Remembering my Guru/ Father.

I always remember   Sri Vidvan Tayalur Srinivasa Rao, my father, called by us as Anna,  for many reasons. I lost my mother, at 8 ..  I was his last Son. He is my role model, for laukika & pramarthika life. He was very knowledgeable, patient, ever smiling... and had many qualities of a Vaishnava. He never imposed any restrictions on us. But when he did it, we were inspired to follow. His Students were celebrities like Justice MN Venkarachala,. MV Venkatappa, and many more... He never sought anyone's favors for my Job or anything else. He said: 

किमलभ्यम् भगवति प्रसन्ने श्रीनिकेतने?-

If God wills what is impossible? was his Conviction. 

He lived up to it. His favourite Books were Srimad Bhagavatam, Harikathamritaaara, Gita Bhashya and to some extent Srimanyaayasudha. He never showed his depth in Madhwa Philosophy to anyone except me. When I lost my Mother atan young age, he was my Friend, Phiosopher & Guide in all ways. He never committed any debts or left any uncleared. He was Alpa Tripta. He had some select Students. I was one amongst them. 

He was a Kannada Pandit in Govt. School, observed austerities. Hewas only upset when he was put Bahishkara by the previous arrogant Sawmiji of Uttardi Mutt. He tolerated the insult as he was clean. It was on an Ekadshee Issue. He knew his friend Vedanta Vidvan, Tarka Kesari Agnihotram Yajna Vitthalacharya, ate onion as dwadashiphaLara, but smiled: 

Idu Sajjeeva, eno ASuravesha.adakyaake tale kedisikobeku? 

 He never advised him. 

He lead a silent, happy life with his meagre salary

ಮೊದಲು ತೋರುತದೆ ಮಧುರ ವಿಷಯಸುಖ

ಕಡೆಗೆ ದುಃಖ ಅಪಾರ ||

ಹರಿಯ ಭಜನೆ ಮಾಡೋ ನಿರಂತರ ||

 ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿಮುಗುಳುನಗೆ ತೋರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. 

Of course,  his Vidya Guru Sri Dayanidhi Tirtha Swamiji  helped my elder brother to complete his BSc., not from Mutt money, from his pension as Sub Registrar in Madras Presidency. He worshipped him, studied under his feet wth other disciples, as he was chosen by him.,  from Pramana paddhati to Sriman Nyaayasudha and applied to his Life. 

He was a great Pravachanakara of Bhagavata. He used to conduct Bhagavata Saptaha, Mangalas of Sarva moola Granthas happened many times in out home at Mulabagilu. He spent his money from Pension & Shishyas help. He was very happy  to conduct Aradhanas of all Dasaru and Sripadarajaru also. We went to Nrisimha Tirtha on Aradhana days, had Darshan, came back home and had Prasadam with our father and his Shishyas.

During 6 years of his Bahishkara, by Swamiji of Uttaradi Matha,  he made me namesake Purohita, conducted Shraddhas, without any trouble. He taught me Shraddha Mantras witjh a promise I will not make it a profession later, as I was a quick learner. He used to say: This too will go away...  like his Guru Sri Dayanidhi Tirtharu, whenever he faced a trouble. 

He made us sing Bhajane from ' Sukhavaagali Bahu dukhavaagali Sakha neenaagiru Panduranga and many  more devaranams. Sumadhwa Vijaya  and  Vayustuti were his life time companions.

 He quoted Sri Vadirajaru: Vayustutiratrnityam bhavet Janmani janmani. 

I remember him as it is his (Shraadhha )  day of Demise on Sept 4,  1984.

I seek his blessings as Father &Guru, always.

 Bhooyishtaante Nama Uktim Vidhema.

- i can only bow to him, with humility and respect. 

Sri Raghavendra Swamy

Sri Raghavendra Yati's Moola Brindavanam, Mantralayam ( AP)

Sri Raghavendra Swamiji  is a magnetic force to many devotees even if they have not heard of Him. He is not just a  a Guru of a sect of Madhva Vaishnavites. He is Jagadguru for all who seek his grace and blessings. His Brindavan is situated on the banks of river Tungabhadra, Andhra Pradesh,  on his own selection. It is not easy to put in words the greatness of Swamiji who has blessed and cured millions of devotees around the world. He only likes child-like faith in him   and Sri Rama, his adorable God

 

EARLY LIFwas born in a poor Brahmin Family endowed with great Scholarship and piety. As per tradition, he was a great devotee of Sri Vishnu, as he was  King Prahlada in his previous birth.  All the virtues he has earned in that avatar, is being gifted to faithful devotees as Raghavendra Swami  even now. Earlier he was Sri Vyasarajaru, who was an advisor to Krishna devaraya , the celebrated ruler of Vijayanagar empire and saved him from death. 

 

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 He was born Venkatanatha to Timmanna Bhatta and Gopikamba in

Bhuvanagiri of Tamilnadu. His date of avatara is 1598 A.D. As a child prodigy, he learnt all subjects with ease and perfection. As all great people are put into difficulty and poverty by God, to  test their intensity of Bhakti, pure Devotion,  Venkatanatha lost his parents. He was educated by his brother- in law Sri Narasimhacharya, a great Scholar.  His Upanayanam was hel in 1606, later he became a versatile scholar in Logic, Literature and Vedanta, under his elder brother, and later with Sri Sudhindra Tirtharu of Kavindra Math. He married Saraswati in 1616.  

Venkatanatha was well known as a scholar. But poverty was his  

companion. That is why he is so kind to help people who are

suffering from many ailments, sometimes incurable by doctors even now. He had a pair of Dhotis to wear and and an old house to live in. But as a man of self-respect, pious and firm believer in God, he never sought anyone’s help. He did not approach any Swamijis of those days for help, as he believed in Karmayoga.  Meanwhile,  a son was born to the couple who was named Lakshminarayana. ,His Biography was written by Narayanacharya,( his  nephew ) Sri Raghavendra Vijayam in Samskrit. 

One day, as any home maker would do Saraswati Bai advised her husband to approach Sri Sudheendra Tirtha Swamiji, well known to the family,  for help. Hence, the family shifted to Kumbhakonam, where Sudheendra swamiji was running a Gurukulam. As a fast learner, Venkatanatha understood even a difficult concept in Philosophy, was  called Ekasandhigraahi in those days.He could easily defeat stalwarts in Grammar, Logic, Philosophy and was always a winner. He got a title Mahabhashyacharya, a master in Samskrit Grammar.  He was an authority on Memamsa, a Science of Karma, and wrote Bhatta samgraham later. The King of Tanjore Raghunatha honoured him profusely. 

A poor boy was now rich by  the grace of Sri Rama whom he always worshipped. Now, Sri Sudheendra yati was getting old and decided to nominate Venkatanatha as his successor to the Madhva peetha, then called Purvadi Mutt. . Though Venkatanatha was not interested in heading  the Mutt,  he was given all assurances and help to perform Upanayanam to his only son. Now Venkatanatha entrusted the family responsibility to his brother Gururajacharya.

INITIATION INTO SANYASA 

Sri Sudhindra yati performed Pattabhishekam to Venkatanatha as his successor in 1621 A.  D. He named him as Sri  Raghvaendra  Tirtha. . Sri Raghavendra soon after started touring and preaching Madhva’s Philosophy.  Wherever he went,  he got innumerable disciples due to his compassion, knowledge, accessibility to all devotees and gifting away to the needy whatever he had. In fact he supplied grains for a year to Bijapur when there was  severe drought there. Many instances and innumerable miracles by the grace of God made him nearer to devotees. Indeed he was not resting at all. His routine started at 3.30 am,  followed by bath in the river, japa, teaching disciples, meeting farmers, public, scholars, performing Pooja to Sri  Moola Rama -NARASIMHA-VEDAVYASA idols and meditating for the welfare of the state. He received many gifts even from Muslim rulers, Nayaks, Shivaji and many rulers of Mysore also. But he did not store anything. Whatever he got, he offered it to God in deserving people.

SOCIAL SERVICE

Sri Raghavendra did not confine himself to Mutt administration. He built ponds and canals where there was scarcity of water and taught people the simple, holistic spiritual way ofkarma yoga. He wrote 41 Works on Dvaita Philosophy, Tippanis  on  Sri Jayatirtha,  in his inimitable style and made it popular in South and North of India. There were many disciples to him in North, South, East & West of India. 

 His masterpiece, Sreemannyaayasudhaa Parimala, made devotees call him Parimalacharyaru. His simplest works are Rama Charitryamanjaree & Krishna ChaarItryamanjaree, Pratahsankalpa Gadyam, a must read for all Vaishnavas, Commentary on Sumadhvavijayam, and several stotras. 

MIRACLES 

 He saved the life of a boy in Hubli, helped shishyas to get married, and saved many from snake bite, like the son of nawab of Savanoor, to list out his   miracles is near to impossibility. He made a literate Venkanna, the Diwan of Adoni, and many things which are to be remembered by us till today. He is a celestial Tree giving away whatever you want if you deserve in a shortest possible time. He is called Kamadhenu and Kalpavriksa by devotees. In Sri Raghavendra Stotram, composed nby his der disciple Appanacharya, it is said that a recital of this Stotram, 108 times can cure any illness of Mind & Body, which has come true many times to many Devotees. his Miracles are those of God, as he was blessed as King Prahlada in his previous birth. 

 Enters Brindavanam  

Sri Raghavendra Tirtha  thus ruled the spiritual world for 50 years from 1621-1671 and decided to call off his physical appearance. He chose a small village Manchale, where he had performed a yajnwhen he was Prahladaraja, and ordered a Brindavan to be made well before. He entered  alive Brindavan in August 1671 by giving charge of Mutt to Sri Yogeendra Tirtharu.

Now, he stands in Mantralayam as ever blessing Saint, whom several thousands visit each day and get solace and blessings for a peaceful life. 

sri Madhvacharya and a Mughal ruler

Sri Madhvacharya  is said to have met Balban,  a fanatic Muslim of Delhi,    on the way to cross river Ganga. Acharya was going up Himalaya region with his disciples, he was stopped by his soldiers. The  King  spoke to  Acharya  in Persian which put in Sanskrit reads like this: 

रिपुन्रुपप्रणिधप्रतिशंकया 

 पथिक पाटन दीक्षितै: |

सुमुख ! पुरुषै: परुषै: कथं यमभटैरिव
 नासि विहिंसित: ? ॥ 

and also, 

 Aplavadeva Naditaranam te 

Hanta! katham chikershasi kim tvam? 

tam nigadantamiti prabhruteeha 

smaaha Maha Purushottama Daasah }} 

 (मध्वविजय -  10.15, 16.)  

Oh handsome saint ! how is it you were not attacked by my cruel soldiers of the King, ( suspecting you as a spy of some one) who are experts,  well trained in obstructing   who walk this way without my permission and rob them,  looking like messengers of Yama? 

Look at Sri Madhva's  reply: 

योसौ देवो विश्वदीप: प्रदीप्त:
 कुर्मस्सर्वम् तत्परानुग्रहेण । 

याम्स्तावत् तूर्णमाशामुदीचीं
 इत्याद्यं तद्भाषया चित्रवाक्यम् ॥

Sri Madhva replied in his own Persian language: 

 - Our Almighty shines in the whole Universe always, like Sun. He takes care of  all the happenings in this world like a sport. By His grace, I can do anything with ease. Acharya  was moving towards North. 

The King decided  to  offer half his Kingdom to this young and bright Saint. But Acharya smiled and.  rejected his offer. 

Madhva Vijaya records this event, as told by his close disciples, heard by Narayana Pandita, in his boyhood. Some say, the King was Allauddin or Balban at that time.