The Fifth Delight
Shri Raghavendra Gurusarvabhauma
114. Departure from Kumbhakoṇa
A few years after Śrīpādaru arrived in Kumbhakoṇa, the time had come to define a new sphere of activity for the objectives of his divine incarnation and the future undertakings and initiatives he had to carry out.
In contemplation of these matters, Śrī Rāyaru, after deep reflection and consideration, finally concluded that Kumbhakoṇa may not be an ideal center for his future literary and spiritual endeavors.
Therefore, he decided that Karnataka, the original seat of Śrī Maṭha, would be the most appropriate field for his upcoming works and initiatives, and he immersed himself in arranging everything accordingly.
Since the oversight and administration of all the temples in Kumbhakoṇa had belonged to the Śrī Mahāsaṁsthāna since the time of Śrī Vijayīndra Tīrtha Śrīpādaru, necessary steps had to be taken to ensure that this legacy continued effectively.
Additionally, the Kumbhakoṇa Saṁsthāna Vidyāpīṭha, and the worship arrangements for the Brindāvana of Śrī Vijayīndra Gurupāda, had to be properly set up.
Śrīpādaru consulted his close associates on all these matters. He invited the authorities from the Śrī Kāñcī Kāmakōṭi Pīṭha and the Śrī Vaiṣṇava sampradāya’s Śrī Jīyar - ಶ್ರೀಜೀಯರ್ Swamigalu for discussions.
He entrusted:
The administration of the Kumbhēśvara temple to the Kāñcī Kāmakōṭi Pīṭha,
The temple management of Śrī Sāraṅgapāṇi and Śrī Cakraprāṇadevaru to the Śrī Jīyar Swami,
And assigned the worship services of the Saṁsthāna Vidyāpīṭha, Śrī Vijayīndrasvāmi’s Brindāvana, and Śrī Nṛsiṁhadevara temple, along with the maṭha’s properties and assets, to his pre-sannyāsa family lineage and close confidants, namely Vēṅkaṭanārāyaṇācārya, Nārāyaṇācārya, and Gōvindācārya.
Upon learning that Śrī Gururājaru intended to leave Kumbhakoṇa and return to Karnataka, many eminent figures of the region, including representatives of the Tañjāvūr royal court, approached him and earnestly tried to persuade him to change his mind.
Śrī Gururājaru, with great calm and grace, reassured and satisfied everyone, and at an auspicious time, departed from Kumbhakoṇa on a spiritual conquest journey (digvijaya yātre), taking along with him all the grandeur, wealth, prestige, and titles of the Mahāsaṁsthāna.
The farewell scene offered by the people of Kumbhakoṇa that day was unprecedented, a living testimony to their deep devotion and reverence for Śrī Rāyaru.