252nd Udupi Paryaya – A beautiful tradition with over 500 years of history

Team Udayavani, Jan 3, 2024, 5:34 PM IST

Udupi: The Paryaya tradition of the Sri Krishna Matha has a history of more than 500 years.

It is believed that Lord Krishna was enshrined at Udupi in the latter part of Sri Madhwacharya’s (1238-1317) life. According to this, it can be said that the installation took place after 1300 CE.

Moreover, it is said that Sri Madhwacharya had instituted a system of Paryaya in which his holiness had instructed his 8 disciple monks to conduct the poojas of the Sri Krishna idol every 2 months.

About 200 later, the great Dvaita saint Sri Vadiraja Swamiji (1481-1601) of the Sri Sode Matha changed the Paryaya period to two years in 1522 CE. Sri Vadiraja Swamiji reasoned that it would be administratively convenient to implement a two-year alternating worship system. The implementation of this revised system brought forth a systematized sequence of worship and spiritual responsibility transfer among the eight yatis.

This new system not only extended the duration of their engagement in worship but also enabled them to partake in pilgrimages and spread the profound philosophical tenets of Sri Madhwacharya’s teachings.

There’s a belief that Sri Vadiraja went to Uttara Badari, where Sri Madhvacharya is believed to still be invisibly present, and gained the support of Sri Madhvacharya to implement a bi-annual Paryaya system.

In 1532 CE, Sri Vadiraja Swamiji himself undertook the Paryaya at the age of 52 and by the time he was 100 years old, he had conducted four Paryayas. He is said to have left for the forest (Vanaprasthana) at the age of 120 in the year 1601 CE.

The Paryaya rotation cycle happens in a set order. First, Sri Palimaru Matha, then Sri Adamaru Matha, Sri Krishnapura Matha, Sri Puthige Matha, Sri Shiroor Matha, Sri Sodhe Matha, Sri Kaniyooru Matha, and ending with Sri Pejawara Matha.

The passing of responsibility and the entire worship duration became widely referred to as “Paryaya.” For instance, when the yati from Sri Puthige Matha is overseeing the worship, it is identified as the “Sri Puthige Paryaya,” and this naming pattern continues for each matha in charge.

252nd Paryaya

Since 1522, there have been 31 cycles of 16 years each. This year the third Paryaya of the 32nd cycle is taking place.

On January 18, 2024, His Holiness Sri Sugunendrateertha Sripada of the Sri Puthige Matha will ascend the “Sarvajna Peetha” of Sri Madhwacharya for the fourth time. Sri Vidyasagar Theertha of Krishnapura Matha, the current Paryaya Pontiff, will hand over the responsibilities. This will be accompanied by a grand Paryaya Darbar with other pontiffs of the Ashta Matha.

Sri Sugunendrateertha Swamiji strongly advocates that the “Gita” is India’s greatest contribution to humanity. According to him, its universal teachings enable individual welfare across all spheres of life, thereby benefiting society, the country, and eventually the entire world. In light of this, Sri Swamiji has resolved to name his historic Fourth Paryaya as the “Vishwa Gita Paryaya.”

Redecoration for Geetha Mandir

Udupi: The Geetha Mandir next to Srikrishna Matha in Udupi is being decorated as the countdown to Paryaya Utsava begins. Workers are busy giving it a fresh coat of paint. The building, which was inaugurated by King Veerendra of Nepal during the second Paryaya period of Sri Sugunendratirtha Sripada of Sri Puthige Matha in 1992-1993, is adorned with 701 verses of 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. The building is now getting a makeover.

Devotees recite Bhagavad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranama here, and the building showcases attractive works of art. Notably, there are 18 steps leading to the entrance point.

There is also a huge collection of books written by the devotees during the Laksha Geeta Lekhana Yajna held during 1992-93.  The handwritten Gita books dedicated during the magnum opus project of “Koti Geeta Lekhana Yajna”, will also be displayed here.

There are plans to build an ‘Ashtottara Bhavana’ with 108 rooms for the convenience of devotees. The construction process is going on in full swing. It will be open from morning till night and various programs related to the Gita will be held here.

Many praises

Sri Sugunendratheertha Sripada of Sri Puthige Matha traveled to several foreign countries, spreading the essence of the Gita and establishing the presence of Lord Krishna in the hearts and minds of devotees.

Swamiji launched a grand project called the Koti Geeta Lekhana Yajna, involving tens of millions of participants learning and “writing” the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. These written Gita books are dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna of Udupi. Sri Puthige Swamiji tirelessly traveled worldwide to promote this initiative, igniting a spiritual revolution.

Swamiji has opened 15 Srikrishna Vrindavan branches abroad and aspires to establish a total of 108 branches.