SRI VYASATIRTHA & A VEERASHAIVA TELUGU POET

This article is about an anecdote found in a Telugu book on Andhra literature in Vijayanagara which throws light on Sri Vyasatirtha’s persona.

Tekumalla Achyuta Rao, a Telugu writer specialised in history of Telugu literature wrote a book titled “Vijayanagara mandali Andhra Vangmaya Charitramu” (విజయనగరమందలి ఆంధ్ర వాజ్ఞ్మయ చరిత్రము) which means “The History of Telugu Literature in Vijayanagara.” This book was published in 1933. 

This account tells us as to how Sri Vyasatirtha been a benefactor of talented poets & scholars regardless of their social status or religious affiliations.

ABOUT THE TELUGU POET:

According to Achyuta Rao, Vejendla Madayya Kavi flourished during Saluva Narasimharaya period and wrote few kAvyA-s such as Devendra Vijaya . He had an elder brother, Mallanna, who too was a scholar and highly proficient in Ramayana. Both the brothers have come from an ordinary family but rose to prominence in the court of Vijayanagara due to their poetic & scholarly talents.

Mallanna was an excellent orator & was giving discourses in Hampi city on Ramayana. Madayya was a gifted poet in Telugu language.

Madayya too became a favourite of Vijayanagara court and was felicitated by Saluva Narasimha for his poetic skills. He was also felicitated by the rulers of Nandapura & Kimide provinces.

Gopa mantri, a minister of Vijayanagara, recorded the names of kings that felicitated Madayya.

The list includes the rulers of Nandapura and Kimide provinces which were actually part of Kalinga desha ruled by Gajapatis. But these rulers were in revolt against Gajapatis as they were not only loyal to but also related to the Ganga dynasty ousted by Gajapatis.

This way, there was a cordial relationship between Nandapura, Kimide rulers & Vijayanagara. Hence Madayya was felicitated by these rulers as well. In fact, Nandapura & Kimide armies have inflicted countable defeats on Gajapati armies.

But the author of the book, Achyuta Rao, attributes the raise of Madayya and his brother Mallanna as celebrities in Vijayanagara and other Telugu dominions to Sri Vyasatirtha.

SRI VYASATIRTHA’S PATRONAGE:

The author says that Madayya wrote a kAvya “mairAvaNa charitra” also called as “Hanumadvijaya” (హనుమద్విజయ; ಹನುಮದ್ವಿಜಯ; हनुमद्विजय)   extolling the adventures of Hanuma. At that time, Saluva Narasimha was the emperor of Vijayanagara and Sri Vyasatirtha was the most revered saint of those times.

Achyuta Rao opines that Madayya’s kAvya on exploits of Hanuma has reached Sri Vyasatirtha, the worshiper of Hanuma in the form of ‘mukhyaprANa.’ (ಮುಖ್ಯಪ್ರಾಣ, ముఖ్యప్రాణ, मुख्यप्राण). Thus graced by the guardian saint of emperor Narasimharaya, Madayya gained recognition in Vijayanagara & in other dominions.

According to Achyuta Rao, Mallanna, the elder brother of Madayya kavi, who was proficient in Ramayana discourses too was recognised and encouraged by Sri Vyasatirtha.

Moot points to be noted here are that Sri Vyasatirtha spared time to read/listen to a kAvya written by a lesser known poet & an orator hailing from an ordinary family. Sri Vyasatirtha didn’t discriminate the brothers for being lingadhAri vIrashaivas & worshipers of God Shiva in the form of Bhimeshwara enshrined in Gudivada town. Instead he recognised their talents and provided them with a bigger platform.

Sri Srinivasa Tirtha, successor of Sri Vyasatirtha, hailed his Guru as “arthi kalpita kalpOyaM” – “capable of fulfilling the supplicants’ wishes.” This episode of Mallanna & Madayya brothers serve as yet-another proof of Sri Vyasaraya’s largesse.

SOURCE:

Vijayanagaramandali Andhra Vajnmaya Charitramu – Vol 2 by Tekumalla Achyuta Rao.