Mahaganapati Vakyartha Vidwat Sabha
The annual Mahaganapati Vakyartha Vidwat Sabha for the ensuing Hemalamba Samvatsara commenced at 4:30 PM on August 25, 2017 (Vinayaka Chaturthi day) in the divine presence of the Jagadgurus and under the august presidentship of Sri Mahasannidhanam. The Sabha proceedings began with a Vakyartha (Shastric deliberation) by Sri Sannidhanam in Nyaya Shastra. The Sabha that began on such an auspicious note, took place for 14 days at the Adhishthanam Mandiram in Narasimha Vanam and ended on September 7, 2017. Eminent scholars from all over the country deliberated on various topics in Vedanta, Mimamsa, Nyaya and Vyakarana. 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 the Ekadashi day, at the direction of Sri Mahasannidhanam, Sri Sannidhanam blessed the audience with a Vedantic exposition, deliberating on the Jagadvaachitvaadhikaranam from the Brahma Sutras.
The Sabha concluded on September 7, 2017 with a Valedictory function. Adminis
Mahaganapati Vakyartha Vidwat Sabha
trator & CEO, Dr. V R Gowrishankar welcomed the scholars and offered thanks on behalf of all devotees for their participation. He mentioned that it was the Grace of the Jagadgurus that the tradition of conducting the Sabha and honouring Shastraic scholars has been continuing for more than a century.
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Sri Mahasannidhanam then released a couple of books on the occasion. The first book contains the Chatussutri of Brahma Sutra Shaankara Bhashyam along with the commentary, Ratnaprabha and the sub-commentary, Poornanandeeya. The book is the 18th publication in the Sri Bharati Tirtha Veda Shastra Granthamala series of the Sri Shankara Advaita Research Centre of the Peetham. Sri Mahasannidhanam also released “Vidwat Pratibha 2016”, the book containing summaries of topics discussed in the Vidwat Sabha last year.
Mahaganapati Vakyartha Vidwat Sabha
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. Sri Mahasannidhanam informed that the Sabha which had been commissioned by the 33rd Acharya of the Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji more than a century ago, was initially held for a period of 21 days, starting from the Vinayaka Chaturthi. Even though the number of scholars attending the Sabha was fewer in those days, topics such as Shatakoti in Nyaya Shastra and, topics such as Anandamayaadhikaranam and Devataadhikaranam as outlined in the Nyaya Rakshamani in the Vedanta Shastra, were discussed over many days. With the number of scholars increasing thanks to the efforts of the Math’s Shastra Poshaka Sabha, and the time available for visiting scholars to remain in Sringeri reducing, the Sabha has now come to be held for about 2 weeks. Sri Mahasannidhanam expressed joy at the participation of many young scholars and conveyed His blessings. Sri Mahasannidhanam also spoke about the publications brought out by the Sri Shankara Advaita Research Centre on the occasion. Sri Mahasannidhanam said that the book containing the Chatus-sutri of the Brahma Sutra Shaankara Bhashyam along with Ratnaprabha and Poornanandeeya would be of use to both scholars and students of the Vedanta Shastra.
It may be noted here that when the work Poornanandeeya had first been published elsewhere decades ago, a number of errors had crept in. This book, now published by the Research Centre, has been edited under the direct guidance of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then announced the “Vidya-Nidhi” awards for Vidwan Kuppa Vishwanatha Sharma of Tirupati in Nyaya & Vedanta, Vidwan S T Nagaraj of Somapura in Vyakarana, Sri Govinda Devadatta Patil of Goa in Mimamsa, and Vidwan Maheshwaran Namboodiri of Chennai in Vedanta. The Vidhya-Nidhi awards for young scholars went to Srihari Dhaigude of Pune (in Nyaya and Vedanta), Sri Chandrashekhara Shastri Joshi of Satara (in Nyaya), Sri Bhaalachandra Shastri Joshi of Satara (in Nyaya) and Sri Devan Namboodiri of Thiruvanantapuram (in Nyaya). All the Vidwans received the “Vidya Nidhi” cash awards from the CEO of the Peetham, Sri V R Gowrishankar, who has instituted these awards in memory of his father, who was a renowned Shastra scholar.
Gold rings were awarded to Vidwan Mahadeva Marathe of Sringeri (in Nyaya and Vedanta), Vidwan Sripada Satyanarayana Shastri of Hyderabad (in Vyakarana) and Vidwan Ganapati Shukla of Puri (in Nyaya). Dr. Harish of the Gudemarnahalli Ganapati Chayamma Trust felicitated the scholars.
Mahamangalarati to Sabha Ganapati then took place followed by Astaavadhaana Seva. Ganesha Pancharatnam and Ganadhipa Pancharatnam were then sung by all.