Sri Kukke Subrahmanya maTha

Sri Subrahmanya maTha (also called sampuTa narasimha maTha) is situated to the southeast of the outer quadrangle of Kukke Subrahmanya Temple (Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka). This maTha was established by Sri Madhwacharya himself. He appointed his poorvashrama younger brother Sri Vishnu teertha as the first peeThAdhipati of this maTha.

SampuTa Narasimha

When Sri Madhvacharya visited Badarinath, he was presented eight saligrama shilas known as ‘Vyasa mushti’, by Sri Vedavyasa devaru. Six of these saligramas are presently being worshipped in this maTha.

Along with the Vyasamushtis, Sri Vedavyasa devaru also gave Madhva a Narasimha saligrama, which is said to be very powerful. Madhvacharya placed this Narasimha saligrama in a box (sampuTa), along with 22 Lakshmi Narayana shilas and 5 Vyasamushti shilas. (only one Vyasamushti shila is worshipped outside the box)

Although the Narasimha saligrama is worshipped daily, it is always kept inside the box, except for bathing. Only the maThAdhipati of this maTha can open this box and touch the saligrama inside. Nobody else is allowed to see this Deity. If the peeThAdhipati of the maTha becomes sick, then on those days only the pooja rights of this saligrama goes to the swamiji of Sri Pejavara maTha in Udupi.

The first maThAdhipati Sri Vishnu teertha is said to be still residing in the forests in Kumara hills nearby where he is performing tapas. He sometimes returns to the maTha to perform puja to the Samputa Narasimha. Many devotees have heard the sound of bells inside the garbha-griha late at night when the temple is locked !

The second maThAdhipati of this maTha was Sri Aniruddha teertha (also a direct disciple of Sri Madhwacharya). During his time, King Ballala Raya of the Hoysala Dynasty stole the box containing the Narasimha saligrama.

Desiring to see the Deity, he hired four blacksmiths to forcibly open the box. Unfortunately, when they tried, they all died on the spot. The king also tried to open the box by having an elephant stand on it – the result was that the elephant also died immediately.

Because of this great offense, King Ballala Raya felt a great burning sensation within his body, and it was only when he returned the Samputa Narasimha to Sri Aniruddha teertha and obtained his blessings that he was relieved from his malady.

(In the compound of the Subrahmanya temple there is a statue of King Ballala Raya which commemorates this incident. Pilgrims offer him cotton, mustard, butter and pumpkin to cool his body down.)

It is also believed that Sri Vishnu teertha had in fact carried the Samputa Narasimha saligrama (with the box) along with him to the forests, and sent back the same through the Kumara Dhaara river, upon request by Sri Aniruddha teertha.

Along with the saligamas, there are a number of other Deities, which belonged to previous pontiffs of the maTha, including a Laksmi-Narasimha Deity and Deities of Vittala, Rukmini and Satyabhama.

The present maThAdhipati is Sri Vidyaprasanna teertha swamiji, and he runs an educational institution at a place called biLinele.

Parampare:

1. Sri Vishnu Teertharu
2. Sri Aniruddha Teertharu
3. Sri Varaaha Teertharu
4. Sri Vaageesha Teertharu
5. Sri Vishwesha Teertharu
6. Sri Venkatesha Teertharu
7. Sri Vakyadheesha Teertharu
8. Sri Vidyaapathi Teertharu
9. Sri Vaasudeva Teertharu
10. Sri Vaamana Teertharu
11. Sri Vedavyaasa Teertharu
12. Sri Vaikuntavallabha Teertharu
13. Sri Vijnaana Teertharu
14. Sri Vimalathma Teertharu
15. Sri Vibhudhesha Teertharu
16. Sri Vedagarbha Teertharu
17. Sri Vedapoojya Teertharu
18. Sri Vedesha Teertharu
19. Sri Vidyaadhiraaja Teertharu
20. Sri Varadaraaja Teertharu
21. Sri Varadesha Teertharu
22. Sri Vidyaanidhi Teertharu
23. Sri Vedaanthanidhi Teertharu
24. Sri Vidyaadhipathi Teertharu
25. Sri Vishwapooja Teertharu
26. Sri Vishwavanddya Teertharu
27. Sri Vishwaadhipathi Teertharu
28. Sri Vishwapathi Teertharu
29. Sri Vishwaadheesha Teertharu
30. Sri Vidhyadheesha Teertharu
31. Sri Vidhyaavallabha Teertharu
32. Sri Vedaraaja Teertharu
33. Sri Vidyaaraaja Teertharu
34. Sri Vidyaapoorna Teertharu
35. Sri Vyasa Teertharu
36. Sri Vishwaanja Teertharu
37. Sri Vidyaasindhu Teertharu
38. Sri Vidhyabhooshana Teertharu
39. Sri Vidyaaprasanna Teertharu