Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy (Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ಗುರು ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮೀ,Tamil: ஸ்à®°ீ à®°ாகவேந்திà®° சுவாà®®ிகள், Telugu: à°¶్à°°ీ à°°ాఘవేంà°¦్à°° à°¸్à°µాà°®ి) (1595–1671) is a respected 16th century Hindu saint who advocated Madhvism (worship of Vishnu as the supreme God) and Sri Madhvacharya's Dvaita philosophy. He ascended Brindavana at Mantralayam in present day Andhra Pradesh in 1671.
His Brindavanam in Mantralayam situated in Andhra Pradesh, India is a pilgrimage destination.
Sri Raghavendra Swami was born as Sri Venkata Natha (Venkata Ramana), the second son of Sri Thimanna Bhatta and Smt. Gopikamba on Thursday, Sukla Navami of Phalguna month in 1595, when the moon was in Mrigashīrsha Nakshatra, at Bhuvanagiri, near present-day Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Sri Thimmanna Bhatta was the son of Sri Kanakachala Bhatta and the grandson of Sri Krishna bhatta, a Veena scholar in the court of King Krishnadevaraya. Sri. Thimanna Bhatta and his wife, Smt. Gopikamba had a son, Gururajacharya and a daughter, Venkatamba.
Sri Venkanna Bhatta was also called Venkatanatha or Venkatacharya in honor of Sri Venkateshwara at Tirupati, with whose blessings he was considered to have been born, to his parents for their devotion and diligence towards the deity.
Other Miracles
Any devotee who reads the Gurugalu's compositions and finds it difficult to understand, Gurugalu themselves explains it clearly to their devotees in dreams. Or atleast they guide where the meaning could be found. Sometimes Gurugalu themselves clarify the doubts of their devotees in dreams. Once a Swamygalu, while explaining Nyaya Sudha, had a doubt in some text and could not understand what it meant. Gurugalu that night appeared in Swamygalu's dreams and said that the meaning of it could be found in "Parimala". The next morning Swamygalu found the meaning in Parimala as said by Gurugalu.
During the 300th anniversary of the Brindavana, it was decided to get Brindavana a coating of gold. But there was a shortage of 30 tulas of gold. Hari Krishna, from Pune, offered that gold saying that Gurugalu appeared in his dreams and asked him to supply gold to solve the purpose.
Chettiyar of Ramanadu district, Tamil Nadu, had a successful operation by Gurugalu's grace. As adviced by Gurugalu he thought of offering a silver chariot to Gurugalu in Mantralayam. Soon, the trade that he lost hopes on, had come to his hands back and was successful. He offered Silver chariot to Mantralayam Gurugalu.
A restaurant owner from Vijaywada, had sent a DD of Rs 1500 to the Mantralayam priests for repairing a bell that broke. Gurugalu appeared in his dreams and ordered him to send the amount.
One year for Akshaya Tritiya, sandal paste was insuffucient for Brindavana. Gurugalu appeared in the dreams of a devotee and have shown him the place where sandal could be found.
Once the priests in Mantralayam thought of draping the Brindavana in a single silk cloth(usually use two silk clothes). Some stranger approached the priests and offered another silk cloth saying that it was Gurugalu's order.
Once there was a brahmin named Venkappa, in a village nearby Mantralayam. Guess he was very fortune, Gurugalu gave him a darshana directly. He used to see Gurugalu and talk to them. Once the then Peetadhipathi, HH Sri Bhuvaneendra Theertharu asked Venkappa to give him an opportunity to have the darshana of Gurugalu. Venkappa, with the permission of Gurugalu, made Sri Bhuvaneendra Theertharu to sit beside him in front of the Brindavana.
Sri Bhuvaneendra Theertharu sat in front of the Brindavana the earlier night so that they could see Gurugalu early in the morning. Might be fate, as the Sun was about to rise and Gurugalu were about to go to Tungabhadra for bath, Sri Bhuvaneendra Theertharu fell asleep. Venkappa tried a lot to wake them up but they only woke up when Gurugalu entered the Brindavana. They could only see the silk cloth worn by Gurugalu for a few seconds before Gurugalu entered the Brindavana. Sri Bhuvaneendra Theertharu had to satisfy with that !Raghunandan, a resident of Hyderabad, were always singing bhajans and songs on Gurugalu. One night Gurugalu appeared in his dreams and adviced him to learn medicine and open a clinic at a certain place. Gurugalu had showed him the exact location. Raghunandan truly could locate that place and started a clinic there. Soon he was successful in that field and is now in Sanathanagar, Hyderabad, with his clinic running successfully.
Vedala Sathyanarayana's grandson, from US, was 3 years old. He was suffering with a skin disease and no doctors in US could treat that disease. Some how his mother over heard about Gurugalu's powers and she applied the Mrittika of Gurugalu daily on the infected part of child's body. After 40 days, the disease got cured totally !
Some dumb people, at the time of Brindavana darshana, tried to yell - "Gururaja". Immediately they got back their speech !! Some physically challenged people too became normal after performing Seva in Mantralayam.
