Sri Raghavendra Tirtha, generally known as “Rayaru”, ruled the Moola Matha for almost fifty years from 1621 AD to 1671 AD. During his pontificate he wrote nearly fifty Granthas glorifying “Madhva Siddhanta”. During the period he showered the blessings on his devotees and fulfilled their wishes through the grace of Hari and Vayu. Even after entering the Vrindavana, he is still showering his grace on his devotees and fulfilling their all wishes. He is being hailed as “ Kaliyuga Kamadhenu “ “Kalpataru” and “Cintamani” by his devotees throughout the world. In gratitude of his being grace, bestowed on his devotees, many devotees have voluntarily composed a lot of “ eulogical hymns “ on him, in various languages from timr to time. They are generally known by the term “Stotra” or “Stuti” or “Kriti” etc., That Stotra literature is very vast and mindboggling. It includes innumerable songs sung on him by his devotees in various languages from seventeenth century till date. It cannaot be fully explained by puny minds like us. What we are going to deal in this small article is the Stotra literature on “Rayaru” in Samskruta llanguage composed by the old ancient Maadhva scholars and devotees only and not the entire literature itself.
Two of the very old Stotras had been approved by Gururayar himself and they are well known to many of us and recited by us. One is Sri Appannacharya’s “Sri Raghavendra Stotram”, starting with “Sri Poornabodha” and ending with “Sakshi Hayastotrahi”. This is a very popular Stotra recited by almost all the devotees of Sri Raghavendra swamy. Another one is “ Srigurugunastavanam” composed by sri Vaadeendra Tirtha of Rayar Math whose Brndavan is adjacent to Rayar’s Brindavan at Mantralayam, when this Stotra was recited before Brindavana by Sri Vaadeendra, the Brindavana shook hither and thither as if approving by head nodding. These two Stotras are chief gems among various gemlike Stotras.Sri Appannacharya was a close disciple of Rayar and his comtemporary. His Stotra is mantra tulya and it was commented by “Yatis” like Sri Dheerendra Tirtha. Apart from this, Sri Appannacharya had composed the following Stotras also in praise of Gururaya.
(i). Sree Raghavendra Mangalashtakam,
(ii) Sree Raghavendra kavacam,
(iii) Sree Raghavendra Ashtothara Sata Namavali and
(iv) Sree Raghavendra Ashtothara Japa Kramaha.
Besides these we have nearly one hundred and more Stotras on Sree Raghavendra Swamigal composed by various devotees. Among them is one Sree Krishnavadhootaru who has composed a large number of Stotras, totally sixteen in number on Rayar besides a great work “Sree Raghavendra Tirtha” having nearly 15(fifteen) Patalas(chapters).
It is informed that Sree Krishna Avadhootaru was not following any achara anushtana for 32 years and did not believe Rayaru in spite of Appannacharya’s advice. Because he was a sajjeevi, after the exhaust of his prarabdha karmas, Rayaru himself appeared in his dream and blessed him and asked him to write this “Tantra” work indicating the methodology of worship of Rayaru. As told to him by Rayaru himself in his dream in Sahasra Nama Stotra Patala, he was indicated nearly 1024 different names of Gururaya in 181 Slokas. In Dasa Stotra Patala he has composed nearly 10 different separate Stotras by various titles like “Abhayapradhaana stotram”, “Aapadpariharana stotram”, etc., etc., This Tantra’s 15 Patalas can themselves be construed as 15 different works.
Then one Sree Guru Jagannatha Dasaru of Kosigi-Kautalam composed had composed nearly five stotras on Rayaru like “Sree Raghavendra Mahatmyam” in five chapters, “Sree Raghavendra prarthana”, “Sree Raghavendra Ashtakshara stotram”, Sree Raghavendra Karavalambana Stotram” etc., etc.,
We have two “Suprabhata stotras” on “Rayaru” composed by Sree Lakshminarayana Upadhyaya and Sree Rajagururajacharya. Sree Vadeendra Tirtha’s “Sree Gurugunastavanam” extols the greatness of the literary woeks composed by Sree Raghavendra swamy. It has been commented by Sree Dheerendra Tirtha and Sree Vasudendra Tirtha. This work had the nod of Gururayar himself. Sree Vaadeendra Tirtha’s works written in tough “Sradghara” meter with a lot of literary embellishments.
Sree Pandareenatha Acharya Galagali, P. Raghavendra acharya wrote Stutis on Rayar in difficult “Ashvadhaati” meter. sree Vyasa Tattvagna Tirtha of Veni Somapura wrote “Sree Guru Raghavendra Stotram” and Manavi Sri Jagannatha dasa wrote “Sree Raghavendra Stuti”.
Apart from these, many devotees had written a number of Stotras on Rayaru in samskruta. they are not enumerated here for want of space. The interested readers can refer a monumental book under the name “Stotra Muktavalee” published by Sree Raghavendra Swamygalavara Matha, Mantralaya.
May Sree Raghavendra swamy bestow his benign grace on those who read this article !
पालयस्व निपालयस्व निपालयस्व रमापतॆ ।
राघवॆन्द्र यतीन्द्रवन्दित रामचन्द्र नमॊस्तु तॆ ॥
paalayasva nipaalayasva nipaalayasva ramaapatE |
raaghavEndra yateendravandita raamacandra namOstu tE ||
Sri Krishnarpanamastu