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Raghavendra Swamy

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Raghvendra Swami is known as the incarnation of Prahlad Maharaj, He was a great devotee of Lord Venkateshwara, I think he was born in "Mantralayam" which is in Andhra Pradesh, many devotees visit that place in order to pay Obeisances unto him.

 

Hari Bol,

Sushil

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Hare Krishna,

 

pUjyAya rAghavendrAya satyadharmaratAya chabhajatAM kalpavR^ixAya namatAM kAmadhenavedurvAdidhvAntaravaye vaishhNavIndIvarIndaveshrI rAghavendragurave namo.atyantadayALuve

 

(I worship as the Kalpa-vrksha, and salute as the kAmadhenu the esteemed RaghavEndra who is always engrossed in the true dharma;. He is a brilliant sun who destroys the false arguer, and a moon that casts a mellow light upon the ViShNu bhaktas; salutations to that Guru ShrI RAghavEndra; salutations to the one of extremely kind disposition.)

 

 

He is a great Swamy in AchArya Madhva's sampradaya.

 

http://www.gururaghavendra.org/

 

MIRACLES PERFORMED BY GURU RAGHAVENDRA:

 

Sri Raghavendra is considered to be magnanimous and benevolent; countless devotees of his testify to the miracles he has performed. If you have any miracles performed by Guru Raghavendra in your life, please email it to me and the material would be duly reviewed and published . The sacred sand of the Moola Brindavana (Moola Mrithika) has very special significance, to cure diseases and throw away evil forces. Some of the miracles are listed below.

CHOLA KING

 

During the life of Raghavendra Theertha , Chola Mandala(kindom) experienced political unrest. Internecine wars started and the king experienced hard times. The Kingdom experienced plunder and accession and a terrible famine followed. The king spent his money from his own coffers. But the famine did not abate. He approached Raghavendra Teeratha and prayed for his kind indulgence in the welfare of his subjects. The Swamiji readily consented and stayed at Tanjore for 12 years and came to the succur of the people and the king. The Swamiji with his miraculous powers was able to save the people. The king who was all grateful offered a jewelled nacklace to Swamiji and the same was put by Swamiji in the Fire of Sacrifice as the Swamiji was a great Viraghi person of great renunciation. The king felt insulted when he saw his presentation thrown into fire. The Swamiji knew his (King's) disturbances in mind and prayed to ParasuRama, the in-dweller of Fire God, and showed his amazing powers by getting it back. The king realized that Raghavendra Swamy was not an ordinary ascetic but the one who possessed divine powers.

 

MUD BECOMES MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD

 

rAyaru had a devoted disciple who was studying the shAstras under his tutelage. The education was over and time had come for the disciple to return home and marry. As the head of the maTha, rAyaru was expected to bless this disciple and give him some money so that he could start life as a householder. In this case, it was even more imperative since the disciple came from a very poor family. However, he chose to bid farewell when rAyaru was on the way to the river for his bath and did not have anything to give him. When rAyaru expressed this, the disciple immediately replied “Even a handful of mud from you is even more precious than a gold full of gold”. RAyaru was pleased with his devotion and accordingly scooped up a handful of mud from the ground and gave it to the disciple. The disciple received this with total reverence and tied it into a bundle. He then placed the bundle on his head and started back home.

 

He traveled till night and reached a village, and decided to halt there that the night. He approached the chieftain and requested him to grant him a place to sleep for the night. The chieftain said “You may sleep on the jugali of my house (a space just outside) but I have a problem. My wife is pregnant and is likely to deliver tonight. We have had extremely bad luck in the past because all our children have died immediately after birth. I am hoping that it is different this time”. The disciple agreed and slept immediately outside the main entrance to the house with his precious bundle as a pillow. At night, a dark and ferocious ghoul approached the house. This was the one that was killing all the children immediately after birth. This time, it had to cross the disciple to enter the house, but could not do so since the bundle under his head appeared like a wall of fire to it. It tried several times in vain and finally woke up the disciple. It told him “Your bundle contains a divine fire that is impossible for me to transgress. Why don’t you throw the bundle away? I will give you heaps of money, gold and precious jewels. The disciple pretended to agree, but quickly withdrew some consecrated mud from the bundle, and threw it on the ghoul. The effect of this action was spectacular. The ghoul screamed loudly and was immediately burnt to ashes. The noise woke up everybody in the house and they came outside the house. The disciple explained everything to them; at the same time the midwife came out of the house with the good news that the chieftain’s wife had delivered a healthy boy! The chieftain was ecstatic and hugged the disciple with joy. He attributed his good fortune to the advent of the disciple and thanked him profusely. The next day, he requested the disciple to stay back in the village and even offered his sister’s hand in marriage, along with a lot of wealth. The disciple gladly accepted this generous offer and lived happily. Thus, a handful of mud from rAyaru brought the disciple wealth, a good wife, powerful connections and life-long happiness!

 

DRY WOOD SPROUTS LEAVES

 

Once when rAyaru was travelling, he passed through a village where an atheist headman was harassing all brahmins. This atheist did not believe in god, mantras or Vedas. Rayaru decided to bring him on the right track, and so stayed in the local temple and announced a grand pUja. The headman immediately challenged him to a confrontation and asked him to prove the efficacy of the vEda mantras. He produced a vanake (a dry and hard piece of dead wood, used to pound grain in a pestle) and asked rAyaru to make it sprout leaves. The brahmins present there protested saying that this was impossible and against the laws of nature. RAyaru calmed them down saying that mUla rama knows how to protect the laws of nature, and how to overcome them when the occasion demands. He chanted vEda mantras and sprinkled water from his kamanDala on the vanake. Within a short time, the vanake sprouted fresh green leaves, vindicating rAyaru’s words. The headman saw the error of his ways and surrendered at rAyaru’s feet

 

SRI VADEENDRA THEERTHARU

Sri Raghavendra Swamy desired a Brindavanam to be made for him, and Diwan Venkanna got one made. But the Swamiji ordered it to be reserved for a future pontiff that would come to the pontificate. He asked Diwan Venkanna to use the stone at Madhwaram fields for making a Brindavanam to him as the stone had been hallowed by a touch of Sri Ramachandra who had sat on it searching Sri Sitamata, This we see even to day as Moola Brindavanam at Mantralaya. Adjacent to the Moola Brindavan we see another Brindavan the Brindavanam of Sri Vadeentheertharu, a great grand son of Sri Rayaru, fifth descendant after Sri Rayaru in the Pontificate. He belongs to 18th Century. He was a great scholar and was as ardent devotee of his great grand father Sri Rayaru, His 'Gurugunasthavana' of 36 verses composed in Sanskrit is a master piece composition and he sand it near the Brindavan. The whole Moola Brindavan nodded in appreciation of the scholastic work.Sri Rayaru had been immensely pleased. Sri Rayaru has given a special place of recognition to Sri Vadeendraru, by keeping him by his side. Devotees worship Sri Vadeendraru also as they offer Pradakshina (going in circles) simultaneously. when they go to round the Moola Brindavana, Sri Vijayadasaru great devotee of Dasapantha opines that Sri Vadeendra Theertharu as the incarnation of Devaguru Sri Brihaspathi Acharya and Sri Vadeendrat heertharu functions are as the minister, almost a P.A. to the Swamiji in the Brindavana. Blessed is Sri Vadeendraru. He was just a boy of about 2 years when Sri Rayaru entered Brindavana. But Sri Rayaru knew his capabilities and earmarked a special position of favor to him in the years to come.

SRI VIJAYA DASARU

 

Sri Vijaya Dasaru is another great devotee of Sri Hari, who appeared in our religious history much later. Born in poverty, bread in poverty, he was personified Poverty begging every meal. But he was sage "Bhrigumaharshi" incarnated now (Bhrigu Maharshi had established the supremacy of Lord Vishnu when he was commissioned by an assembly of rishis to report who was the greatest God of Gods.) One of the pontiffs in the lineage of descendants of Sri Rayaru, Sri Vasudhendra Theertharu was Vijaya dasas's contemporary. Dasa movement which had declined was revived by Vijaya by Vijaya dasa. He was inspired by Sri Raghavendra Swamiji to effect the revival and the Moola Brindavan at Mantralaya was his source of inspiration. He eulogized Sri Rayaru as a great Bhagavatottama and sung the glory of Sri Rayaru by a intuition which is being experienced now. Vijaya dasa disclosed the extraordinary Powers of Moola Brindavana and the greatness of Sri Rayaru ever present there in.

SRI JAGANATHA DASARU

 

Jagannatha Dasaru, is another celebrated Hari Dasaru who has spread the name and fame of Sri Rayaru, in 18th Century. Jagnnatha Dasaru went by the name Srinivasacharya, a profound scholar, but a vain Pandit. He offended Vijayadasa only to be blessed by him to get a further lease on his longevity. His life had come to an end and Vijaya dasa caused him a transfer of 40 years of life from the life of his disciple Gopal dasa. Sri Hari Kathamrutasara is a magnum opus, and encyclopedia of the doctrine of Sri Madhwa, all in vernacular-Kannada the common man's understandable language. It is said that he was no other than the younger brother of prince Prahaladha, who could talk to Sri Rayaru in his Brindavana. He has sung the glory of Sri Rayaru and His Grace to the multitudes.

 

SIR THOMAS MUNROE

The English had come to trade in Bharath (India) , and they held a sway through their East India Company. Sir Thomas Munroe was one of their officers, who was asked to resume Mantralaya an endowment village granted to maintain the Mutt and temple at Mantralaya. He came on his duty to resume. He was a noble soul. Sri Rayaru emerged from the Brindavan and convinced him about the irrevocability of the endowment and disappeared into the Brindavan giving him 'Mantrakshate' Sri Rayaru was visible to Mr. Munore only and not to others. This episode is recorded in the Madras Gazettier in the First quarter of 19th Century, copy of which can be pursued even to day in the records at the Collectorate at Anantapur. Such is the greatness of Sri Raghavendra Thirtha Swamiji and words fail to describe his greatness. A follower of another religion had the good fortune of being blessed by Sri Rayaru. An extract from the Gazette is listed below.

Posted Image

 

http://www.gururaghavendra1.org/raghavendra.pdf

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Hare Krishna,

 

http://www.gururaghavendra1.org/raghavendra.pdf

 

18. MYSORE VISITED

Further tours saw Raghavendra Swamy in the precincts of Mysore and the Ruler then was

Doddadeva Raja, the ruler from Srirangapatnam, his capital nearby. Vibhudendra Teertha a former pontiff

had been honoured by the kings of Mysore. The Swamiji stayed at Srirangapatnam, the capital of his

Chaturmasya Deeksha that year. The king gave two villages as gift to Swamiji. They are Nallur and

Devearajapura. The swamiji finished his Chaturmasya deeksha and then went to the North. He passed

through Chirtradurga this was the place where a worthy "anecdote" is recorded. One of the attendants of

Swamiji would often request for "Mukthi" or final liberation. The Swamiji who had stayed there for

sometime, asked the attendent whether he was serious about "Mukthi which he often asked. The Attendent

was overjoyed and then the Swamiji asked him whether he would do what he asked of him. The attendant

replied in affirmative. The Swamiji asked him to bathe and come after Sandhya Vandanam, a daily ritual.

He did like-wise and the Swamiji gave him Pancha Guava, a purifactory liquid. Then he got a fire erected

and initiated Beejakshara Mantra and asked the attendant to plunge into the burning fire. The attendant

reverentially bowed to Swamiji and took the dust from his feet in great devotion on his head and plunged

into the blazing fire without any hesitation. The fire engulfed him and he was reduced to ashes. The critics

of Swamiji had killed actually an innocent attendant wrongly making him believe that he would attain

Mukthi. They thought that it was devilish pleasure of the Swamiji. But all their criticism was silenced as

they heard a bell ringing when the attendant seated in a brilliant heavenly plane was moving towards other

worlds - the moksha; he had desired. The world came to know that Swamiji was capable of recommending

one to go to the Moksha, (Mokshadata is Sri Hari only and Vayudevaru also a Mokshadata with theഊpermission of Sri Hari). So the fame of Sri Raghavendra Teertha spread as he could show to the world of

his brilliant capacity.

 

Bringing dead back to life:

 

Raghavendra Teertha toured North Karnataka latter. He worshipped veera Narayana at Gadag and

reached Kiritagiri. A rich landlord at Kiritagiri named Venkata Desai invited Swamiji for the Bhiksha in his

house. It was a mid summer, the season of mangoes in abundance. Mango juice was extracted and kept in a

sump to be served as a dish of delicacy at the time of serving the food. The pooja was over and the devotees

were entertained to Teertha Prasada the devotional lunch, When the Swamiji visits a Grahasta.

Unfortunately, the young son of Desai slipped and fell into the sump and died. The agony of the Grahastha,

the desai, was indescribable. But he kept quiet lest the invitees for Teertha Prasada would go away without

food. So after their lunch was over, the Garhastha and his wife were called for teertha, the holy water. He

broke into a great sorrow and wept. The Swamiji ascertained the cause of his grief. He bade him to bring the

dead child and sprinkled holy water over the dead body of the young lad. He brought back, the young lad to

life. The Desai was greatly elated with joy. He made over the village of Kiritagiri in the Swamiji's name and

uttered the words "Krishnarpanam" (Let Lord Krishna be pleased with this offer). Kriritagiri thence forth

became the property of the Mutt. A similar revial of life was performed by the Swamiji when one of his

attendants had died on the day of his nuptials. It was apamruthyu (accidental death). The Swamiji has

powers to restore life when people died of accident. Another example is the revial into life the son of the

Nawab of Savanoor who had died of a snake bite. The Nawab greatfully offered Krishnapur and other

villages as gift to the Mutt.

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Hare Krishna,

 

20. AT ADWANI (Now Adoni)

Siddi Masood Khan was a feudatory Lord of Adwani. The former cow-herd by name Venkanna

was the Diwan of Adwani. Venkanna was over joyed that his Guru was coming. The Nawab knew that

Raghavendra Swamy had been honoured by the Nawab of Bijapur and the feudatory Lord was presented to

the Swamiji by the Nawab of Bijapur in great devotion. A mischievous idea entered into the head of Siddi

Masood Khan, the feudatory Lord of Adwani to test the capacities of Guru Raghavendra Teertha. Guru

Raghavendra Swamiji was welcomed on a grand scale and after the usual inquiries of welfare, Venkanna

told the Swamiji that he was very grateful to Swamiji for up-filling him to a great status in life. The swamiji

hinted to Venkanna that Venkanna would be required to do a great service in the days to come to him. The

Swamiji was happy that Venkanna was a very sincere devotee who remembered him with a great gratitude.

The next day the Nawab visited Swamiji. But he came with a mischievous intention of testing the

capabilities of Guruji. He brought silver plates consisting of plates full of mutton covered by an artistic

cloth to conceal the contents and requested the Swamiji to offer the food brought by him to God. The

Mutton is a 'Taboo' for Brahmins. How could it be offered to Moola Rama, the Greatest God of Gods

worshipped by the greatest celestials. He being the Supreme of the Supremes. Could the Swamiji do this

great umbrage to his lord?

The Swamiji smiled. He knew the mischief. He sprinkled holy waters on the cloth covered and

asked the attendants to remove the cloth. The whole contents had been converted into flowers and fruits fit

to be offered to the deity of his worship. The Nawab was crest fallen. He could see the divine powers

vested in Sri Raghavendra Swamiji and prostrated on the feet of the Swamiji and begged for a pardon forഊhis willful act. The Swamiji being the kindest in heart, pardoned the Nawab and blessed him. The pooja

programme of the day was conducted in a grand manner by the offering given by the Nawab.

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22. SASAREERA BRINDAVANA PRAVESHA

(ENTER INTO BRANDAVANA BODILY IN 1671 A.D.)

Raghavendra Swamiji chose Manchala or Mantralayam as his last place to leave as the days of his

incarnation slowly came to conclusion. He built a temple for Lord Venkateshwara by whose blessings he

had been born. Venkanna paid frequent visits to Manchala to enquire the welfare to Swamiji. One day,

Swamiji took Venkanna, the Diwan, to the banks of Tungabhadra and asked him to dig at a particular place.

Venkanna did so and found a "Homakunda" (a sacrifical fire place). Venkanna was amazed. The Swamiji

told him that this place he had performed a sacrifice in the days of Krithayuga in his incarnation as

Prahalada and Manchalamma or Mantralayambike was their family deity and he had chosen manchala as he

loved it so much all these years. And this was the place where in the Dwapara Yuga, there was a bitter fight

between Anusalva and Arjuna during the Aswamedha Sacfice. Arjuna could not defeat Anusalva as his

chariot was on the Homakunda. On Krishna 's advice. Sri Krishna made Arjuna to move a little backward

when Anusalva's chariot too left the point and become vulnerable and Arjuna defeated him. Such was the

importance of the place, the Homakunda. Venkanna was very happy to know the Swamiji's previous

incarnation and at the same time he was sorry to know that the Swamiji was soon to complete the present

incarnation.

Soon the month of Ashada in the particular year Virodhikrit came off and it was the time for

Chatur Masya Diksha. Days rolled on. Month of Srawan set in and the Swamiji worshipped Mantralayam

bike, the village deity, who was no other than Goddess Durga. She appeared herself before the Swamiji and

blessed the Swamiji. She also promised that she would stay in Manchala and carry on her work as ordered

by Sri Hari through Swamiji. She suggested sculptures in the pillars in the sanctum sanctorum even now

and Manchalamma or Mantralayam bike is worshipped even now in the village and pilgrims offer worship

to Goddess Durgadevi in the form of Machallamma to get easy access to Raghavendra Swamy's favors and

blessings.

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Hare Krishna,

 

Swamiji's last speech:

 

"Hereafter I will disappear from your sight. The Lord who sent me to you has Himself ordered me to return to Him today. I have completed His task. Everyone has to obey His orders - coming here and returning when He calls us back. You need not feel sad that I am leaving you. The moola granthas, sarva moola and their commentaries will be your guiding light. Never give up their study under a worthy master. The Lord has blessed us with this priceless life just to study them. The shastras have an answer for all our mundane problems. Follow the shastras and listen to the words of the enlightened. Put into practice as much as you can whatever you learn. The shastraic way of life is the royal road to peace, prosperity and happiness.

 

The search for knowledge is never easy. As the Upanishads say it is like walking on the razor's edge. But for those who have strong faith and put in sustained effort and have the blessings of ShrI Hari and guru this is not difficult. Always keep away from people who merely perform miracles without following the shastras and yet call themselves God or guru. I have performed miracles, and so have great persons like ShrImadAchArya. These are based on yoga siddhi and the shastras. There is no fraud or trickery at all. These miracles were performed only to show the greatness of God and the wonderful powers that one can attain with His grace. Right knowledge (jnana) is greater than any miracle. Without this no real miracle can take place. Any miracle performed without this right knowledge is only witchcraft. No good will come to those who perform such miracles and also those who believe in them.

 

The Lord is full of auspicious qualities and absolutely faultless. There is no virtue that does not exist in Him. He is the Lord of RamA, Brahma and all other devathas at all times and in all ways. His form is beyond prakrithi (nature). His body is made up of jnana and ananda. He is omnipresent and omniscient. All the jivas are subservient to Him. Mahalaksmi who is ever liberated is His consort. All jivas (souls) are not equal. There is gradation amongst them and they are of three types. Whatever state they attain finally is in keeping with their intrinsic nature. The sattvik souls attain moksha which is a state of eternal bliss.. The tamasic souls attain eternal hell where there is all pervading darkness. This is a state of eternal sorrow. The rajasic souls keep rotating in samsara always, experiencing both happiness and sorrow. The shastras declare such a three fold classification and gradation of souls. It can be seen everywhere in this world. There are several schools of philosophy which go against these tenets and declare that there is no God, no dharma, this world is false; there is nothing but void; the jivas and Brahma are the same; there is no three fold classification or gradation, all the jivas are equal to Brahma, the Vedas are not true, Brahma is nirguna (attribute less), nirakara (formless). None of these philosophies are correct. The world that we see is real; this world has a master; he is neither nirguna nor nirakara. The shastras declare Him to be nirguna and nirakara because He is devoid of the three qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas (unlike us). For the suffering soul His grace is the only means to attain salvation which is eternal bliss. Those who forsake Him will never be truly happy.

 

Without right living, right thinking will never come. Right living is performing one's ordained duties according to one's station in life without hankering after the fruits of the actions and on the other hand offering all one's activities to the Lord. This is real sadachara (right living). This is real karma yoga. Another facet of right living is performing right rituals and observing fasts. Fasting on ekadashi and krishnashtami is compulsory for everyone. Both men and women belonging to all walks of life have to observe this. Those who give up this will always have the doors of the Lord's home closed. This is what the shastras declare. Observance of chaturmasya vrata is another compulsory mode of worship. Along with this vishnupanchaka and other vaishnava vratas can be performed according to one's capacity. The main goal of all such vratas is to earn His grace and love.

 

One should always be careful never to harm or hurt another. Philosophical thought is very necessary for the soul's growth. Without philosophical thought we can not arrive at the right conclusions. But let there be no personal enmity. Social work done for the good of worthy people should also be considered as the Lord's worship. In short our life itself is a worship. Every action is a puja. This life is precious. Every second of our life is precious. Not even a second that has gone will come back. Listening to the right shastras and always remembering Him is the highest duty. Without this life becomes meaningless. Have devotion to the Lord. This devotion should never be blind faith. Accepting the Lord's supremacy wholeheartedly is true devotion. Blind faith is not devotion. It is only stupidity. We should have devotion not only for the Lord but also for all other deities and preceptors in keeping with their status.

 

In short having devotion to those above us, goodwill amongst those who are our equals and having affection for those who are below us are the excellent values of life. Anybody who approaches you should not go heavy at heart or empty handed. Spirituality can never exist without social grace. And social life without spirituality is no life at all. Spirituality never denies any virtue. But always remember that the Lord is the home of all values. The world does not exist for our sole pleasure and enjoyment. The thought that we are here for the good of the world is real spirituality.

 

While incorporating right thinking and right values in our life we should also make it a habit to give up wrong values and wrong thinking. If we do not fight against them it amounts to approving them. But such disapproval should never turn to cruelty. It should be within the limits of justice. The outstanding feature of this should be love for truth and not personal hatred.

 

This is our philosophy. This is ShrImadAchArya'a philosophy. This is the philosophy all the shastras proclaim. This is the philosophy that kings and sages like Janaka and Sanaka believed and followed. The Lord's devotees like Dhruva and Prahlada incorporated this philosophy in their lives. Those who believe and live by this philosophy will never come to any harm is the assurance of the Lord. Being God's devotees you should honour and respect His devotees. Help as much as you can those who seek your aid. But always remember your duties. Offer all your actions to the Lord and never hanker after temporal gains. All actions performed with a selfish motive is like milk turned sour. There can be no higher motive than the motive to please God and the motive of earning jnana (right knowledge). But giving up all actions and following unworthy methods is like taking poison which will destroy us completely.

 

It was ShrImadAchArya who preached this wonderful philosophy. The same vAyu who manifested as Hanumantha to serve Lord ShrI Rama and as Bhimasena to serve Lord ShrI Krishna also manifested as ShrImadAchArya and preached this philosophy. This was his service to Lord ShrI VEdavyAsa. His life, like his works was philosophy itself.

 

Now I take leave of you. Though I will not be with you in person my presence will be in my works and in my brindavan. You can serve me best by listening to, studying, preserving and propagating my works. My blessings to you."

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CLARIFICATION:

 

 

SRI RAGAVENDRA SWAMY WAS NOT BORN AT MANTRALAYAM , HE WAS BORN AT BHUVANAGIRI IN TAMIL NADU.

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Even though I have visited Mantralayam many times, I have never had the fortune of going through the teachings of Guru Raghavendra. Thanks a lot for posting the great Acharya's speech which was very enlightening.

 

Madhavan

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Sri Raghavendra. Even as a youth Sri Raghavendra then known as Venkatanatha was not interested in worldly pursuits or a married life. The Goddess of Learning appeared before him in person and guided him to decide to throw away his worldly ties, his wife, his kith and kin, and adopt the ochre robe, which is what his own mind wanted. What followed was a long life of renunciation and dedication, ornamented by scores of miracles, several of which have been documented. He wrote more than forty works bearing on the teachings of Madhwa and the dvaita philosophy

 

In this avatAra Raghavendra captured the imagination of millions through his scholarship, devotion, spirituality, the divine qualities of infinite grace and compassion and his mystical powers of perception and action. It is said that his accumulated merit (= puNya) is so vast that as an enlightened soul he himself has no use for them. In his infinite compassion he lives still in his samAdhi and dispenses this vast store of puNya to those who care to visit his samAdhi or to worship Him and seek His grace. In fact this is the way he says he is helping his favourite God zri-Rama by relieving Him of His burden of removing the miseries of devotees, so that in the long run the devotees may ask from the Lord SrI Rama for the moksha that He alone can bestow. That is why He is thought of as the wish-yielding heavenly tree (= kalpa-vRkSa) or the divine Cow kAma-dhenu which both can bestow on you anything you want, just the moment it is wished. This thought is inbuilt into the following classical prayer traditionally addressed to Sri Raghavendra.

 

pUjyAya raghavendrAya satya-dharma-ratAya ca / bhajatAm kalpavRkshAya namatAm kAmadhenave

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Why does Srila Prabhupada does not mention a single word about Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy? Yes. Raghavendra swamy was a close disciple of Madhvacharya and a great devotee of Sri Rama. He has taken Jiva Samadhi and is still alive in his Transcendental Yogic State at Mantralaya in AP

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raghuramanji, pranam!

 

thanks for your posts.

I read most fo them with joy.

in this one it says:

 

"The tamasic souls attain eternal hell where there is all pervading darkness. This is a state of eternal sorrow."

 

this i have not heard from any guru, sadhu or gita, ramayan, or bhagavatam. soul in its pure state is divine.

when bound by desires (sukshma, kaaran and mahakaran body) it is called jiva, and jiva can be of any of three gunas or mix gunas. but if it goes to eternal hell, then it never gets a chance to become satvic and go to god/haven.

 

So, if you or any one else can quote from a shastra where it says some go to eternal hell, then it would help a lot.

please do. so far, my undertanding is that there is no eternal hell. (although when one is in pain, enev a neno second feels like milleniums long..)

 

jai sri krishna! -madhav

 

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Eternal hell is a stage of damnation where its hard to find the right path. There is only suffering.

 

Also what great guru and acharya like Guru Raghavendra Swamiji say is hard to interpret and to get th epurport is literally impossible without being at the guru's bandwidth.

 

so please do not write rubish, and use your mind to focus on learning, rather than indulging into finding faults with great souls like guru raghavnedra swamy.

 

I am sure he is benevelont and has forgiven you even for the sin that you have committed.

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Hare Krishna,

 

abrAmaM bhangarahitham ajaDam vimalam sadhA |

Ananda tIrtha mathulam bhaje thApathrayApaham ||

The always undeluded, unobstructed, free of sloth, and free of filth;

that Ananda Tîrtha, the incomparable, I salute, who is the remover of all misery.

 

 

 

"The tamasic souls attain eternal hell where there is all pervading darkness. This is a state of eternal sorrow."

 

 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16

 

http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/gita.htm

 

Clinging to egoism, power, arrogance, lust, and anger; these malicious people hate Me (who dwells) in their own body and others' bodies. (16.18)

 

 

I hurl these haters, cruel, sinful, and mean people of the world, into the wombs of demons again and again. (16.19)

 

 

<font color="green">O Arjuna, entering the wombs of demons birth after birth, the deluded ones sink to the lowest hell</font color> <font color="blue">without ever attaining Me.</font color> . (16.20)

 

 

Lust, anger, and greed are the three gates of hell leading to the downfall (or bondage) of Jeeva. Therefore, one must (learn to) give up these three. (16.21)

 

 

One who is liberated from these three gates of hell, O Arjuna, does what is best, and attains the supreme goal. (16.22)

 

 

One who acts under the influence of their desires, disobeying scriptural injunctions, neither attains perfection nor happiness nor the supreme goal. (16.23)

 

 

Therefore, let the scripture be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. You should perform your duty following the scriptural injunction. (16.24)

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The Gita verse cited (16.20) only uses the words "janmani janmani", meaning birth after birth, indicating a trend of many lives. It does not mean eternally. The soul is eternally part and parcel of God (mamaivamsho jiva loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah) and thus there is always the possibility of it reviving its inherent divine nature. The Atma is eternally pure, situated beyond the three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas). It is only the consciousness (citta) that becomes poluted with the gunas. The paths of yoga, such as bhakti, purify the consciousness of the soul and resituate him in his constitutional position as a servant of Bhagavan.

 

Even a fallen soul covered by ignorance (tamas) can be delivered as was the case with Valmiki Rishi, Prahlada, and many others. By receiving the causeless mercy of the Lord and His devotees the naradhama (lowest ammong mankind) can become narottama (the highest of man).

 

Gita 16.19 does not contain the words "again and again", and Gita 16.20 does not contain the words "without ever attaining Me." The correct reading for 16.20 is simply "in that state they do not attain me." And the state being referenced lasts for many lives, i.e. "janmani janmani".

