Raghuvira Gadyam

The Raghuvira Gadyam, also rendered the Mahavira Vaibhavam, is a Sanskrit hymn written by the Hindu philosopher Vedanta Desika. Comprising 96 verses, the Raghuvira Gadyam extols Rama, an avatar of the deity Vishnu. The hymn describes various episodes of the epic Ramayana, composed in the kathora-sukumara poetic style.

Etymology

Raghuvira is an epithet of Rama, literally meaning, "hero of the Raghu clan", and a gadyam is a form of prose used in Sanskrit literature.

Vedanta Desika is regarded to have composed this work when he visited the Devanathaswamy Temple located at Tiruvahindrapuram. The hymn is recited during the brahmotsavam festival of the deity of the temple. The Sriranga Gadyam of Ramanuja served as an inspiration for this work and is similar in composition.

In opening verses of the hymn, the poet extols Rama: