Background of Dashavatara Stuti:

Sri Vadirajaru on his regular periodic victory travel (digvijaya) visited famous Pandarapura. at that time, one fine morning when he opened his box of worshipping idols (devara pettige, which contains worshipping idols and saligramas) he could not see his diety Sri Hayagriva idol, but through his vision he could realise what has happened and started walking towards the Bhimarathi River. At the same time one farmer came running towards him and told him that swamiji's horse has eaten his plants of Bengal gram (khadale) resulted him huge loss and look to be depressed about the happening. Then Sri Vadiraja told him not to worry about it and assured him that he will compensate the loss. And also told him to show the place where his horse has eaten his plants in the morning.
On telling this the saint started walking towards the farmers farm. On seeing the swamiji's calmness the farmer also accompanied him. While going towards the farm Sri Vadiraja started composing Sri Dashavatara Stotra in Ashwa Dhati (raga of horse footsteps) with utmost devotion. During that time one white horse came near to them with dancing, laughing and putting the footsteps according to the swamiji's stotra's tune. On seeing the horse the farmer pointed swamiji towards the horse and told the swamiji it is the same horse which has eaten his farm plants.
Then Swamiji assured him that he will take care of the horse and started going near to the horse, suddenly the horse disappeared from the scene. The farmer was surprised and astonished about the happening, then the farmer and swamiji went and saw the place where the horse has eaten the bengal gram plants, there they could see where ever the horse has eaten the plants they saw golden bengal grams. The farmer was very surprised about it and recollected that the horse which he could see for the second time also disappeared and he could see the golden bengal grams in his farm, made him very astonished, then swamiji told him that the horse which he saw was none other than God and it is not normal horse and he has been blessed with the wealth and he can take those and live happily. Then farmer has decided to take the golden wealth which was blessed by the God and give all his lands as donation to the temple.
Since that time this Stotra is considered to be initative to get love from Sri Hari and it has been a custom among the devotees to pray or worship through this stotra while concluding daily pujas or devara pooja. This practice is continuing in all vaishnas groups, temples, mutts etc. even today.

ShreeVishnu Nandagudi

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