pdfMachine by Broadgun Software - a great PDF writer! - a great PDF creator! - http://www.pdfmachine.com http://www.broadgun.com Glimpses of Bhagavan Paramacharya Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara Kanchi Sankara kamakshi Sankara Mahaswami Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi was born on 20 May 1894, under Anuradha star according to the Hindu calendar, into a Smartha Brahmin family in Villipuram, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu as Swaminathan. He was the second son of Subramanya Sastri, a District Education Officer. The child was named Swaminathan, after the family deity, Lord Swaminathan of Swamimalai, near Kumbakonam. Swaminathan began his early education at the Arcot American Mission High School at Tindivanam, where his father was working. When he was studying at Tindivanam, he was taken in his 13th year, to be initiated into ascetic order and ordained as the 68th Acharya of the Kanchi Math. He was given Sanyasa Asramam and named Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati. He adorned the Peetham on February 13, 1907 the second day of the Tamil month of Masi, Prabhava year. On May 9, 1907 his "Pattabishekham" as the 68th Peetadhipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham was performed at the Kumbakonam Math. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami spent several years in the study of the scriptures and dharma shastras and acquainted himself with his role as the Head of the Math. He soon gained the reverence and respect of the devotees and people around him. To millions of devotees he was simply "Periyava", the revered one or “MahaPeriyava”. "Periyava" in Tamil means a great person, and conveys endearment, reverence, and devotion. "Mahaswami” and “Paramacharya” are his other well-known appellations He was affectionately called "Mahaswamigal" and “Nadichedevudu” (Walking God). True to the tradition of the Peetham set by Adi Sankara, Paramacharya travelled throughout the country by foot or by the traditional palanquin. Providing support through Veda Patashalas (schools teaching Vedic lore) through the Veda Rakshana Nidhi which he founded and honouring Vedic scholars, he reinvigorated Vedic studies in India. He organised regular sadhas (conferences) which included discussions on arts and culture. These led to a renewed interest in Vedic religion, Dharma sasthras, and the Sanskrit language. His exposition of Vedanta, Sasthras and the Dharmic duties attracted scholars and laymen alike, from far and wide, for it has always been rich in values and simple in understanding. Great humorist he had the keen acumen to relate root words of all the languages to Sanskrit highlighting its greatness. His foremost concern was preservation of the Vedas, tradition and dharma. He advocated simplicity, shunned pomp, ostentation and extravagance. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati was the head of the Mutt for eighty-seven years. He set the trend to create Trusts for achieving the objectives of the Peetham. His long tenure as Peethadhipathi is considered by many to have been the Golden Era of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He attained moksha at Kancheepuram on 8th January 1994 (Dhanurmasa, Krishna Dwadasi) in his Centenary year and was succeeded by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swami. .