Ahobila Matha

Last updated
Ahobila Matam
Founder
Srimad Athivan Satakopan
Religions
Hinduism
Website
www.ahobilamutt.org

The Ahobila Matam is a Vadakalai Sri Vaishnava (established as a thenkalai monastery by Van Satakopa Jeeyar later changed to vadakalai approximantely during the reign of 25th or 26th pontiff) monastery established around 1400 CE at Ahobilam in Andhra Pradesh, India currently following the Vadakalai tradition of Vedanta Desika. [1] It is attributed to Sri Adivan Satakopa Yatindra Swami (originally known as Srinivasacharya). [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Sri Adhivan Satakopa Yatindra Swami, a Thenkalai saint, founded and established the Matha, based on the Pancharatra tradition, who was born in the illustrious lineage of Sri Vangeepuram Nambi, [5] who was also a great grand son and great grand disciple of Thiruvaimozhi Achan of Tirunarayanapuram, [6] [7] and a sishya of Tirupati Garudachariar (Samasrayanam) and Tirupati Srinivasachariar (Kalakshepam), the scholarly successors of the celebrated Sri Vaishnava stalwart Thirumalai Anandalwan, Tirupati Garudachariar’s father Tirupati Rangachariar was the disciple of Sri Periyavachan Pillai. Tirupati Srinivasachariar was the grandson of Tirupati Rangachariar. Tirupati Srinivasachariar was the son of Tirupati Keshavachariar who was the elder brother of Tirupati Garudachariar and son of Tirupati Rangachariar. So the lineage of Sri Adivan Satakopa Yatindra Swami goes like Tirupati Rangachariar (who comes in the lineage of Thirumalai Anandalwan) was the disciple of Sri Periyavachan Pillai had two sons named Tirupati Keshavachariar and Tirupati Garudachariar who were the disciples of Thiruvaimozhi Achan of Tirunarayanapuram also know as Ilampilisai Pillai and Dravida Vedanta Deshika. Tirupati Keshavachariar had a son named Tirupati Srinivasachariar. Sri Adivan Satakopa Yatindra Swami comes from the lineage of Sri Vangeepuram Nambi and also a great grandson of Thiruvaimozhi Achan. Thiruvaimozhi Achan (who comes in the lineage of Vangeepuram Nambi) was also known as Ilampilisai Pillai and Dravida Vedanta Deshika. Sri Adivan Satakopa Yatindra Swami had samasrayanam from Tirupati Garudachariar and grantha kalakshepam from Tirupati Srinivasachariar. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

The Matha

As per legend, one of the nine Narasimhas of Ahobilam called Lord Malolan jumped into the hands of Srinivasacharya and ordered him to travel the length and breadth of the country.

Current Acharya

The 46th Jeeyar Srivan Satakopa Sri Ranganatha Yateendra Mahadesikan His Highness 46th Jeeyar Sri Satakopa Sri Ranganatha Yateendra Mahadesikan of AHOBILA MUTT.jpg
The 46th Jeeyar Srivan Satakopa Sri Ranganatha Yateendra Mahadesikan

The current Acharya is the 46th Jeeyar Srivan Satakopa Sri Ranganatha Yateendra Mahadesikan. He succeeded the previous pontiff 45th Jeeyar Sri Lakshmi Nrsimha Divya Paduka Sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yateendra Mahadesikan who attained Acharyan Thiruvadi on 19 May 2013 following a prolonged illness.

Temples under purview

Several temples such as the Nine (Nava) Narasimha temples of Ahobilam, Veeraraghava temple in Tiruvallur and Valvil Rama temple, Aandalakkum ayyan temple in the outskirts of Kumbakonam (Pullaboothankudi), are administered by Ahobila Matha.

The Matha also has several branches across India.

Sri Ahobila Matha Lakshmi Narasimha Lakshmi Narayana Temple, Ahobila Matha Marg, Chembur in Mumbai. The Ahobila Matha temple in Chembur, Established in 1968, is a preeminent religious center in this northern suburb of Mumbai.

Institutions administered

Narasimha temple, Ahobilam (Photo taken in 1875). Ahobilam.JPG
Narasimha temple, Ahobilam (Photo taken in 1875).

The Ahobila Matha has several religious and educational institutions in India which are: [13]

  1. Sri Ahobila Matha Sanskrit College (Est. 1942)
  2. Sri Ahobila Matha Veda Patashala (Est. 1942)
  3. Sri Ahobila Matha Oriental High School (Est. 1952)
  4. Sri Ahobila Matha Center for Human Resource Development (Est. 2002)
  5. Sri Malolan College of Arts and Science, Madurantakam, (Est. 2009)

See also

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