Sri Vadiraja Theertharu

Introduction

Sri Vadiraja Theertharu was one of the greatest yathi in the lineage of Sri Madhvacharya. He was a Great Scholar, Debator, Writer, Poet who was well versed in Kannada, Tulu and Sanskrit languages. His contribution is immense in both Vyasa & Dasa Sahitya. He is also considered as Lathavyaru, the Ruju Devatha, next only to Vayudevaru. He has and is still exhibiting divine powers to shower the blessings on devotees. He is one of the only two Madhva yathis who has entered the brindavana sashareera(with Atman still inside the Body), the other being Sri Rayaru at Mantralaya. He lived for 120 years and is the first Yathi to perform Paryaya at Udupi on 5 occassions. He is also known as “Bhavi Sameeraru” as he would be taking the place of Sri Vayudevaru in the next Kalpa.

• Janana : 1480 AD
• Janma Sthala : Hoovinakere, Near Kumbasi
• Namadheya : Bhoovaraha
• Ashrama Swekara : 1488 AD
• Ashrama Gurugalu        : Shri Vagisha Theertharu
• Vidya Gurugalu               : Shri Vyasarajaru

Paryaya Years:

Dwaimasika Paryaya : 1488 AD to 1528 AD along with Shri Vagisha Theertharu

Dwaivarshika Paryaya :

1532 – 1534 AD

1548 – 1550 AD

1564 – 1566 AD

1580 – 1582 AD

1596 – 1598 AD

Brindavana Pravesha  : 1600 AD, Sode in Uttara Kannada district

Birth & Sanyasashrama:

Vadirajaru was born with the blessings of his Guru, Shri Vagisha Theertharu(Shri Vishnu Theerthara lineage of Kumbasi Mutt) in Hoovinakere, near Kundapur in Udupi district. He was born on Saadhana Dwadasi day in the year 1480 AD. The baby boy was named as Bhovaraha and had his upanayana at a very tender age of 5. He learnt the Vedas, Kavya, Nyaya and Vedantha at a very young age and was given sanyasa dikshe at the age of 8. Later Vadirajaru became the successor of Vagisha Theertharu in the Kumbasi Matha(Sonda Matha, was earlier called as Kumbasi Matha). He later did his studies at Hampi, which was a great educational centre for studies on Dvaitha Vedantha at that time under Sri Vyasarajaru. It is said that Vadirajaru, with his divine power, showed a treasury of Vali to the king of Vijayanagar at Hampi. Out of the huge treasure found, he took only two idols Vittala and Rama which is still being worshipped in Sonda Matha even till this day. Sri Sri Vijayeendraru was his sahapati at Hampi during his studies.

Changes in Udupi & its Paryaya System

Vadirajaru brought up many changes in Udupi Matha and its Paryaya System. Udupi Krishna Matha was enlarged and renovated during his period. During his time, all the ashta mathadipathis were living in Krishna Matha, Vadirajaru bought a change to this system and constructed separate buildings for each of the 8 matha’s in Ratha beedhi at Udupi. He also installed, Sri Mukhprana, Sri Garuda, Sri Subrahmanya and Sri Madhwacharya idols in Krishna Matha. He also installed the idol of Sri Madhwacharyaru at Pajaka Kshetra. He changed the Paryaya system from 2 months to 2 years. The Paryaya system in Udupi, is said to be the only un-documented system, which is being followed till date from the time of Acharya Madhwaru, without any break or violation of rules.

Contribution to Daasa Sahitya

His contribution to Dasa Sahitya is as equal to that of his contribution to Vyasa Sahitya. His ankita is “Hayavadana”. He introduced the concept of singing kannada keerthana during the Krishna pooje at Udupi. Lakumi Narayana – Jaya – Lakumi Narayana is his one of the greatest composition, which is still being sung in most of the Madhva Mutt’s even till date. He even composed keerthanas in Tulu language. One of the keerthana he has composed is very unique. It has 6 Stanza’s and each stanza is in different language (Kannada, Tulu, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Hindi). The other masterpiece  is the composition of “Lakshmi Shobhane”, which is recited even today in all the marriages of Madhwa community. Vadirajaru also got the people of other sects under the privilege of being Madhwa’s, such as Goldsmiths and other local people of Tulu Nadu for their benefit and thus blessed them.

When Vadirajaru visited Tirumala, the whole hill looked like a saligrama to him, so he climbed the hill on his knees and offered a garland of Saligrama to Lord Srinivasa.

Once, when Vadiraja was on tour, he happened to pass by that place. The leaders of that community who came to know of his presence invited him to come and perform pooja in their village.
Vadiraja declined their invitation stating that the environment was full of evil spirits and hence very inappropriate for any auspicious activities. The people of that village somehow convinced Vadirajaru  to perform the Pooja there and shower his blessing to the village and its residents.
He had one of his aides fetch an icon of Manjunatha from the Kadiri temple. He then consecrated that in accordance with shastra and installed it in Dharmasthala.
From that day on, Dharmasthala lost its bad reputation and became renowned as an important pilgrimage centre in South India.

Brindavana Pravesha :

Vadirajaru was the first yati to have entered the Brindavan Sashareera, meditating on a holy day in the year 1600 AD at Sode, near Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district. The Brindavana is very unique and is known as Pancha Brindavana. There are 4 small ones around the main Brindavana. Each one is having the sannidhana of various forms of Lord Vishnu. Brahma, Vayu,Vishnu, Rudra are present – along with Sri Vadirajaru in these Brindavanas.

 

Works

Vadirajaru has written many granthas, but the below few are considered as master pieces.

Swatantra Granthaglu :

• Yuktimallika
• Nyayaratnavali
• Haribhakti Leela
• Shruthitatva Prakashika
• Upanyasa Ratnamala
• Bhoogola Nirnaya
• Pashanda Matha Khandanam
• Kalpalatha
• Vivarnvranam
• Adhikarna Naamavali
• Chakramimimansa
• Ekadashi Nirnaya
• Sadachara Smrathi
• Shakuna Mala
• Samskrutha Strutartha
• ShrimadBhagvathaanukramanika
• Vayustuthi Punascharana Vidhi
• Muhurtha Raja
• Taratamya Nayasiddhanta Sangraha
• Madhva Vagvajravali

Teeka Granthagalu

• Shriman Mahabharatha Lakshalankara
• Tantrasarateeka
• Talavakara Upanishad Bhashya Teeka
• Mandakopanishad Bhashya Teeka
• Kathakopanishad Bhashya Teeka
• Taithiriyopanishad Bhashya Teeka
• Purusha Sookta Vykhyana

Kavya Granthagalu

• Rugminisha Vijaya
• SarasaBharathi Vilasaha
• Theertha Prabandha
• Kavi Kadambakakanta Bhoosha
• Swaapnabrindavanakhyanam

Stotra Granthagalu

• Roopyapeetha Krishna Stutihi
• Stotra Ratnamaala
• Stotra Mahodadhi
• Ramesha Stuthi
• Krishna Stuthi
• Avatratraya Stotram
• Hayagreeva Sampada Stotram
• Prarthana Dashaka Stotram
• Shri Hayagreeva Stotram
• Dashavatara Stuthi
• Shri Sreesgaguna Darpanam
• Madhvashtakam
• Venkatesha Mangalashtakam

Tippani Granthagalu

• Nyayasudha Gurvartha Deepika
• Tatvaprashika Gurvartha Deepika
• Eeshavasyopanishad
• Bhashya Teeka Tippani
• Ghatprashnopanishad Bhashya Teeka Tippani

Kannada Stuthigalu

• Vaikuntha Varnane
• Swapna Pada
• Lakshmi Shobhani
• Bhramara Geethe
• Gunda Kreeye
• Namaskara Stotra
• Shri Krishna Balaleele
• Naivedya PRakarna
• Harisarvothama Saara
• Gajendra Moksha
• Keechaka Vadha Varnanam
• Tulshi Sankeerthane
• Narada Koravanji
• Panchabheda Stotra
• Virata Murthidhyana
• Shri Mahabharatha Tatparya Nirnaya Stuthi
• Pad danagalu in Tulu Language

 

Theertha Prabandha is held in high esteem amongst Madhwas and recitation of all the shlokas is considered equal to an actual pilgrimage covering all the mentioned places.

Thirtha Prabandha is written in the form of travelogue and contains the details of the pilgrim centres he has visited throughout India. It contains 235 shlokas. Each shlokas describes the place and also provides information on the sacredness of the place and also showers praises on the deities. He mentions about 100 places in the document. He also writes about the holy rivers in India in Thirtha Prabandha.

Contemporaries

1. Vyasarajaru
2. Vageesha Theertharu
3. Surendra Theertharu
4. Vijayeendra Theertharu
5. Purandara Dasaru
6. Kanaka Dasaru
7. Arasappa Nayaka

 

||Krishnarpanamastu||