The Rashtrakutas and their Times c20.62.2

c20.62.2

The record makes it clear that Iśvara Ghalisāsa was not the head of any Maṭha located at Managoli, and yet he was styled Jagadguru. If in our period the Pīṭhas founded by S'ankara had wielded the same influence as they did till recently, if there had been a branch of the Sringeri Pīṭha at Sankeśvara which is fairly near to Managoli, Iśvara Ghalisāsa, the head of the Managoli Agrahāra, who had no connection with any Maṭha, could not have dared to use the title Jagadguru. This record, therefore, makes it clear that the Pīṭhas founded by S'ankara were not exercising any appreciable influence in the Deccan till the end of our period. It must be further remembered that the claim to give the final verdict in socio-religious matters, claimed and conceded to the occupants of the Pīṭhas founded by S'ankara, must have appeared as preposterous in our period. In the Hindu period these matters were decided by special officers of Government who were variously known as Vinayasthitisthāpakas, Dharmānkuśas, Dharmapradhānas or Paṇḍitas.