SHRI JAYESHA VITTALA DASA
(SHRI RAYARU)
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
iMdumauLi padAbjALim | maMda sajjana tArakam |
iMdrakAma samAbhAsam | suMdarAMga samanvitam ||
vijayOpadOpEtam | ajajAta sutAkhyAjam |
shrI jayEshEti dAsAkhyam | bhajE vairAgyashAlinam ||
(Dhyana Shloka in Baraha Format)
Please click here to listen to a Bruhat Pada on Shri Ramaryaru by Shri Jayesha ViThala Dasa
Note: Please click here to view the PDF of a more detailed version of Charitra
Greatness of Shri Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala Dasa (Shri Ramaryaru) can be easily understood if one just recollects the kind of disciples he has produced. Shri JayEsha ViTTala Dasa (Rayaru) is one such disciple who exalts not only in preaching every iota of TatvavAda but also effectively conveying the true meaning of JnAna, Bhakthi and VairAgya at various stages of his life. It is evident from his JIvana charitra that he possessed plethora of bhakti towards Lord and his guru Shri Ramaryaru in particular. Following paragraphs describe several instances where Rayaru exhibited essence of Guru Bhakti.
Rayaru belonged to a satvik madhva brahmin couple namely, Mir Mir Ramarayaru and Radha bai. Right from the childhood, his physical outlook was as attractive as his AdhyAtmika (spiritual) knowledge. One of the disciples of Rayaru narrates that Rayaru was very handsome and the fragrance used to radiate from his body indicating the salient features of Shri Manmatha.
As the family of Rayaru was very rich, they provided him with all the materialistic pleasures in life that one would ask for but Rayaru never aspired for it. Rayaru’s parents even appointed a security guard (anga rakshaka) to take care of him. On one occasion when Rayaru was walking on the streets of Mysore, Rayaru felt the heaviness of the gold ornament he was wearing and found it was disturbing his mental stability. He thought, “How can a Jada Vastu have such an influence on a Chetana? Jada is prAkRuta and Chetana is aprAkRuta who is beyond all this”. Having thought so and on similar lines, he just removed the ornament and threw it on ground. The security guard, who was accompanying Rayaru, narrated this incident to his parents. This reveals the fact Rayaru was completely detached from this materialistic world at a very early age.
In another instance, when Rayaru went to Shri Narasimha Devasthana along with his mother, he got lost in the temple premises and did not appear for nearly 6 hours. Subsequently on his return, his mother learnt from him that all the while he was chatting with Shri Narasimha. She was astonished upon hearing this & prayed to the lord within herself to disclose the mahima of her son.
Rayaru was excelling as much at non-spiritual education as he was at adhyAtmika Shikhshana. He stood first in the Metriculation exam for Mysore state. Later he graduated from Madras University specializing in Mathematics with Bachelors degree (B.A.) program by securing top honors.
VishEsha Guru Bakthi:
Once Rayaru undertook a pilgrimage trip to Namakal to perform sEva to Shri Narasimha and Shri Mukhya praNa for seven days. During the course of his sEva, he got to know the Spiritual power and mahimas of Shri Vijaya Rama Chandra ViTTala DAsa (Shri Ramaryaru) from some of the disciples of Shri Ramaryaru visiting that temple. The next day, during Brahmi-Muhurta, Rayaru was adviced by taijasa rUpi paramAtma to visit Mysore and meet Shri Ramaryaru to get proper direction for his sAdhana. Rayaru immediately realized the importance of this message and started the preparations instantly to necessitate the order of the Lord. On the following day, he started walking on bare feet for nearly 30 miles to reach Salem from Namakal since there were no proper transport facilities. The enthusiasm to meet his adhyAtma Guru energized him to cover these 30 miles within no time. On reaching Salem station, Rayaru realized that he did not have enough money to purchase a ticket to Mysore. The utkaTa ichcha to reach Guru was so prevalent that Rayaru traded multi-times worth golden bracelets for a mere ticket. At Mysore, Shri Ramaryaru through his Jnana drushti got to know that Rayaru was approaching him. As soon as Rayaru met Shri Ramaryaru, Rayaru’s happiness knew no bounds. He fell at the lotus feet of Shri Ramaryaru and begged him for his anugraha. Shri Ramaryaru lifted him with compassion and embraced him like a mother embraces her child. Shri Ramaryaru gave a coconut as Prasada to Rayaru. Rayaru consumed every bit of Prasada including the hard shell. He didn’t want to leave anything that was given by his Guru. This shows the deep devotion Rayaru had towards his Guru – “AtmanivEdanam”.
As time progressed, the spiritual bondage between Shri Ramaryaru and Rayaru increased to such an extent that it resulted in culmination of offering dasAnkitha to Rayaru as “Shri Jayesha ViTTala”. Shri Ramaryaru composed the following kruthi requesting the Indweller of Rayaru – Shri Jayesha ViTTala - to bestow His Grace on Rayaru.
karuNisu jayEsha viThala| vara aMkitavidanu itte || pa ||
taruLa ninnavaneMdu | guruvAta sthitanAgi | bharadi pAliside ivana |
hari nI niddeDege karesi || a.pa ||
irisu varNAshrama varadharma karmagaLalli, maresi kAmya karmagaLellavannu,
smarisadaMte mADu parasatiyarolime, mareyadaMtirali paratatvavannu || 1||
atithi abhyAgatara pUje sati suta parivAradi kRuta kRutyanAgi mADisi,
patitarA sahavAsa hitaveMdarupadE, sadgati nIva mArga tiLisi || 2||
niruta tatva nishchayadalli j~jAna, guruhiriyarali bhakti, durviShayadali viraktinittu,
vara vijaya rAmachaMdra| viThala suraroDeya oredu nAmAmRutava nuDisI ||3||
Shri JayEsha ViTTala composed more than 500 Krutis that include Krutis on Shri Hari-His Consort Lakshmi-Vayu-His Parama Guru Shri Krishnaryaru-His Guru Shri Ramaryaru, Jiva Kartrutva, etc. In addition he has also composed more than 10 SuLadhis.
Kattemane in Mysore has divya Sannidhana of Shri Ibharamapura Appavaru, Shri Ramaryaru, Shri Jayesha Vittalaru and many others. Please find the photo of Kattemane near Mysore Palace.
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