Most of us know Rayaru only as the kind, merciful guru who is always forthcoming in our times of need. However, there is another side known only to scholars – the writer par excellence who gave us literary gems that shone with scholastic brilliance.

That is why he is called “madhva matAmbOdhi chandra” (the Moon arising out of the ocean called madhva shAstra). Most of Rayaru’s works are commentaries on the works of Sri Madhvacharya, Sri JayatIrtha and Sri Vyasa Teertha. However, there a few original works and direct commentaries on the Upanisads and other works. Most of the works are available today, but some are not, and we know of them only through oral tradition.

He took a vow to write Tippanis for all the Tikas of Sri Jaya teertha. When he had completed tippanis for 17 of the 18 Tikas of Sri Jaya Teertha, his disciple Lakshminarayanacharya showed him his work on Rig Bhashya. The great saint felt that his disciple’s teaching should be shown to the rest of the world, so instead of writing a Tippani, he wrote a Rigartha Manjari, a Vivritti, which gives the meaning of the first 40 suktas.

Rayaru’s works are characterized by remarkable clarity of thought, simplicity of expression and compactness. He demonstrates a profound learning in different shAstras, a clear and simple style and a very lucid way of presenting even the most technical points. This is reason behind the greatness of his success and fame and the universal popularity of his works. A quick thumbnail sketch of his works is provided

1. Veda Traya Vivruti

Commentories on all three vedas

2. Mantrartha Manjari

A commentary on the first 3 Adhyayas (40 Suktas) of the Rig Veda, the same ones covered by Madhvacharya’s Rig Bhasya

3. Purushasooktadi Panchasookta Vyakhyana

Commentaries (short glosses) Purusasookta, Gharma, Samudra, Pavamana, Hiranyagarbha and Ambhrni sooktas. Some of these are not available and there is only an oral tradition that he wrote these.

4. Khandarthas (Word by word meaning)

Lucid expositions on 9 out of 10 Upanishads commented upon by Madhvacharya (except aitareya Upanishad). He was about to write one for the aitareya, as well, but he wanted to give the honor to his disciple, Smrutimuktavali Krishnacharya, who had already completed the work. So he wrote a gloss on only the mantra part of the Upanishad – Aitareya Mantraartha Sangraha

5. Geetartha Sangraha

More popularly known as Geeta-Vivrutti, a lucid original commentary on the gIta

6. Prameya Deepika Vyakhya

Commentary on Madhvacharya’s Geeta Bhashya

7. Geeta Tatparya Teeka Vivarana

Commentary on JayaeeIrtha’s commentary on Acharya Madhva’s Geeta Tatparya

8. Tatparya Chandrika

A learned Vivruti on the Brahma Sutras, explaining earlier works like Nyayasudha, chandrika etc.

9. Nyaya Muktavali

Brief exposition of the Adhikaraaashareeras of the Brahma-Sutra

10. Tattva Manjaree

A detailed exposition of the Anubhashya of Madhvacharya

11. Tattvaprakashika Bhavadeepa

Exposition on Tatvaprakashika, Jayateertha’s commentary on the Brahma Sootra Bhashya of Sri Madhwacharya.

12. Nyaya-Sudha-Parimala

It is one of the most popular commentaries on Nyayasudha of Sri Jayateertha. It is because of this that Rayaru is called Parimalacharya

13. Tippani (Notes) on Dasha Prakaranas

Glosses on six out of the ten Prakaranas of Madhvacharya, omitting the four already commented upon by Vyasa Teertha.

14. Rama Chartirya Manjaree

A short work highlighting the major aspects of Rama Avatara.

15. Krishna Charitrya Manjaree

A short work highlighting the major aspects of Krishna Avatara.

16. Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya Bhava Sangraha

a short summary of the Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya by Madhvacharya. Rayaru has captured the essence of each Adhyaya in one verse.

17. Vadavalee Vyakhya

Commentary on Vadavali of Shree Jayateertha

18. Chandrika Vyakhya

Commentary on the Tatparya Chandrika of Vyasa Teertha

19. Tarkatandava Vyakhya

Commentary on Tarkatandava of Shree Vyasa teertha

20. Pramana Padhati Vyakhya

Commentary on Pramana padhdhati of ShrI JayatIrtha

21. Anu-Madhva Vijaya Vyakhya

A commentary on Anumadhvavijaya of Shree Narayana Panditacharya.

22. Pratah Sankalpa Gadya

A very inspiring prose to recited in the morning as a resolution to perform the day’s activities.

23. Sarva Samarpana Gadya

A very inspiring prose to recited in the night to submit the day’s activities to the Lord. Goes along with Pratah Sankalpa Gadya.

24. Nyaya Deepika

Not available. Supposed to be a commentary on Madhvacharya’s Geeta Tatparya.

25. Bhatta Sangraha

A Commentary on the Mimamsa Sutras of Jaimini following the Bhatta school. One of the very few works written by Dvaitins on other systems of thought.

26. Other short works

Nadi Taratamya stotra in Sanskrit

Rajagopala Stotra in Sanskrit

Dashavatara Stuti in Sanskrit

Indu yenage govinda – a soul stirring kannada song

Maruta Ninnaya Mahime – Kannada Suladi