About Bhatkal Kashi Math and other Temples

From H.L. Kamath's notes in Itihaasada Rashmigalu

Paraśurāma and Dāmodara Devasthānas

This is a temple in which these two deities, Paraśurāma and Dāmodara, are installed in two separate rooms. It is situated near the Śrī Kāśī Maṭha, opposite the Kāmākṣī Temple.

It is said that this temple was established by descendants of Dāma Prabhu, who came to Bhatkal from the Maṭhagrāma of Goa.

Their descendants presently living (when the notes were taken by Shri H.L. Kamath) in Bhatkal are:

• Rāma Prabhu, son of Charda Prabhu;
• Paraśurāma Prabhu;
• Gopāla Prabhu, son of Paraśurāma Prabhu.

When Dāma Prabhu, son of their ancestor Viṭṭhala Prabhu, was living in Madgaon, a copper-plate charter was issued to him by Bhujabalarāya of Vidyānagara in Śaka 1374 (1452 AD). This copper plate was preserved in this temple.

(A copy of the inscription is available at the end of the article.)

It is said that the said inscription may have been taken away by the sister of Nāgūr Vāsudeva Pai, the widow of the last surviving member of the family of the priest (bhaṭṭa) who served the deity. This matter should be investigated and ascertained.

Tirumala Devasthāna

The father of the aforementioned Rāma Prabhu, namely Charda Prabhu, gave the site where the Kāśī Maṭha now stands, together with some property, to Śrī Bhuvanendra Svāmī in the year 188_.

Note - The above seems to be gifted due to the below incident given in Shri V.A. Shenai's book.

"On another occasion, when H.H Shri Swamiji was in Bhatkal, one Cherdayya Prabhu (63 years) belonging to Goud Sarasvata Brahmana community approached H.H Shri Swamiji with his wife and narrated their pitiable condition, for they had no issues. Filled with compassion H.H Shri Swamiji gave them a mantra pinda. Later a son, was born to the couple. Shri Rama Prabhu, the son lived upto a ripe old age and died some years ago."

Because of this, Śrī Bhuvanendra Svāmī constructed the Kāśī Maṭha at its present location. Previously, the Kāśī Maṭha had been situated in Hoṇḍada Keri.

It is said that the Maṭha at Hoṇḍada Keri had originally been constructed by the Malyas. His son Joga Malya subsequently issued a gift charter to Śrī Yādavendra Tīrtha Svāmī in Śaka 1529, in the year Parābhava.

A copy of this inscription is given at end of the article.

This Maṭha was formerly known by the name Tirumala Devasthāna. It continues to be known by that name even today.

There are also separate gift charters given to this Maṭha during the time of Bhuvanendra Svāmī by members of the aforementioned Prabhu family.

Note - The original Samadhi of Srimad Yadavendra Tirtha seems to have been present in the Hondada Keri area, close to Gopi River. Considering that it was in dilapidated state and overcome by the river, Srimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji had constructed the mritika samadhi for Srimad Yadavendra at present site, in current Kashi Math premises in Bhatkal. (source - srimad.org)

A mritika samadhi is constructed by taking the soil from the original samadhi location and building a new samadhi over the soil in new location. This is followed by Raghavendra Math related temples, that establish samadhi shrines wherever they build their temples.

Śrī Kāmākṣī Devasthāna

The aforementioned Kāśī Maṭha had originally been constructed by the Malyas at Hoṇḍada Keri. According to the inscription written by Joga Malya for Yādavendra Tīrtha of the Kāśī Maṭha, the Malyas also constructed the Kāmākṣī Temple adjacent to the Maṭha at Hoṇḍada Keri.

The same temple was subsequently brought from Hoṇḍada Keri and reconstructed along the roadside at the place where the Kāśī Maṭha now stands.

This is a family deity temple (kuladevasthāna). It has kullavi families such as Vaḍēra Beṭṭu Kamath, etc. 

The building is in good condition.

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Copper-plate charter of Bhujabal(a) Raya, the grandson of Ramaraja

[From Saraswat Bhushan, by M. Ramachandra Sharma]

( सारस्वत ब्राह्मण दामप्रभु याचा सन्मान करून त्याला पालखी इत्यादि सत्कारचिन्हें दिलीं, त्याविषयीं. शके १३७४.)

