Om! Sri Raaghavendraaya Namaha (ಓಂ ಶ್ರೀರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾಯ ನಮಃ) - The Ashtaakshara Manthra (Merits & Significance)
Om! Sri Raaghavendraaya Namah
(The Ashtaakshara Manthra)
Lot of significance is given in Hinduism for naming of a child, the process of which takes place through a Vedic ritual known as Naamakarana which is one of the Shodasa Samskara. Child will generally carry on with the name given by its parents for life time. As an exception, we find in case of women in certain groups their name gets changed after marriage. Even in case of Ascetics also they will get a new name at the time of taking up the Sanyasa Deeksha. Parents generally select for their children, the names of Deities or holy persons or saints or Divine incarnations so that, it will inspire the child to follow the path of righteousness and they become popular. It is also a common belief among the Hindus that repeatedly calling such Divine names one is reminded of the Lord, the example of which we find in the episode of Ajaamilopakhyanam in the 6th Canto of SriMad Bhagavatham.
In our general observation we find that all such may not become popular or follow the path of righteousness. Only very few will attain such status and match up to their given names. Some may become popular even by their Surnames. One such name in the recent history of Hindu religion and spirituality which is mesmerizing, very popular and which is considered as a remedy, a healer, which people will be longing to recite is RAGHAVENDRA, that of Mantralaya Guru Saarvabhouma Sri Raghavendra Swamy popularly called as Sri Rayaru undoubtedly the most acclaimed Saint.
When Sri Rayaru was born he was named by his parents as Venkatanatha the name of Lord Venkateshwara whom Rayaru had worshipped for 12 years at Tirumala temple during his incarnation as Sri Vyasarajaru. In fact Sri Rayaru had installed the idol of Lord Sri Venkateshwara at Manchali before entering into Brindavana. It was Sri Sudheendra Theertharu, the Vidya Guru of Sri Venkatanatha (Rayaru) who named him as RAGHAVENDRA at the time of his (Rayaru) Sanyasa Deeksha. It was a Divine direction, God gifted, Daiva-Datta. Since then and even today there is no looking back and the name went on to become very popular by heaps and bounds like a Taraka Nama. Today Raghavendra is a preferred house hold name especially in South India where we find at least one of the family members with that name.
Raaghavendra is a Sanskrit word Raaghava + Indra. Raaghava is one of the several names of Lord Sri Rama who was born in Raghu dynasty (Raghu Vamsam) and whose Great Grand father was King Raghu. Indra means the Monarch of the Heaven. Lord Sri Rama was the Monarch born in Raghu dynasty. Similarly Raaghavendra with the blessings of Lord Sri Rama and by virtue of his Divine lineage has become an Emperor among the Gurus - Guru Saarvabhouma. Sri Raayaru was admired by his Guru Sri Sudheendra Theertharu that, Raaghavendra was like Lord Sri Ramachandra in wishing the world all well with the grace of Lord Sri Rama. Raaghava means Sins having been got rid off, the desired things are bestowed upon.
Hidden in the name Raghavendra are the Divine names of
Ra+Agha+Ven+Dra
Ra = Lord Sri Rama, Narayana Ashtakshari and Lord Hanuman (wherever the Divine word Rama is chanted there is presence of Lord Hanuman, Yatra-Yatra Raghunatha Keerthanam….). In fact before entering into Brundavana Sri Raghavendra Theertharu had performed penance for twelve years meditating upon Sri Panchamukhi Hanuman.
Agha = Sin, evil, suffering, grief
Ven = First letter of Venkateshwara (Lord Srinivasa) – Ven also means Sins
Dra = drive away the evil
Thus, by chanting Raghavendra one will get the benefit of reciting the Divine names of Lord Sri Rama, Lord Sri Venkateshwara and Lord Hanuman who are present (Antargatha) in Sri Rayaru.
Sri Appanacharya an ardent and beloved disciple of Sri Raaghavendra Swamy is the one who has proclaimed to the world the powerful Ashtakshari manthra of Sri Raaghavendra Swamy – Sri Raaghavendraaya Namah, and has said that by meditating upon this eight lettered Beejaakshara manthra, there is no doubt that all the wishes of the devotee would get fulfilled. This is Key to the famous Sri Raaghavendra Stothra composed by Sri Appanacharya himself.
v ‘Ra’ enne raasi doshagala dahisuva (burn heaps of our faults)
v ‘Ga’ enne Ghana Gnaana bhakutiyeeva (grant immense devotion filled with knowledge and wisdom)
v ‘Ven’ enne vegadi janana marana doora (helps in speedy liberation from the cycle of births and deaths)
v ‘Dra’ enne dravinartha shruti padyana kaamba (blessed with a vision of the Lord)
(Thus said, Sri Gopala Dasaru a prominent Saint from Haridasa tradition)
Sri Jagannatha Dasaru (Manvi) an ardent devotee of Sri Guru Raayaru, in his composition; Sri Raaghavendra Ashtaakshara Stothra extolled the significance of chanting each letter as follows…
v Ra relieves one from all the diseases (roga)
v Ga enhances longevity, glory and strength of the person
v Va will result in gain of worldly riches
v Dra will drive away the sins of the person chanting
v Ya one will not be troubled by Yama-Dharmaraja
v Na one will be bestowed with higher positions and chanting of
v Ma one will be blessed with riches equaling that of Mahendra
Thus, chanting of eight lettered Ashtaakshara mantra Sri Raghavendraya Namah, destroys all the mighty sins and every letter in this name will result in fulfillment of all the wishes.
The name Raaghavendra took birth in the sacred month of Phalguna masam on the second day Bidigi (Dwiteeya) thithi in the year 1621 A.D. that is celebrated as Sri Guru Saarvabhoumara Pattabhisheka Dina. It is a coincidence that Sri Raayaru was born in the same month of Phalguna masam on the seventh day Suddha Sapthami in the year 1595 A.D. that is celebrated as Sri Guru Saarvabhoumara Jayanthi.
What a beautiful culmination of divinity, spirituality, piousness, compassion added with merits in the name Raaghavendra who has physically lived and spiritually living up to its reputation. Salutations to Sri Sudheendra Theertharu who presented this world a divine gift in the form of auspicious name Raaghavendra.
The name Raaghavendra took birth in the sacred month of Phalguna masam on the second day Bidigi (Dwiteeya) thithi in the year 1621 A.D. that is celebrated as Sri Guru Saarvabhoumara Pattabhisheka Dina. It is a coincidence that Sri Raayaru was born in the same month of Phalguna masam on the seventh day Suddha Sapthami in the year 1595 A.D. that is celebrated as Sri Guru Saarvabhoumara Jayanthi.
What a beautiful culmination of divinity, spirituality, piousness, compassion added with merits in the name Raaghavendra who has physically lived and spiritually living up to its reputation. Salutations to Sri Sudheendra Theertharu who presented this world a divine gift in the form of auspicious name Raaghavendra.
Raaghavendra Raaghavendra Raaghavendra Paahimaam
Raaghavendra Raaghavendra Raaghavendra Rakshamaam
Om! Sri Raaghavendraaya Namaha
Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
PS:
Sri Guru Saarvabhoumara Jayanthi - 12.03.2011
Related posts...
Great explanation .. Thanks
ReplyDeleteTHANKS FOR EXCELLENT EXPLANATION OF RAYARU MANTRA
ReplyDelete