On 7 July 1989, in accordance with the guru-shishya tradition, the then guru, Sudhindra Thirtha, initiated a follower into sanyasa so that in due course they would succeed him as the 21st guru. For reasons not fully known, serious differences between Sudhindra Tirtha and his appointed successor, Raghavendra Tirtha, became apparent around 2000–2001 amidst concerns about insubordination and integrity.
On July 7, 1989, in the guru-disciple tradition, Sudhindra Thirtha initiated a disciple into sanyasa so that they could eventually succeed him as the 21st guru. By around 2000-2001, serious conflicts emerged between Sudhindra Thirtha and his chosen successor, Raghavendra Thirtha, due to concerns about insubordination and integrity.