All through her life, Bharati had a charitable disposition. If anyone expressed a liking for anything in her possession, she would give it away without hesitation. She had no special attachment for anything. Whenever anyone came to her door looking for alms, he or she never left empty-handed. She always kept a basket full of rice and some coins in a small tin can ready for this purpose.
One evening, an ascetic in saffron clothes approached her and begged for alms. At that time, Bharati was in the prayer room. On hearing him, breathing heavily but walking steadily she carried a small basket filled with rice and a few coins, to the gate. The person at the gate with his matted hair looked like Lord Siva. She bowed to him and dropped the alms in his pouch. She was also about to drop some coins, hoping to receive his blessings. The ascetic glanced at her and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he declared, calmly looking at her, ‘My child, my pouch is full now. I don't need to go anywhere else looking for alms. Shortly, your pouch too will be full and your prayers will yield the fruit you desire. You will have an excellent son and you will attain salvation.’ Normally such ascetics blessed housewives for a long married life, longevity and progeny. But this ascetic’s blessing was different.
As the pregnancy advanced further, Bharati’s body became heavy from retaining water. She gasped for breath whenever she tried to walk, as if she was not carrying the load of a normal child. The child inside was felt too heavy. On her golden skin black streaks appeared. It was believed that such a color indicated a male child.
As soon as Bharati went to sleep, she had dreams. When she woke up, she felt as though her dream was reality and the world around was an illusion. Such experiences were perhaps due to her mental agitation and devotional ecstasy.
Delivery time was fast approaching. The elder daughter of Durgamma died after giving birth to Gopalam in Visakhapatnam. Durgamma was therefore extra-cautious and the delivery was arranged to take place in Gudiwada. The other sister of Bharati, Saraswati, wife of Vemuri Chinnayya Rao, offered her house in Machilipatnam for delivery. Bharati agreed to go there. Saraswati hired a midwife to help with the delivery. In her house, a room was cleaned perfectly and kept ready exclusively for this purpose.
Bharati arrived in Machilipatnam along with Durgamma and a few servants. In the room allotted for delivery, a portrait of Lord Krishna playing the flute was mounted on the wall. The prayer room was adjacent to the delivery room. Bharati lay on the bed and incessantly repeated the sacred name of Lord Krishna while looking at the portrait. According to calculations and predictions, Bharati should deliver between 30th
June and 2nd July. But there were no signs of labor yet; Durgamma began to doubt the
prediction. Bharati was not physically strong by nature. She looked anemic. But her eyes were bright and twinkling. She believed that the delivery would be easy.
She wondered what her child would be like. Her son would appear in her mental horizon for a while and then fade away suddenly. She tried to create a definite picture of her son and retain it in her mind, but she did not succeed. In her dreamy state, a sudden cry of the infant would be heard and she would get up startled and look around.
Suddenly, on the 3rd of July, the labor started. The pains grew in intensity and became unbearable. She turned restlessly in bed. It appeared as if delivery might take place at any moment. But then the pains would subside and disappear.
The next day, as on the previous day, the pains started again. It looked as if that the child was on the way. But the pains disappeared again as quickly as they appeared. Thus six days had elapsed with false pains appearing and disappearing, straining Bharati’s nerves.
It was the 8th of July. At midnight, labor started extremely violently and painfully. Bharati twirled and twisted, crying loudly. People around her were beginning to worry about her survival.
To prevent the turning of the child into a horizontal position, the midwife tried to tie a piece of cloth tightly around Bharati’s belly; but it was to no avail. As if unwilling to enter this world, the child turned away. The midwife used all her experience and skill and with great difficulty turned the child into the normal position. She then remarked, ‘The little insolent fellow is tumultuous.’
There were indications that a new being was about to come out into this world, making its way through the mother's womb. Slowly its head started to become visible. Immediately Saraswati noted the time.
A babe was born. An old lady rang a silver plate significantly. As soon as the infant came out, he started to cry “kar, kar”, as if he was reluctant to come into this world. It was difficult to pacify him.
Bharati was exhausted. The midwife severed the umbilical card with the help of a thread. The day was Suddha Padyami (the first day) of the Ashadha Month in the year of Kalayukta. The birth constellation was Punarvasu. The time of birth was 6.15 am. According to the English calendar, the day was 9th
July 1918.
The midwife received higher remuneration for her hard work than was agreed upon. Durgamma also presented her with new saris. She said to the midwife, ‘In your blessed hands we passed through some difficult times. We cannot forget your help in our lifetime.’ The midwife replied respectfully, ‘At one stage, my hands and legs became stiff; I didn’t know what to do. I struggled hard and at times even worried about your daughter’s survival. This is an abnormal delivery. She had labor pains seven times like cyclones and I have never seen such a difficult delivery before.’
Looking again and again at the blessed infant sleeping soundly in the linen, Bharati forgot all her earlier torment. As usual, her imagination was in full swing. She dreamed
of herself as Yasoda and her infant as the boy Krishna playing childhood pranks. She thought, ‘This child is a divine gift of my Lord Sri Krishna. He graced me with this gift. Therefore he is born with a specific purpose. He should be brought up in a special manner since he has a bright future. His name and fame will make my life a historic one.’
Durgamma heard her daughter muttering “Krishna, Krishna” and woke her up with great difficulty. Bharati opened her eyes as if she descended from a different plane and stared around. After a moment, with a feeble voice, she asked for a little water to drink. Durgamma had already prepared a special concoction of marking nuts and kept it ready. That potion quenched Bharati's thirst. She heard clearly the sweet music of the divine flute of Sri Krishna.
After three days, making her dreams a mere illusion, Bharati had an attack of pleurisy. She was running high temperature. She appeared weak and anemic. Her golden complexion turned into a black hue. Different doctors treated her with various medications.
The condition of Bharati took a turn to the worse. Bands of wet cloth were applied on her forehand again and again in vain. Medicines also became ineffective. She could not retain even liquid diet. She also developed hiccups. Her feet and legs went out of control. Gradually her body became stiff. But she was repeating “Krishna, Krishna” in a low tone of voice, as if she was in a state of delirium.
Even though she was struggling for her life, her dream world continued to be active. And the child was crying constantly. Bharati groaned aloud for a while, repeating the word “Krishna”. Durgamma was roused from her sleep and she asked her daughter, ‘What happened, child, have you had a bad dream?’ Bharati opened her eyes a little. Bharati thought that she was born with an ultimate purpose; after it was fulfilled she had no place on the earth. Her body was used as a tool for the birth of a child for a divine purpose. Why should she be afraid of death? With such thoughts, the mind of Bharati gradually settled into a peaceful state.
In her heart of hearts she held an important idea to express. She was feeling restless and anxious. Who will look after her son after her? Who will shoulder the responsibility of his future? Who will nurture him? Who should be entrusted with this heavy responsibility? Her husband who had loved her in thought, word and dead? Probably not. Then who else? Finally her thoughts took a concrete shape. She felt calm at heart and breathed easily.
Bharati moved this way and that in her bed and beckoned her melancholic mother to come nearer. She told her in a feeble voice, ‘Please send word for father. I have to talk to him.’
Unsure that her daughter would survive till her husband returned from Gudiwada, Durgamma begged her in a convulsive tone, ‘Please speak out to us and we will convey your message to your father.’
Bharati shook her head and said, ‘I should talk to him in person. Send for him right away.’ A messenger rushed to Gudiwada for Pantulu. For some unknown reason her father had a wish to see his daughter at about the same time and was getting ready anyway to return to Machilipatnam.
Gopala Krishna Murty Pantulu looked at his daughter in her deathbed. His heart sunk at seeing her condition. Bharati slowly lifted her eyelids and looked at her father with content. She tried to speak out something. She wetted her lips slowly with her tongue and moaned.
