The sage returned from Dronagiri after a year.  Enquiring and evaluating the progress of each disciple, the guru entered the cave of Vyaghreshwar and Lo! What did he see? A serene looking tiger in a meditative posture! The guru could perceive auspicious and blissful vibrations all around. He with his power of cognition comprehended that on constant and sincere meditation upon the tiger, Vyaghreshwar has transformed into a real tiger. Pleased at the childish innocence of the boy, he taught him, the tiger, the Pranava Nadam – ‘Om’ and the sacred mantra ‘Sripada Rajam Saranam Prapadye.’

On being enlightened by the guru about the transcendental nature of Lord Sripada, Vyaghreshwar became an ardent devotee of the Lord. With a strong desire to sanctify himself by the auspicious darshan of Lord Sripada, Vyaghreshwar, the tiger proceeded to Kuruvapuram. It reached Panchadev Pahad. One has to cross the streamlet of river Krishna to reach Kuruvapuram which is situated on the other bank. At that time Sripada who was surrounded by his devotees suddenly got up and announced that one of his staunch devotees was waiting for him. So saying he at once left for the other bank walking on river Krishna with big leaps. Wherever he was about to set his foot there sprang a beautiful lotus flower from beneath the water. Walking on the flowers in his wooden sandals Sripada reached the other bank.

Children! Just visualize how a delicate flower like lotus withstood the weight of Sripada, without being crushed or sinking into the water. Don’t you think that this divine play, in a way, is similar to that of Krishna, who stood and danced on the hood of Kalia, the snake.

Sripada reached the other bank, patted the tiger with his ambrosial hands and riding on its back reached Kuruvapuram. As soon as Sripada stepped down from it, the tiger collapsed. A person radiating light emerged out of its body who humbly paid salutations to the Lord and requested him to use the hide of his tiger skin as his seat. Sripada smilingly accepted the proposal, and narrated the details of his previous birth in this manner:

“Son, you were a wrestler in your previous birth. You used to snare, catch and train the animals, mainly tigers to perform feats. You brutally tortured them to make them obey you to earn your livelihood. Because of these cruel deeds, you were destined to suffer in many births to come. But I restricted the bad karma to this birth alone and now, you are a liberated soul.  Go to Himalayas and spend your time with Siddha purushas. As you were in the form of a tiger for many years, I grant you the boon that whenever you wish, you can assume the tiger form.” Then Sripada blessed and bade farewell to him. From that day onwards Vyaghreshwar started living in Himalayas attending to the saints there.

My next post will be a story of a person, who dangled topsy-turvy in a well, from the branch of a tree and  how he was redeemed by Sripada through His devotee Shankara Bhatt, the author of  “Biography of Sripada Srivallabha Charitamritam” in Sanskrit.