Vivek Chudamani

Author(s): Chandrashekhar Bharti Swami, P Sankaranarayan
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidyabhavan

Page 20

Xvi
VIVEKACŪDĀMAŅI
its contents and the easy language of the ślokas, the Vivekacūdamani has been justly popular among students of Advaita.
IL
Śri Jagadguru Candrasekhara Bhārati Pūjyapādāḥ of sacred memory adorned the Sāradāpītha at Śộngeri (śộnga giri) established by Śri Samkara Bhagavatpāda which has grown through the years as one of the prominent bastions of Advaita Vedānta in our land. Discovered by the versatile scholar-saint Śri Jagadguru Sacchidananda Śiva Abhinava Narasimha Bhārati Svāminah, and later nominated to succeed him, Śri Candrasekhara Bhārati quickly fulfilled in ample measure, by his sage deportment, noble bearing and endearing nature, the hopes and expectations reposed in him. Undergoing his tutelage on the pāțhaśālā under the watchful care of his illustrious predecessor, he gained mastery in Nyāya, Mimamsā and Vedānta in a manner that evoked the admiration and respect of his preceptors. Alike by his ātmaguņas and pāņditya, he was eminently qualified to preside over the pitha to which he succeeded in 1912 and carry on his spiritual ministry with conspicuous success for forty-two years until his mahāsamadhi in 1954. This well-nigh half a century may be said to be the golden period of South India's spiritual history when its people were fortunate to have in their midst two Mahāpuruşas, Šri Candrasekhara Bhārati of Srngeri and Sri Candrasekharendra Sarasvati of Kāñcī (happily with us now)—both embodiments of our country's sacred lore, tradition and culture transmitted through the ages. Both of them tapassvins of great eminence they have been radiating saintliness and wisdom inducting all who had the good fortune to come under their influence, by precept and example, into ways of a better life oriented to whatsoever is true, good and holy.
Spending the later years of his life as an antarmukha, withdrawing himself from the distractions of the external world, Śrī Candrasekhara Bhārati appeared to others bāla-unmatta-muktavat (as a child, mad or tiberated soul) for most of his time. He was verily a jīvanmukta, who had realised the Absolute and lived in the bliss of that realisation. It has been reported that once, during the course of his Sahasranama-arcanā to Śrī Sāradā, whom he worshipped, when he came to the nāma, Tatpadalaksyārthāyai namah, he suddenly stopped with his fingers clasping the kumkumam, and lapsed into samadhi. Becoming bahirmukha after a long time, he addressed the person who was the lone witness of this event and burst forth in breath-taking ecstacy "advaitam satyam, advaitam