Shri Vidyavachaspati Teertharu

Tenure : 1997 – 2007
Ārādhana : Kārtika śukla ekadaśī
Location : Tirumakkūḍalu

Charama Shloka :

शुकशास्त्रसुधांभोधौ चरंतं हंसपुंगवम् | विद्यावाचस्पतिं वंदे श्रीकृष्णपदसंश्रितम् ||

ಶುಕಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಸುಧಾಂಭೋಧೌ ಚರಂತಂ ಹಂಸಪುಂಗವಂ | ವಿದ್ಯಾವಾಚಸ್ಪತಿಂ ವಂದೇ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣಪದಸಂಶ್ರಿತಂ ||

śukaśāstrasudhāmbhodhau carantaṃ haṃsapuṅgavam | vidyāvācaspatiṃ vande śrīkṛṣṇapadasaṃśritam |

About Śrī Vidyāvacaspathi Tīrtha

Śrī Vidyāvācaspati Tīrtha was ordained the 39th Pīṭhādhipati (1997-2007) on the Kṛṣṇāṣtami day by Śrī Vidyāpayonidhi Tīrtha who was observing his Cāturmāsya for Iśvara Nāma Saṁvatsara (1997) at Bangalore. The saint in Pūrvaśrama was famous as Bhāgavatada Jayatīrthācārya’ or ‘Gopigīta Jayatīrthācārya’. Both he and his preceptor, Śrī Pūrnabodhācārya, in their Pūrvāśrama had their upanayana conducted at the age of eight in the holy premise of Śrī Raghunātha Tīrtha. We come to know that after Brahmpadeśa, they both had the other sacred Mantropadeśas from Śrī Vidyāvāridhi Tīrtha. There is an old picture with young Vaṭus sitting on either lap of the Svamiji and getting his blessings.

Śrī Jayatīrthācārya had his formal Śastrādhyāyana under his Pūrvaśrama father Śrī Narasiṁhamurti Ācārya at Tirumakuḍalu Kṣetra in the Vṛndāvana Sannidhāna of Śrī Śeṣacandrikācārya for several years. With the blessings of his gurus and elders, he was adept at Bhāgavata Pravacana by the age of 14. He was a polyglot even at a very young age, could fluently discourse Samskṛta, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and was awarded the title ‘Pañca Bhāṣa Pravīṇa.’ Even before 30 years of age, He was recognized as a scholar-par-excellence and awarded ‘Mata Traya Bhaṣya Pravacana Bhāskara’ by the conglomeration of saints of the three Vedāntic traditions.

He also served as the Dharmādhikari of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthana as an examiner for Dvaita Vedanta. Further, He was widely respected and awarded even in the national level by luminaries such as Honorable President Śrī. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. Radhakrishnan, Honorable Governor of Bihar Śrī. Ranganath Diwakar and the likes. He has done not less than 2000 Bhāgavata Saptāha and not less than 1000 discourses on Bhagavadgita at various places in this Puṇya Bhūmi and a recipient of several awards whose list is endless.

Having served several saints in the Śrīmaṭha tradition for more than seven decades, He was ordained to the Piṭha. Prior to ascension, Ācārya visited several Kṣetras like Yaragola, Navavrundavana, Mantralaya to seek blessings from paramagurus.

Some accomplishments of the saint after ascension to the pita are listed below:

1.     Brought back idols of antiquity associated with the Śrīmaṭha lying at different places to the Saṁsthāna and commenced regular daily worship. Further, the saint made and submitted several precious ornaments and Silver palanquin to Lord’s worship.

2.     Consecrated 108 Mukhyaprāṇa idols at Ṭirumakuḍalu

3.     Established Mṛttika Vṛndāvanas of Śrī Raghavendra Svami at many places

The present premise of Śrīmaṭha at Bengaluru housing Lord Śrīnivāsa, Varaha, Nṛsiṁha and Lordess Padmāvati were established as a part of the saint’s 80th year celebrations.

The Saint anointed Śrī Vidyāmanohara Tīrtha to the Pīṭha and attained Haripāda. His Vṛndāvana is consecrated at the holy Sosale Kṣetra.

 Source - vyasarajamatha.org