BANGALORE, INDIA, November 28, 2007: A section of the brahmin community across India believes Sugunendra Teertha of Puttige mutt cannot “ascend to the Paryaya” (take his turn) since he has committed the offense of sagarollanghana (crossing the sea) and thus has to be disqualified from the rights. Says the pontiff of Pejawar mutt in Udupi, Vishweshara Teertha, “There is no opposition for his taking over the administrative charges. But the emotions of hundreds of thousands of devotees will be hurt if he enters the sanctum sanctorum and touches the Lord. His trip abroad is condemned as an act against the shastras.” A pundit and the head of Poornapradnya Vidyapeeth (school for Vedas) Vidyasimhachar Mahuli in Mumbai, said, “It is banned to cross the seas in the Puranas.
According to the varnashrama dharma (stages of life), he cannot perform a puja in any country other than India which is considered karma bhoomi (land of noble actions). Other countries are bhoga bhoomi (land of pleasures). Hence, his conducting puja abroad is against the dharma.”