Tuesday 31 December 2013

The seer who was a Rudra Amsha

Before he took Deekshe, he was a Shanubhog and he was called  Ananthappa. It was Vibudhendra Theertha who saw him at  Agnihalu village near the confluence of the Krishna and the Bheema.
Vibudhendra Theertha taught Sandhyavandana to Ananthappa.
He gave a Narasimha Saligrama to Ananthappa and advised him to perform Sandhyavandhana and Saligrama pooje regularly.
Ananthappa began his routine in accordance with the instructions of Vibhudhendra Theertha. He performed Sandhyavandhana and then offered Naivedya to the Saligrama.
When the Saligrama did not take the offering, Ananthappa got angry and offered to die if  the Narasimha saligrama did not take the offering.
The Saligrama opened and Ananthappa fed it with the Naivedya. Soon, this became a regular routine. In 1490, Vibhudhendra Theertha again came to the village and he met Ananthappa who by then had transformed into a pious and holy man, immersed in religion and prayer.  
The seer had been granted the village of Angihalu by the Vijayanagar Emperor. He was wonderstruck when he saw the saligrama partaking the Naivedya. He decided to nominate Ananthappa as the successor of the matha that he headed.
He conferred sanyasa on Ananthappa and entrusted the Samsthana of the Sri matha to him. Vibudhendra then proceeded towards Tamrapani, in Tamil Nadu, where he entered Brindavana.
It was after sanyasa that Ananthappa came to be called Jitamitra. He was the 12th seer to sit on the Sri matha after Madhwacharya.
Jitamitra Theertha taught his students under a gum tree on a mound between the Krishna and the Bheema rivers as he considered this spot to be as sacred as Prayag. Every day, the students and onlookers saw a Jangama attending his classes. The students always wondered who this Jangama was.
Once, when the Krishna was in spate, Jitamitra Theertha was meditating under the gum tree. The Krishna submerged the entire mound and it did not recede for seven days. Later the flood receded and the students were amazed to see Jitamitra Theertha sitting in meditation. The students saw that not a drop of water had touched the seer.
This incident occurred a second time and this time around the seer had disappeared. When his devotees and students began searching for him, they heard the voice of Jitamitra Theertha saying  that he had disappeared and that there was no need for a Brindavana for him. The voice of the seer said the gum tree under which he sat and taught them should be worshipped. Accordingly, the gum tree came to be worshipped. Even today, the gum tree exists and it is being worshipped everyday.
Legend has it that Jitamitra was a Rudramsha. When Susheelendra Theertha of Mantralaya Raghavendra Swamy Matha went there, he saw Jitamitra in the form of a Bairagi at the nearby Sangameshwara temple. The Bairagi disappeared into the sanctum sanctorum which has an idol of  Shiva.
Before disappearing from view, Jitamitra Theertha had visited Bichale and planted a gum tree there. It was on this gum tree that Appanacharya used to hang raw rice kept in a cloth and start teaching his students. When he finished his classes, the rice would have boiled.
Sripadaraja also visited Bichale and he consecrated an idol of Narasimha near the gum tree. He also wrote a beautiful poem in praise of  Jitamitra Theertha.
The poem in Sanskrit and Kannada is as follows:


वंदने माडिरै यतिकुलचंद्रन पाडिरै ॥प॥
बंद दुरितगळ हिंदे आनंद पडुवे विबुधॆंद्र करॊद्भवर ॥अ.प॥

रघुकुलवर पुत्र रामन चरण करुणापात्र।
निगमॊक्तिय सूत्र पाठ पठिसुव सुगुण जितामित्र॥
नगधर श्री पन्नगशयनन गुण
पोगळुव अपार अगणित महिमर ॥१॥

वरमहात्मे तिळिसि मोदलिंदीपरियंददि चरिसि।
निरुत मनव निलिसि श्रीहरि करि वरदन ओलिसि
धरे जनरिगे अरियदे मरेयागुत
हरुषदि गॊनद तरुवल्लिरुवर ॥२॥

मुददि कृष्णा तटिय मध्यदि सदनद परिय
सतदामल यतिवर्य तपमौनदलि इद्दु (द्रुत) करिय(कार्य)
ओदगि नदियु सूसुत बरलॆळु दिन-
कुदयादवर सुपद कमलंगळ ॥३॥

मास मार्गशीर्षाराधनेगशॆषदिन अमावास्य
दासरु प्रतिवरुष माळ्परु लॆसेनलु श्रितिगॊष
काशिय क्षॆत्र स्थळ मिगिलै
दासरिगे भूसरि पदंगळ ॥४॥

मध्व शास्त्र ग्रंथसारद पद्धति तिळिदंथ
अद्वैत पंथ मुरिदु मत उद्धरिसिदंथ
रुद्रवंद्य मूरुति रंगविठलन पद
पद्माराधक प्रसिद्ध मुनींद्रर ॥५॥


The poem in Kannada is:
ವಂದನೆ ಮಾಡಿರೈ ಯತಿಕುಲಚಂದ್ರನ ಪಾಡಿರೈ ||||
ಬಂದ ದುರಿತಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಆನಂದ ಪಡುವೆ ವಿಬುಧೇಂದ್ರ ಕರೋದ್ಭವರ ||.||

ರಘುಕುಲವರ ಪುತ್ರ ರಾಮನ ಚರಣ ಕರುಣಾಪಾತ್ರ|
ನಿಗಮೋಕ್ತಿಯ ಸೂತ್ರ ಪಾಠ ಪಠಿಸುವ ಸುಗುಣ ಜಿತಾಮಿತ್ರ||
ನಗಧರ ಶ್ರೀ ಪನ್ನಗಶಯನನ ಗುಣ |
ಪೊಗಳುವ ಅಪಾರ ಅಗಣಿತ ಮಹಿಮರ ||||

ವರಮಹಾತ್ಮೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿ ಮೊದಲಿಂದೀಪರಿಯಂದದಿ ಚರಿಸಿ|
ನಿರುತ ಮನವ ನಿಲಿಸಿ ಶ್ರೀಹರಿ ಕರಿ ವರದನ ಒಲಿಸಿ ||
ಧರೆ ಜನರಿಗೆ ಅರಿಯದೆ ಮರೆಯಾಗುತ |
ಹರುಷದಿ ಗೋನದ ತರುವಲ್ಲಿರುವರ ||||

ಮುದದಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾ ತಟಿಯ ಮಧ್ಯದಿ ಸದನದ ಪರಿಯ |
ಸತದಾಮಲ ಯತಿವರ್ಯ ತಪಮೌನದಲಿ ಇದ್ದು (ದ್ರುತ) ಕರಿಯ(ಕಾರ್ಯ) ||
ಒದಗಿ ನದಿಯು ಸೂಸುತ ಬರಲೇಳು ದಿನ-|
ಕುದಯಾದವರ ಸುಪದ ಕಮಲಂಗಳ ||||

ಮಾಸ ಮಾರ್ಗಶೀರ್ಷಾರಾಧನೆಗಶೇಷದಿನ ಅಮಾವಾಸ್ಯ |
ದಾಸರು ಪ್ರತಿವರುಷ ಮಾಳ್ಪರು ಲೇಸೆನಲು ಶ್ರಿತಿಗೋಷ ||
ಕಾಶಿಯ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ ಸ್ಥಳ ಮಿಗಿಲೈ
ದಾಸರಿಗೆ ಭೂಸರಿ ಪದಂಗಳ ||||

ಮಧ್ವ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ ಗ್ರಂಥಸಾರದ ಪದ್ಧತಿ ತಿಳಿದಂಥ |
ಅದ್ವೈತ ಪಂಥ ಮುರಿದು ಮತ ಉದ್ಧರಿಸಿದಂಥ ||
ರುದ್ರವಂದ್ಯ ಮೂರುತಿ ರಂಗವಿಠಲನ ಪದ |
ಪದ್ಮಾರಾಧಕ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಮುನೀಂದ್ರರ ||||


The aradhane of this great saint of Mantralaya Raghavendra Swamy Matha is being celebrated for three days from December 31 at Jitamitra Gadde, Shivpur, in Yadgir. The senior and jujior pontiff of the Mantralaya Matha will grace the occasion.

