Paramashiva, the ultimate Divinity in Human form established 23 Sarvajna Peetas (Ancient All-Knowing Seats of Learning) all around the known world. These ancient Universities such as Nalanda, Takshashila, Naimisharanya, Kancheepuram, Kasi, Sharada Peetam in present-day Kashmir, and others had existed for thousands of years across all the ages and civilizations. With the passage of time and due to the persistent and inhuman persecution of the Hindu Civilization across millenia, most of these Universities have been completely destroyed and are in ruins.
The Sarvajna Peeta at Kancheepuram in Southern India, as the Thondai Mandala Adheenam, is one the most ancient of the Sarvajnapeetas and perhaps the only one that has survived through the ages of persecution. This University has produced great luminaries such as Bodhidharma who was responsible for the revival on Buddhism in China and South East Asia and the establishment of the Shaolin Temple in China.
As per tradition, the Sarvajnapeeta at Kancheepuram was established during the previous “ice age”. The “ice age” happened when Goddess Parashakti in a playful mood closed both eyes of Paramashiva. With the eyes of Paramashiva – which power the Sun and the Moon respectively – being closed, the Earth was pushed into a period of deluge and extinction. Paramashiva out of his compassion then opened his Third eye through which life was restored on planet earth. As a penance (prayaschitha) for this act, Goddess Parashakti took a Human form and did intense Tapas in this very city of Kancheepuram as Goddess Kamakshi who is still worshiped there in a big way. Pleased by the penance, Paramashiva also took birth in Kancheepuram and taught Devi the Kamikagama (the applied science of enlightenment through integrity, authenticity, responsibility, and enriching) and raised her back to her original state of Enlightenment. This formed the origin of the Sarvajna Peeta of Kancheepuram and the Thondaimandala Adheenam.
The knowledge of the Kamikaagama has spread all over the world establishing many more centers of learning including the Madurai Adheenam, Thiruvannamalai, and others.
Bhagawan Sri La Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam currently is the 233rd Pontiff in this ancient line of Pontiffs of the Kancheepuram Thondaimandala Adheenam.
In 1989 Bhagawan Sri La Sri Nithyananda Paramashiva Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya Swami, then known as A. Rajashekar was, at the age of 10, recognized as an incarnation, initiated, proclaimed, declared, and coronated as the future Guru Maha Sannidhanam (Pontiff) of the Thondaimandala Aadheenam by the 230th Pontiff of the same Sarvajnapeeta. The declaration being that He would take over the administration and full responsibility When He turned 21. In the year 2000, when He turned 21, He assumed responsibility as the Guru Maha Sannidhanam (233rd Pontiff).
To further the goals of Hinduism and the Peetam, from that time forward, Swami Nithyananda established the Nithyananda Peeta Mahasamsthana (Great Seat of Learning or University) with Adheenams (Residential Monastery Campuses) and Kailaasas (Complete integrated communities learning and living the science of Living Enlightenment) in various places including Bidadi near Bengaluru and Thiruvannamalai in India and in Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, New York and other places in the United States.
The Nithyananda University in Los Angeles (estd 2007) is the instantiation of this most ancient Sarvajnapeeta of Kancheepuram through the Thondai Mandala Adheenam and the Nithyananda Peetham through the ecclesiastical guidance of Bhagawan Sri La Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam.