Mantralaya-2073
(Helavanakatte Giriyamma - 2)
Date : Dec 18, 2025
Dear Devotees : Namaskara.
| Sri MannMoolaRamastu Mannmathe Moolamahasamsthhaana Mantralaya Sri Rayaramathe||
|| OM SRI RAGHAVENDRAAYA NAMAHA||
Background
A
great spiritually enlightened personality of the Haridasa tradition,
Helavanakatte Giriyamma, is described here (Part 2 of 2).in Mantralaya
(2073).
Meaning
In
the previous episode, we witnessed the sacred beginnings of Giriyamma’s
life. We reflected on her birth, her marriage, and the early unfolding
of her spiritual journey. Like a precious gem hidden within the earth,
her devotion was quietly forming, waiting for the right moment to
shine. By the grace of the Lord, we also beheld the divine miracle that
revealed the deep spiritual bond between Sri Gopala Dasaru and
Giriyamma, a moment that confirmed the purity of her path and the depth
of her surrender.
In this episode, we continue Giriyamma’s
sacred journey. Here, her inner light begins to shine more brightly,
revealing the strength of her faith, the simplicity of her devotion,
and the quiet miracles that flow from a life fully offered to Hari.
Sri
SumateendraTeertharu of the Mantralaya Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt holds
a place of deep reverence in the Madhwa and Vaishnava traditions. His
life and spiritual greatness were reflected upon in our earlier
Mantralaya series, where we saw how his wisdom, discipline, and
devotion continued the luminous legacy of Sri Raghavendra Swamy.
By
divine will, Sri SumateendraTeertharu arrived at the home of Giriyamma
to perform the sacred Moola Rama Devara Pooja. This was no ordinary
visit, for the worship of Sri Moola Rama carries within it the living
presence of Lord Rama Himself. The divine idol of Sri Moola Rama was
crafted by Vishwakarma at the command of Sri Rama and Sita. From the
very beginning, Moola Rama was worshipped by Brahma, Shiva, by great
sages and devas and by the kings of the Solar dynasty. Sri Rama Himself
revealed this idol as His own manifest presence, making it the most
sacred form of worship for His devotees.
Through the Treta and
Dvapara Yugas, the idol was lovingly protected by Sita Devi, Hanuman
and Bhimasena. In the Kali Yuga, by divine arrangement, it remained
hidden within the royal treasury of Kalinga until the Lord decided that
its glory should once again shine upon the world. Through Sri
Madhvacharyaru and his disciple Sri NarahariTeertharu, the sacred idol
emerged and was firmly established in the revered Dvaita tradition.
From that time onward, it was preserved and worshipped by the great
pontiffs of the Madhwa lineage, each serving as a guardian of this
eternal treasure.
By the command of Goddess Vagdevi, who
proclaimed that she resides wherever Sri Moola Rama is worshipped, Sri
Raghavendra Swamy was chosen to serve this ancient and divine idol.
Accepting Paramahamsa Sannyasa, Sri Rayaru became renowned as Vidya
Samrat, dedicating his life to the daily worship of Sri Moola Rama.
Through his devotion, praised and sung by the Haridasas, Sri Moola Rama
continued to shine as the eternal source of bhakti, wisdom, and
liberation for all seekers.
It was with this sacred lineage and
divine responsibility that Sri SumateendraTeertharu decided to perform
the Moola Rama Devara Pooja at the home of Giriyamma.
Giriyamma’s
pure devotion and inner radiance soon drew the compassionate attention
of Sri Sumatindra Teertharu. While he was deeply absorbed in the sacred
worship of Sri Moola Rama, a wondrous event unfolded. To his amazement,
the divine idol was no longer upon the pedestal.
Looking around
in astonishment, Sri SumateendraTeertharu beheld a sight filled with
grace and sweetness. The Lord Himself had appeared in the form of a
small child, joyfully playing near Giriyamma as she sang with simple
love and innocence. Her song was not a learned display, but a stream of
pure devotion flowing straight from the heart.
In that sacred
moment, Sri SumateendraTeertharu understood the truth. He realized that
Giriyamma was no ordinary devotee. The Lord had revealed her inner
state through His own playful presence. Recognizing her divine nature
and the depth of her surrender, the revered pontiff bowed inwardly to
the mystery of bhakti, where the Lord leaves the altar and runs to the
call of a true devotee’s love.
After the sacred pooja was
completed, Sri SumateendraTeertharu called Giriyamma forward and asked
her to receive the theertha first. Seeing this, some among the gathered
people objected. In their ignorance, they questioned how the theertha
could be offered first to a woman who had not been blessed with a child
for a long time.Hearing this, Sri SumatindraTeertharu felt deep sorrow
at their lack of understanding. With great compassion and firmness, Sri
SumateendraTeertharu addressed them and said that Giriyamma was the
most divine soul present in that entire assembly. He then called her to
the front once again and personally offered her the theertha first,
honoring her pure devotion and inner greatness.
