Sri Vadiraja's Theertha Prabandha: An Unique Travel Guide of 107 Holy Kshetras of Bharath (An Old and Rare Book)

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Sri Madhwacharya installed Lord Krishna at Udupi, eight centuries ago and appointed eight young monks, for the worship of Kadacola Krishna. Eight mutts were established later on at Udupi. Among these eight mutts, Sode mutt is quite significant, for the first saint of this Mutt Sri. Vishnu Theertha was the younger brother or Sri. Madhwacharya. The 19th Saint Sri Vageesha Theertha was a great tapasvi and a super scholar. Sri Vadiraja who authored "Theertha Frabandha" was the direct disciple of Sri Vageesha Theertha.

Brief (Resume) of Sri Vadiraja : Sri Vadiraja born of the divine couple Sri Ramacharya and Saraswathi Devi in 1480AD at Huvinakere village of Kundapura Taluk, D. K. Dist., Karnatakc State. He lived an illustrious and glorious life with a full spar of 120 years from 1480 to 1600AD i. e. from Magha Shudda Dwadashi in Sharvari Samvatsara to Palguna Bahula Thritheeya of the same Sharvari Samvatsara until the said samvatsara completed its two full circles. He dedicated his whole life for the material and spiritual emancipation of mankind. He was ordained as a monk at the tender age of eight by his guru Sri. Vaqeesha Theertha. On account of the un-rivalled scholarship and deer attachment for human welfare possessed by Sri Vadiraja, Sode Mutt came to be known as Sode Vadiraja Mutt, subsequently Even today we can see the ancient house. where Vadiraja was born and spent his early years at Huvinakere.

Sri. Vadiraja was a brilliant scholar, creative poet, great administrator, social reforrr.er, precise thinker, and a contemporary of Sri. Vvasaraja, Purandara Dasa, and Kanaka Dasa. Vadiraja had authored more than 77 books in Sanskrit Viz; 1) Philosophv-' 2) Critical Notes-6 3) Poetry-4 4) Critical Review-11 5) Stotras-49 in all 77. In Kannada he had authord 7 books, and thousands of Bhajans, bearing the mark of his tutelary deity Hayavadana at the end of the song. He also wrote a Tulu Poem on the Dashavathara of Srihari for the benefit of the commoners. He composed Lakshmi Shobana song in Kannada, which when recited in temples or on the eve of marriages, will create a supremely divine atmosphere for the listners. His major works in Sanskrit are 1) Yuktimallika 2) Rukmineesha Vijaya 3) Sarasa Bharati Vilasa 4) Theertha Prabhanda.

As said earlier, Sri Vadiraja was blessed with a full span of life of 120 years,(1480-1600AD) and He entered Brindavan alive on Palguna Bahula Thritheeya in Sharvari Samvatsara upon the said Samvatsara completing its two full circles, at Sode 20 k.m. away from Sirsi in U. K. Dist. of Karnataka State. Among the Madhwa saints, Sri. Vadiraja was the first to enter the brindavan alive. The second saint to do so was His Holiness Sri Raghavendra Theertha Swamiji, who is blessing the devotees spread all over the world, standing on the banks of Thunga river at Manthralaya.

Sri Vadiraja's Theertha Prabandha : We come to know from the life of Sri Vadiraja, that he had toured all over India, from the Southern end of Kanyakumari to Badrinath in North, and from the Western end of Dwarka to Puri in the East several times, and had authored a book in Sanskrit entitled "Theertha Prabandha" an unique travelogue in Sanskrit literature. The book is divided into 4 well organised parts Viz; Paschima Prabandha comprising of 44 holy places, of the Western Region described in 99 Verses, Uttara Prabandha - 20 kshetras of the Northern Region in 46 Shlokas, Purva Prabandha- 23 places of the Eastern Region in 43 Verses, Dakshina Prabandha -20 places of the Sothern Region in 47 shlokas, in all 107 holy kshetras worshipped in 235 Verses visited by the saint spread in different parts of the holy mother Bharath. Vadiraja visited each place and explained the spiritual significance and glory of those places and deities, rivers, mountains, thereof as enviseged in our scriptures. In short, we can see the glory of ancient Indian culture in this book, the essence of which is unity in diversity. The reading of the book is virtually a Bharath Darshan, as seen by an illustrious Indian saint 500 years ago, when the modern transport system and other infrastructures for pilgrimage were not available. The whole tour must have been conducted by walk along with the other daily chores of the saint i. e, Japa, Pooja, Pravachana, and writing of books etc. Such a hazardous task could be accomplished only by a noble soul like Sri. Vadiraja, who had abundant blessings of Hari and Vayu. Sri Vadiraja possessed an outstanding power of grasp and expression, and he unravels in this book the glory of our ancient culture as envisaged in the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha, the Bhagavatha and enraptures us with the picturesque description of various deities, temples, holy rivers, mountains, etc. as he visits different places. Vadiraja proceeds form Sri. Krishna Temple Udupi Via west, north, east and southern directions in Pradaksinakara (Clock wise direction) to Lord Krishna as well as to mother Bharat, The English version of the Original Sanskrit shlokas are given below for the benefit of the English readers, in twenty seven chapters with necessary comments etc. The book is equally good as travel guide'