User:ANDALSHR/Raghuttama

Sri Raghuttama Tirtha

Sri Raghuttama Tirtha was the 14th pontiff of Uttaradi Math (http://www.uttaradimath.org/web/).

There is something unusual in his birth and how he came to be a pitadhipati. He was born to Subbu Bhatta and Gangabai who lived in a village Swarnavadi in the erstwhile state of Nizam in Telangana. Sri Raghuvarya Tirtha, the 13th pontiff of the Math (http://www.uttaradimath.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=157), was camping in the village when the local zamindar Subbu Bhatta and his wife Gangabai invited him for biksha. The Swami refused to accept their invitation as the couple had no children. After much pleading by Subbu Bhatta and Ganga Bai, Sri Raghuvarya Thirtha agreed to have biksha at their house on one condition - they should give their first born child to the Math. The couple agreed to this condition and the Swami performed puja and distributed prasada to devotees at the Bhatta's residence.

Soon Ganga Bai conceived; Sri Raghuvarya Tirtha was informed about it. The Swami asked Subbu Bhatta to inform him about the date of the child's birth, one month in advance. In due course, the Swami was informed about the date of confinement and he camped at the village. On the day of the birth in the year 1529 AD, Sri Raghuvarya Tirtha sent a gold plate so that the child could be received directly onto the plate without touching the earth (Bhoosparsa rahita). Obeying the instructions of the Swami, the child was received on the gold plate and taken to the Matha where the child was washed with the Abisheka water of Moola Rama, the presiding deity of Uttaradi Math.

The child was named Ramachandra and was brought up at the Math and fed only with Abisheka milk. Sri Ramachandra had his Upanayanam in the Math in his 7th year. The very next year, he was ordained as a Sanyasi and given the name Sri Raghuttama Tirtha. He was the only Uttaradi Math pontiff (Peethadipathi), until recently, who became a Sanyasi from Brahmacharya. As Sri Raghuttama was young and not conversant with the Shastras, Aadhya Varadachariar was appointed to teach the religious works of Dwaita system.

Once when Sri Raghuttama was invited for bhiksha on a a Dwadasi day, he was deeply engrossed in puja and was late by a few minutes to arrive at the house of the devotee. By then, thinking that the Dwadasi ghadas will be over, Varadachariar and others started taking food. Sri Raghuttama felt insulted and thought that the Achar did this as he was still a student and not conversant with the Shastras. Sri Raghuttama prostrated before Sri Moola Rama and prayed why he made him a Peethadipathi without sufficient qualification and knowledge. He was in a trance when his predecessor, Sri Raghuvarya Tirtha, appeared before him and said that Sri Raghuttama now had all the knowledge about Madhwa philosophy and need not learn from the Achar. From the next day, Sri Raghuttama started teaching his disciples. Varadachariar who noticed Sri Raghuttama explaining some difficult passages in Nyaya-Sudha very easily, which he himself had found difficult to explain, fell at Sri Raghuttama's feet and craved for pardon. Benevolent as he was, Sri Raghuttama said to his Vidya Guru Varadachariar that because of him only, Sri Raghuttama was able to have darshan of Guru Raghuvarya and receive his blessings. Varadachariar was given a position in the Math and today the first puja to the Brindavana of Sri Raghuttama is performed by his family members.

Sri Raghuttama toured many placed preaching Madhwa Siddhanta. He wrote 5 important works and they are called Bhavabhodas - Thus Sri Raghuttama is also known as 'Bhavabhoda Tirtha'. The 5 works are : 1. Brihadaranya Bhavabhoda 2. Nyaya Vivarana Bhavabhoda 3. Gitabhashya Bhavabhoda (Prameya Dipika Bhavabhoda) 4. Vishnutatvanirnaya Bhavabhoda 5. Tattvaprakashika Bhavabhoda

Sri Raghuttama occupied the Uttaradi Math pitha for nearly 39 years. He entered Brindavana on Pushya Suddha Ekadasi day, on the banks of the Dakshina Pinakini river, Pancha Krishnaranya Kshetra in Manampoondi village near Tirukkoilur (Tamil Nadu). Sri Raghuttama Swami's Brindavana is open, exposed to sun and rain. It has no covering. Being a great saint, he abandoned everything and wants to live one with Nature. On the southern side of the Brindavana, there is the face of his mother in poorvasrama Ganabai. It seems that his mother wanted him to give her a place in his Brindavana so that abisheka performed to saligramas will fall on the face.

There was a great devotee of Sri Raghuttama at Andali (Andili or Anthili) village, 5 kilometres east from the Brindavana, who was visiting the Brindavana everyday before taking lunch. He became very old and was not able to visit Brindavan for darshana. Then Sri Raghuttama told him in a dream that that he need not thereafter visit the Brindavan - instead Sri Raghuttama will change His direction within the Brindavana to face his devotee (!), so that he could watch abhisheka, alankara, neivedya and arati from the Andali. Accordingly Sri Raghuttama issued instructions to the Math authorities about the change in the Brindava direction. This happened over a century ago. Even to this day, the Moola Brindavana puja is performed to the face in the eastern direction taht is facing Andali.

Miracles are attributed to Sri Raghuttama. Those who do seva at the Brindavana for ailments, for dealy in begetting children, unemployment, etc will get their desires fulfilled by the abundant Grace of Sri Raghuttama Tirtha.