THRISSUR (KERALA): Sri Sankarananda Brahmananda Bhoothi Swamiyar, the head of the Thekke Madom which traces its origin to Sri Padmapadacharya, one of Sri Adi Shankaracharya’s direct disciples, who passed away at a private hospital here on Sunday night, was one of the greatest spiritual leaders who emerged from the lineage of Adi Shankaracharya, in recent times.
Eighty-four-year-old Sankarananda Brahmananda Bhoothi Swamiyar, who was the Pushpanjali Swamiyar at the famous Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram and Vaddakkunnatha Temple in Thrissur, among other temples, bade goodbye to the worldly life just hardly four months after the new Sankaracharyar of Thekke Madom was anointed by him.
As if he knew the time is up for him, he took the initiative to install Orupulasherry Vasudevan Namboothiri as the new Sankaracharyar of Thekke Madom in July.
Swamiyar who joined the Thekke Madom as the English and Veda tutor of vedic scholars was one of the foremost proponents of Vedanta in recent times.
Born at Vanneri Pandam Parambathu Mana in Malappuram district, in 1931, Swamiyar commenced his spiritual life at the age of 50 in 1982.
Under the holy guidance of Kanchi Shankaracharyar, he began his spiritual pursuit by travelling length and breadth of the country from the same year itself which in fact concluded with his last journey to Kashi along with the anointment of the new Sankaracharyar of Thekke Madom a few months ago. Swamiyar was an exemplary figure in the field of Vedantic life.
He lived a dynamic but a simple life in the spirit of the self. He used to eat small quantity of food only once in a day and devote more time for his spiritual pursuits.
His ideals were also very high with sublime views on life and perennial and spontaneous love for every creature.
His ever spiritual effulgence shedding face was a source of inspiration for everyone which drew every seeker of truth so close to him, recalls his contemporaries.
He also spell-bounded the audience with his inspiring, elevating and illuminating scholarly teachings on Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda being taught in accordance to the Namboodiri tradition at the Thekke Madom.
Swamiyar was also blissful being intoxicated with the ecstasy of spiritual consciousness and his bliss was infectious which even commanded respect from other religious leaders as well.
His body was placed at the Math in the morning for the public to pay homage and various socio-cultural leaders paid last respect to the departed soul before the body was taken inside the Math.