Sri Jitamitra Tirtharu. ( 1450-75)

 

Sri Jitamitra tirtharu was a disciple and successor of Sri Vibudhendra Tirtharu, earlier his Matha was called Vibudhendra and Vijayeendra Matha, now generally termed Sri Raghavendra Matha of Mantralayam. Ananthappa  was a householder, farmer and landlord in the Krishna-Bhima river  belt of Andhra-Karnataka region. He probably renounced his land holdings and family, when he came under the tutelage of the great scholar-pontiff of his times  Sri Vibudhendra Tirtharu, who was much respected Madhva scholar of his times.

Sri Lakshminarayana Tirtha, popularly called Sripadarajaru was his junior in the studentship under Sri Vibudhendra. In one of his compositions he praises his senior yati Sri Jitamitra tirtha:

‘ ವಂದನೆ ಮಾಡಿರೈ ಯತಿಕುಲ ಚಂದ್ರನ ಪಾಡಿರೈ.

ಬಂದ ದುರಿತಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಕಳೆದು ಆನಂದ

ಪಡುವ ವಿಬುಧೇಂದ್ರ ಕರೋದ್ಭವನ ।।

ರಘುಕುಲ ವರಪುತ್ರ ರಾಮನ ಚರಣ ಕರುಣಾಪಾತ್ರ

ನಿಗಮೋಕ್ತಿಯ ಸೂತ್ರ ಪಾಠ ಪಠಿಸುವ

ಸುಗುಣ ಜಿತಾಮಿತ್ರ ನಗಧರ ಶ್ರೀಪನ್ನಗ ಶಯನನ ಗುಣ

ಪೊಗಳುವ ಅಪಾರ ಅಗಣಿತ ಮಹಿಮರ ॥

ವರ ಮಹಾತ್ಮೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿ ಮೊದಲಿಂದೀಪರಿಯಲಿ

ಚರಿಸಿ ನಿರುತ ಮನವ ನಿಲಿಸಿ ಶ್ರೀಹರಿ ಕರಿವರದನ

ಒಲಿಸಿದರೆ ಜನರಿಗೆ ಅರಿಯದೆ ಮರೆಯಾಗುತ

ಹರುಷದಿ ಗೋನದ ತರುವಲ್ಲಿರುವವರ ॥

..............................

ರುದ್ರವಂದ್ಯ ಮೂರುತಿ ರಂಗವಿಠಲಪದ

ಪದ್ಮಾರಾಧಕ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಮುನೀಂದ್ರರ ॥                             

The above Kriti clearly mentions Sri Jitamitra Tirtha, as a senior disciple and successor to Sri Vibudhendra Tirtharu, well known to Sripadarajaru as a student under Vibudhendra, a renowned scholar yati of his times, whom he approached to study Madhva texts, as directed by his guru Sri Svarnavarna Tirtharu of Srirangam, in the direct line of Sri Padmanabha Tirtharu, senior among Sri Madhvacharya’s disciples. .

Sri Vibudhendra Tirtharu selected a loukika householder as his disciple, taught him Madhva thought and chose him as his successor. He is very much known as a Tapasvi and Jnani than a scholar of repute. He was a Siddhapurusha of his times, local villagers would approach him for some help, guidance and cure for their ailments. Sripadarajaru might have joined Sri Vibudhendra after Jitamitraru.

Records of present Raghavendra Matha, Mantralayam say that Sri Vibudhendra was already in possession of land grant at Manchala, the present Mantralayam, but later the Muslim regent there gifted it to a Moulvi, which was later given back to Sri Raghavendra Tirtharu. Since Sri Vibudhendra Swamiji was touring Sothern India, particularly the Kaveri  and Tamraparni belts  of Tamil Nadu, he had not established any temple of Matha at Mantralayam.

Sri Jitamitra Tirtha was a pontiff of Sri Vibudhendra Matha, earlier branched out from Sri Ramachandra Tirtharu, after Vidyanidhi Tirtha claimed to be his successor, when Sri Vibudhendra Tirtha was touring northern parts of the country. After taking charge of Matha, Sri Jitamitra Tirtharu spent most of his time, travelling the Andhra-Karnataka border areas, where he had a large following of farmers and common folk. No work of his has been discovered.

It is said, while he was in deep meditation, river Krishna was in full floods, Bhima river also overflowing,  and he entered Jala Samadhi by controlling breath and Yoga practice, after handing over the administration of Matha to Sri Raghu nandana Tirtha, his disciple. A Goni tree is worshipped on his Aradhana day, Margashira Chaturdashi, this year December 23^rd on the banks of the confluence ( Sangama) of Bhima and Krishna rivers near Yadgir town, now a district head quarters.