।। अचिंत्याव्यरूपाय निर्गुणाय गुणात्मने ।। समस्तजगदाधारमूर्तये ब्रह्मणे नमः ॥

नमस्तुंगशिरश्चुबिचंद्रचामरचारवे ।। त्रैलोक्यनगरारंभमूलस्तंभाय शंभवे ।। 

स्वस्ति श्रीजयाभ्युदनृपशालिवाहनशक १३७४ ने प्रजापतिसंवत्सरफाल्गुनशुद्ध ५ कुजवार श्रीमत्महामंडलेश्वरसंनिहितपुरवराधीश्वर सद्धर्मकथाप्रसंगादिसमस्तराज्यवन्तु प्रतिपालिसिविद्ध रायराजाधिराजराजराजपरमेश्वर बत्तीसपुत्तलीसिंहासनके वोप्पुव क्षत्रियवंशक्के उत्पन्नराद विद्यानगरद रामराजरायरवर कुमारकराद कृष्णरायरवर कुमारकराद भुजबळरायरू विठ्ठलप्रभूमग दामप्रभू आमगंदिरीगे कोट्टपट्टेभाषाक्रमवेत्यंदरे नावु नम्म सतीसुतरू

बंधुबांधवरू सहा पश्चिमसमुद्रयात्रेगे विजयमाडिद्दलि वब्ब कोंकणदेशद ब्राह्मणनु नंम दळक्के पडिपानंगळु नडशिद्दल्लई ईतगे नावु मेच्चि आव देशद ब्राह्मणनेंदु परशुरामविजय तरशि नोडिद्दल्लई परशुरामसृष्टियाल्लो गोमाचलपर्वतदल्लि दक्षिणदिशाभागदल्लि हाटकेश्वरपाताळलिंगद पूर्वदिशाभागदल्लु सासष्टिग्रामक्के मुख्यवाद अष्टग्रामक्के मुख्यवाद मठग्रामद विश्वामित्राघमर्पणकौशिकगौत्रद्दलि उत्पन्नराद विठ्ठलप्रभूमग दामप्रभू आमगंदिरीगे नावु मेच्चि कोंडु येनु बेकादु बेडी यंदु अप्पणे पालिशिद्दल्लई नीनू निंन सतीसुतरू एकस्तरागि नंम कूडे नंम चित्तक्के ओहुद्दीनिशि कोंडु बेडिडु नंम वर्गदवर तलेहोरे सुंकउ पालेनयागि विट्ठु पालिसेवकेंदु विन्नहा माडिद्दल्लै नावु कोट्टद्द निंन वर्गदवर तलेहोरेसुंकउ पालनेयागि बिठ्ठुकोट्टेबु लन हासु मुत्तिन सेसे कोळलतपटे उभयचामर नानावाद्य आनमेलिन मेरवणिके पलंकीनेरि नंम हजारक्के बंदु इळदु तेजीमंदणेसलुवदु आवदोंदु मर्यादेयूनिंन संततिपारंपर्यागि आचंद्रार्कस्थायागि नडकोंडु

बाहलिके कोट्ट पालनेपट्टे ई तप्युदक्के आदित्यचंद्रावनिलो० १४ मंदि साक्षिगळू ॥

इदन्नु प्रतिपालिशिदवरीगे काशी गया प्रयाग क्षेत्रदल्लि अश्वदान गोदान ब्राह्मणप्रतिष्ठे कन्यादान लिंगप्रतिष्ठे माडिद पुण्यक्के सलुवदु ॥ 

दानपालनयोर्मध्ये दानाछ्रेयोनुपालनं ॥ दानात्स्वर्गमवाप्नोति पालनादच्युतं पदं ॥ 

स्वदत्तां परदत्तां वा यो हरेत वसुंधरां ॥ षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि विष्टायां जायते कृमिः ॥

( हा ताम्रपट कर्नाटक अक्षरी भट्टकळ येथें दामोदर देवस्थानीं आहे. )

Translation

Subject: Honouring the Saraswat Brahmin Dama Prabhu and granting him a palanquin and other marks of honour.

Śaka 1374.

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2. Sanskrit invocation

अचिंत्याव्यरूपाय निर्गुणाय गुणात्मने ।
समस्तजगदाधारमूर्तये ब्रह्मणे नमः ॥

“Salutations to Brahman, whose form is inconceivable and imperishable, who is beyond the guṇas yet is the essence of all qualities, and whose form is the support of the entire universe.”

नमस्तुंगशिरश्चुम्बिचंद्रचामरचारवे ।
त्रैलोक्यनगरारंभमूलस्तंभाय शंभवे ॥

“Salutations to Śambhu (Śiva), whose splendour is like a moon-whisker touching the lofty summit, and who is the foundational pillar upon which the city of the three worlds is established.”

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3. The royal charter

“Hail! Prosperity!

