The Rg Bhashya of Madhwacharya

This is a work wherein Madhwacharya has interpreted the first forty slokas of the Rig Veda. According to the Acharya, each sloka and statement in the Vedas has at least three meanings.

Elaborating further on the etymology of the words used in the Rig Veda, he says the underlying meaning when he reads the slokas is that they are all in praise of Vishnu or Hari, who according to him is supreme.

The three levels of understanding are  Adhibhautic, Adhidaivic and Adhyatmic.

The first level or Adhibhatic or agryadidevataparatvene-meaning looking at the slokas from the physical level. The second also called tadantargatavisnuparatvena  is to understand them as a praise to the Abhimana devethes or gods who dwell within us. The final level or adhyatmaparatvena is interpreting them as the Supreme being or Vishnu. All the three levels of meaning is contained in this sloka,

 “tryo'rthah sarvavedesu dasarthah sarvabharate,

Visnoh sahasranamapi nirantarasatarthakam. ”

He commences his brilliant work by starting with “AgnimeelE purOhitam”. He shows us how the words in these forty lines are nothing but a prayer to Vishnu and his glory. Vishnu is supreme and the other gods are dependent on him.

He bases his argument that the Rg Veda means Vishnu on two main planks or doctrines. The first is the repeated use of Omkara as conveying a Brahaman and this means Vishnu and Vedas.

The second is that the entire Vedas and its study is meant to provide us a vehicle to move away from the worldly  to the holy and from the materialistic to the spiritual. Only the supreme being or Vishnu ca help us attain this goal and nobody else. Since Vishnu is supreme and all other gods subordinate, the Rg Veda is an exposition of Vishnu himself. The niruKti of the vedic deities and the adjectives given to them are explained. We can also find a similar explanation in the work or teeke of Jayatheertha and Mamtrartha Manjari of  Raghavendra Swamy

This is not a very big text. There is no colophon or closing notes at the end of the book and, hence, we are unsure whether the Acharya commented further and whether this was among the many parts that he wrote. As even Jayatheertha or Teekacharya wrote his commentary or Teeke on these forty lines only, we can surmise that this is all that has survived.

The text is important from two points. The first is because Madhwacharya shows us how the Rg veda can be interpreted to highlight the supremacy of Vishnu. The second is because he becomes the first saint-philosopher to directly refer and touch upon the Rg veda and comment on it. He is also the first to interpret the Veda, which is among the earliest religious texts of India.

Madhwacharya, here, adopts a poetical form to point out, the supremacy of Vishnu. He thus becomes the first religious leader to give us a totally spiritual meaning of the Rg Veda. 

Madhwacharya draws upon his vast repertoire of Sanskrit and he used many Sanskrit phrases and idioms to buttress his argument. We find that he follows the ancient rhythmical patterns while composing the Rg Bhashya.

Raghavendra Swamy too wrote a commentary on the Rg Bhashya but the text is no longer available. However, we have an oral tradition of this work. But it remains to be seen how authentic this can be.

The first to write a commentary on this work was Narahari Theertha, one of the four direct disciples of  Madhwacharya. Jayatheertha has written an excellent commentary on this text and to date it remains the most outstanding interpretation and commentary of Madhwacharya’s work.

Jayatheertha has written a detailed commentary on Rg bhasya and he explains each hymn of Rg veda and gives their meaning word by word. He also gives us grammatical explanation of the words, Risi, devata, Chandas and also the three levels of meaning.

The Mantrarthamanjari of Raghavendra Theertha is much more simple in style and Rayaru explains the importance of each hymn and he adheres to the interpretation offered in the Bhasya by Madhwacharya and Jayatheertha’s Teeka.  

Another excellent treatise on the Rg Bhashya is “Rgbhasyatika vivrti Padartha Prakasika” by Srinivasa Theertha (1590 – 1640). A disciple of  Yadavarya, some of his works supplements the work of his guru.

His commentary is rather elaborate. He explains the grammatical points in detail by liberally quoting the relevant sutras of Panini and a few other texts of Vyakarana shastra.

The “Rgbhasya Tippani Padartha Deepika by Pandurangi Kesavacharya (1580-1640) is another scholarly book. He was the younger brother of Vidydeesha Theertha who headed the Uttaradi Matha from 1619 to 1631.

His commentary on Rg Bhasya is a magnificent example of  giving  grammatical explanations for the Vedic words occurring in the hymns. He quotes extensively from Vyakarana shastras.

Chalari Narasimhachar (1620-1674) also has given us a commentary on Rg bhasya. He was a contemporary of Satyanatha Theertha of Utaradhi Matha.

The Vijayaraya Kavacha

The aradhane of one of the greatest saints composers of the Haridasa movement. Vijaya Dasa ((1682-1755), is just a day away. Vijaya Dasa along with   Purandara and Kanaka is called the trinity of Haridasa movement.

Vijaya Dasa was believed to be an incarnation of  Madhwapathi Dasa, the youngest son of Purandara Dasa. He was born so that he could fulfill his father’s wishes of writing five lakh devara namas.

Purandara Dasa could compose only 4,75,000 songs and he asked Madhwapathi Dasa to complete the rest 25,000. Since Madhwapati could not complete the numbers in his lifetime, he was reborn as Vijaya Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa was a contemporary of several other Haridasas such as  Gopala Dasa, Helevankatte Giriamma, Jagannatha Dasa and Prasanna Venkata Dasa.

Vijaya Dasa was born in a poor Brahmin family in Cheekalaparvi or Chippagiri to Srinivasappa and Kusamma. It was Purandara Dasa himself who came in a dream and initiated him into the Dasa Koota and gave him the nomenclature Vijaya Vittala.

Vijaya Dasa was among the fist of the dasas to compose  extensively on Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralaya. He is known as Suladi Dasa as he composed innumerable suladis.  

Vijaya Dasa accepted Kallur Subbanachar (1720-1815) as a Haridasa and gave him the Ankita nama Vyasa Vittala. A grateful Subbanachar realised that Vijaya Dasa was not an ordinary person and he  composed this stothra in praise of his Guru and called it as “Vijaya Raya Kavacha.

The Vijaya Raya Kavacha is one of the finest songs of its genre by Kallur Subbanachar on Vijaya Dasa.

