her decision to get her daughter married to Vidyadhara. But in those days there was social custom that the bride and groom should belong to same caste. So the wise ministers were consulted. They advised that he can marry for girls, one Brahmin, one Kshathriya, one Vaisya and one soodra. So his parents and family members were invited and brought to royal court on special chariots. They were given special honours and the proposal of four girls marrying

Vidyadhara was placed before them for their approval. The family agreed gladly.

Vidyadhara was married to Sarada, the daughter of the prime-minister, to Rajyalakshmi the daughter of the king, to Kankavalli the daughter of the royal advisor of financial matters, and to Kalavathi, the daughter of Ratnavali. He worked as king’s assistant for a decade; when the king’s Shast-abdi-poorthy celebrations (completion of 60 years age) were performed, Vidhyadhara was crowned as the King of the land. He lived happily for a hundred twenty years.

This story proves that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Vidhyadhara would have lived as an ordinary Brahmin scholar, heading the gurukulam school in his native place. His knowledge and noble character helped him to rise to the eminence of an emperor and lead a happy and royal life. Also he was lucky; his merit and rare abilities were recognized and rewarded properly by the King.

Author: Prof. Komaragiri Venkata Ramana Rao. Ph.D., (Retired Professor; Andhra University College of Engineering); Astrologer-Scienitst. Durham. NC; U.S.A.: (Tatayya = Grand-father). My e-mail address : pandit@jyothishi.com---------- I dedicate all these stories in the blog to Sri Parama Paalakas (Supreme Rulers of this entire Universe): Bhagavan Sri Siddhi Vinayaka, Sri Lakshmi Narayana and Sri Gouri Sankara and Sri Saraswathi and Bhagavan Sri Venkateswara !