Sri Raghavendra Swamy Aaradhana

On Dwitiya Day of Sravana Krishna Paksha in 1671, Raghavendra Swami gave a soul-stirring speech to hundreds of devotees who had gathered to watch the event. After this speech, Sri Raghavendra entered the Brindavana specially constructed for him with stone brought from Madavara village, near Manchale. As per his advice, these stones were sanctified by Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana's footsteps when they visited the village during Treta Yuga.

He had advised his disciples to start arranging slabs around him once the japamala rolling by fingers in his hand became still.He began reciting the pranava mantra and slipped into deep samadhi. Once his japamala became still, his disciples arranged the slabs up to his head and thus made the Brindavana. It is believed he would live for totally 700 years in the Brindavana, helping society and mankind to come out of troubles and miseries.

Thus, Sri Raghavendra Swami attained Jeeva samādhi on Dwitiya Day of Sravana Krishna Paksha in 1671. This date is celebrated each year as Sri Raghavendra Swami Aradhana at Brindavans all over the world. The Raghavendra Mutt in Mantralaya housing his Brindavan is visited by thousands of devotees every year.

Sri Raghavendra Teertharu was born as Venkanna Bhatta in the town of Bhuvanagiri in Tamil Nadu to Kannada Brahmin parents, Sri Thimanna Bhatta and Smt. Gopikamba, in 1595, 1598 or 1601. He was also known as Venkatanatha or Venkatacharya in honor of SriVenkateshwara. After having his initial education under his brother-in-law Lakshminarasimhachar in Madurai, Venkatanatha was admitted to the Sri Mutt in Kumbakonam where he took sanyasa and adopted the name Raghavendra Theertha. In 1614, after he returned from Madurai, Venkanna Bhatta married Smt. Sarasvati Bai. Their son, Sri Lakshminarayanacharya, was born in the same year, after which the family moved to Kumbakonam.

In Sri Mutt, Raghavendra Swami studied under Sudheendra Theertha. He quickly emerged as a talented scholar and consistently won debates over scholars older than him. He was also known as a teacher of Sanskrit and the ancient Vedic texts.

In 1621, Raghavendra succeeded his guru Sudheendra Theertha as the head of the Sri Mutt and served from 1624 to 1636. He travelled all over South India expounding Madhvacharya's Dvaita philosophy and is attributed with a number of miracles. At some point, he toured South India visiting pilgrimage sites and teaching philosophy.

In 1671, after assuring his disciples in a speech that he will be in spirit with them for the next eight hundred years, Raghavendra attained Jeeva Samadhi at Mantralayam.