This composition is popular even today and it is recited regularly by women folk who believed that if you want any wish to be fulfilled, you have to chant the Vijaya Kavacha everyday.

The English translation goes as follows:

  

“Smarisi badukiro divya charaNakeragiro
durita toredu poreva vijaya gurugalembarA

dAsarAyana dayava sUsi paDedanA
dOSharahitanA santOShabharitanA ||1||

jAnAvantana balu nidhAni shAntana
mAnyavantana bahuvadAnyadAtana ||2||

hariya bhajisuva narahariya yajisuva
durita tyajisuva janake haruSha surisuva ||3||

mOdabharitana paMchabhEdavaritana
sAdhucharitana manOviShAda maretana ||4||

ivara nambida janakE bhavavidembudu
havanavAgadO nammavara matavidu ||5||

pApakOTiya rAshi lEpavAgadu
tApa kalEvanu balu dayApayOnidhi ||6||

pavanarUpadi hariya stavana mADida
bhuvana bEDida mAdhavana nODida ||7||

ragganEndana bhavavu higgitEndana
maggalAggana antaraggavaritana ||8||

kAshinagaradallidda vyAsadEvana
dayava sUsi paDEdana ullAsatanadali ||9||

chintEbEDirO nishchintarAgirO
shAntagurugala pAdondu nambirO ||10||

khEdavAgadO nimage modavAhudo
Adidevana suprasAdavAhudO ||11||

tApa taDevanu banda pApa kaDivanu
shrIpatIya padasamIpaviDuvanu ||12||

veda Odalu baride vAda mADalu
hAdi doreyadu budhara pAda nanbade ||13||

gagge mindare malavu hiMgitallade
raMganoliyanu bhaktara saMga dorakade ||14||

lekkavilladA deshatukki bandarU
duHkhavallade lesha bhakti dorekadu ||15||

dAna mADalu divyagAna pADalu
jAna doreyado ivaradhInavAgade ||16||

niShThe yAtake kaMDa kaShThavyAtake
diTTa gurugala pAda muTTI bhajisiro ||17||

pUje mADalu kaNDa goju bIlalu
bIja mAtina phla sahaja dorakadu ||18||

suraru ellaru ivara karava piDivaro
taralaraMdadi hinde tirugutipparo ||19||

grahagalellavU ivarge sahAya mADuta
ahorAtrili sukhava koDuvavu ||20||

vyAdhi bArado dEhabAdhe taTTado
Adidevana suprasAdavAhudo ||21||

patitapAmara mandamatiyu nA balu
tutisalApane ivara atishayaMgala ||22||

karuNadindaliymma porevanallade
duritakoTiya bega tariva dayadali ||23||

mandamatigalu ivara chandavariyade
nindisuvaro bhavada bhanda tappado ||24||

indirApati ivara munde kuNivano
anda vachanava nijake tandu torpanu ||25||

udayakAladi I padava paThisalu
madaDanAdaru jAna udayavAhudo ||26||

saTeyidellavo vYAsaviThala ballano
paThisabahididu keli kuTilarahitaru” ||27||

When Rayaru blessed an African

Who has not heard of the story of  Nawab Siddi Masud Khan and Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru of Mantralaya.

Siddi Masud Khan (1662-1687) was the Governor of Adoni (Adwani), now in Andhra Pradesh, and he held the province as part of the Adil Shahi dominion.

It was at Adoni itself that Siddi Masud Khan first met Raghavendra Swamy and tried to test him by offering him meat on a plate covered with a clothe. Siddi Masud realized the greatness of Raghavendra Swamy when the meat turned into fruits and flowers.

Siddi Masud later gifted Raghavendra Swamy the land at Manchale, which is now better known as Mantralaya. All these facts are more or less well-known as is the fact that Venkanna Pant, a devotee of  Rayaru, was the Dewan of Adoni.

Venkanna had been appointed to the post by Siddi Masud Khan and he continued in the same position even when the Khan went to Bijapur to discharge his duties.

However, not much is known about Siddi Masud Khan or his rule over Adoni. Records available at Bijapur, the Adil Shah chronicles and even Maratha texts when pieced together give a fascinating account of  Siddi Masud Khan, his life and times.

Siddi Masud Khan was not an Indian. He was an African and he belonged to the Siddi tribe.

He was of African descent, a Habshi. He was the son-in-law of Siddi Jahaur, a front-ranking general and commander of the Adil Shahis.  Siddi Jahaur was also the governor of Kurnool, now in Andhra Pradesh. Interestingly, both Siddi Jahaur and Siddi Masud fought Chatrapathi Shivaji as did other Adil Shahi Generals, Afzal Khan and Ranadulla Khan.

Siddi Jahaur was one of the few Bijapur Generals to treat Shivaji with respect. Siddi Masud too was friendly with Shivaji and thanked him when he came to his aid when the Mughals invaded Bijapur.

There is a painting in England of Siddi Masud Khan which is part of the Golconda series of portraits of eminent men.

Masud Khan remained in power until 1683 and he was also the Regent of  the King, Sikander Adil Shah. However, he was disgusted with the internal politics in Bijapur and he returned to Adoni where he soon asserted his independence.

At Adoni, he built a mosque and also a well. Both these structures exists even today. This is the Shahi Jamia Masjid and its architects were Iranian engineers headed by Mallik Sandal. The area of this masjid is as same as of Holy Kabba in Mecca.

The well is called Kamam Bhavi and it was also used for irrigation purposes.

A little known fact about Siddi Masud Khan is that Bijapur would have fallen to the Marathas under Shivaji much before Aurangzeb could conquer the Adil Shahi Kingdom.

It was December 23, 1677 and the Regent of Bijapur, Bahlol Khan, died. His slave and close confidant, Jamshed Khan, seized the reigns of power in Bijapur.

Sikander Adil Shah was then barely nine years of age and he was a mere puppet in the hands of his powerful nobles. Jamshed entered into a secret pact with Shivaji. He agreed to hand over Bijapur to Shivaji and also deliver the boy King to the Chatrapathi for six lakh pagodas.

News of this plot leaked to Siddi Masud Khan and he immediately made plans to safeguard the Bijapur Kingdom. He himself spread a rumour of his death and directed four thousand of his elite troops to go over to Jamshed and seek employment.

