Satyavijaya Nagaram (Arani) Yatra
EditAdd topicHistoryDetachArani is a town and a municipality in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamilnadu on the banks of Kamandala Naga nadhi. The name comes from the word 'araneeyam' which means a place surrounded by a forest. Arani is well known for its rice paddies. The town also has a large community of silk weavers, called sengunthars, who specialise in making silk sarees, a bulk of India's silk apparels is produced by the people of Arani.
Location : The navigational coordinates of Arani is at 12 deg. 40' N 79 deg. 17 E .
Sthala Mahime : In olden days Arani was called Aranyam. Aar means Athi tree; such trees once covered the region. In the north of Arni there is a river, the Kamandala Naga river. These trees and river looked liked an ornament, hence the name Arani. The river Kamandala Naga flows in one side and the Tatchur river flows in other side as ornament (in Tamil literature, ornament means 'Ani') so Aaru (River) is making Ani (ornament). Hence the name Arani.
Arani was ruled by the Cholas after they defeated the Pallavas. During the rule of Vijayanagara kingdom in Arani, the Dasara function was celebrated grandly. The town was used by Arcot nawabs for their military training campus.
Satya Vijaya Nagaram is 10 kms. away from Arani. This was a small village, under jagirdhar's control, who offered this area for the brundavana of Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu. In the same complex, one can also find Sri Satya Veera Theerthara mrithika brundavana, Sri Raghavednra Swamigala Mrithika brundavana and Moola brundavana of Sri Ranga Wodeyaru (sishyaru of Sri Satya Vijaya Theertharu).
Sri Veera Anjaneya Swami Temple, Satya Vijaya Nagaram :
Sri Veera Anjaneya Swami temple is about five kms. from Arani enroute to Satya Vijaya Nagaram. The Mukyaprana devara idol was installed by Sri Vyasaraja Theertharu 600 years ago - this was before the existence of Arani and Satyavijaya Nagaram. Sri Venkatanath Saheb, the jagirdhar of Arani, a madhwa brahmin was staunch devotee of Mukyaprana devaru. This Swamy was the auditor of this jagirdhar - there was a rule that every month end the accounts of jagir was submitted in front of Sri Mukhyaprana, who used to correct the accounts by giving him darshana.
The Jagirdhar while intending to go on war, used to take darshan of this Sri Veera Anjaneya Swami who used to bestow him with hundred times of his normal strength. Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu's successor Sri Satyapriya Theertharu was commanded by Sri Veera Anjaneya to perform the Uttaradi Matha samasthana puje, in His sannidana. During the naivedya to Sri Veera Anjaneya Swami all the eatables were getting exhausted. The then Jagirdhar ordered for more and more offerings which were also getting exhausted. The Swami was literally eating all the offerings which were brought by the raja. After Sri Satyapriya Theerathara prayer, Sri Veera Anjaneya stopped eating. Sri Satyavijaya and Sri Satyapriya Theerthargalu experienced the feelings of touching a body while performing puje to Sri Veera Anjaneya, instead of a stone idol.
Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu :
|| satyapUrNAmbudherjAto vidvajjanavijR^imbhitaH
dhanIdhvaMsItu nastApaM shrIsatyavijayoDupaH ||
Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu was the pontiff of Sri Uttaradhi Matha after Sri Satyapoorna Theertharu. He was formerly known as Sri Balacharya. His father's name was Srinivasacharya. Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu is a great personality who made a great impression in the minds of devotees. Many people including the King of Arani became his staunch devotees. Sri Arani Maharaja offered an entire village to Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu. He was from the pandurangi family and is believed to be an amsha of Sage Jamadagni. During his time, Sri Satyapoorna Theertharu was the mathadipathi of Uttaradhi Matha. He had given ashrama to Sri Satyapriya Theertharu who was touring north India for several years. At that time, Sri Satyapoorna Theertharu felt that his end is nearing, but they could not locate Sri Satyapriya Theertharu.
Hence, Sri Satyapoorna Theertharu came to Mannargudi in Tamilnadu and initiated Sri Balacharya into sanyaasa and renamed him as Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu with specific instructions that he should hand over the Samasthana to Sri Satyapriya Theertharu. After some time, Sri Satyapoorna Theertharu entered brundavana in Sangli. Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu continued his tours during the course of which he came to Arani. Arani at that time was being ruled by a Madhwa Maratta brahmin by name Sri Srinivasa Rao Saheb.
