Sri Raghottama Tirtharu

Courtesy: Sri.Bryan Hill

Sri Raghottama Tirtharu

(Uttaradi Mutt)(14th in the parampare)

Vrundavana @ Tirukoiluru(TN)

This place is also known as "Pancha Krishnaranya Kshetra".  Swamiji had ordered a Zamindar of Tiruvannamalai in a dream to construct his Vrundavana at a specified place.

The moola Vrundavana of Sri Raghottama Tirtharu, like Sri Brahmanya Tirtharu and Sripadarajaru is also not having any top cover.  Even when some people tried to cover the vrundavana, they got dream not to cover the same.

1. Jeevana Charitre in Devaranama (Kannada Lipi) – click

2. Jeevana Charitre in Devaranama (Sanskrit) – click

3. Devaranamagalu on Raghottamaru - click
   

4. Stotraas on Raghottamaru (Sanskrit lipi) – Click

5. Stotras on Raghottamaru (Kannada lipi) – Click

6. Taratamya Stotra by Raghottamaru - Click

ಭಾವಬೋಧಕೃತಂ ಸೇವೇ ರಘೂತ್ತಮಮಹಾಗುರುಂ |ಯಚ್ಚಿಷ್ಯಶಿಷ್ಯಶಿಷ್ಯಾದ್ಯಾಷ್ಟಪ್ಪಣ್ಣಾಚಾರ್ಯ ಸಂಜ್ಞಿತಾ:||

ರಘೋತ್ತಮಗುರುರ್ಬೂಯಾನ್ಮಮ ಜ್ಞಾನಾಯ ಸರ್ವದಾ | ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಂ ಸಂಶೋಧ್ಯ ಯ: ಸಮ್ಯಜ್ಞಾನಾಮವಾಪ್ತವಾನ್ ||

भावबोधकृतं सेवे रघूत्तममहागुरुं । यच्चिष्यशिष्यशिष्याद्याष्टप्पण्णाचार्य संज्ञिता:॥

रघोत्तमगुरुर्बूयान्मम ज्ञानाय सर्वदा । श्री मध्वशास्त्रं संशोध्य य: सम्यज्ञानामवाप्तवान् ।

bhaavabOdhakRutam sEvE raGUttama mahaagurum |

yachchiShya shiShya SiShyaadyaaShTappaNNaachaarya sanjJitaa:||

raGOttamagururbUyaanmama jJaanaaya sarvadaa |

shrI madhvashaastram samshOdhya ya: samyagnaanaamavaaptavaan |

ರಘೂತ್ತಮಮುನೀನ್ ವಿದ್ಯಾಗುರೂನ್ ಪರಗುರೂಂಸ್ತಥಾ |

ವಂದೇ ಶ್ರೀಮಧ್ವಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೋತ್ಥವಿನಿರ್ಮಲಮತೀನಹಂ |

ರಘೂತ್ತಮಗುರೂರ್ದದ್ಯಾತ್ ರಘೋತ್ತಮಕಠಾದರಂ|

ರಘೂತ್ತಮಗ್ರಂಥಜಾತಾರಘೋತ್ತಮಕಥಾದೃತ: |

रघूत्तममुनीन् विद्यागुरून् परगुरूंस्तथा । वंदे श्रीमध्वशास्त्रोत्थविनिर्मलमतीनहं ।

रघूत्तमगुरूर्दद्यात् रघोत्तमकठादरं। रघूत्तमग्रंथजातारघोत्तमकथादृत: ।

raGUttamamunIn vidyaagurUn paragurUmstathaa |
vandE shrImadhvashaastrOtthavinirmalamatInaham |
raGUttamagurUrdadyaat raGOttamakaThaadaram|
raGUttamagranthajaataaraGOttamakathaadRuta: |

Aradhana – Pushya Shudda Ekadashi

Vrundavana – Tirukoilore (Near pinaki river)

Ashrama Sweekara – 1556

Peetadhipathitva Period – 1557-1595 (Approx 38 Years)

He was a baala sanyaasi (Took sanyasa without entering Gruhastashrama)

(After him it is Sri Satyatmaru who has taken baala sanyasashrama in UM)

Vidya Gurugalu –

Sri Raghuvarya Tirtharu & Sri Aadya Varadacharyaru

Ashrama Gurugalu – Sri Raghuvarya Tirtharu

Ashrama Shishyaru 1  – Sri Raghupathi Tirtharu

(For a short period, as he entered vrundavana at an early age).

Ashrama Shishyaru 2 – Sri Vedavyasa Tirtharu (Penagonda)

Ashrama Shishyaru 3 – Sri Vedesha Tirtharu

(But he didn't accepted the peetadhipathva, he had a shishya by the name Sri Yadavaryaru, who has done the commentary on  Bhagavatha and many works)

Poorvashrama name – Sri Ramacharyaru

Parents – Sri Subbabhatta & Smt Gangabai

ಸಮಕಾಲೀನರು -  ಶ್ರೀವಿಜಯೀಂದ್ರರು, ಶ್ರೀವಾದಿರಾಜರು

bhaavabhoda -   His Tippanis are called as "Bhavabodha".  That is why he is called as Bhavabodhakararu.

Disciples :

1. Sri Raghupathi Tirtharu

2. Sri Vedesha Tirtharu

3. Tarangini Ramacharyaru

4. Rotti VenkaTadri BhaTTaru

5. Ananda Bhattarakaru.

Vrundaavana varNane -

yadvRundaavanapUrvata: phalavatI dhaatrI jagatpaavanI |
yaamyyaayaam tu pinaakinI chaladalO mUrtitrayaadhiShTita: |
vaaruNyaam dishi vaamata: pratikRutou Chaayaa kRutaa tintriNI |
tadvRundaavanamadhyagO guruvarO bhUyana: shrEyasE |

ಯದ್ವೃಂದಾವನಪೂರ್ವತ: ಫಲವತೀ ಧಾತ್ರೀ ಜಗತ್ಪಾವನೀ |

ಯಾಂಯ್ಯಾಯಾಂ ತು ಪಿನಾಕಿನೀ ಚಲದಲೋ ಮೂರ್ತಿತ್ರಯಾಧಿಷ್ಟಿತ: |

ವಾರುಣ್ಯಾಂ ದಿಶಿ ವಾಮತ: ಪ್ರತಿಕೃತೌ ಛಾಯಾ ಕೃತಾ ತಿಂತ್ರಿಣೀ |

ತದ್ವೃಂದಾವನಮಧ್ಯಗೋ ಗುರುವರೋ ಭೂಯನ: ಶ್ರೇಯಸೇ |

यद्वृंदावनपूर्वत: फलवती धात्री जगत्पावनी ।

यांय्यायां तु पिनाकिनी चलदलो मूर्तित्रयाधिष्टित: ।

वारुण्यां दिशि वामत: प्रतिकृतौ छाया कृता तिंत्रिणी ।

तद्वृंदावनमध्यगो गुरुवरो भूयन: श्रेयसे ।

Sri Raghottama Vrundavana Sannidhya –

To the East of Vrundavana, there is Dhatri tree, to the south Pinakini River mattu shrI trivikrama dEvara saannidhya, to the west Ashwatha vruksha and to the north Tamarind tree which never allow shadows on the Vrundavana.

We can further see swamiji's mother face fixed to the Vrundavana as a mark of his special respects to his mother.   Once when he was doing the rama pooja. all the dikpaalakaas were viewing the pooja by the swamiji.   His mother got afraid to see Yama, one of the dikpaalaka.  So, Raghottamaru requested the dikpalakas to disappear, so they did.  As such, Swamiji's mother face is carved to the vrundavana.

Decoration of Vrundavana –

It is observed that the vrundavana will be daily decorated.   Only on the aradhana day the vrundavana will be decorated with various flowers.  During normal days,first they will cover the Brindavana with wet Shaati(cloth) and they will finish whole Puja before the Shaati gets dried . Once it dries they will remove the alankara this is proves that  he gives less significance towards worldly showiness.

ಶ್ರೀ ರಘೋತ್ತಮರ ವೃಂದಾವನ ಸಾನ್ನಿಧ್ಯ -  ಪೂರ್ವದಿಕ್ಕಿಗೆ ಫಲಭರಿತವಾದ ಧಾತ್ರಿಗಿಡವಿದೆ, ದಕ್ಷಿಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಜುಳು ಝುಳು ಹರಿಯುವ ಪಿನಾಕಿನಿ ನದೀತೀರದಲ್ಲಿ ತ್ರಿವಿಕ್ರಮದೇವರ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನವಿದೆ.  ಪಶ್ಚಿಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ವಿಷ್ಣು ಮಹೇಶ್ವರರ ಸಾನ್ನಿಧ್ಯವಿರುವ ಅಶ್ವತ್ತವೃಕ್ಷವಿದ್ದರೆ, ಉತ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಣಿಸೇಮರವಿದೆ.

Sri Raghottama Tirthara Granthas:

1. Tatvaprakashika Bhavabodha
2. BruhadaaraNyakopanishad Bhavabodha
3. VishNu Tatva NirNaya Teekabaavabodha
4. Geetha Bhashya Prameya Deepika Bhavabodha
5. Sanyayavivruthi Bhavabodha
6. Anuvyakyana Nyayamala Brahmasootra sambandha pradeepa
7. VivaraNoddaara
8. Taratamya Stotram
9. Tithitraya VinirNaya
10. ShravaNa Dwadashi NirNaya

Please click for Kannada Version on Raghottama Tirtharu :-

ರಘೋತ್ತಮರು -  ಜೀವನಚರಿತ್ರೆ – ಪವಾಡ - Kannada Version

• Birth –
  

His parents had no issues for a long period.  Once Sri Raghuvarya Tirtharu had been to their place @ SwarnavaaTi.  Sri Subbabhatta and his wife approached the swamiji for a bhiksha in their house.  But the swamiji refused saying they did not have any issues.    But the dampatigalu pleaded very much with the swamiji for coming to their house, which Sri Raghuvaryaru accepted with a condition that the child born to be handed over to the Mutt only.  The Brahmana dampatigalu agreed.  After some time, they got a good male child, which was handed over to the Mutt.  The Child was brought from the abhisheka milk only.

• Education -

He got his initial education from Sri Raghuvarya Tirtharu only.  Subsequently when Sri Raghuvaryaru was aged, he advised Sri Adya Varadacharyaru to teach him.  Even though Sri Adya Varadacharyaru was a gruhasta brahmana, he was called as "ಬಿಳಿ ಶಾಟಿ ಸ್ವಾಮಿಗಳು" as he was doing the pooja like a samsthana pooja.    Once it so happened that once a gruhasta brahmana had invited Sri Raghottama Tirtharu for a bhiksha to his house on a dwadashi.  But Swamiji came late as he had to complete nitya japa by few minutes.  By that time Sri Adya Varadacharyaru (Gurugalu of Swamiji) told the Gruhasta brahmana to serve the bhojana to other brahmanas, as dwadashi is getting late.  Sri Adya Varadacharyaru had some ahankara as he was the gurugalu of swamiji.  When Swamiji came there others were eating, before swamiji.  Sri Raghottamaru got upset with the behaviour of his behaviour and returned without taking any bhojana.    Swamiji pleaded Srihari to make him free from the shishyatva of Adya Varadacharyaru, as he was a durahankari.

On the same night Srihari came in his dream in the roopa of Sri Raghuvarya Tirtharu and wrote Saraswathi Bheejakshara mantra in his tongue and asked him to teach to his disciples.  By this he had got complete Jnaana and he was able to teach almost all the subjects to his disciples.

• Revolution in the system of Bhiksha -

Earlier there was a practice that the sanyasi or the peetadhipathi used to go to various houses for their Bhikshe.  This was an age old tradition that the bhikshu used to get their bhikshe for their daily requirements.  Sri Raghottama Tirtharu changed the practice of daily bhikshu and started a new practice that a separate cooking to be arranged for the naivedya, hastodaka and for the Peethadhipathigalu.  Whoever does the Bhikshe, the same should be done in the Mutt system only.  The items cooked in the special cooking room for the bhagavanta to be done naivedya, hastodaka and the seer used to take the same naivedya for his bhojana.    This practice ensured pure shuchitva in the preparation for srihari naivedya.    The same system is being followed by almost all yathis/peetadhipathis now.

• Revolution in Sanchaara (tour) -

In the earlier practice, the Mathadhipathigalu himself used to carry the pooja box (devara pettige) on his shoulders, carry danda,  and his sanchara used to be  by foot only.  Raghottama Tirtharu started sitting on Chariot of horse, elephant, etc to carry pooja box, and his servants used to accompany the seer.

• Miracles :

1. Near Anegondi, when requested by a  dumb boat runner (ambiga), he gave him kamandalodaka and mantrakshate, and he was able to talk.  Even today so many dumb people are doing seva in front of the vrundavana and getting Vak Shakthi.
2. One brahmana was loosing all his children immediately after their birth and his wife had became insane.  After Sri Raghottama Tirtharu gave him mantrakshate, his wife got back to normalcy and delivered a dheergayushya child also.
3. Recently in 19th cetury, one Sri Anjali Acharyaru got parshyavayu disease and he came to Tirukoilore to do the seva of Raghottama Tirtharu.  After he did the seva in Tirukoilore, his disease was removed and he got to normalcy.
4. One British Officer who was in charge of construction of bridge, had planned to demolish the Vrundavana for the sake of construction of the bridge.  He got a dream and was instructed to stop the construction.  He did so.  He was not having any issues, but as a result of obeying the instructions of Raghottamaru, he got putra prapthi.
5. One king who had lost his kingdom after a war, got back after doing the seva of Raghottama Tirtharu
6. One who had scolded Sri Raghottama Tirtharu had lost his tongue, and he was facing his death, he regretted and did the seva near the Vrundavana, got back his tongue and he became normal after some time.

Location of Vrundavana -

Pt. Anandatirthachar Chimmalgi,

Sri Sri Raghuthamma Swamy Moola Brindavana,

Manampoondi (Tirukoilur) – 605759,

Dist : Villupuram, Tamilnadu.

Phone : 04153 224690 /91 9442865395

chimmalgi.anandateerthachar@gmail.com

Places  and other temples in/Near/on the way to/from  Tirukoilore (For Tourists)

• Sri Anjaneya Temple – About 1/2 km
• Sri Trivikrama Temple – About 1/2 km
• Sri Satyanatha Tirtharu – @ Veeracholapuram (12 km)
• Sri Annamalaishwara @ TiruvaNNamalai – 36 km
• Sri Satya Vijaya Tirtha and Sri Satyaveera Tirtharu@ Satyavijayanagar (arani) 75 km
• Sri Navavrundavana @ Rayavellore – about 75 kms
• Srimushnam – Bhoovarahaswami – about 50 kms
• Sri Yoga narasimha sannidhana @ Sholingar  – about 90 kms
• Kumbakona, Srirangam, Bhuvanagiri are about 100 – 150 kms from Tirukoilore.

(Source: Sri Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya's book on Sri Raghottama Tirtharu& other books)

 

ಹರ ವೈಷ್ಣವೋತ್ತಮ,ವಾಯು ಜೀವೋತ್ತಮ, ಹರಿ ಸರ್ವೋತ್ತಮ
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