Shri Raghavendra Math, better known as Rayara Math (popularly known as Shri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt, formerly known as Kumbakonam Math, Vibhudendra Math, Dakshinadi Mutt or Vijayendra Math) is one of the
Dvaita Vedanta
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta sub ...
monasteries (
matha
A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism. ) descended from
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
through Vibudhendra Tirtha (a disciple of ''Ramchandra Tirtha'') and their disciples based in
Mantralayam
Mantralayam is a pilgrim village in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, India, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River on the border with neighbouring Karnataka state. It is known for the brundavana of Raghavendra Swami, a saint who lived in 1 ...
. It is one of the three premier monasteries descended in the lineage of
Jayatirtha
Sri Jayatirtha (), ''also known as'' Teekacharya () (1345 - 1388), was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician, polemicist and the sixth pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha from (1365 – 1388). He is considered to be one of the most important seers in ...
the other two being
Uttaradi Math
Shri Uttaradi Math (IAST:''Śrī Uttarādi Maṭha'') (also known as Uttaradi Peetha), is one of the main monasteries (matha) founded by Madhvacharya with Padmanabha Tirtha as its head to preserve and propagate Dvaita Vedanta (Tattvavada) outs ...
and
Vyasaraja Math and are jointly referred as ''Mathatraya''. It is the pontiffs and pandits of the ''Mathatraya'' that have been the principle architects of post-Madhva Dvaita Vedanta through the centuries. Raghavendra Matha is located on the bank of
Tungabhadra River in
Mantralayam
Mantralayam is a pilgrim village in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, India, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River on the border with neighbouring Karnataka state. It is known for the brundavana of Raghavendra Swami, a saint who lived in 1 ...
in Adoni taluk of
Kurnool district
Kurnool district is one of the eight districts in the Rayalaseema region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in the North western part of the state and is bounded by Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana in the north, Raich ...
in
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
History
Raghavendra Math is descended from Jagadguru Shri
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
through Vibhudendra Tirtha. The Raghavendra Math was founded by Vibhudendra Tirtha in
Kumbhakonam. So, earlier the matha was known as Kumbhakonam Matha or Dakshinadi Math and later the matha was made popular as Sri Vijayendra Mutt after
Vijayendra Tirtha
Vijayīndra Tīrtha ''(also known as Vijayendra Tīrtha)'' (1514 - 1595) was a Dvaita philosopher and dialectician. A prolific writer and an unrelenting polemicist, he is said to have authored 104 treatises expounding the principles of Dvaita a ...
by
Sudhindra Tirtha
Sudhindra Tirtha (1596 - 1623) was a Dvaita philosopher of aesthetics, dramatist and the pontiff of the matha at Kumbakonam. Unlike his predecessors who mainly dealt with polemics and theology, most of his written works deal with Kavya (''poet ...
, a disciple and successor to the pontificate of Kumbakonam Matha. After Sudhindra Tirtha his disciple, the most venerated
dvaita
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta su ...
saint
Raghavendra Tirtha
Raghavendra Tirtha () (1595 – 1671) was a Hindu scholar, theologian and saint. He was also known as Sudha Parimalacharya (). His diverse oeuvre include commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, interpretation of the ...
continued in the pontifical lineage as the pontiff of the matha. The idol of the Moola Rama is worshipped in this Math. Its headquarters are now in
Mantralayam
Mantralayam is a pilgrim village in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, India, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River on the border with neighbouring Karnataka state. It is known for the brundavana of Raghavendra Swami, a saint who lived in 1 ...
,
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
, although they used to be in
Nanjangud
Nanjangud, officially known as Nanjanagudu, is a town in the Mysuru district of Indian state of Karnataka. Nanjangud lies on the banks of the river Kapila (also called Kabini), 23 km from the city of Mysore. Nanjangud is famous for the S ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
. This mutt is highly respected among
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
all over the world. The matha was later named after
Raghavendra Tirtha
Raghavendra Tirtha () (1595 – 1671) was a Hindu scholar, theologian and saint. He was also known as Sudha Parimalacharya (). His diverse oeuvre include commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, interpretation of the ...
as ''Raghavendra Matha''. Other common names still include Dakshinaadi Matha.
