Shri Raghuttama Teertharu

भावबोधकृतं सेवे रघुत्तममहागुरुम्।
यच्छिष्यशिष्यशिष्याद्याः टिप्पण्याचार्यसंज्ञिताः॥

|| bhAvabodhakR^itaM seve raghuttamamahAgurum .
yacChiShyashiShyashiShyAdyAH TippaNyAcAryasaMj~nitAH ||

By that time, Shri Raghunatha Teertha of Uttaradi Math had attained the lotus feet of the Lord and his successor Shri Raghuvarya Teertha had upon his mantle the problem of resurrecting the trouble struck Madhvas. He was at crossroads when he contemplated the plight of the literature of Shri Madhvacharya and his followers.

He came to the conclusion that the feet of Sri Madhwacharya was the apt place to seek refuge and hence ardently prayed to Shri Madhvacharya. His frequent prayers were answered and Acharya appeared in his dream, instructing him to go to Svarnavata where his purvashrama sister, Ganga Bai, was living with her husband Subba Bhatta. The couple was childless and Shri Madhvacharya ordered the saint to bless them with a child. He also assured that the child born to them would blossom in the garden of Madhva Philosophy and spread the fragrance to all the devout souls. After alleviating the sorrow of the saint, Shri Madhvacharya disappeared. In the morning Shri Raghuvarya Teertha woke up rubbing his eyes in disbelief and tears poured from his eyes on the kindness of Shri Madhvacharya and also the fortune of having beheld him.

Once in the course of his tour Shri Raghuvarya Teertha visited Swarnavata village in the Nizam State. The Zamindar of the village Shri Subba Bhatta and his wife Ganga Bai invited Shri Raghuvarya Teertha for "Bhiksha" in their house, Shri Raguvarya Teertharu accepted to receive their Bhiksha provided their first born male child should be handed over to the Shri Matha. The blessed couple accepted to do so. Accordingly His Holiness performed the pooja of Shri Moola Rama and Seeta and received the Bhiksha in their house and gave Phala Mantrakshate to the couple. Some time later, Smt. Ganga Bai, the wife of the Zamindar conceived. Shri Swamiji was informed accordingly. He returned to the village expecting the birth of the child. A big gold plate was sent to the Zamindar's house from the Matha with a direction to receive the child directly in the golden plate without allowing the child to touch the earth. Accordingly the child was received in the golden plate and brought to the Matha. The personality and the face of the child was beautiful like a moon. He was named after Shri Ramachandra by his Holiness and brought up at the Math itself and was fed only with the Abhishekha milk of the Vyasa Kurma Saligram of the Math. When Shri Ramchandra became a boy of seven years he had his Upanayanam at the Math and the very next year he was ordained as a sanyasi and named as Shri Raghuttama Teertha.

Shri Raghuttama Teerthar was one of the greatest saints of Shri Uttaradi Matha who descended for the upliftment of the satvic souls. Shri Raghuttama Teertha received his advanced studies in Nyaya Sudha and Vedantha from Adya Varadacharya as per the direction of the guru Shri Raghuvarya Teertha.

There was a Dalapathi in the village who patronised the pandit so much, incapable of understanding the greatness of His Holiness and began to respect both equally. In spite of such insults, Shri Raghuttama Teertharu very patiently, went to the house of pandit with humility to continue the studies.

On one occasion the Dalapathi invited Shri Raghuttama Teertha and Adya Varadacharya for partaking food on Dwadashi day. Shri Raghuttama Teertha went to Dalapthi house a little late due to his pooja and Aahnikam. Varadacharya and others had already commenced taking food without waiting for the arrival of Shri Raghuttama Teertha. The lady of the house fell at the feet of Shri Raghuttama Teertha and apologized. When Sri Raghuttama Teertha returned to Matha he was very much sad at what has happened on that day. During the early hours of the next day, God himself appeared in the dream in the form of his guru Shri Raghuvarya Teertha, and inscribed the symbolical letters on the tongue of Shri Raghuttama Teertharu and blessed him that he would be a master of philosophical wisdom and that he could commence teaching his disciples straight away. Further he was directed in his dream that he should abandon his too simple life and commence a life of pomp and status, having number of servants, establishment, professionals, elephants etc to make the Shri Matha strong and powerful center of religious and philosophical learning. The next day onwards at usual time of lectures, Shri Raghuttama Teertha himself started to deliver impressive lectures on Nyaya Sudha in mellifluent voice which was sweeter than honey.

Once His Holiness was expounding "Bahulantani" portion of Nyaya sudha which is a difficult portion and Varadacharya himself had unclear understanding of it. Varadacharya hid himself behind a wall and listened to HH's excellent exposition which dispelled his doubts and gave him a grasp of that portion. He lay prostrated before Shri Raghuttama Teertharu and admitted his superiority in knowledge and paid respect to him. The most noble swami comforted the pandit and decreed that he should have first teertham in Uttaradi Math which is being followed even now by blessing the Adya family members with teertham first.

The great religious leader enjoyed the honors befitting a prominent Math such as the throne, crown, palanquin white umbrella, chamara, makarataorana, fan, daylight torch, flags and musical instruments.

Once Shri Raghuttama Teertha was passing through a forest with his disciples. A gang of highwaymen attacked Shri Raghuttama Teertha and his disciples. Swami went into mediation. Suddenly, the robbers were trapped in a conflagration and surrendered to the saint. The noble swami saved them. Many such extraordinary miracles happened in his regime.

Shri Raghuttama Teertha desired to enter the Brindavana at Manampundi(Thirkoilur) on the banks of river South Pinakini (Penna) which is in Villupuram District of present Tamilnadu. This is said to be the holy place where Shri Galava Rishi once recided. This place is also known as "Pancha Krishnaranya Kshetra". Shri Samiji ordered a Zamindar of Tiruvanamalai in a dream to construct his Brindavana at a specified place. Shri Raghuttama Teertharu entered Brindavana in 1595 AD on the day of Vaikunta Ekadashi.  

Directions:

Manampoondi is a small village located located between Tiruvanamalai and Tirukoilur. Manampoondi is 36 K.ms away from Tiruvannamalai. It is at a distance of 2 Kms from Tirukoilur. Tirukoilur is 237 Kms from Bangalore.

From Bangalore:

Proceed towards Hosur. After Hosur take left at Krishnagiri and proceed towards Tiruvannamalai. After Tiruvannamalai proceed towards Tirukoilur. Keep left when road divides and proceed until you see a board of Sri Raghuttama Brindavanam to the left. Take left (at the intersection just before the River Pinakini bridge). The Brindavanam is located to the immediate right.

Public Transport:

Busses running in the Bangalore - Villupuram route stop at Manampoondi on request. Sufficient bus facility is also available to Manmpoondi from Tiruvannamalai. You can either take a direct bus to Villupuram or go to Tiruvannamalai and then take another bus to Manampoondi. KSRTC bus services from Bangalore leave at 10 p.m and 11 p.m. Advanced reservation facility is available in these buses. For return journey, reservation will be given starting from Villupuram. There are also some Tamil Nadu services plying in this route. The bus journey takes 6 hours. If you take the night services you will arrive at the Brindavanam by 5 a.m in the morning.  

Source - uttaradimath.org