“Ramabhadra iva bhadrabhajanam” so saying Sri Sudhindratirtha had blessed Raghavendraswami. ‘Ragha- vendra’ means the same as ‘SriRamachandra’ the seion of Raghukula and hence like. SriRamachandradeva he too is avowed to work for the welfare of the world. Raghavendraswami, the term itself means the one who “absolves the sins and grants boons”. Haridas has explained every letter of the term Raghavendra. Appanna- charya has sung praises where he tells us that those who chant ‘Sri Raghavendraya Namah’, the eight letter mantra everyday, will have all their wishes granted. Raghavendraswami was a great character. He was godly and a siddha purusha. His compositions are as permanent as the sun and the moon. His great grandson, who also became the Pithadhipati fifth from SriRaghavendra- swami as SriVadindratirtha, has described in his own composition in praise of the Guru’s virtues, SriRagha- vendraswami’s tongue as the stage of performance for Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. The fragrance of flowers that dropped from the garland Saraswati was wearing, while dancing on that stage, are the words of Raghavendraswami. Those who have read the compositions of SriRaghavendraswami will realise how true this statement is. Raghavendraswami, whose name Parimala- charya is truly apt. has been described in the praises as a great intellectual. SriRaghavendraswami has been the guiding light for those progressing on the path of liberation, placing faith in him.
SriRaghavendraswami is the god who has appeared on the Earth from the Brahmaloka owing to his Karma. Since in every particle of his form there is the force of the MukhyaVayudeva, we understand from every action and activity of his that he is the Paramabhagavatottama. Having lived the life of Venkatanatha before his ordain- ment as a practicing Brahman, he continued to live a very austere life. He used to be content with what he got. But we unfortunate people mistakenly believe that this mysteriously divine person lived a life of penury. In reality, what we see is not poverty but the ritualistic practice of a devoted Brahman, which made it possible for him to pursue the devotion towards SriHari in the inner spirit. Commoners find it difficult to make two ends meet and lead a life. But for SriRaghavendra it had become natural, and it did not come in the way of either his prayers to the divine or of his literary pursuits. People may call this destiny. If they mean to say that poverty alone was responsible for this, then how can he now, in the Kaliyuga, be gifting boons like the kamadhenu, kalpavruksha or chintamani?
