'Guruparamparamritam' by Narasimha Puranik of Kumta is the major source of information on this Matha. Ramachandra Tirtha of the Udupi Phalimar Matha initiated a Saraswat boy as sanyasi. calling him as Narayana Tirtha in 1475, and new Matha for Vaishnava Saraswats was started at Bhatkal in 1476 where the samadhi of the Swamy can be seen. This Matha enjoyed the patronage of the Keladi rulers and the Vaishnava Saraswats of Goa and most of those from undivided Canara were its followers. Though the Phalimar Swamy, Ramachandra Tirtha wanted Narayana Tirtha to succeed to his Matha, it was not liked by the Tulu Vaishnava Brahmins who were followers of the Matha, and the new Matha for Vaishnava Saraswats was founded. Vira Vithala is the deity worshipped by the Swamis of the Matha.  

The next Swami Vasudeva Teertha, whose samadhi is at Pandharpur was succeeded by Jeevottama Teertha, by whose fame and capacity, the Matha came to be also known as Jeevottama Matha. Jeevottama Teertha also attained samadhi at Bhatkal. It was perhaps in the days, or soon after his time, by Purushottama Teertha that the Matha was shifted to Gokarna where his samadhi is found. Jivothama Teertha II who succeeded Purushottama Teertha has his samadhi at Dicholi in Goa. Dated records of Ramachandra Teertha the next swami ranging from 1634 to 1666 are seen.  

There are orders of the Bijapur officers against molestation by Dravida Brahmins of Ramachandra Vader and his retinue when they went to sea shore at Gokarna for bathing and reciting mantras, issued in 1634; another order of 1645, restraining the Dravida Brahmins from obstructing Ramachandra Teertha and his followers from performing vedic rites and observances. The village Megare had been granted to Jivottama Teertha by Narasa Kini of Bhatkal. But this village had gone into the hands of the Sonde Matha wrongly. This village was restored to Ramachandra Teertha by an order in 1666. This pontiff, after his long term, took samadhi at Revan in Goa. His successor Digvijaya Ramachandra, the next Swamy attained samadhi at Ankola and his successor Raghuchandra Teertha at Honavar.  

Maratha ruler Sambhaji and his Commander Prahlada Niraji invited Lakshminarayana Teertha, the next Swamy to visit Maharashtra in the 1680s and the Swamy took Samadhi on the banks of the Godavari in Maharashtra during his sojourn in that region. The next Swamis were Lakshmikanta Teertha, followed by Ramakanta Teertha and they attained samadhi at Honavar and Ankola respectively. Kamalakant Teertha, the next pontiff's samadhi is seen at Gokarna. Partagali has the samadhi of Shrikanta Teertha Oder, and it is from this time that Partagali must have become the headquarters of the Matha. Bhoovijaya Ramateertha, the next pontiff also took samadhi at the same Matha. His successor Ramanatha Teertha's samadhi is to be seen at Venkatapur near Bhatkal. The next pontiff Lakshminatha Teertha passed away at Baroda in Gujarat where his samadhi was raised. The next pontiffs, Ananda Teertha, his shishya Poorna Prajnya, the latter's successor Padmanabha and his shishya Indirakanta Teertha Vader all took samadhi at Partagali itself. Indirakanta Teertha accepted Kamalanatha as the shishya, but the latter passed away prematurely, and later Indirakanta initiated Dwarakanatha Teertha. The samadhis of all these are at Partagali. Dwarakanath Swamy built the Dwarakanath Bhavan at Bangalore and similar building and Rama Mandira at Wadala, Bombay. Vidyadhiraj Teertha who succeeded to the Peetha in 1973 has been vigorously pursuing his religious duties despite his failing health in initial years. He had initiated Vidyadhiraj Puraskar to honor outstanding Saraswats annually for their notable achievements.

This writing is mostly based on G. H. Khare's report to Indian Historical Records Commission in 1951 on the Partagali Matha Archives and information furnished by the late Sri P. S. Kamath of Karvar. The Matha has its establishments at Bhatkal, Gokarn, Basrur, Dicholi, Partagali, Revona, Mangalore, Ankola, Karvar, Varanasi, Wadala (Bombay), Vasco, Gangolli, Venkatapur, Honavar, Yellapur, Badrinath and Siddapur.