Udupi Krishna Temple
Encyclopedia
Udupi Sri Krishna Matha is a Dravidian language spoken by 1.95 million native speakers mainly in the southwest part of Indian state Karnataka known as Tulu Nadu. In India, 1.72 million people speak it as their mother tongue , increased by 10 percent over the 1991 census...
:ಉಡುಪಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಮಠ) is a famous Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple dedicated to god Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
located in the town of Udupi in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The matha area resembles a living ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
, a holy place for daily devotion and living. Surrounding the Sri Krishna Matha are several temples, the most ancient being made of basic wood and stone of 1,500 years origin. (See Udupi for more)
History
The Krishna Matha was founded by the VaishnaviteVaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
saint Shri Madhwacharya in the 13th century. He was the founder of the Dvaita
Dvaita
Dvaita is a school of Vedanta founded by Shri Madhvacharya....
school of Vedanta.
Legend has it that once Kanakadasa, a pious worshipper and devotee of Lord Krishna, was not allowed entry into the temple. It didn't upset him, but instead made him pray with intense devotion. Lord Krishna was so pleased that the statue turned back to where Kanakadasa was praying,and the wall before Kanakadasa broke up to allow the disciple to gaze upon his heavenly from at the back of the mutt (monastery). Till today, devotees still worship Lord Krishna by praying through the same window that Kanakadasa was blessed with a view,that is known as Kanakanakhindi.
Direct students of Madhvacharya
Direct students of Madhvacharya were many in number.His first disciple was Shri Sathya Theertha.All other Mathas except the Ashta Mathas were established by Sri Padmanabha Thirtha.His disciples do not have the right to perform pooja to Lord Udupi Shri Krishna as it is headed and governed by the Ashta mathas.1.Sri Vishnu Thirtha- Sode Matha
2.Sri Vamana Thirtha- Shirur Matha
3.Sri Rama Thirtha- Kanniyur Matha
4.Sri Adokshaja Thirtha- Pejavara Matha
5.Sri Hrishikesha Thirtha- Palimaru Matha
6.Sri Narahari Thirtha- Adamaru Matha
7.Sri Janardhana Thirtha- Krishnapura Matha
8.Sri Upendra Thirtha- Puthige Matha
9.Sri krishna
Krishna Matha
The daily sevas (offerings to god) and administration of the Krishna Mutt are managed by the Ashta Mathas (eight temples). Each of the Ashta Mathas performs temple management activities for two years in a cyclical order. They are collectively known as the Krishna Matha.The Krishna Matha is known throughout the world for its religious customs, traditions, and learning in Dvaita
Dvaita
Dvaita is a school of Vedanta founded by Shri Madhvacharya....
or Tatvavaada philosophy. It is also the centre of Daasa Sahitya, a form of literature that originated in Udupi.
These eight Mathas are Pejavara
Pejavara
Pejavara is a village located in the Mangalore taluk of Dakshina Kannada, formerly known as South Canara or South Kanara, district of Karnataka, India. It houses one of the eight ashta mathas established by Madhvacharya, the Dvaita philosopher. It also houses a branch of the Krishnapura matha,...
, Puttige
Puttige
There are three places named as Puttige in Karnataka. One of them is in the Udupi district and the other happens to be near Mudabidri and third one in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district....
, Palimaru, Adamaru
Adamaru
Adamaru or Adamaar is a village in the Udupi district of the state of Karnataka, India. The village houses one of the Ashta Mathas founded by Shri Madhvacharya, the Dvaita philosopher.The village can be reached by taking a left turn at Yermal on Udupi-Mangalore route on National Highway 17 while...
, Sodhe
Sodhe
Sodhe or Sodha or Sonda is a village near Sirsi in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in India. The place is also the headquarters of the Sodhe Matha, one of the Ashta mathas established by Sri Madhvacharya, the famous Dvaita philosopher...
, Kaniyooru, Shirur
Shiroor
Shirur or Shiroor is a village in Udupi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The national highway number 17 connecting Panvel to Eranakulam passes through this village...
and Krishnapura
Swamijis of the Ashta Mathas
The swamijis of the Ashta MathasAshta Mathas of Udupi
The Tulu Ashta Mathas of Udupi are a group of eight mathas or monasteries established by Sri Madhvacharya the preceptor of the Dvaita school of Hindu thought. For each of the eight mathas, Sri Madhvacharya also appointed one of his direct disciples to be the first Swamiji...
and their successors are given as below:
| Matha Matha A matha ) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of Hinduism and Jainism. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram.-Advaita Mathas:... |
Swamiji | Successor |
|---|---|---|
| Pejavara Pejavara Pejavara is a village located in the Mangalore taluk of Dakshina Kannada, formerly known as South Canara or South Kanara, district of Karnataka, India. It houses one of the eight ashta mathas established by Madhvacharya, the Dvaita philosopher. It also houses a branch of the Krishnapura matha,... |
Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Vishvesha Tirtha Sri Vishvesha Tirtha is the current Swami, or pontiff, of the Pejavara matha, one of the ashta mathas belonging to the Dvaita school of philosophy, founded by Sri Madhvacharya. Sri Vishvesha Tirtha is the 32nd pontiff in the lineage of the Pejavara matha, starting from Sri Adhokshaja Tirtha, who... Swamiji |
Sri Vishvaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji |
| Palimaru | Sri Vidhyadeesha Tirtha Swamiji | |
| Adamaru Adamaru Adamaru or Adamaar is a village in the Udupi district of the state of Karnataka, India. The village houses one of the Ashta Mathas founded by Shri Madhvacharya, the Dvaita philosopher.The village can be reached by taking a left turn at Yermal on Udupi-Mangalore route on National Highway 17 while... |
Sri Vishvapriya Tirtha Swamiji | |
| Puttige Puttige There are three places named as Puttige in Karnataka. One of them is in the Udupi district and the other happens to be near Mudabidri and third one in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.... |
Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji | Sri Sujnanendra Tirtha Swamiji |
| Sodhe Sodhe Sodhe or Sodha or Sonda is a village near Sirsi in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in India. The place is also the headquarters of the Sodhe Matha, one of the Ashta mathas established by Sri Madhvacharya, the famous Dvaita philosopher... |
Sri Vishvavallabha Tirtha Swamiji | |
| Kaniyooru | Sri Vidyavallabha Tirtha Swamiji | |
| Shirur Shiroor Shirur or Shiroor is a village in Udupi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The national highway number 17 connecting Panvel to Eranakulam passes through this village... |
Sri Lakshmivara Tirtha Swamiji | |
| Krishnapura | Sri Vidyasagara Tirtha Swamiji |
Festivals
During the ParyayaParyaya
"Paryaya" in Sanskrit means "alternative". It can be loosely meant as "Another".-Paryaya ritual at Udupi:Paryaya is a religious ritual which takes place every alternate year in Krishna Matha of Udupi...
festival, held every two years, the temple management is handed over to the next Matha. Each of the Mathas is headed by a Swami
Swami
A swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
, who will be in charge of the temple during his Paryaya. The Paryaya is held on even years like 2008, 2010 and 2012. Festivals like Makara Sankranthi,Ratha Sapthami, Madhva Navami, Hanuma Jayanthi, Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Navarathi Mahotsava, Madhva Jajanti (Vijaya Dashami), Naraka Chathurdashi, Deepavali, Geetha Jayanthi etc. are celebrated very grandly by Paryaya Mutt every year.