‘Our daughter has been waiting to tell you something,’ reported Durgamma.
Pantulu sat near his daughter’s bed and, holding her hand, he looked into her eyes. Bharati gathered all her sinking energy and muttered: ‘Father, look at him,’ she pointed to the cradle and the infant. Durgamma, Saraswati and others were all present.
Bharati thought of her favorite deity Krishna for a moment and began to speak out slowly, in a feeble voice: ‘Father, he is not an ordinary child. His birth is unique. He is the gift of my Lord Krishna. I believe that he is born for a purpose. He will attain great heights in future.’ Bharati looked at the child again and said, ‘I’m certain.’ She stopped to catch her breath.
She gathered energy and said again, ‘Father, do not bring him up like an ordinary child. Please create a great philosophical and spiritual atmosphere around him; he should be brought up only in such environment.’ She breathed heavily for a while and spoke, ‘Only in your utmost care can he attain fulfillment. I am sure of it.’
While lying on the deathbed Bharati revealed her mind to her father. She felt that her husband and others would not be able to carry out her wishes properly. So she entrusted this heavy responsibility to her father. She had a great respect for him and an immense faith in him. Her husband might marry again and beget a number of children. Under the care of a stepmother her son would not receive the care and attention he needed.
Her father responded to her without hesitation: ‘Your word is as good as the holy Veda for me, my dear child. I will bring up your son as per your wish; I will provide the necessary spiritual atmosphere around him.’
Bharati appeared to be pleased by her father's promise. She looked at him thankfully. Durgamma was very much perturbed. With a tremulous voice she asked Bharati. ‘Anything else? Please speak out, dear.’ She too wanted to share the responsibility of the child. It was clear that Bharati was nearing the end of her life. She thought for a while and muttered, ‘Mother, do not punish him. Do not scold him. Never hurt his feelings. And let him never feel my absence. Look after him like your own child. This is my last wish.’ Bharati was breathing heavily.
Durgamma was standing by the bedside sobbing, tears rolling down her cheeks. Saraswati wept continuously and her eyes turned red. All the relatives were standing by the bed with gloomy eyes.
Bharati’s heart felt relieved. She would no longer be afraid of death. She was ready for it.
The last moments were approaching fast. Her son was sleeping in the cradle; he was brought to her to let her bid her last goodbyes to him. There was immense happiness in her eyes as she looked at him.
The last moments of sunset cast a strange, oppressive and eerie light inside the room. All of sudden, it started to rain. At a distance, the birds on the trees were making all sorts of queer sounds. Bharati’s eyes were rolling up and unsteady. Her eyelids were heavy. Her body was turning cold and sweaty, and her heart was beating slower.
Bharati was losing her consciousness and her lips were moving indistinctively. Perhaps she was murmuring, “Krishna, Krishna”.
Bharati’s closed her eyes for the last time. Her breathing became slow. She was lifted from the bed and laid on a mat on which some old clothes were spread. A little tulasi water was forcibly slipped into her mouth and she appeared to have swallowed it. The lamp in the niche began to flutter. The lizard on the wall made a frightful cry. A thunderbolt was heard far away. Bharati’s body became totally still. A lightning flashed outside. The light of the lamp in the niche died out.
The whole household was plunged in deep sorrow and the cries disturbed the sleeping child in the cradle. He woke up and his cries joined the rest. On that day, the life of Bharati came to an end at 7.30 pm. It was the 16th
July 1918. ***
Uppaluri Sitaramayya considered seven proposals for his marriage. Bharati's proposal was the seventh one. She had labor for seven days before her son was born. And she passed away seven days after his birth. Perhaps the future life of this child too would be linked with the number seven.
The neighbors remarked, ‘How cruel, fate robbed him of his mother soon after his birth. Nothing more unfortunate can be imagined than a motherless child. Who knows what future has in store for him.’