Ruju

- from http://bhaavisameera.com

Several mentions in various puranas and scriptures refer to a highly evolved line of souls termed as Rujuganas. At any given time, these number 100. Rujuganas are exemplary in their conduct and are embodiment of supreme knowledge. Chaturmukha Brahma is at the top of this sect of divine souls followed by Vayu. Rujus undergo rigorous sadhanas for a hundred kalpas ( 1 kalpa is roughly equal to 4,320 million years ) to attain these positions. Each and every ruju is Vishnuvisishtapratimasthaneeya (Vishnu's unique pratima ). Of these, Vayu is the best and perfect pratima for worshipping Vishnu. As mentioned earlier, with passage of time (a hundred kalpas) rujus get promoted to higher levels and finally reach the position occupied by Brahma to rule Satyaloka. According to shastras and puranas, Brahma after finishing his first hundred kalpas gets liberated. Then his position will be occupied by the second ruju - Vayu, whose position is occupied by the third ruju - Latavya and so on.

Shriman Narayana's grace is the only means of liberation. To earn his grace we must have knowledge of Paramatma and this is possible only through those perfect divine beings or rujus' who know HIM the best. Being without any faults or being flawless, they can impart pure knowledge. Hence it is important to understand their greatness or swaroopa.

Akhilanda Koti Brahmanda Nayaka, Shriman Narayana, has a pure blissful form with thirty two auspicious features; complete with infinite virtues raised to infinite degree. When Chaturmukha Brahma's 100 years nears completion, Narayana will withdraw this entire created universe into his womb. Reclining on a fifty yojanas vast vatapatra-a banyan leaf (Bhoo form of Lakshmi), Shri Jagannatha is served by Lakshmi in various forms such as Bhoo and Ambhrani Devi. Then, He takes 4 forms of Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradjumna and Anirudha to liberate the pure, to destroy, to create and to sustain the world respectively. Lakshmi also takes 4 corresponding forms of Maya, Jaya, Kriti and Shanti. From these forms of Narayana and Lakshmi, 100 flawless forms - Rujus, were created . They have all the 32 auspicious features and are far more superior than any other devatas. Being bodies of rajodika satva guna, they are totally perfect in all aspects and know all the 4 vedas and 8 sidhis. As mentioned in the Vamana Purana, the hundred rujus are :

Chaturmukha Brahma

Vayu

Latavya

Gavya

Vaktavya

Gnyatavya

Bhavya

Swargavya

Subhavya

Sevya

Smartavya

Kravya

Gantavya

Sakhya

Dhrastavya

Kavya

Mantavya

Sankeertitavya

Srotavya

Dashakula

Jnana

Gamya

Sadakapi

Saha

Subala

Sadarata

Shyamareta

Kala

Kali

Kalisamharta

Kalasuchaka

Sukalajna

Sukarta

Kalakreedana

Taraka

Upadeshta

Amarsha

Thrana

Prana

Yagavarthaka-yajvi

Sukarta

Yajna

Danasusheela

Tejasvi

Sutapasvi

Oja

Sharada

Dharmavineta

Papanashana

Mitra

Sarvajit

Sarvagjna

Alampata

Prajna

Kapi

Suveera

Sarasvata

Sulochana

Charupada

Subahu

Charu

Charvanga

Santushta

Ananda

Santa

Pramoda

Moda

Manu

Rantimna

Jaya

Vijaya

Medhavi

Suveerya

Sumahataru

Jaya

Mahabuddha

Katha

Sankeerna

Keerthana

Mahavijnana

Vijnana

Sandhyata

Shraddha

Karpata

Sarshapa

Anjana

Vaikruta

Suchi

Sampoorna

Dharmaja

Sadharmaja

Mahipati

Sadhu

Kashana

Varchasvi

Adharma Khandana

Dharma

Dasha

Suteja

Kalki

Lord Hayagreeva; the half-horse half-human form of Paramatma is the guru and devata for these Rujus. He entrusted the job of creating the universe to Brahma and made him the ruler of Satyaloka and hence he cannot take birth or incarnate. Whenever devatas approach Vishnu for help, He being Triyugahuti ( He appears only in three yugas - Kruta, Treta amd Dwapara Yuga ), sends Vayu, Latavya and all other Rujus upto Kalki in this Kali yuga.

On Shri Hari's command, Vayu ruled heaven as Rochana ( Indra for that period of time ) in Swarochisha Manvantara. In Treta yuga, Vayu served Lord Sri Rama as Hanuman. In Dwaparayuga, he took the form of Bheemasena.

In the same yuga, the third ruju - Latavya took birth in a brahmin family in Kundinanagara as Sudeva. Sudeva led an exemplary brahminical life. King Bhismaka the then ruler of Vidharbha had a daughter Rukmini who came to the place where Sudeva lived. He would come to her to take alms from her daily. The king decided to give her in marriage to Shri Krishna ( Shri Hari's incarnate for Dwapara Yuga). But her brother Rugmi wanted Shishupala to marry her even if it were to be against her wishes. Rukmini appeared unhappy and worried and one day when Sudeva came to her for alms, she entrusted him with the job of delivering a letter to Shri Krishna, who was then at Dwaraka. Sudeva completed the entrusted task in minimal time with amazing speed and won the blessings of The Divine couple - Shri Krishna and Rukmini.

Various Pramanas in the form of Shruti & Smriti, Bhagvat Purana, Mahabharata Tatparyanimaya, Prakashasamhita and Vamana Purana state that a brahmin named Sudeva went to see Krishna as Rukmini's messenger was a Ruju and that Ruju was Latavya.

In Kali yuga, the number of people who liked virtuous path decreased, rakshasas( like manimanta ) in human form started to mislead pious people. Puranas were being ridiculed. Vedas were being mis interpreted. When all the devatas approached Shri Hari for help, he sent Vayu to establish Vedic Philosophy and set things right on earth.

A pious couple Madhyageha and Vedavati lived in PAjaka, near Udipi in the 17th century. Due to their pruvajanma sukrutha and having acquired purity in mind and body in this janma, they were blessed to give birth to a son by a great saint - AchyutaPrajna. As per the Lord's orders, LAtavya entered Vedavati's womb and stayed there for nine months waiting for Vayu to enter the body. Another demon who had acquired a boon to be born took birth from Vedavati and immediately Vayu pulled him out and entered the body of the child. Thus was born MukhyaPrana as Vasudeva on Ashwayuja Shudha Dashami during noon at PAjaka. Vasudeva, after his upanayana and sanyasatva became known as Poornaprajna, Anandateertha and Madhvacharya. He wrote Gitabhashya, Bhashyas to Brahmasutras, and various other granthas and stotras all collectively known today as Sarvamoola Granthas. He rejected all improper schools of thought and established Tattvavada, the correct vedic philosophy. He was visible on earth for 79 years and later moved to Uttara Badari where it is said that he would stay for 36,500 human years and then merge with his original form.

Madhva's Tattvavada was well served for a long time by various divine souls who defeated different false doctrines of that age. With passage of time, those rakshasas pleased Rudra and asked a boon of him. Not to get resistance from anyone for the philosophy that they would preach to naive humans. The powerful sidhantas, teerthas, kshetras, abhimani devatas all began loosing lustre. When devatas approached Shri Hari again to mitigate the problems faced by the virtuous, He decided to do Lokakalyana though his Hayagreeva form. The boon was granted by Hara and hence whoever that had to do the job would have to be someone above him. That means one of the Rujus. Since Brahma cannot incarnate and Vayu had already took birth as Madhva, Shri Hari instructed the third Ruju - Latavya to serve Him by making people understand His true Gunapurna form, by enlarging the Vedanta empire established by Vayu, by writing pious granthas and by rejecting the false doctrines of Rakshasas( in human form ).

Latavya very humbly bowed down to Hayagreeva rupa Paramatma and decided to take birth on earth as Shri Vadiraja Tirtha.

Ruksamhita statements, Vamana, Padma, Brihannaradiya, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivartha puranas, ancient works like Tatvasankyhana, Prakashasamhite, his own granthas like Lakshabharana, Bhoogolavarnane, his deeds like TrvikiramaPratishta, Urdhva Badarigamana, Pratimapradana, Granthasthapana, Dandateertha, the very vrundavana sannidhi, the fact that his life stors runs parallel to MAdhvacharya. many resemblances to Madhva in deed, situations, the statements of many aparokshajnanis, his own revelations through dreams, customary ancient practices like samapuja, parakus - all these convincingly proclaim that Vadiraja is Latavya ruju and Bhavi Sameera. Several jnanis too have accepted this. This mighty sage of mystic eminence is present in Sode in one amsha to uplift the few fortunate souls. His presence iends Sode sanctity, warmth and tranquility.