Charama Shloka :

ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿತಾಭೀಷ್ಟಸಂತಾನಃ ಪ್ರತ್ಯರ್ಥಿಮದಭಂಜನಃ | ಶ್ರೀನಾಥತೀರ್ಥಗುರುರಾಡೀಪ್ಸಿತಾರ್ಥಪ್ರದೋಸ್ಸ್ತು ನಃ ||

प्रार्थिताभीष्टसंतानः प्रत्यर्थिमदभंजनः | श्रीनाथतीर्थगुरुराडीप्सितार्थप्रदोस्स्तु नः ||

prārthitābhīṣṭasantānaḥ pratyarthimadabhañjanaḥ | śrīnāthatīrthagururāḍīpsitārthapradosstu naḥ ||

About Sri Srinatha Tirtha

Sri Srinatha Tirtha was ordained the 24th Pithadhipati by Sri Jagannatha Tirtha.

His Purvashrama Nama was Srinivasacharya and he belonged to the Sastika Vamsha and was born to Vedavyasacharya and Raggamma past the performance of arduous payovrata by the couple and blessings of Lord Srinivasa. After initial education from his father, Srinivasacharya continued his studies under Sri Raghunatha Tirtha Shesachandrikacharya as well as Sri Jagannatha Tirtha Bhashyadipikacharya. Having had tutelage under such luminaries, he was an extempore orator, poet and a Satavadhani as well. Noticing these qualities, Guru Jagannatha Tirtha bestowed the holy fourth order Sanyasasrama on Srinivasacharya with the appellation Srinatha Tirtha.

Sri Srinatha Tirtha was keen to establish Acharya Madhva’s philosophy everywhere and undertook a tour of the entire country. On one occasion, the saint participated in a debate organized by the King of Kashi and firmly established Tattvavada. The scholars of Kashi greatly respected the saint’s scholarship and honoured him by tying a bell Gante to the Lion emblem Simha Lalata in the front part of the palanquin pallakki being used by the saint. The king is supposed to have honoured the saint by performing Tulabhara and draped a green-colored shawl as a mark of respect. Further, he also requested the saint to prefix the title Vidya, as a mark of exemplary knowledge. It is said the saint indicated to the king that his successors would indeed start using this honorary title. This practice as well as adorning the green shawl during the time of Durbar was started at this time and has continued to date.

It has come to be known recently that the saint had composed a few works that are still being traced. The first one goes by the name Sahasra Pada Bhushanam and is believed to be on the same lines as the Mahabharata Lakshalankara composed by Sri Vadiraja Tirtharu. The second one seems to be a gloss on the Upanishad that goes by the name Upanishad Dipika. Research is currently underway to unearth more information on this front.

Tradition holds that the saint anointed Sri Vidyanatha Tirtha to the Pitha much early anticipating ill-health and not being able to perform Mahasamaradhane of his guru Sri Jagannatha Tirtha. However, knowing the mental agony, Lord blessed the saint by extending his lifespan by a day to enable completion of his Guru’s Aradhana – Bhashya Dipikacharya’s Aradhana is on Trithiya. The saint attained Haripada next day – Pushya Shukla Chaturthi – at Tirumakudalu and his Vrindavana is located alongside that of his paramaguru Sri Raghunatha Tirtha – Shesachandrikacharyaru – right on the sangama.