Jamshed was only too happy to oblige. Jamshed was a weak and timid person and the arrival of battle-hardened troops were a God send. He recruited all of them. The troops cleverly trapped Jamshed and killed him and Siddi Masud Khan entered Bijapur triumphantly.

Siddi Masud Khan then took over as the Regent of Bijapur and strengthened its defences. Meanwhile, the Mughals under Diler Khan invaded Bijapur and laid a siege of the city. Masud appealed to Shivaji for help, saying that he and Shivaji both had eaten the salt of Adil Shah and that they should form a common front against the Mughals.

The valiant Shivaji agreed at once and he arrived at the gates of Bijapur and began harassing the troops of  Mughals, who subsequently withdrew. A grateful Masud Khan thanked Shivaji for his gesture. Masud Khan, however, withdrew to Adoni and left Bijapur to its fate when he realised that he was no longer welcome in Kingdom. He retired to Adoni on November 21, 1683 on the pretext of visiting his jagir. He left Bijapur, never to come back. He then sent in his resignation to Sikander Adil Shah who then appointed Agha Khusro as the Wazir. However, the Mughals were already knocking on the doors of Bijapur and on September 13, 1686, Sikander Adil Shah walked out of the fort and handed over the keys of Bijapur and the royal insignia to Aurangzeb.

Sikander Adil Shah became a Mughal prisoner and died in captivity in Daulatabad in 1700.

Coming back to Siddi Masud, the Mughal General Firuz Jang on January 25, 1688 attacked Adoni with a head of 25,000 cavalry. On August 6, 1688, Siddi Masud surrendered to the Mughals and he was enrolled as a high ranking commander along with his sons. 

Siddi Masud had thus a meteoric rise and Venkanna attributed it to the blessings of Rayaru.    

New post on Raghavendra Swamy

http://raghavendraswamy.wordpress.com

This is a blog on wordpress on Raghavendra Swamy. This was created after our trip to Mantralaya on December 25. It will deal with the life and times of Rayaru, his works, places associated with him and events during his lifetime.

Since Raghavendra Swamy is an avatar of  Vyasa Raja, the blog will also have details about Vyasa Raja and his works. It  will also feature Rayara mathas of Bangalore and their activities. This post is also avalible on Google as Rayaru 

Tourist and pilgrim sites in and around Mantralaya, Raichur

In my earlier articles, I had written about different routes to Mantrayala from Bangalore. Several friends and readers have asked me why I have delayed writing about places of interest in and around Mantralaya.

Mantralaya is in Andhra Pradesh. It is is 53 km from Adoni or Adwani, 24 km from Yemmiganur ,100 km from Kurnool, 250 km from Hyderabad,  35 km from Raichur and 120 km from Bellary.

Raichur is in Karnataka and it is just an hour’s drive from Mantralaya. There are several places associated with Raghavendra Swamy in the district.  

Raichur district was known as the Doab as it is sandwiched between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. The Doab was the reason for several wars between the Vijayanagar Kingdom and the Bahamanis and later the Adil Shahis.

Raichur is known as the rice bowl of India. It is today the only place producing gold after the closure of KGF in Kolar district of Karnataka. There are several small islands in the district formed by the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers and you can enjoy them.

Raichur can be very hot during summers. So avoid it from say March to July. It is also home to one of the biggest thermal ppwers stations in India-RTPS.

Some of the historical and religious places of interest in and around Raichur are:

Bichale or Bhikshalaya

This is the place on Tungabhadra river where Raghavendra Swamy or Rayaru spent 13 years of his life with Appanacharya. Take in the Japada Katte where Rayaru and Appanacharya spent hours discussing philosophy and religion. There is an Ekashila Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy which is the first outside Mantralaya.

The house of Appanacharya that Rayaru stayed has been rebuilt after the flood waters of Tungabhadra damaged it in 2009.

Madhwacharya has consecrated the idol of Ugra Narasimha here and Vyasa Raja, the previous avatar of  Raghavendra consecrated the  Hanuman temple.

Combine you visit to Bichale with  Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple.

Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple

This is in Raichur district. It is 22 kms from Mantralaya. The route is through Madhavaram village from where the stone slabs for the Brindavana were used. Even today, a piece of the stone used to make the Brindavana, is left behind.

After Madhavaram, take a right turn and proceed till you reach Tungabhadra river. When you cross the river you enter Raichur district.

Take the road till you reach Chiksugur camp junction. The road to the right leads to Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple while the left leads you to Bichale.

The Panchamukhi Anjaneya Temple is open for Darshan from 5 -30 a.,m to  1 p.m.  It opens again in the evening and close at 8 p.m. This idol is closely associated with Rayaru.

From here, Bichale is 18 kms.

The Panchamukhi Temple is in Gandhal. It is about 31kms south of Raichur.

The temple  is situated on a hillock and is closely associated with Raghavendra Swamy.

During his stay at Manchale, Rayaru  regularly visited holy places nearby. Two of these villages which he visited very frequently were Bichale  and Gandhal.

There was a cave in Gandhal where he frequently meditated. Locals say Rayaru spent days in meditation here. The cave is in top of a hillock. Rayaru meditated only after finishing the pooje of  Rama at the cave.

He has himself carved the figures of Venkateswara and  Lakshmi on the rock. One day, Hanuman appeared before Raghavendra Swamy with five faces.

Rayaru saw the five faces as that of Hanuman, Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda and Varaha. It is this form as Panchamukhi he carved on the rock.

The rocks around the hillock are a sight to see.  There are fifty steps that lead you to the cave. A narrow passage will lead you to the sanctum

Deodurg

Deodurg is 34 miles west of Raichur. It has a fort. It was the stronghold of the Bidar chieftains. There is a hill here which contains talc.

Devarbhupur

This small town  is 11 miles from Lingsugur. The Amareshwara temple is located amidst hillocks and rolling forests.

The deity is also known as  Gurugunta Amareshwara which is a Shiva Linga.
There is a small well besides the  idol called Gadagi Bhavi. Bhavi in Kannada means well. The water from the well enters the main temple and reaches the Linga and then forms into a pool. Devottes take the water as Theertha.
The annual fair of the temple is held in Phalguna and commences from the day of Holi, Kamana Hunnime or Pournami. The fair will continue for a month and several theatre groups pitch their tents here.

