Shreemad Lakshminatha Teertha
Birth Place : Murdeshwar
Birth Date : Shaka 1715 Pramadi Samvatsara Chaitra Shukla Dviteeya, Wednesday (13-03-1793)
Sannyasa Deeksha : Shaka 1726 Raktashi Samvatsara Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, Tuesday (17-04-1804)
Deeksha Place : Shree Lakshmi Venkatesh Temple, Venkatapur
Deeksha Guru : Shreemad Ramanatha Teerth (15)
Accession to Pitha : Shaka 1726 Raktashi Samvatsara Chaitra Shukla Navami, Wednesday (18-04-1804)
Shishya (Successor): Shreemad Ananda Teerth (17)
Vrundavana : Shaka 1744 Chitrabhanu Samvatsara Margashirsha Krushna Navami at Baroda (at the age of 28 years 9 months and 4 days)
Period as Shishya : 1 Day
Period as Guru : 17 years 7 months 29 days
Matha Construction : Shree Lakshmi Venkatesh Temple, Venkatapur (Shaka 1739 Ishwara Samvatsara Jyeshta Shukla Tritiya [19-05-1817])
Miraculous Work : Blessed the king of Baroda with phalamantrakshata to beget an heir
Matha Renovation : Oversaw renovation of Gokarna Matha and installed the tower of Hanuman in front of it.
History of Swamiji
यो बडोदामहाराजं सत्पुत्रमकरोच्छ्रितम् ।
लक्ष्मीनाथगुरुर्मेऽस्तु स मनोभीष्टदः स्तुतः ॥
- Shreemad Ramanatha Teerth gave sannyasa deeksha to an 11-year-old vatu at Venkatapura, naming him Shreemad Lakshminatha Teerth, a day before his samadhi.
- After Shreemad Ramanatha Teerth’s samadhi, Shri Lakshminatha Teerth became the 16th Guru in succession.
- Shri Lakshminatha Teerth was ordained into sannyasa at age 11, completed his studies in 5-6 years, and took samadhi before turning 29.
- His period on Gurupeetha was just under 18 years.
- During his tenure, he travelled extensively and went on various pilgrimages.
- Significant accomplishments include:
- Renovation of the matha at Gokarna, originally established by the third Guru Shreemad Jeevottama Teerth and later renovated by the 6th Guru Shreemad Ramachandra Teerth.
- Erecting a tower of Hanuman in front of the matha at Gokarna.
- Renovation of old mathas at Bhatkal, Basrur, Ankola, and Aversa.
- Visited pilgrimage places like Tirupati, Rameshwar, Pandharpur, and bathed in the river Bhagirathi.
- Blessed the King of Baroda with phalamantrakshata to beget an heir.
- Took samadhi at Baroda on Margashirsha Krushna Navami of Shaka 1744.
- A letter from Ganpat Ramchandra to Anant Bhandari in Mumbai documents Swamiji’s arrival in Baroda, his illness, and eventual samadhi.