HH Sri Pudhu Periyava 88th Jayanthi – Aug 12′ 2022
Jambunathan Iyer
HH Sri Pudhu Periyava 88th Jayanthi – Aug 12′ 2022
Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya (born Subramanyam Mahadeva; 18
July 1935 – 28 February 2018) was the 69th Shankaracharya Guru and
head or pontiff (Pïțhādhipati) of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.[2] Subramanyam
Mahadeva Iyer was nominated by his predecessor, Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati, as his successor and was given the pontifical title Sri Jayendra
Saraswathi on 22 March 1954.
Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal succeeded Mahaperiyava Chandrashekara Saraswati Swamigal in 1960 a fact not many people know. He condcuted all the activities of the mutt with the oversight of his Guru out of reverence. His successor was anointed by the then Senior Pontiff Mahaperiyava during his lifetime in the early 1980.
Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal was born as Subramanyam to Mahadeva Iyer and Saraswathi Ammal on 18 July 1935. He completed schooling at Irulneeki primary school and at a middle school at nearby Adichapuram village. Then he shifted to a vedha padasala at Thiruvanaikoil in Trichy. He visited the village on holidays and used to play normal games such as marbles and 'killi-thandu' like other children of his age. Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi selected him as his successor, when Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal was only 19 years old.[5]
Contributions
Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal was head of the mutt established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 5th century. He had His spiritual tutelage from 'Maha Periyava' and travelled the length and breadth of the country with His guru. He delivered religious discourse besides involving Himself in various spiritual and social activities as well. Under His guidance, the mutt started several schools and hospitals. The Mahaswamigal ensured that the Mutt involved itself in various social activities. Thanks to His efforts, the mutt today runs several schools, eye clinics and hospitals. He also managed to establish a direct connect with the people
Although the mutt is primarily a religious organisation, the Mahaswamigal, whose character was underpinned by a strident social consciousness, had both the conviction and courage to steer the mutt into territories into which it had not ventured before. The Mahaswamigal found strength from His own inner conviction and the need for both the mutt and the Hindu religion to reach out to the poor and downtrodden. He was still strong on religious practices and their understanding — it was one of the reasons He was handpicked as the 69th pontiff of Kanchi mutt when He was just 19 years of age. It took enormous amount of courage for Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal to renounce the world including His parents at the age of 19 in order to become true spiritual guru. He travelled with His senior initially and then, lead many more yatras across India barefoot to spread awareness on Sanatana Dharma
But He could make the two unlike poles reside comfortably within him. And that is because He was also a Jagadguru of vision, who had a grasp of His own destiny. Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal liked to get involved in the current affairs of India, public life and liked to meet people across castes.
Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal had observed three unique qualities in His shishya (student) Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal : Jan Akarshanam, Dhan Akarshanam and Jal Akarshanam and hence chose Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal as His successor. Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal had the ability to attract people anywhere such that people used to call him to places where there was drought. He had the unique power of attracting rains anywhere. So people used to have great faith in Him. Any public project inaugurated by the Kanchi seer used to taste success
He was instrumental in the Kanchi Math expanding directly into people's service.
Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal visited Manasarovar and Kailash in 1998 and became the only Shankaracharya to do so after the Adi Shankara. There he installed the idol of Adi Shankara. One of his important contributions is founding of the Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya, a deemed university in the name of his guru. Under Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal's tenure, Kanchi Math ran the deemed university and dozens of schools and hospitals — territories previously not in the reach of Mutt — besides over 50 traditional Vedic schools and temples.
The followers of the mutt call Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal a reformist saint and credit him with ensuring that the preachings of Adi Sankara were spread among people beyond the Brahmin community. This He did by encouraging the spiritual mutt to become more of a social service-oriented one and making it all-inclusive. But at the same time, he did not wish to go down in history merely as a religious figure. He had ambitions of being seen as a seer who understood politics and wanted to have a say in issues facing the nation.
During his time as the head seer, Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal launched several charity initiatives such as the ‘Jana Kalyan, Jana Jagaran,’ a movement to "serve the people and awaken the masses". The charity programme aimed to establish temples in Dalit colonies and engage Dalits in temple rituals to expand the Hindu collective beyond the Dravidian polity's anti-upper caste stance, and equating Hinduism with an inherent suspicion of Brahminism. He also appointed Dalit trustees in temples such as Mylapore Kapaleeshwarar.
Under his tenure, The Kanchi Mutt started many schools, eye clinics and hospitals. Child Trust Hospital, Hindu Mission Hospital, Tamil Nadu Hospital and other public welfare institutions which are religious focused were developed by him.
He was seen as an avatar of Shiva Shankara and promulgated concept of Santana Dharma.
On 27 February 2018, for doing the daily routine Pooja, Saraswathi asked Vijayendra Saraswathi to perform the routine poojas, which acted as a premonition that he wanted to hand over the reigns to his successor. Jayendra even did Sandhyavandhanam that same day. The 82-year old seer was admitted to a hospital near Kamakshi Amman Temple in Kanchipuram the following morning due to breathing problems. However, Jayendra was perfectly in shape and even walked whilst being inside the hospital. A few hours later, hospital and mutt sources announced that he had died and issued statement "The 69th Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Jagadguru Pujyashri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal attained Siddhi at 9.00 am today - Shukla Trayodashi - 28 Feb. 2018 at Sri Kanchi Kamakotii Peetam Sankara Matam, Kanchipuram.
As a sanyasi, Saraswati was not cremated. He was instead interred in a Samadhi, that is referred to as a 'brundavanam' or 'adhishthanam'. A Tulasi tree was planted and a Shiva lingam was consecrated on top so that it will become a permanent shrine.
" What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "