Sri Sringeri Sharadamba Swarna Shikhara Kumbhabhisheka
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri performed the Swarna Gopura Kumbhabhisheka at Goddess Sharadamba temple in Sringeri on February 1, 2017 – the auspicious Lalita Panchami day.
At around 9 am on the morning of February 1, 2017, Sri Mahasannidhanam first performed Abhisheka to Goddess Sharadamba inside the temple with 108 Kalashas (containing holy water and mangala-dravyas sanctified with divine Mantras) and offered Archana, Mahamangala Arati and Shodasha Upacharas. Many divine Mantras and hymns such as the Saraswati Sukta, Medha Sukta, Durga Sukta, Sri Sukta and Lalita Sahasranama were chanted. Thereafter Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam performed the Swarna Shikhara Kumbhabhisheka above the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. The Abishekha waters used in the occasion included those from various holy rivers such as Ganga, Tunga, Narmada, Godavari, Cauvery, Krishna etc.
In His Anugraha Bhashanam from atop the Shikhara, Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that His Paramaguru, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji had consecrated the Goddess in the present granite temple structure a hundred years ago in 1916. Sri Mahasannidhanam further said that by the Grace of Goddess Sharadamba and His Guru (Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji), the Centenary of the temple structure was being celebrated by performing the Kumbhabhisheka and dedicating the Swarna Shikhara to the Goddess. Sri Mahasannidhanam conveyed His Blessings to the tens of thousands of devotees assembled on the occasion. Immediately afterwards, Sri Sannidhanam performed a special Puja to Goddess Sharadamba as part of the holy occasion of Lalita Panchami.
Earlier the rituals connected with the Kumbhabhisheka had commenced on January 28, 2017. The following day, Laksha Modaka Ganapati Homa was performed. As part of the Celebrations, a number of religious events are being conducted for the welfare of all mankind and the prosperity of our nation. These include the Ati Rudra Mahayaga (January 30 to February 10), Kotikumkumacharna (February 2 to February 12), Sahasrachandi Mahayaga (February 5 to February 9), and Parayanas such as those of the four Vedas, Prasthana Traya Bhashyas (commentaries) of Sri Adi Shankaracharya, Devi Bhagavatam, Lalitopakhyana, and Sapta Shati.
During the Celebrations, concerts are being held in front of the temple of Goddess Sharadamba by well acclaimed artistes. Devotees from all parts of the country and abroad are thronging Sringeri during this Kumbhabhisheka Celebrations, that are being held for 17 days (January 28 – February 13). The event will culminate in the Sharadamba Maharathotsava on February 13, 2017.
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Sri Sharadalaya Swarna Shikhara Kumbhabhisheka – A Report
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri performed the Swarna Gopura Kumbhabhisheka at Goddess Sharadamba temple in Sringeri on February 1, 2017 – the auspicious Lalita Panchami day.
At around 9 am on the morning of February 1, 2017, Sri Mahasannidhanam arrived at the Goddess Sharadamba temple accompanied by Sri Sannidhanam. Sri Mahasannidhanam performed Abhisheka to Goddess Sharadamba inside the temple with 108 Kalashas (containing holy water and various dravyas sanctified with divine Mantras) and offered Archana, Mahamangala Arati and Shodasha Upacharas. Many mantras and hymns such as the Saraswati Sukta, Medha Sukta, Durga Sukta, Sri Sukta and Lalita Sahasranama were chanted. Thereafter Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam performed the Swarna Shikhara Kumbhabhisheka above the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. The Abhisheka waters used in the occasion included those from various holy rivers such as Ganga, Tunga, Narmada, Godavari, Cauvery, Krishna etc. In His Anugraha Bhashanam from atop the Shikhara, Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that His Paramaguru, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji had consecrated the Goddess in the present granite temple structure hundred years ago in 1916. Sri Mahasannidhanam further said that by the Grace of Goddess Sharadamba and His Guru (Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji), the Centenary of the temple structure was being celebrated by performing the Kumbhabhisheka and dedicating the Swarna Shikhara to the Goddess. Sri Mahasannidhanam conveyed His Blessings to the tens of thousands of devotees assembled on the occasion. Thereafter, Sri Mahasannidhanam gave Darshan to devotees at Guru Nivas and blessed them. Around noon, Sri Sannidhanam performed a special Puja to Goddess Sharadamba as part of the holy occasion of Lalita Panchami.
