Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha, 31st seer of Palimaru Mutt

The ‘Pattabhisheka’ or installation ceremony of the junior seer of Palimaru Mutt was held at ‘Sarvajna Peetha’ of Sri Krishna Mutt at 12.20 pm on Sunday. With this, the 31st seer of Palimaru Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha was inducted.

The ‘Sanyasashrama Sweekar’ (initiation to monastic order) of 20-year-old Shailesh Upadhyaya, whom Vidyadheesha Theertha Swami of Paryaya Palimaru Mutt had chosen as his successor, was held on May 10. Various rituals were held as a part of the ‘Sanyasashrama Sweekara’, including ‘Vayusthuti Purascharana Homa’, at the Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi on Saturday.

Palimaru seer Vidyadheesha Theertha sitting on Sarvajna Peeta announced that Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha will be his successor.

The Pattabhisheka Mahotsava was attended by Pejawar Mutt seer Vishwesha Theertha, Krishnapura Mutt seer Vidyasagara Theertha, Adamaru Mutt seer Vishwapriya Theertha, Pejawar junior seer Vishwaprasanna Theertha, Kaniyooru seer Vidyavallabha Theertha, Subrahmanya Mutt seer Vidyaparasanna Theertha, Sode Mutt seer Vishwavallabha Theertha, Bheemanakatte Mutt seer Raghuvarendra Theertha and Adamaru Mutt junior seer Eshapriya Theertha, who blessed the newly inducted seer.

Prior to ‘Pattabhisheka’, several rituals— ‘Tatva Homa,’ ‘Ashtamahamantra Homa,’ Navagraha Dana’ and others were held.

In addition, Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda were recited.

Mass recitation of Mahabharatha, Ramayana, Pancharathra, Sarvamoola of Madhwacharya, Lakshmi Shobhana of Vadiraja, Harikathamritha Sara, Vayusthuthi, Sumadhwa Vijaya of Jagannatha Dasa and Mangalashtaka by Rajarajeshwara Theertha were also held.

‘Dandama Pranama’

Earlier, Paryaya Palimaru seer and the newly appointed seer offered ‘Danda Pranama’ before Ashta Mutt seers and sought permission to carry out ‘Pattabhisheka’. Amid the chanting of Veda and Mantra, Paryaya Palimaru seer placed the idols of Rama, Vedavyasa, Krishna along with Tatvakalasha of Shaligram and Vishwambhara on the head of newly inducted seer Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha and offered ‘Abhisheka’.

After the ‘Abhisheka’, Palimaru seer renamed Shailesh Upadhyaya as Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha.

Later, Vidyadheesha Theertha Swami took Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha to sanctum sanctorum of Sri Krishna temple and had the darshan of Lord Krishna.

The Palimaru seer also made Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha offer ‘mangalarathi’ to the idol.

The religious rituals were held under the guidance of Subrahmanya Bhat Gundibail.

Uniqueness in name

The ‘Pattabhisheka’ was held on the day of ‘Aradhane’ of Vidya Rajarajeshwara Theertha who had written ‘Mangalashtaka’. In ‘Vidya Rajeshwara’ name, there is alphabets of original seers of Ashta Mutt and names of several Gurus. By combining Vidyamurthy Theertha Aradhane and Rajarajeshwara Theertha’s ‘Mangalashtaka’, name of Vidya Rajeshwara Theertha has been coined, said Mutt Vidwamsa Dr Korlahalli Venkatesh Acharya.