The devotees of Sri Raghavendra Swamy strongly believe that He is still alive inside the brindavana (final resting place or Samadhi) which he entered alive and hears all their woes and solves problems. It is said that the voice of Raghavendra Swamy was heard from his brindavana after he had entered in it.
Appanacharya, a disciple of Sri Raghavendra Swamy, had gone to the other bank of Tungabhadra River to complete some work given by the swamy.
As the time had arrived for Sri Raghavendra Swamy to enter the brindavana, he was giving a discourse to the shell-shocked audience.
On hearing this, Appanacharya came rushing through but the river was in spate. It is said that the river subsided to enable him to cross it. By the time he reached the brindavana singing a song in praise of Swami, the latter had entered alive into the Samadhi spot and it was closed and covered with mud from top.
Appanacharya wept and became emotional unable to complete the stotra which started with ‘Yo Bhaktya Guru Raghavendra Charana…’
Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s resonant voice that came from under the Samadhi completed it with the words ‘Sakshee Hayasyotrahi” meaning Bhagavan Hayagreeva form of Vishnu alone stands testimony to the things mentioned.
It is said that Sri Raghavendra Swamy while entering alive into the brindavana had told the grieving devotees that he would be alive for another 700 years inside it and would grant knowledge for devotees to overcome their ignorance.