 
Devasugur

Devarsugur is on the  Krishna river. It is famous for the Surugeshwara or Veerabhadra Temple.The annual jatra of this temple, held in the month of Margashira, attracts a large number of people.

Gabbur

Gabbur has many ancient temples and inscriptions. In ancient days, Gabbur was a major centre of education. It was then called Gopurugrama. There are many temples but some of the most important  are those of Male Shankara, Hanuman, Bangara Basappa, Venkateshwara and Ishwara or Shiva.

Another fascinating monument is a gateway Chandigage. There is a temple on either side of the gate. The Male Shankata Temple is built of rough grey stone.

The Venkateshwara Temple has three deities-two of Vishnu and another a Linga. There are seven cisterns called Sat Baoli.

The Bangara Basappa Temple houses a beautiful idol of Ganesha and two nandis.

Hutti

Hutti, which is the only gold producing area of Karnataka today, is 17 kms from Lingsugur. You have to take prior permission from the authorities if you want to see the mines.

Jaladurga

Jaladurga, in Lingsugur taluk, is an island fort surrounded by the Krishna.It is 13 kms from Lingsugur. The fort was held by the Adil Shahs of Bijapur.

Kadlur

Kadlur, in Raichur taluk, is a sacred place. It is here that Bhima joins the Krishna. The Vijayanagara Emperor Krishna Deva Raya visited this pilgrim center with his family and offered worship at the temple.

Kallur

Kallur is in Manvi taluk, located 19 kms from Raichur. The village is surrounded on all sides by granite hills except the east. There are six temples of which the Markendeshwara Temple is famous. Look  at the many wells here which are a thing of beauty.

The fort wall is in ruins.

 There is a temple of Srinivasa and Padmavathi here. According to legend, couples who want a child come here and worship the deities.

Kalmala

Kalmala,  9 miles from Raichur, has the samadhi of a saint, Kariappa Tata.

Kavital

Kavital is on the Raichur-Lingsugur road, about 64 miles from Raichur and 30 kms  from Lingsugur. There is a hillock to the south-west of the village which has several natural caves. Several pre-historic implements and pieces of pottery were discovered along the slopes of the hill here.

There is an ash mound on the top of  a hill where a temple has been built. The ash mound was the site of an old smelting factory. The Tryambakeshwara temple has three shrines, two of which are lingas. There are two Kannada inscriptions in the temple and a beautiful carving of Mahishasuramardini on the temple wall.

Korva or Naradagadde

Korva is in Raichur taluk. It is a small but beautiful island surrounded by the Krishna river. It is 30 kms  north-east of Raichur. Narada performed penance here. Hence, the name Naradagadde. There is a temple dedicate to Narada.

There is also a Veerashaiva Matha, the samadhi of  a saint called  Channabasava Swamy who lived about four centuries ago and a temple of Basavanna.

A little away from Naradagadde is Koormagadde (Kurumakshetra or Kuravakala) which has a Dattatreya Peetha and the samadhi of Sripadavallabha Swamy. This place is said to be the original place of Dattatreya. It has a temple dedicated to him.

Kotekal

Kotekal is in Manvi taluk and it is situated on the Raichur-Lingsugur road. The village has two hillocks with each having a fort. The slopes along these hillocks have yielded artifacts, iron-slag and gold-crushers, belonging to the prehistoric period.

Manvi

It is closely associated with Jagannatha Dasa. It has a fort and Jagganatha Swamy Temple.

Maski

Maski is in Lingsugur taluk, situated 26 kms south-east of Lingsugur. It is archaeologically important as several artefacts have been found here.

Mudgal

It is a historical place. The Vijayanagars and Bijapur kingdoms fought over this city.

The Mudgal fort is on a hillock. The fort was initially built by the Kakatiyas. It was conquered by the Vijayanagars and Adil Shahis.  

Mudval is in Lingsugur taluk is situated about 20 kms  from Lingsugur.

Several pre-historic artefacts have been discovered here.

Mukkunda

It is a small village located 32 kms from Sindhanur. There is an old fort on top of a hill. There is an old temple of Murari, built of stone. A small island in Tungabhadra has the dargah of Gaddikhader Wali, a saint.

Raichur

Raichur is the  headquarters of the district. It was ruled by the Khiljis, Vijayanagars, Bahmani, Bijapur, Mughal and Asaf Jahi kings.

The hill fort of Raichur, which was of great importance in the past, is surrounded on three sides by a double row of massive but low circuit walls. The inner wall of the fort was constructed by placing huge blocks of well-dressed and nicely fitted stones on top of each other, without the using any cementing material. The oldest inscription of the inner fort is dated 1294 AD. The inner fort wall was built by the Hindu kings.

The outer wall was built by he Muslim Kings. It contains five gateways: Mecca Darwaza on the west, Naurangi Darwaza on the north, Kati Darwaza on the east, Khandak Darwaza on the south and the Doddi Darwaza on the south-east.

The inner wall has two gateways: Sailani Darwaza on the west and the Sikandari Darwaza on the east.

The Mecca Darwaza and the adjoining walls were built  by Mallu Khan in 1470 during the reign of the Bahmani king Muhammad Shah III.

There are some marvelous drawings near this gate. A little away is a large depression known as  Banda Baoli.

There is a tomb of a Muslim saint, Pir Sailani Shah built in the Adil Shah style. There is also small mosque called the Kali Masjid.

The Jami Masjid  is a beautiful building having two entrances, one in the south and the other in the east.

The cemetery here contains the graves of some members of the Adil Shahi dynasty.  Opposite the Jami Masjid are the remains of an ancient Hindu palace. The structure is in ruins now, except for the old walled enclosure and the big entrance by the side of the present jail.

The Ek-Minar-ki_Masjid was constructed by Amber.

It has only one minaret which is 65 feett high and 13 ft. in diameter. The minaret has two storeys, each furnished with windows and surrounded by projecting galleries.

The Bala Hisar or the citadel is situated on the middle and the loftiest of the hills in the south-west corner of the fort. It is approached first by a flight of steps. There is agun placed on a circular platform.

The Panch Bibi Dargah or the Dargah of five lady saints is located here.  A Nandi or bull carved in granite is found here.

Roundkunda

Roudkunda, in Sindhanur taluk, is situated about 6 miles to the east of Gorebal, on the Sindhanur-Gangavati road. There are two hills with forts here.

Somalpur

Somalpur, in Sindhanur taluk, is 14 miles from Sindhanur. The Amba Devi temple, situated at the foot of a hill, is well-known.

Venkatapur

Venkatapur, in Lingsugur taluk, is about 3 miles due north of Maski. To the south of this village are two hills, along the skirts of which 45 cairns or man made stacks of  stones were found. Some of them are in pairs.

Chinna Tumbulam

The Narasimha Temple here is  200 years old. It is easily approachable from Mantralaya which is 25 kilometers away. Brigu Muni consecrated the Narasimha here.

Kowthala

Also known as Kowthalam, it is the native of  Jagannatha Dasa, the famous Haridasa. The temple is being renovated and a Harikathamruthasara mandira is being build by K Appannachar a desendent ofSri Guru Jagannatha Dasaru. This place is about 30 kilometers from Mantralayam off the Adoni Road.

Urukunda

The Narasimha Tample here has been recently renovated. It is 30 kilometers from Mantrlaya off the Adoni Road.

Ibharampura Kshetra

This is about 6 kms from Mantralaya. It is the abode of  Krishnacharya popularly known as Shri Ibharamapura Appavaru.

Basaladoddi

It has is a temple of Mukhya Prana consecrated by Vyasaraja.

Kosigi

This is the birth place of Jagannatha Dasa, an ardent devotee of Raghavendra Teertha, and considered to be an amsha sambhuta of Appannacharya. 

Jagannatha Dasa installed a Mukhya Prana idol here and regularly  worshipped it.

Kamavara

Gopala Dasa consecrated and worshipped a Mukkhya Prana idol here.

Budamala Doddi

Vyasaraja installed a Mukya Prana idol here. It is known as palikedevudu which in Telugu means  God who talks.

Holagunta

This village is home to the Mrithika Brindavana of  Vijayeendra Teertha (Kumbhakonam) and Shri Raghavendra Teertha.

Hatthibelagal

This is a small village where Raghavendra Swamy consecrated one of the two Hanuman  temples.

A Madhwa scholar, Narasimhacharya popularly known as Aralikatti Narasimhacharya, lived here. He is considered to be an amsha-sambhuta of Karna.  He is adyatma Guru of  Raghuprema Teertha of Kudli Akshoba Theertha Matha. 

The Brindavana of of Aralikatte Narasimhacharya and his disciple  Bilvapathre Acharya can be seen here.

Madhwa seers who entered Brindavana alive

In the Madhwa parampare or line of succession, there are only four saints or seers from South India who have entered  Brindavana alive. The rest of the saints, barring a few, have entered Brindavana only after they left the mortal body.

The first to enter Brindavana Swjeeva or alive is the redoubtable Vadiraja Theertha. This saint, who belonged to the Sode matha Parampare, lived for 120 years. He was born in 1480 AD and lived upto 1600 AD. He saw the rise and fall of the Vijayanagar dynasty and he was a shishya of  Vyasa Theertha.

Vadiraja was given Sanyasa at the age of eight by Vageesha Theertha, who had succeeded the Dwaitha Matha after Kavindra Theertha. Born in Hoovinakere near Kumbasi in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district, Vadiraja was known as Bhuvaraha. A Shivalli Brahmin. he is considered to be the second highest saint in the Madhwa hierarchy after our Acharya, Madhwacharya.

An incarnation of Lord Latavya, he reformed the matha system of Udupi Sri Matha and wrote several beautiful krutis. An unmatched scholar, he was the Paryaya in charge of Udupi Temple for a record number of times.

His favourite god was Hayagriva, a form of Vishnu. His devotion was so total that he would hold the Hayagriva in a vessel over his head and a horse (Vishnu) would come and place its legs on his shoulder and eat the prasada every day.  

He entered his Brindavana alive at Sode near Sirsi. The Sode matha where his Brindavana is located has a small pond called Dhaula Gange. Pilgrims are allowed at only two corners. One corner is where Bhutaraja even today comes, tales bath and performs pooje.

Some of his works of Vadiraja include, Rukminisha Vijaya, Theertha Prabhanda, Swapna Vrundavanakyanam, Sarasa Bharathi Vilasa, Kavi Kadamba Kanta bhushana, Mahabharatha Lakshalankara Teeke, Talavakaropanishad  Bhashya Teeke, Taittareeyopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Kathakopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Atharvanopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Mandookopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Tantra Saara Teeke, Mahabhaaratha Prasthana, Shatprashnopanishad Bhashya Teeke Tippani, Mahabharatha Tatparya Nirnaya Bhavaprakashika, Tatvaprakashika Guruvartha Deepika, Ishavasyopanishad Bhashya Teeke Prakashana, Geethabhashya Tippani, Nyaya sudha Guruvartha Deepika and Bhagavatha Anukramanika.

He has 44 Strotras to his credit and eleven works in Kannada.

Vadiraja has performed hundreds of miracles. You can perform Kai (coconut) Seve here. The pontiff of the Sode Matha, Vishwa Vallabha Theertha, is the Paryaya seer this time around.

Vadiraja Theertha entered Brindavana at Sode in 1600. Accomodation is available at the matha itself.

I will relate a miracle of Vadiraja that was experienced by my relative in my next article.   

Raghavendra Swamy

The second seer to enter Brindavana alive is  Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralaya. He was born in 1595 as Venkatanatha in Bhuvanagiri in present day Tamil Nadu. (Bhuvanagiri is near Chidambaram)

Well, what can I write about this great man. Anything written about him, his works, his miracles, falls flat as his greatness is immeasurable.  His works are Vedatraya Vivriti, Mantrartha Manjari,  Commentary of Pancha Suktas, Dashopanishat Kandartha, Geetartha Sangraha,

Prameya Deepika Vyakhya,  Geeta Tatparya Teeke Vivaranam,  Tantra Deepika, Nyaya Muktavali,  Tatwa Manjari,  Tatwa Prakasika Bhava Deepa, Parimala, Dasa Prakarana Teeke Vyakhya, Rama Charitra Manjari, Krishna Charitra Manjari,  Tatparya Nirnaya Bhava Sangraha, Vaadavali Vyakhya, Chandrika Prakasa, Tarka Tandava Vyakhya, Pramana Paddhati Vyakhya, Anu Madhwa Vijaya Vakhya, Prathah Sankalpa Gadya,  Bhatta Sangraha and Prameya Sangraha.

