Kshetrayya

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Foreword If a beautiful garden is to be raised, one needs to take proper care of tender flower plants. In the same way in order to create a good society, great care is needed to be taken of young children who are going to be future citizens of India. All their intellectual attainments will be futile if they fail to learn o f their culture and its greatness. They need to be told of great men and women of this country so that they are inspired by their ideals. The essentials of our culture should be given to them in the form of simple and charming stories. They will cherish these ideals and be guided by them. They will promote good and they will love the society they live in. They make their families proud and bring great prestige to their country when they grow up into good citizens.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has brought out these booklets for children in Telugu under Srinivasa Bala Bharati Series'. Although meant for children, they are useful to the elderly too. They have found place in the book shelves of every family. The stories of legendary men and women are narrated in a simple manner. We hope that more and more children will read them and get benefitted by them.

I congratulate the Special Officer, Publications Division, TTD for his efforts in bringing out the English translations of SRINIVASA BALA BHARATI SERIES so well. We have received co-operation of many learned men and women in our efforts to popularize this series. I am thankful to them.

Introduction There was a great soul who wanted a place at the feet of Gopala. He crowned his love for Gopala in simple words and savored life's sweetness with his devotion in the grace of his God. Do you know who he is? He is the great poet named Kshetrayya. That is the name by which he is known. But originally he was named Varadayya. `Movva' which was at the lotus feet of the deity `Muvva Gopala' was his birth place.

The Nawab of Golconda ordered Kshetrayya to 'compose fifteen hundred songs in forty days'. Thirty nine days passed by. Varadayya was not bothered about writing them. He did not write even one. Mohanangi was aghast at the delay. In one single night the incomparable composer Kshetrayya - as though he was `Movva Gopala' incarnate - wrote fifteen hundred songs leaving everyone in the court to astonishment.

The priests did not notice Varadayya who sat in deep meditation in the temple of Varadaraja in Kanchinagaram. The deity's service at night being completed, they locked the doors and all of them left the temple. When Varadayya came out of his meditation and opened his eyes early next morning, the lotus faced consort of the deity, with a flower garland half strung in her braided hair, going from the deity's chamber to her own appeared before him. Such was Kshetrayya a great devotee and a great poet who made himself eligible for the favor of the goddess -- the man whose wealth was his devotional love for Gopala.

His devotion should be our ideal. The eagerness in his heart for the worship of the lotus feet of Gopala should show us our way. Now read on!

Book's Contents and Sample Pages