Monday 30 December 2013

The stotra for a child

Several people have asked us at the post about a mantra, slokha or stotra for begetting children.
We have always advised such people to get in touch with doctors and undergo the treatment that is recommended for them. However, as the saying goes, “God only helps those who help themselves.” What this means is that we need the grace or blessings of God apart from medicine for achieving many things in life.
A calm and peaceful atmosphere and a stressfree environment at home would lead to greater efficiency of work at office. Harmony at home would translate to a better life.
Our shastras, puranas and even the Geetha lay stress on well-being and good physical and mental environment. Remembering God, even if it is for a moment, would suffice. No religion in the world preaches hatred or enemity. All religions talk of  devotion, faith and sincerity.
So if you have faith in a particular god or religion, it would help you successfully climb and overcome difficult phases of your life. Our shastras and puranas are our heritage. There is nothing wrong if e learn about them or if we are guided by them, There are many aspects of life that have been dealt with in our scriptures and they include respect to women, right living and right thinking, non-violence, sincerity and devotion to God and several other aspects.
Today, the cases of  delayed child birth and/or childlessness is on the increase. Stress, hectic life style, junk food, alcohol and smoking and of course a sedentary life have all contributed to this problem. Several decades ago, when there was no medicine or treatment to deal with such issues, elders in a family advised childless couples to visit a temple of Subramanya and perform Sarpa Dosha. The Ghati subramanya nead Doddaballapur and Kukke Subramanya near Dharmastala are well-known for performing such rituals.
Apart from getting rid of Sarpa Dosha, our elders always asked us to keep faith in god and perform pooje to certain gods and goddesses. Today, such seves are regularly performed at Mantralaya, Abbur, Sonde and at various pilgrim places, including Cheluva Narayanaswamy in Melkote, Sri Krishna in Udupi, Manjunatha in Dharmastala, Marikamba in Sirsi and other places.
In case, you are not able to visit the holy places and perform seve,  our scriptures have said performing pooje at home is adequate.  There are several mantras and slokhas that are believed to have divine powers to help couples who want to have children. Of course this does not mean that a couple would get a child as soon as such a mantra or slokha is recited. Such slokhas will aid in the process.
One such slokha is called the Go Savitri Stotra. The lyrics are in Kannada and English and it starts with a prayer to Narayana or Hari.         


ಗೋಸಾವಿತ್ರೀ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರ

ನಾರಾಯಣಂ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತ್ಯ ದೇವೀಂ ತ್ರಿಭುವನೇಶ್ವರೀಮ್|
ಗೋಸಾವಿತ್ರೀಂ ಪ್ರವಕ್ಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ವ್ಯಾಸೇನೋಕ್ತಾಂ ಸನಾತನೀಂ        ||||

ಯಸ್ಯ ಶ್ರವಣ ಮಾತ್ರೇಣ ಸರ್ವಪಾಪೈಃ ಪ್ರಮುಚ್ಯತೇ|
ಗವಾಂ ನಿಶ್ವಸಿತಂ ವೇದಾಃ ಸಷಡಂಗಪದಕ್ರಮಾಃ            ||||

ಶಿಕ್ಷಾ ವ್ಯಾಕರಣಂ ಛಂಧೋ ನಿರುಕ್ತಂ ಜ್ಯೌತಿಷಂ ತಥಾ|
ಏತಾಸಾಮಗ್ರಶೃಂಗೇಷು ಇಂದ್ರವಿಷ್ಣೂ ಸ್ವಯಂಸ್ಥಿತೌ            ||||

ಶಿರೋ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾ ಗುರುಃ ಸ್ಕಂಧೇ ಲಲಾಟೇ ವೃಷಭಧ್ವಜಃ |
ಕರ್ಣಯೋರಶ್ವಿನೌ ದೇವೌ ಚಕ್ಷುಷೋಃ ಶಶಿಭಾಸ್ಕರೌ            ||||

ದಂತೇಷು ಮರುತೋ ದೇವಾ ಜಿಹ್ವಾಯಾಂ ಸರಸ್ವತೀ|
ಕಂಠೇ ವರುಣೋ ದೇವೋ ಹೃದಯೇ ಹವ್ಯವಾಹನಃ            ||||

ಉದರೇ ಪೃಥಿವೀ ದೇವೀ ಸಶೈಲವನಕಾನನಾ|
ಕಕುದಿ ದ್ಯೌಃ ಸನಕ್ಷತ್ರಾ ಪೃಷ್ಠೇ ವೈವಸ್ವತೋ ಯಮಃ                    ||||

ಊರ್ವೋಸ್ತು ವಸವೋ ದೇವಾ ವಾಯುರ್ಜಂಘೇ ಸಮಾಶ್ರಿತಃ|
ಆದಿತ್ಯಸ್ತ್ವಾಶ್ರಿತೋ ವಾಲೇ ಸಾಧ್ಯಾಃ ಸರ್ವಾಂಗಸಂಧಿಷು               ||||

ಅಪಾನೇ ಸರ್ವತೀರ್ಥಾನಿ ಗೋಮುತ್ರೇ ಜಾಹ್ನವೀ ಸ್ವಯಮ್|
ಧೃತಿಃ ಪುಷ್ಟಿರ್ಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀರ್ಗೋಮಯೇ ಸಂಸ್ಥಿತಾಃ ಸದಾ              ||||

ನಾಸಿಕಾಯಾಂ ಶ್ರೀದೇವೀ ಜ್ಯೇಷ್ಠಾ ವಸತಿ ಭಾಮಿನೀ|
ಚತ್ವಾರಃ  ಸಾಗರಾಃ ಪೂರ್ಣಾ ಗವಾಂ ಹ್ಯೇವ ಪಯೋಧರೇ            ||||

ಖುರಮಧ್ಯೇಷು ಗಂಧರ್ವಾಃ ಖುರಾಗ್ರೇ ಪನ್ನಗಾಃ ಶ್ರಿತಾಃ|
ಖುರಾಣಾಂ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮೇ  ಭಾಗೇ ಹ್ಯಪ್ಸರಾಣಾಂ ಗಣಾಃ ಸ್ಮೃತಾಃ        ||೧೦||

ಶ್ರೋಣೀತಟೇಷು ಪಿತರೋ ರೋಮಲಾಂಗೂಲಮಾಶ್ರಿತಾಃ|
ಋಷಯೋ ರೋಮಕೂಪೇಷು ಚರ್ಮಣ್ಯೇವ ಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿಃ             ||೧೧||

ಹುಂಕಾರೇ ಚತುರೋ ವೇದಾ ಹುಂಶಬ್ದೇ ಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿಃ|
ಏವಂ ವೀಷ್ಣುಮಯಂ ಗಾತ್ರಂ ತಾಸಾಂ ಗೋಪ್ತಾ ಕೇಶವಃ        ||೧೨||

ಗವಾಂ ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತ್ಯ ಕೃತ್ವಾ ಚೈವ ಪ್ರದಕ್ಷಿಣಮ್|
ಪ್ರದಕ್ಷಿಣೀಕೃತಾ ತೇನ ಸಪ್ತದ್ವೀಪಾ ವಸುಂಧರಾ                      ||೧೩||