Giriyamma
received the theertha with humility and grace. Her heart overflowing
with devotion, she composed and sang a beautiful song in praise of Sri
Moola Rama. With folded hands and tears of surrender, she took the
blessings of Sri SumateendraTeertharu, while those present witnessed a
living lesson in true devotion, where purity of heart rises far above
all worldly measures.
The next day, during the sacred tapta
mudra ceremony (Tapta Mudra ceremony is a sacred Vaishnava initiation
where the heated Shankha and Chakra marks signify complete surrender
and lifelong dedication to Lord Vishnu.), Giriyamma stepped forward
with humility to receive the holy marks. She gently extended her hands,
ready to accept the sacred rite like any other devotee. At that moment,
Sri SumateendraTeertharu looked at her with deep compassion and quietly
stopped her. With a tender smile, he said, “My child, your hands
already bear the natural marks of the Shankha and the Chakra. Sri
Krishna already resides in your hands. You do not require the tapta
mudra.”
Turning to the devotees gathered there, Sri
SumateendraTeertharu spoke with solemn clarity. He declared that
Giriyamma was no ordinary person and that Sri Krishna was always
present with her. Then he revealed a sacred truth known only to
realized souls. He said that Giriyamma was the incarnation of Mother
Yashoda herself, the blessed mother who once held Sri Krishna in her
arms and bound Him with love.
The gathering stood in silent awe
as the depth of Giriyamma’s devotion and divine identity was revealed.
What the world had seen as simplicity was now known as greatness and
what appeared ordinary was unveiled as the presence of the eternal
motherly love that even the Lord bows before.This divine acknowledgment
silenced all who had mocked her for being childless. The world now knew
that she was a true mother to the Lord Himself.
Many other
miracles illuminated Giriyamma’s sacred path. Once, when the land
around Helavanakatte lay parched in a cruel drought and the cattle were
dying of thirst, Giriyamma walked into the dry tank bed and sang a
heartfelt prayer, beseeching Sri Ranga to shower His mercy upon the
people. As her voice trembled with devotion, clouds gathered, thunder
rolled across the sky, and the rains poured down, filling the tank and
saving the village from famine.
On another occasion, a
precious ring belonging to the deity Sri Ranga went missing and
suspicion fell upon the innocent priest. Seeing the injustice,
Giriyamma closed her eyes and through divine vision, perceived that a
tiny sparrow had carried the ruby-studded ring away, mistaking its
glitter for food. She sang a gentle, loving song calling the golden
sparrow to return. In an instant, the little bird descended and dropped
the ring at her feet, clearing the priest of all blame.
Giriyamma’s
divine experiences found their voice in poetry. Under the ankita
“Helavanakatte Ranga,” she composed more than forty narrative poems and
countless keertanas. Her language was never ornate or scholarly, it was
simple, tender, musical and brimming with heartfelt devotion. Among her
cherished works are Chandrahasana Kathe, Uddalikana Kathe, the
Koravanji poems and the ever popular Sita Kalyana, still sung today in
Kannada weddings as a blessing for the newlyweds. Her core philosophy
was the path of pure, loving devotion and total surrender. While
scholars debated and philosophers analyzed, she offered the gentle,
intimate call of a mother. She embraced the Lord with the innocence and
love of a child. Her spirituality was never intellectual, it was deeply
personal, intimate and filled with warmth that touched every heart.
In
her final days, Giriyamma’s devotion deepened into a state of complete
and uninterrupted absorption in the Lord. On Shravana Shuddha Panchami,
she is said to have walked to the banks of the Tungabhadra near
Komaranahalli. There, in an act of supreme surrender, she entered the
waters and attained Jalasamadhi, merging forever with the Lord she had
cherished and served as her own child. Today, a small shrine stands at
that sacred spot, holding the silent presence of a saint whose life was
lived entirely in love and devotion.
Even today, when devotees
sing “Maleya Dayamadu Rangayya,” a sudden wave of devotion rises in
their hearts, as if Giriyamma herself is calling out to her beloved
Ranga. Her life reminds us that God is never distant. He hears the
voice of a pure heart. He dances to the songs of true devotion. And He
rushes to answer the call of one who loves Him with the tender love of
a mother.
Helavanakatte Giriyamma lives on in the fragrance of
her songs, in the miracles cherished by generations, in the temple that
nurtured her unwavering devotion, and above all, in the hearts of those
who seek God not through fear or ritual alone but through the
boundless, tender love of a child held close to the heart.
The devotion towards
Sri Raghavendrateertharu is the ultimate truth and is the most simple
and effective way to reach Sri Hari - "NAMBI KETTAVARILLAVO EE
GURUGALA"! “Those who have complete faith in this Guru will never be
disappointed.”
|| BICHALI JAPADAKATTI SRI APPANACHARYA PRIYA MANTRALAYA
SRI RAGHAVENDRATEERTHA GURUBHYO NAMAHA||