Sri Vidyatirtha, the 51st Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha is also revered as Sri Vidyasankara, in the Guruparampara records of the Tungabhadra (Kudali) Sringeri and other Advaita mathas of Karnataka . Sri Vidyatirtha’s greatness is undeniable, especially if we consider that the Vijayanagara kingdom was influenced by his glance from Bukka. Born in Bilvaranya, Sri Vidyatirtha was the son of Sarangapani and lived from 1296 to 1384. He spent seventy-three years in Kanchi, practiced penance for fifteen years near the Himalayas. He also revitalized the Sankarite institutions of Karnataka.
In the book “Founders of Vijayanagara,” published by the Mythic Society in Bangalore in 1938, the distinguished historian of Mysore State, S.Srikantayya, expresses his perspectives regarding the association between Sri Vidyatirtha (also known as Sri Vidyasankara) and the Vijayanagara empire.
The Historical survey records published by the Mysore Government provide fascinating insights into the migration and settlement of Tamil Brahmins from Tanjore and Kanchipuram regions, near the Sankarite institutions on the Tunga and Tungabhadra rivers (Tunga Sringeri and Tungabhadra -Koodali Sringeri mathas).
In the Quarterly journal of the Mythic Society, while reviewing the 1931 Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of Mysore, there is an interesting observation that Sri Vidyatirtha also hailed from the Tamil Brahmin community of Choladesa (Tanjore) in his earlier life.
“… Hale Sringeri Village is about two furlongs to the west of Sringeri with about one Brahman and twenty other houses. A small mud shrine contains the old Vidyasankara Linga, about six feet high. The Vidyasankara image is 1½ ft. high in Yoga-mudra with a sannyasi disciple on either side. Compared with this, it will be clear that the image to which I have referred in my article on “An Ancient Image at Hampi ” may not be that of Vidyasankara.
In his notes on Vidyaranyapura, Dr. Krishna says that “Vidyaranya also must have been a Karnataka (Kannadiga). But Vidyasankara is said to have been a ‘choli’ (belonging to the Chola-desa of Tamilnadu) since some ‘cholis’ (Tamil Brahmins from Chola desa) have set up his image in the Agrahara.”
This statement is evidently traditional, picked up during the course of enquiries but it deserves further investigation…”
The authenticity of this statement is supported by the ancient Guruparampara records of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha. These records state that Sri Vidyatirtha, the 51st Acharya of Sri Kanchi Matha, originated from Bilvaranya kshetra of the Chola desa. His successor, Sri Sankarananda, the 52nd Acharya hailed from Madhyarjuna kshetra (Tiruvidaimaruthur) in the Chola country.
(Reviews : Archaeological Survey of Mysore – Annual Report for 1931 – The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society.)
Durvasapuram is located at a distance of about 2 miles from Tirthahalli. It is on the bank of the Tunga river. There is a small island (dvipa) in the middle of the Tunga, called Durvasasrama. This place is situated at a distance of 36 miles from the source of the Tunga. According to the sthala-mahatmya, while the Pandavas were staying here, the water of the river, did not flow downwards, because Bhima had constructed a dam (Bhima-setu) there. Seeing this Durvasa wanted to curse Bhima, Bhima then made three openings in the dam through which the water flowed down. Bhima installed a murti of Sive (Bhimeswara) there. It is said that those who have darshan of Bhimesvara, Siddhesvara installed on the Siddhesvara hillock and Ramesvara installed at Tirthahalli by Parasurama will not be born again.
आदौ भीमेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा मध्ये सिद्धेश्वरं तथा । अन्ते रामेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ॥
One of the acharyas of the Dwaraka Peetha removed himself to Malabhagalu situated to the North of the present Kolar. During the time of Sivappa and Bhimappa Naik of Bidanur, the then Acharya of Dwaraka (Mulabhagalu) Matha was invited to the Durvasapura. He accordingly visited the place and had a Matha constructed there. The principal deity worshipped in the temple is Sri Gopalakrishna. There are also murtis of Sri Chandramaulisvara Swamy and Sri Gayatri Devi.
(Original Article: Written by Sri Anantanandendra Swami of Upanishad Brahmendra Matha – Published by Prof.S.Soundararajan,Bangalore)
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.
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)
In the historical epistles dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, we find accounts of the Travancore kings presenting elephants named “Padmanabha” as offerings to the revered Jagadguru Shankaracharyas of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
Additionally, in the records of the Mysore State Government for the year 1941-42, there are detailed entries of the government offering two elephant calves to Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya Swamigal Srimatham Samsthanam and Jagadguru Shri Sringeri (Tungabhadra-Kudali) Shankaracharya Swamigalavaru Srimatham Samsthanam as a humble contribution.
