A brief history of RAyara maTha:
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A brief history of RAyara maTha: |
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Sri padmanAbha tIrtha was one of the earliest disciples of Acharya Madhva. After the departure of the Acharya, padmanAbha tIrtha became the head of the main maTha (outside South Kanara District). He was in turn succeeded by Sri Narahari tIrtha, Sri MAdhava tIrtha, Sri akshObya tIrtha, Sri jayatIrtha (also known as tIkAkrutpAdaru) and Sri vidyAdhirAjaru. After this, due to factors beyond human control, the lineage split into two branches – one headed by Sri kavIndra tIrtha and another by Sri RAjendra tIrtha. The latter is also known as pUrvAdi maTha (which is more popularly known today as Sri vyAsarAya maTha). In the former line, Sri kavIndra tIrtha was succeeded by Sri vAgIsha tIrtha and Sri rAmachandra tIrtha. Once again, due to factors beyond human control, the lineage split into two branches – one headed by Sri vibhudEndra tIrtha (the lineage known today as Sri Raghavendra swAmy maTha) and another headed by Sri vidyAnidhi tIrtha (Sri uttarAdi maTha).
Sri vibhudEndra tIrtha was a very well regarded scholar and saint who strove very hard to propagate the philosophy of Acharya Madhva. One of his many disciples was lakshminArAyaNa muni (more popularly known as Sri SrIpAdarAjA). Sri vibhudEndra tIrtha was followed by Sri jItAmitra tIrtha, Sri raghunandana tIrtha and Sri surEndra tIrtha.
Sri vyAsa tIrtha had many illustrious disciples, but he was grooming Sri VishNu tIrtha to become his successor, but destiny willed otherwise. Sri VishNu tIrtha was handed over to Sri surEndra tIrtha and renamed as Sri vijayIndra tIrtha. He defeated a leading shaivite swAmiji and gained a maTha in Kumbhakonam along with a lot of other properties. He wrote many scholarly works, defeated many scholars of rival schools and put dvaita on a solid footing in the south. He was followed by Sri sudhIndra tIrtha, who was in turn followed by Sri Raghavendra tIrtha (Rayaru). After RAyaru, the maTha became known as rAghavEndra or rAyara maTha.