Sri Vyasarajaru was the son of Ballanna & Sumati also called Ramacharya and Lakshmidevi, a brahmin couple of Bannur near 9 kms from Mysore city. They were great devotees. They had no issues for a long time. They were praying to God for progency. It is in this place and environment that Sri Vyasarajaru who is believed to be an avatar of Prahlada was born. (1447 AD) This brought a sense of fulfillment to the aged couples through the grace of saint Sri Brahmanya Theertharu of Abburu near Channapatna town. The saint took a promise, as usual in many cases that the boy should be given to the mutt. The boy was named Yathiraja and brought up by parents. After performing upanayana, he was sent to the mutt for higher education. After four years he returned home and later learnt Kavya, Nataka, Vykarana. Then the Sri Brahmanaya Theertharu sent for the boy, as agreed. Though the parents were reluctant to part with the boy, they had to submit themselves to the promise and the boy was left under the custody of the saint who treated him with greater affection than the parents. The saint was impressed by the wide range of the boy’s intellect, his great eloquence, his graceful form and his commanding personality. He gave him Sanyasahram with the name Sri Vyasa Theertharu.
Sri Vyasa Theertharu then undertook a tour of India . At Kanchi his extraordinary learning evoked profound admiration of the pandits there. There were jealous pandits also, who tried to poison him. But by divine grace was unhurt. He proceeded to Mulabagalu, then a centre of learning. Sri Sripadarajaru welcomed this young yati. Sri Vyasa Theertharu learnt all the secrets of vedantic lore. Sri Sripadarajaru found in him extraordinary merit.
He was sent to the court of Saluva Narasimha of Chandragiri. He performed pooja for lord Srinivasa at Tirumala hills, for 12 years. Later he went to the court of Vijayanagar. Sri Krishnadevaraya was the king who looked upon him as his kulaguru and was always ready to carry out his wishes. It was not the power, but he was all the time making profuse benefactions in the cause of learning and for the maintenance of Dharma. He was founding Agraharas to foster learning and Dharma.
When he was made kulaguru, it created a feeling of great jealousy. Learned men from different parts of India came and disputed the position. Sri Vyasarajaru easily vanquished his opponents. His eloquence was a spiritual and intellectual treat. He strengthened and adorned the Madhva school of thought and brought it in to the highest pinnacle of temporal recognition.
After the victorious battle at Raichuru by Krishnadevaraya, he conducted a durbar in which he seated Sri Vyasarajaru on a seat of GOLD when men of learning and warriors prostrated themselves before Sri Vyasarajaru. He performed Ratnabhisheka with all precious stones. Sri Vyasarajaru did not take any of them. They were distributed to the men of learning, warriors, and even Muslim chiefs who were serving the king. Vyasa samudra was built at Kandakur near Madanapalli village
Sri Vyasarajaru averted the danger to Krishnadevaraya from KUHUYOGA. An inauspicious combination of planets- by himself sitting on the throne during that time and overcoming it with his Taposhakti.
He lived for a glorious life of 93 years full of extraordinary achievements. Sri Vyasarajaru left this world on Saturday the 8th March 1539 (Vilambi Nama samvatsara Phalguna bahula Chathurthi).
His works:
Sri Vyasarajaru was born to further the work of elucidating the divine and subtle doctrines of Dwaita philosophy propounded by the great Sri Madhvacharyaru and commented upon by Sri Jaya Theertharu. In his three great works known as VYASATRAYA,--- Nyayavali, Tatparya Chandrika, and Tarka Tandava, he has besides giving his own original teachings , given his explanations and commentaries very clearly on the original texts of Sri Madhvacharya and the teekas of Sri Jaya Theertharu. Hence he is included among the three original thinkers. Every Madhva, sitting before the food that is served, before taking the Aposhana, utter the slokas on Sri Madhvacharyaru first, next Sri Jaya Theertharu and thirdly Sri Vyasarajaru.
He has condensed in a nutshell the important prameyas contained in the 37 works of Sri Madhvacharyaru in a single stanza. This was an answer to a question by a pundit at Kanchi asking to tell about the importance of Madhva Siddhanta in a nutshell.
Thus his works are still a living fount of thought and inspiration to all students of Dwaitha of Indian Philosophy. He composed in Kannada many Keerthanas, Suladhis and Ugabhogas. In these also, he has expounded the highest philosophical truth in easy language. His songs contain beautiful description of Sri Krishna Leela, Krishanee Begane Baro, in raga Yamanakalyani is a rare masterpiece sung in every house.
Sri Vyasarajaru toured all over India, and established that Dwaita Siddhanta was the right and faultless Siddhanta. Pakshadhara Misra, of Kashi who accepted his defeat respectfully admiring the wide learning and loigical arguments by Sri Vyasarajaru presented the Pachhe Linga which is worshipped on Mahashivartri day even now at Kundapura Vyasaraya Mutt. It is in recognition of this triumphal march that Sri Purandaradasaru has said.
Esu Munigalu Iddu Yenu Madidaru
Vyasamuni Madhwa Matavanu Uddharisida
Sri Vyasarajaru was the chancellor of the Imperial University of the Vijayanagar Empire. He sat on the Saraswathi peeta. He was the Guru of a distinguished galaxy of Shishyas, Sri Vijayendraru, Sri Purandaradasaru, Sri Kanakadasaru and so on. These Shishyas kept the light of Indian philosophical thought shining with all brightness for a long time and even after their guru had left this world.
The two outstanding personalities among Vaishnava pontiffs. Sri Vadhirajaru and Sri Vyasarajaru passed away, in the Phalguna Bahula, on two consecutive days, i.e. on Trtiya and Chaturthi of different samvatsara, respectively
Sri Vysarajaru’s brindavana is at Nava Brindavana, in a small island near Bellary by the Tungabhadra River,
Sri Vyasarajaru left his mortal body on 8-3-1539.
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