CHAPTER I THE ACCESSION.

The goal of life enunciated in the Upanishads and explained by Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya is for the individual soul to get rid of his limiting individuality and to realise his oneness with the Absolute Reality. This ideal is pitched so high that the ordinary man is inclined to think of it as impossible of attainment. Even the Upanishads, the Gita and other sacred literature dealing with the subject emphasise that it is only a rare one in a million that strives to attain it and that the man who succeeds in his striving is far rarer still. At the same time they point out the glory of that state of perfection and say that to an earnest aspirant it is possible of attainment even in this human embodiment and even in this world. Many a Seer in India has demonstrated to the world such a possibility and proved that the scriptural words are not idle words enunciating an abstract impracticable impossible ideal. But they have mostly contented themselves with leading a life of complete retirement from worldly concerns giving rise to a general feeling that a man of wisdom is not of this world and cannot be of any use to those who are still in this world and yet would like to have spiritual enlightenment. A remarkable exception to this general rule of modern sages was His Holiness Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Svaminah, the late Jagadguru who presided over Sri Sringeri Mutt founded by Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya.

Sri Subba Sastri of Sringeri was a great scholar and even while he was young cultivated a habit of detachment and went away to the Himalayas but, at the desire of His Holiness Sri Narasimha Bharati Swaminah, the then Jagadguru of the Mutt, he returned to Sringeri, was made the Asthana Pandit of the Mutt and led a quiet and saintly married life. He had an only son Sri Gopala Sastri who was also a very learned pandit and was at one time expected to be nominated by His Holiness as His successor to the Peetha. But our expectations rarely coincide with the inviolable decrees of destiny. So Sri Gopala Sastri in due course married Srimati Lakshmi Ammal and had fourteen children by her. It was however God’s will that only one of them, a boy, Narasimha by name, should survive. The parents felt keenly that they were being pursued by an inexplicable and relentless fate which deprived them of their children and hoped that, by separating this boy at least from themselves for some time, he might escape the fate of his brothers and sisters. In response to their importunities, Sri Srikantha Sastri the then Agent of the Mutt took the boy under his protection and had him practically as one of his own household.

Lord Sri Krishna has pointed out that, though a spiritual aspirant who has pursued the path of knowledge earnestly but has not realised the goal may be born in a pious and rich family or in a poor saintly family, it is more difficult to have the fortune of being born in the latter for there he will be free from the distractions of wealth and free to engage himself in spiritual pursuits untrammelled by any attractions that the world may offer. It was in such a family that our Narasimha was born on the morning of Sunday the 16th of October 1892. From his childhood he showed not only signs of high intelligence, but evinced an imperturbable temper and an aptitude to avoid company and found quiet retirement and solitude alone congenial to him. When he attained the age of 9, he had his Upanayanam duly performed in the mutt itself in 1902, under the orders of His Holiness Sri Sachchidananda Siva Abhinava Narasimha Bharati Swaminah, the then Acharya. He was admitted into the Anglo-Canarese school at Sringeri and was studying there for a few years. When he passed a Government Examination in the first class, his father naturally was proud of his son and, with a view to get for him the blessings of His Holiness, he took the boy to His Holiness and mentioned the glad news of the boy’s success and prayed for His Holiness’s blessings. His Holiness said, “I am glad to hear it. It is quite apparent that the boy is very intelligent and must come up in life. I am sure you wish for him a bright future”. The father said “Certainly”. His Holiness followed up by saying “If so, cease sending him to the English school and send him instead to our Mutt Pathasala”. The father, greatly devoted as he was, to His Holiness and quite confident in the propriety of His Holiness’ command, readily assented, took the boy from the English school and had him immediately admitted in the Pathasala.

The boy both by his sharp intelligence and by his exemplary behaviour endeared himself to all his teachers. He was very studious in his habits and was conspicuous by the absence of any boyish pranks natural to his age. Even when he was punctiliously doing service to his parents or other elders or when he was going to the shops to purchase some article or to post any letter in the post box, his mind was always in his studies. It is said that one day he was walking along the road outside the town limits when he was accosted by somebody and asked where he was going and that it was only then he recollected that he started from the house for some purchase in a local shop. He was interested not only in the acquisition of theoretical knowledge but was ever anxious to verify it by actual practice. Whenever his household duties or his studies did not require his presence, he used to go to the quiet solitude of Sri Vidya Sankara temple and sitting in a corner thereof do some japa or repeat some Stotra, particularly Muka Panchasati, or engage himself in mental contemplation or in deep introspection. To him life was too precious to be spent idly and he never engaged himself in any purposeless talks or pursuits.

His Holiness was taking great interest in the proper conduct of the Mutt Pathasala. Even after he started in 1907 on a tour in South India, he had the answer papers of the Pathasala students sent to Him in His camps so that He was keeping Himself in touch with them and watching their progress in their respective studies. He was specially struck with and pleased with the very brief and expressive way in which Sri Narasimha Sastri answered his questions. On one occasion His Holiness deputed an official of the Mutt to go to Sringeri for inspecting the Pathasala and noting whether the students were all provided with necessary requisites in time to enable them to pursue their studies whole-heartedly. The official went to Sringeri, inspected the Pathasala, returned to the camp and reported to His Holiness that he made enquiries of everybody separately, that they were all studying earnestly, that their convenience was being well looked after and that he had some minor defects pointed out by some of the students duly rectified.

His Holiness: I am glad to hear that the students are all studious and their convenience is being well attended to. But are the students well behaved and have they peace of mind?

Official: Certainly they are all orderly and peaceful. But it seems to me that our Narasimha of Sringeri may be a little bit deep and impertinent.

H. H.; That is your opinion. But tell me what really happened?

Official: I asked “Is the food given to you pure and tasty? Do they give you hot water for your oil bath?” and so on. When similar questions were put to other boys, they answered promptly and to the point, but this Narasimha said “What does that all matter? We are being taught our lessons properly.” It would appear from this that he has some complaint but is unwilling to give expression to it. As his reply was unlike that of the other boys who frankly talked to me and laid their complaints before me, I had to conclude that he was a little conceited.

H. H.: You must take his words literally. It is not necessary to import any other significance into them. He has simply defined his attitude that he is concerned only with his studies and other considerations do not enter his mind. Know him therefore to be a very good and pure soul.

Thus from the very beginning His Holiness rightly judged the worthiness of Sri Narasimha Sastri and foresaw his future greatness. Apart from the routine classes in the Pathasala a special course in Tarka Sastra was arranged for him. On His way back from Kaladi where He had gone to consecrate a temple for Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada and another for Sri Sarada, He founded a college at Bangalore for advanced studies in Sanskrit and, soon after His return to Sringeri in 1911, He sent Sri Narasimha Sastri to Bangalore to study the Poorva Mimamsa Sastra so vitally necessary for a proper understanding of Vedanta. Mahamahopadhyaya Mimamsa Kantheerava Vaidyanatha Sastri was the professor of Mimamsa and Mahamahopadhyaya Subrahmanya Sastri and later Mahamahopadhyaya Vidyanidhi Virupaksha Sastri were the professors of Vedanta there. Sri Narasimha Sastri in addition to his own Mimamsa class availed himself of the presence of Sri Virupaksha Sastri to revise his knowledge of Tarka and also to get a good grounding in Vedanta, so much so that within a few months he was well up in all the three Sastras; incidentally, as necessary steps to these, he became very proficient both in Vyakaraṇa and Sahitya. His Holiness was with great interest watching the progress of all the students at Bangalore also and particularly of Sri Narasimha Sastri. It was quite patent that He had a special interest in this disciple of His, particularly when He prayed to Sri Sarada to make him omniscient soon. This was the burden of His song addressed to the Goddess in the form of four significant stanzas.

