Who was Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji? Chief of Udupi's Pejawar Mutt

Bengaluru, Dec 29: Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of the Pejawar Mutt passed away in Udupi on Sunday. He was 88. He was admitted to the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal for the treatment of extensive pneumonia on December 20 and was shifted to the Pejawar Mutt in Udupi on Sunday on ventilator after his health condition worsened on Saturday.

Born in 1931 at Ramakunja to a Shivalli Madhwa Brahmin family, Vishvesha Teertha was an Hindu guru, saint and the former presiding Swamiji of the Sri Pejavara Adokshaja Matha, one of the Ashta Mathas belonging to the Dvaita school of philosophy, founded by Sri Madhvacharya.

Teertha was ordained into Sanyasa at the young age of 8 years in 1938. His vidya guru is Shri Vidyamanya Tirtharu of Shri Bhandarkeri Math, and Shri Palimaru Math also.

He has appointed Shri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha, as his successor sanyasi Swamiji of Shri Pejawar Math. Teertha is the 32nd in the lineage of the Pejavara matha, starting from Sri Adhokshaja Tirtharu, who was one of the direct disciples of Sri Madhvacharya. He is also the honorary president of Vishva Tulu Sammelana. He has also established Poornaprajna Vidyapeetha in Bangalore, which has completed over 63 years. Many scholars are trained here on Vedanta.

The Swamiji assumed the first paryaya, turn to worship Lord Krishna at Udupi, at a young age. During his first Paryaya in 1954, he organized the All India Madhva Conference in Udupi.

During his second Paryaya in 1968, he got the Badagumalige in Udupi repaired. During his third tenure as Paryaya Swamiji in 1984, he has got a new hall built at Udupi called Krishna Dhama.

He has completed five Paryayas and only one to complete five Paryayas after Shri Vadiraja Swamiji of Sodhe Mutt. He started his fifth Paryaya on January 18, 2016, and completed it on January 18, 2018.