[Advaita-l] JAGADGURU SRI CHANDRASEKHARA BHARATI MAHASWAMI – MYSTIC AND SEER - 8

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Continued from previous post)
 
 
(Book condensation from Tattvaloka, July 1999, Volume XXII No. 2 )
 
http://www.svbf.org/journal/vol5no1-2/mystic.pdf
 
Prelude to Sanyasa
 
When Narasimha Bharati Mahaswami felt
that his body had served its purpose and that
there was a need to appoint his successor, he
sent for Narasimha who was then studying in
Bangalore. Every day the Mahaswami would
visit Sri Kala Bhairava temple in the evening.
On the way he would chant Antakshari verses
(verses in which the last syllable of a verse would
be the first syllable of the succeeding verse) and
also discuss some spiritual topics.
 
One evening he asked Narasimha and two
other students Markandeya and Shivananda to
accompany him. Seated at the temple he
composed 11 verses pregnant with meaning. It
would appear that he had resolved to give
sannyasa to Narasimha. Hence, after composing
eight verses, he specially turned his gracious eyes
on Narasimha and uttered the last three verses
looking straight at his face. The English
translation on these verses read:
1) O Child, if you have the desire to cross
the ocean of transmigratory existence, listen to
what I am saying. It is in consonance with the
Upanishads and would be helpful to you later. 
2) Have your head shaven. Throw away your
sacred thread donned for performing sacrifices.
Become a sannyasi. Be a steadfast
adherent of sadhana chatustaya.
3) Enquire long into the truth with faith
and devotion listening to the nectar-like
utterances of the Upanishads flowing from the
lips of the Sadguru.
 
What is the real significance of this event?
Sri Abinava Vidya Tirtha is positive that Sri
Narasimha Bharati Mahaswami had actually
given sannyasa diksha –initiated Narasimha into
sannyasa. He stresses that the intiation need not
necessarily be by touch only, since the scriptures
recognize other modes like look and with the
mind. The parallel being the case of Giri, on
whom Sankara Bhagavatpada transmitted
knowledge of all the 14 sciences. What happened
at the Kala Bhairava temple was exactly the
same.
 
Sri Abhinava Vidya Tirtha says, “While my
paramaguru did not tell my guru about his
wanting to give him sannyasa or his wanting to
choose him as his successor, he composed the
verses while looking at my guru’s mind.”
 
By pouring his grace on Narasimha thus, he
provided him with that which is considered to
be of paramount importance-a single minded
decision to become a sannyasi by renouncing
home. Since Narasimha Bharati Mahaswami
attained Mahasamadhi on March 20, 1912 before
Narasimha reached Sringeri, to take over as his
successor, he had the necessary divine foresight
to fulfill this sacred requirement.
 
Afterwards Narasimha returned to Bangalore
to continue his studies.
 
 
(Continued in next post)