SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” – STEP 20 ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”.

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