Guru Parampara
The Guru Parampara (Lineage of Saints) of Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt is given below.
#Sri
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
#Sri
Padmanabha Tirtha
Padmanabha Tirtha (attained Siddhi 1324) was a Dvaita philosopher, scholar and the disciple of Madhvacharya. Ascending the pontifical seat after Madhva, he served as the primary commentator of his works and in doing so, significantly elucidat ...
#Sri
Narahari Tirtha
Narahari Tirtha ( 1243 - 1333) was a Dvaita philosopher, scholar, statesman and one of the disciples of Madhvacharya. He is considered to be the progenitor of the Haridasa movement along with Sripadaraja. Though only two of his scholarly wor ...
#Sri
Madhava Tirtha
Madhava Tirtha was a Hindu philosopher, scholar and the 3rd pontiff of Madhvacharya peetha. He succeeded Narahari Tirtha as the pontiff of the Madhvacharya peetha from 1333 - 1350.
Life
Works
According to S. K. and Gurucarya, He wrote a ...
#Sri
Akshobhya Tirtha
Akshobhya Tirtha ( 1282- 1365) was a Dvaita philosopher, scholar and theologian. Born as Govinda Bhatta, he received sannyasa from Padmanabha Tirtha and later succeeded Madhava Tirtha as the pontiff of the Madhvacharya peetha from (1350 - 1 ...
#Sri
Jayatirtha
Sri Jayatirtha (), ''also known as'' Teekacharya () (1345 - 1388), was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician, polemicist and the sixth pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha from (1365 – 1388). He is considered to be one of the most important seers in ...
#Sri
Vidyadhiraja Tirtha
Vidyadhiraja Tirtha was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician and the seventh pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha and served as peetadhipathi from (c. 1388 – c. 1392).
Bifurcation of Mathas
It was during the time of Vidyadhiraja Tirtha that the fir ...
#Sri Kavindra Thirtha
#Sri Vaageesha Thirtha
#Sri Ramachandra Tirtha
#Sri Vibudhendra Tirtha
#Sri Jitamitra Tirtha
#Sri Raghunandana Tirtha
#Sri Surendra Tirtha
#Sri
Vijayeendra Tirtha
#Sri
Sudhindra Tirtha
Sudhindra Tirtha (1596 - 1623) was a Dvaita philosopher of aesthetics, dramatist and the pontiff of the matha at Kumbakonam. Unlike his predecessors who mainly dealt with polemics and theology, most of his written works deal with Kavya (''poet ...
#Sri
Raghavendra Tirtha
Raghavendra Tirtha () (1595 – 1671) was a Hindu scholar, theologian and saint. He was also known as Sudha Parimalacharya (). His diverse oeuvre include commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, interpretation of the ...
#Sri Yogeendra Tirtha
#Sri Sooreendra Tirtha
#Sri
Sumateendra Tirtha
#Sri Upendra Tirtha
#Sri Vadeendra Tirtha
#Sri Vasudhendra Tirtha
#Sri Varadendra Tirtha
#Sri Dheerendra Tirtha
#Sri Bhuvanendra Tirtha
#Sri Subodhendra Tirtha
#Sri Sujanendra Tirtha
#Sri Sujnanendra Tirtha
#Sri Sudharmendra Tirtha
#Sri Sugunendra Tirtha
#Sri Suprajnendra Tirtha
#Sri Sukrutheendra Tirtha
#Sri Susheelendra Tirtha
#Sri Suvrateendra Tirtha
#Sri Suyameendra Tirtha
#Sri Sujayeendra Tirtha
#Sri Sushameendra Tirtha
#Sri Suyateendra Tirtha
#Sri Subudhendra Tirtha – (Present Pontiff)
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Raghavendra Math official websiteWebsite on Dvaita
{{coord missing, Karnataka
Dvaita Vedanta
History of Karnataka
Vaishnavism
Hindu monasteries in India
Madhva mathas
Hindu temples in Thanjavur district