The succession row at Moorusavir Math has taken another turn now with Rudramuni Swami, the incumbent seer’s one-time rival who was involved in a decade-long legal battle, now warning of an agitation if the issue was not resolved according to the devotees’ wishes .
Rudramuni Swami, who met Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami at the math here on Friday night, announced that a meeting of devotees and religious heads would be convened there on November 7.
Rudramuni Swami, seer of Shadakshara Math in Tiptur, was in the news when some devotees claimed that seer of Moorusavir Math Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami had been kidnapped. Gurusiddha Swami, who had earlier announced that he would abdicate the peetha, had gone to Hanagal to “take rest”. He then reappeared at Tiptur to announce that he was reviewing his decision to abdicate the peetha.
Although the seer had clarified that he had gone to Tiptur on his own, several devotees still believe that the unwelcome developments in the math had put a lot of pressure on him, forcing him to think of abdicating the peetha.
Controversy in 1998 Speaking to presspersons on Friday night, Rudramuni Swami said that any attempt to appoint the successor to the math without the consent of the devotees would only create problems for the math like in 1998, which resulted in a protracted legal battle in the Supreme Court.
Rudramuni Swami’s nomination as successor to the math was revoked in 1998 by the then seer Gangadhar Rajayogindra Swami.
Subsequently, Rudramuni Swami took the issue to court.
The issue was later settled through mediation.
Advice to incumbent
Rudramuni Swami told presspersons that he would only advise the present seer not to give scope for a prolonged legal battle, and decide on the issue of succession by getting the devotees’ consent.
‘The only solution’ He said that as the devotees and members of the core committee of the math were divided over the issue of succession, convening a meeting was the only solution. However, the issue is likely to become more complex as some devotees are questioning Rudramuni Swami’s authority to convene the meeting at Moorusavir Math.
