Pejawar Mutt head Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swami, one of the prominent religious leaders of South India, died in Karnataka’s Udupi on Sunday after a brief illness, math sources said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the demise of the seer.
PM Modi took to Twitter and shared his condolence message. He wrote, “Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji of the Sri Pejawara Matha, 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.”
Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji of the Sri Pejawara Matha, 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. pic.twitter.com/ReVDvcUD6F
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 29 December 2019
Modi in yet another tweet he said, “I consider myself blessed to have got many opportunities to learn from Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji. Our recent meeting, on the pious day of Guru Purnima was also a memorable one. His impeccable knowledge always stood out. My thoughts are with his countless followers.”
I consider myself blessed to have got many opportunities to learn from Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji. Our recent meeting, on the pious day of Guru Purnima was also a memorable one. His impeccable knowledge always stood out. My thoughts are with his countless followers. pic.twitter.com/sJMxIfIUSS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 29 December 2019
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu too tweeted:
I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Vishwesha Theertha Swami, the revered seer of Udupi’s Pejawar Mutt, in Udupi today.
He made history by being the only seer among the seers of the Ashta mutts of Udupi to have performed five biennial Paryayas. pic.twitter.com/b4IYAgE10K
— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) 29 December 2019
BJP leader and former union minister Uma Bharti came to the Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt this morning to pay her last respect to the seer. “My guru is a karma yogi and he taught all of us to become karma yogis,”news agency PTI quoted her as saying. Bharti, in 1992 had taken her ‘sanyaas deeksha’ from the saint in 1992. She said that he is a “rarest of rare” saint.
A host of Karnataka ministers and senior BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders were among those who offered floral tributes.
CM Yediyurappa said: “Hindu religion has lost a major guide in the passing away of the seer.” He had held ‘sahabhojana’ with Dalits, which was a step to lower the voice of inequality in Hindu religion.
“His contribution to the upliftment of Hindu dharma is immortal. It is saddening that he did not live to witness the construction of Rama mandir in Ayodhya,” the chief minister said in his message.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah and the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly tweeted:
Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji of the Sri Pejawara Matha won the hearts of many people through his philosophical thoughts & honest speaking.
His demise has saddened me & I offer my condolences to all his well-wishers & followers. pic.twitter.com/N9JKnG1b61
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) 29 December 2019
The 88-year-old seer was battling a long illness and today morning and took his last at the premises of the Pejawar math. He was a prominent face of the VHP’s Ramjanmabhoomi movement was an Indian Hindu guru, saint and the former presiding Swamiji of the Sri Pejavara Adokshaja Matha, one of the Ashta Mathas belonging to the Dvaita school of philosophy.
The Karnataka government announced a three-day state mourning. The last rites of the seer will be performed at the Vidyapeetha in Bengaluru, founded by him, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said.
Vishwesha Theertha, the most senior pontiff of the Ashta (eight) maths here established by Dvaita philosopher Sri Madhwacharya 800 years ago, was admitted to KMC Hospital in nearby Manipal with respiratory problems on December 19.
On Saturday night, he suffered multi-organ failure following which he was shifted to the Pejwar Math here as per his wish expressed earlier, the sources said.
Earlier, after the Supreme Court verdict on Ramjanmabhoomi case, the seer has attended a peace meeting along with Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders.