Appanacharya - The great devotee and Sishya of our Guru Raghavendra Swamy - Part 2

Appanacharya - The great devotee and Sishya of our Guru Raghavendra Swamy - Part 2

Appanacharya has become so close to Guru Rayaru that he used to grind dhal to our Guru and both will spend most of their day time discussing about the Sri Hari on the banks of Tungabadra. During this time, Guru Rayaru understood the concern of Appanacharya and his family and advised Appanacharya to get into 2nd marriage, as per Guru's wish Appanacharya got married for the 2nd time and they both were blessed with the boy baby as per Sri Hari and Guru's wish and the lineage of Sri Appanacharya still continues till date and one of the family member of Appanacharya still lives in Bichali and maintains the Appanacharya's house where Guru and Appanacharya had spent their time during those days and the house is maintained in the same way and it is still intact

When Guru Raghavendra decided to get into Brindavana, the first thing he did was to request Diwan Venkanna to bring in a rock from Madhavaram, when Diwan brought, Guru knew it was not the right rock that he intended and also knew why this happened and asked Diwan to construct Brindavana and keep it open as it will be required by another Guru and went along with Venkanna and Appanacharya to Madhavaram and identified the rock by himself and told Appanacharya and Diwan the details of rock as it was the same rock where Lord Rama sat for 48 mins or 2 nazhigai when Lord Rama came in search of Sita devi towards Lanka and his wish was to have this rock as his Brindavana. Second thing Guru did was to request Diwan to bring him 701 Saligrama which advised to keep that on top of his Brindavana once it is shielded. Other important part that Guru did was to request Sri Appanacharya to go and inform others about his Brindavana Prevesha so that everyone is aware of it.

This came as a suprise to Appanacharya, however he did not question back Guru and went to perform his duty per Guru's ask and he hoped that he will be back with Guru on time.

However Guru's wish was different...

Image Courtesy: appanacharya.org

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம் ]

Appanacharya - The great devotee and Sishya of our Guru Raghavendra Swamy - Part 1

Appanacharya - The great devotee of our Guru Raghavendra Swamy

Bichali is a place close to Raichur in the Karnataka side and separated from Mantralaya Andrapradesh by River Tungabadra. This is such a holy place because our Guru Rayaru stayed their for long time. Appanacharya is a great knowledge and guru to students in that area. Knowing his knowledge and magnitude people around the village started to send their child to him to acquire knowledge. Day by day his students strength started to increase and at some point, he was not able to provide food for every student and requested student to get alma or Biksha and it is quiet common during those time and people also recognize his students and provide food happily and hence the village was named as Bichali. Appanacharya is a strong beleiver of Madhwa philosophy with Sri Hari Sarvotama and vayu Jeevotama. There is strong saying that Appanacharya used to bake rice by tieing it on the branch of the tree where he teaches and exactly during afternoon when he opens the cloth, rice would have been baked. He does this regualarly without fire , wood and water which shows his devotion and knowledge.

Rayaru decided to get into Brindavana in Mantralaya ( read here why Guru chooses Mantralayam ) due to its importance and reached mantralyam and requested Diwan Venkanna to get that place for him. During that time he also crossed river Tungabadra and reached Bichali. Hearing Guru, Appanacharya reached him and requested to follow him whereever he goes. Appanacharya knowledge, obedience, devotion, kindness all attracted Guru and made him as his sisya. Both Guru and Appanacharyaru used to spend time for hours to talk about Madhawa philosophy, about Sri Hari for hours and hours. Still the place where they used to sit and talk is available. Guru Rayaru spend more than 4 - 5 years in this place and stayed in Appanacharya's house.

He infact do Moola rama pooja in the hall of the house and Appanacharya used to grind dhall and peanut chutney himself to Guru regularly.

Being so close and main sisya to Guru Rayaru, why Appanacharya was not there with him during Brindavana Prevesha, Why there is a Brindavana in Bichali when Mantralayam is just few mins away... will share this in next Thursday

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம் ]

Significance of Saligramam / Shaligram in Mantralayam

Significance of Saligramam / Shaligram in Mantralayam 

Sri Guru Raghavendra swamy resides in Mantralayam in 6x6 width and 7 feet height Brindavana doing Japam on Sri Hari, Sri Krishna, Sri Rama and Narashima devaru for the benefits of world devotees irrespective of caste, creed and location, being in that place itself gives abundance punya to everyone.

As we all know, there are 702 Lakshmi Narayana Saligramam's of same nature has been placed on top of the brindavana.

History of Saligramam  / Shaligram

Legend has it that once Bramha was exasperated at the rate of increase of the sinners among his creation. Then drops of sweat rolled down his cheeks which inturn became a form of a female child called “Gandaki.” She did severe penance which became so overwhelming that the Devas started trembling before her. when she requested a boon to be mother all of them, Devas pleaded their inability, at which Gandaki became furious and cursed all the devas to be born as worms on the earth below.

The Devas in their turn placed a countercurse on her head that she should become inert matter. This made brahma unhappy and all the three turned to Vishnu, who said: “As already curse pronounced, it cannot be revoked. However Lord  said: ” I shall take up my abode in the Chakra Teertha near Salagramakshetra. You, Devas, shall migrate to this hallowed region as “Vajrakitas” eating into the pebbles. Gandaki shall in the form of a river fill the universe enveloping the shilas hallowed by me.” Salagrama stones are obtained only from the river Gandaki, which is a Himalayan stream.

The puranas also describe it as a sacred stream in which all the gods and devas abide . By merely looking at it, dipping in it and drining it, one would eliminate all his mental defilement’s, by touching it his bodily sins are burnt up and will be liberated from the cycle of birth and deaths, even if he be a sinner.

So is the power of one saligrama and now we all know why our beloved Guru had requested to have it placed on top of his brindavana. Just having 12 of same Saligrama will provide a benefit of visiting 7 punya shetras. With 702 Saligrama on top of brindavana, one who visits Mantralayam will have the benefit of visiting all punya shetras.

Our Beloved Guru is there to take care of all our sins and guide us to the right way of living to avoid cycles of birth

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy - Guru Parambarai / Guru Parampara

Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy - Guru Parambarai / Guru Parampara

There is a big history and lineage on Sri Mutt in Mantralayam, was trying to get the details of Guru Parambarai and I was able to read books and gather few but not all. Luckily got through the below website where it had the entire list even  7 - 8 Guru before Madhavacharya, however not sure about the authenticity of that details, I started to list from Sri Guru Madhavacharya

Thanks to sriraghavendraswami.blogspot.in where I used the details as references. Tried to put this as a chart for easier understanding.

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

Sri Baghawan Raghavendra Swamy - Guru Raghavendra swamy , Rayaru birth - life history - series 9

Sri Baghawan Raghavendra Swamy - Guru Raghavendra swamy , Rayaru birth - life history - series 9

Sri Guru Sudheendrar accepted Venkatanandan as part of Vidya madam and started to teach him and to enhance his skills in sastras and vedas and groomed him to be part of all sastra debates. venkatanandan started to learn and stayed there away from home to learn sastras.

Once during a teaching session, Sri Sudheendrar was stuck for an explanation in  Nyaya Sudha. He indicated that he will explain next day. On the same day, Guru Raghavendrar started to write the explaination for the same and slept along with the palm leaves. Sri Sudheendrar was not able to get sleep as he was struggling to find explaination, while walking he found Venkatanandan was not in his regular sleeping place, so he went searching for him outside and found him sleeping with palm leaves near him, Sri Sudheendrar read the explanation and found it exactly to his way of thinking, he took his shawl and placed it on Venkatanandan. This shows the knowledge that Venkatanandan has over his Sastras and skills.

Very next day, Sri Sudheendar shared the explaination and told to all other students that this was written by Venkatanandan.
Days passed where Venkatanandan learned more and more on Sastras. During this time, Venkatanandan's elder brother Gururaja came to kumbakonam and requested Sri Sudheendrar that he will take his brother back to his home as he wanted to get him married as per his father's wish.

Guru Sudhendrar was not happy on this request, however Guru Vijayendar signed to let him know and this will only make him to come back to take control of Sri Matha.

Gururajar took Venkatananthan with him and found him a right partner in the name of Smt Saraswathi and got them married together in 1614.
Venkatanandan started to lead the family life and during this time Smt Saraswathi gave birth to a male child and they named him as Sri Lakshminarayanacharya. However with all these things, still Venkatanandan's mind was focussing only on Sastras.

During this phase, Venkatanandan started to teach Veena and Sastras to all the students in that agraharam, however he did not get any payment for that, however the parents of the students would provide him with rice , dal and others which helped Venkatananthan and Smt Sarawathi to lead the life

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

Sri Baghawan Raghavendra Swamy - Guru Raghavendra swamy , Rayaru birth - life history - series 8

Sri Baghawan Raghavendra Swamy - Guru Raghavendra swamy birth - life history - series 8

Sri Sudheendrar was taking care of Sri madam from kumbakonam, during those days, Sri madam was in Kumbakonam, only after Guru Raghavendrar, this moved into Mantralayam. Thimmana battar was getting good names by his veena capababilities , so Sri Sudheendrar requested him to visit Sri madam, hearing this Thimmana Battar reached Kumbakonam with all his family and Sri madam took care of his needs.

