The Hanuman who okayed Bhava Bhoda

The aradhana of one of  the greatest Madhwa saints, Raghuttama Theertha, who belonged to the Uttaradhi Matha, is being celebrated on January 11, 2014.

Raghuttama Theertha, whose brindavana is near Tirukoilur in Tamil Nadu, was the pontiff of the Uttaradi Matha from 1557 to 1595.

Born as Ramachandra, he was the nephew of  Raghuvarya Theertha, the pontiff of the Uttaradi Matha  from 1502 to 1557.

Raghuttama Theertha has written several tippanis or commentaries on the works of Madhwacharya and Jayatheertha, including the Bhava Bhodas and they are Tatwa Prakashika, Brihadaranyakopanishad Bhashya, Geeta Bhashya Prameya Deepika, Vishnu Tatwa Nirnaya Teeka, Nyaya Vivarana Teeka, Anu vyakhyana, Vivaranoddhara and Nyaya Ratna Sambandha Deepika.

He stayed at Srirangam for several years where he wrote the Bhava Bhoda. Legend has it that he penned down the Bhava Bhoda only after an Anjaneya idol before whom he commenced writing nodded his head in appreciation.

This temple of Anjenaya exists in Srirangam even today and it is known as Grantha Sakshi Anjenaya Temple. The God here is called Sakshi as he nodded his head or stood Sakshi or proof for the scholarly five works which together are called Bhava Bhoda.  

The Sakshi Anjaneya temple is also known as Bhava Bhoda Anjaneya or Hanuman Temple.    

Srirangam in Tamil Nadu is near Trichy and it is the first among the one hundred and eight Divya Desams for Vaishnavas. This is  the place where Ranganatha reclines and it considered to be very holy as Brahma meditated upon Vishnu.

Raghuttama Theertha has written Tippanis or commentaries on  Brihadaranya Bhavabhoda, Nyaya Vivarana Bhavabhoda, Gitabhashya Bhavabhoda (Prameya Dipika Bhavabhoda), Vishnutatvanirnaya Bhavabhoda and Tattvaprakashika Bhavabhoda.

All these five works were written in Srirangam and in the temple of Bhava Bodha Anjaneya. The temple is now under the Uttaradhi Matha and it is located at 194, East Uttara Street, Srirangam.

The temple looks like a house and it does not have any gopura. Raghuttama Theertha sat here and composed the five Bhava bhoda looking at the Pranavakara vimana of the Ranganatha Temple.

It is said that Anjaneya himself stood beside the seer and whenever Raghuttama Theertha looked towards Anjaneya after composing a  line, Anjaneya nodded his head in approval.

The idol of Anjaneya is eight feet high and it faces West. The left foot is placed a little ahead of the right foot.

There is a room in the temple with an idol of Anjaneya and this is where Raghuttama Theertha wrote the Bhava Bhoda.

By the way, there is another Grantha Sakshi Temple of Hanuman in Yeregol near Gulbarga, It was at Yeragol that Jayatheertha or Teekcharya wrote most of his works. The cave where he composed his works in Yeragol can still be seen. 

A mother's image on a Brindavana

The Brindavana of Raghuttama Theertha, the renowned pontiff of Uttaradhi Matha, is massive. Apart from its size, its importance lies in the fact that Raghuttama Theertha entered Brindavana at the age of 39 years.

The Brindavana, located near Tirucoilur in Tamil Nadu, is uncovered either by a roof or any other material. This is because Raghuttama Theertha belongs to the Surya Vamsha and seers belonging to this lineage want the sun to shine directly on their Brindavana.

There are only a handful of such Brindavanas which do not have a  roof or covering over them. The first such Brindavana belongs to Bramanye Theertha, the seer of Vyasaraja Matha and Guru of Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha.

The Brindavana of  Bramanye Theertha is in Abbur which is near Chennapatna. The Brindavana too is uncovered. Similarly, the Brindavana of Sripadaraja in Mulabagal too is uncovered. He to belonged to the Surya Vamsha.

The Brindavana of Sripadaraja is just off the national highway at Mulabagal and it is called Narasimha Theertha. Sripadaraja and Bramanye Theertha were cousin brothers and their mothers were sisters.

Coming back to the Brindavana of Raghuttama Theertha, this Brindavana is unique in another way. Raghuttama Theertha entered the Brindavana alive. He is one of the four Madhwa seers to have done so the others being Vadiraja, Raghavendra and Satyavrata Theertha.

The Brindavana of Raghuttama Theerts is different from other Brindavanas in that it has the image of his mother Gangubai carved on it. You can see the image on top of the Brindavana.

This shows Raghuttama Theertha’s love and devotion to his mother. There is an interesting story about the mother-son relationship.

Gangubai  was accustomed to watch the pooje of  Moola Rama and other deities by Raghuttama Theerta. These idols were given to the Matha by Madhwacharya several centuries ago.

When Raghuttama Theertha performed the pooje and offered Naivaidya, Gangubai saw to her amazement that the gods themselves would walk up to partake the offerings.

Among the Gods that came down to earth and accepted the offerings by Raghuttama Theertha was Yama. While Gangubai could easily see and admire the other Gods, she grew particularly afraid of Yama, the God of  Death.

The very form of Yama frightened Gangubai and she would become restless and nervous after seeing his form. When Raghuttama Theertha came to know of this, he prayed to Yama to become invisible and accept his offerings. Yama readily agreed to do so and from that day, he remained invisible to all except Raghuttama Theertha.

Gangubai then happily watched all the other Gods “coming alive”  and accepting the offerings with the sole exception of Yama. Years later, when Raghuttama Theerha decided to enter Brindavana alive he had an image of his mother carved on top of the structure.

There is a belief that because of her presence on the Brindavana, childless couples who pray with devotion and sincerity will get children. The seer, Raghuttama Theertha, adds to her blessings and this makes it doubly holy.   

The Brindavana is left open to the skies even today. It is never covered either by flowers or even clothes. Even if flowers are placed on the Brindavana, it is blown away by a strong wind. The branches of the nearby tamarind tree too cannot cast its shadow on the Brindavana. The moment its leaves or branches reach out towards the Brindavana, they get burnt.

It is only during the aradhana of Raghuttama Theertha every January that clothes and flowers are kept on the Brindavana for a short period. Otherwise, the Brindavana is generally shorn of all decorations barring certain times when special pooje is conducted.   

The day Raghuttama Theertha entered Brindavana

He was just 39 year of age when he decided to near Brindavana alive. That would make him the only Madhwa saint to have entered Brindavana at such an early age.

Once he made up his mind to enter Brindavana, no amount of pleadings from either his disciples or others could make him change his mind.

He realised that he had completed the task entrusted to him by his beloved Rama and there was no point in living physically on the Earth anymore.

The Seer had set the Uttaradhi Matha on a firm footing and he had lived his life as per the dictates of his beloved Rama. He had also accomplished the task set out for him by Vedavyasa and Madhwacharya when he visited Badari. Both of them had instructed the seer to write the Bhavabodhas or commentaries on the works of Madhwacharya.

Raghuttama Theertha had already accomplished the task of penning the Bhavabodhas. These commentaries, he knew, had already received the approval of Prana Devaru at Srirangam.

The seer had seen no reason to continue with his physical presence and had chosen to enter Brindavana at the Vamana Kshetra. This seer was none other than Raghuttama Theertha, the pontiff of the Uttaradhi Matha.  
Raghuttama Theertha asked the Zamindar of  Tirucoilur in Tamil Nadu to construct the Brindavana at the place he had chosen. The place was beneath a tamarind tree in Manampoondi near Tirukoilur and adjacent to a Hanuman Temple.

There was also the temple of Trivikrama nearby and the place he chose was on the banks of the Pinakini. Once the preparations for the Brindavana Pravesha were completed by him, he called a meeting of his disciples and Matha officials and told then of his intention.

There was pin drop silence in the meeting. The disciples were stunned that their Guru was entering Brindavana at such short notice. The Matha officials, on their part, did not know how to react. Their only question was when the matha had been so enriched by the efforts of the seer and when he had established himself as the foremost Dwaitha saint of the age, where was the need for entering Brindavana.

Raghuttama Theertha bode no opposition and he told the audience that he would enter Brindavana exactly a month later. He also fixed the day as  Pushya shuddha Ekadashi.

The audience then burst into a spontaneous appeal, urging the seer to take back his words. “Be with us for more time. We need you”, they said. There is some more things that ought to be done, they said.  

The seer replied that none could go against the will of Hari. When Hari calls, can I say nom he asked his distraught disciples. He, however, promised them that he would continue living in the Brindavana for exactly a thousand years.

He then indicated that no roof should be constructed over his Brindvana and that it should also not be covered in any manner. He wanted the rays of the Sun to always fall on the Brindavana as he would be meditating.

He then named his favouite disciple, Vedavyasa Theertha, as his successor and set out to Tirucoilur from Mannur in Gulbarga where he had been camping.   

The seer then appeared in the dream of the Zamindar and informed him of the date of the Brindavan Pravesha.

He reached Tirucoilur and finally the place where he would enter Brindavana. He inspected the structure and expressed satisfaction.

The day of the Brindavana Pravesha dawned and it was January. On this day too, the seer did not forge his regular practice. He got up early in the morning during Brahma Muhuruta and performed his daily ablutions.

He then performed the pooje of Moola Rama  and other deities that had been handed over to the matha by Madhwacharya. He then called his sorrowing disciples and took classes in Shastras and Dwaitha philosophy.

Many of the disciples had tears in their eyes and they could barely hear the commanding voice of their Guru. However, there were others who reverentially listened to the discourse knowing fully well that they would never hear the voice again.

When all the days’ works was over, Raghuttama Theerha bid farewell to his disciples and began walking with then towards the Brindavana. Several people from nearby villages and even Mannur had come to witness the event.    

The Brindavan had been constructed in such a manner that the seer could easily sit in Padmasana. Amid vedic chants, Raghuttama Theertha walked to the Brindavan, got into it and sat down.

Before entering the Brindavana, the seer blessed each person present and gave a small but short speech. He then turned to Veda Vyasa Theertha and asked him to continue with the tradition of the Matha.

He then prayed to Vamana, the Sun and other deities and gave  final instructions to his disciples. He asked them to close the roof of the structure once they saw his Angavastra or upper clothe worn across the stomach fly into the air.

Soon, the saffron clothe flew out of the Brindavana and disappeared into the sky. The devotees and disciples reverentially chanted the name of the seer and closed the Brindavana. Later, they poured 7,000 saligramas which they had obtained from the Gandaki river in Nepal.  

To this day, there is no roof over the Brindavana of  Raghuttama Theertha. There is a tamarind tree nearby and when some of its branches grow and give a shade over the Brindavana, they soon bur and turn to ash.

The Brindavana for most part of the day remains uncovered. Only on the Aradhana of the saint, is it decked with clothes. At other times, the clothes are removed. Even flower are not put on the Brindavana.

Manampoondi is a small village between Tiruvanamalai and Tirukoilur. It  is 36 K.ms away from Tiruvannamalai and just 2 Kms from Tirukoilur.

Tirukoilur is 237 Kms from Bangalore. If you are going by road from Bangalore, continue on the Hosur road and touch Hosur. Then  take a left at Krishnagiri and proceed towards Tiruvannamalai. After Tiruvannamalai take the road to Tirukoilur. Keep left when the road divides and proceed till you come to a board saying the Brindavana of Raghuttama Theertha. Then take the left road at the intersection just before the River Pinakini bridge. The Brindavana is located to the immediate right.

KSRTC and Tamiul Nadu buses also operate  between Bangalore and Tirukoilur.

Whether you can go to Tirukoilur or not remember this sloka.

“Pranamadh Kamadenamcha Bhajadsurataroopamam
Sri Bhavabhoda Krit Paada Chintaamanimupaasmaye”

The sloka will always help you in your hour of need.

The cook who suddenly began a discourse on Nyaya Sudha

He was the cook who was in charge of preparing food for the pontiff of the Matha.

The cook had been discharging his duties diligently and with all sincerity. Though the food he prepared for his master was frugal, he made sure to ensure that they were tasty and that the seer never went hungry.

