By Team Mangalorean

UDUPI, January 15, 2008: With only three days to go for the Parayaya Mahotsava in this temple town things have taken a bad turn, the situation could be clearly designated as a flash point between the hardliners and the reformer groups in the Ashtamath circle.  The hardliners headed by the swamiji of Pejavar math HH Vishveshwara Thirtha and the reformers by the Puthige math seer HH Sugunendra Thirtha who is to ascend the Parayaya peetham on 18 January at 4.30am.

Legal system says no

The matter which had reached the door steps of the law courts followed by the warning of the Pejavar Math swamiji that he would go on a hunger strike if the Sugunendra Thirtha swamiji was to ascend the Paryaya Peetham and starts offering the pooja to lord Krishna the presiding deity of the temple town.  In the meanwhile the Udupi first grade magistrate's court has quashed the appeal made by two persons against the ascension of Sugunendra Thirtha on Paryaya peetham. This brings a temporary relief to the Puthige math, but there is one more appeal pending for hearing on 16 January in the High court in Bangalore. According to the legal experts in the capital that appeal might also go the way of the one in Udupi court.

Sri Krishna Temple Udupi (File photo)

Apex body gives power to Pejavar Seer

In the meanwhile the swamiji of Pejavar math who has been mandated with the power of the Madhwa Samsthan -the apex body having a membership of 26 Madhwa maths in the country has threatened to go on a hunger strike from 16 onwards if  Sugunendra Thirta was to perform poojas to the lord Krishna starting from 18 January following the Paryaya Mahotsava. The swamiji who met the press twice on Monday  has made it clear that no swamiji who is tainted by a foreign trip can perform poojas to the lord Krishna in his lifetime. He is supported by four other swamijis including the Phalimar Math, Krishnapur Math, Kaniyoor Math and  Sode Math. Two maths are supporting Puthige math namely Shiroor and Admar.

The Madhwa Samsath as well as the leader of the dissenting maths HH Visvesha Thirtha swamiji have now asked for the last time to Sugunendra Thirta to take a Shishya (desciple) and conduct pooja through him or allow the Dwandwa Math (Shiroor Math) swamiji to perform pooja till such a time the ‘Shishya Sweekara' process was completed by the Puthige Math.  He has made it clear that Sugunendra Thirtha will not be allowed to perform pooja at any cost.

Puthige Seer in a Dilemma

On the other hand the Sugunendra Thirtha Swamiji has now been pushed into a dilemma as he has lost the major portion of support both from the Madhwa Samsath as well as his peers in the Ashtamath circle in Udupi. He has only two swamijis in his support and it could be possible that those two might also at a later date desert him. In such a situation the Paryaya Durbar which will sit on 18 morning at Rajangana can be boycotted by all the swamijis who are dissenting.  This could be a major embarrassment to not just the Sugunendra Thirta Swamiji but also to the entire Madhwa following in the country as well as the international Madhwa community.

According to close circuit sources in the Udupi Ashtamaths it is also possible for the majority Maths to initiate a process called ‘Dwandwa Math Utthana'  - which means they can ask the Dwandwa Math to take over the Paryaya peetham,  but informed sources in the Udupi Sanskrit college say that that process could be initiated only when the swamiji who is in charge of the Paryaya math dies mid term.

What is Dwandwa Math ?

Every math in the ashta maths of Udupi has their own Dwandwa Math.  Dwandwa in classical Kannada meant 'Alternative'  the alternative math will spring into action when something happens to the swamiji of the Paryaya Math if he falls sick or dies and is simply not in a position to offer poojas to the lord krishna. The Dwandwa Math can train anybody particularly the junior swamiji or the Shishya of the Paryaya Math swamiji to perform poojas to the deity. Puthige math has Shiroor Math as Dwandwa Math.

According to Lakshmivara Thirtha swamiji of the Shiroor Math,  he will support the Puthige math swamiji as he has done no wrong.  He had not gone on foreign trip to seek material pleasure but to spread the Madhwa Philosophy in that part of the world which was starved for some spiritual experience.  Similar things have been said by swamiji of Admaar Math HH Vibudesha Thirtha and his junior Vishwapriya thirtha.

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