पदवाक्य प्रमाणाब्धि विक्रीडन विशारदान्
लक्ष्मीनारयण मुनीन् वन्दे विद्या गुरून् मम ||
Sri vyasa Teertharu.
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Sri Sripadarajaru happens to be Dasa Sahitya Pitamaha, the Grand Sire of Haridasa Sahitya. . In fact, before him we find several names like sri Narahari Tirtharu, Achalananda Dasaru, but it was he who laid the Foundation for Bhajana Paddhati, singing Kannada Songs after Pooja in the evening regularly in his Mutt at Mulabagilu. He was a disciple of Sri Swarna Varna Tirtha, of Vibudhendra Mutt or Sri Padmanabha Tirtha lineage.
Born in a poor family at Abboru, near Channapatna in 1412, ( Some say he was born in Shiva Ganga near Srirangam, Tamil Nadu) Lakshmeenarayana was chosen as a disciple by Sri Swarnavarna Tirtharu at a very young age of 9.He was given Sanyasa and was given a thorough Knowledge of Madhwa Siddhanta. Sripadarajaru was first given Ashrama nama as Sri Lakshmee narayana Muni.
Once it so happened that Sri Raghunatha Tirtharu of Uttaradi Mutt, a renowned scholar by himself, found the young yati's depth in Grammar, Memamsa & Logic ( Pada, Vakya, Pramana ) and called him Sripadaraja. According to a Story, he seems to have said in Telugu,Manamantaa kevalam Sripadulaite meeru Sreepadaraajulu. , All of us are only Sanyasis, you are the King! when they happen to meet in a place near Andaam kovil, in Andhra TN border.
He toured India more than thrice, defeated all the puffed up scholars of West Bengal, Navadweep, Warrangal & some parts of Tamil Nadu. His Grukulam was very familiar in India.
Sripadarajaru showed many miracles by the grace of Gopinatha & Rangavitthala. He got the idol of Vitthala in Chandrabhaga river, when he visited Pandharpur in Maharashtra.
Sri Gopinatha Devaru was with the Mutt from the time of Sri Padmanabha Tirtharu, fist disciple of Acharya Madhwa.
He trained many disciples all over India, including Sri Vadirajaru & Vyasarajaru his dearest disciple. He selected Mulabagilu as his Tapovanam. He chose it with a reason. There was the holy presence of Sri Yoga Narasinmha installed by Sri Akshobhya Tirtharu. He built Nrisimha Tirtha, brought Ganga by his Yogic power for the benefit of poor people of Mulbagal. He lso installed a beautiful idol of Lakshmi narayana in Sripadaraja Mutt in the Town of Mulabagilu & Sundarapalya near Bangarapet, in Andhra Padesh Border.( it is very much unknown to many) He solved brahmahatya dosha of King SAlva Nrisimha when he massacred priests of Tirumala, when he found ornaments of Srinivasa on the wives & daughters in law of priests.
His Kritis
Sripadaraja started composing in the Ankita of Gopinatha a few compositions. Later when he found Ranga vitthala he changed his Ankita as Rangavitthala. He has composed many Kritis in Karnatak & Hindustani Ragas. One such rare Kriti is : Nanda nandana paahi, which can be sung in 9 Ragas !! This Information was given to me by late Prof. Rajagopalacharya of MGM College, when I was in Manipal. He was a great Musicologist. He took Sripadaraja songs from me, read it seriously and commented on it : Adbhuta.
His Sangeeta Jnana was marvellous, indeed Dhruva Chakravarti in his previous birth !! His main Compositions are Gopigeeta, Venugeeta, Bhramara geeta & Lakshmee Nrisimha pradurbhava Dandakam, and many popular Kritis like : Ittaange iruveno Hariye...., Kangalidyaatako...., Nanenu ninna beduvudilla Ranga...., and most important is Kannada Madhva vijaya: Madhva nama. Jaya Jaya Jagat traana ...
Sripadaraja Swamiji sent Sri Vyasaraja to worship lord Srinivasa, at Tirumala due to his old age for 12 yeasr, on the King's request as there was no daily Pooja for Srinivasa after the killing of priests there. His disciple Sri Vysarajaru has composed Sripadaraja Pancha Ratnamalika Stotram in praise of his Guru.
Vande Sripadaraajam Ruchitama hrudayam poojita Srisahayam
Nirdhootaasesha heyam nibhritashubha chayam Bhoomidevabhigeyam \
Viprebhyo datta deyam Shubhagunacharitam Khanditaseshamayam |
Nishtapta Svarnakayam Shubhaguna charitam Vadisanghairajeyam ||
Sripadarajaru entered Brindavan at Nrisimha Tirtha near Mulabagilu in Jyeshta masa of
1504.
