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Jayendra Saraswathi, 69th head of the Kanchi Math, is the first to be

involved in a major controversy. In a 2-part series, P C Vinoj Kumar

presents brief accounts of each of the Shankaracharya’s 68

predecessors

1. Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Sankara established the Kanchi

Math in 482 BC. Sri Sankara, who had travelled across the country, is

believed to have finally settled down in Kanchipuram, impressed by the

town. He was a great spiritualist, philosopher and poet, who nominated

his successor to the Math, thus setting a precedent that has been

religiously followed for 25 centuries. 2. Sri Sureswaracharya A

native of Mahishmati, he was called Mandana Mishra before he was

inducted into the ascetic order. One of the older disciples of Sri

Sankara, a stone icon of Sri Sureswaracharya is found inside the

Kanchi Math. He wrote the famous philosophical treatise,

Naishkarmya-Sidhi. He attained mukti in 407 BC. 3. Sri Sarvajnatman

Sri Sankara handpicked Sri Sarvajnatman when the latter was seven

years old. When Sri Sankara proposed to nominate him as his

successor, the boy’s parents happily agreed. Sri Sarvajnatman wrote a

commentary on Sri Sankara’s Sutra Bashya. He attained videha mukti in

364 BC. 4. Sri Sathyabodhendra SaraswathiA great fighter of

Samkhyas, Bauddhas and Jainas, Sri Sathyabodhendra Saraswathi was

from Amaravatitheera. He was called Phalinisa in his poorvasrama. He

wrote Padaka-Sata, a treatise on Sankara Bhashya, and attained mukti

in 268 BC. 5. Sri Jnanandendra Saraswathi The author of Chandrika, a

commentary on Sri Sureswaracharya’s Naishkarmya Siddhi, he was known

as Jnanottama before he was inducted into the ascetic order.In his

Chandrika commentary, he refers to his guru and parama guru. He

attained mukti in 205 BC. 6. Sri Suddhanandendra Saraswathi: He was

from Vedaranyam, the son of Bharvu Pandita. He was known as

Viswanatha before his sanyasa. He attained mukti in 124 BC. 7. Sri

Aanandaghanendra Saraswathi Known as Chinnaya before he was inducted

into the ascetic order, he claimed he had obtained great literary

powers through divine grace. He wrote commentaries on Sankara

Bhashyas and Sureswaracharya’s Vartikas. He attained mukti in 55

BC.8. Sri Kaivalyanandayogendra SaraswathiHe was from Tripathi in

present-day Andhra Pradesh and was known as Manganna before sanyasa.

The son of Trailinga Sivayya, he attained mukti in 28 AD. 9. Sri Krpa

Sankarendra SaraswathiHe was an Andhra Brahmin, who introduced a

chastened mode of worshipping Shiva, Vishnu, Ambika, Surya, Ganapati

and Skanda. He laid the path for the later day Saiva and Vaishnava

religious reformers through his work. He attained mukti in 69 AD.

10. Sri Sureswara He was from Maharashtra. Known as Maheswara before

sanyasa, he attained mukti in 127 AD. 11. Sri Sivananda Chidghanendra

SaraswathiThe 11th leader was from Karnataka, and his poorvasrama name

was Iswara Vatu. He was the son of Ujjvala Bhatta. He attained mukti

in 172 AD. 12. Sri Chandrasekharendra SaraswathiThe successor of Sri

Sivananda Saraswathi was from a village near the river Palar. He was

very interested in yoga. He is believed to have disappeared in a cave

in Seshachala in 235 AD, after holding the position for 63 years. 13.

Sri Satchidghanendra Saraswathi He was from a village on the bank of

the river Gadilam. His original name was Seshaya. He wandered in the

vicinity of Kanchi for over 32 years before disappearing in a temple

in Kanchi. It is said that there he was transformed into a linga in

272 AD. 14. Sri Vidyaghanendra SaraswathiHe was from Andhra Pradesh,

and his original name was Nayanai. He attained mukti in 317 AD. 15.

