Guru Jagannatha Dasa (1837-1918) of Kosigi is often confused with Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi.
Both are Haridasas and both were from Raichur region. While Jagannatha Dasa of Manvi wrote SriHarikathamrutasara, Jagannatha Dasa of Kosigi wrote commentaries on the SriHarikathamrutasara.
Guru Jagannatha Dasa was also a devotee of Raghavendra Swamy and he has written innumerable compositions on Rayaru and Mantralaya. He was born after his parents, Venkatagiriacharya and Seethamma, approached Ibharampura Appa in Ibharampura near Mantralaya and sought his blessings.
Ibharampura Appa was a great devotee of Rayaru, and he blessed the couple. A few months later, a boy was born and he was called as Swamiraya.
Rayuru himself came in his dream of Swamiraya and blessed him with knowledge. He then came to be known as Kosigi Swamirayacharya and subsequently as Guru Jagannatha Dasa.
His upadesha guru was Krishna Dasa whose ankita is Petta Tande Gopalavittala Dasa. Some of the well-known disciples of Guru Jagannatha Dasa include Varada Vittala Dasa, Srinivasa Vittala Dasa and Ananda Vittala Dasa.
Among his well-known contemporaries are Modalakallu Shesha Dasa, Guru Pranesha Dasa, Satyadheera Theertha and Satyajnaana Theertha of Uttaradi Matha, Vidyaratnakara Theertha of Vyasaraja Matha, Raghunantha Theertha of Koodli Akshobhya Theertha Matha, Vairagyanidhi Theertha, Sujnananidhi Theertha, Sugunanidhi Theertha, Sudhinidhi Theertha of Sripadaraja Matha, Sugunendra Theeartha, Suprajnendra Theertha and Sukruteendra Theertha of Mantralaya Matha.
The Raghavendra Astakshara Stotra by Guru Jagannatha Dasa is one of the most popular compositions on Rayaru.
Here is the English lyrics of this beautiful evocation to Rayaru. This composition was essentially written for women and as an alternative to the Stotra of Appanacharya.
Generally, women are not supposed to recite the Stotra composed by Appanacharya as it contains Beejakshara. There is a belief that if we recite the Raghavendra Astakshara Stotra 108 times, Rayaru will help us tide over all our difficulties.
The beauty of this stotra is that it can be recited anywhere and any time. All it requires is a devoted and sincere mind. Here goes the stotra in English:
1.Gururajasshtaksharam syat maha pataka nashanam
Ekaikamaksharam chaathra sarva kaamyaartha siddhidam
2. Rakaarochhara matrena roga hanirna samsghayaha
ghakaarena balam pushtiaayuh tejascha vardhate
3. Vakaarenaatra labhate vaanchitarthaanna samshayaha
drakaarenaagha raashistu draavyate druta meva hi
4.yakaarena yamaadbhaadho vaaryate naatra samshayaha
nakaarena narendraanaam padamaapnoti maanavaha
5. Makaarenaiva maahendra maishwaryam yaati maanavah
gurornaamnashcha maahaatmayam apoorvam paramaadhbutam
6. Tannaaama smaranaadeva sarvaabhishtam prasiddhati
tasmaannityam pathedbhaktya gurupaadaratasyadaa
7. Shri Raghavendraaya namah ityashtaakshara mantrataha
sarvaanyaamanavaapnoti naatra kaaryaa vichaarana
8. astottarashataavruttim snotra syasya karoti yah
tasya sarvvartha siddhi syaat gururaajaprasaadatah
9. Etadashtaaksharasyyatra maahaatmyam vetti kaha pumaan
paranaadeva sarvaartha siddhirbhavati naanyathaa
10. Swaminaa raghavendraakhya gurupaadaabja sevinaa
krutamashtaakshara stotram gurupreethikaram shubham
iti shri gurujagannatha daasaaryavirachita shri rahavendra astaakshara stotram sampoornam
shri krishnaarpanamastu
Raghavendra Swamy 