The Public Function in the Evening
In the evening, Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam graced a public function by adorning the grand stage put up near the Vidyashankara temple. The event began with Veda Ghosha and prayer. Administrator & CEO, Sri V R Gowrishankar welcomed the gathering and spoke at length about the conception and materialization of the Swarna Shikhara atop the Garbha Griha of Goddess Sharadamba. He said that it was only the Grace of Goddess Sharadamba, the Anugraham of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam, the goodwill of all devotees and the sincere efforts of a team of about 350 dedicated workers, that the Swarna Shikhara comprising of 12 kg of gold was completed in a record time of about 9 months. Sri R Sundaram (architect), Sri Shankara Sthapati, Sri Prasanna Achar and
Sri Shringeshwara (engineer) were specially blessed on the occasion. Sri Mahasannidhanam then released a First Day Special Cover and My Stamp issued by the Karnataka Postal Circle, Bengaluru and submitted by the Postmaster General of Karnataka.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then released a special Commemoration Volume, “Suvarna Sharada” containing articles by eminent personalities and scholars in different languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, English, Malayalam, Marathi and English. This volume was designed by Sri Shankara Advaita Research Centre of the Math and printed at the Vidyabharati press, the inhouse publication wing of the
Math.
Sri Mahasannidhanam also released a book published by the Math, “Kumbhabhisheka Champu” – a Sanskrit account of the historic Sharadalaya Kumbhabhisheka at Sringeri in 1916 (performed by Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji) penned by the then Asthan Vidwan of the Mysore court, “Kavi Ratnam” Mandikal Rama Shastri. This work of the author who had personally witnessed the event, is in the form of a Champu Kavya – a poetic composition interspersed with prose. Sri Mahasannidhanam also released Special Kumbhabhisheka Issues of Tattvaloka (the English monthly published by Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal Education Trust) in both English and Hindi, and a book of stotras titled Stuti Sudha. Sri V R Gowrishankar on behalf of all devotees of the Math submitted a sandalwood Vigraha of Goddess Sharadamba to Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam. It may also be noted that a large Silver vessel to be used during the Abhisheka of
Goddess Sharadamba was offered by all the Sevakas of the Math the previous evening and was used during the Abhisheka and Puja of Goddess Sharadamba during the Kumbhabhisheka day.
Anugraha Bhashanam of Sri Sannidhanam
In His Anugraha Bhashanam on the occasion, Sri Sannidhanam said, “It is a matter of great happiness and fulfilment that we have all been witness to the performance of the Kumbhabhisheka of Goddess Sharadamba from the holy hands of our Guru (Sri Mahasannidhanam) in accordance to the Shastras.
“1200 years ago, Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada consecrated Goddess Sharada at Sringeri. Our Parapara Guru, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji, began the construction of the present temple structure. He stands unique in our Guru Parampara for the many activities He initiated and guided during His reign. Though we revere all the Acharyas of the Peetham as an Avatara of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada Himself, the epithet “Abhinava Shankara” is specially used for our Parapara Guru. He initiated the construction of the temple at a time when reaching Sringeri was far more difficult than it is today – it used to take 3 days to reach Sringeri from Bengaluru. People felt that Sringeri being remote, the temple being built was unnecessarily large. However, the great Acharya had such forethought to construct the temple the way it is, that to this today when many thousands throng the temple, two hundred devotees can simultaneously have Darshan of Goddess
Sharadamba.
“Goddess Sharadamba is Shakti Trayaatmika – Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. She fulfils the needs of all the four kinds of devotees mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita – चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन । आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ – the distressed, the person who desires prosperity and well-being, the devotee who seeks knowledge and the knower (Jnani).
