Sri Padmanabha Tirtha ( 1318-1324 )

Sri Padmanabha Tirtha is foremost among the direct disciples of Sri Madhvacharya. He was a distinguished scholar and was recognized and honoured by people of those times as 'The first disciple of Sri Madhwacharya'.

He has the greatest honour of lecturing on the Vedas before an assembly of great scholars and was acclaimed to be a master in expounding the meanings of the Vedas. He is known for his learning, intelligence, everlasting devotion, and detachment to worldly affairs, service to His guru, etc. With all these extraordinary qualities, he has rightly succeeded Sri Madhva in the pontificial seat of Sriman Madhvacharya to which almost all the present day mathas trace their root.

Sri Padmanabha Tirtha's name  before initiation into Sannyasa by Madhvacharya, was Shobhana Bhatta. He was a renowned Advaita Scholar, accomplished logician and had immense faith  in Veda, Mahabharata and Puranas. He is said to have hailed from a region close to the river Godavari Punatamba, Paithan, Maharsadhtra.

He has won over many a great scholar in debates and refuted all the prevalent systems of philosophy before he met and  was defeated by Sri Madhva in a famous debate. His defeat at the hands of Sri Madhvacharya  made the Shobhana Bhatta to renounce the world and accept sanyasa from Sri Madhwacharya.

We feel  how blessed Sri Padmanabha Tirtha was to have had the opportunity of being the direct disciple of the Sarvajna Jagadguru Sri Madhwacharya himself.

After he drank the 'makaranda' - nectar called Brahmasootra Bhasya from Madhva, Sri Padmanabha Tirtha found other's Bhashyas  shallow.

He was so impressed by the teachings of Sri Madhwacharya that he used to enthral the audience by comparing the works of Sri Madhva to a divine Kalpavriksha, capable of fulfilling all of one's desires. His conviction in the doctrine of Sri Madhva can be known from his statement before the audience that the result one gets by studying the works of Madhva is beyond words and thoughts.

He was accredited to be the first to write a commentary, on the great Bhasya of Sri Madhva, which ably brings out the true meaning of the Bhasya. The prolific commentator of Madhva, Sri Jayateertha, honours this great saint in his magnum opus Sriman Nyaya Sudha and pictures him as the serene land, auspicious enough to be the home of the lord of Laxmi, and an ocean which gave rise to a bunch of invaluable pearls called Sannyaya Ratnavali.

Sri Jayateertha owes his scholarship to Sri Padmanabha Tirtha while saying

स पद्मनाभ तीर्थाख्ययोगिनोस्तु दृशे मम |

न तत्तवमार्गे गमनम्  विना यदुपजीवनम्  ||

I adore Sri Padmanabha Tirtha and look upon him as my guide, without whom, we hardly can pass through understanding of tattvavaada of Acharya Madhva. 
His line of succession via Sri Lakshmeedhara Teertha is present Sripadaraja Matha, Mulabagilu, Kolar District of Karnataka. 

ಶ್ರೀ ಪದ್ಮನಾಭ ತೀರ್ಥರ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ವಿವರಗಳು ಈ ವರೆಗೂ ನಿಖರವಾಗಿ ತಿಳಿದುಬಂದಿಲ್ಲದಿರುವುದು ವಿಷಾದದ ಸಂಗತಿಯೇ ಸರಿ. ಶ್ರೀಮದಾಚಾರ್ಯರ ಮೊದಲ ಸಾಲಿನ ಶಿಷ್ಯವರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರಿದ ಶ್ರೀ ಪದ್ಮನಾಭ ತೀರ್ಥರೂ ಘಟ್ಟದ ಮೇಲಿನ ಎಲ್ಲ ಮಾಧ್ವ ಮಠಗಳಿಗೂ ಆದಿ ಗುರುಗಳೆನ್ನುವುದು ನಿರ್ವಿವಾದದ ವಿಷಯ. ಆ ನಂತರ ಅವರ ನೇರ ಪರಂಪರೆಯ ಶ್ರೀ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀಧರ ತೀರ್ಥರ ಬೃಂದಾವನ ಸ್ಥಳ ಈಗಿನ ಮಠದ ಮಾಹಿತಿಯಂತೆ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಜನ್ಮಭೂಮಿ ಎನಿಸಿರುವ ವೃಂದಾವನವೆಂದೇ ಹೇಳಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಿತ್ಯ ಪೂಜಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಇದೆಯೋ ಇಲ್ಲವೋ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಸಂಚಾರತ್ವೇನ ಅವರು ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದರು ಎನ್ನಬಹುದಾದರೂ, ಎಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪವೇ ಇಲ್ಲದಿರುವುದು ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯವೇ ಸರಿ. ಅವರ ನಂತರದ ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜ ಮಠದ ಯತಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಹುತೇಕರು ಶ್ರೀರಂಗಮ್,ಈರೋಡು, ಭವಾನಿ,  ಮುಳಬಾಗಿಲು, ಪಾಪಾರಪಟ್ಟಿ, ಮೊದಲಾದ ಹಲವು ಜಾಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವೃಂದಾವನಸ್ಥ್ರಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಒಬ್ಬರು ಅಬ್ಬೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ ತೀರ್ಥ ಸನ್ನಿಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ವೃಂದಾವನಸ್ಥರಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ವಿಶೇಷವೆಂದರೆ ಮುಳಬಾಗಿಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಎಣಿಕೆಯಷ್ಟು ಮಂದಿ ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜ ಮಠದ ಶಿಷ್ಯರಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಬಹುತೇಕರು ಶ್ರೀ ಸತ್ಯಪ್ರಿಯರು ಅಥವಾ ಅವರಿಗಿಂತ ಮೊದಲು ಉತ್ತರಾದಿ ಮಠೀಯರಾಗಿರುವುದು, ಕೆಲವರು ಶ್ರೀ ವ್ಯಾಸರಾಜ ಮಠದವರಾಗಿರುವುದೂ ಹೌದು.

ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜರಿಂದಲೇ ಈ ಮಠ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧಿ ಪಡೆದ ಕಾರಣ ಅದೇ ಹೆಸರಿನಿಂದ ವಾದಿರಾಜರ ಕಾಲದಿಂದಲೂ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಿತವಾಗಿದೆ. ವ್ಯಾಸನಕೆರೆ ಪ್ರಭಂಜನ ಅವರು ಹೇಳುವಂತೆ, ಬೇಲೂರಿನ ಸ್ತಂಭವೊಂದ ಮೇಲಿನ ‘ ಕಂಜನಾಭ ತೀರ್ಥರು ಪದ್ಮನಾಭ ತೀರ್ಥರೆಂದು ಕೇವಲ ಊಹಿಸಬಹುದು. ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ, ಅಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಮಾಧ್ವ ಮಠವಿರಬೇಕಾಗಿತ್ತು, ಆದರೆ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ವಾದಿರಾಜರ ಮಾತು