In the Bhumika of the book Sareeraka Meemamsa Bhashyam printed and published by Venkateswara Steam Press, Bombay, written by Mahavidvan Kashi Sesha Venkatachala Shastri, son of Pandita Dharmadhikari Shri Venkatasubramania Shastri and grand son of Pandita Dharmadhikari Kashi Sesha Nageshwara Shastri of Mysore, the following observation was made in Sanskrit about the Tungabhadra Sringeri (Kudali) matha established by Jagadguru Shri Shankara Bhagavatpadacharya.
Note: That this (Tungabhadra Sringeri) Matha was an independent Matha and that it was entitled to use Addapallaki and other paraphernelia was held in Appeal No.22 of 1847 on the file of the court of Huzur Adalat, Mysore. This order was confirmed by the Commissioner of Mysore, by his order dated 1st June, 1849. In the judgment it has also been quoted that “the Parwana of the Phalguna Bahula, 6 of the year Krodhana is to the effect that the (Tungabhadra Sringeri) Kūḍali Swami should always be on tour and that the (Tunga) Sringeri Swami should ever remain at Sringeri worshipping the deity.”- ‘Extract from the Judgement in Appeal No.22 of 1847 in the Court of the Huzur Adalat, Mysore’.- Sri Sankaracharya And Sankarite institutions by Sri Anantanandendra Saraswati of Upanishad Brahmendra Matha.
Q: Why is the Jagadguru Acharya of Tungabhadra Sringeri Matha revered with the special title “Tunga Bhadra Teeravasi”?
A:According to Mahavidvan Kasi Sesha Venkatachala Sastri of Mysore, the Birudu ” Tungabhadra Teeravasi” is associated with the Matha founded on Pitha in the confluence of Tunga-Bhadra rivers.
He founded a Matha and Vidya-dharma Pitha at the confluence of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers (known as Kudali in Kannada), situated many krosas away from (Tunga) Śṛṅgeri. As a result, the Acharyas came to be known by the title “Tungabhadra – Teeravasi.”
(Bhumika- Sareeraka Meemamsa Bhashyam by Kasi Sesha Venkatachala Sastri, Dharmadhikari & Hereditary Court Pandit of Mysore State, Printed By Venkateswara Steam Press, Bombay, 1913)
दसो दिशाओं के संरक्षक उपर्युक्त दशनामी संन्यासियों की संगठन शक्ति अक्षुण्ण बनी रहे और कालान्तर में उनके संगठन में किसी पृथकतावादी तत्त्व का समावेश न होने पाये, इसके लिये उन्होंने दशनाम संन्यासियों को निम्न रुप से एक ही शरीर के विभिन्न अंगों के रूप में प्रतिपादित किया-
Sareeraka Meemamsa Bhashya (Brahmasutra Bhashya) of Shri Shankaracarya, printed at Venkatesvara (Steam) Press, Bombay, was published in 1913.
Mahavidvan Kasi Sesha Venkatachala Sastri (Dharmadhikari and Hereditary Court Pandit of the Maharajas of Mysore) who has edited the work, has written a lengthy Bhumika, (preface) to the Bhashya, in Sanskrit, which contains much of information about Shri Sankara Bhagavatpada’s date, His life, Shankarite Institutions etc.
He has concluded his discussion on ‘Shri Shankaracharya’s time (vide page 59 of Bhumika (preface) to Sareeraka mimamsa Bhashya), with the following observation:
‘’ तथा गच्छत्वमितो बलवर्माण ततो जयसिंह ततः कृष्णगुप्तमिति इति (ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्ये ४ / ३ / ५) श्रीमच्छङ्कर भगवतत्पादैरुक्तस्तात्कालिक बलवर्म- जयसिंहः कृष्णगुप्तसामयिक एव पूर्णवर्मापि ग्राह्यः स च कलेः २००० वर्षानन्तर एव, नत्वंगलशकस्य सप्तमशतकादिः, स एव समयो भाष्यकृच्छङ्कर-भगवत्पादानां समय इति शिष्टं परिशिष्टे स्पष्टंप्रतिपादयिष्यते । “
The above passage in Sanskrit states that on the basis of Shri Shankaracharya’s observations in the Sutrabhashya (4-3-5 ) it is clear that the period of Shri Shankaracharya must be only after the elapse of 2000 years of the Kaliyuga.
