Shri Vidyapayonidhi Teertharu

Tenure : 1969 – 1997
Ārādhana : Bhādrapada kṛṣṇa daśamī
Location : Tirumakkūḍalu

Charama Shloka :

श्रीकृष्णचरणांभोजयुगळासक्तमानसान् | विद्यापयोनिधिगुरून् वंदेऽहं बुद्धिशुद्धये ||

ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣಚರಣಾಂಭೋಜಯುಗಳಾಸಕ್ತಮಾನಸಾನ್ | ವಿದ್ಯಾಪಯೋನಿಧಿಗುರೂನ್ ವಂದೇಽಹಂ ಬುದ್ಧಿಶುದ್ಧಯೇ ||

śrīkṛṣṇacaraṇāmbhojayugal̤āsaktamānasān | vidyāpayonidhigurūn vande’haṃ buddhiśuddhaye ||

About Śrī Vidyāpayonidhi Tīrtha

Śrī Vidyaāpayonidhi Tīrtha was ordained the 38th Pīṭhadhipati by Śrī Vidyaprasanna Tirtha. The Pūrvaśrama name of the saint was Śrī Pūrṇabŏdhācārya. His ancestors belonged to the Kauṣika Gotra and were residents of a small village near Gopichettipalayam in present Tamilnadu. His great grandfather Śrī Kṛṣṇa Narasiṁhācārya was greatly influenced by Śrī Vidyaśrīsindhu Tīrtha and followed the saint to settle down in Sosale Kśetra. Śrī Pūrnabŏdhācārya’s upanayana was conducted in the holy premise of Śrī Raghunatha Tīrtha at the age of eight. After his Brahmŏpadĕśa, he had the other sacred Mantrŏpadĕśas from none other than Śrī VidyaVaridhi Tīrtha!

After completion of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda Asitadvaya and Padakramānta Pāṭha, and Samagra Śāstradhyāyana from Śrī Vidyāprasanna Tīrtha, he was practising Pūrva Prayoga and Paurohitya and serving the Maṭha in different capacities. We understand that on one occasion when he was at Mantralayam to perform the seva of Śrī Rāghavndra Svami, he obtained the blessings of Śrī Suyamīndra Tīrtha, the then Svamiji, that he would adorn the hallowed Pīṭha of Śrīmaṭha. The saint’s prophecy came out to be true and within a couple of years, Śrī Vidyāprasanna Tīrtha anointed him to the Pīṭha with the name Śrī Vidyāpayonidhi Tīrtha. 

The saint adorned the Pīṭha for a period of twenty-eight years and some of his many accomplishments are listed below:

1.     Putting in place a strong construction at the Tirumakudalu Kṣetra to ensure that the Vṛndāvanas housed in the sangama can withstand nature’s calamities and building the current structure that accommodate devotees

2.     Compiling the compositions of his Gurus: Śrī Vidyāratnākara Tīrtha and Śrī Vidyāprasanna Tīrtha and publishing them

3.     Observing Cāturmāsya at Śrīmaṭha’s different branches – Śrīraṅga, Mysore, Salem, Kurnool, Tumkur etc., he took this as an opportunity to improve amenities by kick-starting construction activities to refurbish old and dilapidated structures

4.     Conducting the celebration of 500th year of Śrī Vyāsarāja’s Ārādhana at different locations and improve awareness about the Śrīmaṭha and its activities

5.     Establishing Gurukulas in Śrīraṅgam and Bangalore to teach Sanātana Dharma.

6.     Starting the monthly magazine ‘Tattvachandrika’ in different languages to take our philosophy to the doorsteps of the common man

7.     Relocating the Vṛndāvana of Pūrvacarya Śrī Lakṣmivallabha Tīrtha from Belur to T Narasipur to ensure daily worship

8.     Taking efforts to ensure harmony and good working relations between the different institutions affiliated to the Madhva faith

The Saint was very affable to one and all. His Holiness could identify each one he had interacted with in the past and would ensure that they were well taken care. His love and affection for disciples was beyond expression. This act endeared him to both the scholarly and the ordinary.

The Saint’s last and important contribution to Śrīmaṭha’s cause was the identification of his successor. His Holiness ordained ‘Bhāgavata Sāmrāṭ’ Śrī Jayatirthacarya to the hallowed Pīṭha with the name Śrī Vidyavācaspati Tīrtha and spent his last days with the junior and attained Haripāda. His Vṛndavana was consecrated at Tirumakudalu along with predecessor Śrī Raghunātha Tīrtha and Śrī Śrīnātha Tīrtha.

 Source - vyasarajamatha.org