Mantralaya-287

Background

Sri Raghavendrateertha Gursarvabhoumaru defeated the undefeated debators of Vellore Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra and the vellore king Nalvadi SriRamadevaraya grand felicitation are described in Mantralaya(287).
 
 

Meaning

Bichali Sri Appanacharya has thoroughly understood the total divine personality of our GREAT Sri Mantralaya Sri Raghavendrateertharu. The starting shloka of Sri Gurustotra Sri Raghavendra Stotra described the whole thing:

SriPurnabodhaGuruteerthaPayobdhipaara
KaamaarimaakshaVishamaakshaShirahaSprushantee
PoorvottaraaAmitaTarangaCharatsuHamsaa
DevaaliSevitaparaanghriPayojaLagnaa

In Vellore the VidwatSabha the debate of Dwaita and Adwaita continued for several days. The unconquerable Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra though they both tried their level best to win, but could not. They both were simply defeated. As our Bichali devotee has mentioned in Gurustotra that the forceful, fruitful, powerful, impressive debate of Acharya Philosophy of Rayaru was nothing but the divine dance of Sri Saraswatidevi and resembled the flow of the Ganga. The vocabulary, style, several examples, imagination and the way in which Rayaru upheld the philosophy without hurting the feelings of others. Rayaru so kind that He even consoled the Nawab of Adoni Siddi MasoodKhan and said though you are not able to come very close to the Garbhaalaya where the Brindavana exists, you can see the Gopura - Shikhara, there I will give you Darshana and bless you. Rayaru said at the top of the roof of My Garbhaalaya in the center you will find the sign of Mosque, a token of respect to the magnanimity of Nawab and said that will be permanent. Such a kind Rayaru interacted cordially with the defeated Adwaita Stalwarts Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra. It is possible only to Rayaru and not for others.

Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra really amazed to know the Bhakti Gnyana Vairaagya Paanditya Pratibhe of Rayaru. Rayaru never hurted the feelings of others under any circumstances. At each and every step Rayaru has blossomed the hearts of all as per the famous Sanskrit sentence:

SANTOSHAM JANAYET PRAAGNYAHA TADEVESHWARA POOJANAM.

Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra bowed and regarded Rayaru for the universal affection, mankind. THEIR PRIDE AND PREJUDICE washed away in the flow of our GuruRaya humanitarian consideration and satisfaction. It seems Sri Rudradevaru has sent Sri Rayaru to vellore to wipe off the Ahankaara of Bhairavabhatta and Veerabhadra and to make them soft and polite. The Satvikas and king Nalvadi Sri Ramadevaraya astonished to see that how the undefeated scholars were defeated by Rayaru in the Vaada Vivaada. Though Rayaru advocated Dwaita, completely digested the Adwaita philosophy, Poorva Meemaamsa. All these things are quoted by Bichali Sri Appanacharyaru in the Gurustotra, that too in the beginning through Ashukavitva. King surprised how Rayaru is performing the Yati Dharma Paalane in the daily routine. Vidwat Sabha Vaada Vivaada Khandana Mandana were all very common in those days. The divine personality of Rayaru:

AaPaadaMouliParyantaamGurunaamAakrutimSmaret

as said in Gurustotra, impressed a lot to the king of Vellore.

The king felicitated Rayaru with rich and fertile lands, gold ornaments to

Sri MoolaRamadevaru and silver vessels to the Vidya Mutt, Shawls, fruits and flowers and became happy and bent with gratitude to Rayaru. In the history of our Yatis, very rarely we find such personalities who have been regarded so much. Rayaru has always received the Agra Pooje where ever he went.Sri Pandit Narayanacharya the poorvashrama nephew of Rayaru has beautifully described in Sri Raghavendra Vijaya:

SothhaBhallapuriBhairavabhattoVeerabhadraItiVishrutaVidwaan
NarmanaivaParibhooyanNarendraatGraamaRatnamachiraatSamagruhnaat

In Tanjore, Madhurai,Vellore our Rayaru great victory in the debate Adbhuta Vijaya in the Vidwat Sabha is an important phase in the golden history of Rayaru.The name and fame of Sri Raghavendrateertharu spread through out the world in all the directions.The world has appreciated the Knowledge, imagination- Pratibha, Gnyana, Bhakti, Vairaagya. And shouted the slogans of Jayakaara to GuruRayaru.

A total sum of all these qualities are described in the first shloka of Mangalashtaka by our Bichali Sri Appanacharyaru:

SriMatRamPadaaravindaMadhupahaSriMadhwaVamshaadhipaha
SachchisyoduganodupahaShritaJagatGeervaanaSatPaadapaha
AtyarthamManasaakrutaAchyutaJapahaPaapaAnadhakaaratapaha
SriMatSadguruRaghavendraYatiraatKuryaatDhruvamMangalam

Rayaru is just like a bee at the Lotus feet of Sri Hari always attaing the Anugraha of the Lord SriManNarayana Sri HariRayaru is the king of our Sri Madhwacharya family,shining like a Moon amidst the stars of his able shishyas.Like a Kalpavruksha given shelter to the world devotees and fulfilled the wants and the desires. Like a Sun removes the darkness and also our Paapas, as Sri GuruRayaru is always in the prayer and the worship of Sri Hari. Very beautifully our Bichali Appanacharya has described the divine quialities of Rayaru in four lines shloka - Mangalashtaka. Shishya means Bichali Appanacharya, Guru means Manchali GuruRaya. Thus we appreciate and hats off to Bichali devotee for his meaningful life and living.

The Vellore Digvijaya is a great record. During the Sanchaara of Yatidharma Rayaru left Vellore. Bhairavabhatta,Veerabhadra,King SriRamadevaraya,satvikas and Astikas bade farewell to GuruRayaru actually tears were rolling in the eyes of the people of Vellore at that time.
 
 
 
 

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