Lineage of the Math
The Great Lineage of Suttur Math

A quick look at the lineage of the Math brings to light the unswerving societal concern of the Pontiffs. If the establishment of the Math was incidental to establishing harmony and peace between two warring rulers of the region by its founder, Sri Shivarathreeshwara Shivayogi Mahaswamiji, the Pontiffs who succeeded saw purpose in promoting academics, literature, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. These noble tasks have attracted royal and societal attention and inspired both the rulers and the community to tread the moral, religious and austere path under the Pontiffs’ guidance.

Thus a mission that began with the establishment of the Math in the region grew up with the contribution of each one of the illustrious Pontiffs. Each Pontiff chose his own route to further the advancement of society and a betterment of life. The magnificent stature that the Sri Suttur Math enjoys today is thus the cumulative result of their initiatives, efforts and actions.

The Lineage of Suttur Math:

Though this very faith has found expression through the teachings and words of innumerable saints and seers as well as writers and philosophers, the simple essence of Shiva worship is in ‘tolerance and love to all living beings’ and ‘regarding work as the means of worship’. Balanced on these twin philosophies, the Veerashaiva faith has been instrumental in bringing about reforms of tremendous social significance as initiated by Sri Basaveshwara in the 12th Century.
Jagadguru Sri Eshaneshwara Wodeyar Mahaswamiji
 During the pontificate of Esaneswara the bonds of spiritual relations between Suttur Math and the Chola Empire, which was then ruled by Rajendra Chola, became much stronger. For Rajendra Chola, Esaneswara was the Royal Priest- ‘Raja Guru’. Thus the spiritual powers of Esaneswara combined with the royal patronage increased the influence of the Math as never before. The Math had by then a large number of followers from all over Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu.

Many of the inscriptions of the time give us an insight into the working of the Math, the centre of which was Esaneswara. An inscription No-164, dated 1032 A.D. of Nanjangud tells how a large number of devotees came to donate valuable properties to the Math on the colourful celebration of Rajendra Chola’s thirty one years of successful reign.
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Jagadguru Sri Siddhananja Deshikendra Mahaswamiji
The fourth pontiff Sri Siddhananja Deshikendra succeeded to the Holy Seat some time in the last quarter of the 12th century. The times of this pontiff witnessed the arrival of Maleya Mahadeswara at Suttur. Folk songs and other accounts of the period amply testify to Mahadeswara’s stay at Suttur Math and the miracles that he performed here. The stories told about this enlightened mystic are a revelation even to this day. Mahadeswara’s purpose of his visit to Suttur Math was only to meet the mighty spiritual master Siddhananja Deshikendra. Any visitor to the Math premises at Suttur will even today find many relics, still preserved intact, associated with Mahadeswara.
Jagadguru Sri Bhandari Basappa Wodeyar Mahaswamiji
Bhandari Basappa Wodeyar, the 9th pontiff in the order, succeeded Parvathendra Shivacharya some time in the last quarter of the 15th century. Basappa Wodeyar’s pontificate can be said to be a highly successful one. All the evidences that refer to him are unanimous in their opinion that he was extremely popular among the high and the low. A holyman of vast spiritual experiences Basappa Wodeyar was the most admired religious head of the time. It was at this time that the reputation and fame of Suttur Math reached the Kings of Vijayanagar Empire. Quite a good number of inscriptions and epigraphical reports eulogize the greatness of Basappa Wodeyar. It appears that one Lingaraja, a Governor of Devanur region and a relation of Saluva Narasimha of Vijayanagar was ordered by the emperor to worship at the holy feet of Basappa Wodeyar and donate lands and other properties to the Math. Thus the rulers of Vijayanagar recognised the humanitarian services of the Math.
Jagadguru Sri Ghanalingadeva Mahaswamiji
Ghanalinga Deva the 11th pontiff in the order was a great sharana, savant and saint. He was also great littérateur who enriched the Kannada Vachana literature of the 15th century with his sterling contributions. Kugalur Nanjunda Deshikendra did honour himself and the Math in choosing Ghanalinga Deva to succeed him. For, Ghanalingi did not just become the head of a Math with its ecclesiastical duties. But he was destined to grow up to be a great sharana of the stature of Siddalinga Yathi. True to his spirits, Ghanalingi did not remain for long at the Math to perform his usual duties. It was a time that witnessed the revival of Veerashaivism. Sharanas and saints from all over Karnataka were congregating together under the leadership of Thontada Siddalinga Yathi. On the one hand they were moving from place to place to propagate their faith and on the other they had vigorously taken up the work of the collection of Vachana literature, its editing and compiling. Some of them were writing Vachanas as well. The time was fit to be called a renaissance of Veerashaivism and Ghanalingi was at once drawn to this movement which was fast spreading. Thus Ghanalingi, Suttur Math’s contribution to the movement, became the proud possession of Siddalinga Yathi.

Ghanalingi’s early life was mostly spent in Suttur Math itself, where he happened to see two or three of his own predecessors and receive their blessings. It was his good fortune to be tutored and trained by the heads of the Math itself. The budding saint in Ghana lingi made every one feel assured that in his hands the Math would prosper well. But Ghanalingi did much more than what even the heads of the Math had ever thought of. The elderly Siddalinga Yathi, the spiritual mentor of the time, seems to be the first one to recognize the inherent gifts of the young saint. Soon it was shown to Ghanalingi how there could be visions far beyond the horizons of Suttur Math. Thus it was Ghanalinga Deva’s good fortune to be associated with Siddalinga Yathi, who incidentally was an outsider to Suttur Math.
Jagadguru Sri Mantramaharshi Pattada Sri Shivarathreeshwara Mahaswamiji
Jagadguru Pattada Shivarathreeswara Swamiji, popularly known to the devotees of the Muth as ‘Mantra Maharshi’ was the 22nd pontiff. He succeeded his immediate predecessor Shivarathri Deshikendra in 1902 at the age of about fourteen. The pontificate of this Jagadguru was remarkable for its efforts to plan and develop the Math in accordance with the needs and aspirations of the time. He had no doubt inherited the big Math with all its property, wealth, influence and authority at its disposal. But things were is disarray and the growth lacked dynamism. It was such a time in the recent history of the Math that a holyman of the type of Pattada Shivarathri Swamiji was the need of the hour. He was a saint of mighty will that during his times the Math witnessed astonishing changes for the better. This shrewd and frugal pontiff knew that he had to utilize all that the Math had for the upliftment of the people of all castes, creed and faiths. Apart from this he was a tireless worker, who very early in life visualized the great role that the Math had to play in the decades to come. He had understood that the education of the masses alone could solve many social and economic problems the society faced.
Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji
Mentor of the millions, leading educationist of the country, most merciful of the saints, Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Maha swamiji, the 23rd pontiff, ascended the Holy Seat in 1928, when he was hardly twelve and shared the responsibilities with his senior, Jagadguru Pattada Shivarathri Mahaswamiji. Afterwards his life was an incessant battle waged against illiteracy, ignorance and poverty of the people. Like his illustrious predecessor he was a firm believer in the good of one and all. The faith and the principles that he followed were such that he could not abstain himself from doing work in the service of mankind.

Jagadguruji had been at the helm of affairs of the Math for more than half a century, a period full of events seeking nothing but the welfare of all. Who would not find a good listener in him? Was the question every one who went to meet him ask. He was soft spoken and gentle. The divine radiance that emanates from his personality made him easily distinguishable. Even in his late years, the Jagadguruji did his work of continuing the great tradition of the Math with the zeal of a young man.

Born in the year 1916 Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji headed one of the very ancient Math’s of Karnataka. This may be great. But greater was his place as the head of a complex of modern educational institutions, which are now too many to be counted easily. A scholar in Kannada and Sanskrit Jagadguruji knew English also. He was a patron of arts and literature. The good and the learned were the blessed ones in his presence. He was thoughtful and sensitive to an astonishing degree. But he had, unlike others, mastered the art of turning every noble thought of his into a reality. The wisdom of all his predecessors seemed to have culminated in him. Every step he took was a step forward in search of new areas of service. That was how he could build an empire of educational institutions. But he was not an emperor seeking any sort of aggrandizement. Essentially he was a tireless worker, without any selfish ends. His life was a saga of a great saint whose indomitable spirit was performing modern miracles. His achievements were no doubt unsurpassing. But he did not like to take credit to them. He plainly told that he was only instrumental and he just reverently looks back at his predecessors and that great founder of the Holy Seat, Adi Sriguru.

However, the early years of his pontificate were not rosy. It was often reflected that he had to struggle relentlessly and staked his personal comforts to get even a small work done. The times were so hard pressed that finding resources for running hostels was extremely difficult. But Jagadguruji was not a person to feel let down. There was some opposition too to the work under taken by him. It was because that many of his early contemporaries failed to understand his futuristic thoughts and actions. But he was fortunate in one respect that he had the blessings of his senior whose spiritual support alone did steer clear of all the adversities. A single minded dedication to a task aimed at the welfare of all alone goaded him to trudge a path of sacrifice. For this discipline, if we can call it so, he owed a deep debt of gratitude to his senior, Pattada Shivarathri Swamiji. His Holiness attained Samadhi in 1986 and the shrine can be visited at Suttur.
Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji
The present pontiff Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji, the 24th head of the Holy Seat, is a farsighted spiritual successor to Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji. Heading the mighty J S S Mahavidyapeetha as its president, he has been carrying the onerous responsibility as enjoined upon him by his illustrious preceptor. He is a saint involving himself in multifarious activities. A tireless person keeping himself always engaged in one programme or the other. A progressive thinker and a zealous reformer, he is relentlessly striving to empower the Mahavidyapeetha to meet the challenges of the present century. This widely travelled and unassuming spiritual head is a prolific speaker. He has already edited some classics in Kannada. Despite all this he has effectively demonstrated his detachment from the mundane, through his exalted spiritual attainment.