KASHI MATH

The Kashi Matha is one of the two Vaishnava Mathas of the Saraswats with its headquarters at Varanasi or Kashi. Dr. V. A. Shenai has done considerable research on the history of the Matha by looking into many original records including those in Persian, of the Matha. Acharya Madhwa (1238-1318) who had propagated the Dwaita philosophy and Vaishnava bhakti had visited Goa, Kerala in addition to Canara and brought into his fold many Saraswats. Later missionaries like Vadiraja Teertha (1480-1600) had also continued the work.

In addition to the eight Mathas at Udupi, Acharya Madhwa had also founded the Uttaradi matha with Padmanabha and Jayateertha being its Peethadhipatis in succession. They too had visited Gomantak and had won many followers to the new religion. During the 15th century Ramachandra Teertha had initiated two sanyasis and of the two Vibhudendra Teertha founded a new Matha in the far South at Kumbhakonam. This was known as Poorvadi Matha and great saint Raghavendra of Mantralaya fame belonged to this matha, though later. Saraswats living in Kerala and part of Canara till Bhatkal started owing allegiance to this new Matha.

When Surendra Teertha was the head of the Matha at Kumbhakonam, one of his disciples, Vijayeendra was invited by Cochin Saraswats to undertake Chaturmasya at Cochin. and there Vijayeendra was persuaded to initiate a Saraswat boy to sanyasa. Vijayeendra agreed and the vatu selected was taken to Varanasi (Kashi) and initiated to sanyasa with the name Yadavendra Teertha and a Matha was founded at Kashi. Surendra Teertha presented Vyasa and Raghupathi images to Yadavendra, and these deities are being worshipped even to-day. A copper plate charter issued by Surendra Teertha in 1542 defines his jurisdiction over the Saraswats (Epigraphia Indica, XII, P. 340). Yadavendra Teertha attained samadhi at Bhatkal in circa 1608. His successors were Keshavendra Teertha (samadhi at Basrur, circa 1670), Upendra Teertha (Kashi, 1674), Yadavendra Teertha II (Hemmadi 1711), Raghavendra Teertha (also initiated by Upendra Teertha, samadhi at Kashi, 1725) and Devendra Teertha ( 1734 ? Bantval). Raghavendra Teertha founded the Lakshmi Narasimha temple in the precincts of the Matha at Kashi.

The next Swamy, Madhavendra Teertha entered sajeeva samadhi at the Walkeshwar Matha, Bombay in 1775. Jnanendra Teertha (Nasik) Yadavendra Teertha III (Honnavar, 1783,) Upendra II (Kashi, 1791), Rajendra Teertha (Tharavoor-Kerala, 1799), Sureendra Tirtha (Alleppy -1831), Vishnu Teertha (Kashi ?) and Vibhudendra Teertha (Manjeshwar, 1834) were the next peethadhipatis. Vibhudendra Teertha was also initiated by Surendra Teerth as Vishnu Teertha had met with death prematurely. Vibhudendra Teertha had  initiated  Sumateentra Teertha Sumateentra Teertha (samadhi at Alleppy, 1852)  and Vasudendra Teertha (Samadhi at Manjeshwar 1859). The famous swami Bhuvanendra, a great scholar in Vedic studies and Ayurveda was the shishya of Sumateentra Teertha. Bhuvanendra Teertha was a patron of arts like sculpture and he attained samadhi at Basrur in 1886. Varadendra Teertha attained samadhi at Walkeshwar (Bombay, 1914) and Sukriteendra at Cochin (1949).

Sudheendra Teertha, the present Swamy will be ever remembered for the great temple of Vedavyasa he built at Haridwar and the Mathas at Tirupathi, Bangalore, Calicut and Bhagamandala. The Kashi Matha has its branches and establishments at Kashi, Prayag, Haridwar, Bhatkal, Basrur, Hemmady, Bantwal, Panambur (Suratkal), Manjeshwar, Rameshwaram, Karkala, Nayampalli near Udupi, Bhagamandala (Kodagu), Bandora (Goa), Pallipuram (Kerala), Manchakal, Naravi (near Belthangady), Alleppey, Konchady, Hangarakatte, Tirupathi, Bangalore and Calicut. The Kashi Matha is also running schools to foster Sanskrit learning and train purohits at Karkal, Basrur etc. Kashimatha has a wide following in Kerala and South Kanara. <

The Mathas have been inculcating good samskaras on the community. Together vith spiritual values, they have been upholding moral values too in a world steeped in materialism. The Swamijis have been repeating the traditional values by saying that while amassing wealth (Artha) and fulfilling desires (Kama), Dharma should not be forgotten, and the final goal, Moksha should not be neglected. The community has the benefit of learning these lessons regularly at the feet of these Swamis. Many other communities do not enjoy this benefit.