(Bhaktisudhatarangini p. 445)

During this period, indications were not wanting to show that His Holiness evidently intended that Sri Narasimha Sastri should succeed Him in the Sringeri Peetha. Except His Holiness, Sri Krishnarajendra Wodaiyar the then Maharaja of Mysore and Srikantha Sastri the Agent of the Mutt who knew definitely about this intention of His Holiness, no others were able to read aright these indications. Even Sri Narasimha Sastri was not made aware of it. One evening when His Holiness was in Kala Bhairava Temple alone with three Brahmachari Sishyas, as if casually He asked one of them to note down some stanzas which stated “If you are really anxious to cross the ocean of phenomenal life, you must take Sannyasa and take up the study of the true nature of the self with faith and devotion”. Sri Narasimha Sastri who was one of those three appropriated that teaching in its entirety as addressed to himself and resolved on taking Sannyasa which alone suited his temperament. It may be mentioned that of the other two disciples one went away from the mutt and the other married soon after; so it was made clear that the teaching was intended for Sri Narasimha Sastri alone. It will be noticed that even here there is no indication that he was to succeed His Holiness in the Peetha.

Early in 1912 His Holiness felt that His life work was over and that it was time for Him to free Himself from His mortal coil. He instructed one of His intimate devotees Sri Kunigal Rama Sastri to go to Bangalore and bring Sri Narasimha Sastri to Sringeri and also inform His Highness the Maharaja about His intention to nominate him as His successor. This was the first intimation that Sri Rama Sastri had of this intention. He was a very learned scholar and an ardent devotee. He had moved intimately with His Holiness. It is no exaggeration to say that the body of His Holiness had the colour of molten gold and, apart from His spiritual greatness, His majestic physical figure was sufficient to create awe and devotion in all who happened to approach Him. At the time we are speaking of, Sri Narasimha Sastri was very lean and somewhat dark in colour, and from his childhood had no luxury and had no taste for it either. When His Holiness mentioned his name, Sri Rama Sastri may well be excused if the contrast between the two figures struck him very keenly but he was too good and too devoted to question the propriety of His Holiness’ decision. But His Holiness was quick to notice the passing thought and said “Does worth consist in the colour of the skin?” Sri Rama Sastri realised his foolishness in giving room for such a thought in his mind and started gladly on his mission.

The father of the boy though unwilling to part with his only son agreed to accede to the wishes of His Holiness, but the mother declined to do so. His Highness promised all help in the matter but even he could not prevail upon the mother to consent to her only son becoming a Sannyasi. When Sri Rama Sastri was about to return to Sringeri disappointed, Sri Narasimha Sastri himself approached his mother and said “O mother, you have given thirteen of your children unwillingly to the God of Death. Can you not give one willingly to our Acharya? You are evidently under the impression that I shall be marrying and running a home as a householder. It can never be. I am bent only upon Sannyasa. If you accede to the wishes of His Holiness, you will have not only the merit and satisfaction of obeying Him, but you will have occasion to meet me frequently as I shall then be near you at Sringeri itself; if I become an ordinary Sannyasi, I shall be going away to distant places and it will not be possible for you to meet me at all thereafter. It seems to me that in your own interest you will do well to give way to His Holiness’ commands”. This firm attitude compelled the reluctant mother to bow to the inevitable. Then with the blessings of the parents, Sri Narasimha Sastri started for Sringeri along with Sri Rama Sastri. But owing to the delay caused at Bangalore they found themselves too late at Sringeri as His Holiness attained freedom from all embodiment on the 20th of March 1912, the day just previous to their arrival at Sringeri. Considering the precarious condition of His Holiness and the delay in the coming of Sri Narasimha Sastri, some of the disciples at Sringeri suggested to His Holiness the names of some alternative nominees but to all these suggestions His Holiness’ reply was the same “Let Narasimha come.”

As His Holiness had departed from mortal vision, it was necessary to wait till all the ceremonies were over. Some people taking advantage of this delay sought to put up the claims of others for the successorship and this agitation would have become serious but for His Highness’ personal assurance that he was aware that Sri Narasimha Sastri had been definitely nominated by His Holiness and that no other claim was permissible. It is worthy of note that during this interim period Sri Narasimha Sastri did not in the least assert himself or advance any claim on his own behalf but was coolly witnessing what all was happening, as his real aim was only Sannyasa and not the leadership of the Mutt and as he agreed to the latter only in deference to the wishes of His Holiness. His attitude of perfect indifference at that time itself showed that he was the person eminently qualified to occupy the premier Seat of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada. Indifference to all worldly concerns, phenomenal humility and steadfastness in Dharma were among his inborn characteristics. To illustrate this, I may mention a very simple and significant incident which happened the day before his installation.

