Pilgrimage to Udipi and Dharmasthala 2

Pajaka Keshetra

2

 It was 3:30 pm.  From Adamar Mutt  the cab driver took us to Pajaka Kshetra, the birth place of Sri Madhwacharya. His original name was Vasudeva. His anchetral house is there. A big premise with trees and ponds nearby. He was the favorite son of his parents, especially mother. Even from childhood he showed his prowess like legendry Bheema , his former incarnation. When his mother asked him to cover milk vessel, he wielded a big rock to cover. That rock was of a big size.It is awesome to see. There are four ponds created by Parasurama where Vasudeva’s  mother bathed daily. 

They are : On the eastern side is Parasu Teertha, on the southern side is Dhanus Teertha, on the west is Gada Teertha and on the north is Bana Teertha. Taking bath in these teerthas is considered to wash out all the sins.

  Once his mother was not able take bath in those ponds due to illness. Vasudeva created a pond in his house itself for his mother. We sprinkled - prokshna of the holy water of the pond on our heads. A holy pond to this day. There is a stone where Vasudeva learnt his aksharabhysa. I also wrote on it Sri Gurubyo Namaha.

There is a tamarind tree and a story around it. Vasudeva’s father took a loan to buy a cow from a lender, but he was not able to pay the loan. The lender asked the inmates notto enter their house. Vasudeva took tamarind seeds and gave them to the lender and it became gold. Vasudeva’s father didn’t know about  it. When he met the lender to repay the loan, the latter said it had been  already paid by Vasudeva.

Once as a child Vasudeva playing on Durga betta (hill) and his mother called him for lunch. Vasudeva jumped to his house on a stone rock near his house in one jump. His foot print was fixed on impact. A shrine was built later by Sri Vadiraja there. Outside the shrine it was photographed. Inside it was dark. So we were not able to see the actual print. There is an Ananthapadbnabha temple.

My desire to see Sri Madhwa’s birth place was thus satisfied.

Then we visited Durga betta far away from Sri Madhwa’s  house and imagined how Vasudeva could have jumped in one jump from there. Durga matha is beautiful to see. The view from the hill is very fantastic.

Then we visited Ambalpady Janardhana-Mahakali temple. With her tongue protruded Mahakali is an ugra devata. We performed kumkuma archana there. All temples are maintained properly. Then we worshiped Janardhana devaru.

Sri Madhwacharya got two stone vigrahas of Balarama and Krishna at Malpe beach. He built a temple for Blarama at Vadabhandheswara near Malpe. We visited and worshipped Krishna’s elder brother.

We went to enjoy Malpe beach then. It was around 5:30 pM. The sun was setting on the Arabian sea.A nice scene indeed. Then we went to bak to Udipi Krishna temple again. AS my daughters wanted to eat at Woodland hotels just opposite to Adamaar Mutt, the dinner was delicious with the culmination of ice cream. WE returned to room.

Next morning we saw Vishwaoopa dharsan of Swamy. It is felt  to be experienced the view of Krishna in bare body. Even now Udipi Krishna in that form  is fixed in my mind’s eye.

At 9 we set out for Dharmasthala  (To be continued)