Whenever Dharma or Order declines and chaos begins to pop up its ugly head in life, God is said to incarnate Himself to set right the wheel of motion of cosmic life. A supplementary of these Avatars (or Holy Descents) is the Descention of His Holy Servants, the Eternal Souls in the Highest Above.

- so says a great saying.

 There is no limit to the number of these avataras, and no end to their glory.

Bhagavan Sri Ramanuja (A.D. 1017 - 1137) came down on this earth in one such crucial moment, with a hoary tradition of Vishishitadvaita lore, and eminent Acharyas behind him, some of whom are accepted as pre-Shankaras even by admirers of opponent schools. After him the greatest Acharya in every respect, descended in Kanchipuram, at Thoppul in 1268 and re-established, rejuvenated, and enlarged the scope of our Darshana, as Vedanta Desika, as he was popularly known. His times were very turbulent, politically, socially and spiritually. Muslim conquerors looted and destroyed most temples even in the South including Srirangam and Kanchipuram and killed millions of Hindus, thousands of SriVaishnavas among them and caused havoc, as the Acharya describes in his "Abheetistava". Socially there was a consequent chaos. In addition, Hindu streams of thought like Advaita, Sankhya, Pasupata, Mimamsa etc. were at mutual loggerheads, while Buddhists, Jains and Charvakas were attacking it from outside.

The orders established by Bhagavan Sri Ramanuja were decaying into dry ritualism and needless sectarian wrangles and disputations internally.

Swamy Desika, as a foresighted sage towards the close of his divine life realized that unless a new order of Holy Men was not established, there was no way out of this all enveloping darkness. He caused one of his disciples dearest to him to take to asceticism, and established him as the first of a new series of Swamy's and named him as Brahma Tantra Swatantra Jeer in the year Bahudhanya (corresponding to 1338) when rAmAnuja dayApAtraM GYAnavaIrAgya bhUSHaNAm was consecrated. Swamy Desika himself continued to give directions till 1370, when Swamy Desika attained the Holy Feet of the Lord.

Thus was started what is now known as Sri Brahma Tantra Swatantra Parakala Matham, and 36 eminent scholars and sages have adorned its Holy Seat, the present Pontiff Srimad Abhinava Vageesha Brahma Tantra Swatantra Parakala Maha Desikan Swamy being the 36th, who was coronated in 1992.

Sri Lakshmi Hayagriva is the presiding Deity of the Matham, first being worshipped by Goddess Saraswati Herself, then coming to the Divine Hands of Bhagavan Sri Ramanuja, on His Sri Bhashyam being appreciated bu Her as very faithful to Brahma Sutras by Vyasa, and after him, to Swamy Desikan through other eminent Acharyas like Pillan, Engal Alvan, Vatsya Varada and Appullar.

The Matham was originally located in Kanchipuram, Tooppul. But when it was found unsafe during the Muslim onslaught, the establishment shifted to Holy Hills of Tirumalai, and remained there for several centuries, supervising the daily routines of the temple. During Periya Parakala Swamy's period (1676 - 1737), the Matham came down to Sriranga Patnam, near Mysore and its Pontiffs becase Royal Preceptors - Rajagurus. After the fall of Tuppu Sultan, the Matham came to Mysore where its has headquarters even today.

The Matham enjoyed great glory due to royal patronage, and its economic resources continually grew in terms of lands, money, and branch establishments all over India, including the North.

But when the Wodeyars ceased to be the royal rulers of Mysore in 1947, and thereafter when the lands of the Matham came under "land reforms" by the successive Governemnts of Karnataka, the Matham's revenue depleted gradually.

Even so attempts were made to protect the interest of the devotees by its generous Pontiffs, by whatever dignified means possible, such as by accepting donations for daily worship by the voluntary disciples, and insufficient grants by the Government.

The present Jeer took over the administration and establishment at this crucial point. The Holy Jeer was in a good administrative post Himself in a well known organization in His pUrvAshramam, and has brought great reforms and improvement within a short time, by incessant tours, and by inviting philanthropic and well-placed people to visit the Matham and work for its improvement to restore its ancient glory. HH is an eminent Disciple of Srimad Abhinava Ranganatha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Swamy (33rd Pontiff) having mastered all Vishishtadvaitic lore under his guidance. He has mastery over both the Vendantas, and is above all a mantrasiddha mahApurusha.

vyAkhyAmudrAm kara-sarasijaiH pustakam Sankha-cakre
bibhrad-bhinna-sphaTika-rucire puNDarIke nishaNNaH |
amlAna-SrIr amRta-viSadaih amSubhiH plAvayan mAm AvirbhUyAt anagha-mahimA mAnase vAgadhISah ||

("May the Supreme Lord of Speech, Lord Hayagriva, possessed of unfading beauty and impeccable greatness consecrate me by the rays of His luster, lovely and lucid like nectar and manifest Himself in my heart - Hayagriva, who displays Vyaakhya-mudra, (the symbol of instruction) by His lower right hand and has a book (the symbol of knowledge) in the lower left hand; who holds the Sankha and Chakra by the two upper hands; and who is seated on the white lotus like a fresh crystal." )