Vadiraja Bio
Vadiraja Bio
Vadiraja Bio
Saint Vadiraja is one of the foremost among the Haridasas of Karnataka. His contribution
to society as a composer, religious leader and a scholar is unique and invaluable. While
his work was largely unexposed as compared to the works of his more famous
contemporaries (Puranadara Dasa and Kanakadasa), today there is a growing awareness
about this great Saint and his compositions.
Vadiraja began his spiritual journey under the guidance of Sri Vagisha Tirtha and was
bestowed with the title of Vadiraja Tirtha. From then he continued his life as a staunch
Madhwa saint, committed to the cause of spreading Dwaitha philosophy.
Vadiraja’s chosen deity was Hayagriva (or Hayavadana), one of the forms of Lord
Vishnu. He adopted ‘Hayavadana’ as his ‘ankita’ (signature) in his compositions.
Sri Vadiraja grew in knowledge and experience, and became the head of the Sode Mutt
(one of the Ashtamathas – eight Mutts – in Udupi). He is responsible for introducing the
Paryaya system in Udupi, whereby each of the 8 Mutts is responsible for the puja and
upkeep of the Krishna temple in Udupi for a period of two years. Thus, one entire cycle
of Paryayas spans sixteen years, and this ensured an equitable distribution of privileges
and responsibilities between all the Mutts. He travelled extensively to all the famous
pilgrimage sites in India and chronicled his travels in a treatise known as the “Tirtha
Prabandha”. He was adept in both Sanskrit and Kannada. His other famous works include
“Rukmineesha Vijaya”, “Yuktimalika”, “Mahabharata Tatparyanirnayatika” and others.
Sri Vadiraja was also aware of the ways of society around him and used his compositions
to gently chastise those on the wrong path. In one composition – “hanave ninnaya
gunavenu”, he sarcastically says that one without money (‘hana”) is equivalent to a
corpse (“hena”)! It seems as though things weren’t very different from today in the 16th
century! Then in the same composition, he describes how money could make one forget
the Lord, and thus warns people against greed.
Despite being a sanyasi, who was never bound by material ties, Vadiraja has composed
many beautiful javali-like compositions, which are filled with sringara rasa. These
describe the longing of the nayika for her Lord Krishna. These compositions are all the
more remarkable because javalis are supposed to be fairly recent compositions in the
Carnatic tradition, but Vadiraja seems to have composed these much earlier.
Sri Vadiraja lived for 120 years and finally attained Samadhi in 1600 AD in Sode.
Today, Sode Mutt is a divine spiritual centre, where scores of devotees come to pray
every day. Yet, nestled in the hills, far from the commercialism of cities, it retains its
pristine natural beauty and fills devotees with peace of mind and fulfilment.
Along with Kanakadasa, Purandara Dasa and many others, Vadiraja Tirtha is a fine
example of the Haridasa movement that has left its indelible mark on society for
centuries.