Raghavendra Tirtha

Anthyajanu tanditta saasuveya sweekarisi…

… Raamanige naivedya maadidhe, Acharya nee dharma saaridhe… goes a song eulogising Rayaru.

Once Raghavendra Tirtha came across a man of low-birth (Holeya) carrying out strenuous physical labour. He remarked, “What is this Kanaka? What has become of you?” To which, the man equally insightful, replies, “Oh my guru Vyaasa Tirtha, help me rid myself of this janma.” Upon Rayaru’s request to contribute something to the matha, the poor man (Kanaka in his previous birth) could only afford a fistful of mustard seeds (saasve). Now this was considered blasphemous by the orthodox as the period of time then was Chaaturmaasa (a four month period). During Chaaturmaasa, a special diet that excludes various grains, vegetables, sour ingredients etc, is followed by traditional Maadhwa community.

Rayaru dismissed their objections by saying, “Do you know who he is? He’s the one who showed me God in my previous birth! Not only now, but this practice of using mustard seeds even when it is forbidden, will be a token of our tribute to Kanaka.”

Time and again, pontiffs and evolved souls have thus unhesitatingly broken rules and established traditions.

A scholar called Srinivasacharya approached Rayaru around this time and sought sanyaasa. The new sanyaasi, Srinivasa Tirtha, was upset by the use of mustard seeds during the “Vratha” period and got himself a meal cooked separately without the mustard seeds. He returned to his mentor, Yaadavarya, who asked him, “What kind of ‘guru droha’ have you committed ?” Srinivasa Tirtha was puzzled. Yaadavarya, remarked that his face had lost all lustre and the “mantrakshathe” he had brought back from Rayaru had turned black. Srinivasa Tirtha realised that his defiant act of mustard less food had brought upon all this. He rushed back to Rayaru to seek forgiveness.

Miracles, miracles

Raghavendra Tirtha’s life was marked by miracles performed ever so often, that he’s called “Mantralayada maantrikaru”, the magician of Mantralaya! Here’s a brief list of his well known miracles...

The first miracle of Raghavendra Tirtha, was to rid his erstwhile wife of her “pishachi” janma. An unlettered Venkanna bestowed with literacy and knowledge goes on to become the Divan of Adoni.

The Nawab of Adoni’s offering of meat turns into fruit before Rayaru receives it.

The Desai couple, serving food to Rayaru and his disciples, hiding the fact that their child had drowned in a tub of rasaayana, were rewarded by their child coming back to life.

Rayaru’s disciple, with his gift (from Rayaru) of a handful of “mrithike” (soil), is able to prevent a bramharakshasa from taking the life of a newborn.

Three travellers witnessed a disciple of the matha being able to perceive their thoughts when he was in contact with Rayaru’s clothes which he was washing, and losing the ability as soon as he put the clothes down.

Retrieving an intact necklace from the sacrificial fire in which he had placed it earlier. Saving the Nawab’s young son from a poisonous snake bite by chanting Garuda mantra.

The gift of Manchale

Divan Venkanna, keen on introducing his ruler Nawab Assadullah Khan to Raghavendra Tirtha was unprepared for the events to follow. The Nawab placed a plate of meat covered with a cloth and offered it to Rayaru. He requested that Rayaru offer the contents to God as Naivedhya. Rayaru smilingly sprinkled water on the covered plate and told the Nawab that the offering was made. When the Nawab pulled off the cloth to shock Rayaru with its contents, he was stunned to see the plate full of fruit and flowers.

Penitent, he asked Rayaru if there was anything he could do to atone his sin. Rayaru requested him to grant Manchale to him. At that time, Manchale was a rocky, barren piece of land. Divan Venkanna pressed Rayaru to ask for a piece of land other than Manchale. Rayaru was insistent on Manchale. Finally he revealed to Venkanna, the reason. Raghavendra Tirtha, in his previous incarnation as Prahallada had performed numerous yagnas in that very place and Manchalamma, the presiding deity of the place, was his “kuladevathe”.

Rayaru chose the very spot at which the ‘homa kunda’ used to be, as the location of his brindavana. After appointing Yogeendra Tirtha as his successor, Rayaru entered the brindavana alive (sa-shareera) in the year 1671. He assured his disciples that he would be present in his human form for 700 years in the brindavana, doling out boons and helping the devout.

The very first miracle performed after he entered the brindavana is captured for posterity in the famous shloka composed by his distraught disciple Appannacharya, who lived a few miles away in Bichchali, unaware of the developments. As he swum across Tungabhadra and reached the brindavana, a clear voice from the brindavana completed the shloka simultaneously certifying it.

The shloka, “Shri Poornabodha Guruteertha…”is chanted by every devotee of Rayaru, and is completed by Rayaru’s remark, “Sakshi Hayasothra Hi” (Lord Hayagreeva bears witness to the truth of this stothra).

When Lord Thomas Munro was the collector at Bellary, and there were differences with regard to procurement of annual tax, Munro respectfully entered the temple and Rayaru spoke to Munroe (in English) requesting him to resume the endowment the matha enjoyed, and blessed him with ‘mantaarakshathe’. A chastened Munro recorded the incident in the Madras Gazette. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Thomas_Munro,_1st_Baronet

Munro’s descendants come to Mantralaya annually and perform various seve to Rayaru, even today.