Huragalavadi Lakshmi Narasimha Shastry was born in Sringeri in 1929, on the auspicious day of Shankara Jayanti. After completing his schooling and higher education in Mandya and Mysore, he joined the Department of Posts. Like many others, he too was imbued by revolutionary zeal in his youth. A transfer to Koppa, a small town near Sringeri in order to temper the fire within made him get back in touch with his roots and brought him into contact with His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidyathirtha, and proved to be an important milestone in his literary journey. A recipient of the Sahitya Academy Award, Sri H.L.N. Shastry has written more than a hundred books, particularly about Sringeri, Adi Shankaracharya and the Guru-Parampara. His work also includes the life-stories of other revered Indian saints as well as two collections of poems based on the Puranas and the Indian epics.

Shastry is known for his pleasant demeanor and eagerness to partake in anything related to Sringeri. He lives in Mysore.