08-NARAYANA THEERTHA

Narayana Theertha Swamigal was born in the village called Villathur of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. He adopted Sanyasam, incidentally, soon after his marriage. As a Sanyasi he undertook pilgrimage Tour, as per the advise of his Guru. While on pilgrimage he stayed at Tirupathi. During his Pilgrimage Tour he was suffering from severe stomach ache which was uncontrollable.

As per his Guru’s advise he came to Govindapuram to meet Bodendra Swamigal but he came to know that the Bodendra Swamigal attained Mukthi just a few months ago. After spending a few days in Govindapuram he again started his tour with uncontrollable stomach ache and visited many places in Cauvery Delta and reached Thiruvaiyaru. When he was touring a small village called Nadukkavery his stomach ache aggrevated and he slept in the existing Vinayaka Temple there. During his sound sleep Lord Krishna appeared in the dream and informed when you wake up in the morning you will see an animal and follow the same then your stomach ache will vanish. Accordingly, he saw a white pig appeared before him. Seeing a pig while wake up is not a good omen. Therefore, he hesitated to follow. However, as per the instruction of Lord Krishna, he followed the white pig about 4 KM and became tired. Suddenly, the white pig entered the nearby temple and disappeared. Once the pig disappeared Narayana Theertha Swamigal heard a voice “Akashvani” don’t search me. I only brought you here. By hearing the voice he enjoyed uncontrollable happiness and his stomach ache vanished. Since then this Village originally named as “Bhoopathirajapuram” henceforth called as “Varagur” because the Sanskrit name of Pig is Varaha.

During his life time period in this village he sung the famous Sanskrit songs “Tharangini” and while singing the Tharangini Lord Krishna with Rukmini and Radha dance immortally and the Salangai Oli heard by Narayana Theertha Swamigal. At last, he attained Deva Mukthi after receiving Viswaroopa Darshan in this village.

During his life, in this village, he used to celebrate “Krishna Astami” popularly known as Uriyadi. Even today the “Krishna Astami” festival being celebrated by the inhabitants of the village in the same traditional way which Great Saint Narayana Theertha Swamigal started during his later period of his life. The Festival starts on the next day of “Yajur Upakarma” i.e on “Gayathri Japam Day” and conclude on the 11th day with Anjaneya Urchavam”. During this festival period all those whose forefathers hails and worshiped Lord Venkatesa Perumal of Varagur visit this village and participate in this festival and devote their best to the Temple even though they migrated to urban areas and other countries. Every year Uriyadi will be performed on exactly 10th day from the Full Moon day (i.e 9th day from Raksha Bandhan) and 11th day Rukmini Kalyanam will be performed at Venkatesa Perumal Temple. All the 11 days Venkatesa Perumal of Varagur will be in different alangaram.

During this 11 day festival Veda Parayanam of Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana will be recited by the Great and Learned Sanskrit Scholars. Bajans and Divyanama Samkirthanams by Great personalities of Bhagavathals and discourse and upanyasam by Sanskrit Pandits. Also Annadhanam will be provided to all the devotees. All through the festival period, their day to day requirements like accommodation, samarathanai, etc. will be taken care of the Temple Trust out of the Temple Revenues.

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http://www.sangeetasudha.org/narayanateertha/

Narayana Teertha (1675 - 1745)

Sri Narayana Teertha, ascetic and scholar, was born in Andhra Desa. Prior to his ascetic vow (Sanyasam), his name was Tallavajjhala Govinda Sastry.

Attaining mastery over all the six Sastras, he went to Varanasi, the seat of sages and learned men, to propagate his spiritual knowledge and philosophy. After some years he settled down at Varahur on the banks of the Kaveri in Tamil Nadu. On the way down to south, he visited several holy places and sang the glory of the deities graced in different temples .

As he was an ardent devotee of Sree Krishna,he encapsulated his spontaneous outpourings in " Tarangas' . Sree Krishna Leela Tarangini, his magnum opus is an unparalleled musical treatise consisting many Slokas and Krutis in 12 chapters known asTarangas. These compositions, famous for lyrical richness and beauty of rhythm, evoke the nine 'Rasas' and form an integral part of Indian classical dance and music.

The Tarangas depict the life and childhood pranks (leelas) of Sree Krishna and culminate in the auspicious wedding "Rukmini Kalyanam". Leela Suka's "Sree Krishna Karnamrutham", Jayadeva's "Geeta Govindam" and Narayana Teertha's "Sree Krishna Leela Tarangini" constitute the precious triumvirate that elevate the devout to a world of spiritual ecstasy

nArAyaNa teerdha tarangams