‘  ಲಕ್ಸ್ಮೀನಾರಾಯಣಮುನೇಃ ವಿಬುಧೆಂದ್ರಾರ್ಯ ಯೋಗಿನಃ |

ವ್ಯಾಸತೀರ್ಥ ಮುನೇಶ್ಚಾಪಿ “ ಜಯತೀರ್ಥಾದಿರೇವ ಹಿ||

ಎಂಬ ಶ್ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಿತವಾಗಿರುವ ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜ ಮಠ, ವಿಬುಧೇಂದ್ರ ಮಠ( ಈಗಿನ ರಾಯರ ಮಠ) ವ್ಯಾಸರಾಜ ಮಠ – ಈ ಮಠತ್ರಯಕ್ಕೂ ಶ್ರೀ ಜಯತೀರ್ಥರು “ ಆದಿ ಗುರುಗಳಾಗಿ’ ಆದರಣೀಯರೆನಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜರು ಸುಳ್ಳು ಹೇಳುವ ಅಗತ್ಯವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಕಾರಣ ಅವರು ಉಡುಪಿಯ ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಷ್ಣುತೀರ್ಥ ( ಸೋದೇ) ಮಠದ ಯತಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಶ್ರೀ ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜ-ಶ್ರೀ ವ್ಯಾಸರಾಜರ ನಿಕಟ ಪರಿಚಯವಿದ್ದವರು. ಒಂದು ಸಂಪ್ರದಾಯದಂತೆ ಶ್ರೀ ವ್ಯಾಸತೀರ್ಥರೆ ವಾದಿರಾಜರ ವಿದ್ಯಾಗುರುಗಳು ಎಂಬ ನಂಬಿಕೆ ಇದೆ. ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ ಅಶ್ವಧಾಟಿಯ “ ದ್ವೈಪಾಯನೋತ್ತಮ...’ ಎಂಬ ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜಸ್ತೋತ್ರವಿದೆ.

ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತಪಡಿಸುವುದಿಷ್ಟೆ. ಭೌಗೋಳಿಕ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಂದಾಗಿ, ಮಾಧ್ವರು ಹಲವು ಮಠಗಳ ಶಿಷ್ಯರಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಮೂಲ ಗುರುಗಳು ಶ್ರೀಮನ್ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರೆ ಅಲ್ಲವೇ? ತಮ್ಮ ಅಂತ್ಯಕಾಲ ಸಮೀಪಿಸಿದಾಗ, ಅವರು ಅಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ವೃಂದಾವನಸ್ಥರಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಂಥಾ ಸರಳ ಸತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳದೆ ನಮ್ಮದು ಮೂಲ ಮಠ ಎಂದು ಯಾರೂ ಕಚ್ಚಾಡುವ ಅಗತ್ಯವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಎಲ್ಲ ಮಾಧ್ವ ಮಠಗಳಿಗೂ ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವರು, ಶ್ರೀ ಪದ್ಮನಾಭ ತೀರ್ಥರು ಮೂಲ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಥಮ ಗುರುಗಳು ಎಂದರ್ಥಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡರೆ ಸಾಕು. ನಮ್ಮ 100ಮಂದಿ ಮಾಧ್ವರಲ್ಲಿ 4 ಮಂದಿ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ ಬಲ್ಲವರು, ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಾಧ್ಯಯನ ಮಾಡಿದವರು, ಉಳಿದವರು ಹರಿದಾಸರ ಮೂಲಕವೋ ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯ ಅನುವಾದಿತ ಗ್ರಂಥಗಳ ಸಹಾಯದಿಂದಲೋ ಯಥಾ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಮಧ್ವಮತದ ಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತವನ್ನು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಅರಿತವರು. ಆದರೆ ಮಠದ ವಿಷಯ ಬಂದಾಗ ನಮ್ಮದೇ ಮೂಲ ಮಠ ಎಂದು ವಾದಿಸುವುದು ನಿರರ್ಥಕ ಮತ್ತು ವಿಹಿತವಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ನನ್ನ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ.

Sri Vyasa Tatvajnaru ( 1750-1800)

Sri Vyasa Tatvajnaru ( ಶ್ರೀ ಶ್ರೀ ವ್ಯಾಸತತ್ವಜ್ಞ ತೀರ್ಥರು) (1750-1800)

