Shri Brahmavidyanandanatha Bharathi (Shri Omkarananda Swami)..3
A Short Note on Shri Brahmavidyanandanatha Bharathi (Shri Omkarananda Swami)..2
The Swami states that neither he nor his Guru was aware of the newly introduced law of the Mysore Government requiring prior permission for the nomination of a junior Swami of a matha and therefore the nomination could not be intimated to the authorities within the prescribed time.. etc.
A Short Note on Shri Brahmavidyanandanatha Bharathi (Shri Omkarananda Swami)..1
Shri Brahmavidyanandanatha Bharathi, also known as Omkarananda Swami, an erudite scholar who was a householder in his purvashrama.
Shri Abhinavoddhanda Vidyaranya Bharathi Swami of Avani Matha attained videha mukti on 11.04.1925 while he was touring in the Nizam states. Later, Shri Omkarananda Swami forwarded his claim that since he had been initiated into sanyasashrama by the Avani Peethadhipathi in 1916 at the Karungundikuppam camp, he was the rightful successor to the ancient Avani Peetha. It was also claimed that his Guru had handed over the Matha deities, authorised him to act as Peethadhipathi and sent him to his Mysore jurisdiction in order to exercise such authority.
All these claims were vehemently opposed by the selection committee of disciples of the Matha formed by the Mysore Government. Finally, the Government, after considering the committee’s resolutions and the opinions of learned scholars of the time rejected his claim.
Despite this, the Swami continued to assert his claim until 1946, when, at the age of 97 years, he finally attempted to ascend the Peetha with the support of his followers. Even at this advanced age, Shri Brahmavidyanandanatha Bharathi Swami wrote “Shri Shankaravijaya Dindima”, published by Giri Brothers, Triplicane, Madras, in which he set out several historical details from his own point of view relating to Shankaravijaya literature, Shankarite institutions, and Guruparampara of various mathas.
Yatis in 19th and early 20th centuries
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, some yatis, despite being fully eligible and part of the Shankara tradition, could not become heads of their guru mathas. Their names appear in legal and historical records of Shankarite institutions. Their claims for the gadi had led to long legal battles causing many hurdles including serious financial hardship to the duly installed Mathadhipatis. Some of them eventually established new Advaita mathas.
More details soon.
The Dwaraka – Kudli Sringeri – Puri Connection
Shri Bharathi Krishna Tirtha, disciple of Shri Trivikrama Tirtha of Dwaraka, stayed with Shri Vidyashankara Bharati at Kudli Sringeri in 1924. He was present on 01.12.1924 when the Kudli Acharya gave Sannyasa Diksha to his successor Shri Valukeshwara Bharati. Later, in 1925, Shri Bharathi Krishna Tirtha was anointed as the Peethadhipathi of the Puri Govardhana Matha.
Can a sannyasi give diksha to householders? …6
Kalyan Upasana Anka Vol. 1 ( Hindi) 1968, Editor Hanuman Prasad Poddar Gita Press, Gorakhpur.
परंतु इस शताब्दीके प्रथम भागसे ही अकस्मात् प्राप्त हुए जिस किसी संन्यासीको गुरु बनानेका नया प्रचटन चल गया है। आधुनिक शिक्षित मनुष्य अनायास ही कुलगुरु और कुलमन्त्रका त्याग करके मनमाना आचरण कर रहे है। संन्यासीको तो अधिकार ही नहीं है कि वह गृहस्थ-कोया स्त्रीजनको दीक्षा प्रदान करे । ठीक उसी प्रकार जैसे कोई गृहस्थाश्रममें रहकर किसीको संन्यासको दोक्षा नहीं दे सकता ।
Since the early part of this century, a new trend has emerged of arbitrarily choosing any Sannyasi as a Guru. Many modern, educated people are giving up their Family Gurus and Traditional Mantras and acting as they please. A Sannyasi has no right to initiate a householder or a woman, just as a householder has no right to initiate anyone into Sannyasa. (Translated from Hindi original)
Can Sannyasis give diksha to householders?…5
दीक्षा-रहस्य
Nowadays, a new practice has emerged of readily accepting any Sannyasi as a Guru.
A Sannyasi, in fact has no authority to give initiation (diksha) to a householder or to a woman.
Shrimukha Birudavali of Shri Krishnananda Tirtha Swamigalu of Shri Shakatapuram Matha (1915)
Muzrai Rules : Succession in Mathas
From the Mysore Government orders relating to succession in several Mathas, it is clear that even when the Acharya was alive, nominating a disciple to succeed later required Government approval.
This approval was necessary in order to protect their properties, ensure smooth administration, maintain eligibility for tasdik and other royal grants and avoid disputes after succession. It also allowed the Government to check whether the chosen disciple was properly trained and was in line with the traditions of the Matha. This Statutory rule for succession in mathas was strictly followed since these were public and endowed institutions and not only because of vacancy.
Kudli Sringeri: Landmark Case of Transparency in Mathas
Shri Vidyabhinava Valukeswara Bharati Swami of Kudli Sringeri Matha attained Mahasamadhi on 10.4.1936. Immediately the Mysore Government took over the management of the Matha and Shri Saccitananda Shankara Bharathi Swami was duly installed as His Successor.
In 1940, when the Government decided to hand over administration back to the young Swami, He did not rush to take charge. Instead, before taking over, in December 1940, He asked for an audit of the Matha’s internal affairs, properties inside and outside Mysore State and accounts by the Goverment department. He also sought continued Government support to protect the Kudli Matha’s assets and regular audit of its accounts in order to ensure transparency after His taking-over of the administration.
This is a landmark case of responsible and transparent succession for all Mathas.
Image: Shri Saccitananda Shankara Bharathi Swamigal of Shri Kudli Sringeri Shankaracharya Matha
