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.