Pajaka is a village in Udupi Taluk and district of Karnataka state in India. Pajaka is the place where Dvaita philosopher Sri Madhvacharya was born. The place is near Kunjarugiri Durga temple.
The importance of Pajaka kshetra is also narrated in a small biographical poem called "Sampradaya Paddhati", whose author is Sri Madhvacharya's direct deciple Sri Hrushikesha, the mula yati of Sri Palimaru Mata.
Sri Vadiraja swamy of the Sode Mata in his "Tirtha prabandha" explains Pajaka Kshetra as a very holy place, because it was here Sri Mukyaprana was born as Sri Madhvacharya and hence it has to be visited all wise men.
There is an impression of Sri Madhvacharya's feet near his house. Sri Vadiraja swamy later installed an idol of Sri Madhvacharya there, which is now a temple and where he is worshipped by devotees till date.
There are many interesting places to see at Pajaka. Perhaps the most important of all is the ancestral home and birthplace of Sri Madhva. There are many archaeological evidences of the life and times of Sri Madhva at this place. This includes the spot where his Aksharabhyasa (Initiation Ceremony) was performed, a banyan tree supposed to have been planted by him, the place where Sri Madhva (by virtue of being an avatar of Vayu) lifted two huge stones and placed them on pots, and a pond where Sri Madhva is supposed to have brought the water from 4 nearby ponds (Dhanus Theertha, Gada Theertha, Bana Theertha and Parashu Theertha).
There is also a Madhva Mandira very close to the house. Lot of religious activities happen here and it is also a Vidyapeeta where students learn Vedas and Sanskrit. The entire complex is managed by Sri Kaniyooru Matha, one of the eight mathas Sri Madhva established.
The Kunjaragiri Durga temple is also a fascinating place to visit. The temple is located on top of a hill and the hill offers some breathtaking sceneries of Udupi. There is also a Parashurama temple nearby.
Pajaka, the birth place of Sri Madhwacharya, situated seven miles south-east of Udupi Kunjaru hill, This hill is also known as `Durga betta’. On its foursides are four holy teerthas or tanks created by Lord Parashurama. On the eastern side is Parasu Teertha, on the southern side is Dhanus Teertha, on the west is Gada Teertha and on the north is Bana Teertha. Taking bath in these teerthas is considered to wash out all the sins. Pajaka bears many marks associated with the child-hood incidents of Sri Acharya.
In the temple premises we can see two temples one is the Sri Anantha Padmanabha temple. This is also known as `Moodu Matha’. The main deity here is being worshiped by ancestors of Madhwacharya. Here we can see a stone in front of Tulasi vrundavana on which child Vasudeva did Aksharaabhyasa. This being a holy stone on which Sri Madhwacharya did his Aksharaabhyasa, many devotees come to Pajaka and initiate their child’s Aksharaabhyasa on this stone itself.
In the vicinity of this temple there is a pond named Vasudeva theertha. In the childhood daysof Madhwacharya, once his mother wanted to have holy dip four theerthas around Durga betta. But due to health issues it was not possible for her to go to those theerthas and have holy dip. At that time child Vasudeva created this pond and assured his mother that, a holy dip in this pond itself is equivalent to the dip in those four theerthas. Hence the pond is named as Vasudeva Theertha.
When we go around this theertha, we can see a tamarind tree. One person gave a cow to vasudeva’s dad to feed milk for the baby Vasudeva. But due to the poverty, Vasudeva’s dad could not pay anything to that person. Vasudeva gave few tamarind seeds to that person and when he saw it, it was turned out to be of gold. This is believed that the same tree which is next to Vasudeva theertha.
Next we can see a Nagabana towards eastern side of the vasudeva theertha. Vasudeva planted Ashwatta tree with upside down and the plant has grown to a big tree in the due course. The same tree was alive till few years ago. Now the Nagabana is being renovated.
Coming further we can see two big stones. It is believed that, child Vasudeva kept them on the vessels of milk and curd. Even these stones are being worshiped with utmost devotion as these are being touched by Sri Madhwacharya in his childhood.
Another temple present in Pajaka is of Madhwacharya itself. Here we can see footprints of Vasudeva on the stones. There is a story beind these footprints which is quoted in “ Sumadhwa Vijaya” Composed by sri Narayana Pandithaacharyaru. Once Vasudeva had gone up to the Durga hill. Hearing his mother calling him, he jumped back to his house in one hop and the place where he hopped still bears the mark of his feet. On this very spot Sri Vadiraja Teertha of Sode matt installed an idol of Sri Madhwacharya which he wanted to install in Sode otherwise.
There is another place close to Pajaka on our way to Pajaka from Durga betta where Vasudeva crushed a demon in the form of a snake. A small temple is built to preserve this monument.
The maintenance and management of birth place of Sri Madhwacharya is being done by Udupi Kaniyooru matt. Every year, on Ashwayuja Shudda dashami (Vijaya Dashami) the birth day of Madwacharya is being celebrated in a grand manner in Pajaka under the guidance of HH Vidyavallabha theertha Swamiji of Kaniyooru matt.
Also in Magha maasa, from Paadya till Navami, Madhwa Navaratri is being celebrated as annual festival in Pajaka. On the very next day the holy dip in five theerthas will be done with the devine presence of HH Kaniyooru Swamiji.
Present pontiff HH Vidyavallabha theertha Swamiji of Kaniyooru matt is being young and dynamic has many plans for the developments of Pajaka including providing accommodation to the devotees who come from far places, also establishing a world class library wherein one can get all spiritual books related to Madhwa philosophy and also a building with entire “Sumadhwa Vijaya” being carved on the walls. In recent years many developments have taken place like large hall, dining hall, few rooms for boarding of devotees from distant places etc and many are going on. The Devotees can offer their contribution in any way possible for them to seek blessings of Sri Madhwacharayaru.
The quiet village of Pajaka has a mythical air surrounding it. Overlooking the Arabian Sea on the west the evening rays of the Sun drench this sacred place. Of the three great Indian thinkers, Shankaracharya, Madhwacharya and Ramanuja, Madhwacharya has left back bundle of evidence of his existence. First and foremost is Udupi, the abode of Sri Krishna Temple and the Ashta Mathas a renowned centre of religion and philosophy in Karnataka. Sri Madhwacharya established both in the 13th century. The relics that adorn Pajaka include an impression of Madhwa's feet, a stone he used to write on and a banyan tree he planted.Pajaka Kshetra. Nestled in a green world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The air is fragrant with the scents of spirituality. A village 13 kms from the temple town of Udupi it is the birthplace of the great saint Madhwacharya(1238-1317 AD), the exponent of Dwaita Vedanta or philosophy.
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