Sri Sudheendrar, requested Thimmana to be part of each of the mutt event and asked him to perform veena, where his name became more popular. During those times, Thimmana battar will bring Venkatananthan with him, Seeing Venkananthan, Sri Sudheendrar eyes will become bigger because of his tejas and knowledge.

One day, when Sri Sudheendrar was telling to his Guru Vijayendrar about Venkatananthan, his Guru slowly smiled and told him that look at him, his tejas itself shows who is he and what he is going to do. He also told the instance of his Guru Vysarajar told to him about his re-birth. Guru Vyasarajar told him that he will be born again in the earth as per his wish in birth during Trithya yuga. Hearing this Sri Sudheendrar joy knew know bound, however Guru Vijayendrar told him to hold this secret as this is not the right time and there will be a right time when he will join as part of Sri Mutt.

                                         
So as days goes by, Venkatananthan has also learned Veena along with his brother Guru Raja, he also got his elder son Guru Raja married during this time, as Thimana was getting older and realized that he days are nearing, he called Guru Raja one day and told him that he will not live much longer and asked him to take care of Venkatananthan. In few days Thimmana battar left the world and reached GOD's feet.

Guru Raja was thinking of his father's last words on venkatananthan and finally came to a conclusion to send him to his sister's house where her husband Narashimachar who is famous and expert in all sastras in Madurai.

Venkatananthan started and reached Madurai where he spend time to learn Sastras from his uncle and he became expert in very quick time, this made
Narashimachar very happy and he thought of taking him to Sri Mutt in Kubakonam to show Venkatananthan's skills to Sri Sudheendrar and also have him join there to learn more Sastras and become expert


So Venkatananthan started with his uncle from Madurai and reached Kumbakonam where Sri Mutt was around. Seeing him again Sri Sudheendrar joy knew know bound and looked at his Guru Vijayendrar.

.[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

My Painting of Lord Siva in cosmic dance

Again another picture i was drawing in paper while doing some craft work for my son... so took picture of it, again no expert, but always explore myself in drawing... so this is still a beginner...

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

My Painting of our Guru Rayar

This is something which i did in a paper and I then took picture, again i am not an expert, but i used to explore myself in drawing...

so again, this is an beginner drawing, but wanted to post it over here

 

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

Power of Guru's Mrithika

The power of Guru Raghavendra Swamy mrithika

Once a sishya of Guru Raghavendra swamy was keen to get married, so he directly went to Guru , without him opening his mouth, Guru understood his intentions, he right away took the mrithika from the ground and gave that to his Sishya and requested him to carry it with him and informed him that his wishes will be fulfilled that he will get a good wife.

With Mrithika, sishya went to his native , during the walk, it become night and he stayed on the outside of a hut where he heard the sound and cry of a female, he slowly enquired the background, a girl from the house came out and informed that his sister is going to give a birth, however a brahma rakshasha would come right after birth to take the kid.

Sishya was surprised and inquired further, the daughter's father informed that due to curse from his elders they are going through this and do not know what to do, by the time, his daughter gave birth to a kid and sishya also saw brahma rakshasha standing outside.

The girls father was begging towards the rakshasha, however with no mercy, rakshasha wanted to take the kid, knowing all this, sishya requested rakshasha to stop and showed the mrithika in front of him, it was so powerful that rakshasha was not able to get into the house.

Now sishya realized the power of mrithika, and cautioned the rakshasha again, however without knowing rakshasha moved forward, sishya prayed to guru and throwed the mrithika over rakshasha, soon after this, rakshasha was changed into a beautiful man and thanked sishya for saving him from the curse and dis-appeared.

The girl's father was so happy and thanked him and enquired about the mrithika and thanked guru standing in his house, when he came to know about sisya's intention and travel, he happily requested him to marry his second daughter.


Sishya happiness knew know bounds as he was worried that he do not have anyone to help him getting married, however Guru knew everything and guided him to get the right wife


[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]

Posts

It has been several months since i posted in this blog, to be precise, almost 2 years, while i am going through one of the toughest phases of my life, my belief towards beloved Guru Raryaru has been increasing multiple folds.

complete surrender towards Guru will only help us to get rid of all sorrows...

Will start writing my devotions towards our Guru from now on... atleast one post every thursday

[ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணார்ப்பணம்]