Category: Tunga Sringeri

Murtis

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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

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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

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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)

Disciples beware :

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Disciples beware : Help or guidance from another kindred religious institution, like giving diksha or suggesting a successor, doesn’t make your Math a shakha of someone else. It’s only an Act of Goodwill, Not Authority. Every Math is fully Independent, and any claim of control or subordination goes against Article 26 of the Indian Constitution, which protects each Math’s right to manage its own religious and internal affairs.

Can Sannyasis give diksha to householders? …3

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Can Sannyasis give diksha to householders? …3

ராமேஶ்வரம் திருக்கோயிலில்

மகுடாகமம் வழக்கத்தில் இருப்பதாக ஒரு சாரார் கருதுவர். காரணாகமம் என்பது அங்கிருக்கும் சிலரது கருத்து. ராமேஶ்வரம் ஆகமக் கோயில் என்று நீதிமன்ற வழக்குகளில் சிலரால் சொல்லப்பட்டதை அறநிலையத்துறையும் இதுவரை மறுக்கவில்லை. இக் கருத்து யாரால், எதனால் தற்போது முன்வைக்கப்படுகிறது? ஆகமக் கோயில் என்ற கருத்து அப்படியே ஏற்கத் தக்கதா? என்பதெல்லாம் தனித்து விவாதிக்கப்பட வேண்டியவை.

எப்படிப்பட்டவர்களை ஆசார்யர்களாக வரித்து அவர்களிடமிருந்து தீக்ஷை பெற வேண்டும் என்றும் யார் யார் ஆசார்யர்களாக இருக்கக்கூடாது, எவரிடம் தீக்ஷை பெறக்கூடாது என்றும் மகுடாகமத்தில் தெளிவாக சொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த ஆகமம் வைதிக பூஜை மரபு உள்ள திருக்கோயில்களில் வழங்கி வருகிறது.

ஊர்த்வ சைவர்கள் (தில்லை தீக்ஷிதர், திருப்பெருந்துறை நம்பியார், திருவானைக்கா பண்டிதர் உள்ளிட்ட ஆத்மார்த்த பரார்த்த சிவ பூஜைகள் செய்யும் அதிகாரம் கொண்ட ஸ்மார்த்த சைவ மரபினர்) குலத்தில் தோன்றி சாஸ்த்ரம் க்ரியாபாதம் முதல் ஞானபாதம் வரை நன்கு அறிந்து, தந்த்ர ஶாஸ்த்ரமும் நன்கறிந்து, உழைப்பாளியாக இருந்து, நல்ல விஷயம் தெரிந்தவராகவும் இருத்தல் வேண்டும். அதுமட்டுமன்றி அவர் க்ருஹஸ்தராக இருக்கவேண்டும். சிகை போன்றவற்றை தரித்திருக்க வேண்டும்.

இப்போது யாரை தீக்ஷை முதலியன பெறுவதற்காக ஒதுக்க வேண்டும்? அதாவது யாரிடம் தீக்ஷை பெற முடியாது என்ற பட்டியலையும் நாம் பார்க்கலாம்.

ஶாஸ்த்ரம் யோகம் அறியாதவன், நாஸ்திகன், மந்தபுத்தி உள்ளவன், ஞானமற்றவன். தீய பழக்கங்கள் உள்ளவர், பிறர் மனை விழைவோர், மற்றும் ஸந்ந்யாஸிகள் – இவர்களிடமிருந்து தீக்ஷை பெறக்கூடாது என்று தடை செய்கிறது மகுடாகமம்.

இவ்விஷயத்தில் மகுடாகமம் மட்டுமே இல்லை காரணம் போன்ற பிற சைவாகமங்களும் ஒன்றுபட்டு இப்படித்தான் சொல்கின்றன.

உண்மை இப்படி இருக்கும் பக்ஷத்தில் ராமேஶ்வரம் கோவில் அர்ச்சகர்களுக்கு துங்கா மடாதிபதிகள் தீக்ஷை கொடுப்பதற்கும் அவர்கள் கையால் தீக்ஷை பெறுவதற்கும் என்ன ப்ரமாணம் உள்ளது?

இந்த புதிய வழக்கம் ஶாஸ்த்ர விருத்தமானது; முற்றிலும் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட வேண்டியது என்பதே அறிஞர்கள் கருத்து.

ஆக, இதுதான் அங்கே ஸம்ப்ரதாயம் இதுதான் எங்கள் மரபு, கோவில் வழக்கம் என்று பலமாகக் கூவுவோர்கள் ஶாஸ்த்ர விருத்தமான கார்யங்கள் செய்கிறார்களா இல்லையா? என்பதை அவர்களுடைய நெஞ்சத்தைத் தொட்டு சொல்லட்டும். இங்கே நம்மிடம் வாதத்திற்கு வந்து பேசட்டும்.

Advent of Shankaracharya : Tunga Adherents’ uncertainty in 1958 & Advocate Krishnaswamy Iyer’s Admission

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In 1958, Advocate Krishnaswamy Iyer, Tirunelveli, a staunch adherent of Tunga matha in his book published by the Srirangam Vani Vilas Press, reveals that even at that time, they lacked clarity about Shri Shankaracharya’s birth year, His establishment of four mathas, or Kedara as His place of Siddhi. Iyer justifies the absence of evidence, dismissing such debates as unproductive.This prompts the question: how, why and when were their baseless theories- 788 as His Birth year, the founding of only 4 mathas and kedara as his place of siddhi – systematically planted and propagated by the adherents of Tunga Matha when they themselves were not aware of thse details even in 1958?

Why is Sringeri So called?

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“Why is Sringeri So called?”In Karnataka, many sacred places bear the suffix Sringeri with their name. This name has its origin from Sage Rishyasringa, who performed tapas in the Kudali Kshetra, situated at the confluence of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers. Ancient Inscriptions of Karnataka, studied by B.L.Rice and others, reveal that the sacred hill emerged at this spot due to his intense penance was revered as “Sringa-Giri” in his honor. Over time, the place became known as “Kudali Sringeri”.Source: Epigraphia Carnatica, Vol VI, Inscriptions of Kadur District By B.Lewis Rice, Mysore Government Central Press, Bangalore (1901).

King Sahu’s Intervention to Resolve Spiritual Jurisdiction Disputes Among Kudali, Shankeshvara, and Tunga Mathas (1725 C.E.)

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In 1725 C.E., during the reign of King Sahu in the Maratha country, the Swamis of Kudali, Shankeshvara, and Tunga Mathas visited Satara at the king’s invitation in order to resolve their dispute regarding their spiritual jurisdictions amicably. In this important meeting, with the unanimous consent of the Acharyas of Kudali, Shankeshvara, and Tunga Mathas, King Sahu allocated the territories: the northern regions were assigned to Shankeshvara Matha, the southern regions to Kudali Matha, and the Tunga Matha was entrusted with the worship of Shri Sharadamba at their location. Notably, there was no mention of modern texts like the Mathamnaya or Madhaviya during their discussion. This confirms that such ideas were promoted only at a later time.(Sources: History of Sankesvara Mutt, Article published in Indian Patriot, April -June 1912 & Sringeri Matt (Its History) published by (Aviccinna?) Kudali mutt)

Save Mathas from Takeover

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Historical records show that the Kudali Sringeri, Shivaganga, Avani and Hariharapura mathas are independent religious institutions and not branches of any other matha. The unique traditions, religious practices and denominational autonomy of the ancient advaitic religious institutions of Southern India should not be overridden by the mere nomination of a successor or otherwise by another matha. Those who attempt to usurp or interfere with their autonomy by any of these modes should know that corporate-style mergers, acquisitions and takeover have no place here.