The tenth Acharya of the Phalimaru Muth Shree Ramchandra Teerth, while on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas accompanied by his entourage, was taken seriously ill. The place being inaccessible and remote from Udupi, it was not possible to establish any contact with the headquarters of the Mutt at Udupi. Fearing that the lineage of the Acharyas of the Mutt may be severed in case he breathes his last at the feet of Lord Narayan, and the tradition of the Mutt would be curtailed, as an alternative arrangement he ritually conferred the discipleship on an eligible Saraswat bhrahmachari (celibate bachelor). Having thus initiated him into the Mutt tradition by giving diksha and having bestowed the name of Shree Narayan Teerth on him, the Guruswami advised him to return to Udupi after duly completing his pilgrimage.