Legend Of Sree Raghavendra Swamy
There are a number of miracles associated with the life of Guru Raghavendra, which the devotees all over the world still revere and eulogize. One such miracle happened when Sri Raghavendra was in Grihastaashram. One day he went to a village for a religious function. There he was asked to grind sandal paste for the guests to apply on their bodies after dinner. Since Venkatanatha was reciting Agni Sukta while grinding the sandalwood, the guests felt a burning sensation all over their bodies as soon as they applied the sandal paste. Realizing this, Venkatanatha recited the Varuna Sukta and relieved the guests of their burning sensation.
A poor illiterate boy by the same name Venkanna from a village near Adoni had the good fortune of meeting Sri Raghavendra during one of his tours. The Guru blessed the boy and promised to help him whenever he needs. Once the boy was confronted by some soldiers of the Nawab and asked to read a message, which was in a foreign language not known to the soldiers. Venkanna was perplexed and pleaded with them that he couldnt read, but when the soldiers threatened him with dire consequences, Venkanna prayed to Guru Raghavendra to save him from the predicament. His prayers were answered immediately: he was able to read the message. It was a good tiding for the Nawab from the battlefield. The happy soldiers took Venkanna to the court and he was given a job. With the passage of time, he rose to a good position and became the Dewan of Adoni. Later when Guru Raghavendra passed through Adoni, Venkanna and the people of Adoni accorded him a grand welcome. Venkanna persuaded the Nawab to have a meeting with Guru Raghavendra. When the Nawab came to meet Sri Raghavendra, he wanted to test the Guru and presented him with a plateful of non-vegetarian food covered with a silk cloth. Before accepting the plate, Shri Raghavendra sprinkled holy water on it, and to the surprise of the Nawab, the food items turned into flowers and fruits! Realizing the greatness of the Guru, the Nawab begged his pardon and offered him several villages as gift. But the Guru accepted only Manchala for his Brindavanam. The Guru knew that Manchala was associated with Prahlad, as he had performed a sacrifice there.
During the English rule, an officer of the East India Company, Sir Thomas Munroe, came to Mantralayam on a mission to revoke the grants given by the government. Even as he was approaching the Brindavanam, he had the vision of the Guru himself rising from the sacred spot and spoke to him for the cause of a Raghavendraswami Mutt. Munroe realized the greatness of the Guru and ordered that the endowments can continue. The sudden change of mind of the Englishman surprised all those present there. In another instance, a disciple of Guru Raghavendra managed to help a poor family to get rid of the evil spirits tormenting them for years with the sacred ash given by his Guru. The poor woman was begetting child, but to their great disappointment, every time when a child was born, it did not survive. The couple was in a depressed state. One day, Shri Raghavendras disciple happened to pass by and visit them. The woman had just then delivered a child. The elders reported the sad developments to the Gurus disciple. By using the sacred ash given by his Guru, the disciple is said to have driven away the evil spirit, and the child finally survived to the pleasant surprise of all. The family was so impressed that they gave a girl from the family in marriage to the Gurus disciple.
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