The Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sringeri - Full Film

THE JAGADGURU SHANKARACHARYA OF SRINGERI: Life & Teachings of an Inspiring Saint

In a world that changes all the time, one thing remains the same — our pursuit of happiness and desire to avoid suffering. The sages of Sanatana Dharma (or Hinduism as it is called today) have always taught us that the philosophy of the Upanishads and other texts like the Bhagavad Gita are our path to lasting happiness.

Foremost among our sages is Sri Adi Shankaracharya, who lived 1200 years ago and is credited with reviving Sanatana Dharma.  He established four centers of learning in the four corners of India, of which the Sri Sharada Peetham at Sringeri is the first and most important.  This Peetham is blessed with an unbroken lineage of eminent Jagadgurus that stretches directly back to Sri Adi Shankaracharya Himself.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji is the current and 36th Acharya of this ancient lineage and exemplifies the God-realization of  the Upanishadic sages.  He is both a direct link to Sanatana Dharma's glorious past and the torch bearer to ensure that the Upanishadic teachings are vibrant even today.  This film will take you on a journey into the life and teachings of this great sage. Where was He born and what was His childhood like? How did His divinity express itself? How did He meet His Guru? What made His Guru anoint Him as his successor? Why is His life relevant to us and what can we learn from it?

Through interviews with ordinary devotees, scholars and sannyasis, we discover how the Mahaswamiji practices the essential virtues of humility, compassion, unconditional giving and kindness. While scholars extol His great knowledge, spiritual seekers of all kinds (young and old alike) are carefully guided by Him on the path of Sanatana Dharma. By His personal example and His teachings, the Mahaswamiji demonstrates how the core tenets of Sanatana Dharma can help us lead a balanced, meaningful and happy life even in today's busy world. 

An added feature of this film is the simple and penetrating Sanskrit discourse by the Mahaswamiji in which He teaches us about the path prescribed by Sanatana Dharma to avoid suffering and embark on the path to lasting happiness.

This film released on April 9, 2011 to honour the Shashtiabdapoorthi (61st Vardhanti Celebrations) of the Mahaswamiji, is being made available on the Internet on the occasion of Vyasa Puja (July 3, 2012).

Remembering the Acharya and Expressing our Gratitude

Among the various Mahatmas who have tread our holy land, Sri Adi Shankaracharya reigns supreme. Had not Sri Adi Shankaracharya resuscitated Sanatana Dharma 12 centuries ago, would we even have temples to visit today?

One only needs to look at the achievements in His short life of 32 years to realize that Sri Adi Shankaracharya was an incarnation of the Lord. Rather than taking up weapons and annihilating the personifications of evil, Sri Shankaracharya used the weapon of intellectual inquiry to bring about a transformation in the minds of the masses. All his activities stemmed out of compassion and the desire for well-being of all humanity. His works and travels across the length and breadth of India bring forth the purpose of His mission and how He fulfilled it. One realizes the extent of His foresight when one notes that He established four Peethams along the four directions of the country to carry forward the task of sustaining and propagating Sanatana Dharma.

It is said “ईश्वरानुग्रहादेव पुंसाम् अद्वैतवासना” - The Lord’s Grace is required even for the longing of Advaita to develop in a man. The great Acharya has explained the tenets of the abstruse Upanishadic philosophy of Advaita in His commentaries, Prakaranas (small works) and even Stotras (hymns), and thus made them available for all sincere seekers.

Should we not remain grateful to Him and remember Him always? Gratitude is an essential quality to be developed by all. When one needs to remember even a small help rendered by an ordinary human, what must be said of the gratitude we must have towards an incarnation like Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

As we usher in the Nandana Samvatsara on this Ugadi day, may everyone remember the great Acharya, observe Shankara Jayanti (falling on April 26 this year), express gratitude, direct one’s life as per His teachings and attain Shreyas.

श्रीमते शङ्करार्याय धीमतेऽद्भुतसशक्तये ।
नमोऽस्तु अद्वैतसिद्धान्तस्थापनोपात्तमूर्तये ॥

Salutations to Sri Adi Shankaracharya, endowed with great intellect and amazing powers, and the establisher of the Upanishadic philosophy of Advaita.

Source: Sringeri

Gurudvaya Abhedanusandhanam

Because of his immense achievements and the many similarities of his life with Sri Adi Shankaracharya, Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji, the 33rd Jagadguru of Sringeri, is widely considered as the reincarnation of Sri Shankaracharya. On the occasion of the Centenary Celebrations of the rediscovery of Kalady in May 2010, the current Jagadguru Shankaracharya of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, composed a Sanskrit hymn comprising of six verses to honor the memory of the Mahaswamiji. These verses illustrate that the Mahaswamiji is the reincarnation of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

आर्याम्बाशिवगुर्वोश्च लक्ष्म्यम्बारामशास्त्रिणोः।
पुत्रत्वेनावतीर्णो यो धर्मसंरक्षणाय वै ॥ १ ॥

The Jagadguru who incarnated, for protecting Dharma, as the son of Aryamba and Shivaguru (in the form of Adi Shankara) and as the son of Lakshmamma and Rama Shastri (the Mahaswamiji)

अष्टमे हायने यश्च तुर्यमाश्रममग्रहीत्।
प्रस्थानत्रयभाष्यादेर्लेखको द्योतकश्च यः ॥ २ ॥

He who took to Sannyasa at the age of 8 (both Adi Shankaracharya and the Mahaswamiji). He who wrote many works including the commentaries on the Prasthana Traya (Adi Shankaracharya) and He who revealed them all (the Mahaswamiji by getting them published)

शृङ्गेर्यां शारदापीठं स्थापयामास यो महान् ।
अध्यतिष्ठच्च तत्पीठं लोकानुद्धर्तुमेव यः ॥ ३ ॥

He, the great One, who established the Sharada Peetham at Sringeri (Adi Shankaracharya). He, who adorned the same Peetham, for uplifting the masses (the Mahaswamiji).

कालट्यां यो जनिं लेभे यश्च तामुद्दधार ह ।
शृङ्गेर्यां शारदां यश्च स्थापयामास सद्गुरुः ॥ ४ ॥

He who took birth at Kalady (Adi Shankaracharya) and rediscovered it (the Mahaswamiji). He who consecrated Goddess Sharada at Sringeri (Adi Shankaracharya).

तामेव कालटीक्षेत्रे यः पुनः प्रत्यतिष्ठिपत् ।
शङ्करः सच्चिदानन्दशिवाभिनवपूर्वकः ॥ ५ ॥
नृसिंहभारती चेति नामद्वयविराजितम् ।
जगद्गुरुमहं वन्दे लोकानुग्रहदीक्षितम् ॥ ६ ॥

He who consecrated Goddess Sharada at Kalady (the Mahaswamiji). I prostrate to that Jagadguru who has taken a vow to bestow His Blessings to the world, and who revels in 2 names - Adi Shankaracharya and Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati.

Source: Sringeri

Vidyashankara Temple Kumbhabhishekam Video

Following is the video footage taken on 15th February 2012 during the Kumbhabhishekam of the Vidyashankara Temple.



Footage of the Kumbhabhishekam of the 14th century Sri Vidyashankara Temple at Sringeri by the 36th and present Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji on the 15th February 2012.