The 1346 C.E. inscription of Emperor Harihara I, recording a land grant to Shri Bharati tirtha Shripada, names only Shri Vidyatirtha and Shri Bharati tirtha, but does not mention Shri Vidyaranya at all.

If Shri Vidyaranya had indeed become an ascetic by1331 C.E., his name would have been mentioned in the very first royal grant record at the sacred (Tunga)Sringeri tirtha.

Hence, the oft-repeated date 1331 C.E. for Shri Vidyaranya’s initiation need not be accepted as historically correct.