>Oliver Puertogallera at 11:08, 4 July 2021

2021-07-04T11:08:53Z

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{{short description|Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham (1912-1954)}}

{{Infobox religious biography
| name = Swami Candrasekhara Bharati
| monastic_name = Svami Candrasekhara Bharati
| honorific_prefix = His Holiness
| honorific-suffix =
| title = 34th [[Jagadguru]] [[Shankaracharya]] of [[Sringeri]]
| image = Chandrashekhara Bharati III.jpg
| caption =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| philosophy = [[Advaita Vedanta]]
| lineage = [[Dashanami Sampradaya]]
| temple = [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]
| ordination = April 7, 1912
| birth_name = Narasimha Sastri
| native_name_lang =
| birth_date = {{Birth date |df=yes|1892|10|16|}}
| birth_place = [[Sringeri]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date |df=yes|1954|9|26|}}
| death_place = [[Sringeri]], [[India]]
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| alma_mater =
| nationality = [[India]]n
| module =
| predecessor = [[Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati]]
| successor = [[Abhinava Vidyatirtha]]
}}

{{Hindu philosophy}}

'''Swami Chandrasekhara Bharati''' (born '''Narasimha Sastri'''; 1892–1954 ) was the Jagadguru Sankaracarya<ref>Jagadguru=universal teacher, a title of the four heads of the Swami order</ref> 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).<ref name="book">''Sages of Sringeri'', A Tattvaloka Publication, Shri Sharada Peetham, Shringeri, 2005.</ref>

==Biography==

Narasimha Sastri, who became Jagadguru Sankaracarya Swami Chandrashekhara Bharati (Honorific style: Chandrashekhara Bharati Swaminah<ref name="swami">Hindu peethadipathis (''peethadipathis are heads of [[Matha|Hindu Mathas]]'') are addressed respectfully as ''Swaminah'', ''Swamigal'', ''Mahaswami''. In this article, the same convention is followed</ref>) 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.<ref name="book"/>

===Childhood days===

The childhood days of Narasimha Sastri were passed in Sringeri.<ref name="book"/> 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 [[saṃskāra]]s 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 [[Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati|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 <ref>Mahamahopadhyaya, a title conferred on highly accomplished scholars</ref> Vellore Subrahmanya Sastri and Mimamsa Shiromani Vaidyanatha Sastri taught him [[Mimamsa|Purva Mimamsa]] by texts such as the ''Bhatta Dipika''.<ref name="book"/> Mahamahopadhyaya Virupaksha Sastri taught him [[Advaita Vedanta|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.<ref name="book"/>

===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 Kingdom|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 [[yoga patta]]<ref>The name one receives after taking [[Sannyasa]] (monastic vows) in [[Hinduism]]</ref> of Swami Chandrasekhara Bharati. He received the saffron robes, the sacred staff, and the kamandalu (water pot) from Satyananda.<ref name="swami"/> He was thus ordained in the [[Dasanami sannyasin|dashanami]] tradition of [[Adi Shankara|Adi Shankaracharya]].<ref name="book"/>

===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 [[Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati|Guru]]. It was named ''Abhinava Shankaralaya''. Then, from Mysore, the Sankaracarya proceeded to [[Satyamangalam]] via [[Nanjangud|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]].<ref name="book"/>

===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 [[Atman (Hinduism)|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 [[yoga patta]] 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.<ref name="book"/> He granted interviews to genuine seekers and gave ''[[darshanas|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]], [[Rajendra Prasad|Dr. Rajendra Prasad]], visited Sringeri to pay homage to the Sankaracarya.<ref name="swami"/> The President, a pious man having deep faith in the [[Hindu scriptures]], discussed with the Sankaracarya Chandrashekhara on [[Dharma]] and other allied subjects.<ref name="book"/>

On September 26, 1954 (the day of the [[Amavasya|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 <ref>In the Hindu tradition, bodies of [[Sannyas|sannyasis]] are buried, whereas non-sannyasis are cremated or buried depending on family custom</ref> by [[Abhinava Vidyatirtha|Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha]], his successor to the Sharada Peetham. His body was buried beside his [[Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati|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 [[Viveka Chudamani|Vivekachoodamani]] of [[Adi Shankara|Sri Adyashankaracharya]]

==See also==
*[[Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]
*[[Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]
*[[Advaita Vedanta]]
*[[Adi Shankara]]
*[[Abhinava Vidyatirtha]]
*[[Smartism]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==

*''Sages of Sringeri'', [http://www.tattvaloka.com/ A Tattvaloka Publication], Shri Sharada Peetham, Shringeri, 2005.

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160414184542/http://www.sringeri.org/ Sringeri Sharada Peetham]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160125152304/http://jagadgurus.org/Section/chandra Jagadgurus]
*[http://www.sankaracharya.org About Sankarcharya and His Parampara]

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{{succession box | before = [[Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati]] | title = [[Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham]] |years = 1912 – 1954 | after = [[Abhinava Vidyatirtha]]}}
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[[Category:Advaitin philosophers]]
[[Category:Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]
[[Category:1892 births]]
[[Category:1954 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Hindu monks]]

Chandrashekhara Bharati III - Revision history

>Oliver Puertogallera at 11:08, 4 July 2021