Can anyone forget his composition Indu Yennage Govinda.

A Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu, Rayaru as he is better known, has been giving solace hundreds of years even after he entered Brindavana.

This bard of Mantralaya is such a person that if you weep, he is on hand to wipe away your tears. He entered Brindavana in 1671. He has continued to perform miracles from within the Brindavana. There are thousands of stories about him and his miracles.

Accommodation is available in plenty. After the flooding, Mantralaya is a changed place today.   

Raghuttama Theertha

He was the third Madhwa saint to enter Brindavana alive. He was the son of the Purvasharama sister of Madhwacharya. Need anything more to be said about him.

He was the head of the Uttaradhi Matha just after the demise of the Vijayanagar Empire. He was the pontiff when the Madhwa Sidhantha and even Hinduism was undergoing a turmoil in the south. The Muslim kings of the Deccan had almost overrun the entire south India and the Mughals in the north were ruling the roost.

It was Raghuttama who settled the Madhwa Siddhantha on a sound footing in those troubled times. He guided the Madhwas for more than 38 years as head of the Uttaradhi Matha.

He is the author of five Bhavabodhas. These works bring out the many meanings of Madhwacharya’s writings. The five Bhavabodhas are: Brihadaranya Bhavabhoda,  Nyaya Vivarana Bhavabhoda,  Gitabhashya Bhavabhoda (Prameya Dipika Bhavabhoda),  Vishnutatvanirnaya Bhavabhoda and Tattvaprakashika Bhavabhoda.

Two other works are Vivaranoddhara and  Nyayaratnasambanda Deepika

 His Brindavana is at Manampoodi near Tirukoilur. Manampoondi is between Tiruvvanamalai and Tirukoilur. It is 237 kms from Bangalore.

He belonged to the Surya Vamsha. Therefore, there is no covering or roof on his Brindavana. People with ailments related to eyes, limbs go to the Brindavana and perform seve. Accommodation is available a the Uttaradhi Matha which looks after the Brindavana.

     

Satyavrata Theertha

He is the last of the four saints to entre the Brindavana alive.

In his Poorvashrama he was known as Ranganathacharya.

He succeeded Vedanidhi Theertha as the pontiff of the Uttaradhi Matha. His contribution to the Matha is so immense, that all succeeding seers of the matha have taken the prefix Sathya. The present pontiff is the venerable Satyatma Theertha.

He was the head of the Uttaradhi Matah for three years. Once he visited Golconda. The then ruler of Golconda, Abdullah Qutab Shah, wanted to test Satyavrata Theertha’s powers.

He sent vessels containing meat to the seer, saying that it is his offering to Moola Rama.

Satyavrata Theertha sprinkled theertha on the plates and lo and behold , the meat turned to fruits and flowers. The King apologised and and prostrated himself before the seer and offered royal gifts.

He is the author of Sudha Vivrruti.

He gave Sanyasa to Sathyadharma Theertha and entered Brindavana at Sangli on the banks of river Krishna in Maharashtra. The Uttaradhi Matha looks after the Brindavana. Accommodation is available at the matha.

Please do not confuse this saint with Satyavara Theertha who also headed the Uttaradhi Matha. Satyavrata Theertha was the disciple of  Vedanidhi Theertha and he is the 18^th head of the Uttaradhi Matha from the lineage of Madhwacharya.

Satyavara Theertha was one of the four disciples of  the redoubtable Satyabodha Theertha. Satyavara Theertha was the 27^th head of the Uttaradhi Matha and his Brindavana is at Santebennur near Gauribidanur in Karnataka. His Guru was Satyasandha Theertha.   

Apart from the above mentioned four saints, there are some who have disappeared never to have returned. The first saint to disappear was Madhwacharya. He disappeared from his seat in the Anantheshwara Temple in Udupi and went to Badari.

The next saint to disappear was Madhwacharya’s brother, Vishnu Theertha who is the founder of Sode Matha and Subramanya Matha. He disappeared in the forests close to Kukke Subramanya.

The guru of  Bramanya Theertha of  Abbur or Kundapura Vyasaraja Matha was Purushottama Theertha. He too disappeared in a cave near Abbur in Chennapatna taluk of Ramanagar district. The cave can still be seen today.

Jitamitra Theertha of Raghavendra Swamu Matha disappeared when he was teaching students beneath a tree at Jitamitra Gadde in Raichur. 
In West India, Madhavendra Theertha, the 7th pontiff  of the Kashi Matha, entered Brindavana alive at Walkeshwar in Mumbai in the 18th century.        

The oldest Raghavendra Swamy Brindavana in the fort of ashes

It is a mound of ashes in the land of Gold. Today, it stands forgone and almost forgotten by the masses. Once a thriving town, it soon lost its lustre and relapsed into a small village after 1800 AD.

This place is also home to India’s first cable community radio station. It has been operational since 2002 under the Namma Dhwani project. Yes, I am talking of Budhikote, which is a small village in Bangarpet taluk of Kolar district.

Raghavendra Swamy Matha

   

Budhikote  is also home to one of the oldest Raghavendra Swamy Temples outside Mantralaya and Bichale or Bhikshalaya. I am not very sure but locals tell me that this is the third temple in India built in honour of Raghavendra Swamy. I feel this is the fourth temple and not third built in honour of Rayaru.

The first Raghavendra Swamy temple. As we all know is in Mantralaya. This is where Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana alive.

The second Brindavana was at Bichale which was consecrated by Raghavendra Swamy’s close friend Appanacharya. It is an Ekashila Brindavana and its period of construction was just after the Brindavana at Mantralaya.

The Raghavendra Temple here was the third, so say locals. I am yet to verify this aspect, but I would go with the views of the local people and the priest of the Matha.

The Matha or rather the Brindavana is dated 1681. This means the Brindavana was constructed here ten years after Rayaru or Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana in Mantralaya i.e., 1671.

The Prathistapana of the Brindavana was done by the Kallyavi family which is even now in charge of the temple. This makes it the oldest Mrithika Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy in Karnataka.

