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Sri Vishwesha Thertha (88), senior seer of Pejavar Adokshaja math in Udupi, died in Udupi on Sunday.
The seer was admitted to the KMC Hospital in Manipal on December 20 after he developed breathing difficulty and was treated for pneumonia. But with no improvement in his health, he was shifted back to the math this morning.
Born as Venkataramana in Ramakunja village, Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on April 27 1931, he took ‘sanyasa deeksha’ at the age of eight .
The then head of the Pejavara math, Vishvamanyatheertha initiated him as a sanyasi on December 3 1938, at Chakratheertha near Hampi. With this, Venkataramana became Vishwesha Teertha.
He was trained in the traditional Sanskrit studies under the guidance of Vidyamanyatirthaof Bhandarakeri math, from 1943 to 1952.
Each of the ashta maths (eight maths) in Udupi get opportunity to worship Lord Krishna for two years for every 16 years. This is called as ‘paryaya’. The seer conducted his first ‘paryaya’ from January 18 1952 to January 17 1954. His second paryaya was from 1968-1970, third 1984-1986, fourth was from 2000-2002, and fifth from 2016-2018. After the Vadiraja swamiji of Sodhe math, he was the only other seer to complete five paryayas.
AYODHYA, IFTAR
The seer, who was associated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was instrumental in mooting the idea of talks to resolve the Ayodhya issue amicably. He had hosted the three-day ‘Dharma Sansad’ of Hindu seers and leaders in January 2017. In that he had hoped that the construction of the temple will begin from 2019. Recently while welcoming the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya issue, he had expressed his wish to witness the laying of foundation stone for the Ram Temple.
The seer took a bold step to organise Iftar during Ramzan month for the members of Muslim community in the dining hall of the Sri Krishna Temple complex in 2017.
He visited many Dalit colonies at a time when many seers in the country were not doing it. According to him, the solutions to problems within the Hindu faith were reforms without fully abandoning traditions.
Condolences
Prime Minster Narendra Modi condoled the death of the seer. He tweeted: “Udupi will remain in the hearts and minds of lakhs of people for whom he was always a guiding light. A powerhouse of service and spirituality, he continuously worked for a more just and compassionate society. Om Shanti”
Amit Shah also tweeted his condolences.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, had who was on a visit to Udupi on December 28 and visited the seer at the hospital.
The Bishop of Mangalore Diocese, Peter Paul Saldanha, said that Vishveshatheertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math is a great religious leader who strove relentlessly for the betterment of the Society. "We offer our heartfelt condolences and pray that God grant him Eternal Rest," he said.