The aradhane of one of the most important seers of the
Raghavendra Swamy Matha just concluded. He occupied the post of
the Sri Matha after Vibhudendra Theertha. However, he did not enter the
Brindavana alive or dead. He vanished into thin air after the swirling waters of
the Krishna covered
him.
Known as Jitamitra, he was the head of the Sri Matha for
a short time-from 1490 to 1493. However, this duration was enough to place the
fledgling Sri Matha on a firm footing.
The Aradhane of
Jitamitra Theertha was celebrated on December 24. It is believed that in
his next avavtar Jitamitra Theertha became Sudhindra Theertha-the Guru of
Raghavendra Theertha or Raghavendra Swamy, while his Guru-Vibhudendra Theertha
took avatara as Vijendra Theertha.
Jitendra Theertha had visited Bichale during one of his
visits and he planted the Gum tree or Gona (in Kannada Gone means Gum) which in
later years Appancharya made use of to cook rice. Though the tree was destroyed
by the floods of the Tungabhadra river in 2009, a sapling of the original tree
still exists.
Once Jitamitra Theertha was teaching his students in
December 1493 at a place now known as Jitamitra Gadde, 32 kms from Raichur
Krishna-Bheema river basin in Shivapura of Shahapur Taluk in Gulbarga
The Krishna was then in
floods and the water level suddenly rose, inundating several areas. The students
and others ran away, leaving Jitamitra Theertha behind. Soon, the seer was
engulfed by the flood waters and for a week the waters never
receded.
On the seventh day, when the waters receded, the
disciples, students and others were astounded to see Jitamitra Theertah still
sitting under the tree. When they went near, they found the seer was not wet and
that his body remained bone dry.
He subsequently disappeared from the very place into the
Gum tree and today there is a memorial at the spot denoting the place. There is,
however, no brindavana for Jitamitra Theertha.
He is the fourth Madhwa saint after Madhwacharya and his
brother Visnhu Theertha of Sode and Subramanya Matha and Brahamnye Theertha of
Vyasaraja Matha to disappear.
Today the tree still stands and it is worshipped. The
area around it is called Jitamitra Gadde, as small island which is approachable
from Raichur and Gulbarga
Jitamitra Theertha’s Poorvashrama name was
Ananthappa.
He had lost his father at a very young age and the
responsibility of bringing him up fell on his sister who had become a widow. The
upanayana of Ananthappa was conducted when he was eight.
He assisted his sister in grazing cattle, ploughing the
fields and sowing seeds in Shivapura, a small village in Gulbarga
They both together worked in their fields to make ends
meet.
Every morning, Anantappa performed sandhyavandana and other poojas. He then
joined his sister in the fields. Since
he had to work, he took out the sacred thread-Janavara- and hung it on a
tree.
Once Vibhudendra Theertha happened to pass by and he
noticed Ananthappa. When told the boy was a Brahmin, the seer asked Anantappa
where his sacred thread was.
Ananthappa replied that he had hung the thread back home
as he had to plough the field. Vibudendra Theertha then taught the boy the
importance of never removing the sacred thread.
He then visited the house of Ananthappa and spent time
there. He performed the pooje of Moola Rama and gave daily
discourses.
After some time, he gave a Narasimha saligrama to
Ananthappa and asked him to worship it.
By then, Vibhudendra Theertha realised that Ananthappa
was none other than an avatar of Rudra.
After Vibhudendra Theertha left his house, Ananthappa regularly performed
Saligrama pooje.
When he performed the Saligrama pooje the first time, he
offered Naivedya to the Saligrama. When the Saligrama did not take the Naivedya,
an angry Ananthappa decided to hit himself with the
Saligrama.
When there was no response, he began hitting his head
with the Saligrama. The Saligrama then opened its mouth and ate the Naiveidya.
Soon this became a regular routine.
Ananthappa first offered food to the Saligrama. Only
then would Ananthappa and his sister eat
Meanwhile, Vibudendra Theertha who had gone on sanchara
to north India
Vibudendra Theertha then gave sanyasashrama and the
Samstana box to Anantappa and named him as Jitamitra Theertha. He then entered
Brindavana at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.
There are many miracles associated with Jitamitra
Theertha.
If you are coming from Raichur, get down at the railway
station and Jitamitra Gadde is 50 kms away. You can either take a bus or rail.
The Intercity Express leaves Raichur at 7 a.m. Get down at Saidapur station
(Narayanapet
Road
For bus route from Raichur take the Gabbur- Googal Bridge
