The Fifth Delight
Shri Raghavendra Gurusarvabhauma
104. Śrī Rāghavendra Vijayamahākāvya
When the great and glorious Rāyaru (Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī) arrived at Śrīraṅgapaṭṭana, a sacred daily routine was established. Surrounded by learned scholars and dharma-devoted followers, he would perform:
Morning baths in the river Kāvērī,
Darśana of Śrī Raṅganātha,
Recitation, meditation, and austerity in the maṭha,
Pūjā of Śrī Mūla Rāma,
Distribution of tīrtha prasāda, and
In the evenings, scholarly assemblies featuring lectures by scholars, Śrī Rāyaru’s discourses, deep spiritual discussions, sāyaṁdīpa ārati, and distribution of sacred mantrākṣate.
Every morning, scholars and spiritual seekers—often in the hundreds—gathered at the maṭha to hear Śrī Rāyaru’s teachings on:
Nyāya,
Vedānta,
Vyākaraṇa,
Mīmāṁsā,
and other śāstras.
The eloquence that flowed from Śrī Rāyaru’s lotus-like mouth was like the river Gaṅgā—pure, continuous, and deeply uplifting. All who listened became utterly immersed in the bliss of his words.
Many scholars, perplexed by difficult concepts in various śāstras, would respectfully approach Śrī Rāyaru for clarification. With his illuminating answers, their doubts were resolved and they went away content. Delicate dharma-related topics, traditional practices, and nuances of sanātana dharma were openly discussed in these assemblies. Śrī Rāyaru’s clear interpretations and definitive resolutions filled the hearts of the devotees with supreme joy.
One day, while Śrī Rāyaru was delivering such a lesson to his disciples, Nārāyaṇācārya, a learned scholar and his own nephew, arrived alongside Veṅkaṭanārāyaṇācārya. Bowing before Śrī Rāyaru, Nārāyaṇācārya placed a large bound manuscript before him.
Veṅkaṭanārāyaṇācārya said,
“Mahāsvāmī, your devoted disciple Nārāyaṇa has composed a mahākāvya (epic poem). This is the work.”
Learning that one of his disciples had composed such a work, Śrī Rāyaru was pleased and delighted. With a gentle smile, he asked:
“Nārāyaṇa, what kind of poem is this?”
“Śrī Rāghavendra Vijaya” – A Mahākāvya is Offered
Veṅkaṭa:
“Respected Guru, this is a Mahākāvya (epic poem) titled Śrī Rāghavendra Vijaya.”
Rāyaru (in surprise):
“What? A poem about me?”
Nārāyaṇa (folding his hands):
“Yes, Gurudeva. For many years, I had wished to compose an epic poem glorifying Your victories. I have been collecting material for this work over a long time. After we received your blessings and traveled from Navabrindāvana to Kumbhakoṇa, I spent seven days in seclusion and service at the Brindāvana of Śrī Vijayīndra Tīrtha.
There, I received a divine vision of Guru himself, smiling and blessing me with mantra-akṣate, encouraging me to compose the poem. Inspired, I wrote the poem day and night as per my ability. I completed most of it there and just recently completed the final part. Today, I offer it at your lotus feet. Kindly review it and bless me.”
Rāyaru:
“May Śrī Hari’s bless you. Nārāyaṇa, how many cantos (sargas) does this poem contain?”
Nārāyaṇa:
“Swami, it is composed in sixteen cantos.”
Rāyaru:
“Sixteen cantos? No, no, that won’t do.”
Everyone was astonished at Śrī Rāyaru’s sudden refusal. Veṅkaṭanārāyaṇācārya asked:
“Mahāsvāmī, what does this mean? We don't understand your objection.”
Rāyaru:
“Veṅkaṭanārāyaṇa, the epic ‘Śrī Madhva Vijaya’ describing the life of Śrī Madhvācārya, the World Teacher, contains sixteen cantos. How can my life story also be in sixteen cantos? That would make it equivalent, and we can never accept any such parity with the Ādiguru.
Even our poem must not resemble his in structure. Therefore, remove six cantos.”
Nārāyaṇa (distressed):
“Please don’t say that, Mahāsvāmī. The last six cantos contain descriptions of your unparalleled scholarship, your authorship of acclaimed works on the Brahma Sūtras and other śāstras, your triumphs in philosophical debates, your establishment of Dvaita Siddhānta, your disciplic lineage from Padmanābha, Jayatīrtha, and Vibudhendra, your teaching and outreach, and your many divine qualities. Removing them would...”
Rāyaru (smiling):
“Nārāyaṇa, it is better for these virtues to be permanently inscribed in the hearts of the virtuous, than in the verses of a poem. That is higher. So, please remove six cantos.”
Nārāyaṇa:
“But Gurudeva, won’t that leave the poem incomplete? There won’t even be a proper closing benediction (maṅgala).”
Rāyaru (reading the final portion, smiling gently):
“Nārāyaṇa, your poem is already complete in ten cantos. In the tenth canto, you’ve described how I sit in meditation on Śrī Hari after the evening lamp offering, and how poets praise me spontaneously. That is the real conclusion. What can be more fitting than Hari-dhyāna as the conclusion?”
Nārāyaṇa (quietly):
“Even so…”
Rāyaru:
“Nārāyaṇa, what is more important? The six additional cantos, or our joyful blessings to you?”
Nārāyaṇa:
“Mahāsvāmī! Your blessings are more precious to me than all the fortune in the world.”
Rāyaru (with a smile):
“Then please remove the six cantos.”
Nārāyaṇa:
“What should I do with them, Gurudeva?”
Rāyaru:
“Offer them into the sacred River Kāvērī, near the temple of Śrī Raṅganātha.”
With reverence, Nārāyaṇācārya obeyed. He separated the last six cantos from the manuscript and immersed them in the Kāvērī river. When he returned, there was visible sadness on his face, as though he had lost something precious.
Śrī Rāyaru called him near, comforted him with gentle words, and said:
“Nārāyaṇa, your poem—even with ten cantos—will be renowned across the world. It will bring you fame and respect as a great poet.
This kavya bears the blessings of Śrī Mūla Rāma, Śrī Madhvācārya, and ourselves.
Do not worry about the absence of a maṅgala-śloka.
If you still feel incomplete, go ahead and now compose a concluding benedictory verse (maṅgala) and a phala-śruti to add.
Let it be so beautiful that it becomes a shining example of epic poetry’s conclusion.
Why wait? Right here in this very assembly, let’s see you compose a spontaneous verse (aśu-kavitā) that brings the poem to a close!”
Filled with supreme bliss by Śrī Rāyaru’s nectar-like words, Nārāyaṇācārya bowed reverently to the Guru and, inspired on the spot, composed a concluding benedictory verse by skillfully weaving together the first lines of four famous Mahākāvyas into a single, elegant maṅgala-śloka (closing blessing).
Observing Nārāyaṇa’s poetic brilliance, the entire assembly of scholars was struck with wonder and joy, and together they exclaimed:
"Sādhu! Sādhu!" ("Well done! Well done!") while clapping in appreciation.
Nārāyaṇācārya’s Phala-śruti Verse (Result of Reciting the Poem)
He then recited the phala-śruti (a verse declaring the fruits of reading or hearing the work):
santaṁ śrīramaṇaṁ priyaṁ yativaraṁ vyāsasya bhāve bhṛśaṁ
durvārā-mita-māyibhikṣutimirē pūrvastacandraṁ bhuvi |
saṅghastutamiṣṭadakṣi tiruhaṁ vandāru viprāśrayam
taṁ natvā sakalō durūha sudṛśaṁ saṁyāti vidyādikam ||
Translation:
Salutations to the beloved ascetic Śrī Rāghavendra, dear to Lord Śrī Rāma,
who shines like the full moon in the dark night of ignorance spread by deceitful false teachers,
who is praised by noble assemblies and grants all desires,
who is the refuge of brahmins and those devoted to worship—
He, by whose grace, even the most difficult to comprehend knowledge becomes accessible and clear.
On hearing this most auspicious and benevolent blessing, all present were filled with bliss.
Then, with a smiling face, Śrī Rāyaru said:
“Nārāyaṇa, now complete your kavya by concluding with a verse that introduces yourself—your lineage and background.”
Obeying this instruction, Nārāyaṇācārya composed and declared the final verse of the kavya:
śrīmataś cyapavaṁśa-vāridhiśaṇaḥ paḍarśanīvallabha-
śrīlakṣmī-narasimha-vitta-viduṣaḥ śrīveṅkaṭāmbāmaṇeḥ |
jātēnārya-dayāsudhāmaya-girā nārāyaṇēnōditē
kāvye cāruṇi rāghavendra-vijayē sargaḥ śśontimō bhūd iha ||
Translation:
Thus ends this charming poem "Rāghavendra Vijaya",
composed by Nārāyaṇa, whose sweet, noble speech flows with compassion,
born of the revered lineage of Kaśyapa Gotra, descendant of the noble Paḍarśanī - ಪಡರ್ಶನಿ family,
son of the great scholar Śrī Lakṣmī-Narasimha-Vitta and Śrī Veṅkaṭāmbāmaṇi.