Sri Vyasa Tatvajna tirtha is a free ( Bidi Sannyasi) sanyasi, not with Mathadhipatya, chosen by him, which shows his Jnana, Bhakti and utmost Vairagya. He was born as Ayiji Venkataramanacharya son of Narasimhacharya a great Scholar & disciple of Bhuvanendra Tirtharu of Sri Raghavendra Mutt. He, like other Scholars had scant regard for Haridasas, in his  earlier days of just scholarship. .
One day his wife was singing a Kriti  of Gopala Dasaru:
ವಗತನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಖವಿಲ್ಲ ಅದ ನಾನೊಲ್ಲೆನೆಂದರೆ ಬಿಡದಲ್ಲಾ
ಹಗರಣ ಜಗದೊಳು ಮಿಗಿಲಾಯಿತು ಪನ್ನಗಶಯನ ನಗರ ನಿವಾಸ॥
Vagatanadalli Sukhavilla adanoolenendare bidadalla
hagaraNa jagadolu migilaayitu pannag shyana nagaranivasaa |
........................................
..
' There is no happiness in being rich, but even if I refuse it, it haunts me. Having more money is creating more problems than I can handle..
He was very much impressed by this Devaranama. But his ego as Nyaya Sudha Paundit did not allow him to meet Bhaganna, whom he thought a good Astrologer of that region. One day, he has to go there to know his son's future. Gopaladasaru said: 'Achaarre, Barree, Magana chinti hatyadenu? Ava bhaala dodda Vidvamsa agtana bidri, chinti byada'. He sent Venkataranarsimhacharya home with due respects. After listening to this Kriti with depth of Spiritual thought, he was attracted to Dasaru. His son was already in his company.
One day it was almost midnight. Dasaru & Venkataramana had not done Sandyavandanam, which he never missed. Dasaru understood his dilemma. He said: Look at the Sky. Sun was just setting down. Both completd their Sandyavandane.
Meanwhile Sri Bhuvanendra Swamiji was informed about this brilliant Boy of Ayiji. He sent word to him. Gopala Dasru advised him to take Sanyasa. Sri Bhuvanendra ( Vasudhendra) was ready to nominate Venkataramnacharya as his successor. He taught him Shastra. Panditya . Jnana were ripe in him. After a few days he started moving with Dasaru. He preferred to remain out of Mutt. His Guru appointed another Shishya as his successor.

One Example of his Kriti:
ನ್ಯಾಯವೇನೈ ಇದು ಮೂಢ
ಜಯ ಬೇಡುವೆ ಗಾಢ |ಪ|

ಜನರನೆರಹಿಕೊಂಡು ಕಪಟ
ವಿನಯಗಳನೆ ತೋರುತಲಿ
ವನಜನಾಭನ ಗುಣಗಳ ಹೆಳಿ
ಧನವ ತರುವುದಿದು ಮೂಢ |೧|

ಪರಮಪದನರುಹಿದ
ಗುರು ಸಮೀರ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವನು
ಪರಧನ ಬಯಸಿ ಅವರಿ
ಗರುಹಿಸುವುದಿದು ಮೂಢ |೨|

ಈಶನುತನಾದ ನಮ್ಮ
ವಾಸುದೇವವಿಠಲನ
ದಾಸರ ದಾಸ್ಯವ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ನರರ
ದಾಸನೆನಿಸೋದಿದು ಮೂಢ |೩|

Sri Vyasatatvajna Swamiji has wriitten many Tippanees on Jayatirtha & Vyasaraja works. His Rasarajnee on Nyayasudha Sudha is famous Tippani. Later he settled down in Veni Sompura on the banks of Tungabhadra and continued his Tapas, Dasa-Vyas koota Services. He attained Haripada there on Shravana Bahula AShtamee, this year on 22 Aug. Let us seek his blessings. I will post more about his krits later.
'Venu Soma Pura' is sanctified by its association with deity Shodasubahu Narasimha Deva and Saint Vyasa Tatvajna Teertha the great devotee of the Lord Vishnu, Prana Devaru installed by Sri Vyasa Raja.

