Preface

His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, the 36th and reigning Pontiff of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, stands as a beacon of spiritual wisdom. His towering spiritual accomplishments, His profound mastery of the Shastras and His firm grounding in traditional values make him an ideal preceptor, revered by countless devotees seeking spiritual upliftment.

A distinguished polyglot fluent in Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi, His Holiness is renowned for his eloquence and ability to impart profound scriptural knowledge with remarkable clarity. His discourses seamlessly blend lucidity and depth, drawing from the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, Itihasas, and the teachings of great Acharyas such as Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada. With effortless grace, the Jagadguru simplifies complex philosophical concepts through vivid and relatable illustrations, making ancient wisdom accessible to all.

To commemorate 50 years of His Holiness’s Sannyasa Ashrama, this book – featuring 50 insightful and illustrative accounts compiled from his benedictory addresses – is being released as part of the Vajra Mahotsava celebrations.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sri K. Anand (Advaita Research Centre, Sringeri) for his invaluable time and thoughtful suggestions in refining the content. Special thanks to Sri K. Parthasarathy for meticulously handling the book layout and cover design, Sri E. R. Ravikumar for his diligent proofreading, and Sri N. Subramanian (Sudharsan Graphics Pvt. Ltd.) for facilitating the printing within a remarkably short time.

It is our great fortune to offer this garland of wisdom at the sacred lotus feet of His Holiness, as an expression of our deep reverence on this auspicious occasion of His Vajra Mahotsava – the 75th Vardhanti of His divine advent.

Vidyashankar Krishnan

H.N. Shankar

Meenakshi Lakshmanan

K. Suresh Chandar

Trustees, Centre For Brahmavidya