It is believed that Lord Vishnu, the eternal symbol of infinitude, of the eternal Truth, the omniscient and Supreme Lord has taken several forms over the four YUGAS – KRITA YUGA, TRETA YUGA, DWAPARA YUGA AND THE KALI YUGA, to protect his creation.

In the first three YUGAS, he took various incarnations or AVATARS to protect his creation. In the present KALI YUGA, he is yet to take an AVATAR, but it is believed that he sent messengers in the human form to carry out his messages, to protect the Universe from self-destruction. One such DIVINE MESSENGER is GURU RAGHVENDRA SWAMY.

It is clear that Raghavendra Swamy is indeed Prahalada-reborn, and is blessed with the divine grace of Lord Vishnu. In fact, when Raghavendra Swamy chose and went to Mantralaya, on the banks of the River Tunga, to spend his last days, he tells the Diwan Venkanna that he chose the barren land for a purpose and left the fertile land for people to live and prosper.

While Venkanna is unable to understand and begins to dig the spot chosen by Guru Raghavendra, he trembles in astonishment as he discovers a sacred stone. Guru Raghavendra replies that in the Krita Yuga, he had performed a Yagna (a holy offering in fire or a puja), using the very sacred stone as Sri Prahalada.

This is one of the reasons why Mantralayam has a tremendous spiritual significance and is considered a pure, holy place. It is undoubtedly, believed that Guru Raghavendra Swamy is indeed a divine messenger, and a reincarnation of Sri Prahalada, one of the greatest and ardent devotees of Lord Vishnu.

Born as Venkatanatha or Veene Venkanna Bhatta (as he was proficient, highly accomplished and considered unsurpassable in playing the Veena instrument). Venkatanatha was later on, renamed as Guru Raghavendra on being initiated as a Saint and is regarded as one of the greatest of Madhwa saints. Throughout his life, he advocated Vaishnavism, the trajectory that worships Lord Vishnu as the Supreme God.