The Fifth Delight
Shri Raghavendra Gurusarvabhauma
46. A Reflection
Upon witnessing the extreme poverty that Venkatanatha endured, readers' hearts may tremble with sorrow, and tears may flow uncontrollably. This situation calls for some reflection. Why did Shri Raghavendra Swami experience poverty in his pre-monastic life? Why did the goddess of poverty afflict such a great soul? What is the secret behind this?
Today, by merely chanting his name, we are shielded from the sufferings of poverty and misfortune. With just a glance of his merciful gaze, the mute becomes as eloquent as Adishesha, and the destitute transforms into a wealthy lord like Kubera. If such a Guru Raja exists, why then did he have to experience extreme poverty? Through the worship of Shri Hari’s lotus feet, one attains not only material wealth but also the fourfold goals of life—Dharma (righteousness), Artha (prosperity), Kama (desires), and Moksha (liberation). Moreover, he is renowned for granting these fourfold blessings to those who seek them. Revered as an unparalleled benefactor, Guru Raja has been venerated as the wish-fulfilling Kalpataru, Kamadhenu, and Chintamani of Kaliyuga. With merely a journey across the earth, he removes misfortunes and bestows prosperity, wealth, and grandeur. If such a divine figure is said to have suffered dire poverty, perhaps today’s devotees might find it difficult to believe! Yet, this is the truth! This is the will and divine play of the Supreme Being.
Let us examine this further. Who is Guru Raja? The scriptures and the words of enlightened seers describe him as a divine being. According to the Narasimha Purana, he was Shankukarna, a deity born of karma.
Shankukarna was a deity beloved by Brahma and the celestials. As the recipient of Brahma’s grace, he resided in Satyaloka, adorned with wealth and prosperity, leaving no room for experiencing poverty. Later, in accordance with Lord Hari’s divine will, he incarnated as Prahlada for the welfare of the world. As the crown prince of the Daitya empire, there was no question of poverty affecting Prahlada.
That same Prahlada was later adopted by King Pratipa during the Dwapara Yuga and ruled as King Bahlika. Even then, he never encountered poverty. In Kaliyuga, Shankukarna, in his Prahlada-Bahlika incarnation, was reborn as Shri Vyasaraja, the great Guru Sarvabhauma. Born into wealth, he ascended the throne of Shri Sarvajña Simhasana. As the royal preceptor to six emperors of the Kannada empire, he was revered and celebrated with immense prosperity. Again, there was no scope for experiencing poverty.
Shankukarna then took his final incarnation as Shri Raghavendra Swami. It was he who, in his pre-monastic life, was our Venkatanatha! Venkatanatha’s father, Timmannacharya, was a beloved disciple of Shri Vijayeendra Tirtha and lived under his patronage in prosperity. Consequently, Venkatanatha spent his childhood in comfort and later lived in luxury while studying under his wealthy brother-in-law, Shri Lakshminarasimhacharya. Later, he was destined to quickly ascend to the prestigious seat of Shri Sarvajña, ensuring that he would not have to endure poverty. Then why did he experience such extreme destitution?
Every being that takes birth—be it a deity or a human—must undergo joy and suffering in accordance with their accumulated karma. Shankukarna, too, was a jiva, bound to the cycle of karmic retribution. Yet, despite his past deeds, he had never endured the hardship of poverty. His final incarnation as Shri Raghavendra Swami required him to exhaust all remaining karma before attaining liberation. Once he ascended to the supreme state of a Paramahamsa, there would be no opportunity for such suffering. Thus, his time as a householder was the only phase where poverty could manifest.
With his immense spiritual power, he could have easily avoided this suffering. This is true. However, he did not wish to escape it. A devotee of the Lord never acts against the divine will!
Shri Guru Raghavendra was an unwavering devotee of Shri Hari. Submitting himself entirely to the divine will, he accepted this as his final incarnation, where he had to exhaust his accumulated karma. Thus, the poverty he experienced in his pre-monastic life was not a burden but rather a blessing in disguise.
No matter who it is, one can truly understand joy, sorrow, or poverty only through personal experience. This direct encounter with hardship introduced him to its various dimensions. In the future, Shri Guru Raghavendra was destined to uplift millions of poor, downtrodden, and suffering individuals. Without firsthand experience, such suffering would have remained distant and incomprehensible. By enduring severe poverty himself, he gained a profound realization of its pain. This very experience made his heart overflow with compassion upon seeing the distressed and destitute, enabling him to remove their sufferings through his limitless grace.
Another crucial aspect to consider is his divine mission in Kaliyuga. Shri Guru Raghavendra was to become the redeemer of the masses, earning unparalleled devotion, with people proclaiming, "If God resides anywhere, it is in Tirupati as Timmappa, and if a Guru exists, it is in Mantralaya as Raghappa!" To fulfill this divine role, he had to prove himself worthy. Thus, Shri Hari subjected him to the test of extreme poverty—an ordeal akin to the purification of gold in fire. Emerging from this trial with renewed brilliance and purity, our Guru Sarvabhauma attained the supreme grace of the Lord. Today, he alleviates all forms of suffering for people across the world, granting them their heartfelt wishes, earning the revered title of "Kalpataru of Kaliyuga," and standing as a beacon of hope for humanity.
This, then, is the secret behind the poverty that Venkatanatha endured in his pre-monastic life. Understanding this, all virtuous individuals should cultivate unwavering devotion toward this great Jagadguru and seek his divine blessings to lead a prosperous life. Shri Hari, ever compassionate, bestowed immense grace upon his beloved devotee Venkatanatha, who successfully passed the test. In the next chapter, we shall witness the depth of this divine favor and rejoice in his glory.