Dharmo bhavatu saddharma: MaaragaNaasaantu maargaNaa: |
vahinee vaahinee RAjan ! Syaadaraati paraajayah||

A Riddle given by Sri Vyasa Tatvajnaru to the local ruler Rama BHoopaala when he was attacked by two armies on either sides. He said: Let your Kshatriya Dharma be genuine( Bow be strong) Let Tungabhadra - Krishna overflow, you will win over. It was scorching March. Yey there was a folld overnight. The enemies whom he feared were killed without war. Such is Tapobala of Sri swamigaLu.
HIS WORKS
ಗ್ರಂಥಗಳು -
* ಮಾನಸಸ್ಮ್ರುತಿ ( ಉಪಾಸನಾಭಾಗ )
* ಸಪ್ತಮಸ್ಕಂದ ಭಾಗವತಕ್ಕೆ ಮಂದನಂದಿನಿ ಎಂಬ ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನ
* ಗಾಯತ್ರಿ ಸಾರ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ
* ಶ್ರೀಮನ್ಯಾಯಸುಧಾ ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನ
* ಉಭಯಾನೌಚಿತಿ
* ಸುಧಾದ್ಯುಕ್ತಿರಹಸ್ಯ
* ನ್ಯಾಯಮೃತ ಮಕ್ಷಿಕಾವ್ಯಜನ
* ತಾತ್ಪರ್ಯಚಂದ್ರಿಕಾ ಶರದಾಗಮ
*ಅದ್ವೈತ ಕುಟ್ಟನ
* ನ್ಯಾಯದಮನ
* ಕುಲಿಶ
*ಶ್ರೀಮದ್ಬಿಷ್ಣುತತ್ವನಿರ್ಣಯಕ್ಕೆ "ಲಘುಪ್ರಭಾ" ಮತ್ತು " ಗುರುಪ್ರಭಾ" ಎಂಬ ಎರಡು ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನಗಳು.
* ಯತಿಪ್ರಣವಕಲ್ಪ ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನ
How to reach Venisompura:  After visiting Mantralayam, you can take vehicle to Venisompura, also managed by SRS Matha.

Sri Prasanna Venkatadasaru ( 1680- 1752)

 

Sri Prasanna Venkata Dasaru  was born in 1680 at Bagalkote,  on the banks of the river Ghataprabha. Bagalkot in Vijayapura  District.  He was born in a small family of his Parents, Two brothers, one of them, elder married.The elder brother was Raghavendracharya and younger one was Venkanna. Kaveramma was the name of the brother's wife.

Raghavendracharya had the privilege  of  little education while his father was alive, along with Pourohitya in the village.  It was not difficult for him to meet the family demands. In addition to this, he was earning some from Agriculture, shared with brothers, inherited from their ancestors. Venkanna’s parents passed away when he was very young. Naturally, he had no formal schooling and worked hard in the fields.

Venkanna's sister-in-law was a very a rude  woman.  She asked him to do all jobs at home and field, at her beck & call, and she never fed him on time. He almost had no playful childhood with family burden on his shoulders.

Venkanna, by nature was a calm boy with  patience, doing all jobs which has been assigned to him, but once he lost his patience and calm,  showed his anger,  when he was not fed properly by his sister-in-law and  insulted by his sister in-law’s cruel treatment at home. also she ill treated him. He left home without telling even his brother.

Venkanna was a boy who had undeterred faith in God. He had learnt a few devotional songs just by hearing them from those who sang on festive occasions. Most of the evenings,  he  attended religious lectures and recital of the stories of Sri Hari's devotees although he would be completely exhausted  by doing domestic & farming work.  He had  keen  interest to listen to the stories of Bhaktas. Though he was not very clever in learning,  he had wisdom devotion to Lord Sri Hari and understood what the scriptures related..

Once it so happened much to his surprise, a Divine voice called him to Tirupati abode of Lord Srinivasa and  he left home.  He was very much eager to see the Lord of Seven Hills and get his blessings. On his way to Tirumala, Venkanna reached the  holy town of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji,  Mantralya, situated on the banks of river Tungabhadra. On account of divine presence of Guru Raghvendra swamy, Mantralaya is indeed  the abode of 'mantras'. Reaching the place of  hallowed presence of Guru Raghavendra, Venkanna felt happy  as if he was in the very presence of Srinivasa. He wished to stay for three days there, however and extended  his stay up to  three years there. Venkanna was blessed by the holy sight  of Sri  Raghavendra Swami in his dream,  who said " Venkanna! Lord Srinivasa is waiting for you. Go there my boy immediately".

Venkanna was extremely happy  by this  dream. He left Matralayam, to Tirumala Hills, with a group of pilgrims.  While he  started to climb the Hills, at one of the cliffs it looked as though Lord Srinivasa's large image had been carved out of it with round smiling face, bearing a beautiful crown, with four hands and a bold stature. Venkanna raised  both his hands in prayer  and cried aloud " Hare Srinivasa Srinivasa"!. He went to Kapilatirtha and Galigopura and had darshan of Kapilesaraswami and Lord Narasimha.

Along with other pilgrims Venkanna entered the temple of Srinivasa. When he  stood  before the majestic, graceful image of the Lord,  his joy knew no bounds.  He lifted his hands high up in salutation and  scremed in sheer joy,  "Srinivasa!!!". He gained normalcy from ecstasy,  only when the temple servants thrashed  him with a rolled up deerskin, asking him to leave the place. Venkanna emerged from the inner shrine and went around it on the outside. He saw some of the Haridasas and others engaged in Samkirtanam  singing the glories of God. He joined with them. After some time the priests brought food offered to God and distributed it among those that had gathered there.

The inspiring darshan of Lord Srinivasa, participation in the Samkirtan congregation, prasadam distributed by the archak every afternoon made Venkanna extremely happy and made him stay for four years on  Tirumala Hills.

One night Sri Raghavendra Swami appeared  again in Venkanna's dream and said "Venkanna God will soon give His darshan to you". Venkanna sat up startled and cried: ‘  Where is my Lord? where is my Srinivasa!!. He was in the silent dark mantapam  where he slept.

Early next morning,  as usual he joined the crowd to have darshan of Srinivasa. He was in the forefront of the group that entered the inner shine. Outside it had begun to rain. Venkanna had darsan at close quarters. Gazing at the blissful image of Srinivasa, tears of joy swelled in Venkanna's eyes. Instead of the image, there appeared a big tambura and a hand playing on its strings!!.  Suddenly, he saw the form  of Purandara Dasaru there. There appeared a small image of Srinivasa in the master's heart. There was another big image of the Lord standing behind him. A ray from that image emerged and entered deep  into Venkanna;s heart. He was thrilled to highest degree and broke down with joy and horropilation. Lord Srinivasa came close to  him and scribbled with a darbha grass,  on his tongue, the word Prasanna Venkata and disappeared.

Venkanna got up and  stood looking at the  majestic image of Srinivasa and began to  sing in his praise in a mellow voice. Formerly he used to come for darshan and walk out quietly. Seeing him singing  a melodious song  on that day,  made the gathering of Dasas & devotees  surprised. Now Venkanna was not just the old himself, he seemed to have forgotten the world around  him. With tears of joy, he went on singing one song after another,  with dancing steps using his hands as cymbals.

The same night, the Mahant of the temple had a dream. Lord Srinivasa showed Venkanna to him and said: "This is Prasanna Venkata Dasa, my great devotee. Treat him with all Temple  honour, make arrangements for his comfortable stay". Later Mahant met Prasanna Venkata Dasaru  on the temple platform,  prostrated and conveyed the message of his dream and invited Prasanna Venkata Dasaru  to have darshan of Sri Venkateshwara. Venkanna  just uttered "Srinivasa all this is your will!". From that day onwards, Venkanna became Prasanna Venkata Dasaru  and he got respect and honour during his stay  on  Tirumala.

