Chandrashekhara Bharati III
His Holiness Swami Candrasekhara Bharati | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | 34th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sringeri |
| Personal | |
| Born | Narasimha Sastri 16 October 1892 Sringeri, British India |
| Died | 26 September 1954 |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Lineage | Dashanami Sampradaya |
| Monastic name | Svami Candrasekhara Bharati |
| Temple | Sringeri Sharada Peetham |
| Philosophy | Advaita Vedanta |
| Religious career | |
| Predecessor | Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati |
| Successor | Abhinava Vidyatirtha |
| Ordination | April 7, 1912 |
| Part of a series on | |
| Hindu philosophy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Orthodox | |
|
|
|
| Heterodox | |
|
|
|
Swami Chandrasekhara Bharati (born Narasimha Sastri; 1892–1954 ) was the Jagadguru Sankaracarya[1] of Sringeri Sharada Peetham in 1912–1954. He was one of the most significant spiritual figures in Hinduism during the 20th century. He was believed to be a Jivanmukta (Sanskrit for one liberated while alive).[2]
Biography[]
Narasimha Sastri, who became Jagadguru Sankaracarya Swami Chandrashekhara Bharati (Honorific style: Chandrashekhara Bharati Swaminah[3]) was born to Gopala Sastri and Lakshmamma in Sringeri on Ashvayuja Shukla Ekadashi (the eleventh day of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashvayuja) in the Hindu lunar year Nandana (corresponding to October 16, 1892). He was the last of his parents' twelve children and the only one who survived past infancy. A notable feature of his life was that his birth, upanayanam, sannyasa and videha mukti (death), all happened on Sundays.[2]
Childhood days[]
The childhood days of Narasimha Sastri were passed in Sringeri.[2] An introvert, he held little attraction for social life. He was lodged in the house of Srikanta Sastri, the then administrator of the Sringeri Matha. His parents performed the Choodakarma (a rite performed as one of the sixteen saṃskāras that enables one to go to school). He was then sent to the local Anglo-vernacular school run by the government.
His Brahmopadesha was performed when he was eight. He was regular in the performance of Sandhyavandanam three times a day, and Agnikarya, twice a day.
Narasimha, after his twelfth year, moved to Sadvidya Sanjivini Pathasala in Sringeri by the expressed wish of Swami Sacchidananda Sivabhinava Narasimha Bharati, the Jagadguru Sankaracarya, who kept a close watch over the progress of his ward.
Higher studies at Bangalore[]
The Sankaracarya of Sringeri had established in 1910 an institution of higher Vedantic training, the Bharatiya Girvana Prouda Vidya Vardhini Shala in Bangalore. Narasimha Sastri was chosen to be a student at that institution. Narasimha Sastri moved to Bangalore in 1911 with his parents and plunged into his studies. Mahamahopadhyaya [4] Vellore Subrahmanya Sastri and Mimamsa Shiromani Vaidyanatha Sastri taught him Purva Mimamsa by texts such as the Bhatta Dipika.[2] Mahamahopadhyaya Virupaksha Sastri taught him Vedanta. Even in Bangalore there was no change in Narasimha's introvertness. He spent his free time in the peaceful environs of the Gavigangadhareshwara Temple in Gavipuram, Bangalore.[2]
Taking Sannyasa[]
In 1912, Jagadguru Sankaracarya Sacchidananda Sivabhinava Nrsimha Bharati named Narasimha Sastri as his successor at Sharada Peetham. A devotee, Rama Sastri, was entrusted with the task of personally delivering the Sankaracarya's letter naming his successor to Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore. Before Narasimha Sastri arrived in Sringeri, the Sankaracarya attained Videha Mukti. So, on April 7, 1912, Narasimha Sastri was initiated into Sannyasa by Swami Satyananda Sarasvati and given the [5] of Swami Chandrasekhara Bharati. He received the saffron robes, the sacred staff, and the kamandalu (water pot) from Satyananda.[3] He was thus ordained in the dashanami tradition of Adi Shankaracharya.[2]
Kumbhabhishekam and Digvijayam[]
In 1916, the Kumbhabhishekam (consecration) of the Sharada Temple in Sringeri was performed by Sankaracarya Chandrashekhara Bharati. In 1924, he left Sringeri on his first Digvijayam (tour). He first reached Mysore and consecrated a temple at the house of his Guru. It was named Abhinava Shankaralaya. Then, from Mysore, the Sankaracarya proceeded to Satyamangalam via Nanjanagud and Chamrajanagar. He then toured the southern parts of the Tamil country including Thirunelveli and Kanyakumari. He then toured Thiruvananthapuram and Kaladi in Travancore. At Kaladi, in 1927 he established a Vedanta Pathashala (an institution for higher studies in Vedanta). He then returned to Sringeri after visiting a few more places in Karnataka and Travancore.[2]
Avadhuta Sthiti and naming his successor[]
After returning to Sringeri, Sankaracarya Chandrashekhara assumed the Avadhuta Sthiti (the state of being an Avadhuta). He was absorbed in the inward bliss of the Atma. To enable himself to spend more time in meditation and contemplation of the Self, he named a successor to the Peetham: a boy named Srinivasa Sastri. On May 22, 1931, he initiated Srinivasa Sastri into Sannyasa and gave him the of Abhinava Vidyatirtha. In 1938, Chandrashekhara undertook a yatra (pilgrimage) to Bangalore, Mysore and Kaladi. After returning to Sringeri, he resumed his classes on Vedanta and wrote thought-provoking and erudite articles in Asthikamathasanjeevini, a journal published by the Matha.[2] He granted interviews to genuine seekers and gave darshan to the public.
Final years and Videha Mukti[]
After 1945, Chandrashekhara gradually withdrew from all activities. However, his fame had spread far and wide. On August 24, 1954, the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, visited Sringeri to pay homage to the Sankaracarya.[3] The President, a pious man having deep faith in the Hindu scriptures, discussed with the Sankaracarya Chandrashekhara on Dharma and other allied subjects.[2]
On September 26, 1954 (the day of the Mahalaya Amavasya festival), Sankaracarya Chandrashekhara took a bath in the Tunga River, which ran in Sringeri. Afterwards, he sat in padmasana, Lotus position, and attained Videha Mukti on the banks of the river. His body was discovered floating in the river. His assistant Ramaswami jumped in the water and with the help of Kehavachari brought the body to the shore. The Jagadguru's body was then interred [6] by Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha, his successor to the Sharada Peetham. His body was buried beside his Guru's samadhi (shrine) and a samadhi was constructed for him. A Shiva Linga was consecrated over it. It is worshiped today and is called "Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Linga." After the videha mukti of Jagadguru Sankaracarya Abhinava Vidyatirtha, another shrine was constructed and Abhinava Vidya was buried there beside Chandrashekhara Bharati's shrine.
Works[]
Chandrashekhara Bharati composed a few poems and wrote a famous commentary. His main works are:
- Gururaja Sukti Malika containing 36 compositions in about 400 pages. Printed in Sanskrit and Tamil
- Bhashya (commentary) on Vivekachoodamani of Sri Adyashankaracharya
See also[]
- Sringeri Sharada Peetham
- Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham
- Advaita Vedanta
- Adi Shankara
- Abhinava Vidyatirtha
- Smartism
Notes[]
- ^ Jagadguru=universal teacher, a title of the four heads of the Swami order
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Sages of Sringeri, A Tattvaloka Publication, Shri Sharada Peetham, Shringeri, 2005.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Hindu peethadipathis (peethadipathis are heads of Hindu Mathas) are addressed respectfully as Swaminah, Swamigal, Mahaswami. In this article, the same convention is followed
- ^ Mahamahopadhyaya, a title conferred on highly accomplished scholars
- ^ The name one receives after taking Sannyasa (monastic vows) in Hinduism
- ^ In the Hindu tradition, bodies of sannyasis are buried, whereas non-sannyasis are cremated or buried depending on family custom
References[]
- Sages of Sringeri, A Tattvaloka Publication, Shri Sharada Peetham, Shringeri, 2005.
External links[]
| show Authority control  |
|---|
- Advaitin philosophers
- Sringeri Sharada Peetham
- 1892 births
- 1954 deaths
- Indian Hindu monks