ಕಾಮದೋಗ್ಧ್ರೀ ಸ್ವಯಂ ಕಾಮದೋಗ್ಧಾ ಸನ್ನಿಹಿತಾ ಮಮ|
ಗೋಗ್ರಾಸಸ್ಯ ವಿಶೇಷೋ ಅಸ್ತಿ ಹಸ್ತಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಮಾತ್ರತಃ          ||೧೪||

ಶತಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ ಭುಕ್ತೇನ ಸಮಮಾಹುರ್ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠರ |
ಇದಂ ಪಠತೇ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಶೃಣುಯಾದ್ವಾ ಸಮಾಹಿತಃ              ||೧೫||

ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣೋ ಲಭತೇ ವಿದ್ಯಾಂ ಕ್ಷತ್ರೀಯೋ ರಾಜ್ಯಮಶ್ನುತೇ|
ವೈಶ್ಯೋ ಧನಸಮೃದ್ಧಃ ಸ್ಯಾಚ್ಛೂದ್ರಃ ಪಾಪಾತ್ ಪ್ರಮುಚ್ಯತೇ        ||೧೬||

ಗರ್ಭೀಣೀ ಜನಯೇತ್ ಪುತ್ರಂ ಕನ್ಯಾ ಭರ್ತಾರಮಾಪ್ನುಯಾತ್|
ಸಾಯಂ ಪ್ರಾತಸ್ತು ಪಠತಾಂ ಶಾಂತಿಸ್ವಸ್ತ್ಯಯನಂ ಮಹತ್          ||೧೭||

ಅಹೋರಾತ್ರಕೃತೈಃ ಪಾಪೈಸ್ತತ್ಕ್ಷಣಾತ್ ಪರಿಮುಚ್ಯತೇ|
ಫಲಂ ತು ಗೋಸಹಸ್ರಸ್ಯೇತ್ಯುಕ್ತಂ ಹಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಾ ಪುರಾ               ||೧೮||

ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಹ್ಯಗ್ರತಃ ಸಂತು ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಸಂತು ಪೃಷ್ಠತಃ|
ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಹೃದಯೇ ಸಂತು ಗವಾಂ ಮಧ್ಯೇ ವಸಾಮ್ಯಹಮ್    ||೧೯||

ಸುರಭಿರ್ವೈಷ್ಣವೀ ಮಾತಾ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ವಿಷ್ಣುಪದೇ ಸ್ಥಿತಾ|
ಗೋಗ್ರಾಸಂ ತು ಮಯಾ ದತ್ತಂ ಸುರಭಿಃ ಪ್ರತಿಗೃಹ್ಯತಾಮ್        ||೨೦||

ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಮಾತರಃ ಸರ್ವಾಃ ಸರ್ವೇ ಮೇ ಪಿತರೋ ವೃಷಾಃ|
ಗ್ರಾಸಮುಷ್ಠಿಂ ಮಯಾ ದತ್ತಂ ಸುರಭಿಃ ಪ್ರತಿಗೃಹ್ಯತಾಮ್           ||೨೧||

ಫಲಾನಾಂ ಗೋಸಹಸ್ರಸ್ಯ ಪ್ರದದ್ಯಾದ್ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣೋತ್ತಮೇ|
ಸರ್ವತೀರ್ಥಾಧಿಕಂ ಪುಣ್ಯಮಿತ್ಯುಕ್ತಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಾ ಪುರಾ               ||೨೨||

The lyrics in English are as follows:


nArAyaNaM namaskRutya dEvIM triBuvanESvarIm |
gOsAvitrIM pravakShyAmi vyAsEnOktAM sanAtanIm || 1 ||

yasya SravaNamAtrENa sarvapApaiH pramuchyatE |
gavAM niSvasitaM vEdAH saShaDaMgapadakramAH || 2 ||

SikShA vyAkaraNaM CaMdO niruktaM jyoutiShaM tathA |
EtAsAmagraSRuMgEShu iMdraviShNU svayaMsthitou || 3 ||

SirO brahmA guruH skaMdhE lalATE vRuShaBadhvajaH |
karNayOraSvinou dEvou chakShuShOH SaSiBAskarou || 4 ||

daMtEShu marutO dEvA jihvAyAM cha sarasvatI |
kaMThE cha varuNO dEvO hRudayE havyavAhanaH || 5 ||

udarE pRuthivI dEvI saSailavanakAnanA |
kakudi dyouH sanakShatrA pRuShThE vaivasvatO yamaH || 6 ||

UrvOstu vasavO dEvA vAyurjaMGE samASritaH |
AdityastvASritO vAlE sAdhyAH sarvAMgasaMdhiShu || 7 ||

apAnE sarvatIrthAni gOmUtrE jAhnavI svayam |
dhRutiH puShTirmahAlakShmIrgOmayE saMsthitAH sadA || 8 ||

nAsikAyAM cha SrIdEvI jyEShThA vasati BAminI |
chatvAraH sAgarAH pUrNA gavAM hyEva payOdharE || 9 ||

KuramadhyEShu gaMdharvAH KurAgrE pannagAH SritAH |
KurANAM paSchimE BAgE hyapsarANAM gaNAH smRutAH ||
10 ||

SrONItaTEShu pitarO rOmalAMgUlamASritAH |
RuShayO rOmakUpEShu carmaNyEva prajApatiH || 11 ||

huMkArE chaturO vEdA huMSabdE cha prajApatiH |
EvaM viShNumayaM gAtraM tAsAM gOptA sa kESavaH || 12 ||

gavAM dRuShTvA namaskRutya kRutvA chaiva pradakShiNam |
pradakShiNIkRutA tEna saptadvIpA vasuMdharA || 13 ||

kAmadOgdhrI svayaM kAmadOgdhA sannihitA matA |
gOgrAsasya viSEShO&sti hastasaMpUrNamAtrataH || 14 ||

SatabrAhmaNaBuktEna samamAhuryudhiShThira |
 ya idaM paThatE nityaM SRuNuyAdvA samAhitaH || 15 ||

brAhmaNO laBatE vidyAM kShatriyO rAjyamaSnutE |
vaiSyO dhanasamRuddhaH syAcCUdraH pApAt pramuchyatE || 16 ||

garBiNI janayEt putraM kanyA BartAramApnuyAt |
sAyaM prAtastu paThatAM SAMtisvastyayanaM mahat || 17 ||

ahOrAtrakRutaiH pApaistatkShaNAt parimuchyatE |
phalaM tu gOsahasrasyEtyuktaM hi brahmaNA purA || 18 ||

gAvO mE hyagrataH saMtu gAvO mE saMtu pRuShThataH |
gAvO mE hRudayE saMtu gavAM madhyE vasAmyaham || 19 ||

suraBirvaiShNavI mAtA nityaM viShNupadE sthitA |
gOgrAsaM tu mayA dattaM suraBiH pratigRuhyatAm || 20 ||

gAvO mE mAtaraH sarvAH sarvE mE pitarO vRuShAH |
grAsamuShTiM mayA dattaM suraBiH pratigRuhyatAm || 21 ||

phalAnAM gOsahasrasya pradadyAdbrAhmaNOttamE |
sarvatIrthAdhikaM puNyamityuktaM brahmaNA purA || 22 ||

|| iti SrImanmahABAratE BIShmayudhiShThirasaMvAdE
gOsAvitrIstOtram ||
This is one of the many stotras on begetting a child. There are several other stotras and slokas. As you can see, it will take three minutes or less to recite the entire slokha. If we can spend thousands of rupees on medicine and on doctors, can’t we spend only a few minutes remembering God. After all, there is no money for reciting these mantras and slokhas. All that is needed is devotion, faith and sincerity.

Just as medical intervention too takes time, our faith and devotion too takes time for the Gods to accede to our prayer. Never lose faith and you will always be rewarded.