After some time, Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu felt that his end was nearing and instructed the jagirdhar that the moment he is dead, he is to be carried and when they reach a place where the pall bearers can no more bear the weight, they have to bury him in that spot. Further he made the inventory of all the things with him and gave a copy to the Jagirdhar and one moreto Sri Satyapriya Theertharu. Further the puja box should be buried after his death and has to be unearthed only after Sri Satyapriya Theertharu comes back. Further he instructed that Sri Satyapriya Theertharu has to exchange his danda. One day after puje and theertha prasada, they both started walking and when they came to a spot they saw a five headed snake. When the Jagirdhar asked Sri Srigalu the significance, who explained that very soon he will have to shift his palace as there is a danger of an impending war between the Arcot Nawab and Hyder Ali.
Finally one day Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu passed away and as instructed they started carrying him. They came to a spot where they were unable to bear the weight. The Jagirdhar Srinivasa Rao Saheb was astonished because it was the very spot where they sighted the snake. He built the brundavana of Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu and also shifted the palace there. He renamed the place as Sri Satyavijaya Nagaram in the memory of Srigalu. Even today one can see the Jagirdhar's palace there. Sri Satyapriya Theertharu after his sanchara came to Satyavijaya Nagaram and was briefed by the Jagirdhar. The puje box was given to Srigalu and the peculiar problem arose when Jagirdhar informed that Srigalu has to exchange his danda. Sri Satyavijayaru was not his ashrama gurugalu. Confused Srigalu started walking and reached the Sri Veera Anjaneya Temple. The moment he reached the temple, he was swarmed by monkeys. Just then he had the vishwarupa darshan of Sri Vayudevaru - who told Srigalu that Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu was a great soul who followed his guru's instruction to the core without even appointing a successor and that he should exchange his danda and continue his sanchara. Sri Satyapriya Theertharu did as told by Sri Vayudevaru and continued his sanchara and entered brundavana in Manamadurai, Tamilnadu.
The brundavana of Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu is three centuries old. Since it's very beginning the Matha was under the care of Jagirdhar as he was the head of the matha and he made effective arrangements for the daily puje and aradhana. When Zamindari was abolished, funds dried up and the daily puje is still being performed on a very small scale. As a result the upkeep of the premises and the renovation fo the matha premises are in a bad way.
Preceptor : Sri Satyapoorna Theertharu
Pithadipathi : 10 years, 10 months, 8 days (Uttaradhi Matha)
Brundavana Pravesha : Pingala Samvatsara, at Arani, Satyavijaya Nagara near River Kamandala Naga.
Aradhana : Chitra Bahula Ekadashi
Poorvashrama Name : Sri Balacharyaru
Father's Name : Sri Srinivasacharya
Sri Satyaveera Theertharu (Mrithika brundavana is at Satyavijaya Nagaram) :
Sri Satyaveera Theertharu's poorvashrama name was Bhodaramacharya. He belonged to Korlahalli family. Three pontiffs who came from Korlahalli family were at the seat of the Uttaradhi Matha for fifty years - they are Sri Satyaveera Theertharu, Sri Satyadheera Theertharu and Sri Satyadhyana Theertharu. Sri Satyaveera Theertharu was ordained as monk and succeeded to the pontificate (35th in order) in 1879. After being initiated to vedanta samrajya, he took up the construction of brundavana in Chittapur to his beloved guru Sri Satyaparakrama Theertharu and performed Mahasamaradhana.
Sri Srinivasa Rao Saheb, the 10th Jagirdhar of Arani did not have a son for a long time and yearned for one. Despite his visits to various temples, conducting yagnas and homams the wish remained unfulfilled. Until one day, he was advised to seek the blessings of Sri Satyaveera Theertharu. Though the Jagirdhar was skeptical about the veracity of Sri Satyaveera Theertharu's assurance that he would be blessed with a son within a year he was gratified that this did happen. The Jagirdhar then invited Sri Satyaveera Theertharu to his court and presented him with many gifts and donations to his matha. Though he named his Srisatyaveera, the traditional name of Thirumala Rao Saheb was preserved.
Sri Satyaveera Theertharu ordained Sri Jayacharya and named him as Sri Satyadheera Theertharu to the pontificate throne of Sri Uttaradhi Matha and entered brundavana in Korlahalli on the banks of river Tungabadra Karthika Shudda Dwadashi in 1886.
Preceptor : Sri Satyaparakrama Theertharu, Uttaradhi Matha
Pitadhipati : 7 years, 1 month and 2 days. Deeksha accepted in 1879.
Brundavana pravesha : 1886, Aradhana on Kartika Shudda Dwadashi at Korlahalli, District Gadag, Karnataka.
Poorvashrama Name : Sri Bhodarayacharya.
Sri Ranga Wodeyaru (Moola brundavana is at Satyavijaya Nagaram) :
Long ago a Madhwa brahman visited Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu Matha at Satyavijaya Nagaram with lots of mental depressions. The background of mental depression is pictured like this - the said brahman was in hunger of obtaining knowledge of Sri Madhwa Shastra and learn Sriman Nyaya Sudha. The family members thought that he is mad and threw him out of the house. For this reason, on his search of knowledge, he reached Srigalu's matha. As soon as he saw the Moola Brundavana, he was confident that he will get what he wanted. He was illiterate, no knowledge of any alphabet especially sanskrit. But he wanted to learn Madhwa Sasthra - as a fool without limbs desiring to fly. As he has no knowledge of anything, he could not do any parayana. So, he made himself busy in cleaning the matha premises everyday. One fine day, Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu came into his dream and asked him, 'what do you want?' The brahman told his ambition. Srigalu ordered him to take bath in Kamandala Naga nadhi and sit in front of his brundavana. The brahman did the same, opened the book of Sriman Nyaya Sudha for the first time in his life. The moment, he was in front of the Srigalu's brundavana, the brahman was able to read and understand the correct meaning of Sriman Nyaya Sudha. In between the patha, Srigalu used to speak and clear the difficult parts in Sriman Nyaya Sudha. Reading and understanding of Sriman Nyaya Sudha by a normal person would take atleast three years. But by the blessings of Srigalu, the brahman was able to finish the patha in only sixty days.
At the end of the patha, Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu asked the brahman for Guru Dakshina. The brahman submitted himself to Srigalu as Guru Dakshina. Srigalu ordered him to take sanyaasa and gave sanyaasa deeksha to him and named him as 'Sri Ranga Wodeyar'. Sri Ranga Wodeyar is the disciple of Sri Satyavijaya Theertharu and not a peetadhipathi. He comes under the group of Bidi Sanyaasi. Even today, he is learning more and more Madhwa sasthra under Srigalu. His brundavana is in the premises of Sri Satyavijaya Theerthara brundavana. Even in these days, Sri Ranga Wodeyar graces everybody who wish to learn Madhwa sasthra.
Apart from above three brundavanas there is also a Mrithika Brundavana of Sri Raghavendra Theertharu in the same complex consecrated by Sri Satyapramoda Theertharu in 1996.
Contact Information at Satyavijaya Nagaram :
Sri Satyavijaya Achar, 1/440, Sri Rama Niwas, S.M. Road, Sathya Vijaya Nagaram, Arani Taluk, PIN-632317. Phone : 04173-291915, Cell : 09944463550
How to reach Satyavijaya Nagaram (Arani) :
Air : The nearest airport is Chennai (142 kms.)
Rail : Though there is a railway station named Arani Road (Station code - ARV), the rail traffic is very less. The train from Tirupati to Villupuram passes thru Arani Road. The station is far off from the town.
Road : Arani, being a busy trading centre, is well connected to all nearby important places. The route from Bengaluru is : Bengaluru - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Arani - Satyavijaya Nagaram. The driving distance to nearby places from Arani : Vellore - 37 kms. (40 minutes), Chennai - 142 kms. (2 hours 30 minutes), Kanchipuram - 66 kms. (1 hour 15 minutes), Polur - 26 kms. (30 minutes), Tirukkoyilur - 96 kms. (1 hour 40 minutes), Tiruvannamalai - 59 kms. (1 hour), Tirupati - 142 kms. (2 hours 30 minutes), Sholingur - 60 kms. (1 hour), Bengaluru - 245 kms. ( 3 hours 50 minutes).
Nearby important places :
1. Sri Renugammbal temple, Sri Venugopalaswamy temple and Sri Kailasanathar temple are some of the famous temples in Arani.
2. Near the river, Kamandala Naga Nadhi, there is an old temple known as Sri Puthra Kamateeswara temple which is famous for puthra kameshti yoga. This is an old temple with an idol of Dasaratha at the entrance to commemorate this.
3. Sri Visalakshi samedha Sri Viswanatheswara Swamy temple in Kalpoondi village on Vazhapandal Road is about 500 years old and is considered to be an equal to Kasi temple.