 

Thus these verses fail to establish the concept of eternal damnation. A concept of literal eternal damnation in hell does not exist in Hinduism or in the Vedas.

 

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Hare Krishna,

 

Good to hear from you J.N.Dasjee. I do not even know sanskrit, so I depend on translations given by others. So I will try to defend my position here.

 

First thing. Valmiki or Prahlad are no fallen souls. Ofcourse everyone is under Samsara. In that way everyone is fallen including all the Gods, perhaps except Mahalakshmi. I am just clarifying that they cannot be associated with asuric beings even when they are born among asuras.

 

tAnahaM dvishhataH krUrAn.h saMsAreshhu narAdhamAn.h |

xipAmi ajasraM ashubhAn.h AsurIshhveva yonishhu || 19 ||

 

word for word(by Srila Prabhupada)

 

tan--those; aham--I; dvisatah--envious; kruran--mischievous; samsaresu--into the ocean of material existence; nara-adhaman--the lowest of mankind; ksipami--put; ajasram--innumerable; asubhan--inauspicious; asurisu--demoniac; eva--certainly; yonisu--in the wombs.

 

ajasram - forever or always is the correct meaning(from dictionary)

 

eva- certainly or only

 

I hurl those envious, lowest of mankind(condemned men), into samsara and certainly into inauspicious and demonic wombs forever(always).

 

AsurIM yonimApannA mUDhA janmani-janmani |

mAmaprApyaiva kaunteya tato yAntyadhamAM gatim.h || 20 ||

 

word for word(by Srila Prabhupada)

 

asurim--demoniac; yonim--species; apannah--gaining; mudhah--the foolish; janmani janmani--in birth after birth; mam--unto Me; aprapya--without achieving; eva--certainly; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; tatah--thereafter; yanti--goes; adhamam--condemned; gatim--destination.

 

The foolish gaining demonic species birth after birth, certainly failing to reach ME, thereafter go to condemned destination.

 

I think if you see logically what Lord Krishna says, in verse 19 HE is talking about throwing ASURIC beings into demonic wombs again and again and always so. In verse 20 HE says, failing to REACH HIM, because of being born in such demonic species again and again these creatures thereafter reaches a condemned desitination(eternal hell). Here it is implied that being born in demonic species is a journey and reaching a place thereafter(after those demonic biths) is eternal hell(adhamAm gatim). So eternal hell is a TRUTH according to GITA.

 

Let us see the following verse to see how Lord Krishna uses the word gatim.

 

TEXT 22

 

etair vimuktah kaunteya

tamo-dvarais tribhir narah

acaraty atmanah sreyas

tato yati param gatim

 

SYNONYMS

 

etaih--by these; vimuktah--being liberated; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; tamah-dvaraih--the gates of ignorance; tribhih--three kinds of; narah--a person; acarati--performs; atmanah--self; sreyah--benediction; tatah--thereafter; yati--goes; param--supreme; gatim--destination.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The man who has escaped these three gates of hell, O son of Kunti, performs acts conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the supreme destination.

 

"tato yati param gatim" in this verse(22) and "tato yAntyadhamAM gatim.h" in verse 20. It is clear that one talks about eternal conditions in both the verses.

 

Just one thought that one should not doubt what Sri Madhvacharya(He attains the position of Lord Brahma) or Sri Raghavendraswamy who serves Vayu Deva have said. There is none in this or any other world (except Lord Visnu, Lakshmi or Brahma)who knows more than Vayu Deva. Atleast this is what I believe.

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Hello,

 

Raghavendra Swami was not born in Mantralayam. He was

born in Bhuvanagiri a small town near kancheepuram.

The Jeeva Brindavan is present in Mantralayam. It is

were the swami is there and will be there for around

next 300 years, blessing all who come to him.

 

He is the Kamadenu and Karpagaviricham, and never says

no to anybody.

 

Jineshwari

 

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"It is

were the swami is there and will be there for around

next 300 years, blessing all who come to him."

 

whY 300 years?

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Thank you for providing such important and very rare information about the miracles of Raghavendra swamiji.

 

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Raghavendra Swamy was born on 1595AD in Kaveripattana, a small town in Dharmapuri District of TamilNadu State. Mantralayam is the place where Lord Raghavendra Swamyji took the sajeeva samadhi (went into brindavan being alive).

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