Kanva Matha

Kanva Matha is one of the 24 mathas (monasteries) of the Madhva sampradaya and is headquartered in Hunasihole, Surapura Taluk, Gulbarga District, Karnataka. The Kanva Matha was started specifically for Sukla Yajur Veda students. This matha was started by the Shirur Matha pontiff Laksmimanohara Tirtha in 1766 during Magha Masa (March). Laksmimanohara Tirtha initiated Venkatesacharya and gave him the sannyasa name Madhava Tirtha, and named the matha as `Sri Kanva Matha'. He gave the Deity of Vittala-Krishna as the matha's main deity. He also presented the Idols of Lord Krishna, Rukmini, Satyabhama and blessed Madhava Tirtha to propagate the Sukla Yajur Veda and bless its followers. Although the matha belongs to the Madhva sampradaya, it has the unique distinction of having followers who practice all three schools of philosophy viz. Dvaita, Advaita and Vishistadvaita.

The lineage of the Matha is as follows –

1 Madhava Tirtha
2 Vamana Tirtha
3 Vishnu-priya Tirtha
4 Akshobhya Tirtha
5 Vidyadhisha Tirtha
6 Krishna-dvaipayana Tirtha
7 Vidyanidhi Tirtha
8 Vidya-sampurna Tirtha
9 Vidyadhiraja Tirtha
10 Vidyaviraja Tirtha
11 Vidya-vijaya Tirtha
12 Vidya-manohara Tirtha
13 Vidya-taponidhi Tirtha
14 Vidyabhushana Tirtha
15 Vidhya-bhaskara Tirtha (present pontiff)