'Puttige Mutt’s jr pontiff not fit to be a seer'

Vishva Vijaya, an expelled seer of Pejawar Mutt, approached the district court seeking directions to declare the anointment of Sushreendra Theertha (Prashanth Acharya) as the junior pontiff of Puttige Mutt as invalid.

Vishva Vijaya has filed a petition against Sugunendra Theertha, the senior pontiff of Puttige Mutt. In the petition, he has argued that Sugunendra Theertha had no authority to appoint Sushreendra as he had violated monastic vows by travelling abroad (crossing the sea).

The petition also declares that Prashanth Acharya is not fit to be a seer as he has no knowledge of Vedas or Vedanta and Sanskrit. The religious preachings of Madhwacharya also remains unfamiliar to Sushreendra Theertha, he claimed.

Vishva Vijaya pointed out that Sugunendra Theertha cared two hoots to the opposition and after returning from the foreign trip continued to remain as the head of Puttige Mutt. He even ascended the Paryaya Peeta and performed pooja to Lord Krishna at Sri Krishna Mutt.

Vishva Vijaya asserted that the whole process initiated by Sugunendra Theertha on selecting the junior pontiff was null and void. The seer cannot appoint his successor as he had travelled to foreign countries. He also named the pontiffs of the other Ashta Mutts in his petition and said they were not following the customs while selecting the junior pontiffs.

Vishva Vijaya was forced to abdicate his responsibilities as junior pontiff of Sri Vishwesha Theertha of Sri Pejawar mutt in 1987 after travelling to the US.

He said that the pontiffs of the Ashta mutts were leading an immoral life by not following customs.