(Click here for text of Swamiji's blessings for this Website.) Headquarters : 22/86 Brahma Ghat, Varanasi-221001 Short Name : Shri Kashi Math. Presiding Deities : Shri Vyasa and Shri Raghupati popularly known as Shri Vyasa Raghupati. Other Deity : Shri Narasimha. The Math has daily three poojas, morning, afternoon and night.

Festivals And Fasts : Chaturmasya Vrita for four fortnights during the rainy season and all other fasts and festivals as per Hindu Lunar Calendar. Then the math also observes two months, one in spring as Vasant Mas and the other one during November / December as Vyasotsava in commemoration of Shri Vyasa's achievements. 

First Guru : Shrimat Yadavendra Tirth Swamiji.

The Reigning Guru : Shrimat Sudhindra Tirth Swamiji, 20th in the pontifical lineage.

Pattashishya (Up to 19^th July, 2000) : Shrimat Raghavendra Tirth Swamiji
Successor (from 20^th June, 2002) : Shrimat Samyameendra Tirth Swamiji

Guru Parampara :
The following are the Swamijis of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan:

Their Holinesses, Shrimat

 
The Present Pontiff :
Shrimat Sudhindra Tirth Swamiji, the 20th in the pontifical lineage of Shri Kash Math Samsthan was given sanyas deeksha by his preceptor, H.H.Shrimat Sukrateendra Tirth Swamiji in Mulki on 24th May,1944.

Innocent Lad :
Born on 31st March, 1926 in Ernakulam, Kerala (Poorvashram name: Shri Sadashiva Shenoy), was a college student studying in the Intermediate Science when the call from the Samsthan came. In fact till then he had not seen a Swamiji and till he became one he was not aware of the duties expected of a Swamiji, either. All this he came to know only after he took sanyas and after occupying the gurupeetha, upon the mukti of his preceptor in July,1949. Working hard, Shri Swamiji mastered the scriptures and thereafter started propagating throughout the length and breadth of India.

Free India :
India became free in 1947 and a republic state in 1950. The young Swamiji had to guide the destiny of the followers in a free environment. Shri Swamiji rose to the expectations of the people and eliciting participation from everyone renovated Math buildings and temples besides tirelessly moving from place to place unifying GSBs from the southern tip of Kerala to Varanasi. Side by side welfare activities like Shri Kashi Math Welfare Fund, homes for the poor students, medical aid and preservation of our age old heritage besides popularising our mother-tongue Konkani etc., were undertaken by him in full swing.

Shri Vyasa's Grace :
Shri Swamiji felt that for Bhagwan Shri Vedavyasa, the greatest author the mankind has ever seen, did not have a befitting monument at the national level. Mobilising the support of the disciples in the span of 10 years he erected a great and magnificent temple in Haridwar which is a marvel in the arena of temple architecture itself and is considered as one of the tourist and pilgrims' attraction in that township. A similar temple is going to be erected in Kalpi near Kanpur in Uttarpradesh, the very birth- place of Shri Vyasa which has not attracted anyone's attention over centuries. Not satisfied with these two temples, Shri Swamiji is going to erect a shrine in the holy Badrinath in the Himalayas, the work place of Shri Vyasa. (Pic : Shri Shishya Swamiji)

At Seventy Five :
Shri Swamiji is now 75. A grateful samaj organised Amrit Mahotsav in the months of March, April and May 2000 in Mangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi. These celebrations are only little drops of water that the community could give back for the ocean of spiritual service it has received from a selfless saint that is Shri Sudhiindra - really a great name and a great asset to the GSBs of the present generation.

A Poet Also :
Shri Swamiji is a gifted poet in Sanskrit. Must have been blessesd by Shri Vyasa. He has composed quite a few stotras and prayers, and Shri Vyasa Sahasranama which are chanted by the disciples. His kavya on Shri Vyasa, he plans to compose, is eagerly awaited by the followers.

Wonderful Discourses :
Shri Swamiji is a great orator. More than that is his communication skill. While giving the religious discourses, heavy philosophical subjects are being conveyed in very simple language which even a child can understand. Through his experienced and holy hands, dharma comes in a very simplified form, capable of practical implementation. People throng to listen to his religious discourse.
(Pic : Shri Vyasa at Shri Vyasa Ashram, Haridwar)

An Unusual Step :
In order to give the shishya an opportunity to develop, Shri Swamiji with a very broad mind and magnanimity handed over the deities of the daily worship along with certain duties and responsibilities to the Shishya Swamiji. 

