Vasudasa Ashram, Nadigaddapalem

Nithya Annadanam seva – free food distribution is conducted since past 70 years. On an average 100 people eat three times a day in the ashram everyday.

Vasudasa Asram is located in Nadigaddapalem, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. Approximately, about 100 years ago, a professor Sriman Subba Rao resident of Ontimetta, Kadapa district took renunciation and became Sri Vasudasa Swamy. He was a great devotee of Lord Rama. He toured throughout the State of Andhra Pradesh and propagated Visishtadwaita philosophy. He was invited to Nadigaddapalem by his disciples Sriman Venkatappayya and Sriman Subbadas.

Sriman Venkatappayya donated 2 acres of lemon orchard to Sri Vasudasa Swamy.  On Lord Rama’s instruction, He set up his asram in that orchard and soon the asram became famous as Vasudasa Asram. Sri Vasudasa Swamy performed Tapas in that land and the legend says that Lord Rama appeared to Him and blessed Him for his devotion.

Sri Vasudasa Swamy stayed for few years in the asram and installed uthsava deities of Lord Rama parivaram.  We can have darsan of Lord Rama parivaram worshipped by Vasudasa swamy and also Vasudasa Swamy in deity form even today in the Nadigaddapalem Temple.

Vasudas Swamy was known as Andhra Valmiki as he wrote entire Ramayanam with detailed exposition in Telugu. There are 24000 slokas in the original text of Ramayanam written by Sage Valmiki. For every slokam in Valmiki Ramayanam, Sri Vasudasa Swamy wrote one poem each and gave elaborate commentary. It is called ‘Mandaram’ and is a very widely respected commentary by scholars and devotees as well. It was said that Sri Vasudasa Swamy wrote the Aranya Kanda portion of the ‘Mandaram’ in Nadigaddapalem.

Later, after passing away of Sri Vasudasa Swamy, Sriman Venkatappayya approached Sriman Kavi garu – a close associate of Sri Pedda jeeyar Swamiji – and requested to send a priest for performing the daily worship of Lord Rama parivaram. Sriman Kavigaru visited the Asram, arranged for a priest and also informed Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji about the Asram.

On Sriman Venkatappayya ‘s request to use the asram for spiritual purposes, Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji shifted the Bhakti Nivedana magazine printing and publishing work from Artamuru village to Nadigaddapalem.  In 1954, Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji took renunciation and Sriman Venkatappayya garu donated the Vasudasa Asram to Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji in 1956.

Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji developed the Asram making it His main centre of activities. The very first Sri Rama Maha Kratu was performed by Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji in Nadigaddapalem Asram. Out of the 108 Sri Rama Maha Kratus, a few (5-6) of them were performed at Nadigaddapalem Asram itself due to exigencies and the respective pillars were installed at those places later. Out of the 108 Svadhyaaya jnana yajnams, the 28^th jnana yajnam was performed in Nadigaddapalem.

In 1972, Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji performed Sri Lakshmi Narayana Mahakratu with 1000 kundas in  Tirumala. In the 12 yagasalas, Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji installed and empowered 12 Lakshmi Narayana Dhruva murtis in that Maha kratu. All those Dhruva murtis were consecrated in 12 temples across in the country including Nepal.  One of those twelve Lakshmi Narayana Murtis was installed in Nadigaddapalem – thus Lord Lakshmi Narayana Perumal was added to Lord Rama’s family.

In 1976 Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji has setup Veda Vedanga Vidyalayam in Nadigaddapalem – a college for teaching Vedas, Scriptures and Philosophy.  Great Scholars such as Sri Gopalacharya Swamy (for Ubhaya Vedantas), Sri Chamarti Sitaramacharyulu of Srikurmam (for Agamam), Sri Gudimella Narasimhacharyulu (for Vedam) were training the students in those days. Many other scholars such as Sriman Kandala Venkatacharya Swami varu, Sriman Sribhashyam Appalacharya Swami varu, Sriman Maringanti Swami varu, Sriman Konappacharya swami varu were serving as visiting faculty and when time permitted they were also learning from Sri Gopalacharya Swami varu and Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swami varu. Vedic Scholars  Sriman Prahlad, Sriman Gudimella Murali Krishnamacharya Swamy, Satyanarayana charyulu  etc are the first batch students who joined here. Later they completed two Vedas and became renowned Vedic scholars.

Sri Gopalacharya Swami varu stayed in Nadigaddapalem for most part of his life and taught scriptures to several batches of students till he breathed his last.

Final rites of the three great acharyas of 20^th Century – Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji, Sri Gopalacharya Swami varu and Sri Kavi garu were performed in Nadigaddapalem. Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji’s Brundavanam ( a place where mortal remains were laid to rest ) was consecrated here. Every day aradhana and nithya annadanam programs are conducted. It is of common knowledge and belief that whoever circumambulates around the brundavanam will have their questions answered and their wishes will be fulfilled.

A Great Spiritual Place

Nadigaddapalem Asram is hailed as Tapo bhoomi and believed to have great Tapas Shakti – spiritual energy in its serene atmosphere. Many Jeeyar swamis and great scholars have studied, meditated and performed penance in this asram. It was a great learning center. As many as 17 Jeeyar Swamis and many scholars including our HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji have graduated from or associated with this sacred place. It is from this place that Visishta Advaitha pracharam took new heights.

The place is quite serene, surrounded by fields, away from the hustle and bustle of the city noises providing peaceful atmosphere for inmates to meditate. Nadigaddapalem is the root institution which spread into various branches and leaves serving the society.

Another significance of this place – akhanda nama sankeerthana is being conducted round the clock every day without fail for the last 70 years.