Shri Kashi Math Samsthan- Varanasi

The genesis of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan as we know and have it today can be traced to the 16^th century. A brief history and background of the origin of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan and its relation to the Cochin Temple and Mahajan as narrated by Shrimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji:

The Goud Saraswath Brahmin in Kerala and large parts of Karnataka were affiliated to and were disciples of the Kumbhakonam Math (now known more popularly as Shri Raghavendra Swami Math, mantralaya). In the Guru parampara of that Math was a Yati- Shrimad Surendra Tirtha Swamiji. His disciple and successor was Shrimad Vijayindra Tirtha Swamiji who brought to Cochin the idol of Lord Venkateswara from the Vijayanagar empure (worshipped by Saluva Narasimha Raja). To Shrimad Vijayindra Tirtha Swamiji, who observed Chaturmasa at Cochin in about 1539 A.D. the Goud Saraswath Brahmins of Cochin made an earnest request that the Goud Saraswat Samaj should have a Dharma Peetha and Dharma Guru of their own. The Swamiji in consultation with his guru Shrimad Surendra Tirtha Swamiji acceded to the prayers and asked the GSB Mahajan of Cochin to select a suitable vatu and a place at Varanasi and proceed thereto for the initiation of the new Sanyasin. The Vatu, said to be Hanumanantha Bhat from Cochin in his purvashram, was thus initiated at Varanasi on the banks of the sacred Ganga and was named as Shrimad Yadavendra Tirtha Swamiji. His Holiness was given the idols of Lord Rama and Lord Vyasa for worship and all other paraphernalia befitting and required for a Mathadhipathi. Thus Shrimad Yadavendra Tirtha Swamiji became the first Yati and Mathadhipati of Shri kasha Math Samsthan which was founded at the behest and with the efforts of the GSB Mahajan of Cochin in 1541-42 AD. This is the great and significant historical link between Shri Kashi Math Samsthan and the Cochin Mahajan who have both special privilege and responsibility of cherishing the Samsthan and ensuring its smooth working and onward march and succession to the peetha.

A Copper plate inscription corresponding to Saturdat 21^st January 1542 and a Rayaspatram dated 3^rd February 1542 mentions about the foundation of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan. The Second Swami Shrimad Keshavendra Tirtha Swamiji was the one blessed with the idol of Lord Veda Vyasa during ganga snan at Panchaganga Ghat in Varanasi. In commemoration of this,, whenever Swamiji camps at the moola Math it is customary for Swamiji to take a dip in the Ganga with the idol of Vyasa on his head. This idol is now the presiding deity of the Math. The first Shakha Matha of the Samsthan at Basur was established by this Swami. Shrimad raghavendra Tirtha Swamiji hailing from Tripunithura and the disciple of Shrimad Upendra tirtha was the fifth Swami. He was a great upasaka of Lord Narasimha and was blessed with the Lords darshan at the Moola Math in Varanasi.

The seventh Swami Shrimad Madhavendra Tirtha Swamiji has the unique distinction of attaining Jeevanth Samadhi at Walkeshwar. The power and the fame of Swamiji’s Vrindavan is unparalleled. It is believed that Swamiji still goes for bath in the bana Ganga early morning and the sound of the paduka is heard. Rajendra Tirtha Swamiji was a great Ayurveda Physician and wrote a celebrated work Sharira Vinischaya, besides other sompositions. Swamiji visited Goa and camped at Devaki Krishna Ravanath Temple Marcel during 1785-86A.D.

The 17^th Swami Shrimad Bhuvanendra Tirtha Swamiji was a great tapasvi, Scholar and Ayurveda Pandit- renowned both for his mantra Shakti and vaidya Shakti. The 18^th Swamiji was shrimad Varadendra tirtha Swamiji. A born leader and great spiritual personality His Holiness was multifaceted. His scholastic achievements were wide and varied covering almost every aspect of human endeavour. Apart from his mastery of Vedanta, he was a multi linguist, had deep technical knowledge and expertise and also mantra siddhi.

Shrimad Sukrathindra Tirtha Swamiji was the 19^th Swami the radiance of whose spirituality inspires and bless us. True to his name Swamiji was the source ad reservoir of all sukrat- virtue, auspiciousness, blessedness and all that is good. Swamiji visited Goa in 1940’s at Margao and visited Shri Gokharna Partagali Math and attended the Ramnavami Utsav. Shrimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji was the 20^th Swami with the longest Mathadhipathya in whose regime we have fortune to be around. Swamiji established Math in Bandora in 1972 and often visited Shri Ramanath Santeri Kamakshi Temple Ramanathi during their camp in Goa. Swamiji attained Samadhi in 2016. Shrimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji visited ramanathi and had camped there in 1970’s during the construction work of Shri Kashi Math Bandora. On several occasions Kashi Mathadhish has visited Ramanathi temple.

The present Mathadhipati Shrimad Samyamindra Tirtha Swamiji too is guiding the samaj in the 21^st century as a worthy Pontiff. Swamiji too have visited Ramanathi temple firstly in 2011 during the tenure of Pradeep Talaulikar and later on 18^th December 2022 during the Tenure of Jyotindra Sambari. During this visit Swamiji attended the Chaar Devanche Vahan and offered Arati to Shri Ramanath Santeri Kamakshi.

Several GSBs who migrated from Goa in various parts of Karnataka, Keral and Maharashtra and who are affiliated to Shri Kashi Math Samsthan belong to Shri Ramanath Santeri Kamakshi temple, Bandora. Historically, Vatsa and Kaundinya Gotra families from Lotli (in Sashti) belonging to Ramanath had migrated to Kerala prior to the invasion of Portuguese atrocities in Lotli for trade purpose and settled there, which is why there is a settlement is Cochin by name ‘Sashti’ and a temple of Ramanath too. Shrimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji’s purvashrama kuladevata was Shri Ramanath and likewise ramanath is the purvashram kuladevata of Shrimad Samyamindra Swamiji too. Shrimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji constructed Kuladevata temple Complex in Ambelmedu in Kerala and temple of Shri Ramanath Santeri and Kamakshi is constructed there. The historical ties of GSBs in kerala with Ramanath are still strong.

Compilation by Shri V. Sudhish Pai- Banglore and Edited by Dr. Balaji Shenoy-Goa

Visit our website https://www.kashimath.org/