Sri Vidyamanya Tirtharu

Shri Vidyamaanya Teertha was born on July 27th,1913 to a pious couple Shri Kuppanna Tantry and Smt.Radhamma at Ermaalu village of South Canara district in Karnataka.His birth name was Narayana. Narayana received his initial education from his father who was held in high regard for his knowledge in dharma shastras and sampradaya. His upanayana was performed when he was 8 years old. He received mantropadesha from Shri Sudheendra Teertha. He went on to study at Shri M.S.P Mahapatashala which was run at the Ananteshwara Temple, Udupi during that period. At the age of 12, he was initiated into sainthood on November 5th, 1925 during Krodhana nama samvatsara by His Holiness Shri Vibuddhapriya Teertha of Adamaru Matha. Narayana was given the pranavopadesha and named Vidyamaanya Teertha. He was ordained as the 34th Pontiff of Shri Bhandarakeri Matha.Sri Vidyamanya Tirtharu was an absolutely phenomenal, towering saint who became the unparalleled beacon of Madhva philosophy in the 20th century! Famously serving as the extraordinary pontiff of both Palimaru and Bhandarakeri Mathas, he established massive Vedic institutions, including the legendary Purnaprajna Vidyapeetha. Earning the immense reverence of millions, he was the brilliant Vidya Guru to nearly every major pontiff of his era before his Brindavana pravesha.