Haridasa Rishi-Sri Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru

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Haridasa Rishi

Sri Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru

 

By:-Mohan Chippagiri

 

In Kannada Haridasa Sahithya “Sri Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru’s name is memorable. In 20th century Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru has collected Suladis, Ughabhoghagalu and Kruthis of many a Haridasaru and has safeguarded the scripts.

 

In 1893 Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru was born in Lingasur of Raichur district. He belonged to the village name called Gorebala. His parents are Sri Venkata Rao and Smt Balamma. By profession

Sri Venkatarao was working as a clerk. From the beginning Sri Venkatarao used to follow and read Madhwa Shastra with utmost respect and devotion. Everyday pravachanas were held in his house. In this orthodox family Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru was brought up in the life style of his father which helped Shri Rayaru to climb to greater heights. In those olden days itself Shri Rayaru graduated in law.

 

Shri Swami Rao (Varadesha Vittaladasaru) who was the son of Sri Ramadasa(Sreesha Pranesha Vittala) and was a friend of Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru. By profession Shri Swami Rao was a practicing lawer. By seeing his friend’s profession Shri Rayaru also started practicing law. Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru became

famous and earned name in surrounding areas. After practicing the law for few years he became the disciple of Sri Guru Jagannatha Vittala Dasaru and he got Ankitha as “Sundara Vitthala†from his guru. After getting Ankitha from his Gurugalu, he stopped practicing law. Even though he was earning a lot of money from the profession of law, he showed more interest and love towards the Haridasa Sahitya. He took up many works like Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Pancharatna, Puranas and Brahmasutra Bashyas which were written in

Sanskrit and translated them in Kannada. It is one of the greatest achievements of Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru.

 

One more achievement of Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru was that he started “Sri Varadendra Haridasara Sahitya Mandaliâ€. Though this Mandali he collected many manuscripts of Haridasa Krithis. Among the scripts he collected are : Sri Purandara Dasara Kruthis, Moksha Marga Pradipika, Sri Vijayadasara Stotra Bhaga, Sri Jagannathadasara and his

disciples written kruthis. Sri Sripadarajara Haridasa Stotra and Krutigalu, Sri Vasudeva Vitthala Kruthis, Sri Guru Vijaya Vittala kruthis and Sri Raghavendra Gurusarvabouma’s kruthis Lakshmi Leelaamrutha etc. Sadachara, Panchabedha, Brahmacharya, Adhyamatha mala, Sandhyopasana and other prabhandas.. These are his prose collections. Harikathaamurutha Sara, Hari Vayustuthi, Prakrutha Raghavendra stotra, Sri Anantha Vratha Story, Muyyadha pada, Sri Krishna Leelamurutha, Seethe Swayamvara, Hanumadvilasa, Bhimasena Vilasa, Veerabhadra vilasa, Partha vilasa, Anirudha vilasa, Vashistha-Vishwamitra Aakhyana, Sri Krishna Jayanthi kathe, Manmatha vilasa, Sri Sumadhwa Vijaya, Sri Harikathamurutha Teeka (Six Volumes) these are all the

writings of Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru.

 

In his research and propagating the Dasa Sahithya he has spent all the money he earned and also he had collected few donations from the people. And the people also helped him by contributing voluntarily. Apart from this he has written two papers “Atma Basha†and “Ekantha Bhakthana Lakshanaâ€

 

Another important sadhana of Shri Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru is that in 1957 he started a magazine by name “Karnataka Haridasa Sahithya†which was published continuously for two years. After that due to financial constraints the publication discontinued. He was also a freedom fighter. He was having a capability to deliver instant poetries if any swamijis arrived. On seeing the Swamiji, he immediately used to compose a poetry on Gurugalu. He was fond of Kannada language. By reading the Kannada paper he was put behind the bars. He never got any awards and rewards and he never anticipated them. But in 1964, Raichur Kannada Sangha felicitated Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru with the award of “Sahithya Alkankaraâ€.

 

He has filled many hearts of the people with his great deeds and we should follow in his foot steps in our life.

 

During his last days even though his health did not support him, he still worked for the Dasa Sahithya. In 1969, the Dasa Sahithya lost an extraordinary personality and he always used tell in his words “Easa Beku – Idhu Jayisa Beku - the Jeevana mantra of Gorebala Hanumantha Rayaru. I had an opportunity to read this article written

in Kannada by Dr Sheeladas of Raichur and with my little knowledge I have tried to put it in English.

 

!!! Prathamo Hanuman Nama, Dvitiyo Bhimayevacha,

Purnapragnya Tritiyasto Bhagavatkaryasadhaka !!!

Mohan Chippagiri MCA

Lecturer in Computer Science

Bangalore

 

 

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