Namma Dhwani

Getting back to the Namma Dhwani project, it has an interesting beginning.

Initially, 36 self help groups of women decided to join hands and set up a combined cable radio network, covering 750 households.

The programmes for the network were produced at the Community Multimedia Centre in Budhikote.

The broadcast is in chaste Kannada. Teachers and students of the school nearby the community centre take an active part in the programmes to be broadcast.

The Namma Dhwani project has earned world-wide recognition and it has been adopted by UNESCO.

Attractions in Budhikote

Budhikote is just more than an hour’s drive from Bangalore. Though it is has a history dating back to the 8^th century BC, Budhikote, which is just 15 kms from Bangarpet in Kolar district is a yet to be explored tourist destination.

The first mention of Budhikote is in an 8^th century inscription belonging to the Bana dynasty which ruled over areas around this village. The inscription says Budhikote was part of the Tekal province.

Better known as the birth place of Hyder Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan, Budhikote is about 88 kms from Bangalore. It is worth a visit either for its own beauty and historic importance or part of a tour of places in Kolar district.

There is a huge mound of ashes in Budhikote and it has an ancient tale to it.  The ashes were collected after a mammoth yagna was conducted here, says a local legend. By the way. Budhi in Kannada means ashes and Kote is fort. So, if you translate Budhikote into Kannada, it means the “Fort of Ashes.”  The ashes are remnants of the Poornahutis of yagnas performed in ancient times. The locals, therefore, called it Vibuthipura (Vibhuti is ash in Kannada). 

There are two routes to reach Budhikote from Bangalore. You can drive down to Bangarpet via Kolar on the old Madras Road (NH 4) or go to Malur directly from there take a deviation to Budhikote.

If you take the Malur road, keep going towards the Tamil Nadu border and you come up to Budhikote set amidst picturesque surroundings.

The first thing that catches your eye is the fort. The fort is in ruins and much of the structure has crumbled. However. A few of the surviving circular bastions are worth exploring.

The fort was built by Hyder Ali who is believed to have spent his childhood here. The fort was once the bone of contention between the British and Hyder.

Hyder’s father, Fateh Mohammad, came here from Gulbarga and was given shelter by a local Palegar or Nayaka. Fateh Mohammad’s family originally hailed from Punjab.

There are two temples when you enter the fort. The temple on the left has a carved figure of Hanuman. There is a big boulder behind this temple.

The temples to Sugreva and Venugopala are in ruins. The Kalyani in both the temples needs cleaning.

Within the fort is a small enclosure with a stone tablet saying that this is the birthplace of Hyder Ali. Locals ay a chain was tied to a nearby boulder to anchor the cradle. As can be expected the chain is missing. This is where the cradle of Hyder was rocked by his mother. There are several boulders with holes. The chain was passed through the holes and tied to the cradle. The memorial here says Hyder was born in 1720, while historical texts and other sources say he was born in 1717.

There are several inscriptions referring to Hyder Ali in the fort.

Budhikote has a few temples which is a must see for visitors and pilgrims. If you leave Bangalore early, you can reach Budhikote by 8-30 a.m., and also visit the temples of Kodandarama, Somaeshwara and Venkatesha.

The Someshwara and Venkatesha temples were built by the Vijayanagar Emperors.

A few kms down Budhikote (4 kms away) is a big lake or reservoir called Markendeya reservoir with a Nilgiri groove adjoining it.  The Markendaya river flows into the tank. The lake is rarely visited and you can enjoy calm and quiet here. It is called the KRS of Kolar.

The reservoir was constructed between 1936 and 1940 and it then cost Rs. 4 lakhs. Take in the sunset here and it is breathtaking.
Check out the Government fish farm which is nearby. This is the place where a majority of the fish breeders and sellers of aquarium source their fishes. There are about 50 ponds here where a variety of “ornamental” fishes are bred.

Budhikote is not for people who enjoy crowds. There are many places of interest in and around Budhikote which are unexplored. The huge rocks, boulders and hillocks in and around Malur, Budhikote make for an interesting day for a rock climber. Watch out for snakes and lizards. It is better to carry water and food. Otherwise, you have to eat at Kolar or Mulabagal which is some distance away.

There are buses from Bangalore to Budhikote. Kolar, Malur and Mulabagal are well connected to Budhikote by buses. In case you prefer to come by train, you can alight either at Kolar or Bangarpet and then catch a bus to Budhikote. It is eleven kms from Bangarpet.

If you are in Bangalore, this can be a day’s trip.

For those interested in literature, here is a small anecdote. The English writer E M James came to Bangalore in 1927. He visited Budhikote during his travels to KGF and  wrote about it. He has immortalized Budhikote in his verse called “Poems of South India, .” Two others works of his which have reference to Budhikote are the Old Fort of Budhikote and Indian Landscape.

The day Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana

Raghavendra Swamy was teaching his disciples when he suddenly looked up and made a sign with his fingers. His disciples could not make anything of the gesture and they asked Rayaru the reason.

Rayaru smiled and told them that he had seen his friend Krishna Dwaipayana, a Madhwa saint, go to heaven. Rayaru said the departed soul asked him how long he (Raghavendra) would stay on as a mortal.

He said he had shown two fingers thrice, indicating that he would live on the earth physically for two years, two months and two days. The disciples were taken aback and looked dismayed.

Rayaru consoled  them and he decided to prepare for his Brindavana Pravesha. He chose Manchale now in Andhra Pradesh as his final resting place. Manchale then came under the jagir of Nawab Siddi Masoud, a Governor of the Bijapur Kingdom.

Siddi Masood was headquartered at Adoni or Advani. Raghavendra Swamy sent word to Diwan Venkanna (He was the same person who suddenly started reading due to the grace of Rayaru. Pleased by this, Masood had made Venkanna his Diwan) that he would becoming to his province along with all paraphernalia of the Sri Matha from Kumbokanam.

Though Venkanna wanted the Nawab to meet Raghavendra, the latter did not have any high opinion of  the seer. He decided to test the seer and sent mutton in a plate to Raghavendra Swamy. The Nawab sent word that the plate contained fruits and he wanted them to be offered to God

Raghavendra Swamy knew too well about the mischief of the Nawab. He meditated for a moment and took the holy Theertha from his Kamandala and sprinkled them on the plate which was covered with a clothe.

When the plate was uncovered, the Nawab was shocked to see that the mutton pieces had transformed into flowers. He immediately fell at the feet of Raghavendra and sought his forgiveness.

“Please let me know what I can do to atone for my sin”, he begged Raghavendra. The Guru only smiled. When Masood insisted, Raghavendra sought for land at Manchale, a small village across the Tungabhadra.

Masood was surprised and wanted to know why Raghavendra was insisting on a barren place of land. Moreover, he had already gifted the land to a fakir. When Venkanna said Rayaru would not accept anything but Manchale

Masood reluctantly agreed.

He gave the fakir another piece of land and gifted Manchale to Raghavendra Swamy.

Raghavendra Swamy then stayed at the house of  Appanacharya, a rich Zamindar, at Bichale near Raichur. Both Rayaru and Appanacharya became close friends and spent hours discussing Vedanta and other related subjects. Appanacharya lovingly cooked food for Rayaru and also for Naivaidya of Moola Rama and other deities of the Sri Matha which had been bought in the Devara Pettige (box which held the Samsthana idols of the Matha) from Kumbakonam.

 Rayaru knew that Appanacharya would not let him enter Brindavana. He, therefore, entrusted the task to Diwan Venkanna. Rayaru also pointed to a stone slab near Madavara village and said he wanted the Brindavana to be constructed from it.

Rayaru said Rama during his wanderings, had sat on this stone and that he wanted the Brindavana to be covered with it. Venkanna immediately set about preparing the Brindavana. Meanwhile, Rayaru also showed Venkanna and Masood the spot where he wanted the Brindavana to be built. He also specified the size of the Brindavana and how the pit should be dug.

Some time later, Venkanna showed the Brindavana to Rayaru. Looking at the exquisite Brindavana, Rayaru said this would be occupied decades later by one of his successors. “He is more suited than me to occupy this place,” Rayaru said and asked Venkanna to construct a much simpler Brindavan. This suitable man was none other than Vadeendra Theertha, the great grandson of Rayaru.

All this while Rayaru was still staying at the house of  Appanacharya. He decided to dismantle the ant hill in the house of Appanacharya where a cobra (sarpa) had made its home. Rayaru would give it milk every day and the cobra would come and drink it.

Rayaru ensured that the cobra moved away from the ant hill. This was because he realised that people would be scared of the snake after he entered Brindavana. He also wanted to protect the Sarpa from harm.   

The Brindavana was constructed and the date that Rayaru had mentioned to Krishna Dwaipayana was drawing near. Rayaru realised that he would not be able to entre Brindavana as long as Appancharya was near. He then sent out

Appanacharya on Sanchara and decided to enter Brindavana.

Rayaru decided to enter Brindavana on August 11, 1671. This day was Friday. He made all the arrangements himself. By then the Brindavana was ready.

His friends and relatives, devotes and other people began pouring into Manchale. By this time, Rayaru had already made Yogendra Theertha, his successor. Yogendra Theertha was the grandson of  his brother Gururaja.

Both Raghavendra Swamy and Yogendra Theertha stayed for some time and prayed at the Venkatarama Temple in Manchale to observe Chaturmasa. Rayaru then prayed to Manchalamma and told her of his plan to enter Brindavana. 

Rayaru sang “ Namosthu Varade Krishne Kumari Bramacharini Baalrka Sadrushaakaaye Purnachandra Nibhaanane Yam Kaamaye Tam Tamugram Krunomi Tam Bramanaama Tamrushini Tam Sumedhaam” and Manchalamma was pleased. 

A day before Rayaru entered Brindavana, that is on Thursday, (Shraavana Bahula Pratipada) Rayaru performed the Pooja of  Sri Moola Ramadevarau and other deities. It was a normal day for him, while all others had a heavy heart. Raghavendra Swamy held discussions on Acharya Tatva.

After having his daily frugal meal, Rayaru gave a  thought to the next day’s programme. He called the Matha officials and also his successor and gave them instructions.

The next day dawned and Rayaru spent his time in ritualistic bathing in the Tungabhadra as was his normal routine.  He then prayed to his beloved Moola Rama one last time and performed other pooje.

He then took the hand of  Yogendra Theertha and walked to the Brindavana. The Brindavana was constructed on a platform with steps. Rayaru was taken in a proceesion on the temple elephant Mahendra. Rayaru had his Danda and Kamandala with him.

He appeared calm and blessed the devotees along the way.

When the procession came near Garbalaya where the Brindavana was constructed,  Rayaru alighted and took out his Paduke and handed them over to Yogendra Theertha. Meanwhile, Yogendra Theertha had constructed a Pranadevaru temple opposite the Brindavana as per Rayaru’s wishes.

Even on the last day, Rayaru performed three miracles. A dumb youth got back his power of speech and a lame person got back his limbs. His last miracle was to cure a youth of leprosy.

Rayaru’s son, Lakshnimarayana, Rayaru’s nephew Narayanachar, Diwan Venkanna and others watched with a heavy heart as Rayaru was moments away from entering the Brindavana. Vadeendra Theertha then was just two years old when Rayaru entered the Brindavana. (He became the head of the Mantralaya matha five swamijis after Raghavendra. He wrote Gurugunasthavana, a composition of  of 36 verses).

Rayaru then raised his hands in blessing ti the assembled crowd and made his last speech. He entered the Brindavana with his Kamandala and Japa mala. He held the hand of Yogendra Theertha and walked into the Brindavan enclosure. He entrusted the Matha to Yogendra Theertha and commended the people to follow the path of  righteousness.

Rayaru then began meditating and he had asked Venkanna and others to close the Brindavana once the Japa Mala fell from his hand. The moment came and the Brindavana was closed.

An interesting fact is that Raghavendra Vijaya does not contain any details of  the Brindavana Pravesha. Much of the details can be culled from other books, articles and the matha. Another fact is that Appanacharya was not there when Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana When Appancharya swam across the swirling waters of the Tungabhadra when he heard the news of Rayaru entering Brindavana,  it was too late. Rayaru had already entered the Brindavana and appanacharya sorrowfully sang Purnaboda.

A sobbing Appanacharya could not finish the song and Raghavendra Swamy completed the Shloka from within the Brindavana by singing“sakshi haya stotra hi."