(Shripada Rajara Moola Vrindavana: Mulibagil.Kolar Disrtict.Karnataka)
The Haridasa descendants or any keertankars, before
commencing the Harikatha(discourse) will first start with the salutations to
Shri.Shripadarajaru (Nama Shripadarajaya).This praise justify the
immense/rich treasure created by him through his literary work both in
poetry and prose in Kannada and Sanskrit.The "Vagvjra" is the master-piece
of his literary work.
He was born in a poor Brahmin family named as Laxminarayana.
While he was student he used to take cattle for grazing to the outskirts of
the town. One evening His holiness Sri.Swarnawarnatirtharu was passing
through the village and was eager to reach Abbur before sunset as the dusk
was approaching. Swamiji inquired Sri.Laxminarayana how far was the Abbur
for which the boy boldly replied please have a look at the cattle, the sun
, and me you will know the distance. Swamiji was very much impressed by the
bold reply of the boy. Swamiji invited the boy to accompany him in his Mena.
Boy expressed his apprehensions that only monks use Mena and he doesn't want
to be a Monk.Swamiji camped at Shri.Purushottamtirtha`s mutta. There he saw
a teenaged monk possessing an illuminated personality by name
Shri.Bramanyatirtharu. He was confident that he would get a similar type
of disciple who would succeed him by the God`s grace.
Next day Swamiji summoned the parents of Laxminarayana to
mutt and advised them to bring their son along with them. He advised parents
to leave the boy at the mutt to learn Vedas.The boy was well trained in all
Vedas and became a great scholar. Swamiji decided to hand over the samstan
and mutt peetha to Sri.Laxminarayana.The Laxminarayana took sanyas and the
cowheardboy became the pontiff of a mutta and named as Shri.Laxminarayayogi.
Once during offering comments by Shri.Laxminarayanayogi on
Shri.Sudha the then senior pontiff of Uttaradhimutta Shri.Raghunathatirtharu
was so much impressed and praised the wisdom of Shri.Laxminarayanayogi.For
which Shri.Laxmionarayanayogi with all humility expressed that he was only a
BalSanyasi and he should not be praised of his wisdom as compared to other
pontiffs.Then Shri.Raghunathatirtharu said other pontiffs are called as
"Shripadangalu " where as you are the King(Rajaru) of all such Shripadangalu.Thus
Shri.Laxminarayanayogi Became famous as "Shripadarajaru".
Reforms brought by Shripadrajaru.
Soon after taking over as the chief pontiff of the mutt after succeeding his guru he realised that whole society could be reformed only through the propagation of Bhagavat Dharma by keertans in Kannada and not by exhibiting the intellect of Vedas etc in Sanskrit .In those days sanskrit scholars never used to speak any other language other than Sanskrit after their bath and at the time of worship and all discussions were carried out in Sanskrit only. He took bold step to introduce Kannada devaranamas while it was presumed inauspicious to sing/talk/speak in kannada while worshiping the Lord.Despite strong resistance from such hard core scholars he encouraged the team of Bhagavatars who would sing the glory of the Lord in Kannada as it was done by chanting only Sanskrit hymn of Vedas during worship in the muttas. The main Kannada songs sung by the Bhagavatars were "Bhramargeeta, Venugeeta, Gopigeeta all composed by Shripadarajaru.There were occasions when he himself would offer Bhagavat seva in Kannada.