  Message of Shri Swamiji :
"Everyone is in search of happiness. Pursuit of unending desires is the cause of unhappiness. The secret of a happy life is to follow the basic tenets of Dharma like Ahimsa, Truth, Humility and Compassion and lead a pure and simple life of righteousness."

Branches of the Math :
Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Districts: Basrur, Bantwal, Hangarkatta, Hemmady, Karkal, Konchady, Kota, Naravi, Nayampalli, Shirva and Suratkal.
Other Places in Karnataka: Bangalore, Basrur, Bhagmandal and Bhatkal.
Kerala State: Ambalamedu, Calicut, Manjeshwar and Palliport.
Rest of India: Bandora (Goa), Chennai, Haridwar, Kalpi, Khed, Mumbai-Walkeshwar, Nashik, Prayag (Allahabad), Tirumalai (Tirupati)

Among all the branches of the math, the following two need a special mention :

Shri Walkeshwar Kashi Math : 
Situated on the banks of the holy tank Banaganga that had its origin on account of Lord Rama shooting an arrow to bring a fountain of holy River Ganga from Patala to quench his thirst, this Math, has two samadhis, one is that of Shrimat Madhavendra Tirth Swamiji, 7th pontiff and the other one is that of Shrimat Varadendra Tirth Swamiji, the 18th pontiff. The first samadhi was built way back in 1775 AD at the behest of Shrimat Madhavendra Tirth who entered and took mahasamadhi when he was still alive. It is a jeevanta samadhi and it is believed that Shri Swamiji is still alive in the state of samadhi to grace the disciples. For the GSBs of Mumbai, it is the most sacred place and a visit to this place and offer of prayers will ward off all the difficulties.

Shri Vyasashram, Haridwar :
(Address: Haripur Marg, Sadhu Bela, Haridwar-249 410, UP )
Though this is called an Ashram, it is a great and grand temple close to Saptarshi Ashram, on the outskirts of Haridwar. Erected as a monumental memorial to Shri Vyasa, this acts as a model temple combining religious activities with welfare activities without any barrier of caste, creed or community. Consecrated on 26th Feb. 1988 by Shri Swamiji himself the temple has Shri Vyasa as the presiding deity with his son, Shuka Muni, and disciples, Paila, Vaishampayan, Jaimini and Sumantu, his retinue. There are life-size idols of the mythological Saptarshis and also the trimurtis, Brahma Vishnu and Maheshwara. Interestingly, the traditional dwarapals or the guards are not the Jaya Vijaya here, but the characters in the Upanishads, the famous students, Nachiketa and Satyakama. Shri Swamiji has taken personal care to bring in many facets of Puranas and Mahabharat as a tribute to the great Vyasa who authored those immortal books.

An Ashram Only :
In activities this temple resembles an ancient ashram. Standing on the banks of the River Ganga, it has a big garden that gives flowers and fruits for the poojas and a bathing ghat to take holy dips in the river. There is a small shrine dedicated to Mother Ganga on the ghat itself to offer prayers soon after the bath. A gow-shala with 30 to 40 cows supplies milk, again for pooja. Viewing from another angle, it has a big auditorium for assemblies, a dining hall with free food for guests and inmates and a perpetual annadan arrangement for anyone who visits during lunchtime. There is a health care centre to cater to the needs of the locality which otherwise did not have any. Staying accommodation is available in the temple complex with good amenities on a modest rent.
The temple celebrates its annual foundation day on Phalguna Shukla Navami (mostly in the month of February) every year. The temple indirectly depicts the glorious heights that the GSB community has attained and deserves a visit by everyone. 

Mandir At Shri Vyasa's Birthplace:
On 29th June, 2001, Shri Swamiji consecrated a magnificent Mandir dedicated to Shri Vyasa at his very birthplace, Kalpi, on the banks of the River Yamuna about 60 Kms from Kanpur, Uttarpradesh (click here for the view of the Temple and more information about Shri Vyasa).

Deeksha Mahotsav at Haridwar: 
On 20th June, 2002, at Shri Vyasashram, Sadhubela, Haridwar, Shri Swamiji gave deeksha to a new Shishya--a Brahmachari called Shri Umesh Mallya (Date of Birth: 12th Sept., 1982), a second year student B.Com. student and named  him Shrimat Samyameendra Tirth Swamiji, in a well-attended programme.(Pic shows both Guru & Shishya on the day of Deeksha Mahotsav. Photo courtesy: R.K.Studio)