There were many a detail and formality to be considered with reference to his taking Sannyasa and to his being installed on the holy seat and for Brahmachari and that it was not proper for him to seat himself along with his elders. It may be mentioned here itself that, when he was given Sannyasa the next day, these very elderly people prostrated before him and that at that time he did not show any the slightest sign of embarassment but sat firm in his seat as if he was quite accustomed to prostration being made to him by elders, scholars and high personages for a very long time. The people who noticed this could not but admire his firm grasp of Dharma. He was duly given Sannyasa on the 7th of April 1912 and installed on the Sringeri Peetha the next day. He was given the Sannyasa name of Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Swaminah.

As at time of the installation His Holiness had not completed His studies in Vedanta, the mutt agent Sri Srikantha Sastri requested Sri Virupaksha Sastry to stay at Sringeri itself and teach Vedanta to His Holiness but he declined to do so saying that as a Grihastha it was not proper for him to teach a Sannyasi, that His Holiness was very intelligent and well versed and could by Himself study the Sastras without the help of any body else and as that he had the gracious blessings of the previous Acharya in abundance his personal efforts would be crowned with success. His Holiness was informed about this attitude of that learned Pandit. His Holiness sent word to him.

His Holiness : I understand that you declined to teach me Vedanta any further.

Pandit : Yes, It is no longer proper for me to do so. Further it is not necessary also as your Holiness Himself may study the books.

His Holiness : Why do you say so?

Pandit : As long as your Holiness was a Brahmachari, it was proper for me to teach. Now that your Holiness is a Sannyasi, it will be improper for me to do so.

His Holiness : It is true that Sannyasa means giving up all things. Is study of Vedanta also included in the “all things”.?

Pandit : I do not mean to say so. On the other hand, Vedanta must be studied more intensely after Sannyasa. But that study must be only by your Holiness. It will not be proper for a Sannyasi to have a grahastha as his Guru.

His Holiness : That is, as I have become a Sannyasi I cannot prostrate before you or do any service to you as a Guru.

Pandit : Yes, I cannot be a Guru.

His Holiness: Rather, I cannot be a Sishya.

Pandit : Quite so.

His Holiness: If there is any prescribed method other than service by which I can learn, I suppose I can adopt it.

Pandit : How can that be?

His Holiness: I am just reminding you that the Sastra which prescribes the method of getting knowledge as service to the Guru

does not stop there but adds that knowledge can be obtained by giving abundant wealth to the teacher.

As I am a Sannyasi, I have no wealth to give you and, even if the mutt gives you any remuneration, it is not mine. So this alternative also is not open to me. Fortunately there is a third alternative

that a particular kind of knowledge can be exchanged for another. I think of availing myself of this third alternative.

Pandit : I am old. At my age of life, what kind of learning can I have from your Holiness in return for the Vedanta that I am expected to teach?

His Holiness : In the mornings, you may give me lessons in Vedanta. In the afternoons, I shall give you lessons in Tarka Sastra.

The Pandit realised at once that in making this suggestion His Holiness really desired to strengthen his knowledge of the Tarka Sastra under the guise of professing to teach it to him and he gladly agreed to this proposal. He stayed on in the Mutt and, in less than three years, His Holiness became a proficient beyond compare in both Tarka and Vedanta. When the Pandit had occasion to mention this arrangement to me years later, he said “Though the arrangement was like this, His Holiness was the real teacher both in the morning and in the evening. While I stayed at Sringeri ostensibly to teach him Vedanta, it was really myself that learnt many a new thing and I deem myself fortunate in having had such an opportunity.” His Holiness in his turn had the highest regard and respect for the Pandit not only for his deep erudition and clear exposition but also for his exemplary and saintly living. It may be noted in this context that this veteran scholar took Sannyasa some years later and became the head of the Kudli Mutt.

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