“As Mahakali, She annihilates all evil forces and graces the distressed (आर्तः). As Mahalakshmi, She bestows all prosperity on those in need of material wealth and well-being (अर्थार्थी) – we all remember the young Shankara pleasing the Mother with the Kanakadhara Stotram with prayers for bestowing wealth on the poor yet large – hearted lady and her family. As Mahasaraswati, She graces those desirous of
knowledge (जिज्ञासुः). Even though the knower (ज्ञानी) is beyond needs, requires no Upasana or worship, is ever-satisfied and lives with the conviction “सर्वोऽहम्”, the greatness of the Mother is that She is worshipped even by the Jnani as the Unqualified Pure Consciousness. As in the Lalita Sahasranamavali – मिथ्याजगदधिष्ठानायै नमः – prostrations are offered to the Divine Mother as the Substratum of the empirical
Universe that appears as real.
“It is for the benefit of all that the Supreme Divine graces us in names and forms, and we must all be indebted to Sri Adi Shankaracharya for having consecrated Goddess Sharada at Sringeri. “May you all be blessed with the Anugraha of the Goddess and the Guru and attain Shreyas.”
Anugraha Bhashanam of Sri Mahasannidhanam
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam said, “Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the incarnation of Lord Parameshwara, established the Chaturamnaya Peethams and established the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham at Sringeri with Goddess Sharada as the principal deity.
“Goddess Sharada is the Bestower of Knowledge. Knowledge is required by all, for a knowledgeable person will obtain all that he will need. Hence the Upasana (worship) of Goddess Sharada is needed for all. We must devotedly worship and offer our prayers. What must we pray for?
“The foremost prayer must be that we adhere to our Svadharma. Bhagavan has stated in the Gita – श्रेयान् स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात् स्वनुष्ठितात् (it is better to give up one’s life in the practice of Svadharma than perform another’s Dharma well). स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः (Man attains the supreme good when he remains steadfast in his own Dharma).
“Our next prayers must be for good health and a long life so that we can engage in Dharma.
“We must also pray that we be blessed such that we abstain from committing sins. The sinful path eventually results in suffering. Yet bad habits get cultivated easily. Though the path of Dharma leads one to true well-being and happiness, man tends to tread the path of Adharma despite not desiring to suffer – पुण्यस्य फलमिच्छन्ति पुण्यं नेच्छन्ति मानवाः । न पापफलमिच्छन्ति पापं कुर्वन्ति यत्नतः ॥ Hence for this mentality to
subside, we must pray that we remain away from the path of Adharma.
“Above all, we must pray for noble company – Satsanga. Sri Adi Shankaracharya states the three rare qualities to have in this transmigratory cycle, as मनुष्यत्वं (taking birth as a human), मुमुक्षुत्वं (having the intense longing for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths) and महापुरुषसंश्रयः (the refuge of a great noble person). महापुरुषसंश्रयः – the noble company that paves way for the supreme good – is also mentioned by Bhagavatpada as – लोके सज्जनसङ्गतिरेका भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका – In this world, it is
noble company that is the boat to cross the ocean of Samsara.
“Our prayers to the Goddess must also be for always being able to listen to beneficial talk, see beneficial things, and talk nobly. Only then will our lives be purposeful.
“Our feelings, our worship and prayers must be placed with sincerity and purity in thought, word and deed because – यादृशी भावना यत्र सिद्धिर्भवति तादृशी – what ensues is dependent solely on the purity of our feelings.
“From the time of Sri Adi Shankaracharya, all the 35 Jagadgurus of Sringeri have placed their prayers in such fashion, and have brought about the welfare of disciples. We are all indeed fortunate to have such a Guru Parampara par excellence, where every Jagadguru has been of immaculate character, full of knowledge and tapas, undertaken Vijaya Yatras, engaged in Dharma Prachara and has blessed every
disciple in His time.
“The 33rd Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji, shone as a jewel in this Parampara, and started the construction of this present temple structure. The 34th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji whose very Name removes sins and bestows all Shreyas, consecrated the Goddess here. Our Guru, the 35th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji has showered such Anugraha and Vatsalyam on Me that in My time,
many Centenary Celebrations have taken place – those of Sri Sadvidya Sanjeevini Samskrita Mahapathashala (1995), Sri Sringeri Shankara Math in Bengaluru (2007), Consecration of Sri Adi Shankara and Goddess Sharada temples at Sri Adi Shankara Janmabhoomi Kshetram in Kalady (2010) and now, of the Sharadamba Prathishta in the present temple structure.
