Madhwa philosophy gains ground in First World

Udupi: This world seat of Madhwa philosophy is now known all over the major countries in Europe, US and Australia due to one of the Ashta Mutt Swamiji of Puthge Mutt Sugunendra Thirtha. The journey to showcase the Madhwa philosophy started back in the 1990s when they started to give discourses on the internet to the global audience. Primarily, Madhwa Brahimins settled there and later many local people also joined following which Swamiji had established the Krishna idol at the temple built in Edison city of New Jersey state of United States in the early 2000.

The Krishna idol was carved in Saligrama stone specially procured from Nepal and sculptured in India. The idol was purified in the Krishna temple of Udupi and taken to Edison City and consecrated there. Historically, this is the first temple to have the legacy of Krishna temple of Udupi origin anywhere in the world. "It is one of the mandates of the Yatris (ascetic disciples) of Madhwacharya the 13th century founder of Dwaitha Philosophy, that his disciples direct and the future should spread Dwaitha Philosophy across the world. But in the time of Madhwacharya the concept of world was restricted to Bharata Khanda (old Indian sub continent) but in the modern times it included the rest of the world" say the scholars of the Madhwa philosophy.

For the last 20 years, Sugunendra Swamiji of Puthige mutt had travelled in many parts of the world in three continents: Australia, America and Europe. He was also the first swamiji of Udupi origin who had propagated the Madhwa Philosophy on the internet. His pravachanas (discourses) had been seen as the first foray of Madhwa philosophy to the modern world. As a result, the Hindus coming from all sects, namely Vaishnava pantha settled in the three continents had begun understanding the Madhwa philosophy and the second and third generation Indian American particularly, Hindus and Brahmins had begun introducing the philosophy to their young ones, the scholars say.

Senior scholars of Vadiraja Research Foundation Central Sanskrit University said, "Like all reformative movements do have its initial hiccups and the generator of the reformative movement will face opposition. It was also true in the case of Sugunendra Thirtha but world now knows that such reformation was needed at this given time when the teachings of Ananda Thirtha (Madhwacharya) was relevant even in contemporary times.

The temple in Edison city is a typical Udupi heritage temple, it has four acres of land and can hold 500 cars parking at a time, the land was purchased from church and keeping intact the outer shell of the building inside an Udupi style sanctum sanctorum was built where the Krishna idol sculptured in Saligrama stone has been consecrated. Earlier swamiji has established Krishna Vrindavanams in Melbourne, London and Toronto.

In December 2022, The Swamiji received a diamond-studded golden crown for adorning Sri Venkata Krishna Kshetra Temple, Arizona, USA, a branch of Udupi Sri Puthige Matha. The local devotees Anila and her family from Phoenix offered this Diamond studded Golden Crown to Lord Venkateshwara. The Diamond Studded Golden Crown weighing about 2.25 kgs, valued over 2 Crores. The Crown designed and crafted by Kothari Jewellers was handed over to Sri Puthige Sripadangalavaru, Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji at Sri Govardhanadhari Sri Krishna Kshetra , Basavanagudi in the presence of Secretary Sri Prasanna Acharya and Chief priest Sri Kiran Rao.

His extensive knowledge of Madhwa Philosophy and Bhagavadgita in its most classical form has endeared many Europeans, Americans and Australians. The governments of the respective countries there help the Swamiji in getting land to build temples and shrines which have been seen as centres that promote peace and harmony.