SRI VADIRAJA
VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 20
ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ
ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.
Conjunction of Netravati and
Kumaradhara/
ನೇತ್ರಾವತಿ,ಕುಮಾರಧಾರಾ
ನದಿಗಳ ಸಂಗಮ
ಕುಮಾರಧಾರಾಸರಿತಾ ಸಮೇತಾ
ನೇತ್ರಾವತೀ ಭಾತಿ ತರಂಗಿಣೀಯಮ್|
ತ್ರಿಮಾರ್ಗಗಾತೀರಗತೋ(s)ಪ್ಯವಾತ್ಸೀತ್
ತ್ರಿಲೋಚನೋ ಯತ್ರ ಸಹಸ್ರಮೂರ್ತಿಃ||34||
KumAraDhArAsaritA samEtA
NEtrAvatee BhAti tarangiNeeyam|
TrimArgagAteeratO(s)pyavAtseet
TrilOchanO yatra sahasramUrtihi||34||
SUMMARY: This Netravati River, which flows along
with Kumaradhara River, is shining. At this union, tri-eyed Shambhu, although
residing on the banks of Bhagirathi, lives here by manifesting himself in
thousand forms or idols.
There is a place called Uppinangadi on the way to
Hassan from Mangalore through Shiradi Ghats. In this place, Netravati and
Kumaradhara River that originates in Kumara Parvat, join. There is a temple
dedicated to Lord Eshwara very close to this Sangam or union of two rivers. In
that temple there are a thousand Lingas. This temple has been called as
Gayapada Kshetra in Skanda Purana. Sri Vadirajaru has described this pilgrim destination
in his Teerthaprabandha.
Sri Vadirajaru imagines in this stanza that Lord
Eshwara residing on the banks of Ganga as Vishwanatha must have wished to
manifest in the form of thousand Lingas and chose the Netravati-Kumaradhara
conjunction at Uppinangadi to fulfill his desire.
Description of Kumaradhara River/ಕುಮಾರಧಾರಾ ನದಿಯ ವರ್ಣನೆ
ಕುಮಾರಧಾರೇ ಸುಜನೋದ್ಧಾರೇ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಧಾರಯಾ|
ಪುನೀಹಿ ಮಾಮಘಸ್ತೋಮಂ ಲುನೀಹಿ ಸದನೀಹಿತಮ್||35||
KumAraDhArE sujanOdDhArE vijnAnaDhArayA|
Puneehi mAmaGhastOmam luneehi sadaneehitam||35||
SUMMARY: “Oh Kumaradhara, you make the virtuous and
philosophy-bent people prosper. Please make me sacred by instilling in me the
spiritual knowledge that solely relates to the realisation of the Lord. Please
prune or remove the heap of sins that is detrimental for the virtuous in their
pursuit of noble and holy path of realisation of the ultimate truth.
According to scholars, Kumaradhara originated from
the milk used in the anointment of Lord Subrahmanya, son of Eshwara and
Parvati, which was part of the coronation of Lord Subrahmanya as the chief of
the army of deities that was destined to fight against Tarakasura. Therefore,
Kumaradhara is a sacred river. Sri Vadirajaru has appealed to this river, which
also joins another sacred river called Netravati at Uppinangadi, to remove the
stain of sins he might have committed in the previous births. He also requests
Kumaradhara, the holy river, to fill his mind with that solemn knowledge of
spirituality which would help him realize the Lord. He likens Kumaradhara to
the sharp edge of a sword to cut the sins that have grown like shrubs.
ಕುಮಾರಧಾರೇ ತ್ವತ್ತೀರೇ ಮುಕ್ತಿದ್ವಾರೇ ಗುಣಾಕರೇ|
ತಪಸ್ತಪಂತಃ ಸನ್ಮಂತ್ರಂ ಜಪಂತಃ ಸ್ಯಾಮ ಸಂತತಮ್||36||
KumAraDhArE twatteerE muktidwArE guNAkarE|
Tapastapantaha sanmantram japantaha syAma
santatam||36||
SUMMARY: “Oh Kumaradhara, your banks that shelter
the divine attributes are like doors of heavens of salvation. Bless us with the
ability to do penance and meditate Pranava and other hymns on your banks,
always.
Sri Vadirajaru has requested the union of
Kumaradhara and Netravati to empower him with dedication, devotion and desire
to always do penance and indulge in meditation that would open the doors of
salvation.
In the next few stanzas, Sri Vadirajaru describes
Sri Subrahmanya Kshetra and Lord Subrahmanya. Please read, comment and share. SDN
NETRAVATI RIVER
KUMARADHARA RIVER
