Nava Brindavana [Blogger- Sharanappa] [Supported By-Sujay Kulkarni]

Navabrundaavana

 (also known as Navavrundhaavana and Navabrindavan) (Kannada:ನವ ಬೃಂದಾವನ) is located at Anegundi, near Hampi, Karnataka, India. It contains the Brundaavanas of nine Hindu Madhva saints, who belong to the Sri Uttaradi Math, Sri Raghavendra Math, Sri Vyasaraja Math and the Sri SriPadaraja mutt and Other Various Prominent Madhwa Mutts. It is located on an island in the Tungabhadra River. You have to go in a boat or Theppa from Hampi to visit Nava Brindavana. It is located east of Anegundi, which was the earlier capital of the Vijayanagar dynasty before it was shifted to Hampi.

You can catch a ferry either from Gangavathi side or Hampi side (Talagarighatta Gate).

Nava Brindavana is Situated on a small island on the Tungabhadra, Navabrindavanam has the Samadhis (tombs) of nine saints, followers of Madhvacharya, and predecessors of Sri Raghavendra.

The nine saints are

1.   Shri Padmanabha Tirtha, direct disciple of Jagadguru Shri Madhvacharya

2.   Shri Kavindra Tirtha

3.   Shri Vagisha Tirtha

4.   Shri Raghuvarya Tirtha

5.   Shri Vyasatirtha

6.   Shri Sudhindra Tirtha,Guru of Mantralaya Shri Raghavendra Tirtha

7.   Shri Srinivaasa Tirtha

8.   Shri Raama Tirtha

9.   Shri Govinda Vodeyaru

Avathaarathraya Hanuman

This idol of Hanuman installed here by Sri Vyasaraja is indeed unique.

It depicts the three avatars - Hanuma, Bheema, Madhva in one form. The face is like Hanuman, the arms and shoulders well - rounded and muscular with the Gadhayudha symbolises Bheema, the avatar of Hanuman in the next yuga and the manuscripts in his hand symbolises Madhvacharya.

Shri Padmanabha Theertha

He is the first Madhwa saint to enter Brindavana at Nava Brindavana .
Padmanabha Theertha was the first disciple of the Madhwacharya. He also ascended the Dwaitha throne after Madhwacharya.
His original name was Shobana Bhatta. He was a well-known logician of his times and he lost a marathon debate to Madhwacharya after which he converted to Dwaitaism.

Shri Kavindra Theertha

The second Brindavana here is that of Kavindra Theertha. He is believed to be the brother of Rajendra Theertha, the founder of Vyasaraja Matha. He was earlier known as Vasudeva Shastry.

The first bifurcation of the Padmanabha Theertha paramapara or Peetha took place when Vidyadhiraja handed over the reins to Kavindra Theertha.

Vidhyadhiraja Theertha had appointed Rajendra Theertha as his successor. Vidhyadhiraja fell ill and he could not get in touch with Rajendra Theertha as he was away on Sanchara. He then appointed Kavindra Theertha as the successor and passed away. When Rajendra Theertha came back he found what had happened and he travelled further south towards Mysore and founded the Vyasa Raja Matha.

Kavindra Theertha is supposed to have entered Brindavana in 1398. Kavindra teertha continued to reign in the Peetha of the already established Matha/Peetha by Shri Madhvacharya through Shri Padmanabha Tirtha which is known as Shri Uttaradi Matha which comes in the same lineage as that of Shri Madhvacharya, Padmanabha tirtha, Jaya Tirtha, Kaveendra teertha & Vageesha teertha and so on.... )

Shri Vageesha Theertha

His Poorvashrama name was Raghunathacharya. He was one of the greatest scholars of his time. He was the third Madhwa saint to enter Brindavana at Nava Brindavana.

He was the successor of Kavindra Theertha. He entered Brindavana sometime in 1406

Shri Vyasa Theertha

A renowned scholar, Vyasa Theertha or Vyasa Raja was the Raja Guru of six Vijayanagar Emperors, including Krishnadevaraya. He had a large number of disciples including Vadiraja Tirtha.

He encouraged Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa in penning Haridasa Sahitya. He was the Chancellor of the Vijayanagar University which had 11,000 students.

He consecrated 732 idols of Hanuman in India. His guru was Brahamanya Theertha of Abbur, while his Vidya Guru was Sripadaraja of Mulabagal.

Vyasa Raja was the earlier avatar of Raghavendra Swamy. His works are considered to be among the most significant in Madhwa literature.

Some of his works include Nyayamritam Tarkatandava Tatparya Chandrika.

He entered Brindavana in 1539 when Achyuta Deva Raya was the Emperor of Vijayanagar.

Shri Raghuvarya Theertha

Shri Srinivasa Theertha

He succeeded Vyasa Theertha to the Vyasaraja Matha. He was also the Raja Guru of Achuta Deve Raya. He has written a book on Vyasa Theertha. This book along with accounts of Portuguese travelers to Vijayanagar and a biography by Somanatha, a Smartha Brahmin during the period of Krishna Deve Raya, give us a lot of information about Vyasa Raja.

Shri Rama Theertha

He followed Srinivasa Theertha to the Peetha of Vyasaraja Matha.

It was during the period of Rama Theertha that the first split of the Vyasa Raja Matha took place. Both Lakshmikantha Theertha and Sridhara Theertha took Sanyas from Rama Teertha.

Shri Sudheendra Theertha

He was the Guru of Shri Raghavendra Swamy. He was also the “Shishya” given to Vijayeendra Theertha by Vyasa Raja himself. He was an unmatched scholar and he shared a close relationship with Vijayeendra Theertha. Some of the books written by him are: Sadukthi Rathnakara (Tarkathandava Vyakhya), Apastamba Shulbasootrapradepa,

Shri Govinda Odeyar

He was a disciple of Vyasa Theertha. He was an Advaitha scholar and he entered into a debate with Vyasa Theertha and lost. He accepted the Dwaitha way of life and joined the large number of disciples of Vyasa Theertha.

He entered Brindavana at Nava Brindavana much earlier than Vyasa Theertha. He did not belong to any Matha but he was a Bidi (Independent) Sanyasi.

Apart from these Brindavanas, the final resting place of Narahari Theertha, the second pontiff of the Dwaitha Samrajya after Padmanabha Theertha is at Chakra Theertha in Hampi.