Days passed into weeks and weeks into months and the cook continued to serve the seer with extreme devotion and “madi.” Whenever, the cook get the time or the opportunity, he came and stood by the huge hall where the Seer gave discourses in Bhagavath Geetha, Shashtras and other religious texts.

The cook was particularly amazed at the mastery of his seer when he spoke about Madhwacharya and his Sarvamoola Grantha. The lyrical manner in which the seer explained the nuances of Dwaitha philosophy and the many interpretation he gave made the cook realise that he was losing some of the most valuable things in life.

Since then, the cook began to frequent the hall and listen to the discourses of the seer. Unfortunately, for the cook, he was not able to make “head and tail” of the discourses. All that he could understand was that the discourses dealt with religion and philosophy.

The cook could also not make out the context and meaning of the discourses. The seer’s oratorical skills and his excellence in interpretation were all that the cook understood.  Realising that he would never get an opportunity to study and understand these texts, the cook began berating himself.

The cook felt that he would die a nobody and that he would never be able to understand the nuances of Dwaitha philosophy. Try as he might, the cook failed to grasp the meaning. Every time he tried to understand the words of his master, they flowed over his head. By the time he could make out the meaning of a word, the master had already gone on to the next word and sentence and the meaning and context were lost.

One day, the cook listened awestruck at the discourse of the seer on Nyaya Sudha. All that the cook understood was that Nyaya Sudha was by Jayatheerta and that Jayatheertha was the favourite disciple of Akshobya Theertha. The every day lecture on Nyaya Sudha made the cok realize how ignorant he was and how he perhaps would never be able to learn.

When one such discourse on Nyaya sudha ended and the disciples dispersed for lunch, the cook called some of them aside and expressed his desire to know more about the Nyaya Sudha. When the disciples probed further, the cook confessed that he wanted to learn about the book and understand it.

The disciples had a hearty laugh about the cook and his desire. They made fun of him, saying that leaning and understanding Dwaitha philosophy and that too a work by Jayatheertha is not as easy as cooking.

One of the disciples was more sarcastic. He taunted the cook saying tat Nyaya Sudha is not a vegetable that can be easily cooked. What he meant was that even a vegetable can be cooked easily but not the granthas of Jayatheertha.

The cook was shocked at the fun the disciples made of him. When he went to the seer’s room to serve him food, the cook could not control himself and burst into tears.

The seer asked the cook the reason for his tears. When the cook told him about his desire to learn and the fun made of him by the disciples, the seer meditated for some time and asked the cook to come to the hall where he gave the discourse the next day.

When the next day dawned, the disciples were surprised to see two seats on the podium. Normally, only their master sat on the podium and gave them lectures on various topics. They assumed that the other seat was for some other great scholar.

The seer entered and took his seat and looked around the hall. He then motioned to a person standing near the door to come. When the person entered the hall with tentative steps, the disciples were surprised to see that he was the cook.

The seer asked the cook to climb up the podium and sit beside him. Even before the disciples could react, the seer placed his hand on the cook’s head and chanted mantras of Hari. He then asked the cook to start his discourse.

To the amazement of  the disciples, the cook began a masterly talk on the Nyaya Sudha. The words kept on flowing like a river and the surprised disciples had a hard time making sense of some of the words and phrases.

As soon as the discourse ended, the cook fell at the feet of the seer. The cook was overcome with devotion for the seer who then told him that he would forever remain the scholar that he had shown himself that day.

The cook’s fame as a master orator spread far and wide and even Raghavendra Swamy was impressed by his skills. He then went on to write several works, each of them a gem in Madhwa literature. People thronged in large numbers to his dicourses.

The name of the cook was Venkanna (he is no relation to the Venkanna of Raghavendra Swamy). Since he was a cook, he became popular as Roti Venkannachar.

The seer was none other than Raghutthama Theertha. He had been pleased with the sincerity of the cook in wanting to learn. He had decided, therefore, to give the cook the gift of knowledge and he had obtained permission from his beloved Rama for doing so.

Raghuttama Theertha (1537-1595)was the 13^th pontiff of the Uttaradhi Matha. His brindavana is on the banks of Pinalini near Tirukoilur in Tamil Nadu. His aradhana falls in January and it is celebrated with great pomp and fervour.    

         

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.