By the grace of Sri Venkatesha, Gopikamba came into the family way. Thimmanna Bhatta family’s joys knew no bounds. Since the baby in the womb was the blessing of SriHari, Gopikamba developed some uncommon wishes in that period. Despite there being hot tasty delicacies prepared at home, she would love to eat tasteless, cold food at other’s homes. In spite of owning several colourful silk sarees, she preferred to just wrap red coloured cloth around herself. She used to compose new verses and songs. Her wishes were indicative of the future of her expected baby who would turn a sanyasi, wear saffron clothes and not only seek alms for his food but also gift the literary world with his wonderful compositions. Normally fragrance from a flower spreads after the flower blooms, but here, the surprising events
were like the fragrance spreading even before the flower had bloomed. It was clear from Gopikamba’s wishes that Lord Shankukarna at the orders of SriHari had lodged in her womb to be bom as Sri Raghavendra Swami and perform his penance. How many would have the great punya of conceiving in their womb such a venerable Jagadguru? God only knows what kind of penance she must have performed to have such a virtuous soul reside in her womb. Thus Shankukama appeared through her womb owing to her supreme penance.
When Gopikamba completed her term of nine months and was due for delivery, in the Shubha Lagna when the stars wei;e all in a favourable position, it was Mrigashira Nakshatra, Falguna Shukla Saptami, Friday, SriManmatha Samwatsara, 1595 A.D. when a bright baby was born. In a famous and great constellation, a great soul, Sri Raghavendra swami had taken birth as a baby for the alleviation of the mankind.
Seeing the baby boy’s face made Thimmannabhatta the happiest person. His joy was thanks-to the birth of a great son who was to free him from all debts towards the ancestors. The composition Sri Raghavendra Vijaya describes how Thimmannabhatta dove into water from a great height, turned around and jumped to a great height while offering unmatched devoted prayers to his family deity Srinivasa in expression of his gratitude.
