Mahaganapati Vakyartha Vidwat Sabha
At 4:00 PM on 17th of September 2015, Vinayaka Chaturthi day, the annual Mahaganapati Vakyartha Vidwat Sabha for the ensuing Manmatha Samvatsara commenced in the divine presence of the Jagadgurus and under the august presidentship of Sri Mahasannidhanam. The Sabha took place at the main hall of Sacchidananda Vilas in Narasimha Vanam for 13 days and ended on 29th September, 2015. About 50 eminent scholars from all over the country deliberated on various topics in Vedanta, Mimamsa, Nyaya and Vyakarana.
This year’s Sabha was very special as scholars and devotees had the fortune to behold Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam grace the Sabha. Both the Acharyas first offered their prostrations to Sri Sabha Ganapati in the main hall of Sri Sacchidananda Vilas, Narasimha Vanam. The proceedings of the first day of the Sabha began with the Veda Ghosha and a welcome address by Vidwan T V Shivakumar Sharma.
Scholars and devotees present had the joy of witnessing and listening to the first Vakyartha of the year in Nyaya Shastra, delivered by Jagadguru Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam. Sri Sannidhanam’s brilliant exposition on the selected topic, related to the Satpratipaksha Lakshanam in Nyaya Shastra (and based on the work Shatakoti) left the audience enthralled.
In the following days, Vakyarthas by scholars in Vedanta, Mimamsa, Vyakarana and Nyaya took place. The Sabha took place every evening from about 4:00 PM to about 8:30 PM, sometimes extending even up to 9:00 PM. On each day, the Sabha ended with Mahamangalarati to Lord Sabha Ganapati, Ashtaavadhaana Seva followed by the chanting of Ganesha Pancharatnam composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya and Ganadhipa Pancharatnam composed by Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji.
On 23rd September 2015, Sri Sannidhanam once again blessed the audience with a Vakyartha, this time on a topic in Vedanta. Under the august presidentship of Sri Mahasannidhanam, Sri Sannidhanam explained systematically how an inferential statement used by Sri Chitsukhacharya has been propounded in the text “Advaita Siddhi” of Sri Madhusudana Saraswati.
The Sabha concluded on 29th September with a Valedictory function. Administrator & CEO, Dr. V R Gowrishankar welcomed the scholars and offered thanks on behalf of all devotees for their participation. Sri Gowrishankar reminded that we, as followers of Sanatana Dharma, must be grateful to the Sringeri Jagadgurus for their untiring efforts towards fostering scholars in various Shastras. Scholars including the brightest ones of the yesteryears such as Mahamahopadhyaya Virupaksha Shastri, Meemamsa Kantheerava Vaidyanatha Shastri, Vidya Nidhi V S Ramachandra Shastri, Vidwan Bolur Ram Bhat, Vidwan Krishna Jois and Vidwan Peri Suryanarayana Shastri have always deemed it the greatest privilege to participate in the Sadas. However, very few Indians of the present-day have got exposure to the profundity of thought in Sanskrit literature. At the same time, Sri Gowrishankar expressed joy that the Peetham would continue to function as a beacon light of such advanced Sanskrit learning and uphold the tradition of the Vidwat Sabha for many decades to come, with Sri Mahasannidhanam appointing His well-qualified successor-designate in January 2015. Sri Gowrishankar also recounted how Sri Mahasannidhanam had set aside all offerings that were submitted to Him on His Pattabhisheka day in October 1989 for the Peetham’s Shastra Samvardhini Sabha that conducts the Vakyartha Sabha and honours the scholars.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then released a book titled “Advaita Ratna Rakshanam” written by Sri Madhusudana Saraswati, the renowned author of the great Vedantic work “Advaita Siddhi”. The second book “Vidwat Pratibha 2014” released by Sri Mahasannidhanam contains the proceedings of the 2014 Vidwat Sabha. Topics discussed last year have been summarized by the respective scholars in this book.
In His Sanskrit Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam expressed happiness at the successful conduct of this year’s Sabha which witnessed enthusiastic participation from all scholars.
Elaborating on the released book, “Advaita Ratna Rakshanam”, Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that in this work, Sri Madhusudana Saraswati refutes the propositions put forth in favour of dualism in a text called “Bheda Ratnam” by a Naiyaayika, Sri Shankara Mishra. Sri Madhusudana Saraswati goes on to show that it is Advaita that is propounded in the Upanishads. Even though the revered author has adopted the “Khandana” style in this work, criticising and proving false the propositions of the opponent, the text is to be studied for its content. Sri Mahasannidhanam said that though the work had been published many decades ago, along with “Advaita Siddhi”, it had a number of errors and hence a new edition is being brought out. The publication is the 15th in the Sri Bharati Tirtha Veda Shastra Granthamala series of the Sri Shankara Advaita Research Centre of the Peetham.
