Parakala Matha


The Bramhatantra Swatantra Parakala Matha is a Vaishnava monastery established in Karnataka. It was the first medieval era monastery of the Vadakalai denomination within Vaishnavism tradition of Hindu society. Sri Sri Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Matha was first established by Sri Sri Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Jeeyar, a disciple of Sri Vedanta Desika Swamin.
The Matha got the name "Parakala" after Sri Tirumangai Alvar who is also known as Sri Parakalan. The Matha has its headquarters in Mysore. The Matha has had a close relationship with the monarchs of Mysore Kingdom since 1399, which is why the Mysore Palace is housed just next to the Matha. The kings of Mysore hold the Matha as their official gurukul. Even now, the royal lineage has a close relationship with the Matha. All royal ceremonies are even today monitored by the Matha.
Parakala Matha is among the organizations that follow Sri Vedanta Desika as the torch bearer of Sri Ramanuja's teachings. The others are Ahobila Matha, Sri Srirangam Andavan Ashramam and Sri Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashramam.
There have been 36 seers so far. The head of this Matha is the hereditary Acharya of the Mysore Royal Family. The Hayagriva idol worshiped here is said to be handed down from Vedanta Desika.

Principals

The Acharya Parampara of Sri Parakala Matha is as follows:
#PortraitPresidedPrincipal Guru/Āchārya
01268 - 1369 Sri Nigamantha Maha Desikan
11286 - 1386Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
21386 - 1394Dvitiya Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Deshikan
31394 - 1406Tritiya Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
41406 - 1424Sri Parakala Maha Desikan
51425 - 1440Sri Vedanta Ramanuja Parakala Maha Desikan
61440 - 1460Sri Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
71460 - 1482Sri Narayana Yogindra Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
81482 - 1498Sri Rangaraja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
91498 - 1517Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
101517 - 1535Sri Yatiraja Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
111535 - 1552Sri Varada Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
121552 - 1567Sri Paraankusha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
131567 - 1583Sri Kavitarkika Simha Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
141583 - 1607Sri Vedantha Yatisekhara Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
151607 - 1618Sri Gnyanadbhi Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
161619 - 1640Sri Veera Raghava Yogindra Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
171640 - 1652Sri Varada Vedantha Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
181652 - 1663Sri Varaha Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
191663 - 1673Sri Vedantha Lakshmana Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
201673 - 1676Sri Varada Vedantha Yogeendra Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
211676 - 1738Sri Periya Parakala Brahmatantra Swatantra Maha Desikan
221738 - 1750Sri Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
231750 - 1770Sri Vedantha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
241770 - 1771Sri Abhinava Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
251771 - 1810Sri Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
261810 - 1828Sri Ghantaavataara Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
271828 - 1835Sri Vedantha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
281835 - 1860Sri Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
291860 - 1873Sri Srinivasa Desikendra Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
301873 - 1885Sri Ranganatha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
311885 - 1915Sri Krishna Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
321915 - 1925Sri Vagheesha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
331925 - 1966Srimad Abhinava Ranganatha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
341966 - 1972Srimad Abhinava Srinivasa Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
351972 - 1992Srimad Abhinava Ramanuja Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan
361992–presentSrimad Abhinava Vageesha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan