Sri Upendra Tirtharu

mAgha shuddha dwAdashi is the ArAdhane of shri upEndra tIrtharu. He was one of the direct ashTamaTa shishyas of shrimadAchAryaru and established puthige maTa. IndirEyarasana hendendu pUjisi mandamAyigaLa kumathava gelida upEndra tIrtha yathirAyA Sri Upendra tIrtha was the first swamiji of Puthige maTa, udupi, and was a direct disciple of Sri Madhwacharya. He studied shastras full time at the holy feet of Sri Madhwacharya and served him and travelled with him all over the country. Sri Madhwacharya gave him an idol of Lord Vittala to worship. Madhwa Vijaya 10th sarga 21 shloka " Anyathra choran..." says that when Sri Madhwa and his shishsyas were passing through a forest, some bandits attacked the group. Sri Madhwa asked one of his disciples to tackle the bandits. The disciple grabbed an axe from the bandits and frightened them with his prowess, physical strength. The bandits ran away. Sri Narayana Pandita, author of Madhwa Vijaya says in Bhavaprakashika, commentary on Madhwa Vijaya, that the disciple is Sri Upendra tIrtha, who was physically very strong, as well as mentally agile and a great tapasvi and scholar. Sri Upendra tIrtha worshipped Lord Anantasana and Lord Krishna of Udupi for a number of years and taught shastras to his disciples and blessed his devotees. He ordained Sri Kavindra Theertha as his successor, handed over the pITa to him and left on a tIrtha yatra. On Sarvadhaari samvatsara mAgha shuddha dvadashi, he left his mortal body on the banks of Krishna river. bhArathiramaNa mukhyaprANantargata, rukmiNi satyabhAma samEta shri viTTala dEvara pAdAravindakke gOvindA gOvindA.... Sri Upendra Theertha is the 1st saint after Madhwacharya in the guru parampare of Puttige mutt. Poorvashrama Name : Sri Upendra Theertha is the first pontiff of Puttige mutt who was given Ashrama by Sri Madhwacharya himself. In Sumadhwa Vijaya, his name was mentioned. When some thieves attacked acharya madhwa during tour, he fought with them and defeated them as per the instructions of acharya madhwa. This incidence in mentioned in Bhavaprakashika. He propagated Tatvavada to his disciples for many years. He gave Ashrama to Sri Kavindra Theertha.