The Fifth Delight
Shri Raghavendra Gurusarvabhauma
102. Royal Honors in Śrīraṅgapaṭṭana
At Śrīraṅgapaṭṭana, a beautifully decorated pavilion (maṇṭapa) was prepared in anticipation of Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī's arrival, as promised. The Maharaja, Dodda Devarāja Odeyar, along with ministers and nobles, awaited him with full royal honors, including titles, ornaments, pūrṇa-kumbha (auspicious water pots), and grand musical ensembles.
From the temple of Śrī Raṅganātha Swāmī, priests and Vedic scholars arrived with offerings and ceremonial items. For Śrī Swāmiji, following the royal protocols of Mysore and in honor of the Mahāsaṁsthāna, a richly decorated elephant with a golden howdah (ambāri) was prepared. Accompanying the procession were many elephants, horses, camels, drums, trumpets, mṛdaṅgas, and other instruments.
Officials, soldiers in uniform, standard bearers, gold-and-silver staff holders, and devotees from all backgrounds lined up to welcome the Guru. As Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī's procession began, auspicious music resounded, Vedic chants filled the air, and a rain of flowers from the people showered him.
The Maharaja, surrounded by his ministers, offered garlands and welcomed Śrī Swāmiji. He was then seated in the ambāri and led in grand procession through the principal streets of the capital to a specially arranged pavilion. There, auspicious women lit lamps and waved ārati, and the crowd offered flower showers.
Descending from the ambāri, Śrī Swāmiji was escorted into the mandira and seated on an honored seat. After offering blessings and sacred items to the king and others, the royal representatives and city leaders were introduced. With a gentle smile, Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī spoke with everyone and blessed them with sacred mantra-akṣate.
On Āṣāḍha Kṛṣṇa Pañcamī, the sacred day of Śrī Jayatīrtha’s punyatithi, Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī formally undertook the Cāturmāsya Vrata, in accordance with tradition. Śrī Chikka Devarāja Odeyar, representing the royal household, accompanied by royal priests and dignitaries, presented offerings for the vow.
On the tithi of Jayatīrtha, the day was celebrated with devotion.
At the Maharaja's request, Śrī Rāghavendra agreed to perform pūjā at the royal palace on Āṣāḍha Kṛṣṇa Daśamī, Ekādaśī, and Dvādaśī. On Daśamī, Chikka Devarāja Odeyar brought Śrī Swāmiji in a golden palanquin with full musical honors to the palace.
At the palace gate, the Maharaja received the Guru, led him into the audience hall, and performed pāda-pūjā (ritual worship of his feet), offering traditional gifts.
That day, Śrī Mūla Rāma’s pūjā was performed in great splendor at the palace. The Maharaja had darśana of the deity and, upon hearing the history of Śrī Mūla Rāma, was filled with bliss. After distributing tīrtha prasāda and accepting bhikṣā, Śrī Rāghavendra blessed the king with sacred mantra-akṣate, tulasī, and prasāda.
On Monday, Āṣāḍha Kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī, 6 July 1663, after completing the daily pūjā and tīrtha-rituals, Dodda Devarāja Odeyar made a formal land grant. He gifted a richly endowed village known as "Nallūru" or "Devarājapura" near Saragūru, through a legal gift ceremony with water-libation (dhāra-purassara), and offered prostrations to Śrī Swāmiji.
On Dvādaśī, after pūjā and pāraṇa, Śrī Rāghavendra distributed prasāda and sacred blessings to all members of the palace: nobles, royal family, and the women of the inner quarters.
That evening, in the royal assembly, the Guru was respectfully seated on a special throne. The Maharaja offered:
Royal ornaments (khillattu)
Gold, jewels, and garments
Royal symbols like white umbrella, fly-whisks (chāmara),
Golden torches, and honorary titles.
Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī, with a blissful heart, accepted them and, in turn, blessed the king with:
Royal cloth (khillattu),
Pearl necklaces (muktāhāra),
Deity prasāda, and
Mantra-akṣate.
He then gracefully took leave and returned to his resting place.