SRI NAARAYANA THEERTHA SWAAMIGAL

Govinda, son of Nilakanta Sastri, born in the year 1675 A.D in a village in Guntur Dist.( Andra Pradesh) was an expert in music and Bhaagavatam.  In due course, he became grihastha and was later initiated into Sanyasa Ashrama by Sri Sivaramananda Theertha and became Sri Naarayana Theertha.  At that time he was suffering from a severe attack of stomach pain.

When Naarayana Theertha was at the foot of the Tirupati Hills while on pilgrimage, a divine voice directed him to go to a shrine near Tiruvaiyar.  Proceeding as  directed, he halted for a night in a Ganesa Temple, at Nadukkaveri, about 4 miles from Thiruvaiyar.  Next morning he again received divine orders to follow two Swetavarahas which he saw while offering prayers to Ganesa.  These varahas (pig) led him upto Bhoopathirajapuram where they entered the Sanctum Sanctorum of the temple and disappeared.  Naarayana Theertha who was cured of his ailment in the temple stayed there for the rest of his life.

Moved by his grace in curing his chronic ailment., Naarayana Theertha composed the immortal Krishna Leela Tarangini a Sanskrit dance drams, rich in music and Bhava.  The subject matter relates to the Dasamaskanda of Bhaagavatam, depicting the story from the birth of Lord Krishna of his marriage with Rukmini.

In varahoor he established a Bhajana Sampradaya and his disciples sang his musical play and celebrated Gokulashtami every year. "Uriyadi" festival is even now celebrated at Varahoor on the ninth day of the eleven-day Janmashtami festival as Garbhotsava with a special function "Rukmini Kalyanam" on the 10th day and the festival concludes on the next day with Anjaneya Utsavam.  This festival attracts a large concourse of Bhaktas and Musicians from various parts of the country.

Naarayana Theertha was one of those who popularised the Bhagavata tradition and spread the cult of adoring the Lord with song and dance.  Adherents of Bhajana sampradaya and musicians who render "Tarangams" in music concerts reverentially refer to him as "Theertha Naarayana Swamigal".

Sri Naarayana Theertha entered Samadhi on the Masi Sukla Ashtami on a Thursday in Kirthika star in the year 1745 A.D.

SRI THEERTHA NARAYANA SWAMIKI JAI!!