In the victorious Śālivāhana Śaka year 1374, in the year named Prajāpati, on the fifth lunar day of the bright half of Phālguna, on Tuesday—

[There follows the long royal titulature:]

The illustrious Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara, the lord of the eminent city, the protector of the entire kingdom through the promulgation of righteous teachings and other matters of governance, the Rāyarājādhirāja-rājarāja-Parameśvara, seated upon the Thirty-two-Putali throne, born in the Kshatriya lineage—

[The charter then identifies the genealogy:]

Rāmarāja Raya, of Vidyānagara;
his son Kṛṣṇa Raya;
and Kṛṣṇa Raya's son, Bhujabal(a) Raya—

gave this charter to Dāma Prabhu, son of Viṭṭhala Prabhu, of Āmagandiri [reading uncertain].

Having honoured him as follows:

‘Among the Brahmins of the Koṅkaṇa country, who accompanied our army and performed various services for us and our wives, sons, relatives and kinsmen during our victorious expedition to the Western Sea, we were pleased with this particular Brahmin.

Having examined the Paraśurāma-vijaya [account/record of the Paraśurāma creation], we found that, in the land created by Paraśurāma, in the Gomāñcala mountain, in its southern region, to the east of the Hāṭakeśvara Pātāla-liṅga, among the sixty-six villages, the eight principal villages, and the Maṭha village, there were Brahmins belonging to the Viśvāmitra–Āghamarṣaṇa–Kauśika gotra.

Among them is Dāma Prabhu, son of Viṭṭhala Prabhu.

We, being pleased with him, asked him:

“What do you desire? Ask for whatever you wish, and we shall grant it.”

Then you, together with your wife, sons and descendants, having become united with us in affection, asked that we should grant you, through the officers of our establishment, the following privilege:

[grant concerning] head-tax / tala-hore, sunku (customs/tax) and their administration/collection [some wording is difficult to read].’

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4. The honours and privileges granted

“We therefore granted to you the right of administering/receiving the tale-hore and sunku [the precise fiscal terms are somewhat uncertain in the transcription], and also granted:

• a golden palanquin,
• a pearl [ornament/decoration],
• a silk/ceremonial cloth,
• two chowries (fly-whisks),
• various musical instruments,
• a ceremonial procession,
• and the privilege of travelling in a palanquin,

together with the right to come before us with your people, and to alight [from the palanquin] before us.

We have granted these things as marks of honour, to be enjoyed by you and your descendants in perpetuity, from generation to generation, for as long as the sun and moon endure.

This grant is to be observed and maintained.

There were fourteen witnesses to this grant.”

The text then gives the customary religious sanction:

इदन्नु प्रतिपालिशिदवरीगे काशी गया प्रयाग क्षेत्रदल्लि अश्वदान गोदान ब्राह्मणप्रतिष्ठे कन्यादान लिंगप्रतिष्ठे माडिद पुण्यक्के सलुवदु ॥

“To whoever protects and maintains this grant shall accrue the merit obtained by making gifts of horses and cows, establishing Brahmins, giving a daughter in marriage, and establishing a liṅga at the sacred places of Kāśī, Gayā and Prayāga.”

Then the standard Sanskrit injunction:

दानपालनयोर्मध्ये दानाच्छ्रेयोऽनुपालनम् ।
दानात्स्वर्गमवाप्नोति पालनादच्युतं पदम् ॥

“Between making a donation and protecting a donation, the protection of a donation is superior. By giving, one attains heaven; by protecting [the gift], one attains the imperishable state.”

And:

स्वदत्तां परदत्तां वा यो हरेत वसुंधराम् ।
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि विष्टायां जायते कृमिः ॥

“Whoever takes away land given by himself or by another becomes a worm in excrement for sixty thousand years.”

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5. Note concerning the plate

हा ताम्रपट कर्नाटक अक्षरी भट्टकळ येथें दामोदर देवस्थानीं आहे.

“This copper plate, written in the Karnataka script, is at the Dāmodara temple at Bhatkal.”

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Donation Charter issued by Joga Malya

A copy of the donation charter issued by Joga Malya, son of Ananta Malya of Bhatkal, to Śrī Yādavendra Tīrtha Śrīpāda Vaḍēra:

namastuṅga-śiraś-cumbi-candra-cāmara-cārave
trailokya-nagarārambha-mūla-stambhāya śambhave ||

“Salutations to Śambhu, whose lofty head is kissed by the moon, who is beautiful like a cāmara, and who is the foundational pillar upon which the city of the three worlds rests.”

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Svasti. In the victorious Śālivāhana Śaka year 1529, Parābhava year, on Vaiśākha Śukla 15, Monday, to the revered Śrī Yādavendra Tīrtha Śrīpāda Vaḍēra, who was the great-grand-disciple of the revered Surendra Tīrtha Śrīpāda Vaḍēra, who was himself born from the lotus-like hands of the revered Vijendra Tīrtha Śrīpāda Vaḍēra, the worshipper of the divine lotus feet of Śrī Rāmacandra Deva, the great Paramahaṃsa Parivrājakācārya, thoroughly versed in the oceans of pada, vākya and pramāṇa, independent in all branches of knowledge, and the great preceptor who established the Śrī Vaiṣṇava doctrine—

Joga Malya, son of Ananta Malya of Bhatkal, gives this religious endowment (dharma-sādhana).

Description of the boundaries and the endowment

The wording of the grant is as follows:

“Previously, my father Ananta Malya constructed the temple of our village deity Kāmākṣī. Subsequently, I constructed the Viṣṇu shrine, Tirumala Temple, on the site where our house and residential quarter stood.

Its four boundaries are as follows:

• to the south, the wall/boundary of the Kāmākṣī deity's temple;
• to the south, the boundary wall (pāgāra) that I constructed for this site;
• to the west, the Nadavarāja street;

and within these four boundaries stands the Tirumala Deva Temple.

I hereby give to you, with formal transfer of the endowment, the Tirumala Deva, the deity installed there, together with the Dindi festival, the various worship services and other ritual arrangements connected with the deity, so that the worship may be performed.

For the expenses of the services conducted in the presence of the deity, my father Ananta Malya had previously assigned certain lands as religious endowment from the huttalli [temple endowment] property.

These included:

• in Tāmbana, Nālkoṇḍa-gadde — 2½ muḍi;
• in Gōḷī-aḍikoḍage — 3 muḍi;
• another field — 3 muḍi;

and land yielding 13½ muḍi of rice annually, etc.

In my father Ananta Malya's name, at the presence of Tirumala Deva in the temple, the following religious services are to be conducted, including aṅgaraṅga naivedya, feeding/charity (anna-satra), and other observances.”

Specific ritual endowments

The charter then specifies the following provisions:

• For the Amṛtapadi of Tirumala Deva — 5 muḍi of rice.
• For the rice requirement on Dvādaśī, for 12 persons — 1 hāṇe of rice.
• For the Dvādaśī observance — 15 muḍi? / 3½ muḍi [the manuscript wording/numerals here are difficult].
• For the Harijāgara on the 15th of the month of Kārtika — rice.
• For the great festival at night on Uttāna Dvādaśī — 1 muḍi of rice.
• For the Vanabhojana festival on Kārtika Śukla 15 — 1 muḍi of rice.
• For Ekādaśī jāgaraṇa — oil, 9 hāṇe, and rice, 1 muḍi.
• In Kārtika, Vaiśākha and other months, for the lamp used during the night reading of the Nāga Purāṇa — 5 hāṇe of oil and 1 muḍi of rice.
• In the Dhanurmāsa, for the naivedya offered after the morning bath — rice for 15 days, amounting to 13½ muḍi.

“You shall continue to administer this religious endowment of 13½ muḍi of rice.

At the Tirumala Deva shrine, whenever the prescribed festivals are held, I and the sthānikas shall come and participate in the religious services and dedicate them to Kṛṣṇa.

Likewise, Martumallya [probably a member of the same family] had previously established a perpetual lamp (nandādīpa) in the name of his father Nārāyaṇa Mallya. The property associated with this, consisting of the rights/interest connected with eight houses of Śeṭṭi Keri, was written over as religious property of the deity.

The original garati [a specified payment/endowment] of Īramma Śeṭṭi, amounting to Rs. 2-0-0, is attached to the perpetual lamp maintained in the presence of Kāmākṣī Devī.

The tax (teru) on this property is payable to the palace.

In addition, two eḷaṇa āḍada taxes [term unclear] are to be paid by Tirumala Deva, and the perpetual lamp in the name of Nārāyaṇa Mallya is to be maintained.

You have been conducting the worship in this temple up to the present.

If, at any time, you have to leave on a pilgrimage, you shall entrust the worship to a suitable Brahmin of our community.

You shall continue to carry out the renovation and customary upkeep of the temple.

We, who have been the sthānikas, have been overseeing the administration of this temple.

Under this written deed, you shall continue together with your disciple lineage and my descendants.

This is the deed granted accordingly.”

Witnesses

“The witnesses to this agreement are:

• Lakabāḷa Prabhu, son of Nārāṇa Prabhu;
• Lakaraśa Kamati, son of Lakaraśa Kamati;

and, with the mutual consent of these persons, this deed was written by Kāvaya, son of Ravaḷappa Śānubhoga."