“In order to make this occasion a grand one bringing about joy to all, a golden Vimana Gopura has been dedicated. Though the roofing over the temple was done about 50 years ago to prevent damage from the incessant rainfall in the region and hid the Vimana Gopura, it is sheerly Goddess Sharadamba’s Grace that the golden Vimana Gopura Kumbhabhisheka had taken place. it was as if Goddess Sharadamba told Me , ‘I will inspire some devotees to point the fact that the Vimana Gopura is not visible and that it be made golden. All You have to do is agree to the suggestion.’ “Today, a Swarna Vimana Gopura (with a Vimana Sharada) has been dedicated at Sringeri and the Kumbhabhisheka has been performed. Our blessings are with everyone who has worked on this endeavour.”
CEO Sri V R Gowrishankar Felicitated
Sri Mahasannidhanam then blessed the Math’s CEO, ‘Guru Seva Dhurina’ Padmashri Awardee, Dr. V R Gowrishankar, and felicitated him with a shawl for his untiring efforts in readying the Suvarna Shikhara. At the behest of His Guru, Sri Sannidhanam adorned the CEO with a Suvarna Kankanam. Sri Mahasannidhanam also blessed the CEO with a beautiful marble image of Goddess Sharadamba.
Earlier in the day, CEO Sri VR Gowrishankar inaugurated the Information Centre and help desk of the Math at its new place at the base of the Rajagopuram.
Kumbhabhisheka Rituals and Mahayagas
Rituals connected with the Kumbhabhisheka had commenced on January 28, 2017 in the divine presence of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam. Vedabrahmasri Tangirala Sitarama Sharma and Vedabrahmasri Tangirala Venkata Shivakumara Sharma officiated over the 5-day rituals connected with the Kumbhabhisheka. A Laksha Gayatri Japa and Dasha Sahasra Gayatri Homa were also performed on the same day. In the evening, devotees and communities in and around Sringeri submitted
the traditional offering of Hore Kanike in the divine presence of Sri Sannidhanam. As part of the Celebrations, a number of religious events were conducted for the welfare of all mankind and the prosperity of our nation. These included the Ati Rudra Mahayaga (January 30 to February 10), Kotikumkumarchana (February 2 to February 12), & Sahasrachandi Mahayaga (February 5 to February 9). Parayanas such as those of the four Vedas, Prasthana Traya Bhashyas (commentaries) of Sri Adi
Shankaracharya, Devi Bhagavatam, Lalitopakhyana, and Sapta Shati. The Laksha Modaka Ganapati Homa was performed on January 29, 2017. Asthana Vidwan MA Nagaraj Bhat officiated as the Acharya. The Ubhaya Jagadgurus graced the Poornahuti at around noon.
Navaratna Nyasa on the Swarna Shikhara
January 30, 2017 (Maagha Shukla Triteeya) marked the second anniversary of the Sannyasa Sweekara day of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam. At 10 am, Sri Sannidhanam had Darshan at the Adhishthanams of His Paramaguru, Parameshti Guru and Paraapara Guru. Sri Sannidhanam then proceeded to the northern banks of the river Tunga and had Darshan at at all the temples in the Math’s premises. Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam then proceeded atop the Goddess Sharadamba temple and performed the Navaratna Nyasa on the Swarna Shikhara. Sri Sannidhanam went from the Sharadamba temple to the temple of Lord Malahanikareshwara in a procession. Sri Sannidhanam performed elaborate Pujas to Sri Stambha Ganapati, Lord Malahanikareshwara and Goddess Bhavani. The Pujas began at 12 noon and went on till around 4 pm.
Ati-Rudra, Koti Kumkumarchana and Sahasrachandi Mahayaga
The Ati Rudra Mahayaga began on January 30, 2017 with the Mahasankalpa for Loka
Kalyana performed by Sri Mahasannidhanam. In this Mahayaga, that took place for 12
days in the Yagashala in front of the Vidyashankara temple, Vedabrahmasri
Meenakshi Sundara Ghanapaathi officiated as the Pradhana Acharya and 121 Ritwiks
participated. The Poornahuti took place on February 10, 2017 in the divine presence of
the Ubhaya Jagadgurus.
