Mantralaya-282

Background

Sri Raghavendrateertharu during the Sanchara left SriRanga after a long stay fully engaged in Paatha Pravachana, visited Naamagiri - Naamakal and Vellore are described in Mantralaya(282).
 

Meaning

All praised their punya in one voice that they were really fortunate to be with Rayaru the 17th.pontiff of  Sri Madhwacharya  peetha - Rayara Mutt - Vidya Mutt. They shouted the slogans of Jayakaara Karunaalu GuruRaya , Karuna Samudra Sarasa Sajjana Murty  Sri Raghavendrateertha Jaya Jaya. The whole environment of Sri Ranga made Rayaru to continue the Paatha Pravachana even after the concluding of the Sacred Chaaturmaasa. Rayaru himself has said this. From SriRanga Rayaru went to Naamagiri - Naamakal Kshetra visited Sri Narasimhadevaru, performed pooja and seva, offered Naivedya to Sri Narasimhaswami and stayed that day and night at that sanctum only and then our Sri Raghavendrateertharu decided to go to Vellore and left for Vellore. When we talk of Pooja - Worship comes,  GuruRaya's Devotion simply blossoms, the Januma Janumantara Daivee Shakti, Bhakti, Divyatva will accumulate and Rayaru will be in the world of Divine Loka. Many satvikas were  surprised and praised  openly  that Rayaru is not an ordinary saint, the divine personality speaks that Rayaru is Avatara Chetana and very dear toSri Hari, we can say that owing to the Anughraha of Sri Hari Rayaru has attained  Siddhi. Today this is known to the devotees and has spread through out the length and the breadth of  the World.

In those days the world famous pandits lived in Madhurai and Vellore. Who so ever  goes there they have to meet those pandits and compulsorily take part in the Debate of Dwaita and Adwaita. Vaada and Vivaada. This was not out of jealousy nor ego. But they firmly believed in the principle of :

Vaade Vaade Jaayate Tatva Bodhaha

By this kind of debate only the real knowledge will be known to the world. So this was the practice at that time. 17th. Century period the kings provided Rajaashraya to all the pandits and the scholars. Because the kings themselves were  the lovers of Sanskrit, literature,  Knowledge and culture. During 17th.Century  Vellore was ruled by Naalvadi Sri Ramadevaraya after Veera Venkatapatiraya of Vijayanagara empire. They made Vellore as the capital of Kannada Samrajya. Sri Nalvadi Ramadevaraya knew fully well  the cordial relations of Acharya Peetha Yatis and of Vijayanagara emperors. Blessed a lot by the Swamijis of Rayara Mutt. So looked with Guru Bhaava and surrendered himself as shishya of Vidya Mutt Rayara Mutt.  When Nalvadi SriRamadevaraya came to know that Sri Raghavendrateertharu had come to Vellore, welcomed with Raja Vaibhava and offered the royal treatment to our Yatiraat. Welcomed to his palace in Vellore with great honour and bhakti. Made  elaborate arrangements to reside in Vellore. SriRamadevaraya simply came and squatted on the Lotus feet of Rayaru and said Gurudeva by your arrival, by your PaadaDhooli the city of  Vellore has become Sacred.Today I am extremely happy, thus expressed his happiness and gratitude towards Rayaru.

The whole of Vellore knew the greatness of Rayaru's Bhakti Gnyana Vairaagya and Mahima. Completely aware of  Kumbhakonam Vidya Mutt Yatiraat's kind heart, the way in which   Rayaru lifted  and saved the people of Tanjore from the grave famine and added to this made all arrangements of sumptuousness by the Divine Power of Sri Hari. The Vellore king and the people knew the Digvijaya of Madhurai and the grand procession of Bhaatta Sangraha of Rayaru on the elephant in the golden ambari. So the people of Vellore and king Nalvadi SriRamadevaraya welcomed warmly to the palace, performed the Paadapooja of Sri Raghavendrateertharu. Offered silver, gold and valuable Silk Shawls and Madis to Rayaru  including the Varahas - golden coins. Nalvadi SriRamadevarya satisfied not only with this but also presented two fertile wealthy villages to Sri Raghavendrateertharu and thus he expressed his humble regards to our Sri GuruRayaru.

In the Asthhaana of Nalvadi SriRamadevarya in Vellore there were many pandits, scholars well versed, efficient and highly qualified in Nyaaya,Vedanta, Shaiva, Adwaita. We can say they were the stalwarts of Knowledge. Among them there were two great pandits  by name Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra. So far they were not at all defeated in Vaada Vivaada. They were AJEYA - UNCONQUERABLE. They had their own school and well trained more than hundreds of  students and prepared them fully as scholars and attained the name and fame as Shaiva Adwaita Mata Pratishthhapakacharya. Just like our Madhurai Maha Mantri Pandit Sri Neelakantha Dixit. Those who come to Vellore they have to participate in the debate with Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra. This became the tradition in those days.

So these two scholars when they came to know that Rayaru had come to Vellore and is in the palace with the king, they came to see Rayaru. They had heard about  our Vidya Mutt Sri Raghavendrateertharu and came to see and meet  personally with curiosity. But these two scholars Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra  were impressed to see Rayaru. At that time Rayaru accepted the offerings of Nalvadi SriRamadevaraya and was Blessing with a smile with Ubhayakushalopari. In the first appearance only the divine Sri Raghavendrateertha's personality impressed, they have no words to praise. The divine bliss on the face of Rayaru, the glittering eyes of Rayaru simply made them to surrender and accept that Rayaru is the Divine Scholar. They thought in their heart and mind that to meet such a chetana in Vaada Vivaada is nothing but their punya of previous life. Simply amazed to see Rayaru's personality.Our Rayaru is not ordinary. A total sum of all the  Creativity Punya  Januma Janumas have combined together in Sri Raghavendrateertharu's Chetana in the form of a Pontiff - the 17th.pontiff of our Rayara Mutt - Vidya Mutt.

Knowing all this our Bichali Sri Appanacharyaru has said in Sri Raghavendra Mangalashtaka. Sri Appanacharyaru composed this Mangalashtaka sitting at the Japadakatti only. A Mangalashtaka of all the Times:

VidwadRajaShirahaKireetKhachitaAnarghyoruRatnaPrabha
RaagaghouAghahaPadukaDwayaCharahaPadmaksha Maaladharaha
BhaaswaDandaKamandalojwalakarahaRaktambaraadambaraha
SriMatSadGuruRaghavendraYatiraatKuryaatDhruvamMangalam.

The Sacred Paadukas of Sri Raghavendrateertharu are holy vanishes the accumulated paapas - sins, are shining(Ratna Prabha)by the surrendering of the great  pandits (VidwadaRaja)crowns,Wearing the Tulasi Maala, holding Danda, Kamandala and wearing the red Saffron Kaashaaya Vastra.Such a Noble SadGuru Raghavendrateertha Yatiraat will always Bless our welfare.
 
 
 

Poem