Śrī Rāyaru, deeply pleased, blessed Nārāyaṇa and said:
“Nārāyaṇa! Use this very verse at the end of each canto (sarga),
with the respective canto number indicated—let this be your signature across the entire poem.”
At that moment, a scholar in the assembly respectfully bowed to Śrī Rāyaru and humbly submitted:
“Mahāsvāmī, please bless us with the fortune of hearing this Mahākāvya.
Kindly instruct Ācārya Nārāyaṇa—who is not only a gifted scholar but also an accomplished poet—to recite and translate the poem for the delight and upliftment of all gathered here.”
Śrīpādāṅgalu, pleased by the request, joyfully gave his blessing:
“Tathāstu!” (“So be it!”)
That very evening, Śrī Nārāyaṇācārya began the recitation and interpretation (vāchana-anuvāda) of Śrī Rāghavendra Vijaya before the gathering of scholars.
News of the event reached Śrī Doḍḍa Dēvarāja Wodeyar, the ruler of the Karnataka kingdom, and brought him immense joy—for a grand Mahākāvya describing Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī, a revered leader of the Madhva tradition and a native Kannada saint, was being composed and read by another great Kannada scholar and poet, right in his royal capital, in the presence of the saint himself.
The Maharaja, inspired by the literary and spiritual greatness of the moment, deemed it his royal duty to honor the poet. Accompanied by his royal court scholars, he personally attended one of the final sessions of the Kāvya Anuvāda Sabhā (poetic translation assembly).
Overwhelmed with happiness, he witnessed firsthand the poetic richness of the work.
The poetic style of Śrī Nārāyaṇācārya—his command over prosody, meters, poetic devices (alankāras), his mastery of meaningful diction, his lyrical structure, and the depth of meaning—left the entire audience entranced. Just listening to the verses brought them pure joy.
The kāvya’s richness, comparable to the Navaratna Sabhā traditions of yore, was evident to all. Scholars unanimously praised it as a complete Mahākāvya, fulfilling all the hallmarks of the genre, brilliantly portraying the divine life and virtues of Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī, not just entertaining, but also invoking deep waves of devotion in every listener’s heart.
On the final day of the recitation, the Maharaja himself attended the assembly and, after the mangala (auspicious conclusion) of the poem and its translation, publicly praised Nārāyaṇācārya.
In recognition of his talent and devotion, the king conferred upon him the title:
"Mahākavi" (Great Poet),
accompanied by:
a gold armlet (tōḍā),
a gold medal,
a precious neck ornament,
a pair of royal shawls, and
gold coins (suvarṇa varahas).
Thus, the public presentation and offering of the Śrī Rāghavendra Vijaya Mahākāvya concluded amidst chants of “Jaya Jaya Śrī Rāghavendra!”, celebrating the greatness of the saint, the poet, and the divine kavya that immortalized them both.
After being honored by Śrī Doḍḍa Dēvarāja Odeyar, and having completed the Cāturmāsya vow, Śrī Rāghavendra Swāmī departed from Śrīraṅgapaṭṭana and, following the itinerary of his spiritual travels, graced the town of Aṭṭūr.
There, the temple priests extolled the glory of Śrī Brahmaṇya Tīrtha, the illustrious guru who was responsible for recognizing and coronating Śrī Vyāsarāja Yatīvara on the great Mahāpīṭha, thus initiating his divine mission and legacy.
They humbly submitted this history before Śrī Rāghavendra, praying for his blessings.
Śrīpādāṅgalu smiled gently and remarked:
"The Guru of Vyāsarāja is also my Guru!"
By this, he acknowledged the sacred continuity and oneness in the guru-paramparā.
That day, he offered water (hastodaka) ceremonially to Śrī Brahmaṇya Tīrtha, and received phalamantrākṣate (blessed offerings) from the priests.
From there, he continued his pilgrimage, visiting Bengaluru, Tumakuru, and Hiriyūr, and then proceeded toward Citradurga.