Venkateshwara Swamy
Hathiram Bhavaji (15th century) was a saint of North India, and also an ardent devotee of Lord Rama and Lord Venkateswara, also called as Lord Balaji.
Hathiram was born in Himachal Pradesh, North India. At his younger age, his family shifted to a village at Punjab.And after some time, he visited Tirumala, and after getting attracted by the beauty of Lord Venkateswara, he constructed an ashram nearby the temple, and stayed there permanently.
It is believed that he had got the opportunity to play dice game with Lord Balaji. One day, after playing the dice game with him, Lord Balaji left one of his ornaments in Bhavaji’s ashram.
Since one of the ornaments of the deity of Lord Venkateswara was missing, he was caught and house arrested by the temple guards presuming him to be the thief.
The king had ordered bavaji to eat a bunch of sugarcane within a day in order to test him, and also ordered his guards to watch him properly. At that night,when everybody was sleeping, an elephant appeared in bhavaji’s ashram, and ate the bunch of sugarcane completely and disappeared.
After knowing about that incident, the king was astonished and realized the true bhakti of Bhavaji on Lord, since the Lord Himself had appeared as an elephant to safe guard his devotee. And then the king asked bhavaji to forgive him.
There is a mutt in dedication of Sri Hathiramji, which is known as Sri Hathiramji Muttat Tirumala. He was a great saint, who was a sincere devotee of Venkateswara, and worshipped him by keeping him in his heart.
Due to his great bhakti, Lord Balaji himself appeared and spent some time with him. He was a pious saint, who lived with the pure thoughts on Lord Balaji, and lived peacefully.
Let us enjoy by reading the songs written by Sri Hathiram Bhavaji in praise of his beloved god Sri Venkateswara:-
Oh My Lord Venkateswara! Though I might have committed sins, but, it is your duty to remove my sins, since I am blaming you only for the sins committed by me, since you are the one who activates me in doing both good as well as bad act.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, the whole universe is created and protected by you, you are the universal master, you are the remover of sins and diseases, if you cannot be realised fully even by the celestial Devas in the heaven, then how I would be able to praise your entire glories?
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, you look very beautiful,and your body is dressed with nice garments and adorned with golden ornaments, and I am able to smell the odour of the perfumes applied on your body.You are the Lord of Venkata hill, and your eyes looks like lotus petals.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, I am able to see the face of Lord Brahma whose abode is situated on your naval,you have been continuously worshipped by Lord Hanuman and by your consort Ma Alamelumanga, and by your innumerable devotees, and you are the greatest among all the gods. You are thegod of sympathy, kindness, will-power and knowledge. I am offering my respects by falling at your lotus feet.
O Lord of Seven Hills, please Save me from troubles and turmoil in this difficult Kaliyuga.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, I pray you sincerely from my soul, please remove the sufferings of all of your devotees, since I don’t want to see the tears from the eyes of your devotees. Those who seek refuge at your feet would never get disappointed, since you have taken this Venkateswara Avatar only to protect your devotees!Oh!My Lord of Seven Hills, please shower mercy on me and to your devotees.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, you are the one who gives enough blessings more than what your devotees seek, all the gods including Lord Shiva and Brahma are saluting you, and no one is equal to you. In your Krishna avatar, with your lovely flute music you have givengreat happiness to the Yadavas, and the whole universe was filled with full of happiness on hearing your divine music from the flute.Oh! My Lord Venkateswara,I cannot find any suitable person similar to you.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, you are the one who has incarnated as Lord Rama in the Treta Yuga, you are only considered to be the great archer of the entire world, your archery skills is praised by everyone in the world. Similar to protecting your devotees like Jatayu, Vibhishana and Hanuman, Please protect me also.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, you look like the full moon. Through your various avatars you removed all the darkness in the world, and lighted lamps on the path of your devotees.
You are perfect in all of your activities, and you are called as “KARUNASAGARA”, showering your mercy like a vast oceanon your devotees.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, You are easily reachable by your devotees, since you dwell in the souls of your devotees,you cannot be defeated by anyone, and you are a highly immortal one.I don’t want to worship anyone else,since you are only providing great comfort to me like my mother.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, I don’t believe in my friends, relatives and I am apart from worldly bondages, I consider myself as an orphan, I am finding only you as my best companion andI am finding great satisfaction by reciting your name.
O My Lord, kindly be pleased with me and shower your unlimited love and grace on me and your devotees.
Oh My Lord Venkateswara, I have been feeling that I would stay at your lotus-like feet and I would serve you like a faithful servant.
So, Lord Venkatesha, I request you, again and again, please allow me to permanently reside at your place, and due to my bad karmas, even if I take few more births, I would like to live only at your place, the Holy Tirumala, by taking at least the form of a small insect, since I want to serve you by taking any other form.
“OM NAMO VENKATESAYA NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR