Raghavendra aradhana at Vellore
P.V. V. MURTHI
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The 334th aradhana on Sri Raghavednra will be celebrated on August 21 at the Nava Brindavanam complex, Vellore.
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THE NAVA BRINDAVANAM COMPLEX: It houses the Brindavanams of Sri Raghavendra and his disciples.
The Nava Brindavanam Complex, housing the `Moola' Brindavanams of eight saints who propagated the Dwaita philosophy propounded by Sri Madhwacharya, and the `Mrithika' Brindavanam of Sri Guru Raghavendra at Madhwa Vijayanagaram, in Shenbakkam village panchayat near Vellore is sacred for the `Dwaitis' (followers of the Dwaita philosophy). `Mrithika' means soil and the `Mrithika' Brindavanam of Sri Guru Raghavendra was built on the soil brought from the Moola Brindavanam of the saint in Mantralayam, Andhra Pradesh.
History has it that on his way from Rameswaram during the 13th century, Sri Madhwacharya stayed at Shenbakkam and wrote a `Grantha' (commentary) on Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam.
Sripathi Theertha, tenth in the order of descendants of Madhwacharya, stayed at Shenbakkam for `Chathurmasyam' and attained `Brindavanastha' in 1612. The Brindavanams built for Sripathi Theertha, and his direct disciple, Sri Kambalur Ramachandra Theertha are seen facing each other in the Nava Brindavanam complex.
According to H. Ramakrishnan, treasurer of Sri Guru Raghavendra Seva Samiti, which is maintaining the Nava Brindavanam complex, the place derives its holiness from the presence of the Moola Brindavanam of Sri Kambalur Ramachandra Theertha since Sri Raghavendra is believed to have acquired a high level of scholarship in the Dwaita philosophy only on reading Theertha's `Grantha.'
Top stone
Another miracle, which happened in the life of Sri Kambalur Ramachandra Theertha, is when he was engrossed in meditation, Nanjundayya, his ideological adversary who could not win over him in the `tharkas' tried to hurl a heavy stone at him. Saint Vadiraja who learnt of it while doing penance,made the stone stay in the air. Theertha asked his disciples to preserve the stone and keep it on top of his Brindavanam (which was built in 1632). The other important Moola Brindavanams in the complex are those of Sri Vidyapathi Theertha and his disciple, Sri Sathyajiraya Theertha who attained `Brindavanastha' in 1669.
The complex also houses the Moola Brindavanams of four other saints (whose names are not known) who are the disciples of Sri Sathyajiraya Theertha. A stone which he gave at that time is said to keep the moat around the fort perennially full of water. This is also said to be one of the two reasons why Vellore is also known as `Royavelur' (Rayi means stone in Telugu).
When the devotees of Sri Guru Raghavendra wanted to establish a `Mrithika' Brindavanam for the saint, they decided to install it in the vicinity of the above eight Moola Brindavanams in order to renovate and popularise them among the followers of the Dwaita philosophy.
The Mrithika Brindavanam was consecrated in June 1991 in what is today known as the Nava Brindavanam Complex. The 334th Aradhana celebrations of Sri Guru Raghavendra are to be held in the complex on August 21.
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Mini Manthralayam
Sri Madhwa Siddhanta Seva Sangam, No. 26, Pazhani Pillai Nagar, III Cross Street, Koothappakkam, Kadalur — 607 002 (Ph: 04142-236940) will observe the 334th aradhana of Sri Raghavendra Swami at Sri Raghavendra Swamigal Brindavanam, at Koothapakkam, from August 20 (tomorrow) to 22.
Known as Mini Mantralayam, the Mritika Brindavanam of Sri Raghavendra was installed in April 1989, by Swami Sri Vignananidhi Tirtha of Sri Paadharaja Math. The head of the Mantralaya Peetam, Sri Sushmindra Tirtha, performed the samprokshanam of the temple on July 1, 2002. Sri Sushmindra Tirtha also began the pilot run of the temple car on June 5, 2004. Annadhanam during festivals is a regular feature of the temple.
A Dhyana Mandapam at the temple is being planned. The setting up of a Goshala is another project on the cards. Contributions for these may be sent as cheque or DD drawn in favour of Sri Madhwa Siddhanta Seva Sangam, Cuddalore-2. The religious events begin at 5 a.m. on August 20. Devotees can donate rice, dhal, jaggery, milk, ghee, honey and other abhishekam items for the milk and panchamritha abhishekams to be performed on August 21 at 10 a.m.
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