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Sri Sankara, was born in the sacred village of
'Kaladi' in Kerala on the vaisakha, sukla, panchami in the year Nandana
corresponding to the year 509 B.c., the date as well established by the
researchers with reference to a number of insriptions, epigraphs, literature
and astrological calculations.
 His mother was Aryamba and his father
Sivaguru. The purpose of his incarnation was to stabilise the vedic religion.
At the tender age of five, he began his vedic studies. Even while young, he had
mastered the vedas, vedanta, puranas, epics and kavyas to become an eminent
scholar. While in his gurukula, according to the custom in vogue, he used to go
round seeking biksha. Once on an auspicious Dwadasi day, he went to a house of
a poor Brahmin. Seeing the boy Sankara at the door-step and finding nothing
available to be given to him, the poor woman searched her house thoroughly and
found just two amla fruits kept by her husband for breaking the Ekadasi-fast on
that day. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she put her share of just one
amla fruit into his almsbowl and went inside the house ashamed at her inability
to do something more. Sankara, deeply moved by her generosity even in abject
punury, extolled Goddess Mahalakshmi to shower Her grace on that poor house. In
response to his prayers, there was a heavy shower of golden berries in their
house immediately. The collection of slokas rendered by Sri Sankara then in
praise of Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi came to be called as 'Kanakadhara Sthothram'.
On return from the Gurukulam, Sri Sankara managed to
get the permission of his mother to become a sanyasi and left Kaladi. He trod
the entire distance from there upto the banks of the river Narmada at Omkarnath
where he met Sri Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya doing penance in a cave. Seeing the
lad's rare dispassionate nature (Vairagya), Guru Sri Govindabhagavatpadacharya
initiated Sri Sankara into sanyasa and taught him the import of the Mahavakyas
and the doctrine of Advaita contained in Vedas, Upanishads, Brahmasutra and
Bhagavat Gita and expounded the theory of Advaita Adi Sankara travelled the
entired country by put and vanquished 72 non vedic and irreligious cults.
Adi Sankara wrote his elaborate commentaries for Brahma
Sutra, Isa, Kena, Kata, Munda, Mandookaya, Taithireeya, Chandokya and
Brihadaranyaka Upanishads, Bhagavat Gita, Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra and Lalita
Trisyathi. To enable readers to follow their import, he wrote 35 explanatory
works, called Prakaranas of which Vivekachoodamani, Atmabhodam Praboda
Sudhakaram and Satasloki are noteworthy. Realising that worship of the formless
abstract viz., Nirguna Brahmam is difficult for laymen, he also advocated the
worship of Saguna Brahman. The regularised the methods of worship both
indivisual and temple worship by streamlining worshiping methods and the six
major orders known as shanmathas. Thus he came to be known as shanmatha
sthapakacharya - the founder of shan matas, the six schools of religion
advocating worship of Siva, Vishnu, Sakti, Kumara (Subramanya), Ganapti and
Soorya. these are called Saivam, Vaishnavam, Saktam, Kaumaram, Ganapatyam and
Sowram. He also composed as many as 67 stotras in praise of these dieties to
facilitate recitation by way of worship by the common man to develop devotion
towards the Almighty which would kindle the thirst to know the Supreme.
Sivanandalahari, Sowndaryalahari, Anandalahari, Dakshinamoorthy Sthotram,
Bhajagovindam etc., are among them. There were fiftysix kingdoms in our country
at that time and yet all people were bound together by sanathana dharam and
sanskrit was the commong language in usage and were able to presere the unity
and integrity of the country. In Bhajagovindam, he commends the association of
fullevolved souls for developing a dispassionate nature and mental equanimity
free of tribulations and desires.
It is set there are several episodes to mention about the miracles performed by
Sri Adi Sankaracharya.
When Sri Adi Sankaracharya was bathing in the Ganges,
his disciple was on the other bank. Sri Adi Sankaracharya called the disciple
to bring the clothes. The Ganges was in full floods. Unmindful of the ferocious
flow of water with currents, the disciple walked across the Ganges to handover
the clothes to the Guru. Sri Sankara asked disciple as to how he crossed the
river. The disciple replied that he didnot notice anything except to fix his
dhyan on Gurucharan. Sri Sankara asked the disciple to look back. To his
astonishment, the disciple noticed a strech of lotus flowers on which he walked
over to cross the Ganges. The disciple was named as Sri Padmapada after the
incident.
When Sri Adi Sankara was camping in Karnataka a couple
brought a dumb boy and pray to Acharya to bless the boy with speaking power.
The Acharya made the boy to speak. The boy not only began to speak but also to
speak vedanta. After this miracle the boy became his disciple and came to be
called as Hasthamalaka.
Sri Adi Sankara retrieved the idol of Sri Badrinarayan and reinstalled at
Badrinarayan Kshethra.
Sri Adi Sankara visited Kedarnath on way to Kailas and
had Darshan of Lord Siva and was blessed with five spatika lingas. These
spatika lingas was installed at five kshethras. Mukthi Linga at Kedarnath Vara
linga at Neelkanth kshethra in Nepal, Bhoga Linga at Sarata Peetam, Sringeri,
Moksha Linga, Chidambaram and retained Yoga Linga for his worship at
Kanchipuram. This Yoga Linga is being worshiped even today by the
Sankaracharyas of Sri Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam.
He travelled throughout India preaching Advaita and
came to Kanchipuram, where he consecrated Goddess Kamakshi in Sri Chakra Peetam
and worshipped her. Of the five crystal Lingas brought by him from Kailasa, he
kept the Yogalingam for his private worship. He later installed it in Sri
Kamakoti Peetam of Kanchi with the name Sri Chandra Mouleeswara. It was in
Kanchi that Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya celebrated the" Sarvagna
Peetarohanam".
Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya established four
peetams in the four directions headed by is four principal disciples: Sri
Padmapada at Sringeri, Sri Hastaamalakar at Dwaraka, Sri Totakacharya at Puri
and Sri Sureshwaracharya at Badrinath. Sri Adi Sankarabagavatpadcharya
established Sri Kanchi Kama koti peetam at Kanchipuram and the lineage of
disciples who took over the reins of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in succession
after him came to be called in general as "His Holiness Sri Kanchi Kamakoti
Peetadhipathi Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya Swami". Their Sanyasa Asrama names
are embellished by the ending "Indra Saraswati". These Acharyas Continue in the
tradition of Sri Sankara worshipping Sri Chandra Mouleeswara and Goddess
Kamakshi for the welfare of mankind. Among the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadhipathis,
who adorned this mutt, Sri Mooka Sankara is well-known as the author of "Mooka
Panchasathi", a collection of 500 verses in praise of Goddess Kamakshi, whose
grace transformed the author, an innate dumb person, into an illqstrious poet.
Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam has reached the heights of
glory during the period of His Holiness Jagadguru Pujyasri Sri
Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal the 68th pontiff who was glorified
as the incarranation of Sri Dakshinamoorthy, Sri Adi Sankara's reincarrate and
a living God moivng amongst us. The Poravashrama name of Sri Mahaswami was Sri
Swaminathan. He was born at Villupuram. On 28th May 1894. He came to Kalavai in
is 13th year when he was studying at Tindivanam. Suddenly and to the universal
bless Sri Swaminathan was initiated in to sanyasa by His Holiness Sri
Mahadevendra Saraswathi (V) Swamigal in the year 1907 and was given the
dikshanamam Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi swamigal.
Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal adorned
Sri Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam on 13th February 1907. His formost concern was
preservation of Vedas, tradition and dharma. He advocated simplicity, and
shunned pomp, ostentation and extravagance. His exposition of Vedanta, sastras
and the dharmic duties attracted scholars and laymen alike, from far and wide.
Sri Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam has reached its hights during the period of Sri
Mahaswamigal and flourished with international reputation. Sri Mahaswamigal was
noted for his patriotism and National sentiments.
Several sages like Sri Ramanamaharshi were shown the
path of realisation by Sri Mahaswamigal and were brought to light by grace of
Sri Mahaswamigal. Desciples from all over the world use to have darshan of Sri
Mahaswamigal and Cherised their desires by His graceful sight. Even a common
man who had the darshan of Sri Mahaswamigal use to carry a personal impression
of being personally blessed. One could only experienced the bliss of the
darshan as a personal experience and no words could explain the satisfaction
and derival of peace.
I take this opportunity to express my heart felt
gratefulness for having been benifited by the abundance of the kindness and
benign blessings and grace of Sri Swamigal. My Second daughter Shanti was not
speaking even at the age of Four. I took the baby to His Holiness Sri
Mahaswamigal and prayed His blessings. His Holiness showered His grace on the
baby and blessed the baby with power of speech. The Child started speaking at
once to our astonishment and happiness. His Holiness has also showered His
graced on this humble self by ordaining me to render the Kainkaryam of
organising cultural programmes at Sri Kamakshi Ambal Temple Kanchi and at Sri
Bangaru Kamakshi Amman Temple, Thanjavur during the Navarathri Festival, and at
Sri Kanchi Sankara Matam from the year 1968. I could have the unique personal
experience of the abundence of the grace and kindness of Sri Mahaswamigal on a
number of occassions and scrores of devotees will be carrying with them the
experience bliss of the grace of His Holiness Sri Mahaswamigal.
His Holiness Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarawathi Swamigal
who assended as the 68th Peetadhipathi in the year 1907 was leading the
universe in the Path of Sanathana Dharma for nearly 87 years and was held in
high esteem as Jagadguru Paramacharya by all sections of people throughout the
world. The Mahaswamiji attained external Bliss on 8th January 1994.
It is our good fortune that the successors of this
great Acharya, the 69th and 70th Acharyas are of international reputation for
Their concern for the humanity and wolrd peace. His Holiness Sri Jayendra
Saraswathi Swamigal, the 69the Acharya became the 69th peetadhipathi of Sri
Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in the year 1954 and His Holiness Sri Sankara Vijayendra
Saraswathi Swamigal became the 70th pountiff in the year 1983. The peetam
belongs to Rig Veda Shaka.
The Porvashrama name of His Holiness Pujya Sri Sri
Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal is Sri Subrahmanyam. He was born at lrulneekki In
Thanjavur District on 18 July 1935. He had is Veda Adyayanam at Kanchi and was
initiated in to the Peetam on 22 March, 1954 by Sri Mahaswamigal with the
Dikshanamam : Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Sankaracharya Swamigal. The reputation of
Sri Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam has reached its hights by the abundance of kindness
and the concern for the poor and down trodden and several social welfare
schemes run by Sri Kanchi Sankar Mutt and various Social Welfare Organizations
and institutions established by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal. He attracted
people from every nook and corner and made Kamakoti a household holy name. He
intensified the activities of the Matam to cover several social objectives like
education, health, employment, rehabilitation of he handicapped, uplift the
women, along with the traditional temple renewation and restoration of daily
puja at the temples. His Holiness has travelled the country intensively and
also visited Nepal. The only Sankaracharya after Sri Adi
Sankarabhagavatpadcharya to visit the sacred Manasarovar is Sri Jayendra
Saraswathi Swamigal in 1999.
His Holiness Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal
was drafted to Sri Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam as 70th Peetadhipathi by His
Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal on 29th May 1983 while he was
studying Vedas at Polur. His Poorvashrama name was Sri Sankaranarayan. He had
the rare the previlage of having tutelage under is Guru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi
Swamigal and His Paramaguru His Holiness Sri Chandra Sekharendra Saraswathi
SwamigaI. He has also travelled throughout the country including remote places
and also meghalaya. He is deeply concerned about the deteriorating moral
ethical values in the youth and has intiated a number of measures to draw the
youth, train them in all these aspects of our culcural ethical values along
with the modern education including the developments in the field of
Information Technology. He also taking keen interest in preserving our hence
ancient literature and bringing out a number of publications through the mutt
and other associated organisations.
The Acharyas are taking immense interest and or taking
untiring efforts to bring the Kanchi Ghatikasthan to its former ancient glory
inspirational learning. The city of Kanchi is renowned for its greatness of
ancient culture. The city has been a centre of literary eminence with its
Ghatikas i.e. the eminence as centres of educations offering instructions in
Vedas, Sastras and Arts since the fourth century A.D. The literary, religious
and cultural advancement of Kanchi has been much enhanced by its close
connection with great spiritual preceptors, particularly Sri Adi Sankara. The
Acharyas of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam have resolved to establish a Ghatisthana
as an all comprehensive educational centre and have established the
Ghatisthanam adjacent to Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal Vishwa
Mahavidyalaya (Deemed University) at Enathur.
The Acharyas have dedicated themselves for the
preservation of Vedas, upholding Sanathana Dharma. Their contribution towards
consoliding Hindu Religion is very remarkable evoking the feeling of universal
brotherhood amongst us to enable us to live in harmony understanding each
other, leading the world towards universal peace. These Acharyas of Sri Kanchi
Kamakoti peetam are reputed for their social service and are undertaking a
number of social welfare schemes for the uplift of the poor and the needy. The
Acharyas of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti peetam are held in high esteem and devotees
from all over the world carry the satisfaction of a unique experience of
contentment, peace of mind cherishing their desires by the Benign Blessings of
Their Holiness Sri Sankaracharya Swamigal of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.
As always been in the four front in pioneering several
social causes, besides the protection of Vedas, Dharma and Sastras. They have
dedicated themselves for the proectection of the cow. Besides running Goshalas
by the mutt, they are also advocating and encouraging the establishement of
Goshalas by other social organisations. They are also striving hard in
enlightening public about the sacredness and importance to proect the cow and
to ban the slaughter of the cow. They are also striving hard in fostering unity
among the people by organising various socio - cultural activities even in the
rural areas through the Janakalyan Organisation. They are also encouraging
village artists by organising programmes of folk arts. Their efforts in
concentrating for the promotion of community services like health care and
education is highly remarkable. They have established innumerable educational
institutions, running several Veda Pathsalas Oriental, primary, Higher
Secondary Schools, Ayurvedic colleges for science and arts for both boys and
girls and engineering courses through Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi
Mahaswamigal Mahavidyalaya.
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