His brother came to know all these miracles happened to Venkanna, from pilgrims  and went to Tirupathi, requested him to return  to his house. The people of Bagalakote were glad to see their Venkappaiah coming out as Prasanna Venkata Dasaru. He adorned his head with  a saffron turban, which also covered his back, strings of tinkling bells tied round his ankles. He had tambura hanging by the shoulder in front and a pair of clatter-cymbals in the left hand.

Sri Prasanna Venkata Dasaru went round in the town every morning singing glories of Sri Hari and teaching people the moral path that would lead them on to reach the Happy Abode of Vaikunta.

Sri Prasanna Venkata Dasaru used to spend his  time in meditating upon God's greatness, in singing His glory and in composing songs and stories of God. "Samastanama manigana shatcarana" is one of his longer poems, which is almost like Sri Vishnusahasranama. "Naradaru Korvanji Vesha talida caritre" is full of humour, telling how Narada Maharshi put on the role of a sooth-sayer woman,  and assured Rukmini Devi that Sri Krishna only would be her husband. He has rendered into simple beautiful Kannada stories from  Srimad Bhagavatam. The themes dearest to his heart are those about the childhood pastimes of Sri Krishna. His ankitha as Haridasa is "Prasanna Venkata".

Many of his songs are familiar to people in North Karnataka. In Bagalkote, each year  his punya dina is celeberated on Bhadrapada Masa Suddha Dvadashi of 1752.  Even today one can see in Bagalkot the single-stringed accompaniment ( Ekatari)  used by Sri Prasanna Venkata dasaru.

ಸತತ ಕಳ್ಯಾಣವಚ್ಯುತ ಭಟರಿಗೆ 

ರತಿಪತಿಪಿತನಂಘ್ರಿರತ ಮಹಾತ್ಮರಿಗೆ ||

ಅರಿಗಳ ಸಖರಕ್ಕು ಅತಿವಿಷಮೃತವಕ್ಕು

ಶರಧಿ ಗೋಷ್ಪದವಕ್ಕು ಶರಘಾತ ಬೆಂಡಾಕ್ಕು

ನರಹರಿಯ ನಾಮವನು ನಂಬಿ ಭಜಿಪರಿಗೆ ||

ಆಧಿವ್ಯಾಧಿಗಳಿಲ್ಲ ಅಶುಭವಾರ್ತೆಗಳಿಲ್ಲ|

ಕ್ರೋಧನೃಪಭಯವಿಲ್ಲಾ ಕಾಕುಮತಿಯಿಲ್ಲ||

ಖೇದ ಮನಕಿಲ್ಲೆಂದು ಖಿನ್ನತೆಯು ಮುಖಕಿಲ್ಲಾ|

ಶ್ರೀಧವನ ನವಭಕುತಿಶೀಲರಿಗೆ||

ಪಾಪತಾಪಗಳೋಟ ಪರಿದು ಬಹು ಎಡರ್ಗೋಟ

ಆಪತ್ತುಗಳಿಗೋಟ ಆಲಸ್ಯಕೋಟ |

ಕೋಪದಾರಿದ್ರ್ಯಕೋಟ ಕಲಿವ್ಯಸನಮದಕೋಟ

ಶ್ರೀಪ್ರಸನ್ವೇಂಕಟನ ನಂಬಿ ಭಜಿಪರಿಗೆ ||

At Kuala Lumpur

  After a long time from my hibernation at home due to various reasons,  I  made up my mind to travel.  My daughter  took  me to that Island Country of prosperity, mixed cultures, unexpected weather et al., but  an extremely beautiful place of interest, Kuala lumpur, - Malaysia. .

This Malaysian capital has recorded History of not earlier to 1800s. People thronged there in search of livelihood from neighboring China, Sri Lanka, India and a group of Islands, nearby. Kua Lumpur derived its name as a City in the confluence of two rivers. Gombak & Silent river! In the language of Malaysia, Malayan, it means " muddy waters", which has developed in leaps and bounds in less than Two centuries.
Labourers from nearby India, China & Hing Kong, Indonesia came here for then newly discovered loads of Tin Ore, Lime Stone, various other ores, enough to make this a rich country for Mining Industry.                                                            

 The early rulers were Muslim Kings, along with few Indian businessmen and Chinese investors. In less than a century, Malaysia developed as a Tourist spot of attraction with neighbouring China Sea, more than 150 islands, highlands... which made British settlers to build Fort George and Ship Industry. Ores were shipped from here as labour was very cheap.
The Central Market, one of Kuala Lumpur's Market places is a one stop Market for local items like White Coffee, Oats, Berrys, Cinnamon and dry fruits.
There are several Buddhist shrines here in Penang, and they were early settlers.

INDIANS:
Kuala Lumpur has at least 17-20% of Indian population, most of whom are Tamils, Muslims, and very few Telugu people, and scanty Kannada speaking people.
Many Indian temples have come up during the Pillais, who were rich miners & business men from Tamil Nadu, also Chettiars,and Srilankans.
There are quite few Mariyamman Temples, Srinivasa Perumal, Pulliyar Ganesha, Shiva temples. The famous Batu Cave, has a Cave temple of Murugan, Subrahmanya...Pattu= Ten lime stone made caves are known as Batu Caves, where a gentleman from Pillai family has made huge contribution to improve the natural Cave,  the entrance to which looked like Vel of Murugan.

Buddha Image , Penang.

 I could  see Indians in Temples, Little India, Times Square, and quite a few other places near the sea.

Twin Towers built during Colonial Regime is no less interesting. T he towers were designed by Argentine architect Cesar Pelli. They chose a distinctive postmodern style to create a 21st-century icon for Kuala Lumpur. Planning on the Petronas Towers started on 1 January 1992 and included rigorous tests and simulations of wind and structural loads on the design. Seven years of construction followed at the former site of the original Selangor Turf Club, beginning on 1 March 1993 with excavation, which involved moving 500 truckloads of earth every night to dig down 30 metres (98 ft) below the surface.

The construction of the superstructure commenced on 1 April 1994. Interiors with furniture were completed on 1 January 1996, the spires of Tower 1 and Tower 2 were completed on 1 March 1996.
Statue of Cornwalils, George Town, Penang.

Sea shore. George Town, .Penang Malaysia....

Being the capital city of Penang, George Town plays an important role especially in the political and economic welfare of the population of the entire state. It is the seat of the state government where almost all of their ministries and agencies are based. Most of the Malaysian federal government agencies and departments are also located in George Town. The Penang State Legislative Assembly is located between Light Street and Farquhar Street near Fort Cornwallis.

MALL CULTURE

Kuala Lumpur has numerous Malls, to make available all their fashion needs, clothing, Crats made by Chinese artisans... All Malls have tight security most of the time since a huge number of tourists from other countries  visit 24/7 here. 

CURRENCY:

Currency in Malaysia is Ringgit, almost Rs 20/in India equals a Ringgit here. 

FAMILIES:

Generally Malays local or otherwise live with their parents, and there is no control over population, probably due to rich oil refineries, and following Islam, though Moderate Muslims are local Malaysians. 

Soon you land in KL international Airport.. you are lost! They have English Boards... but seldom clear.. I learnt few words- Basuk= Entry, Keluar= Exit..Bandaraaya- Municipal Corporation.. Jalan= Street..Putra=Native ..Puteri= local ladies... Jaya= Nagar...Kanak-Kanak= KIds( Chille-palle ) Awas= Caution... Customs- Kastams..Condominium- large Apartments..DudukDuduk= Seats.. Salamat- Welcome.. More.. later:)
RM ringgit tandas - toilet. Wanita lady..lelaki Man !!

These are some words I learnt during my Month-long stay at this warm place, with people sporting a head gear, a typical Malaysian dress for Men & women, greeting people with a little smile on their small, pale face.