The Call of The Jagadguru

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The great Acharyas of our land have been ever strenuously engaged in doing Dharma Prachara and have touched the hearts of thousands of devotees all over the country. Their words of wisdom and advice have brought relief and happiness to many a soul grouping in the dark.

His Holiness Sri Chandrashekhra Bharati Mahaswamiji who adorned the Sharada Peetham from 1912 to 1954 was always radiating sparkling rays of wisdom which the expectant devotees gathered up as precious gems. Sri R. Krishna Swamy Aiyar is one of such devotes and has written several books on the Mahaswamiji. This one is a collection of the talks given by His Holliness on different occasions over a period of several months. The talks have been classified and arranged in a sequence just as a goldsmith fashions a necklace of gems from stray stones, after selection and setting.

There are chapters on right living, pursuit of happiness true education purification of the minds and need for strenuous effort. The goal is pointed out clearly and the way is shown with such simplicity that even a child can understand. Like all great sages the Jagadguru has expressed the most sublime truths in simple homely similes and anecdotes.

The book should appeal even to those who seek happiness real and true happiness in this world laying emphasis as it does on good conduct and right attitude to the world around us.

Sri R. Krishnaswami Aiyar who has been a devoted Sishya of His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Swamiji of Sringeri has already published the gist of some discourses of the late Jagadguru and has now compiled a fuller selection of his teachings summarized under several heads. Some of these summaries have already appeared in the Kalyana-Kalapataru.

The late Jagadguru was a truly evolved being and an authentic Seer who lived and taught always in sight of his Master. In my experience, there have been two persons, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Swamiji and Venkataramana Maharshi of Tiruvannamalai who, whilst in this world, most unmistakably dwelt with the Unseen.

Pandit Vidyabhusan Venkatarama Sharma has given to the world a short poem entitled Adishamkarastava outlining the main details of Adi Shankaracharya. Of course, there are several works &voted to the phenomenal pilgrimages of Adi Shankaracharya and to the foundation of the several Maths that bear his name. It is matter for perennial wonder how, in the course of the short life, he was able not only to travel to all the significant places in our country but to create for us an encyclopedia of philosophical as well as devotional literature which, both in form and matter, can be ranked with the sublimest productions of the human genius. Not the least important of his contributions was the foundation of the Sringeri Math which later owed so much to his Sishyas.

It is one of the glories of the Sringeri Math that more than other great foundations like the Papacy and the Caliphate, all the personages who have successively occupied the position of its head have been men both of profound learning and unsullied and lofty character.

According to all systems of Hindu philosophy, Liberation or Moksha is experienced before being perfected thereafter. This realization off Liberation is deemed to arise as a result of constant - practice and can only be attained by contact with a Gum or Preceptor who has himself attained by contact with a Guru or Preceptor who has himself attained such realization.

In my earlier publication from the Master’s lips since republished under the title of Dialogues with the guru I gave samples of the method of exposition adopted by His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Swamiji of Sringeri in the course of his ordinary conversation. At the desire of some friends I have attempted here a reproduction of his longer talks with the help of some notes which were taken down at the time by some friends and myself. In presenting these thoughts in a language different from the one in which they were expressed it is possible that I may have unconsciously erred in some respect but those who have moved intimately with His Holiness or have studied the Shastras will help me greatly if they would draw my attention to them with a view to their rectification in another edition.

The teachings recorded here were addressed to lay audiences and do not therefore deal with the higher flights of the Advaita philosophy but are in the nature of a fervent appeal to all not to waste their precious lives but to utilize them as best as they can for their own ultimate good. It is devoutly hoped that such an appeal will not be entirely lost upon his world in spite of its present tendencies.

Most of the matter in this book appeared as a series of articles in the Kalyana-Kalpataru of Gorakhpur and I thank its publishers for their kind permission to reprint them here in a collected form.

I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to the esteemed statesman scholar Dr. C.P Ramaswami Aiyar for his kind and appreciative foreword.