The twenty fourth seer in the lineage of Palimaru Matha is Shri Shri Raghupraveera Teertha. He was an inimitable seeker and ascetic. He undertook a pilgrimage to Tirupati and thereafter gained expertise in the shastras at Aarani Samsthana.
The twenty fourth seer in the lineage of Palimaru Matha is Shri Shri Raghupraveera Teertha. He was an inimitable seeker and ascetic. He undertook a pilgrimage to Tirupati and thereafter gained expertise in the shastras at Aarani Samsthana. He returned to Tirupati and won debates against well known scholars such as Dhanvantari Ramacharya. Impacted by his eminence, a Nawab named Mohammed Raja presented him a white umbrella.
He has given lessons in Shrimanyaayasudha and Taatparya chandrika 12 times. Imparting lessons in Geeta bhashya, Tantrasara sangraha, Tarka meemamsa is yet another achievement in his life. He was preeminent in tapassu, mantrashakti and yogasiddhi. The Lord has instrumented several miraculous feats through him.
It is believed that His Holiness was extremely naive during the initial period after he embraced sainthood. He stuttered while speaking.Upon witnessing this condition of the Peetadhipati, people began speaking lightly of him. That used to hurt the feelings of His Holiness. At that time, he visited Ghatikachala that enshrines Nrsimha – Prana and performed penance and recited the Sundara Kanda for one mandala (48 days).
On the 48th night, Lord Mukhyaprana appeared in his dream in the form of a monkey and seemingly spit into his mouth. Pranadevaru also directed him thus: “There is an idol of mine in the pond. Take it with you and install it at the Matha.” The following day, when he submerged into the pond while bathing, he found an idol which was a replica of the beautiful four armed Pranadevaru at Ghatikachala. That day was the auspicious day that changed the life of Shri Raghupraveera Teertha. Eversince the master of Satyaloka – Lord Mukhyaprana inclined towards Shri Raghupraveera Teertha, everything that His Holiness spoke came true. He brought the idol of Pranadevaru which was bestowed upon him at Ghatikachala to the moola matha of Palimaru. The four armed idol of Pranadevaru seated in padmasana which is a unique stance was installed. He became a siddha purusha (perfected master).
From the day Pranadevaru was installed by the hands of Shri Shri Raghupraveera Teertha, he is ceaselessly being worshipped and has become the adored Lord of the entire town. He resolved the hardships and granted wishes of devotees who surrendered to him. To date, thousands of devotees visit on saturdays to pay obeisance to Pranadevaru worshipped at the matha. Devotees have been garnering his grace through sevas such as vayu stuti purascharane, ranga pooje, etc. The shrine of Anjaneya who responds to the call of devotees at Palimaru is very large. Thus, by propitiating Anjaneya, Shri Shri Raghupraveera Teertha became famed as a siddha purusha.
Another miracle exhibited by Shri Shri Raghupraveera Teertha from the lineage of Palimaru Matha and worthy of remembrance in the morning is as follows. An acrobat who performs in the Rathabeedi displayed several acts and later put forth a challenge. He proclaimed that he would swallow the Ananteshwara Temple after his performance. Some people who heard this informed Shri Raghupraveera Teertha who was seated at the porch of the matha. His Holiness wore a smile and jokingly responded in Tulu “āye anantēśvaran nuṅguvenā. Āt pukuḷi nuṅguvenā?” meaning would he swallow Ananteshwara or hips?
Shortly thereafter, inorder to fructify his proclamation, the acrobat began to open his mouth wide and pretended as if he were to swallow. Then all the people who had gathered there broke into laughter. He then realised that his hypnotic act had become a reverse dart and it appeared to the audience as though he was swallowing hips instead of the temple. Enraged by the insult, he got to know that this was the doing of His Holiness. He vowed to teach His Holiness a lesson.
The next morning, Shri Raghupraveera Teertha who was in the paryaya peeta at the time bathed and sat down to offer libations. In a few minutes, he had an urge to empty his bladder. He got up to relieve himself, had a bath again and began the offering.He developed an urgency yet again. This recurred tens of times posing as a hurdle to offer libations. This strange problem which wasn’t experienced hitherto had His Holiness worried. Thence, someone approached His Holiness and told him ‘That acrobat has been immersing in a stream, bringing up a handful of water and offering oblations’. His Holiness closed his eyes for a few moments and recited mantras. He then called upon one of his attendant and instructed him to go to the garden and cut the head of a banana plant with a sword and return.
That being done, the frequent urge to relieve his bladder stopped. Water was overflowing from the banana stem that was cut off. Thereafter, His Holiness bathed, offered libations, worship and accepted alms without any impediments. After having food at the matha, when the brahmanas were returning home, they found the acrobat still dipping into the stream and offering oblations. The brahmanas who spotted him, informed him that His Holiness had successfully performed worship and other rituals. Having learnt of the manner in which His Holiness had countered his ill deed, he accepted defeat and filled with remorse, he pleaded to be forgiven and surrendered to His Holiness.
Another miracle performed by His Holiness during his paryaya tenure was pertaining to a cow of the matha named Narmade. Her milk was used everyday for the panchamruta abhisheka of Lord Krishna. She was extremely dear to His Holiness. This incident exemplifies the intensity of the penance of His Holiness.
One day, Narmade who was out to graze did not return to her shed even at nightfall. The following day when milk didn’t arrive for the panchamruta abhisheka, His Holiness was informed about the cow being killed by a tiger. That news brought immense sorrow to His Holiness. He sat in padmasana and was so engrossed in meditation that he didn’t get up even to offer worship. Eventually, the tiger which was wandering around came running to the main entrance of Shri Krishna Matha, battled for life and succumbed. Only then did His Holiness bathe, offer worship and accept food. After this incident, people began addressing His Holiness as the Seer who killed the tiger (pili kerti svāmuḷu). This name is so popular to date that several people are unaware of his original name.
Thus, with the strength of his penance, His Holiness displayed several glorious feats and worshipped Shri Ramachandra and Pranadevaru with pure devotion for four decades. In Shalivahana shaka 1718 (1795 A.D.) Rakshasa samvatsara shravana bahula bidige, he attained the feet of Lord Krishna at his shelter. His vrindavana is in the middle of the vrindavanas at the right side of Krishna Matha. Infinite prostrations to such an eminent seer.