Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Sri
Narayana Theerthar/Govinda Sastri was born to Nilakanta Sastrigal & Parvati
Ammal a pious Bhramin couple lived in Villathur a small village in Guntur,
Andra Pradesh in the year 1675. At the
early ages of childhood he earned profound knowledge in Veda Sastras, Sanskrit, dance and Music. He was married at a
young age. Once, his wife way away from home to visit her parents. Govinda Sastri had immense desire to meet his wife So he decided to cross the river Krishna as usual, while crossing the river suddenly the water level has increased and he was trapped into the strong current. As a great scholar of Darma Sastra, Govinda Sastry was remembered what has to done at the circumstances of life or death. He pulled out the sacred thread from his body and tossed into sky chanting mantras. Miraculously, the water level has come down and took vow of Sanyasa as it was the second birth for him. Shortly he arrived in his in-laws house, his wife was received him with great honor not as her husband but as a revered saintly person. Govinda Sastri preceded to Kanchipuram and trained under the scholarly guidance of Sri Sivaramananda Theerthar. Consequently, Govinda Sastri was initiated to
Sanyasasrama by his Guru Sri Sivaramananda Theethar and came to known as Narayana Theerthar.
Sri
Narayana Theerthar resumed his spiritual tour to many sacred temples of Lord
Vishnu. He visited Prayag, Mathura, Brindavan, Puri and undertook holy dip in the pond situated there and arrived Varaha Kshetram/Tirupati, there he
could listen to a divine voice instructing him to visit Thiruvaiyaru. Sri Narayana Theerthar visited Gunaseelam Sri
Prasanna Venkateswara Perumal and arrived on the sacred lands of River
Cauvery. While moving through this
sacred land, he felt excruciating pain in his abdomen. He was completely thwarted with the
unbearable pain. He earnestly prayed to
Lord Venkateswara. On that night Lord
appeared in his dream and instructed to follow a Swetha Varaha that would cure
his illness. Soon there appeared a
Swetha Varaha and darted through the river banks. Sri Narayana Theerthar sincerely followed the
Varaha, finally it scurried to the temple of Lord Venkateswara located in
Bhupathirajapuram. Sri Narayana
Theerthar followed the Varaha, it dashed to the sanctum sanctorum and
disappeared instantaneously. Sri
Narayana Theerthar in an ecstasy realized that the severe pain in his abdomen
was vanished without any trace.
After this
mysterious incident, Sri Narayana Theerthar settled in Varahapuri/Bhupathirajapuram/Varagur
and commenced the composition of ‘Sri Krishna Leela Tharangini’ praising the
perpetual glories of Lord. He composed
this stunning piece of music at the temple of Lord Venkateswara Perumal, Lord
was pleased at this art work of Sri Narayana Theerthar and enjoyed every bit of
it dancing to the tune of it. Lord
Anjaneya accompanied to this merriment by tapping hands together. This brilliant piece of music of Sri Narayana
Theerthar consists of 12 Tharangam stunningly narrates the birth of Lord Krishna,
wondrous childhood pranks of Lord Krishna and concluded with the glorious
marriage of Lord Krishna with Goddess Sri Rukmini. Sonti Venkatasubbaiyah, father of Sonti
Venkataramanaiya (Guru of Saint Sri Tyagaraja) was one of the disciples of Sri
Narayana Theerthar. Sri Narayana
Theerthar established a Bajana Sampradaya with his prominent disciples and
celebrated the Krishna Janmashtami Festival in Varagur Sri Venkateswara Perumal
Temple in a grand manner. This magnificent
festivity attracts huge crowd to this temple every year to immerse in the
divine bliss.
In the year
1745 Sri Narayana Theerthar attained the Abode of Lord in Thiruppanthuruthi on a
Shukla Paksha Ashtami day in the Tamil month Masi.
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