[Advaita-l] JAGADGURU SRI CHANDRASEKHARA BHARATI MAHASWAMI – MYSTIC AND SEER - 9

[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
 
Mantle  of  Succession  –  III
 
During the first quarter of 1911 many
momentous events took place in the history of
the Sharada Peetha. Sri Narasimha Bharati
Mahaswami visited Kaladi, which he had
identified as the birthplace of Adi Sankara
through divine insight, and consecrated a temple
of Sharadamba and another for Adi Sankara.
 
When he returned to Sringeri in March 1911,
his health was none too good. His period of
stewardship of the Sringeri Math had been
fulfilled, and people had come to recognize the
importance and significance of Sringeri as the
fountainhead of scriptural learning and Vedic
thought.
 
The Mahaswami, therefore, felt that his life’s
task was done. As he expressed it to Sharadamba,
“Ata Param Kim Karyam Asti?” (After this what
is it that remains to be done ?) Hence, he
gradually withdrew from his activities of the
Peetha and prepared to spend most of the time
in the solitude of Narasimha Vana.
 
Having felt that his body’s purpose had been
served, he was ready to cast off the same.
However, one duty remained, the duty to
nominate, formally, his successor. ‘Formal’
because he had decided that Narasimha was to
succeed him.
 
A beloved devotee Rama Sastri was entrusted
with the sacred trust, that of personally carrying
the Mahaswami’s letter seeking the official
consent of Krishnaraja Wodeyar, Maharaja of
Mysore, for the nomination of Shrungagiri
Narasimha Sastri to succeed the Mahaswami to
the Sharada Peetham. He was also to meet
Narasimha and his parents to communicate the
decision and obtain their consent.
 
The Mahaswami had the satisfaction of
visualizing in his Yoga Nishta the coronation of
Narasimha Sastri as the peethaadhipathi (head of
the Peetha). The Mahaswami also chose the
sannyasi name of his successor as
“Chandrasekara Bharati” putting the final seal
on what his heart had always wanted.
 
A few days later, on March 20, 1912, Sri
Narasimha Bharati Mahaswami attained
Mahasamadhi. Narasimha Sastry was to reach
Sringeri only a day later. But his guru had already
transmitted his power to him and the firm
assurance in his heart of the availability of his
unfailing guidance.
 
 
(Continued in next post)