Trinity of Dakshina Bajan Sambradaya !! Sri Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval !! Part I !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!

Sri Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval was born to Sri Lingaraya who was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.  Sri Lingaraya was worked as a minister in Mysore Court and he was well- versed with the Veda Sastras, it inspired the child Sridhara   to acquire profound knowledge in Veda Sastras at a young age. Sri Sridhara had lot of devotion to Lord Shiva and engaged in chanting the glorious names of Lord from his early childhood.   

In due course of time, Sri Sridhara Ayyaval married to Smt. Lakshmi.  After the sad demise of his father Sri Lingaraya, obviously Sri Sridhara was inherited with the enormous wealth of his father.   But, Sridhara was not at all interested in any of the material comforts; his mind was in search of something distinctive which could provide the ultimate Salvation.  He refused to accept the post of Dewan offered by the Maharaja of Mysore and continued his life in pursuit of Bakthi cult.  Eventually, he decided to leave all the comforts behind and move on with spreading the Bhagavan Nama Sankeerthana.  His devoted wife Smt. Lakshmi and his mother most willingly followed him in his mission.  One fine day, Sri Sridhara Ayyaval left his palace like home and wealth open to public, his well-wishers and admirers surrounded and pleaded him to remain.  But Sri Sridhara Ayyaval was already decided his mind and he was firm in his mission, as the people witnessed by the heartrending scene Sri Sridhara Ayyaval left Mysore with his family.

Sri Sridhara Ayyaval lived a simple life throughout his life and engaged in spreading Nama Bakthi.   He realized the presence of Lord in every soul.  He travelled extensively through the holy land singing the holy names of Lord.  He accepted ‘Unchavriti’ as way of life and accepted alms.   He preached the glories of Lord to villagers, thus inspired them to engage in chanting Bhagavan Nama and kept on moving to nearby villages.   In this way Sri Sridhara Ayyaval earned an enormous number of people’s hearts.  

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!