Upanayana of Shri Sripadaraja

The couple anxious and astonished, came to the mutt and bowed down before the yathis. Sri Swarnavarnatheertha looked at the boy and smiled at Sri Purushothamatheertha who told the couple that he was very proud to hear his son's sharp intellect and abilities. It was time to do upanayana and brahmopadesha. If he consents Sri Swarnavarnamuni of Sriranga would take that responsibility. His son had all the lakshanas of becoming a famous personality. The idea of making him his successor later was also there. His blessings were there for the child.

Giriamma was full of sorrow. Sheshagiri acharya, understanding the farsightedness of yathivarya consoled his wife. For their son's future, they made up their minds to entrust him to Sripadaru. Sri Swarnavarna muni left for Sriranga along with the boy, Lakshminarayana and his parents.

The boy was none other than Druvamsha. Sri Swaranarna yathi was a great tapasvi and the radiance arising out of bramacharya resulted in the form of Sri Swarnavarna that brightened up the surrounding like the golden hue spilling out a brightly polished gold prathima which lights up the area around.

The sacred presence of such a tapasvi guru worshipping Lord Gopinatha given by Madhwa muni caused the boy's intellect to bloom. His scholarly capabilities surfaced. Upanayana was performed within a short time. Lakshminarayana muni became a treasure trove of spiritual knowledge. The boy was given diksha in accordance with scriptural dictates.The guru felt extremely happy about bala yathi Lakshminarayana who was like Sanathkumara. Lakshminarayana theertha was sent to Shri Vibhudendra threertha for studying Vedanta. Vibhudendra yathi true to his name was a powerful scholar.

Originating from Hamsanamaka Paramathma the monastic order came to Achutapreksha from there to Madhwacharya the divine bhashykara. Then Padmanabha, Narahari, Madhava, Akshobya theertha ascended the peeta, Jayatheertha, the "mangalakalasha" of Madhwa parampara was famous as Teekacharya. Next it was Vidyadhiraja. It was at this stage, the mutt branched out, Rajendratheertha who created Harisarvothamathva wave in north upto Bengal and then Kaveendratheertha who got ashrama at the time of Vidyadhiraja's brundavana pravesha. These two set up their own independent mutts. Rajendratheertha's lineage became shri Vyasaraya mutt and that of Kaveendratheertha's was Shri Raghavendra Swamy mutt (After Sri.Raghavendra Swamy). Vibhudendra belonged to Kaveendratheertha parampara. He was an ocean of knowledge. Lakshminarayana muni who came to learn under Vibhudendratheertha was a radiant seed of a rich stuff. He studied entire vedanta and stood there holding a great promise.

After completing studies under Vibhudendratheertha and assimilating knowledge of Dwaitha Vedanta in toto, Shripadaraja returned to Swarnavarnatheertha.

Swarnavarna Parashuramatheertha's joy knew no bounds, seeing his dear shishya returning after acquiring knowledge and titles. For sometime Swarnavarna theertha was with Shripadaraja, as he was engaged in pravachana, japa tapa, guruseva. Reposing full confidence in his shishya, Swarnavarna muni handed over to him his samsthana with all its grandeur and entered the brindavana there at Srirangam.

Shripadaraja became the pontiff of the mutt. The fortune of worshipping Shri Gopinatha was his, after sometime he set out on travel. He came to Mulubagilu and made up his mind to stay there knowing well its Historical, Educational and Dharmic background. Mulubagilu was under the control of Vijayanagar kings.

Shri Padamanabha theertha was the direct disciple of Shri Madhwacharya and was blessed with Shri Gopinatha vigraha. He was the first to write notes (Sanyayarathnavali & sattarkadeepavali) on Madhwacharya's great works like Brahmasutra bashya and other 37 works.. He paved the way for dwaitha sidhanta to scale new heights. Narayana pandithacharya has lot of praise for Sri Padmanabha theertha ( detailed history can be had from Sripadmanabha theertha, to be published) "as a lion critic . Jayatheertha has described him as a pure person who lives in the ocean of chaste knowledge.

Sri Padmanabha muni saw to it that his monastic order remained wedded to propagation of dharma. This mutt was called as Padmanabhatheertha mutt before Sripadaraja, after him, because of the alluring personality of Sripadaraja became famous as Sripadarja mutt.