108 Facets of the Inimitable Guru
89. व्याख्यासिंहासनाधीशः Vyākhyā-siṁhāsanādhīśaḥ
One who was the Lord of the vyākhyā-siṁhāsana
His Holiness was the adhīśa, Lord, of the siṁhāsana, throne, of vyākhyā, exposition. (This throne is popularly referred to as ‘throne of transcendental wisdom’.) The throne is a venerated seat placed within the temple of Śāradāmbā at the Maṭha at Sringeri, in the elevated corridor outside Her sanctum. Only the Jagadguru Śaṅkarācārya of the Śāradā-pīṭha or His chosen successor-designate is permitted to occupy it. In fact, a slight variant with the same meaning, ‘vyākhāna-siṁhāsana-adhīśvara’ features in the birudāvali (collection of honorifics) dedicated to the pontiffs of the pīṭha. This nāma expresses His Holiness’s authority in matters of scriptural erudition, which the pontiffs of the pīṭha are invested with.
Traditionally, the pontiffs of the pīṭha occupy the throne during Navarātri celebrations and during the events associated with the anointment of a successor-designate to the pīṭha.
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On 22nd May, 1931, once the rituals connected with saṁnyāsa were completed (vide nāmas 25 and 62) His Holiness crossed the river from Narasimhavana in a boat. Such crossing of a river by a new saṁnyāsin is symbolic of the crossing of the ocean of transmigratory existence. On the riverbank on the other side, He performed ‘paryaṅka-śauca’, a formalised cleansing of the body involving balls of mud and water. The senior Jagadguru and His Holiness then went to Goddess Śāradāmbā’s temple.
The texts on saṁnyāsa prescribe that the Guru should worship the disciple on the day of initiation, seeing the Divine in the latter and that thereafter, the disciple should worship the Guru. The vyākhyāna-siṁhāsana was kept facing north in the elevated southern corridor of the Śāradāmbā temple. Going to it, the Jagadguru seated His Holiness on it and placed on His head a śālagrāma (a special stone that is regarded as symbolic of Lord Viṣṇu and as ever-sanctified by His presence). He then sat near His Holiness’s feet, facing east, and commenced His worship. He proceeded to perform abhiṣeka to the śālagrama by pouring water on it with a conch. After performing ārati, the senior Jagadguru lay prostrate before His Holiness. His Holiness sat still and silent throughout this worship. After the senior Jagadguru finished the worship and removed the śālagrāma from His Holiness’s head, He occupied the vyākhyāna-siṁhāsana. His Holiness sat near His Guru’s feet, worshipped them and prostrated before them. After this worship was
236 89. Vyākhyā-siṁhāsanādhīśaḥ complete, the senior Jagadguru made public His Holiness’s yoga-paṭṭa. With the conclusion of the functions at the vyākhyāna-siṁhāsana, the initiation of His Holiness into saṁnyāsa and as the successor-designate of the pīṭha was formally complete.
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After the senior Jagadguru’s Mahāsamādhi on 26th September, 1954, His Holiness’s formal coronation as the 35th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of the Sringeri Sri Sharada Peetham took place on 16th October, 1954, which was just a few days before He turned 37.
On 14th October, the vyākhyāna-siṁhāsana, placed facing north in the southern corridor of the Śāradāmbā temple, was adorned with garlands and on it was placed a water-filled kalaśa. Ṛtviks engaged in rituals centred on the throne. Homas were performed adjacent to the throne. His Holiness came to the temple to have darśana and also offered salutations at Bhagavatpāda’s temple.
On the 15th, after His morning āhnika, He went to the Samādhis of His Guru and the 33rd pontiff. He then crossed the river and, at the Vidyāśankara Temple, sought Śrī Vidyātīrtha’s permission to ascend the vyākhyāna-siṁhāsana. Thereafter, He adorned robes made of velvet and silk bedecked with precious gems and went to have darśana at His predecessors’ shrines, including that of Sureśvarācārya, all on the northern side of the river. In Goddess Śāradāmbā’s temple, He presided over the pūrṇāhuti of the homas performed there and received, with devotion, the flowers and vibhūti presented to Him as prasāda. He sat on a silver seat to the west of the throne. His sandals were bathed in the sanctified waters of the kalaśa and several gifts were made in His august presence. Having propitiated Goddess Śāradā, He left for His abode in Narasimhavana.
On 16th, the auspicious pīṭhārohaṇa (ascending of the throne as the pontiff) day, He came to Goddess Śāradā’s temple and, wearing royal robes, ascended the sanctified vyākhyāna-siṁhāsana. The throne was veiled by a screen with ‘śrīḥ’ embroidered over it. The auspicious moment of coronation was signalled by the tinkling of bells. The screen was drawn eastward unveiling the throne and akṣata (unbroken grains of rice mixed with turmeric powder) was showered on His Holiness by the gathered priests. “Victory unto our Jagadguru Śrī Abhinava Vidyātīrtha” – this and more such eulogies in chorus filled the air. His Holiness’s golden pādukās placed in the vicinity of the throne were bathed with the sanctified water of the kalaśa and the remaining water was poured on His Holiness’s head. The grandeur of the occasion was enhanced by the chanting of Vedic hymns in unison. Precious stones were rained on His Holiness. He then removed His royal robes in the room adjacent to Śāradāmbā’s sanctum sanctorum, and adorned new royal garments and a crown. Having witnessed the ārati in Śāradāmbā’s shrine, He went in a palanquin to the Vidyāśaṅkara Temple. He entered the temple and after having darśana, emerged and again sat in the palanquin. He then went to the various shrines.
In a short speech given by His Holiness following His coronation, He said that He was greatly in need of His Guru’s grace to carry out His duties as a pīṭhādhipati and prayed for His Guru’s blessings.
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