theerTha Prabandha -47

[Guest guest]

Dear Shri Gopalakrishna Varnare,

Your article describing the past and present glories of Kumbhasi is very well

written. I was born in this place, which is one of the Sapta Kshetras. I

understand that you are going to cover Koteshwara tomorrow, which again is

one of the Saptakshetras. I attended my high school here. Looking forward for

your Koteshwara varnane. I attended " Akhila Bharatha Madhwa Maha Mandala "

Samskratha school here and studied Amara Kosha, Mani Manjari etc. You are a

great asset to VMS Michigan branch. I am sure Muralidhars, Maddurs,

Madhusudans, and Galgalis fully agree with this statement. Thanks again.

[Guest guest]

Dear Haribhakthas,

 

Shri Vadiraja Theertha's 'Theertha Prabhandhaa' is an extra ordinary

work. Shri Vadiraja went around the whole India, visited all the holy

places, rivers, mountains, visualized God in those places and praised

him through sthothra, bringing out the special attributes in those

places. This book exhibits the Shri Vaadiraja's unparalleled devotion

and mastery in literature. This book is of great help to us and we can

visit all the places through this book and get blessed by God.

 

Last year few posting were made on this and 18 holy places, on the

south of Udupi upto Payaswini river, were covered in that. Devotees may

kindly look into following archives for reference.

http://www.dvaita.org/list/list_25/msg00199.html - First posting

http://www.dvaita.org/list/list_26/msg00198.html - Last posting

 

By God's grace, let us continue studying this great work, visit all

other holy places and get the best blessings of Shri Hari and Shri

Vayu.

 

Kumbhasi Kshethra:

 

Kumbhasi is the first holy place on the north of Udupi at a distance of

30 Km. This is also known as Goutham Kshethra, Gajapuri. The birthplace

of Shri Vadiraja, " Hoovinakere " is just 5 Km away from Kumbhasi. The

old house where Shri Vaadiraja's parents lived was renovated few years

back and is known as 'Hoovinakere Mutt'. There is a small temple with

Shri Vaadiraja's icon in ‘Gowri gadde’, the paddy field, where Shri

Vadiraaja was actually born. Every year the rice from this field is

being used for 'Shri Vaadiraja Aradhana' at Sode. His holiness Shri

Vishwothama Theertha swamiji of Sode Mutt, celebrates 'Shri Vadiraja

Jayanthi', every year on Maagha Suddha dwadashi (Feb 17th, 2000) in

this place. This year, marking the 400th year of Shri Vadiraaja's

Vrandavana pravesh, special programs are arranged for 4 days grand

celebration.

 

Long back, when there a big famine and people were suffering without

water and food, sage Goutham prayed Ganaga Devi and with her divine

blessing, he sheltered all the Brahmins and other sages in this place.

Hence this place is also known as 'Goutham Kshetra' and it was very

famous for a long time for all sacred activities of learning Veda,

performing homa etc.

 

During dwapara Yuga a demon by name ‘Kumbhasura’ lived here and

used to trouble all people. When Shri Bhimasena visited this place, all

sages requested him to kill this demon. But Kumbasura had a boon by

Shri Shiva that he would get half the power of his enemy. When Shri

Bhimasena was thinking about this, he heard words by heaven, suggesting

placing a sword in the trunk of an elephant and worshipping that.

According Shri Bhimasen worshipped Lord Viswambara (form of Shri Hari

having head of elephant) in the elephant and then killed Kumbhasura. It

is also said that Shri Bheemasena killed Kumbhasura with the blessing

of Shri Mahaganapathi.

 

There is a beautiful temple of Shri MahaGanapathi, on the top of a

small hill, known as ‘Gajagiri’ (Ane gudde) and this place is also

known as 'Gajapura'. Shri Mahaganapathi is very famous for readily

fulfilling the desires of the devotees and lots of people from far off

place come here to offer prayers to Shri Ganapathi. It is also said

that the idol of Ganapathi is growing year by year, and surely the

popularity too wide spreading. Recently H.H. Sri Vishwesha Theertha

Swamiji of Pejavar Mutt inaugurated a big dining room, capable of

accommodating 1000 people. Pictures indicating the history of the place

are carved on the walls of the temple. The car festival of this temple

is held during first week of December. One can enjoy the beautiful

scene of sunset from this place.

 

There is another very rare and sacred spot, Shri Harihara temple, at

the bottom of the hill, built over a water tank. In the Garbha Gruha,

there is a shivalinga and a small water spring. The local story says

that when all sages requested Lord Shankar to protect them from the

hands of Kumbasura, Lord Shankar assured them that Shri Hari and Shri

Hara would come out in that place together. All sages were asked to

keep two vessels covered in a sacred place and wait for a good time.

But the sages, in a hurry, opened the vessel to find nothing. When they

again prayed Lord, they were assured that Shri Bhimasen would come to

that place and kill the demon.

 

There is a small well inside the temple. The water in this small well

is crystal clear and is always full throughout the year. Devotees take

this water as 'theerhta'. It is said that Sage Goutham brought Ganga to

this well. This temple is also renovated recently. There is a small

Shri SuryaNarayana Temple and Shri ChannaKeshava temple nearby. It is

also said that there is a cave called 'yama guha' and the surrounding

park is also known as 'Madhuvana'.

 

Shri Vageesh Theertha, guru of Shri Vadiraaja used to live in this

place. The old and abandoned Mutt where Shri Vadiraja stayed with his

Guru for sometime is reconstructed this year by H.H. Shri Viswoththama

Theetha of Sode Mutt, this year. There are two 'vrandavana' at this

place belonging to two yathis of the Sode Mutt lineage. Though this

place is well connected to the highway, it has maintained the serenity

and peacefulness and by going around this place, devotees enjoy unique

pleasure.

 

 

Shri Vadiraja explains the glory of this place in two shlokas.

 

 

bhaasi kumbhaasisamjJnya thvam kshEthram shrIshagirIshayOh |

yathra kumbhaasurasyaasirabhaasIdhdhroupadhIpathih || 47||

 

 

Word by word : (hE) kumbhaasisamjJnya shrIshagirIshayOh kshEthra thvam

bhaasi. yathra dhroupadhIpathih kumbhaasurasya asih abhaasIth.

 

English Version:

Oh! Holy place Kumbhashi,

Srisha and Girisha(Hari-Hara),

Stay together, You are quite holy,

For Bhima finished Kumbhasura here,

And by a mere visit, the devotees get cleared of their sins .....47

 

 

guhaamukham thIRThanEthram vEdhasThaanam vanaayanaM |

yathyaRThyam gouthamakshEthram chithram thaththanuvadhbaBou ||48||

 

Word by Word:

guhaamukham thIRThanEthram vEdhasThaanam vanaayanaM yathyaRThyam

gouthamakshEthram thaththanuvath baBou, chithram !!.

 

English Version:

 

Oh gautama Muni, Hari Hara kshetra Kumbashi is thy face,

the tanks on either side of the temple,

Are thy eyes, the place is your Tapovan,

As holy as thy body, for the study of Vedas,

And conducting holy prayers and penance ..........48.

 

 

.....Next holy place is Koteshwar.

 

Shri Hari Priyatham

B.Gopalakrishna Varna

 

 

 

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