Sri Sacchidananda Bharati II

Acharyas who adorned the Peetham between 1706 and 1770 · Guru Parampara

27.1706 - 1741Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri

With reverence and gratitude to the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, which has kept the lives of its Jagadgurus through the centuries and shares them with the world. What follows is the Peetham's own account, exactly as it gives it.

Sri Sacchidananda Bharati II (1706 – 1741)

सच्चित्ताम्बुजमित्राय सच्चरित्रयुजे नमः ।
सच्चिदानन्दभारत्यै सच्चिदानन्दमूर्तये ॥

The lotus in the heart blossoms due to this Sun whose sacred life do distinguised poets sing,
and who is the Truth-Knowledge-Bliss embodied I bow to that saint, Sacchidanada Bharati!

Sri Sacchidananda Bharati honoured Basavappa by visiting his capital. He later visited Kigga, Subrahmanya, Velapura, Uppinangadi, Nandavaram (the head quarters of a chief). He also worshipped Sri Narasimha installed at Haladi and proceeded to Kotishwara, Barakura, Bhatkal, Honnavar and Gokarna.

Sometime after returning to Sringeri, the Acharya set forth on another pilgrimage to Gokarna.

The active association of the Maratha ruling houses with the Sringeri Mutt began during the reign of this Pontiff. The Maratha rulers, Shivaji II, Shambu Chatrapathi of Kolhapur line, Peshwa Baji Rao Ballal Pradhan were all great devotees of the Acharya and were firmly enforcing the supremacy of the Guru in all socio-religious matters.

Sri Krishna Raja Wodeyar II of Mysore sent from Srirangapatnam elephants, silk cloth and other offerings to the Acharya, whom he described as ‘the ruler of the Yoga empire seated on the jewelled throne of Sringapura’. The Acharya founded a Mutt at Belur.

The Acharya had a marked devotion to Sri Mahabaleshwara of Gokarna and to Sri Mookambika of Kollur, who was also the tutelary deity of the Keladi Nayaks. His ‘Mookambika stotra’ and his ‘Sharada stotra’ commemorating a Navaratri celebration are two gems of poetry. He conducted festivals in the Sringeri temples on a lavish scale, to which, among other chiefs, the Sethupati of Ramanathapuram also sent offerings. He had a linga, by name Vidyashankara, installed in Rameshwaram.

The benign influence of ‘The jewelled throne of Dharma’ in Sringeri was shed on all alike. Visiting scholars were lavishly rewarded. By their personal conduct and teachings the Acharya lessened the acerbities born of the conflict of contending philosophies and sects.

The pilgrimage of the Acharya and the temple festivals afforded opportunities for all classes of people to approach the Jagadguru for guidance and instruction for their spiritual betterment. The Samsthanam was only an ancillary to the Sharada Peetham, the primary aims of which it was meant to subserve. The resources of the Samsthanam also helped to maintain yatis , temples, Annadana and other charities as well as support sadhakas and scholars in their endeavours.

The official text