Raghavendra Tirtha

Poverty-stricken Parimalacharya

Once Parimalacharya was through with his educational stint with Sudhindra Tirtha, he returned to Bhuvanagiri and married a virtuous woman, Sarawathi, who was his true “ardhangini”. They shared an extremely loving relationship. In due course, a son, Lakshminarayana, was born to them. Through this entire journey, poverty was their constant companion.

Parimalacharya had to feed his disciples, in addition to imparting knowledge, as was the custom of the day. Helpful neighbours and well-wishers contributed in kind, but it was never enough. It was around these desperate times that the well-known incident of the sandal paste occurred.

Parimalacharya went to a nearby town seeking out a man known for his generosity towards learned brahmins. He was warmly welcomed by this man, but was soon left on his own as the man was busy arranging a grand pooje. There were numerous invitees who were known to each other and formed their own groups. Parimalacharya was all alone and was reciting mantras quietly when the officiating priest’s eyes fell on this lone man. The priest spoke rudely to Parimalacharya, as most people do to others lower than themselves in rank, and ordered him to generate sandal paste for the entire retinue of brahmins.

Parimalacharya carried out the ardous task silently, continuing to chant mantras. But he was truly saddened at the state of his affairs and for the first time in his life wondered whether a morsel of food was worth this humiliation.

The sandal paste was passed around and applied. The brahmins developed blisters and boils as if burnt and were seen screaming in pain. The priest was asked about the source of the paste and he confessed to have rudely ordered a learned brahmin to grind the paste. It was learnt that Parimalacharya was chanting the Agni Suktha, which had manifested itself as the burning power of the sandal paste.

Parimalacharya was politely requested to alleviate people’s suffering and he chanted the Varuna Suktha and sprinkled water offering immediate relief. (Some say he ground more paste chanting the Varuna Suktha).

Following this disillusionment, he returned to Bhuvanagiri, where the last straw on the camel’s back was a burglary. Burglars made away with the few vessels and meagre possesssions from his house. Parimalacharya took the momentous decision to go back to Kumbakonam, back to his mentor, Sudhindra Tirtha.

Kumbakonam

Parimalacharya quickly settled into a comfortable routine at the matha and was happy with his new circumstances. Gradually, an ageing Sudhindra Tirtha’s health declined and he asked Parimalacharya to take over the matha. Parimalacharya declined. After repeated requests, Sudhindra Tirtha finally appointed his nephew as the new sanyaasi to handle the affairs of the matha. But when this new sanyaasi was away, Sudhindra Tirtha’s health deteriorated and he again implored Parimalacharya. Parimalacharya was most reluctant to give up his life of a householder, owing to his love and affection towards his wife and son.

After more coaxing and worsening health of Sudhindra Tirtha, and a visit by “Vagdevi”(Sarawathi) in Parimalacharya’s dream, he finally conveyed his decision to renounce the life of a householder to his wife.

Traumatised at the turn of events, Saraswathi ended her life by jumping into a well. (This was an “apamruthyu” and a soul that does not complete its full term in the body due to untimely death, spends the rest of its allocated years wandering as a “pishachi”.)

The first miracle of the new sanyaasi, Raghavendra Tirtha, was to rid his erstwhile wife of her “pishachi” janma.

The prophecies

Once, three astrologers from afar came to Kumbakonam. Raghavendra Tirtha presented them a horoscope, which each of the three astrologers had to cast a lifespan too, independently.

All three agreed that they had never come across such a wonderful horoscope. The first one prophesised a lifespan of 100, the second one said 300, the third one said 700.

The people around were surprised when Raghavendra Tirtha told the three of them that they were all right! They asked him, whose unique horoscope was this that had three supposedly true prophecies? To which he replied, “It belongs to this pujari of Moola Raama.”

Raghavendra Tirtha explained that 100 was the lifespan of his physical body, 300 the years of relevance/influence of his grantha ‘Parimala’ and 700 the period of power/benevolence of his ‘Brindavana’.