Uttaradi Math
Sri Uttaradi Math , is one of the main monasteries founded by Madhvacharya with Padmanabha Tirtha as its head to preserve and propagate Dvaita Vedanta outside Tulunadu region. Uttaradi Math is one of the three primary Dvaita monasteries or Mathatraya that descended from Madhvacharya in the lineage of Padmanabha Tirtha through Jayatirtha. After Jayatirtha and Vidyadhiraja Tirtha, Uttaradi Matha continued in the lineage of Kavindra Tirtha and later in the lineage of Vidyanidhi Tirtha. The Moola Rama and Moola Sita deities worshipped in the Uttaradi Matha have a long history and are revered among adherents.
Uttaradi Math is an important institution among the Madhvas and also respected among the Vaishnavas and the other Hindus. Most of the Deshastha Madhva Brahmins and majority of Madhvas outside Tulu Nadu region are followers of this matha. Uttaradi Matha has followers across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar regions.
The Uttaradi Matha is one of the major Hindu monastic institutions that has historically coordinated monastic activities through satellite institutions in India, preserved Sanskrit literature and pursued Dvaita studies. The Uttaradi Matha has been a library and a source of historic Sanskrit manuscripts. Along with other Hindu monasteries, this matha has been active in preserving the Vedas, sponsoring students and recitals, Sanskrit scholarship, and celebrating the annual Madhva Jayanti. The current pithadhipati or the acharya holding the pontifical seat is Satyatma Tirtha, the 42nd Jagadguru in the spiritual succession of pontiffs of this matha.
Etymology
According to tradition, "Uttarādi" refers to "Vishnu who lifts us from the cycle of Saṃsāra" and "Matha" refers to "cloister, institute" or temple for spiritual studies. It is the 494th name of Vishnu in Vishnu Sahasranama.Historian C. Hayavadana Rao says, "The Uttarādi Mutt is the prime pontifical seat of Madhvācharya". Author H. Chittaranjan says, "Saint Padmanabha Tirtha was given Deeksha by Madhvacharya himself to spread the Dvaita school of thought in northern Karnataka region. Since the Swamiji spread the Dvaita philosophy in the northern parts of Karnataka, the Mutt established there gained the name Uttaradi Mutt". Sharma opines that, "The Uttaradi Mutt has a territorial designation as its Pontificate has been occupied by Uttara-Karnatakas or Uttaradi-Karnatakas".
As per traditional accounts, Uttaradi Matha was the main matha that descended from Madhvacharya through Padmanabha Tirtha, Narahari Tirtha, Madhava Tirtha, Akshobya Tirtha, Jayatirtha, Vidyadhiraja Tirtha, and Kavindra Tirtha, hence this matha is also known as "Adi Matha" or "Moola Matha" or "Moola Samsthana" or "Moola Maha Samsthana of Sri Madhvacharya" or "Padmanabha Tirtha Matha". Uttaradi Matha was also once used to be called "Sri Satyabodha Swamy Matha" after its famous peetadipathi and saint Satyabodha Tirtha of Savanur.
History
During the time's of Satyaprajna Tirtha there was a continuous conflict between the followers of Dvaita and Advaita Vedantas. According to Manimanjari and Madhva Vijaya, Ananda Tirtha was born as an incarnation of Vayu to give correct interpretation of Vedanta and challenge the doctrine of Shankara, who taught Advaita Vedanta in which the individual souls or jivas were considered same as Brahman. Some Shankara's followers who were egoistic, destroyed the monasteries of their opponents and indulged in a sinful acts. The teacher Satyaprajna Tirtha was also killed, his disciple and successor Prajna Tirtha was converted to faith of Advaita by force. However, the disciples of Satya-prajna Tirtha and Prajna Tirtha remained secretly attached to true Vedanta and continued to practice their doctrine secretly. Achyuta Preksha Tirtha, the teacher of Madhvacharya was of this line.According to tradition, it was said that at the time of Achyuta Preksha who was the pontiff of Adi matha, on the ordain of Veda Vyasa, Vayu incarnated in this world as Madhvacharya on the day of Vijaya Dashami in 1238 AD for the purpose of consolidating Hindu dharma. Uttaradi Matha was descended from Madhva through Padmanabha Tirtha, Jayatirtha and his disciples. The Uttaradi Matha does not have any headquarters as such, though sometimes some places have received special attention. It is mainly an itinerant institution moving and camping from place to place, busy carrying the torch of spiritual learning where ever it goes.
Spread of Dvaita
and his descendants are responsible for the spread of Dvaita Vedanta outside Tulu Nadu region. Sharma says Narahari Tirtha is considered to be the forerunner of the Vaishnava devotional movement of the Dasakuta of Haridasa movement in Kannada. The doctrine of Tattvavada was further carried on and was spread all over the country by Jayatirtha and his descendants.In the first quarter of the 17th century, Vidyadhisha Tirtha was able to gain some converts to the Madhva fold, in Bihar, from among the Brahmins of Gaya, who still profess allegiance to Madhva school. Satyanatha Tirtha during his time as the peetadhipathi of Uttarādi matha visited Gaya and strengthened the hold of the matha among Gayapalas, who had been converted to Madhvism by his predecessor Vidyadhisha Tirtha.
Deities worshipped
Moola Rama is the supreme deity worshipped at Utttaradi Matha. Moola Rama and Moola Sita deities worshipped in Uttaradi Matha are "Chaturyuga Murthy's" . These two deities were brought by Sri Narahari Tirtha as per the orders of Sri Madhvacharya from Gajapati kings. Madhvacharya passed them on to his disciple Padmanabha Tirtha. Along with the Moola Rama and Moola Sita deities, the deity of Digvijaya Rama, which Madhvacharya got sculpted for himself, Vamsha Rama deity obtained by Madhava Tirtha and Prasanna Vittala deity obtained by Akshobya Tirtha are also worshipped in the matha.Madhvacharya was presented with 8 Vyasamushtis by Vedavyasa during his return from Badrikashrama. Quoting about these Vyasamushtis, German Indologist Helmuth von Glasenapp says, five Vyasamushtis out of the eight Vyasamushtis are in Uttaradi Matha. Purandara Dasa glorified 28 main deities worshipped at Uttaradi Matha along with Moola Rama and Moola Sita deities, the 5 Vyasamushtis in one of his songs "Madhvarayara Devatarcaneya Prasiddha Raghunatharu Poojisuva Sobagu". Vijaya Dasa composed "Moola Rama Banda Suladi" on Moola Rama at Uttaradi Matha. In this song, he also describes both Moola Sita Rama once in the middle of the song. Prasanna Venkata Dasa wrote "Moola Rama Mahima Suladi" describing Moola Rama at Uttaradi Matha. Sanskrit Scholar V. R. Panchamukhi says, "Sri Sri Satyatmatirtha always worships the auspicious Moola Rama, the Lord of Goddess Lakshmi, always accompanied by Goddess Sīta". Satyasandha Tirtha, the 26th peetadhipathi of Uttaradi Math wrote "Ashtavimshati Murti Stuti" in praise of 28 divine deities worshipped at Uttaradi Matha along with Moola Rama and Moola Sita deities.
Bifurcation of mathas
Madhvacharya initiated Padmanabha Tirtha as his successor to the main matha and instructed to spread Tattvavada outside Tulunadu region, especially in the North Karnataka and Maharashtra regions since Padmanabha Tirtha was from Puntamba. After Padmanabha Tirtha, Narahari Tirtha continued as the peetadhipathi of the matha and continued to spread Tattvavada in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. After him Madhava Tirtha, Akshobya Tirtha, Jayatirtha and Vidyadhiraja Tirtha occupied the throne of the main matha. As per the traditional accounts, this main matha was divided twice, so we end up with three mathas. They are Uttaradi Math, Vyasaraja Math and Raghavendra Math. Out of these three mathas, Uttaradi Math is the largest.; First bifurcation
During the times of Vidyadhiraja Tirtha the first bifurcation of the main matha took place. Main Matha continued in the lineage of Kavindra Tirtha as Uttaradi Matha to spread Tattvavada in the Northern part of Karnataka and beyond. At the same time, Rajendra Tirtha established "Poorvadi Matha", which is now known by the name of Vyasaraja Math to spread Tattvavada in the Southern parts of Karnataka and beyond until Tamil Nadu.
; Second bifurcation
The second bifurcation of the main matha took place during the times of Ramachandra Tirtha. Initially, ashrama was given to Vibudendra Tirtha by Ramachandra Tirtha, and even named as his successor. It is not known what happened but Vibudendra Tirtha couldn't return from the pilgrimage tour during Ramachandra Tirtha's last phase of life. So Ramachandra Tirtha chose to initiate another pontiff and named him "Vidyanidhi Tirtha" and declared him as his successor. Vibudendra Tirtha returned from the pilgrimage tour after the death of Ramachandra Tirtha. Hence two mathas were established. Uttaradi Matha continued in the lineage of Vidyanidhi Tirtha and the other matha was formed by Vibudendra Tirtha. It was known as "Dakshinadi Matha" or "Kumbakona Matha. These lineages were formed and continued for the benefit of the Madhva philosophy so that more and more individuals consequently have access to the philosophy and get Upadeśa.
According to Surendranath Dasgupta, Uttaradi Math was divided twice, and so we end up with three mathas, the other two being Vyasaraja Math and Raghavendra Math.
Uttaradi Math, along with Vyasaraja Math and Raghavendra Math, is considered to be the three premier apostolic institutions of Dvaita Vedanta and are jointly referred as Mathatraya. It is the pontiffs and pandits of the Mathatraya that have been the principal architects of post-Madhva Dvaita Vedanta through the centuries. Among the mathas outside of Tulu Nadu region, Uttaradi Matha is the largest.
Pontifical lineage
Origin
As per authoritative Hindu scriptures, "The Supreme God also wanted to bless the souls with divine knowledge, by which they can attain salvation. For this purpose, the Supreme God — Śrī Nārāyana Himself incarnated as Śrī Hamsa and adorned the pontifical seat called the Hamsa-Pīṭha."Indian anthropologists Surajit Sinha and Baidyanath Saraswati says that: