gaMgApita padAbjALim | gaMgAdhara samaprabham | maMgaLAMgaM mahIdEvam | maisUru puravAsinam || viThalOpa padOpEtam | vijayarAma chAMdiram | vairAgya j~jAna mUrtiMcha | bhajEham bhavatArakam ||

Acharya Shri Madhwa discovered TatvavAda to benefit Satvik Jiva’s so that they can follow an unperturbed path in reaching their ultimate destination, Moksha where they are debarred of samsAra bandhana. Further, Shri Hari & Acharya Shri Madhwa delegated the task of propagating TatvavAda to their messengers who are incarnations of Souls of Higher Category. One such Soul who chose Prakruta bhasha medium, popularly known as DAsa Sahitya, to accomplish this task is Shri Vijaya Rama Chandra ViTTala Dasa (popularly known as Shri Ramaryaru). Incidentally he comes under the lineage of Shri Mohana Dasa, a direct disciple of Bhurgvamsha sanjata Shri Vijaya Dasa. The life & works of Shri Vijaya Rama Chandra Vittala Dasa exposes the spirit of Tatvavada. He was an embodiment of Bhagavata Dharma.

In the light of this, it is unavoidable to study the JIvana Charitra or MahimA of such Sacred Jnanis during the sAdhana of any JIva. Perhaps many scholars would have written about this Great Master in the past but one such authenticated Charitra available today is by Shri Guru Govinda Vittala Dasa. Though this manuscript is not complete by itself, it briefly describes bAlya JIvana and some of the adhyAtmik milestones in the life of Shri Vijaya Rama Chandra ViTTala Dasa.

BALYA JEEVANA (CHILDHOOD):
In a place called Ramanad in Tamilnadu, India, a couple named Shri Venkat Rao and Smt. BahiNi Bai - well cultured, orthodox, Satvik MAdhva couple - were living in the early 19th century. They were blessed with 4 children - three sons and a daughter. Our Charitra Nayaka, Rama, was 3rd son of this couple. Needless to say, Rama was a child with radiating talents as compared to other children of his age. His achala bhakti towards Lord, his pure mind, his respect for elders (Guru Hiriyaru) and his thought provoking analysis of the Adhyatmik aspects of Tatvavada were some of his characteristics that were evident at a very early age.

When Rama was seven years old, he had been to Dwaraka kshetra along with his parents to have darshana of Shri Krishna. On reaching Shri Krishna temple, Rama got excited looking at the most pleasing idol of Shri Krishna and started wishing strongly within himself to have an idol like this at home to play with. It is highly unusual for any other common person to have such a wish. Subsequently, on the following morning, when Rama was taking holy dip at the Samudra Sangama, he was delighted and dumbfounded to realize that Shri Krishna fulfilled his wish almost immediately when he found a beautiful Shri Krishna idol in Sangama waters. Looking at this, Rama’s parents were astonished & thrilled by the daiva bakhthi of their son and tears flowed from their eyes. They immediately realized that their son is not an ordinary soul. Instantaneously they credited their happiness at the lotus feet of Shri Krishna and thanked HIM for bestowing a child like Rama. This particular incident makes one realize Shri Hari’s Vachana: “Aham Bhakhta parAdIna”. Further Rama visited other punya kshetras including Tirupathi before reaching Ramanad after one year. At the age of 8, Shri Venkat Rao couple performed upanayana of Rama and put him under tutelage of his uncle Shri Tirumalacharya for adhyayana of Tatvavada. Here too Rama excelled beyond expectations of his Guruji and successfully completed all the major works of Acharya Shri Madhwa & his followers.

DASA DEEKSHA & ANKITA PRADANA:

In a year or two after completing his studies, Rama got married and settled down at a place called Yelandur near Mysore on the banks of river “Suvarna Mukhari”. Yelandur had many Madhwa scholars and Rama thought it fit to be among them.

One fine evening while Rama was listening to “Purandaropanishad” from his uncle Shri Seshagiri Rayaru on the banks of the river, a phrase of Shri Purandara Dasa “ankitavillada dEha niShiddha” struck Rama so powerfully with its true meaning that Rama immediately decided to search for his adhyAtma Guru and seek Dasa Deeksha. Rama also remembered the sentences of Shri Vijaya Dasa “mudre illada badaku Elle joke illa, mudre illada honnu haNakAsu sallavu… “.

The essence of all these thoughts that a adhyAtma sAdhaka gets during pakva kAla are wonderfully summed up by Shri Tande Venkatesha ViTTala Dasa in his article “mahimA of ankitanAma (OR) Glory of God & Guru” as follows:

GURU is the bedrock on which the spiritual edifice is raised. Without his 'anugraha', all is darkness and worry. For one who has secured his 'anugraha', All is bright and joy. The paramount duty of sathvika is to MEDITATE upon the sweet name and derive from his GURU and imbibe by means of unostontatious bhakthi, his spiritual ecstasy and belief. Unflinching belief and self surrender are virtues esstential to attain his efficacious 'anugraha'.

Rama was aware of the fact that it is an uphill task to find an adhyAtma Guru and is achievable only through the anugraha of Shri Hari-Vayu-Great Masters. Rama surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Shri Hari, Vayu & Great Masters like Shri Vadiraja, Shri Raghavendra Teertha, Shri Vijaya Dasa. Here one can remember dAsOkti – “manava nittare tanna nIvanu” of Shri Jagannatha Dasa. After sometime, prayers of Rama were answered by taijasa rupi bhagavan – One fine auspicious day, Rama was ordered by His Indweller to approach Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa of Kumbakonam. Likewise Lord ordered Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa in his dream to accept Rama as his shishya and offer him “dAsa dIksha”. Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa was excited to receive Rama as his shishya and thanked Lord for providing the most desired disciple who can uphold and propagate the essence of dAsa sAhitya and also at the same time continue the lineage of Shri Mohana dAsa.

Without wasting any time Rama approached Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa and prostrated (sa-asta-anga NamaskAra) before him by holding his lotus feet. Without any hesitation, Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa accepted Rama as his disciple. Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa prayed his Bimba Murti abinna Rama’s Bimba Murti to perform sAdhana on Rama’s behalf (mAdhavane mannAma dharisi mAduve sAdhanava – Shri Jayesha ViTTala Dasa) and lead Rama to His Lotus Feet. Shri Prasanna Venkata Dasa named the Bimba Murti of Rama as “Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala” and then on Rama was known as “Shri Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala Dasa”. Shri Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala Dasa’s happiness has no bounds. He surrendered himself through all means (tanu-mana-dhana) at the lotus feet of his Guru.

Further Shri Vijaya Rama Chandra ViTTala Dasa spent sometime serving his guru as slave (gulAm - Urdu Word) and learnt many intricate secrets of adhyAtma sAdhana. Here one can remember dAsOkti “guruvina gulAmanAguva tanaka doreyadaNNa mukuti” of Shri Purandara Dasa.

There are many more interesting aspects in Shri Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala Dasa's Jivana charitra. Shri Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala Dasa's Jivana Charitra is incomplete without the mention of Shri Ibharamapura Appavaru (a great Jnani and an ardent devotee of Shri Raghavendra Teertha). Shri Appavaru played a great role in the adhyAtma sAdhana of Shri Vijaya Ramachandra ViTTala Dasa. The actual name of Shri Appavaru is Shri Krishnaryaru and he is affectionately called as "Appavaru" (A Father Figure).

Once Shri Appavaru visited Mysore on the invitation of King Mummudi Krishnaraja Wodeyar to alienate the evil spirit that was hiding in the palace and troubling the kingdom. After recognizing the spiritual power of Shri Appavaru, King offered to surrender anything that Shri Appavaru desired. After driving away the Evil Spirit from the Kingdom, Shri Appavaru asked for the idol of Shri PANCHAMUKHI PRANA DEVA that was hidden in Raja Mandira. King was amazed to know the Jnana DrushTi of Shri Appavaru and surrendered Shri Prana Deva to Shri Appavaru. Shri Ramaryaru having already known the Mahima of Shri Appavaru, without any delay, visited Shri Appavaru and prostrated before him and begged for his blessings (Anugraha). Gurus do not always bless those who just prostate or beg. Instead Gurus always choose to grant anugraha based on the svarUpa of the jIva. As Shri Appavaru had the complete knowledge of the svarUpa of Shri Ramaryaru, Shri Appavaru bestowed pUrna anugraha on Shri Ramaryaru with a deep affectionated hug (Aalingana). With this, Shri Ramaryaru regained his ThirOhita aporOxa that was masked due to his rebirth in mAnusha janma. Immediately Sri Ramaryaru realized his svarUpa and his responsibilities for the current birth. Evidences from the kruthis of Shri Ramaryaru, Shri JayEsha ViTTala, Sri Bala Krishna and others indicate that Sri Ibharamapura Krishnaryaru is not only an apporOxa Jnani but also a Soul belonging to jIvOthama kaxa.

Following chart depicts the lineage of Shri Mohana Dasa along with the shishyAs of Shri Vijaya Rama Chandra ViTTala Dasa.


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.