Koti Kumkumarchana began on February 2, 2017 in the Goddess Sharadamba temple. The Mahasankalpa for Loka Kalyana was performed by Sri Mahasannidhanam at about 7:30 am in the morning. 50 Ritwiks performed Kumkumarchana to Srichakra Meru, chanting the Lalita Sahasranamavali 20 times a day, thus making the Namavali count one crore in 10 days. On the eleventh day (February 12, 2017), a Lalita Homa was performed in front of the Pravachana Mandiram. On this day, Sri Mahasannidhanam offered a special Puja to Goddess Sharadamba (the next day marking the Sharadamba Rathotsava). After the Puja, the Ubhaya Jagadgurus graced the Poornahuti of the Lalita Homa.
The Sahasra Chandi Mahayaga began on February 5, 2017 with the Mahasankalpa for Loka Kalyana performed by Sri Mahasannidhanam at about 9:00 am in the morning. The Pradhana Acharya was Vedabrahmasri Narahari Subrahmanya Bhat. More than a hundred Ritwiks were involved in the Mahayaga. The Ritwiks chanted the Durga Saptashati or the Devi Mahatmyam a thousand times over 4 days and performed the Homa on February 9. The Poornahuti of the Mahayaga took place in the
divine presence of the Ubhaya Jagadgurus that afternoon. The Ubhaya Jagadgurus graced the Parayana of Atirudra, Saptashati and Kotikumkumarchana everyday and attended the Arati in the evenings on some days.
Grand Cultural Fest
During the Celebrations, concerts were held every day in front of the temple of Goddess Sharadamba by well acclaimed artistes. On January 28, 2017, Sri Sannidhanam inaugurated the cultural programmes by lighting a lamp. Sri Sannidhanam graced the start of the concerts every evening during the Celebrations. The artistes first had Darshan of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam at Guru
Nivas in the evenings before the start of the concerts. At the start of every concert, CEO Sri VR Gowrishankar introduced the artistes and felicitated them in the divine presence of Sri Sannidhanam. The concerts included those by vocalists such as “Sangeetha Saraswati” Smt. Sudha Raghunathan, “Sangeetha Sudha Sindhu” Smt. Aruna Sairam, and Sri Ramakrishnan Murthy, and instrumental treats by “Sangeetha Kalanidhi” Asthana Vidwan Sri Kadri Gopalnath (saxophone), Asthana Vidwan Sri Praveen Godkindi (flute), Asthana Vidwan Pandit Narasimha Vadavati (clarinet), Asthana Vidwans Sri S Kasim and Sri S Babu (Nadaswaram), Sri U Rajesh (Mandolin), Sri Guru Karaikkudi R Mani and party (Musical Ensemble), Smt. Sikkil Mala Chandrashekhar (flute), Sri Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma and party (fusion), Sri Ashwin Anand (Veena), Sri Sridhar (Violin), and Bhajans by Sri OS Arun, Asthana Vidushi Smt. Sangeetha Kulkarni Katti, and Asthana Vidwan Sri Shenkottai Harihara Subramania Bhagavathar. Many prominent musicians such as Sri R K Shriramkumar (on the violin) and Sri Manoj Siva (Mridangam) accompanied in these concerts. Violinist Sri R K Shriramkumar, Flautist Smt. Sikkil Mala Chandrashekhar, Mridangists Sri Guru Karaikkudi R Mani and Sri Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma, Mandolin player Sri U Rajesh, Vocalists Sri Ramakrishnan Murthy and Sri OS Arun were made
“Asthana Vidwans” and honoured during this occasion. Special mention has to be made of Sri Jnanamurugan, the Nadaswara Vidwan in the Math (his father Sri Sarangapani also has been playing the Nadaswaram in the Math for decades). Sri Jnanamurugan was also honoured and made “Asthana Nadaswara Vidwan” in the evening of the Sharadamba Rathotsava day (February 13 2017).
On the Kumbhabhisheka day, after the public function, Sri Harish Bhat, serving in the Goddess Sharadamba temple conducted Bhajans. Vidwan Sri Gopalakrishna Yakshagana Kalamandali, Edaneer, Kasaragodu thrilled the audience with a Yakshagana on the night of February 12. In the evening of February 13, many children, youth groups and bhajan groups from in and around Sringeri gave a number
of performances in fine arts. Bhajans by Nadasiri Sugama Sangita group of Sringeri and Bharatanatyam by Nadabrahma Music and Dance School of Koppa also took place.