Sri Mahasannidhanam also mentioned that the “Vidwat Pratibha” book containing the previous year’s proceedings of the Sabha, and being printed annually, would be a great guide to scholars and students of Shastras and expressed joy at the exquisite printing of the book.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then announced that Sri V R Gowrishankar, the CEO & Administrator of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, had decided to institute awards in the name of his father to honour scholars in every Shastra with a cash award of Rs. 10,000 and to honour upcoming scholars with a cash award of Rs. 5,000 every year. Sri Mahasannidhanam recounted that Sri Gowrishankar’s father was “Vidya Nidhi” Sri VS Ramachandra Shastri, an eminent scholar in Nyaya, Poorva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa. He had been the Asthana Vidwan of the Sringeri Jagadguru Mahasamsthanam and also served as the Dharmadhikari of the Mysore Maharaja Aasthanam. Sri Mahasannidhanam informed that His Guru had studied Nyaya Shastra from this renowned scholar, who himself had studied the Shastras under His Paramaguru (Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji). Given such a bond between his father and the Sringeri Jagadguru Mahasamsthanam and given the fact that it has been this bond that has enabled him to serve the Jagadguru in such capacity, Sri Gowrishankar has instituted the awards from the current year in memory of his father. Sri Mahasannidhanam also said that gold rings are being given under a scheme instituted by the devotee, Dr. Harish of the Gudemarnahalli Ganapati Chayamma Trust, while the Veda Vedanta Gurukula Mahavidyalaya in Madipadu, Andhra Pradesh, functioning with the Blessings of the Sringeri Jagadguru, has also been honouring scholars. Another disciple had come forward to present to all scholars a gold coin containing an image of Goddess Sharadamba. All these honours along with an award of Rs. 18,000 for those scholars who attended the Sabha on all days were being bestowed in order that scholars feel encouraged and work harder to present their deliberations and participate on all the days of the Sabha in the coming years. Sri Mahasannidhanam also said that the tradition of the Sringeri Jagadguru Himself presiding over the Sabha had been started by the founder of the Sabha, His Parameshthi Guru, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji. Sri Mahasannidhanam said that He was only following in the footsteps of His Parameshthi Guru, Paramaguru and Guru in conducting the Sabha in such fashion. All His predecessors had such incomparable scholarship in Nyaya and Vedanta that astonished the world of scholars. Sri Mahasannidhanam then humbly stated that it has been due to the Grace of His Guru, that He too had been able to grasp the Shastras and conduct the Sabha. This statement caused the assembled scholars, who take delight at the breadth and depth of Sri Mahasannidhanam’ scholarship, to wonder at His humility. Sri Mahasannidhanam also expressed joy that His disciple, Sri Sannidhanam, who had mastered the Nyaya Shastra under His tutorship and is undergoing the study of Vedanta Shastra, would conduct the Sabha in similar fashion.
Sri Mahasannidhanam also deemed that it was a happy occasion that Asthana Vidwan Mahabaleshwara Bhat and Vidwan Krishna Shastri Joshi of Satara are to be conferred the prestigious Certificate of Honour by the President of India.
Expressing satisfaction and joy at the participation of the scholars and blessing them all, Sri Mahasannidhanam ended His Anugraha Bhashanam.
Mahamangalarati to Sabha Ganapati then took place. Astaavadhaana Seva was held. Ganesha Pancharatnam and Ganadhipa Pancharatnam were sung by all.
Expressing that it was a great joy for scholars that the “Vidya Nidhi” awards were being instituted by Sri Gowrishankar, Sri Mahasannidhanam felicitated him with a silk-laced shawl through Asthana Vidwan Mahabaleshwara Bhat.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then announced the “Vidya Nidhi” awards for Vidwan Rajarama Shukla of Varanasi in Nyaya, Vidwan M.A. Nagaraja Bhat of Sringeri in Vyakarana, Vidwan Dendukuri Narayana Sharma of Vijayawada in Vedanta and Vidwan Venkatesha Tatacharya of Sringeri in Mimamsa. The awards for young scholars went to Sri Sandeep Kumar of Ujjain in Nyaya, Sri Shrinvasa Karanth of Chennai in Vyakarana (studied Vyakarana at Sringeri and currently studying Vedanta under Vidwan Mani Dravida Shastri) and Sri Narendra Bhat of Kalady also in Vyakarana (studied under Vidwan Chintalapati Satyanarayana Shastri of Kalady and currently teaching Rig Veda to students at Kalady), and Sri Mahadeva Marathe of Sringeri in Vedanta (scholar in Nyaya and currently studying Vedanta at the Lotus Feet of Sri Mahasannidhanam). All Vidwans received the “Vidya Nidhi” awards from the CEO of the Peetham, Sri V R Gowrishankar.
Gold rings were awarded to Vidwan Oruganti Guruprasada Kalyana Shastri of Tirupati in Nyaya, Vidwan Maheshwaran Namboodiri of Chennai in Vedanta and Vidwan Krishnaraja Bhat of Sringeri in Vyakarana. Dr. Harish felicitated the scholars.