Sri Raghunatha Tirtharu

We understand from tradition that Sri Raghunatha Tirtha was born in Gudibande of Kolar Taluk. He had his Shastraic education at Kashi and turned out to be a young eminent scholar in his Purvashrama. Subsequently, he came under the tutelage of his Guru Sri Lakshminarayana Tirtha who, after ordaining him to the Pitha, entrusted the Samsthana amid all scholars and disappeared.

The saint is one of the very few to have adorned the Pitha for a relatively long period of time. He was well-known by his honorary name Shesachandrikacharya for having enlivened the glory of the Srimatha and Chandrikacharya during his tenure. This is clear from the number of epigraphical records proclaiming recognition of the Srimatha as ‘Srimat Vyasarayara Vidyasimhasana’ and the saint as ‘Sri Raghunatha Tirtha Pujya Sripada’ that record various grants made by rulers of his time in the southern states.

Few similes noticeable on the honorary name between him and his famed predecessor are: Sri Vyasa Tirtha who was also called Chandrikacharya was the Shishya of Sripadaraja whose original name was Sri Lakshminarayana Tirtha: ‘Lakshminarayana Munin Vande Vidya Gurun Mama’ while Sri Raghunatha Tirtha or Shesachandrikacharya was the Shishya of Sri Lakshminarayana Tirtha as well. Further, both saints seem to have adopted the fourth order at a very young age. Chandrikacharya’s prayer was composed by his direct disciple Sri Vijayindra while Shesachandrikacharya’s prayer was composed by two later saints in the tradition: Sri Vidyakanta Tirtha and later by Sri Vidyaratnakara Tirtha.

Tradition records that when Sri Vyasa Tirtha was asked why he had left half of his Tatparya Chandrika one of the three stellar compositions of the Sri Vyasa Tirtha collectively known as ‘Vyasa Traya’, the other two being ‘Nyayamruta’ and ‘Tarka Tandava’ incomplete, he seems to have replied ‘Dashamo Matsamo Bhavet’ indicating that the tenth saint from him that occupies the Pitha would be the one to finish the task.

This prophecy was to come true after a gap of around two hundred years when Sri Raghunatha Tirtha appeared on the Parampara, as predicted earlier. ‘Shesha’ means ‘remaining or left over’ and as Sri Raghunatha Tirtha completed the second half of ‘Tatparya Chandrika’ that was left over by Sri Vyasa Tirtha, tradition offered the Honorary Title ‘Shesachandrikacharya’ for this saint.

The saint was knowledge personified Padavakya Pranambonidhi Parina on different branches of religion and philosophy. He was a prolific composer of Shastraic literature that were abstruse and variegated, and a feared and respected debater well known for his polemical achievements Sabhasu Jitavadirat. Records available within tradition as well as the previously listed ones demonstrate that he travelled extensively to propagate Tattvavada, bless devotees and perform other duties related to the Pitha. The saint has a few more excellent compositions besides the ‘Shesha Tatparya Chandrika’ to his credit, which scholars opine are replete with rare details, extremely refreshing, extensive and of enormous internal value.

We understand from tradition that the saint was unwell midway through his recorded tenure and ordained one of his disciples to the fourth order Sanyasashrama with the appellation Sri Lakshminidhi Tirtha. However, he seemed to have recovered and continued to occupy the Pitha. Based on epigraphical records, we understand that Sri Lakshminidhi Tirtha should have undertaken some travel at this time on behalf of the Srimatha but attained Haripada prematurely, even during the tenure of the saint. The Vrindavana of Sri Lakshminidhi Tirtha was consecrated in Srirangam in the same complex that housed his predecessors’ Vrindavanas. Shortly afterward, the saint seems to have anointed Sri Jagannatha Tirtha to the fourth order.

It is traditionally believed that he spent most of the time in the Kumbhakona Matha acquired as a gift by Sri Ramachandra Tirtha tutoring Sri Jagannatha Tirtha. During his final days, he seems to have undertaken a visit to Bannur and Srirangapattana and reached Trimakuta Kshetra along with Sri Jagannatha Tirtha. The saint’s guru Sri Lakshminarayana Tirtha had consecrated the vigraha of Sri Mukhyaprana right beneath the Brahmashvatta Vriksha Banyan tree and performed penance and taught him there. The Saints seem to have spent some time in the same place previously. As a remembrance perhaps of this fact, Sri Raghunatha Tirtha handed over the Pitha to Sri Jagannatha Tirtha and attained Haripada right there.

We understand from tradition that when an effort was made to displace the Vrindavana to a different location with inappropriate intentions, the Almighty created a dream in the deciding authority and enacted a heart-rending scene involving the saint to ensure that the saint’s penance was not disturbed.

Sri Vidyaprasanna Tirtha has composed a couple of wonderful devaranamas in chaste Kannada language that provide a good poetic picture of this Saint.

PS: Sri Raghunatha Tirtha had presented the idol of Sri Mukhyaprana for which he performed pooja for many years to the ancestors of Sri Balacharya Purvashrama Nama of Sri Santhushta Tirtha of Uttaradi Matha honoring their knowledge.