Guru Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralayam
The devotees of Guru Raghavendra, knows very well, that Guru Raghavendra is a staunch devotee of Lord Hanuman. Before entering into the Brindavanam shrine at Mantralayam, Guru Raghavendra visited Panchamukhifor several times, and performed meditation on Lord Hanuman. Pleased by his devotion, Lord Hanuman had emerged from the place as Panchamukha Hanuman (Five faced Hanuman) where our Guru performed meditation, blessed him, and also granted few boons to him. The present idol situated in the Panchamukha Hanuman Temple at Panchamukhi is a self-emanated one, and the temple is situated just a few kilometres far away from Mantralayam. Devotees who visit Mantralayam must surely visit the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple also, in order to get the blessings of both the Lord and the Guru.
Guru Raghavendra was first born as ShankuKarna, during the first Satya Yuga, and during that time itself, he was very much attached with Lord Vayu Bhagavan, the wind god. And subsequently when ShankuKarna took birth as Vyasaraja and Guru Raghavendra in this Kali Yuga, he was born as a Madhwa Saint, and Sri Madhwa is none other than an aspect of Lord Vayu Bhagavan. Vyasaraja had built several hundred shrines of Lord Hanuman, and in all the shrines, a beautiful bell would decorate the tail of Hanuman deity.
When Guru Raghavendra took birth as the great Bahlika Raja, during the previous Dwapara Yuga, though he fought in favour of the Kauravas, he very much liked Bheema, who was an aspect of Lord Vayu Bhagavan, and during the Kurukshetra war, though he fought bravely, but, he was defeated by Bheema, and Bheema killed Bahlika through his mace weapon.
From the above details, it was clearly known that how our holy Guru has kept continuous interaction with the various avatars of Lord VayuBhagavan, and even still now, he is sincerely meditating Lord Hanuman along with Lord Rama, at his Mantralayam Samadhi Shrine. We can also find a big image of Lord Hanuman opposite to the Main Shrine of Guru Raghavendra at Mantralayam. Hanuman and Guru Raghavendra cannot be separated from each other, since their friendly relationship continues since from the first Satya Yuga.
When Sangukarna was cursed by Lord Brahma, and when he was incarnated as Prahalada, it was the great VayuBhagavan who consoled him, and promised him, that he would remain with him permanently during each and every Yuga. When Prahalada married the pious girl Devi, it was the great VayuBhagavan, who was present at the place of wedding ceremony, and blessed the newly wedded couple.
“OM SRI HANUMANTHA RAGHAVENDRAYA NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR