Shri Bharathi Krishna Tirtha, disciple of Shri Trivikrama Tirtha of Dwaraka, stayed with Shri Vidyashankara Bharati at Kudli Sringeri in 1924. He was present on 01.12.1924 when the Kudli Acharya gave Sannyasa Diksha to his successor Shri Valukeshwara Bharati. Later, in 1925, Shri Bharathi Krishna Tirtha was anointed as the Peethadhipathi of the Puri Govardhana Matha.
Category: Shankarite Institutions
Shrimukha Birudavali of Shri Krishnananda Tirtha Swamigalu of Shri Shakatapuram Matha (1915)
Kudli Sringeri: Landmark Case of Transparency in Mathas
Shri Vidyabhinava Valukeswara Bharati Swami of Kudli Sringeri Matha attained Mahasamadhi on 10.4.1936. Immediately the Mysore Government took over the management of the Matha and Shri Saccitananda Shankara Bharathi Swami was duly installed as His Successor.
In 1940, when the Government decided to hand over administration back to the young Swami, He did not rush to take charge. Instead, before taking over, in December 1940, He asked for an audit of the Matha’s internal affairs, properties inside and outside Mysore State and accounts by the Goverment department. He also sought continued Government support to protect the Kudli Matha’s assets and regular audit of its accounts in order to ensure transparency after His taking-over of the administration.
This is a landmark case of responsible and transparent succession for all Mathas.
Image: Shri Saccitananda Shankara Bharathi Swamigal of Shri Kudli Sringeri Shankaracharya Matha
Avani Matha Succession
The Mysore Government adopted a systematic approach to select a qualified successor to the Avani Peetham from its eligible disciples, strictly in line with the ancient traditions and customs of the Matha and in accordance with the Rules of the Muzrai Department governing succession.
Upon selection, the new Swamigalu was provided advanced religious education and training similar to the arrangements made for the young Swami of the Shivaganga Matha.
A committee of scholars and eminent persons periodically visited the Matha to observe his progress, and the Government further sought the guidance of Mahamahopadyaya Shri Virupaksha Shastri to assess and advise on his training.
This stands as a classic instance of the Maharaja of Mysore discharging his paramount duty to protect an ancient Matha and its parampara, without outsourcing the same to any other external denomination.
Shrimukha Birudavali of Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya Swami of Avani Sringeri Matha
1906 -1909 : Vijaya Yatra News Reports – Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya Swami of Kudali Sringeri Matha.
The 1926 Rameswaram Vijaya Yatra of Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Hariharapuram Matha
This Rahadari order dated 19 June 1926, issued by the Government of Madras, records the Vijaya Yatra of Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya Swami of Hariharapuram Matha to Rameswaram. It directed the district authorities to facilitate the journey and ensure that no obstruction was caused to the Swami and His followers.
Murtis
Prof.K.A.Neelakanta Sastri says, the Aradhyas of northern circar, Cuddapah, Kurnool and Mysore wear the sacred thread and the linga and worship Ganapati.
The Aradhyas follow the Shuddha-Shaiva-Amnaya tradition.
The Virashaivas claim that Revanna Siddha maha Yogi, their Preceptor, gifted Shankaracharya the Ratnagarbha Ganapati and Chandramouleeshwara linga murtis, citing the Guruvamsha-kavya of the Tunga Sringeri Matha.
This similarity of worshiping Shivalinga and Ganapati together like the Aradhya Brahmins tradition naturally raises a question in the minds of researchers :
Who actually gave these murtis?
Note: The Shivarahasya, Anandagiri’s Shankaravijaya, Markandeya Samhita and other traditional sources mention only the five Chandramouleeshwara sphatika lingas brought by Shankara Bhagavatpada.
Tradition of Sringin : Malayala Brahma Worship in the Mathas of Shri Vidyaranya Swami’s Lineage … V
Even though it is said, the names Sringa-pura, Sringa-giri or Sringeri arose from their connection with Sage Rishyasringa, the literary and historical evidence, as well as the religious practices in the Mathas of Sri Vidyaranya Swami’s lineage, suggest otherwise.Not all the Mathas under this lineage have any hermitage of Rishyasringa in their vicinity, but all of them have shrines or worship places specially dedicated to Sringin- Malayala Brahman.Hence, it is most probable that all these places identified with the suffix “Sringeri” were originally named after Sringin, the Malayala Brahmana, who assisted and was initiated by Sri Vidyaranya Swami.Over time, through linguistic change and popular belief, the name might have become connected with Rishyasringa, whose ashrama, as pointed out in the Srimad Valmiki Ramayana and the Mahabharata, is situated in Anga Desa, the region of modern Assam or its borders.Images: from Chapters 32 and 33 of the Renuka Tantra
Tradition of Sringin : Malayala Brahma Worship in the Mathas of Shri Vidyaranya Swami’s Lineage … IV
Tunga Sringeri MathaIn the Sankarite institution at Sringeri, on the bank of the Tunga (in Chickmagalur District, Karnataka), Srigin i.e. Malayala Brahman has a temple. According to available information he is propitiated before all festivals. On page 143 of the English Section of the Sringeri Souvenir-Smriti Kusumanjali of February 1963, the following information is given : “The Brahmarakshas, locally called Malayala Brahman. who is said to have accompanied Vidyaranya, has a shrine. He carries a mace. He is usually propitiated before the commencement of feasts in Sringeri”.The same piece of information is also found in the ‘Transcendental Throne of Wisdom’ (1953, Page 55.) by K. R. Venkataramier. The Annual Report of the (Archaeological) Survey of Mysore of 1916 has the following account (page 16) :-“On the site of the first and second houses in front of the new Matha (at Sringeri) are now containing figures of Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman and built two small temples, one the other a figure known as Malayala Brahma. Though the temples are new, the figures in them are old There is however a curious story about the figure in the other temple. It is fairly a stout figure, about 4-1/2 feet high, wearing sandals and holding a mace in the right hand, the other hanging by the side. Malayala Brahma was a Brahmarakshasa .. .. whom Vidyaranya brought with him, with a promise that he would feed him to his heart’s content. Without propitiating him no entertainment or feast could be organised or successfully carried out at Sringeri even the oil or ghee intended for preparing eatables will refuse to boil. It appears that till recently there was a family at Sringeri, one of the members of which used to be possessed by this spirit every year In these unpropitious times however the spirit has become perfectly harmless but he is being worshipped all the same.”(Sri Vidyaranya, The Vidyaranya Vidya Pitha Trust, Hampi, Publication no.3, 1983)