Studies
In the years 1909 and 1910, the mutt’s aasthana scholars were engaged to teach and train Swamigal in Sanskrit works and Vedic studies. The learned and the academicians of the day were surprised at the brilliance and sharpness of Swamiji’s intellect. Moreover,
the devotees and followers of the mutt were visiting Kumbakonam mutt in great numbers to obtain darshan of Swamigal. It became essential to find a quiet place to continue studies effectively. The mutt officials chose the beautiful and picturesque village of
Mahendramangalam, situated on the northern shores of Cauveri, about five miles west of Musiri. The last Nayaka king from Madurai, Vijayaranga Chokkanadha Nayakar had donated lands in this village to the mutt in the year of Salivagana sakam (1708).
Mahendramangalam was beyond Thottiyam in the Tiruchi – Namakkal route and was not easily accessible. To reach this village, one has to take the local train and get down at Lalapettai and then get the canoe across Cauveri to reach the village. Very few would take all this trouble to come this place in order to get darshan of swamigal. Considering all these variables, Mahendramangalam was chosen to be a suitable place for Swamigal’s vidyabhyasam (schooling). The mutt’s administrative office, puja were located in the agraharam at the local rich man - Singam Iyengar’s house. Near the Cauveri shore, a small parnasalai was established.
Swamigal left for this village from Kumbakonam in the year 1911 and stopped at Lalgudi on the way. He established a Sankaralayam and Gurukulam at Lalgudi. It is to be noted that many notable scholars hailed from this Gurukulam.
Educational Techniques
The method of schooling given to the Swamigal was very unique. Ordinary folks treat their teachers with respect and devotion and learn from them. However, the scholars who taught Swamigal would pay their respects and devotion to him before and after their
lessons. In spite of this, Swamigal paid full attention and learnt from the scholars with utmost respect and concentration in order to grasp all knowledge. Some of the subjects learnt by our Swamigal included arts, Vyakaranam, Tharka shastra (Science of Logic),
Vedantha, Meemamsa etc. The teachers, who were learned scholars, found it very easy to teach our Swamigal due to his sparkling brilliance. This village became the favorite pilgrimage spot of our country’s most famous scholars and leaders in the years 1911
through 1913.
Amongst our Swamigal’s teachers, some of the renowned ones were Painganadu Panjapakesa Shastrigal, Mahamahopadhyay Shastra Ratnakara D.Venkatasubba Shastrigal, Shastra Ratnakara Vishnupuram Swamy Shastrigal and Thiruvisainallur V. Venkatarama Shastrigal. There were others who stayed in the mutt as aasthana vidwans
and dedicated their time educating Swamigal. Some of them are Mahamahopadhyay Painganadu Ganapathy Shastrigal, Mahamahopadhyay Karungulam Krishna Shastrigal and Kodi Kannikadhanam Ubaya Vedantha Rajagopala Thathachariar.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone to know that Swamigal, on top of learning all these arts, also learnt the French language. Late Keerthanacharya C.R.Srinivasa Iyengar used to visit and stay with Acharya often. As Swamigal showed interest in learning Marathi and in Marathi works, the mutt officials engaged a Marathi pundit to stay at the mutt for three years. Swamigal had engaged him in researching a lot of Marathi literary works.
Swamigal’s interest in Tamil was unique by itself. During what little free time he had, he got Tamil scholars to train him in Tamil grammar and literature. He continued to research into Thevara, Thiruvachakam, Periya Puranam, Thiruvizhaiyadal Puranam and
Thirukural. He did not allocate any time to learn fine arts. During his interaction with artists excelling in fine arts, during his free time, he absorbed the intricacies of all fine arts. Amongst the different component of arts, it was music (sangeetham) that was most like by Swamigal.
Swamigal used to take walks in the sand dunes in the middle of Cauveri and enjoy the natural beauty, and sometimes get absorbed in meditating in solitude in the beautiful surroundings. Swamigal liked to take photographs of picturesque sceneries. In those
days, there used to be a person who would follow Swamigal with a camera. Swamigal would order him randomly to take pictures of certain scenes. As he was familiar with the intricacies of photography, he would give suggestions and tips to photographers while taking pictures. Moreover, he would advice them on techniques to employ while developing the films, negatives etc. Swamigal also became well versed in Mathematics, Astrology and astronomy. In order to obtain training in these subjects, Swamigal had
requested Marur Ramaswami Shastrigal (who was the student of Thiruvaiyaru Sundaresa Shrowdhrigal) to stay in the mutt for a number of years and had supported his family also. Swamigal loved to hear Thevaram being sung. Especially, when people who had set
it to good music visited the mutt, he would sit with them for hours together and make them sing different Thevarams and also sing with them. Swamigal was also attracted to learn Vaishnavite scriptures including Thiruvaimozhi.
Swamigal stayed in Mahendramangalam from 1911 to 1914 and then returned to Kumbakonam. There is a Sankaralayam established in Mahendramangalam at the place where Swamigal had his Vidyabhyasam. Swamigal was twenty years old when he left Mahendramangalam after completing his studies. Within this short period, he turned out
to be extraordinarily brilliant in all lines of studies, starting with Puranas and the history of each sthalam. Once Swamigal grasped something, he never forgot it. He absorbed all knowledge from scholars and subject matter experts who visited him and also applied
that knowledge to investigate and analyze the basis of such subject matter. There are very few who can be compared to our Swamigal in the way he interacted with people, analyzing the capabilities of the folks that he met.
When Swamigal was camped at Kumbakonam, he used to visit Gangai Konda Chozhapuram, situated 30 miles away, at least once every year. He visited the Shiva temple that was built in the same design as Tanjore Periya temple and research the artifacts found there. P.V.Jagadeesa Iyer from the archeological department and Engineer
Anathazhvar helped Swamigal with this research. Finally, it can be said that our Swamigal after this education, by the young age of 20, obtained all the knowledge required for this position as Peetathipathi.
An episode during study – (Excerpt from A Succinct Biography –
A. Kuppuswamy)One of those who taught the Acharya during this period was Ganapathi Shastrigal of Painganadu near Mannargudi. He was a versatile scholar. Before he was forty years of age, he had written about a hundred works, in Sanskrit – short and long. He was awarded the title of ‘Mahamahopadhyaya’, by the Government of India, posthumously – just ten days after his demise. Ganapathi Shastrigal was residing in a house opposite to the Sankara Mutt, Kumbakonam. He would go to the Math early in the forenoon and teach
the teen-aged Acharya for about an hour. In the evenings, lessons in Sastras, Sanskrit, prosody etc. were imparted to the Acharya. In the spring season, the teacher and the student would sit for an hour or more, on the sands of the dry bed of the Cauveri, near the
mutt and there the lessons used to be carried out.
One evening the tutor was teaching. The Acharya was frequently thrusting the fingers of his left hand in the sand. Ganapathi Shastrigal observed this. The next morning he went to the mutt as usual. After prostrating to the Acharya, he said “Please permit me to leave Kumbakonam and go to my village”. The young Acharya was much surprised and he asked the teacher, “What is the reason for this sudden request of yours?” Shastrigal’s reply was a bit stern. He replied, “A student, desiring to acquire knowledge, should be
quite attentive when lessons are going on. Concentration of the mind is essential. My guru used to tell his pupils that one sitting on sand but not touching it and one having a knife on his hand, but not doing anything with it and one having his mind fixed in
something worthy, as examples for a “Sthita-prajna’ (one with a steadfast mind).
Yesterday evening your Holiness was a bit inattentive to what was being taught yesterday evening”. The Acharya quickly interposed and said, “I was attending although I was thrusting my hand into the sand off and on. I shall now repeat all of what was taught
yesterday evening”. Ganapathi Shastrigal who was struck with wonder at the amazing memory and precociousness of the young Acharya, said, “I feel that I am not necessary hereafter. Your Holiness can learn everything without the aid of a tutor and I can go”.
The Acharya was loath to part with such an erudite teacher. And Ganapathi Shastrigal continued as teacher for about 10 more months.
Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal – ‘A Hundred Years
of Light’ - III Volume “During the few years when our Paramaguru imparted lessons to me in the Bhagavatpada’s Sutrabhashya, on my repeated request, the MahaSwami revealed a few interesting episodes pertaining to his youthful years. One of the episodes is as follows:
When the Acharya was in his late teens, during the Chaturmasya period, gatherings of scholars were held in the mutt, off and on. Erudite scholars, wellreversed in two or three sastras participated in these gatherings. Devotees with a quantum of sastraic knowledge belonging to neighboring places would also attend the Vidvat Sadas to hear the Vakyartha-vichara (discussion cum short discourse)
of the pandits.
The great Acharya would grace the sadas with his presence and attend the discussion. On one such occasion, after the discussion had been over, some of the lay devotees placed a request before the scholars, praying for a clarification of a particular point touched upon by some of the scholars during the discussion.
Mahamahopadhyaya Harihara Shastrigal ( who lived in the first half
of the current century), who had been a teacher for many a pupil and who had been instrumental in printing and publishing many rare Sanskrit works which had until then remained as manuscripts, came forward to explain. The Great Acharya, the assembled scholars and devotees listened with rapt attention to the hour-long elucidation of the famous pundit. But even after this, some of the devotees
entreated for a more easily comprehensible explanation. None of the scholars dared to do so. Silence prevailed for some minutes. The Great Acharya, himself, told the assembly that he would clarify the issue. His Holiness spoke in simple Sanskrit and explained the touchy point in a lucid manner. All the scholars including Harihara Shastrigal were struck with wonder and they paid glowing
tributes to the Maha Swamigal.
In the years 1909 and 1910, the mutt’s aasthana scholars were engaged to teach and train Swamigal in Sanskrit works and Vedic studies. The learned and the academicians of the day were surprised at the brilliance and sharpness of Swamiji’s intellect. Moreover,
the devotees and followers of the mutt were visiting Kumbakonam mutt in great numbers to obtain darshan of Swamigal. It became essential to find a quiet place to continue studies effectively. The mutt officials chose the beautiful and picturesque village of
Mahendramangalam, situated on the northern shores of Cauveri, about five miles west of Musiri. The last Nayaka king from Madurai, Vijayaranga Chokkanadha Nayakar had donated lands in this village to the mutt in the year of Salivagana sakam (1708).
Mahendramangalam was beyond Thottiyam in the Tiruchi – Namakkal route and was not easily accessible. To reach this village, one has to take the local train and get down at Lalapettai and then get the canoe across Cauveri to reach the village. Very few would take all this trouble to come this place in order to get darshan of swamigal. Considering all these variables, Mahendramangalam was chosen to be a suitable place for Swamigal’s vidyabhyasam (schooling). The mutt’s administrative office, puja were located in the agraharam at the local rich man - Singam Iyengar’s house. Near the Cauveri shore, a small parnasalai was established.
Swamigal left for this village from Kumbakonam in the year 1911 and stopped at Lalgudi on the way. He established a Sankaralayam and Gurukulam at Lalgudi. It is to be noted that many notable scholars hailed from this Gurukulam.
Educational Techniques
The method of schooling given to the Swamigal was very unique. Ordinary folks treat their teachers with respect and devotion and learn from them. However, the scholars who taught Swamigal would pay their respects and devotion to him before and after their
lessons. In spite of this, Swamigal paid full attention and learnt from the scholars with utmost respect and concentration in order to grasp all knowledge. Some of the subjects learnt by our Swamigal included arts, Vyakaranam, Tharka shastra (Science of Logic),
Vedantha, Meemamsa etc. The teachers, who were learned scholars, found it very easy to teach our Swamigal due to his sparkling brilliance. This village became the favorite pilgrimage spot of our country’s most famous scholars and leaders in the years 1911
through 1913.
Amongst our Swamigal’s teachers, some of the renowned ones were Painganadu Panjapakesa Shastrigal, Mahamahopadhyay Shastra Ratnakara D.Venkatasubba Shastrigal, Shastra Ratnakara Vishnupuram Swamy Shastrigal and Thiruvisainallur V. Venkatarama Shastrigal. There were others who stayed in the mutt as aasthana vidwans
and dedicated their time educating Swamigal. Some of them are Mahamahopadhyay Painganadu Ganapathy Shastrigal, Mahamahopadhyay Karungulam Krishna Shastrigal and Kodi Kannikadhanam Ubaya Vedantha Rajagopala Thathachariar.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone to know that Swamigal, on top of learning all these arts, also learnt the French language. Late Keerthanacharya C.R.Srinivasa Iyengar used to visit and stay with Acharya often. As Swamigal showed interest in learning Marathi and in Marathi works, the mutt officials engaged a Marathi pundit to stay at the mutt for three years. Swamigal had engaged him in researching a lot of Marathi literary works.
Swamigal’s interest in Tamil was unique by itself. During what little free time he had, he got Tamil scholars to train him in Tamil grammar and literature. He continued to research into Thevara, Thiruvachakam, Periya Puranam, Thiruvizhaiyadal Puranam and
Thirukural. He did not allocate any time to learn fine arts. During his interaction with artists excelling in fine arts, during his free time, he absorbed the intricacies of all fine arts. Amongst the different component of arts, it was music (sangeetham) that was most like by Swamigal.
Swamigal used to take walks in the sand dunes in the middle of Cauveri and enjoy the natural beauty, and sometimes get absorbed in meditating in solitude in the beautiful surroundings. Swamigal liked to take photographs of picturesque sceneries. In those
days, there used to be a person who would follow Swamigal with a camera. Swamigal would order him randomly to take pictures of certain scenes. As he was familiar with the intricacies of photography, he would give suggestions and tips to photographers while taking pictures. Moreover, he would advice them on techniques to employ while developing the films, negatives etc. Swamigal also became well versed in Mathematics, Astrology and astronomy. In order to obtain training in these subjects, Swamigal had
requested Marur Ramaswami Shastrigal (who was the student of Thiruvaiyaru Sundaresa Shrowdhrigal) to stay in the mutt for a number of years and had supported his family also. Swamigal loved to hear Thevaram being sung. Especially, when people who had set
it to good music visited the mutt, he would sit with them for hours together and make them sing different Thevarams and also sing with them. Swamigal was also attracted to learn Vaishnavite scriptures including Thiruvaimozhi.
Swamigal stayed in Mahendramangalam from 1911 to 1914 and then returned to Kumbakonam. There is a Sankaralayam established in Mahendramangalam at the place where Swamigal had his Vidyabhyasam. Swamigal was twenty years old when he left Mahendramangalam after completing his studies. Within this short period, he turned out
to be extraordinarily brilliant in all lines of studies, starting with Puranas and the history of each sthalam. Once Swamigal grasped something, he never forgot it. He absorbed all knowledge from scholars and subject matter experts who visited him and also applied
that knowledge to investigate and analyze the basis of such subject matter. There are very few who can be compared to our Swamigal in the way he interacted with people, analyzing the capabilities of the folks that he met.
When Swamigal was camped at Kumbakonam, he used to visit Gangai Konda Chozhapuram, situated 30 miles away, at least once every year. He visited the Shiva temple that was built in the same design as Tanjore Periya temple and research the artifacts found there. P.V.Jagadeesa Iyer from the archeological department and Engineer
Anathazhvar helped Swamigal with this research. Finally, it can be said that our Swamigal after this education, by the young age of 20, obtained all the knowledge required for this position as Peetathipathi.
An episode during study – (Excerpt from A Succinct Biography –
A. Kuppuswamy)One of those who taught the Acharya during this period was Ganapathi Shastrigal of Painganadu near Mannargudi. He was a versatile scholar. Before he was forty years of age, he had written about a hundred works, in Sanskrit – short and long. He was awarded the title of ‘Mahamahopadhyaya’, by the Government of India, posthumously – just ten days after his demise. Ganapathi Shastrigal was residing in a house opposite to the Sankara Mutt, Kumbakonam. He would go to the Math early in the forenoon and teach
the teen-aged Acharya for about an hour. In the evenings, lessons in Sastras, Sanskrit, prosody etc. were imparted to the Acharya. In the spring season, the teacher and the student would sit for an hour or more, on the sands of the dry bed of the Cauveri, near the
mutt and there the lessons used to be carried out.
One evening the tutor was teaching. The Acharya was frequently thrusting the fingers of his left hand in the sand. Ganapathi Shastrigal observed this. The next morning he went to the mutt as usual. After prostrating to the Acharya, he said “Please permit me to leave Kumbakonam and go to my village”. The young Acharya was much surprised and he asked the teacher, “What is the reason for this sudden request of yours?” Shastrigal’s reply was a bit stern. He replied, “A student, desiring to acquire knowledge, should be
quite attentive when lessons are going on. Concentration of the mind is essential. My guru used to tell his pupils that one sitting on sand but not touching it and one having a knife on his hand, but not doing anything with it and one having his mind fixed in
something worthy, as examples for a “Sthita-prajna’ (one with a steadfast mind).
Yesterday evening your Holiness was a bit inattentive to what was being taught yesterday evening”. The Acharya quickly interposed and said, “I was attending although I was thrusting my hand into the sand off and on. I shall now repeat all of what was taught
yesterday evening”. Ganapathi Shastrigal who was struck with wonder at the amazing memory and precociousness of the young Acharya, said, “I feel that I am not necessary hereafter. Your Holiness can learn everything without the aid of a tutor and I can go”.
The Acharya was loath to part with such an erudite teacher. And Ganapathi Shastrigal continued as teacher for about 10 more months.
Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal – ‘A Hundred Years
of Light’ - III Volume “During the few years when our Paramaguru imparted lessons to me in the Bhagavatpada’s Sutrabhashya, on my repeated request, the MahaSwami revealed a few interesting episodes pertaining to his youthful years. One of the episodes is as follows:
When the Acharya was in his late teens, during the Chaturmasya period, gatherings of scholars were held in the mutt, off and on. Erudite scholars, wellreversed in two or three sastras participated in these gatherings. Devotees with a quantum of sastraic knowledge belonging to neighboring places would also attend the Vidvat Sadas to hear the Vakyartha-vichara (discussion cum short discourse)
of the pandits.
The great Acharya would grace the sadas with his presence and attend the discussion. On one such occasion, after the discussion had been over, some of the lay devotees placed a request before the scholars, praying for a clarification of a particular point touched upon by some of the scholars during the discussion.
Mahamahopadhyaya Harihara Shastrigal ( who lived in the first half
of the current century), who had been a teacher for many a pupil and who had been instrumental in printing and publishing many rare Sanskrit works which had until then remained as manuscripts, came forward to explain. The Great Acharya, the assembled scholars and devotees listened with rapt attention to the hour-long elucidation of the famous pundit. But even after this, some of the devotees
entreated for a more easily comprehensible explanation. None of the scholars dared to do so. Silence prevailed for some minutes. The Great Acharya, himself, told the assembly that he would clarify the issue. His Holiness spoke in simple Sanskrit and explained the touchy point in a lucid manner. All the scholars including Harihara Shastrigal were struck with wonder and they paid glowing
tributes to the Maha Swamigal.
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