Raghuttama Tirtha

Raghuttama Tirtha (Sanskrit:रघूत्तम तीर्थ); IAST:Śrī Raghūttama Tīrtha) (c. 1548 - c. 1596), was an Indian  philosopher, scholar,  theologian and saint. He was also known as Bhavabodhacharya . His oeuvre include commentaries on the works of Madhva and Jayatirtha. He served as the fourteenth pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha - Uttaradi Math from 1557 to 1595, which he occupied for thirty-nine years. He is considered to be one of the important seers in the history of Dvaita school of thought. His shrine at Manampoondi attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Born in an aristocratic Brahmin family, but was brought up in mutt under the direction of Raghuvarya Tirtha. He composed 10 works, consisting of commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha in the form of Bhāvabodhas elaborating upon the Dvaita thought.

Biography
Most of the information about Raghuttama Tirtha's life is derived from hagiography - Gurucaryā. He was born as Ramachandra into a pious family in Malkheda in the present-day Kalaburagi district in the state of Karnataka belonging to Deshastha Madhva Brahmin family to Subba Bhatta and Gangabai in 1548. Gangabai is purvashrama sister of Raghuvarya Tirtha of Uttaradi Math.

Birth & Sannyasa
According to Gurucaryā, the childless couple approached saint Raghuvarya Tirtha, who granted them boon of children with the condition that their first child, would in turn be handed over to him. These words brought a mixture of happiness and sorrow to the childless couple but they accepted the decree of the divinity. Soon after this incident, Gangabai conceived. Raghuvarya Tirtha was informed accordingly. He returned to the village expecting the birth of the child. A big gold plate was sent to Subba Bhatta's house from the Matha with a direction to receive the child on the golden plate without allowing the child to touch the earth.

Accordingly, the child was received on a golden plate. The personality and the face of the child were beautiful. He was named after Lord Rama as Ramachandra by Raghuvarya Tirtha. Raghuvarya Tirtha made arrangements to feed the child every day with the abhishekha milk of the Vyasa Kurma Saligram of the Matha. He had his Upanayana at the age of five and immediately after Upanayana was ordained as a Sannyasa. Raghuttama Tirtha is said to have studied for some years after his ordinance, under a learned Pandit Adya Varadarajacharya of Manur under the direction of Raghuvarya Tirtha.

Reign as Pontiff
Raghuttama Tirtha was the nephew of Raghuvarya Tirtha — the thirteenth pontiff and succeeded his uncle in the pontificate of Uttaradi Math in 1557. Raghuttama Tirtha was also a contemporary of Vijayindra Tirtha and Vadiraja Tirtha.

Entering Brindavana
After completing thirty-nine years on the sacred pontifical seat of Uttaradi Matha, Raghuttama Tirtha desired to enter the Brindavana. So he ordered the then Zamindar of Vettavalam Now At Tiruvannamalai District, in a dream to construct a Brindavana at Manampoondi a village near Tirukoilur on the bank of the river South Pennar.

This is said to be the holy place where Galava Rishi once resided. Raghuttama Swami entered Brindavana alive in 1596 on the auspicious day of Ekadashi. He was succeeded by his disciple Vedavyasa Tirtha.

Works
There have been 10 works accredited to Raghuttama Tirtha, 9 of which are commentaries on the works of Madhvacharya, Padmanabha Tirtha and Jayatirtha, out of which five are published so far. Bhavabodha is the general title of a majority of his works and Raghuttama is usually called "Bhavabodhakara" or "Bhavabodhacharya". His work Brihadaranyaka Bhavabodha is a commentary on Madhva's Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Bhashya, is considered to be his magnum opus. Running up to 9,000 granthas, it discusses both Khandana and Bhashyartha of the Upanishad. His work Tattvaprakasika Bhavabodha is a commentary on Jayatirtha's Tattvaprakāśikā. It runs nearly 8100 granthas. It is quoted by Jagannatha Tirtha in his Bhashyadipika three to four times and by Raghavendra Tirtha once in his Tatparya Chandrika Prakasha.

Legacy
After Jayatirtha, Raghuttama Tirtha became Tika-kara and is referred to as Bhavabodhacharya. Sharma writes "His language is simple and precise. He makes his points forcefully. He quotes often from certain unidentified sources not cited by any other commentator". Raghuttama Tirtha is regarded as a saint known for preaching the worship of Lord Vishnu regardless of caste or creed. His shrine in Tirukoilur at present has become a holy seat of pilgrimage and a vast number of devotees belonging to all castes and creeds perform seva even today. Guru Raghuttama Tirtha is known as a healer. Thousands of devotees who go to his Brindavana are a proof of his divine power and a kind heart to bless his devotees. He has made dumb to speak, mad to be intelligent, childless to beget progeny. None of his devotees have returned in disappointment.

Intellectual & Scholarly Influence
Raghuttama Tirtha, through his commentaries and preachings, carried the torch of the philosophy of Madhvacharya during his times. A band of commentators developed under his tutelage. He made each one of his disciples a repository of scholarship and academic excellence. They were successful not only in defending the Philosophy of Madhvacharya in scholarly debates but also in preparing others to become scholars and commentators. Raghupathi Tirtha (a pontiff of another Madhva Matha), Vedavyasa Tirtha, Vedesa Tirtha, Vyasa Ramacharya, Ananda Bhattaraka (father of Vidyadhisha Tirtha), Rotti Venkatabhatta who all made a name as commentators were directly trained by Raghuttama Tirtha. When Madhusūdana Sarasvatī composed Advaitasiddhi, a line-by-line refutation of Nyayamṛta of Vyasatirtha. In response to Advaitasiddhi, Vyasa Ramacharya and Ananda Bhattaraka, wrote Nyayamṛta Tarangini and Nyayamṛta Kantakoddhara and challenged Madhusūdana Sarasvatī. They are intellectual gifts given by Raghuttama Tirtha to the followers of Madhvacharya.