Swamy Raghavendra or Raghavendra
was a Hindu religious leader, a theologian and a saint, mainly popular in
Karnataka. He is considered as the incarnation of Prahlad who was a great
devotee of Lord Vishnu. Every year the day when a Vrindavan/Brindavan was
construtured around Swamy Raghavendra, while he was sitting in a Samadhi
position, is observed as Raghavendra Aradhana.
It is celebrated on the second day
(Dwitiya) during the Shukla Paksha in the month of Shravana, as per the South
Indian calendar. It is a three-day observation. The celebration of Raghavendra
Aradhana will be held at Mantralaya village of Andhra Pradesh.
Life Story
Shri Raghavendra was a
16th-century saint and theologian. He was a strong believer of the Dwaita philosophy which was given by
Madhavacharya.
An established player of veena,
Raghavendra had composed a number of songs. All these songs were compiled under
the name Venu Gopala by him. Raghavendra
was the great-grandson of Krishna Bhattar, tutor during the reign of Krishna
Dev Raya of the Vijaynagar Empire. Timmanacharya, his father, was an
accomplished scholar and musician. He had two siblings. His father died quite
early and his education was then undertaken by his brother-in-law. As a
youngster, he had no insight into the real meaning of renunciation.
However, it was his debating
skills that brought him the attention of many great personalities of those
times. Amongst these, there was a famous saint known as Sudhindra Tirtha. He
became a monk on the demands of Sudhindra in the year 1621. Raghavendra
Succeeded as the pontiff of the mutt. The original name of Raghavendra Swamy
was Venkatanatha. He succeeded his Guru Sudhindra Tirtha as the pontiff when he
passed away in the year 1623. He received the village Mantralaya as a gift from
the governor of Adoni. He even received grants from Dodda Kempadevaraja, the
then king of Mysore.
When he once sat in the Samadhi
position in 1671, he had demanded that a tomb be erected around him. This tomb
is today known as Brindavana.
Aradhana
The Aradhana day celebrations is a three-day process, the first day is known as Purva Aradhana or Poovaradhane, the second day is called the Madhya Aradhana and the third one is known as the Uttar Aradhana.
Guru Raghavendra Swamy is believed to have created many miracles during his lifetime. Thus, devotees have utter faith in him even today.