Dr. Hultzch in his Report on the Search for Sanskrit Manuscripts in Southern India, Part II printed by the Government Press, Madras, 1905, refers to a Guruparampara of the Bharati line of Sanyasins and gives the Guru Parampara Vide No. 21461.

This manuscript was also found in the collection of the manuscripts made by a Pandit of the Tanjore Palace. This list gives the names of 30 Acharyas.

According to this Guruparampara Stotra, Sri Sankaracharya established a matha at the Tungabhadra (Kudali) sangama kshetra and anointed Sri Prithvidhara Bharati as its first Acharya. Later, Sri Sankaracharya visited Kanchi where He consecrated Sri Kamakshi Devi and attained the final Bliss.

Sri Sacchidananda Saraswati of Hole Narasipur in his Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada Vrithantha Sarvaswa raised a doubt about the 5th & 6th verses and that their reliability would be clear if it was known who the author of this Guruparampara stotra was.

It is surprising, an erudite scholar like Sri Sactchidananda Saraswati didn’t know the fact that even before Dr.Hultzh, this Guruparampara list was noticed by K.B.Pathak of Belgaum in 1882. According to him Atmananda was the author of this Guruparampara list.

Here’s an Excerpt from K.B. Pathak’s article published in the Indian Antiquary journal:

“I have lately come across a manuscript which gives the date of Samkaracharya. The manuscript belongs to Mr. Govinda Bhata Yerlekara of Belgaum. It is a small one, consisting of three leaves only, written in Balbodh characters.

It begins thus :

श्री त्र्यंबकेश्वरायनमः

नमामि शंकराचार्यगुरुपादसरोरुहं ।
यस्य प्रसादान्मूढोपि सर्वज्ञोऽहं सदास्म्यलं॥
श्रीशंकराचार्यनवावतारं वेदान्तशारीरकभाष्यकारं।
चकोरचाकोरकचंद्रिकाणां श्रीशंकराचार्यगुरुं नमामि॥
आदौ शिवस्ततो विष्णुस्ततो ब्रह्मा ततः परं।
वसिष्ठाख्यस्तथा शक्तिस्तत: पाराशरः स्मृतः॥
ततो व्यासः शुकः पश्चाद् गौडपादाभिधस्तथा।
गोविंदार्यगुरुस्तस्मात् शंकराचार्यसंज्ञकः॥

The manuscript next says that Samkara established his matha on the banks of the Tumgabhadra, appointed Prithvidhara to be the head of it, conferred upon him the title of Bharati, and,

आगत्य स्वेच्छया कांचीं पर्यटन्पृथिवीतले ।

तत्र संस्थाप्य कामाक्षीं जगाम परमं पदं ॥

Then follow the names of his successors. We next come to a minute description of the mathas established in various parts of India. Then follows the guru parampara or the succession of teachers…”

– K.B.Pathak, B.A. Belgaum High School (June,1882)