Karnataka's Hindu pontiff Vishwesha Tirtha no more (lead)

Bengaluru, Dec 29 (IANS) Karnataka's revered Hindu pontiff Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt passed away at Udupi in the state's coastal town on Sunday, an official said. He was 88."Swamiji breathed his last in the mutt around 9.30 a.m. after he was shifted from the Kasturba Hospital at nearby Manipal earlier in the day as his health condition deteriorated despite being on ventilator," an official of the Chief Minister's office told IANS.AThe pontiff was admitted to the private hospital on December 20 after he was diagnosed to have pneumonia, a lung infection.Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who was at Udupi since Saturday, rushed to the mutt on hearing the seer's demise and declared a three-day mourning in the southern state and decided to perform his last rites with state honours.The popular pilgrim town Udupi is about 400 km west of Bengaluru."In the pontiff's death, Hindu religion lost a guide. Swamiji, who took to sanyasi deeksha (become a monk) at a young age, rose to become pontiff of the mutt," said Yediyurappa in his condolence message.Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mourned the demise of the pontiff and said he (seer) was a powerhouse of service and spirituality."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," tweeted Modi on the occasion.Noting that the Swamiji would remain in the hearts and minds of lakhs of people for whom he was always a guiding light, the Prime Minister said he was a powerhouse of service and spirituality, the seer worked for a more just and compassionate society.Recalling that the seer led the Udupi paraya of the Astamatha tradition for the highest number of times, Yediyurappa said the swamiji was involved in social activities in addition to his spiritual practice."The seer's contribution to the uplift of the Hindu dharma (truth) is immortal. It is sad he did not live to witness the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. May his soul attain moksha (liberation). I pray to Lord Krishna (Hindu god) to give his disciples and followers strength to bear the loss," said the chief minister in his message.Thousands of people, including hundreds of his devotees and followers paid homage to the seer's mortal remains, which were kept for public viewing at the M.G. Stadium in the town till 1.00 p.m. before it was flown to Bengaluru in a military chopper for the last rite at his Mutt in the city's southern suburb with state honours.Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and former Union Minister Uma Bharati and BJP's Lok Sabha member from Chikkamagaluru Shobha Karandlaje paid floral tributes to the seer's embalmed body."The pontiff's cortege will be kept for the public homage at the National College grounds in south Bengaluru before taking it to Poornaprajna Vidyapeeth for the last rites later in the evening as per his wishes," the official said.A guard of honour with a 21-gun salute will be accorded to the seer before his body is interned as per the mutt's tradition in the presence of Yediyurappa and other dignitaries.Born on April 27, 1931 to M. Narayanacharya and Kamalamma at Ramakujna in the state's Dakshina Kannada district, Vishwesha Tirtha was ordained as a monk at the age of 8 in 1938 in the lineage of guru parampara of the Pejawar Mutt.According to junior pontiff Vishwaprasanna, the departed guru was the only seer among 8 other Ashtra Mutts (eight mutts) who propagated the dvaita (duality) philosophy like Madhvachar, the 13th century (1238-1317) Hindu philosopher.A paryaya means the handing over of the responsibility of running of the 800-year-old Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple and rights to worship Lord Krishna in turns of two years each among the seers of the eight mutts."The seer ascended the 'Paryaya peetha' here for the first time on January 18, 1952. He also performed five Paryayas - "1952-54, 1968-70, 1984-86, 2000-02, and 2016-18," said the junior pontiff who will succeed the guru soon.Considered as a reformist by many, the seer visited Dalit colonies when it was a taboo. His solutions to problems caused within the Hindu faith, ignoring caste system, were reforms without abandoning the hoary tradition.
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