Krishnapura Matha - Kaliya Mardana

The third maTha under Udupi aShTa maThas is Sri KrishnApura MaTha. It has its main branch in the village KrishnApura near Surathkal in DK district, Karnataka. The first yati of this maTha was Sri Janaardana teertha, a direct disciple of Sri Madhwacharya.

The icon of Kaliya mardana Krishna with two hands was gifted to the first yati by Sri Madhva. The icon is in the attractive pose of Krishna as a child with one leg on the serpent Kaliya and the other leg lifted up. He is holding the tail of the serpent in his left hand. His right hand is in the mudra of abhaya to those who are afraid of the poison.

At the request of Sri Janaardana teertha, Sri Madhva had also given him another icon. It is of Sri Ugra Narasimha who is in the pose of holding Hiranyakashipu on his lap and tearing away his stomach with two hands. The remaining six hands hold various weapons. At the foot of this eight handed ferocious Narasimha is the tiny Prahlada standing with folded hands.

Yati parampare:

1. Sri Janardana Teertha
2. Sri Srivatsankita Teertha
3. Sri Vagisha Teertha
4. Sri Lokesha Teertha
5. Sri Lokantha Teertha
6. Sri Lokapriya Teertha
7. Sri Vidyadhiraja Teertha
8. Sri Vishvavadiraja Teertha
9. Sri Vishvadhisha Teertha
10. Sri Vishvesha Teertha
11. Sri Vishvavandya Teertha
12. Sri Vishvaraja Teertha
13. Sri Dharanidhara Teertha
14. Sri Dharadhara Teertha
15. Sri Prajnamurthi Teertha
16. Sri Tapomurthi Teertha
17. Sri Suresvara Teertha
18. Sri Jagannatha Teertha
19. Sri Suresh Teertha
20. Sri Vishvapungava Teertha
21. Sri Vishvavallabha Teertha
22. Sri Vishvabhushana Teertha
23. Sri Yadavendra Teertha
24. Sri Prajnamurthi Teertha
25. Sri Vidyadhiraja Teertha
26. Sri Vidyamurthi Teertha
27. Sri Vidyavailabha Teertha
28. Sri Vidyendra Teertha
29. Sri Vidyanidhi Teertha
30. Sri Vidyasamudra Teertha
31. Sri Vidyapathi Teertha
32. Sri Vidyadhisha Teertha
33. Sri Vidyapurna Teertha
34. Sri Vidyaratna Teertha
35. Sri Vidyasagara Teertha

The present peeThAdhipati Sri Vidyasaagara teertha:

Born: March 15, 1958
Original name: Sri Ramaapati Tantri
Father: Sri. Sripati Tantri
Mother: Smt. Janaki
Upanayana: in his ninth year
Sanyaasa deeksha: June 3, 1971 by Sri Sujnanendra teertha of Puttige MaTha
Guru: Sri Vishwottama teertha Swamiji of Sode MaTha

Sri Vidyasagara teertha is a scholar who shuns publicity. Apart from various renovation works of the Udupi Krishna temple during 74-75, 90-91 and 2006-2007 paryaya, swamiji has started a polytechnic college and donated 10 acres of land for the same. During his last paryaya he has offered diamond kavacha to Sri Mukhyaprana idol at Udupi.