Sri Sugnanendra Theertharu

Sri Sugnanendra Theertharu (1836 – 1861)

Sri Sugnanendra Thirtharu is 28^th Peetadhipathi of Sri Manmadhwacharya moola Mahasamsthana of Sri Raghavendra swamy mutt parampare. He is well known scholar in dwaitha philosophy & had divine blessing from Sri Raghavendra Thirtharu during his tenure.

Here is his brief introduction.

Poorvasharama Name   : Sri Raghavendra Acharya

Ashrama Gururagalu      : Sri Sujanendra Theertha

Ashrama Sishyaru            : Sri Sudharmendra Theertha

Aradana                               : Shravana Krishna, Chaturthi (Durmathi naama Samvatsara)

Vrundavana Place            : Nanjanagud

Brief Sketch

Sri Raghavendrachaya was the son of Sri Ramacharya and purvashrama great grandson of Sri Dheerendra Thirtharu of Ritti & brother- in law of Sri Sujanendra thirtharu. He studied under the Sri Subhodendra thirtha & was a great scholar of that time. He married to Godhabai & had 4 children. He lived in Nanjanagud the place,gifted to Sri Sujanendra thirtharu by Sri Mummadi Krishnaraja wodeyar king of Mysore.

Sansyasa Sweekara

Sri Sujanendra Thirtharu gave sanyasa ashrama to Sri Raghavendracharya & named him as Sri Sugnanendra thirtha. After Sri Sujanendra Thirtharu Sri Sugnanendra thirtharu became successor of Sri Madwacharya mahasamstana. He acquired siddi through japa & tapa anustana, he used to show an unusual brilliance whenever he was seen after he performed Pranavajapa and Ahneeka. He was also a brilliant scholar & performed Srimannyayasudha mangala 9 times. He also used to teach the students & prepare them as scholars.

Sri Sugnanendra thirtharu continued to stay in Nanjanagud to stabilise the administration, which was newly formed head quarter of Sri Madwhacharya Mahasamstana. He undertook a brief sanchara  got back Kireetigiri, Moraba, Somanahalli and other villages which had missed possession for various geo political reasons. The Mutt also got back the lands in the villages of Amarapura and Shettihalli. During this period the documents pertaining to the assets of the Mutt were done through the British Govt officials.

In one such instance, the then Purvashrama son Sri Rajgopalacharya keeping in view the interest of Mutt got a British officer to visit Shrigalu in relation to assistance of Mutt’s administration. Swamiji categorically declined to meet the officer and was also not interested to get any assistance from him. Rajgopalacharya urged again to Swamiji to meet the officer, when the officer came to meet the Swamiji, he could see only the empty plank, but not the Swamiji & they can listen to his words. This aroused a great devotion to British officer towards the Swamiji. Everyone around the Swamiji was astonished to see the ascetic powers of the Swamiji.

A Dobhi in Srirangapattana had a dream in which Sri Raghavendra thirtharu informed him that the stone on which he is washing the clothes on river bank had his Sannidhana. But, the dhobi could not understand this message & continue to wash the clothes on the same stone. One day while he was washing the clothes he heard a sound “OM” and out of curiosity he turned the stone to see a beautiful sketch of Sri Rayaru sitting in Padmasana posture with the abhaya mudra. Dhobi immediately took the stone to a Brahmin who also had the dream to take that stone to Sri Sugnanendra Theertharu who was at Nanjanagud. Previous night Sri Sugnanendra thirtharu & the king Sri Mummadi Krishnaraja wodeyar of mysore also got similar instructions in dream from Sri Rayaru that a person will bring his prateeka & to respectfully install that in the mutt.  King rushed to Nanjanagud along with a team of scholars & met Sri Sugnanendra Thirtharu. Both welcomed Sri Raghavendra Thirthara prateeka with great devotion. Swamiji then installed the prateeka at Nanjanagud Mutt in the presence of Sri Krishnarajendra Wodeyar. This Prateeka of Rayaru is being worshipped till date in Nanjanagud mutt. This place has  privilege of having the only Prateeka Murthi & sannidana of Sri Rayaru.

Brindavana Pravesha :

During his last days Shrigalu came to Mantralaya, & wanted to attain the Brindavana at Mantralayam. After worshipping Sri Rayaru for few days, he had a dream where in Sri Rayaru instructed him to return to Nanjangud and inturn he would be blessed to have his aradhana fall on the concluding day of Sri Rayaru’s Aradhana. As per the dream, Shrigalu returned to Nanjanagud and after few days he attained Hari Paada on Shravana Krishna, Chaturthi in Durmathi naama Samvatsara. The Uttara Aradhana of Rayaru coincides with the poorvaradhana of Sri Sugnanendra Theertharu. .

Being a great scholar, Shrigalu has written a grantha called Chandrika Mandana and a stotra called SriRamapanchakam..

Grantha’s :

Sri Sugnanendra Thirtharu being a great scholar had written a book called “Chandirka Mandana” a profound work on Chandrika of Sri Vyasarajaru. He also composed a stotra “SriRamapanchakam”