PoojyaAya RaAghavendrAaya...

पूज्याय राघवेंद्राय सत्यधर्मरताय च।
भजतां कल्पवृक्षाय नमतां कामधेनवे॥

ಪೂಜ್ಯಾಯ ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾಯ ಸತ್ಯಧರ್ಮರತಾಯ ಚ |
ಭಜತಾಂ ಕಲ್ಪವೃಕ್ಷಾಯ ನಮತಾಂ ಕಾಮಧೇನವೇ ||

Poojyaaya Raaghavendraaya satyadharmarataayacha

Bhajataam kalpavrukshaaya namataam kaamadhenave;

Above sloka is one of the most popular, meritorious and meaningful sloka on Mantralaya Guru Saarvabhouma Sri Raaghavendra Swamy;

It is not an exaggeration that there is no devout Hindu household who doesn't know or recite this simple but powerful sloka; It will be more devotional if this sloka is recited knowing its meaning;

The very first word POOJYAAYA gives a sensation/feeling of humility and respectfulness;

towards Sri GuruRaayaru who is Poojyaaya; Poojaniiya;

He is the one who is venerable, worshipable, worthy of worshiping;

> Who is He?

He is the one whose name in the recent history of Hindu religion and spirituality is....
mesmerizing,
very popular and
which is considered as a remedy,
a healer,
which people will be longing to recite;

> He is "RaAGHAVENDRA"
Mantralaya Guru Saarvabhouma Sri Raghavendra Swamy popularly called as Sri Raayaru undoubtedly the most acclaimed Saint.

‘Ra’ enne raasi doshagala dahisuva (burn heaps of our faults);

‘Ga’ enne Ghana Gnaana bhakutiyeeva (grant immense devotion filled with knowledge and wisdom);

‘Ven’ enne vegadi janana marana doora (helps in speedy liberation from the cycle of births and deaths);

‘Dra’ enne dravinartha shruti padyana kaamba (blessed with a vision of Lord Sri Hari);

(Thus said, Sri Gopala Dasaru a prominent Saint from Haridasa tradition)

Sri Jagannatha Dasaru an ardent devotee of Sri Guru Raayaru, in his composition; Sri Raaghavendra Ashtaakshara Stothra extolled the significance of each letter as follows…

Ra relieves one from all the diseases (roga);
Ga enhances longevity, glory and strength of the person;
Va will result in gain of worldly riches;
Dra will drive away the sins of the person chanting;
Ya one will not be troubled by Yama-Dharmaraja;
Na one will be bestowed with higher positions; and chanting of
Ma one will be blessed with riches equaling that of Mahendra;

> What is his MATHA?

SATHYA - DHARMA; He is SatyaDharma-Rathayacha;

RATHAYACHA the one who is a practitioner, who is delighting in; intent upon; passionate to; one who takes pleasure… in what?

> SATHYA - DHARMA...

What is Sathya? Who is Sathya?

Sathya means truth.
Lord Sri ManNarayana is the truth and is eternal.
His concepts and creations are truth.
His avatharas (incarnations) are truth.
He is an embodiment of truth and
Sathya is his costume.
He is Sathya-dharma-parayana,
He is the custodian of truth, virtue and justice.
He always protects his true devotees.
He is a personification of Dharma and
His avatharas are always for protecting Sathya and dharma.
He is the ultimate reality for his devotees.
Verily He is a true God, not an illusion.

> Sathya is HARI SARVOTTAMA…
the primordial supreme God SriManNarayana;

Raaghavendra delights in SATHYA (Hari Sarvottama);

> WHO IS DHARMA?

‘Raamo Vigrahavaan Dharmah’

Raama is dharma and his very nature is dharma and his incarnation is for the purpose of dharma. He is an embodiment of dharma and protector of dharma. He is the foremost and greatest among the knower of dharma.

RaAma is an epitome; a personification; a manifestation of Dharma. RAama is the very embodiment of righteousness.

RaAMA is an essence of all Vedas, Shastras, Ithihasas and Puranas etc...

RaAMA is not just a name. It is a Manthra, the only Manthra that is called Tharaka Mantra; the one that helps us to cross the ocean of Samsaara and free us from the bondage of cycle of birth and death.

Raamo Viraamo Virajo Maargo Neyo Nayo-anayaH
Veerah Shaktimataam Shresshtah Dharmo Dharmaviduttamah
(Sloka # 43 of Vishnu Sahasranama Stothram)

Raama is the one who keeps the entire living beings happy; the one in whose memory Yogis always revel (take pleasure) in the delight of Supreme Brahma. He is the one who is omniscient and full of bliss. He is the final place of rest for all the deserving souls.

Raama is the one before whom all else becomes pale and insignificant. He is the one who has no desires for enjoyment or any luxuries.

RaAMA is the Lord who creates the path to the devotees to reach the zones of liberation and immortality. Raama is the one who wishes to do anything for his devotees. He conducts; monitors and leads everybody in this world.

> Raaghavendra takes delight in RaAMA who is DHARMA;

Raaghavendra is foremost among the devotees of SATHYA-DHARMA…..

ರಾಮಪಾದಾಂಬುಜಾಸಕ್ತಾಯ ನಮಃ
ರಾಮದಾಸಪದಾಸಕ್ತಾಯ ನಮಃ
ರಾಮಕಥಾಸಕ್ತಾಯ ನಮಃ
ಶ್ರೀಮೂಲರಾಮಾರ್ಚಕ-ಶ್ರೀಮದ್ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಯತೀಂದ್ರಾಯ ನಮಃ
ಕೃಷ್ಣೋಪಾಸಕಾಯ ನಮಃ
ಕೃಷ್ಣದ್ವೈಪಾಯನಸುಹೃದೇ ನಮಃ
ವಿಷ್ಣುಭಕ್ತಾಗ್ರೇಸರಾಯ ನಮಃ

Raaghavendra is the one who has imbibed the qualities of Sathya-Daharma; He is SathyaDharmaRathayacha....

> What does He bestows upon?

Bhajataam kalpavrukshaaya - namataam kaamadhenave;

For those who worship him with all sincerity Raaghavendra is KALPAVRUKSHA;

For those who chants (Namataam) his divine name with all humility Raaghavendra is KAAMADHENU;

(Kalpavruksha & Kaamadhenu are self explicit)

> What else we need?

Raaghavendra is Bhavaroga Vaidya; panacea for all illness;

This sloka is phala sruthi for Raaghavendra Stothra composed by Sri Appanachaarya;

If only one surrenders to GuruRaaghavendra and worships/serves Him with all humility, sincerity and devotion He (Raaghavendra) will become Kalpavruksha and Kaamadhenu for such; and bestows upon Hari Sarvottama Jnaana and Hari Bhakti which is Sathya and Dharma.

Such is the intrinsic meaning/significance of this famous Raaghavendra sloka Poojyaaya Raaghavendraaya....

What I know is limited - What I have to know is unlimited.....

Yatha Shakti...

Sri RaaghavendraTheertha Guruvantargatha
Sri BharateeRamana MukhyaPraanaAntargatha
Sri Krushnaarpanamasthu;

Hari Sarvottama - Vaayu Jeevottama - Sri GuruRaajoVijayate;