Sri Raghavendra Swamy was an ardent devotee of Sri Panchamukha Mukhya Prana Devaru (the five-faced form of Lord Hanuman). He spent a major portion of his life teaching Sanskrit and other Vedic texts to children. He never took money for his services and lived a life of poverty along with his wife and son. ⁴
One day, a rich landlord named Venkanna visited Mantralayam and met Sri Raghavendra Swamy. He was impressed by his knowledge and devotion and offered him a large donation. Sri Raghavendra Swamy politely refused and said that he only needed the blessings of Lord Hari and Vayu. Venkanna insisted and said that he wanted to do some service to the saint and his disciples.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy then asked him to plant a mango tree in front of his mutt (monastery) and water it regularly. Venkanna agreed and planted a sapling. He also arranged for a water tank and a gardener to take care of the tree.
The tree grew well and soon bore fruits. Venkanna was very happy and proud of his service. He decided to offer the first fruits to Sri Raghavendra Swamy as a mark of respect. He plucked some ripe mangoes and brought them to the mutt.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy thanked him for his generosity and asked him to distribute the fruits among the poor and needy people in the town. Venkanna was surprised and said that he had brought the fruits only for the saint and his disciples. He said that he had spent a lot of money and effort to grow the tree and he deserved some reward for his service.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy smiled and said that he did not need any reward from anyone except Lord Hari and Vayu. He said that Venkanna had done a good deed by planting the tree, but he had also developed pride and attachment to it. He said that Venkanna should learn to be humble and detached from worldly things.
Venkanna was offended by these words and thought that Sri Raghavendra Swamy was ungrateful and rude. He said that he would not give away the fruits to anyone else and he would take them back to his home. He also said that he would stop watering the tree and let it die.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy calmly said that Venkanna was free to do whatever he wanted with his fruits, but he should not harm the tree, as it was a living being created by God. He said that even if Venkanna stopped watering the tree, it would not die, as it was protected by Lord Hari and Vayu.
Venkanna laughed at this statement and challenged Sri Raghavendra Swamy to prove his words. He said that he would come back after a month and see if the tree was still alive without water.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy accepted the challenge and said that Venkanna would see the miracle of Lord Hari and Vayu in due course.
Venkanna left with his fruits, feeling angry and arrogant. He ordered his gardener to stop watering the tree and left for his home.
A month passed by, and Venkanna returned to Mantralayam with some friends. He wanted to show them how Sri Raghavendra Swamy had failed in his prediction and how his tree had withered away.
He reached the mutt and was shocked to see what he saw. The tree was not only alive, but it was also full of green leaves and flowers. It looked more beautiful than ever before.
Venkanna could not believe his eyes. He asked his gardener how this was possible. The gardener told him that he had followed his orders and had not watered the tree at all. He said that every morning, a strange phenomenon occurred near the tree.
He said that a bright light would appear from the sky and shine on the tree for some time. Then, a gentle breeze would blow from the direction of the mutt and sprinkle water on the tree like raindrops. The gardener said that this happened every day without fail, and he had witnessed it himself.
Venkanna was stunned and speechless. He realized that he had made a big mistake by doubting and insulting Sri Raghavendra Swamy. He felt ashamed and repentant for his behavior.
He ran to the mutt and fell at the feet of Sri Raghavendra Swamy. He begged for his forgiveness and said that he had seen the miracle of Lord Hari and Vayu. He said that he had learned his lesson and he would never be proud or attached to anything again.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy lifted him up and embraced him. He said that he was happy that Venkanna had realized his folly and had changed his heart. He said that Venkanna was a good person at heart, but he had been misled by his ego and greed. He said that Venkanna should always remember the grace of Lord Hari and Vayu and serve them with devotion and humility.
Venkanna thanked Sri Raghavendra Swamy for his kindness and wisdom. He said that he would dedicate his life to the service of God and humanity. He also said that he would donate the fruits of the tree to the poor and needy people in the town, as per the wish of Sri Raghavendra Swamy.
Sri Raghavendra Swamy blessed him and his friends. He also gave them some prasadam (sacred food) from the tree. He said that the tree was a symbol of the love and power of Lord Hari and Vayu, and anyone who ate its fruits would be blessed with health, wealth, happiness, and peace.
Venkanna and his friends felt a surge of joy and bliss in their hearts. They ate the prasadam with gratitude and reverence. They also distributed some fruits to the people around them.
They then bid farewell to Sri Raghavendra Swamy and left for their homes, feeling transformed by the miracle of the mango tree.
The moral of the above story is that we should always be humble and detached from worldly things. We should not be proud or greedy for our achievements or possessions. We should remember that everything we have is a gift from God and we should use it for the welfare of others. We should also respect and honor the saints and sages who guide us on the path of devotion and wisdom.
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