Sri Vidyanidhi Tirtharu

Tirtha Sri Vidyanidhi Tirtha was ordained the 28th Peethadhipati by Vidyakanta Tirtha. His Holiness was on the Pitha for a mandala, just 48 days, from Jyestha Shuddha Navami to Ashadha Bahula Ekadashi. However, he had entered the fourth order a year-and-half earlier. It seems as though the saint had taken birth only to perform the worship of Sri Mula Gopalakrishna Devaru, as desired by providence.

The Purvashrama Nama was Rangappacharya and he happens to be the elder brother of Sri Vidyakanta Tirtha, whose Purvashrama Nama was Naccapacharya. In his Purvashrama, he had all Shastraic education under Sri Srinatha Tirtha. As the saint’s tenure was short, his Holiness spent all His time performing puja, japa, and tapa. The saint used to start the puja in the morning at suryodaya that would go well past noon. After taking a sip of the Holy Tirtha and administering it to his disciples, when they go to partake Prasada, the saint would continue reading scriptures and perform japa. This way, his Holiness sacrificed sleep, food, and everything else and spent every minute of the mandala in the service of the Lord, surviving only on the Holy Tirtha. Rightfully has Sri Vidyaratnakara Tirtha referred to the Saint as “Sri Vidyanidhi Yogirat.”

Even during the ordination of Sri Vidyanidhi Tirtha, Sri Vidyakanta Tirtha had Sri Vidyanidhi Tirtha ordain Sri Vidyapurna Tirtha as the successor. The saint attained Haripada right in the presence of his successor. His Vrindavana is located by the side of his Guru, Sri Vidyakanta Tirtha’s Vrindavana at Sosale.