Vishvesha Theertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math Passes Away
Udupi: Sri Vishvesha Theertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math passed away on Sunday, December 29 at the Pejawar Math. He was 89.
Pejawar Sri Vishvesha Theertha Swamiji was brought to Kasturba Hospital, Manipal with complaints of difficulty in breathing on December 20 from a private hospital.
“Pejavara Mutt Seer Vishwesha Teertha Swami ji passed away at 9:30am today. His mortal remains will be kept at Ajjarakadu Mahatma Gandhi Maidan for three hours today, where he’ll be given state honours. CM BS Yediyurappa will be coming there.” Udupi legislator K Raghupati Bhat was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“Later today, his mortal remains will be taken to Bengaluru. Several national leaders will be coming to pay last tributes to Swami ji at the National College in Bengaluru. Last rites will be performed at around 7pm at Vidyapeeth,” Bhat said.
The Karnataka government announced a three-day state mourning. His last rites will be performed at the Vidyapeetha here, founded by him, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said.
Prime Narendra Modi called the seer a “powerhouse of service and spirituality” as he tweeted his condolence.
“Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji of the Sri Pejawara Matha, Udupi will remain in the hearts and minds of lakhs of people for whom he was always a guiding light. A powerhouse of service and spirituality, he continuously worked for a more just and compassionate society. Om Shanti,” Modi wrote on Twitter.
“I consider myself blessed to have got many opportunities to learn from Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji. Our recent meeting, on the pious day of Guru Purnima was also a memorable one. His impeccable knowledge always stood out. My thoughts are with his countless followers,” he said.
The pontiff was taken back to Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt with ventilator support early on Sunday as he had wished.
Teertha Swami was also known for his social and educational work. He was also active in Ram Janma Bhoomi movement and was a vocal supporter of cow protection movement.
The Pejavara mutt is one of the “Ashta” mutts of Udupi.
He was admitted to a hospital in Manipal a few days ago for breathing difficulty and his condition had been critical.
On Saturday night, he suffered multi-organ failure following which he was shifted to the Pejwar Math in Udupi as per his wish expressed earlier, the sources said.
From there, the mortal remains of the swamiji were later taken in a bamboo basket to the eight centuries old Udupi Sri Krishna Math.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yediyurappa condoled the death of the seer, who was the 33rd swamiji in the lineage of the Pejawar Math heads.
Born on April 27, 1931 at at Ramakunja as Venkatarama, he was initiated into asceticism on December 3, 1938 after undergoing practices to renounce worldly pleasures and to tread the path of religion.
The swamiji was hailed for his social initiatives, including visiting Dalit colonies decades ago.
“Udupi will remain in the hearts and minds of lakhs of people for whom he was always a guiding light. A powerhouse of service and spirituality, he continuously worked for a more just and compassionate society. Om Shanti,” Modi tweeted, condoling the death of the swamiji.
Yediyurappa said: “Hindu religion has lost a major guide in the passing away of the seer.”
He had held ‘sahabhojana’ with Dalits, which was a step to lower the voice of inequality in Hindu religion.
“His contribution to the upliftment of Hindu dharma is immortal. It is saddening that he did not live to witness the construction of Rama mandir in Ayodhya,” the chief minister said in his message.