Venu Gopala Krishna, Vyasaraja Matha, Mulabagilu.

 VENUGOPALA KRISHNA, MULABAGILU.

( Photo Courtesy: Vyasaraja Anjaneya, Bengaluru)

Sri Vyasatirtharu was a student of Sri Lakshminarayana Yogi ( Sripadarajaru) at Mulabagilu, before he moved to Kanchipuram. There are at least 3 monuments related to Vyasarajaru at Mulabagilu. he has consecrated Sanjiva Rayaru at Sripadaraja Matha, and at Narasimha tirtha also, There's a cave in Narasimha tirtha vicinity next to Narasimha srine, where he did daily ahnika and manana.

He had a Mutt at the town where he appointed one Sri Prajna tirtha to manage a Gurukulam for students, being one among 9 he started. A beautuful statue of Venugopala is inside the Matha in the town.

ನಮ್ಮೂರು ಮುಳಬಾಗಿಲಿನ ಒಳಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹೊರವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಲವಾರು ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನಗಳಿವೆ; ಕೆಲವಕ್ಕೆ ನಿತ್ಯ ಪೂಜೆಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ವಾರ ಪೂಜೆ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತದೆ. ಪ್ರತಿ ಭಾನುವಾರ ಗುಡಿ ಸುತ್ತುವುದು ನಾವು ಕೆಲವರ ಕೆಲಸ. ನಮ್ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿಸ್ಟರಿ ಓದುವುದು, ಬಿಎ ಮಾಡುವುದು ತೀರ ಶ್ರೀಮಂತರ ಸೋಮಾರಿಗಳ ರೀತಿ; ಸೈನ್ಸು ಓದುವರು ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತರು, ಬಹುಶಃ ಈಗಲು ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಇದೆ. ಇಂಜಿನೀಯರಿಂಗ್ ಓದಿದವರು ಪರಮ ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತರು! ಮ್ಯಾಥ್ಸ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿಯೋರೇ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಹಾಗೆ!

ಹೀಗಿರುವಾಗ, ದೇವಾಲಯ ಸುತ್ತುವವರಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಎಂಜಿಕೆ ( ಅವರಿಲ್ಲ), ಕುರುಡುಮಲೆಯ ನರಸಿಂಹನ್ ( ಕಾಲೇಜು ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಇಲಾಖೆ ಉಪನಿರ್ದೇಷಕರಾಗಿ ಈಗ ನಿವೃತ್ತ, ಆದರೆ ಕಾರ್ಯ ನಿರತ) , ಪ್ರಭಾಕರ ರಾವ್, ಹೀಗೆ ಹಲವರು ಇರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ನಾವು ಪರಮ ಕುತೂಹಲಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋದಾಗ, ಬಾಗಿಲು ಮುಚ್ಚಿಯೋ, ಯಾರೋ ಒಬ್ಬ ವೃದ್ಧ ಬೀಡಿ ಸೇದುತ್ತಾ, ತೆಲುಗುನಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ತನಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಕಥೆ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ. ಶಾಸನಗಳು

ಒಗೆಯುವ ಕಲ್ಲುಗಳಾಗಿ ಅದರ ಮೇಲೆ ಬಟ್ಟೆ ತೊಳೆಯುವ ಸಾಧನಗಳಾಗಿದ್ದವು. ಅಕ್ಷರ ತಿಳಿಯುತ್ತಲೇ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯಾಸರಾಜ ಮಠವಿತ್ತು, ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ವೇಣುಗೋಪಾಲ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಅತಿ ಸುಂದರ ವಿಗ್ರಹವಾಗಿ ಪೂಜೆಗೊಳ್ಲುತ್ತಿದ್ದ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ತುಳಸೀ ಕಟ್ತೆಯೋ ವ್ರುಂದಾವನವೋ ಇದ್ದು, ಅದರ ಮುಂದೆ ಕರವ ಮುಗಿದ ಮುಖ್ಯಪ್ರಾಣ ವಿಗ್ರಹ ಮುದ್ದಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಶ್ರೀ ವ್ಯಾಸತೀರ್ಥರು ಮುಳಬಾಗಿಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀಪಾದರಾಜರ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದಾಗ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಿರಬಹುದು. ಈಗ ಕಟ್ತಡ ಹಳೆಯದಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ, ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದುರಸ್ತಿಯಾಗಿ ವೇಣುಗೋಪಾಲನ ಸ್ಥಳ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಯಾಗಿದೆ; ಮುಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಪೀಠದ ಹತ್ತಿರ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಪ್ರಾಣನಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಸುಮಾರು 1550-80 ರ ಅವಧಿಯ ಈ ಸುಂದರ ವಿಗ್ರಹ ಸುಮಾರು ಜನರ ಕಣ್ನಿಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದಿಲ್ಲ. ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ಇದು ಮಠದ ಒಳಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿದೆ.

ಫೋಟೋ ಕೃಪೆ: ಶ್ರೀ ವ್ಯಾಸರಾಜ ಆಂಜನೇಯ . ( ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು)

My tryst with our Swamiji

Sri Satyapramoda Tirtha swamiji has left a very strong impression on me as a small boy at Mulabagilu. He used to visit our town quite often enroute Chennai/Tirumala. As young boys learning Stotras, Madhvavijaya, Manimanjari and Tirthaprabandha at that age, we at least me, was very curious to recite what i knew and get blessings from Swamiji like him.

Uttaradi math has a very large shishya following since most of Madhvas from Uttara Karnataka are dedicated Shishyas since long. Since other Mathas like Raghavendra Matha is at Mantralayam, out of Karnataka, those who lived in Bellari area and Raichur, Bagalkote, Vijayaur were distributed among UM and SRM. Old Mysore Madhvas folowed Vyasaraja matha, Sripadaraja Matha, and we had no link with Udupi Mathas.

Once it so happened that Sri Satyapramodaru was expected at Mulbagal on his way back from Tirumala. He never visited the town as it was not his territory of North Karnataka Shishyas. Strange enough, many of us were taken to Uttaradi Matha fold long ago, for some reason of being Deshasthas, some of whom spoke Marathi at home. We visited Sripadaraja Matha, regularly but have to take Mudra only at bengaluru from UM Swamiji.

Those who did not follow this, were ostracized for transgressing UM. As a boy naturally, I was unaware of this. My father was a disciple of Sri Dayanidhi Tirtha Swamij of Sripadaraja Matha, as his Vidyaguru.

I was very eager to recite what Iknew before 'Our' Swamiji, who did not com inside the town, waiting at the outskirts. He arrived in a small Jeep with few disciples and our Guru Sri Vattangadu Hayagrivacharya, his disciple took us before him. Each of us prostrated before him. my Guru prompted me to recite Shlokas I knew, in fact, i had known by memory all 1008 shlokas of Madhva Vijaya. He asked me at random, which I could promptly recite, which made him happy. He smiled and asked our Acharya as to who I was. He reported I am the son of so and so... Immediately, his face turned red and gave me some Mantrakshata and a grand dakshina of 50ps coin! My batchmate was asked to recite, he blabbered and got a royal Rs. 5/ as dakshina.

I was about to cry at the insult, and returned home. Later, my father related me how he was served Bahishkara, for not taking Shastra Patha from UM pandit, insted SPM Swamiji! Another blunder he made was following Ekadashi at Udupi as per local Panchangam. Laer he was asked to pay a sum to some project at Hospete. He as a devout person romptly sent 800/ per month, a royal sum then in 1965, till a sum of RS 25000/ was fulfilled. Later, after my MA degree my father took me to him, he smiled and enquired about my further plan, I still wonder why he behaved like 2 JIvas in one frame I am yet to get an answer from Sri Hari, only Him!