Muth History

Originally the muth was at Muthgram [Madgaon] where Shrimad Gowdapadacharya was staying. Then later on when Shree Shantadurga devi was brought to Kavlem from Keloshi, the muth was trasferred from Keloshi to Kavlem. This place was made the main place of the muth. Shrimad Sachidanand Saraswati was the first Gowdapadacharya to stay at this muth after this new muth building was constructed.

During the 8th century Shrimad Gowdapadacharya, a great scholar and protector of sanathana dharma, was residing in Gomantak. He always held the flag of sanatana dharma flying high. The Gowdapadacharya’s muth was located in Muthagram, Kushasthali and Keloshi in the vicinity of Shree Shantadurga and Shree Mangesh temples. Shrimad Gowdapadacharya started his work of comparing the percepts of sanatana dharma and other dharmas like Buddhism and Jainism. He established the union of the individual Jiva with the supreme purusha, Shiva when compared to the concept of nirvana of jainism and buddhism. He propounded the Mayavad [illusionary nature of the world and the reality of parabrahmam] for the first time. He maintained that the world appears to be real due to Maya and is not real at all.

Once Shrimad Gowpadacharya had gone on a pilgrimage to north India [especially] to Banares along with his shishya Shrimad Govindapadacharya. This was around 780 A.d. There was a person called Shankara Vatu [from Gowd Saraswat community] who was in search of a guru. He followed Shrimad Gowdapadacharya and reached a tapovan on the bank of river Narmada. Shankara vatu expressed his desire of getting initiated in sanyas. Shrimad Gowdapadacharya found by intution that the vatu was an incarnation of lord Shiva born to uplift the vedas. Shankara vatu was given deeksha and initiated into sanyas by Govinda yati as Shrimad Gowdapadacharya had resolved not to see any Kalipurush [ person from Kaliyuga ], and thus a great acharya – Shree Shankaracharya was born. Govinda yati initiated another vatu from Gowd Saraswat community into sanyas and named him Vivavananand who returned to Gomantak and stayed there. He founded Kaivalya Muth Samsthan at Kushasthali and Keloshi near Shree Shantadurga and Shree Mangeshi temple and this is the first muth of Gomantak Gowd Saraswat brahmin community. The title of the gurus of the muth include Gowdapadacharya or Keloshi Kushsthali nagar Mahamut Pratishtapanacharya, indicating the origin of the muth and the original headquaters of the muth. Most of the Gowd Saraswat brahmins residing in the Gomantak and other places have been the followers of Shree Kavalem muth samsthan from the 8th century to 15th century. When Shree Gokarn Partagali Jivottam muth samsthan and Shree Kashi muth samsthan were founded in 1476 and 1542 century many of the brahmins started following these two muths. However some still remained in Shree Kavalem muth samasthan.

During the portuguese rule in 16th century, as the Portuguese rulers were destroying muths and temples, our 59th guru Shrimad Vidyananda Saraswati Gowdapadacharya had to leave Gomantak and find shelter elsewhere. Shrimad Vidyananda Saraswati [59th], Shrimad Sahajananda Saraswati [58th] and Shrimat Purnananda Saraswati [57th] had to stay at Golvan muth bhavan. Shrimat Ramananda Saraswati [60th] stayed at Chinnar muth bhavan. Later he left for Banares along with Shrimad Bhavananda Saraswati [62nd].

During 1630 ad , Vaishakh Shuddha Panchami of Pramoda Samvastara Sh. 1552, Shri Vittal Sharma [ Rangnekar ] was initiated by Shrimad Bhavananda Saraswati to head Kavalem muth and to return to Gomantak. He was known as Shrimad Sachchidananda Saraswati