Jayendra Saraswathi dies at 82; updates: Final rites of Kanchi seer tomorrow at 8 am; tributes pouring in

Jayendra Saraswathi was jailed in 2004 in connection to a murder case

The major test of his life was when he was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police in November 2004 on the eve of Diwali over the charges of his involvement in the murder of Sankararaman, an official of the famous Varadharaja Perumal temple in Kanchipuram. Jayendra Saraswati was jailed for quite some time by the state police and later was acquitted of all the charges.

Rajinikanth condoles death of Jayendra Saraswathi
     

Top actor Rajinikanth on Wednesday condoled the demise of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.“Saraswathi’s soul had joined the divine abode. My condolences to his devotees,” he said in a tweet.

Kabaalamoksham will mark the end of final rituals

Later, rituals such as ‘Kabaalamoksham’ wherein a coconutwill be placed on the head and symbolically broken, will take place. Such rituals mark the completion of the burial, reported PTI.

Union ministers DV Sadananda Gowda, Pon Radhakrishnan to attend final rites

According to reports, both Union ministers will be attending the final rites of Jayendra Saraswathi as the Centre’s representatives.

Unlike other Hindus, sanyasis are buried in Hinduism

 A big bamboo basket with the body in a seated posture will be taken to the annexe and lowered into a 7×7 feet burial pit. “The burial pit is ready and as soon as the body is lowered tomorrow, deities in a particular form called ‘Saligrama’ will be placed over it,” a senior mutt official in charge of the burial arrangements told PTI. The pit will be filled with herbs, including ‘Vasambu,’ salt and sandalwood.

Final rites began at 8 am

The final rituals for burying the mortal remains, called ‘Brindhavana Pravesam,’ began with an ‘abishekam’ or bath. Milk and honey were the ingredients used in the abhishekam. The ‘abishekam’, held in the main hall of the mutt, was followed by recital of Vedic hymns by priests in the presence of Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi, the junior pontiff of the Mutt and some close family members, reported PTI.

Jayendra Saraswathi was interested in societal activities unlike his guru

While Sri Chandrashekara Saraswathi Swamigal was focused on spiritual side, his junior Jayendra Saraswati was interested in societal activities as well and was also part of some controversies. As a junior pontiff, Jayendra Saraswati had left the mutt for some days without informing anybody alledgedly owing to some difference of opinion with his senior. However, later he came back to the mutt and reassumed his position, reported IANS.

Last rites continue in Kanchipuram

The 69th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Jayendra Saraswathi is expected to be laid to rest beside his guru, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, media reports say.

Devotees consider Jayendra Saraswathi modern-day Ramanujacharya

Swami Jayendra Saraswati was a colossal spiritual figure and initiated innumerable programmes for the downtrodden across the country. Although he fell foul of the law over the murder of a Kanchipuram resident before being cleared of all charges, Jayendra Saraswati had a huge following both in India and abroad. Many compared him with Ramanuja — the legendary Vaishnavite guru and a social reformer. Jayendra Saraswati, the 69th pontiff of the Sankara Mutt in Kanchipuram, was a Saivite — a follower of Lord Shiva.

Religious rites being performed right now

At the moment, priests are performing abhishekam, a ritual that involves chanting of mantras, reports The Indian Express

Telangana governor, CM condole Kanchi Shankaracharya’s demise

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today expressed sadness at the demise of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.

Narasimhan in an official statement conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the countless devotees of the Jagadguru and said “it is an irreparable loss to humanity at large”.

Rao in an official statement praised the great services rendered by Jayendra Saraswathi for the development of Kanchi Peetham.\

PTI

A bit about Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi, Jayendrar’s guru

The previous Kanchi mutt head, Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi (or Periyava, as the primarily upper-caste patrons of the mutt were wont to call him) had a profile and presence that combined religious benevolence and spiritual sensitivity. He rarely spoke in public. But he was actively sought by the high and mighty of the land (including prime ministers like Indira and Rajiv Gandhi). In that sense, Kanchi mutt always had access to political levers.

Read full report _here_

Rahul expresses grief over Kanchi Shankaracharya’s demise

Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the demise of Jayendra Saraswathi, the 69th Shankaracharya of the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. The 82-year-old seer passed away today morning in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu following a cardiac arrest. 

 “I’m saddened to hear about the death of Jagadguru Pujyashri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham,” Gandhi tweeted. Gandhi noted that the Shankaracharya was revered by lakhs of believers across the world for his teachings. “May his soul rest in peace,” the Congress chief said.

PTI

Seer with social consciousness charted a unique path mixing piety and politics

It is debatable whether Kanchi mutt — one of the most powerful religious institutions with a history dating back 2,000 years to the times of Adi Shankara — has seen a head who was as unconventional and contentious as Jayendra Saraswathi, who passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 82. Jayendrar was no copybook pontiff. Although the mutt is primarily a religious organisation, Jayendrar, whose character was underpinned by a strident social consciousness, had both the conviction and courage to steer the mutt into territories into which it had not ventured before.

Read more _here_

Jayendra Saraswathi had three unique qualities, reveals close associate 

According to B Shridhar, a Mumbai-based devotee of the Kanchi seer, Chandrashekharendra Swamigal had observed three unique qualities in his shishya : Jan Akarshanam, Dhan Akarshanam and Jal Akarshanam.  Shridhar said that Saraswathi had the ability to attract people anywhere. He added that Saraswathi’s power was such that people used to call him to places where there was drought. “He had the unique power of attracting rains anywhere. So people used to have great faith in him,” he said.  Speaking about Saraswathi’s midas touch, Shridhar remarked that any public project inaugurated by the Kanchi seer used to taste success.

Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi was known for for his charity work

Image courtesy: KA Vishwanathan

Visual from Kanchi mutt where Jayendra Saraswathi’s body is lying-in-state

Via KA Vishwanathan

Next Shankaracharya Sri Vijayendra Saraswati paying last respects

Via KA Vishwanathan

O Panneerselvam pays tribute to Saraswathi

‘I was shocked to know that Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi Swami died due to ill-health. I pray the Almighty for his soul to rest in peace.’

Jayendra Saraswathi’s relations with his guru Chandrashekarendra Swamigal

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Speaking to Firstpost, B Shridhar says that Saraswathi shared an extremely cordial relationship with his guru Maha Periyava. He says that Maha Periyava was always concerned about Saraswathi and took care of him. “Swamigal used to visit Maha Periyava once a day till the day he was alive,” Shridhar says. Maha Periyava died in 1994. “Whenever, he used to narrate stories of his guru, he cried like a baby,” Shridhar remembers.

From Irulneeki to Kanchi

Born as Subramaiyam Mahadeva in Irulneeki village in Thiruvarur district in 18 July, 1935, he was named the successor to Kanchi Mutt by Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Swami and was given the title Jayendra Saraswathi on 22 March, 1954, when he was just 19. He had his spiritual tutelage from ‘Maha Periyava’ and travelled length and breadth of the country with his guru. He delivered religious discourse besides involving himself in various spiritual and social activities. Under his guidance, the mutt started several schools and hospitals.

A picture from Jayendra Saraswathi’s younger days

Image courtesy: K A Vishwanathan, a Mumbai-based follower

Jayendra Saraswathi with his guru Maha Periyavar

Image courtesy: K A Vishwanathan, a Mumbai-based follower

Jayendra Saraswati wanted to resolve Ayodhya dispute too

Unlike his predecessors in Kanchi Sankara Mutt, Jayendra Saraswathi was involved in both spiritual and public life and was known for the efforts for a solution in the Ayodhya issue during the erstwhile period of Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, but it failed to fructify.

Jayendra Saraswathi chose to bring warring factions into table and wrote a series of letters to All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishadh (VHP) to work out a solution.

Tamil Nadu chief minister condoles Kanchi seer’s death

Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, condoled the death of Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal. Palaniswami, in a statement here, said he was saddened to know that Jayendra Saraswathi, the 69th pontiff of the Kanchi math, passed away this morning due to ill-health. He said apart from spiritual work, Jayendra Saraswathi was actively involved in social development activities.

So far over 2,000 people have come to pay respects

“A police company has been deployed at the mutt and senior polices officers like the DIG and SP are also here supervising the security arrangements. The crowd is moving smoothly and so far more than 2,000 people have come to pay their respect,” Mugilan, DSP Kancheepuram.

Input by Ayswarya Murthy/101Reporters