Sri Raghavendra Stotra
By Sri Appannacharya and commentary on it by Sri Dheerendra Tirtha Swamiji
Comments by Sri R.Sridharan
Of all Stotras on Sri Raghavendra Tirtha Swamiji , herein after referred as “RAYAR” , The Stotra composed by Sri Appannacharya starting from “ Sri Poorna bodha Guru Tirtha Payobdhippara “ and ending with “ Srimadbhirhappanabhidhaihi “ in 32 (thirty two) verses is highly pleasing one for Rayar and blessed by himself.For this Stotra composed by a grihasta bhakta , Appannacharya , a yati of repute by name Sri Dheerendra Tirthaji has composed a vyaakhya (Commentary) in sanskrit. That itself is a great honour for this Stotra and its Granthakartha (Autour)).. To understand the correct import of Sri Raghavendra Stotra , one shoild read it along with Dheerendra’s vyakhyaana.
Sri Dheerendra gives deep meaning to certainn stanzas and some historical facts are also told. For example take sloka No.6 , the last line comes as “ vaagvaikharee Nirjita bhavyaseshaha “. Vaagvaikharee literally means “by the powewr of his speech“ . The sentence means that he conquered one Sesha , a pandita by his power of speech. The Yati says that “ Vaagvaikharee “ is a work written by Sri Vijayeendra Tirtha. By using the ideas contained in it , Rayar has conquered the disputant Sesha Achar. This is a new idea by which Rayar’s mastery over Sri Vijayendra’s Granthas are also highlited in this Stotra(Hymn) by Sri Appannacharya.In the sloka 16 “ Om Sri raghavendraya Namah” , Dheerendra tirtha has given anganyaasa krama as well as dhyana sloka” Tapta kanchana Sankaasam “ which are not in the moola sloka.
For the first two slokas or verses , Sri Dheerendra Tirtha gives two kinds of meanings.(1) in favour of a river (2) in favour of Raghavendra’s skill of speech power or oratory. But for Dheerendra, we would not have noticed this double meaning for these slokas. Those two slokas are composed in the Vasanta Tilaka metre and use roopaka alankara (metaphor). Dheerendra Tirtha have referred the dictionaries of Yadava, Amarasimha, Naanaartha Ratnamaalakaara , Vaijayantee , etc., in interpreting these two verses.
This Stotra is an Uttama Sloka. The last quarter of of the sloka , namely , “ Sakshee Hayaasyatro hi “ has been uttered by Rayar himself from inside the Brindavana .
So, this Sloka has the approval of Rayar and so it is very very dear to Raayar. and so all devotees of Rayar recite this hymn daily and it gives them a lot of benefits also as experience has shown . So, all are requesed to recite this sloka daily in front of Raayar photo or Rayar Bridavana .
Now a few hints are given on the personality of Sri Dhirendra Tirtha swamiji .
Sri Raghavendraswamy’s poorvashrama son’s name is Lakshminarayanacharya. His son’s name is Sri Purushothama Acharya. Purushotthama’s son’s name is Srinivaasacharya. This person lateron became as Sri Vadheendra Tirtha. His son was Sri Jayarama acharya . He became lateron as Sri Dhirendra tiirtha.. This way he was the great great grandson of Sri Raghavendra tirtha. sri Dhirendra tirtha had defeated a Pune pandir by name Prabhune Saastri. At the same time his guru Sri Varadendra Tirtha defeated Pune pandit Raama Saastri .Sri Varadendra Tirtha ordained Sri Dhirendra to become a monk. So he went to Kumbhagonam and took yati asrama in the presence of Sri Vijayeendra Brindavana. But during his Brindavana pravesa , sri Dhirendra was not near Sri Varadendra and and so Sri Varadendra initiated one Sri Lakshminarayanaachar and named him as sri Bhuvanendra Tirtha with some instructions. Accordingly, Sri Bhuvanendra met Sri Dhirendra annd asked him to sit on the pontifical seat. But Dhirendra was not interested in the pontificial seat or Mathaadhipatya and so he handed over the pontificate to Bhuvanendra.This is a great sacrifice made by him.He was in the pontificate for less than a year. In the year 1785 AD and continued as a “ Bidi Sayasi “ and attained Mukti at Hosaritti , on the banks of river “Varadaa” .He has written a number of Granthas like (1)Vishaya vaakya samgraha (2)Kaaraka vaada (3) Mahaa Naaraayanopanishat Vyaakhyaana (a very big one )(4) Purusha sookta vyakhyaana (5)Lakshmi sookta Vyakhyaana (6)Ambhrini Sookta Vyakhyaana (7)Gurugunasthavana Vyaakhyaana and (8) Sri Raghavendra Stotra Vyakhyaana and (9) Manyusookta Vyaakhyaana etc.,
“ SriKrishnarpanamastu”