Sri Vidyatirtha (1229-1333 A.D)

Idol of Sri Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji at Simhagiri in Sringeri. Also seen flanking him are his two foremost disciples – Sri Bharati Tirtha and Sri Vidyaranya Mahaswamigal

अविद्याच्छन्नभावानां नृणां विद्योपदेशतः ।
प्रकाशयति यस्तत्वं तं विद्यातीर्थमाश्रये ॥

His message brings about the Light of Wisdom To men that are immersed in ignorance He holds the torch of Truth for the entire world Homage to the holy Vidyatirtha!

“His message brings about the Light of Wisdom To men that are immersed in ignorance He holds the torch of Truth for the entire world Homage to the holy Vidyatirtha! ‘Verily Vidyatirtha, the Lord of ascetics, excels the sun; the latter dispels the darkness around us only by day, while the former dispels the darkness both within and without, both by day and night” – this tribute paid by Emperor Harihara II of Vijayanagar is a measure of the greatness of Sri Vidyatirtha.

The tenth Acharya of the Sharada Peetham at Sringeri, Sri Vidyatirtha Mahaswami, was a eminent Guru well-versed in all the shastras and Vedas, and was also called , “Maheshwara  whose breath was the Veda”, by His disciple, Sri Sayanacharya in his commentary to the Vedas.

A number of scholars flocked to Him and became his disciples. Besides Sri Shankarananda and Vidyaranya, Sri Satchidananda, Sri Advaita Brahmananda (Bharati Tirtha), Sri Sandrananda, Sri Advaitananda Shevadhi, Sri Mahadeva Siva, Sri Advaita Sukhananda, Sri Sivayogi and Sri Pratyagjyoti were eight other eminent disciples of Vidya Tirtha. Vidya Tirtha is said to have installed these eight disciples as the heads of the eight mathas established by him. Among his disciples, Sri Bharati Tirtha and Sri Vidyaranya were the foremost. All these have invoked Vidya Tirtha in one work or other composed by them.

Always absorbed in the bliss of self-realisation, he spent many years in Simhagiri in the company of numerous disciples, who by his grace became adepts in mantra, tantra, yoga and meditation. The royal brothers, Harihara and Bukka visited him and proceeded with him to Sringeri. To the great sage, came a Brahmana lad, young in years but advanced in the practice of the virtues of a mumukshu, from Ekasilanagaram (Warangal). Finding him worthy, the Acharya admitted him into the order of Sanyasa (1328) under the name of Sri Bharati Tirtha. Three years later in 1331 came another learned Brahmana, who was the elder brother of Sri Bharati Tirtha in His purvashrama. He also received Sanyasa under the name of Sri Vidyaranya. Sri Bharati Tirtha stayed with the master, while Sri Vidyaranya went on long tours. Jagadguru Sri Vidyatirtha also toured over South India.

In Simhagiri, there is still preserved a strange sculpture, with figures sculpted on its four faces. The front face depicts Sri Vidyatirtha flanked by his two chief disciples Sri Bharati Tirtha and Sri Vidyaranya. The figures on the other three faces are Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Above them is a figure of Lakshmi Narasimha and on top is a Shiva Linga. When the Acharya got this strange multiple image, called Chaturmurti Vidyeshwara made, he explained to Sri Bharati Tirtha that his body would assume a shape similar to that after twelve years of yoga in an underground chamber. The chamber was excavated on the northern bank of the Tunga, and while the Acharya sat there in yoga, it was closed over him. Three years elapsed. When Sri Bharati Tirtha was temporarily away from Sringeri, the curiosity of the attendants got the better of their duty to their Guru and they opened the chamber. The sage’s body had completely disappeared and they saw only the form of the linga on the top of the model in Simhagiri. Sri Bharati Tirtha, who was completely upset by this act of indiscretion on the part of the attendants, received a cheering message be known as Sri Vidyashankara and the Acharya constructed a magnificent temple within the next few years. It is believed that effulgence of the sage continues to manifest itself shedding subtle spiritual influence about the place. To this day the seal of the Mutt bears the name of Sri Vidyashankara.