Shri Sujnanendra Teertharu

Dhyana Sloka

सुधासारार्थतत्वज्ञं सुरद्रुमसमं सतां ।

सुराधिपगुरुप्रख्यं सुज्ञानेंद्र गुरुं भजे ॥

Sri Sujnanendra Tirtharu was known for his great tapas (penance). Once, while engaged in tapas, he was disturbed by the noise of a sparrow in his tapa room. When he opened his eyes, he saw the sparrow suddenly die. Shocked by the incident, he instructed one of his disciples to perform a prokshane (ritual sprinkling) of Mantrargyodaka on the sparrow, which miraculously brought the sparrow back to life. This incident exemplifies his tapa shakti (power of penance).

During the reign of Sri Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in Nanjangud, the king sent an English deputy commissioner to assist the mutt. Despite the king's instructions, Sri Sujnanendra Tirtharu remained silent and did not acknowledge the commissioner's presence. When the commissioner approached the swamiji during his tapas near a Tulasi Vrundavana, only the swamiji's disciples could see him, while the commissioner and his entourage could not. This incident highlighted the swamiji's selective darshana (visibility) based on his spiritual knowledge.

Another significant event was the prathistapana (installation) of a stone mooruthi (image) of Sri Rayaru. A dhobi (cloth washer) had a dream where Sri Rayaru instructed him about a stone with his presence and image. The next day, while washing clothes in Srirangapatna, the dhobi discovered the stone with Rayaru's image. Sri Mummadi Krishnarajaya Vodeyar, who also had a similar dream, accompanied the stone to Nanjangud, where Sri Sujnanendra Tirtharu performed its installation, and it is worshipped to this day.

Sri Sujnanendra Tirtharu initially wished to have his vrundavana (sacred resting place) at Mantralaya. However, Sri Rayaru appeared in his dream and directed him to have his vrundavana at Nanjangud, assuring him that his aradhana (worship) there would be as significant as Sri Rayaru's. Following Rayaru's guidance, Sri Sujnanendra Tirtharu decided to stay in Nanjangud and have his vrundavana there.