Kannada Translation of Sayana Bhashya of the Krishna Yajur Veda
On February 2, 2017, the 11th volume of the Kannada translation of the Sayana Bhashya of Krishna Yajur Veda was released by Sri Mahasannidhanam. The book published by the Jyoti Samskritika Pratishthana, an institution based in Bangalore for the propagation of Vedic values and tradition and being run with the Blessings of the Sringeri Jagadguru. This volume contains the translation of the fifth, sixth and seventh Prashnas of the fourth Kanda of the the Taittiriya Samhita. Sri Narasimhan of the Prathishthana and Vidwan S T Nagaraj, the editor were blessed by Sri Mahasannidhanam and honoured by the CEO. In His Anugraha Bhashanam given on the occasion, Sri Mahasannidhanam spoke about the greatness of the Vedas and the Shastras.
Advaita Sharada Project Second Release
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam released the second version of the Advaita Sharada Project of the Sringeri Math on February 2, 2017 as part of the Sharadalaya Swarna Shikhara Kumbhabhisheka Celebrations. During the Shankara Jayanti Celebrations in the year 2014, the Prasthanatraya Bhashyas 1 were for the first time published on the internet as searchable and The complete works of Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, had first been published under
the guidance of the 33rd Acharya of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Jagadguru
Shankaracharya Sri Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji. The works
collected from various palmleaf manuscripts were published under the title “Sri Shaankara
Granthavali” by the Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam. During the Prathishta Kumbhabhisheka of the
temples of Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Goddess Sharadamba at Kalady in 1910, the Jagadguru had
released the Prasthana Traya Bhashyas of Bhagavatpada (contained in 10 volumes of this 20-volume
set) with His Lotus-hands. More than a century later, the internet edition was first published as
searchable hyperlinked text under the direction of Sri Mahasannidhanam hyperlinked text, under the guidance of Sri Mahasannidhanam and released by His Lotus-hands.
This project named “Advaita Sharada” is being undertaken by the Sri Shankara Advaita Research Centre of the Math. M/s Sriranga Digital Software Technologies, Mysore provide the technical expertise. Being executed under the guidance and direction of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam, the Advaita Sharada Project has now introduced for the first-ever time an elegant interface for featuring sub-
commentaries or Vyakhyana-s including Sri Ramananda Yati’s Ratnaprabha and Sri Padmapadacharya’s Panchapadika to the Brahma Sutra Bhashyam, Anandagiri Tika to the Gita Bhashyam, Sri Sureshwaracharya’s Vartikas on the Taittireeya Upanishad Bhashyam etc.
The contents may be accessed at the Project’s website that has been blessed with the Srimukham of Sri Mahasannidhanam – http://www.advaitasharada.sringeri.net Prof. Yogananda and Sri Arjun Kashyap and Vidwan Raghavendra of Sriranga Digital Software Technologies, were honoured during the release ceremony held at Gurunivas on Feb 2, 2017.
Sri Sharadamba Maharathotsava and Teppotsava
The Kumbhabhisheka Celebrations culminated in the Sharadamba Maharathotsava on February 13, 2017. Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam graced the Mangala Arati at Sri Sharadamba temple and led the Utsava Murthy to the Ratha. Later, a Prarthana was placed in a traditional manner to the Ubhaya Jagadgurus by the Mahajanas of Sringeri to grace the Rathotsava. Sri Sannidhanam then graced and conducted the the Rathotsava. Teppotsava was held on February 14, 2017 in the
divine presence of Sri Sannidhanam.
Massive Participation from Devotees
A huge number of devotees from all parts of the country and abroad thronged Sringeri during the17-day Kumbhabhisheka Celebrations. Over 3 lakh people participated and witnessed the Celebrations. Sumptuous food with sweets every day was served to all of them at the ‘Sri Bharati Tirtha Prasada’. Devotees in and around Sringeri took charge of serving the massive inflow of devotees coming in from outside. All the major events and the cultural programmes were telecast live on Sri Sankara TV and
approximate 2 million people watched the event.