[Chaturamnaya] Life and Teachings of His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyateertha Mahaswamigal - 20

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Continued from previous post)

http://svbf.org/journal/vol4no3-4/teachings.pdf

PART 8: MAHASAMADHI

>From 1954, the Acharya had set a hectic pace for himself as the Jagadguru. During this time he
packed his life with achievements of no mean order. For example, he had traversed the entire length
of the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari twice, in addition to numerous short tours. One effect of
these tours was that many religious leaders became close to him, attracted as they were by his
winning personality. These religious leaders included Advaitins as well as those belonging to other
sects and religions.

Appointing Successor

On November 11 1974, he initiated a successor designate. The Acharya named his successor as
‘Bharati Tirtha.’ The Guru and his disciple made a number of visits together. Speaking about
His Holiness Sri Bharati Tirtha, the Acharya once said, “When I was in Delhi (in 1982) my
disciple was with me. He conducted himself the way a disciple should. On the occasion of
Vidvat Sadas, he showed that he was more scholarly than the most erudite of the scholars who came.”
The Acharya had also mentioned in the speech that the tradition of the Sringeri Sarada Peetham
is transferred from Guru to sishya just as a lamp lights another lamp. He thus indicated that the
lighted lamp becomes as bright as the one that lit it. 
One of the projects that he initiated in the eighties was the construction of a bridge across the
Tunga. He was very involved in the work and was once having a discussion with the director of a
leading firm in India. During the conversation he recounted the main features of all the important
bridges in the country and then went on to talk about the salient features of world famous bridges
in the UK, France, the USA and Australia. After this, he even asked an attendant to bring a small
photo album in which he had collected, with necessary statistics, photographs of world famous
bridges over the years. This shows how perfectly thorough he was.

With the passage of time the Acharya began to hint that his work in a mortal frame was nearing
completion. He remarked to his personal assistant, “If I am there until 1992. A lot of activities,
such as a bridge across the Tunga, can be accomplished for the Mutt. I may or may not live to see
the latter.”

Row of Samadhis

One day the Acharya and H.H. Sri Bharati Tirtha were standing in the Adhishtanam of our
Parameshti Acharya. The Acharya then said, “After my life is over, you need not have to wonder
where to have my Samadhi. It can be built here (pointing to the southern side of the
Parameshti Acharya’s Adhishtanam).”

Unable to bear such words, H.H. Sri Bharati Tirtha said, “Why should the Acharya talk about such
matters now?” To this he replied “I am not just talking about my Samadhi. For you too it must be
constructed on the southern side of my Samadhi. You know that Vidvat Sadas is being held in the
Mandapam in front of the samadhis. If my Samadhi is also constructed adjoining the existing
samadhis more people can be comfortably accommodated.”

(To be continued)
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