VISIT TO GUNTUR
Dear Sweet Children,
Next I relate to you a very interesting visit of Amma to Guntur in her seventh year along with Maridamma Tatamma. You were already told that this old saintly lady was very fond of Amma. She would not go anywhere unless accompanied by Amma. Amma too does not stay with anybody else away from Maridamma Tatamma. And now there arose a need for Tatamma to go to Guntur. Venkata Subbamma, a daughter of Mannava Venkaiah, (a brother of Tatamma), was in the family way and she fell ill in Guntur. Poor Venkaiah’s wife died quite early in life leaving behind a good number of hapless children. Maridamma too unfortunately became a child widow as early as in her sixth year itself. She therefore had to perforce look after the motherless children of her brother Venkaiah.
The responsibility was ironically thrust on her. Tatamma thus happened to be deeply attached to this family by sheer force of adverse fate. When she learnt that Venkata Subbamma was expecting, Tatamma was reasonably worried and wished to rush to Guntur and attend to her. Seethapathi (Venkata Subbamma’s brother) also urged Maridamma to lose no time. Thus her trip to Guntur was finalized, of course along with Amma.
In the service of Gundel Rao – a chronic paralytic Venkat Subbamma and her husband lived in a portion of the house of one Ramachandra Rao in Brodipet, Guntur. Gundel Rao was the elder brother of Ramachandra Rao. He had a long painful history of paralysis spread over twenty years. A bachelor, he had none to look after him. He had to stay with his younger brother though he received little attention from Ramachandra Rao’s wife. As soon as Amma entered Venkata Subbamma’s house, her attention was drawn to Gundel Rao lying in bed. She straight walked up to him, peeled off an orange and fed him with a few slices. He was thrilled. No one cared for him like that till then. Amma changed his bed also which was stinking due to frequent urination and inattention. Venkata Subbamma had two daughters of Amma’s age. They persuaded Amma to leave the dirty place and go out to play with them. But Amma refused to oblige them and told them that she preferred service to Gundel Rao as he was in dire need of the same. You all know by this time that Amma knows no hunger even from her childhood. She did not take food like other children of her age. She therefore spent all her time in the service of Gundel Rao. Maridamma too did not disturb her, knowing Amma’s mood and aptitude. She was herself busy with Venkata Subbamma for whose service she came all the way to Guntur. Thus Amma continuously served Gundel Rao for fifteen days. He was a staunch devotee of Sri Rama. He was surprised how this little girl barely seven years old chose to serve him. He felt sure that Sri Rama himself in the form of Amma came to serve and save him in his last days.
In Amma’s company, peace and bliss flowed into Gundel Rao. And now the last day of his life has arrived. He felt that the final bell had been sounded. He beckoned to his brother Ramachandra Rao to come near him and holding Amma’s hands, Gundel Rao stammered out his feelings thus: “Brother! My hour has come. I am merging into Amma. She is not an ordinary human being. I appeal to you to place full faith in her. The world will know her full stature and potential. Do not think that these are the words of a mad man. Amma is Rama Himself who comes in this form to give me MUKTI on account of my devotion.”
In the meantime someone brought a plate of rice for Gundel Rao. Amma dropped a few particles of rice into his mouth, the last meal he was destined to have. Repeatedly exhorting his brother to trust Amma all his life, Gundel Rao merged into death in AMMA’s divine company. A happy end indeed which he least expected but earned by sheer devotion !
There is no doubt that Amma visited Guntur to bless Gundel Rao. In Amma’s history every visit had a purpose behind it as you might have discovered by now. There was never a casual journey whatsoever. Some one was to be redeemed.
Do you not remember how in Mannava an year ago Punnayya breathed his last looking into Amma inhaling peace! She just stood very near him to preside over his departure. Punnaiah was Krishna Bhaktha. Gundel Rao was Rama Bhakta. Amma was unmistakably the same for both.
Dear Children! You will be surprised how Amma, aged only seven, offered exceptional service to Gundelrao under obnoxious circumstances. Will any girl of that age bring herself to do that? You should emulate Amma and offer service to destitutes. That is the very purpose of life. This is one of the rarest incidents of sacrifice in Amma’s history to be remembered and copied by one and all, young and old, day to day.
(To be continued)