Sri Gangadharendra Saraswathi Like his predecessor, he too was from

Andhra Pradesh. He was known as Subhadra before sanyasa. A great

scholar, he attained mukti in 329 AD. 16. Sri Ujjvala Sankarendra

Saraswathi He was from Maharashtra. He was known as Achyuta Kesava

before he was inducted into the ascetic order. He fought ‘heretics’,

and drove the followers of Jainism beyond Sindhu. He attained mukti

when he visited Kashmir in 367 AD. 17. Sri Sadasivendra Saraswathi

The 17th leader was the son of a Brahmin minister of Kashmir. In his

early years, he is believed to have showed a leaning towards Vedanta.

He attained mukti in 375 AD. 18. Sri Yogafilaka Surendra

SaraswathiSri Yogafilaka Surendra Saraswathi was from Maharashtra. He

is said to have defeated the Charwivaka Durdivi through his argument.

He attained mukti in 385 AD. 19. Sri Martanda Vidyaghanendra

SaraswathiHe was also known as Suryadasa. It is said that he was

cured of leucoderma by prostrating before Bhagavan Surya 1,008 times

a day. He attained mukti in 398 AD.20. Sri Muka Sankarendra

SaraswathiThe 20th Shankaracharya was born deaf and mute, but is said

to have acquired the power of speech through Goddess Kamakshi, in

whose priase he wrote Muka Panchasati. He attained mukti in 437 AD.

21. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi IIThe 21st leader was from

Konkan. He attained mukti in 447 AD. 22. Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi

Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi was from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. He was a

talented physician and yogi. 23. Sri Satchisukhendra SaraswathiThe

23rd leader, who was from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, was a great

votary of Subramanya. Before sanyasa, his name was Girisa. He

attained mukti in 512 AD. 24. Sri Chitsukhendra SaraswathiSri

Chitsukhendra Saraswathi, who was from Konkan, remained there

throughout his tenure. His original name was Siva Sarma. He attained

mukti in 527 AD. 25. Sri Satchidanandaghanendra SaraswathiHe was

from Srimushnam. He was a great yogi who travelled all over India. He

attained mukti in 548 AD.26. Sri Prajnaghanendra SaraswathiHe was the

son of Prakhakara and was from a village on the bank of the river

Pinakini. Before sanyasa, his name was Sonagiri. He attained mukti in

465 AD. 27. Sri Chidvilasendra SaraswathiHe was from Andhra Pradesh

and was the son of Madhusudhana. Before sanyasa, his name was Hari

Kesava. He attained mukti in 577 AD.28. Sri Mahadevedra Saraswathi

The 28th Shankaracharya, a native of Bhadrachala, was the son of

Bhanu Misra. His original name was Sesanarayana. He attained mukti in

601 AD. 29. Sri Purnabhodhendra SaraswathiSri Purnabhodhendra

Saraswathi, whose pre-sanyasa name was Krishna, was the son of

Sripati. He attained mukti in 618 AD. 30. Sri Bhodhendra Saraswathi

II The 30th leader, son of Kajahasti, was known as Balayya before

sanyasa. He attained mukti in 655 AD. 31. Sri Brahmanandaghanendra

Saraswathi The 31st Shankaracharya was an authority in the six

Darsanas. He was from a village on the bank of river Gadilam and

attained mukti in 668 AD. 32. Sri Chidanandaghanendra SaraswathiA

great yogi, Sri Chidanandaghanendra Saraswathi is believed to have

subsisted on dry leaves alone. Before sanyasa, his name was

Padmanabha. He attained mukti in 672 AD. 33. Sri Satchidananda

Saraswathi The 33rd leader, also known as Bhaskara Paramesthi, was

from a village on the bank of the river Chandrabhaga. He was known as

Timmana before Sanyasa. He attained mukti in 692 AD. 34. Sri

Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi IIIAn extensive traveller, the 34th

leader is remembered for saving the life of a child who was caught in

a forest fire. He attained mukti in 710 AD. 35. Sri Chitsukhendra

Saraswathi Sri Chitsukhendra Saraswathi was a native of Vedachala and

the son of Vimalaksha. Before Sanyasa, he was known as Susila

Kamalaksha. He attained mukti in 737 AD. 36. Sri Chitsukhanandendra

Saraswathi: The 36th Pontiff was the son of Somagiri and hailed from

a village near Palar. He was known as Suresa before Sanyasa.

37. Sri Vidyaghanendra Saraswathi III: The 37th Pontiff, whose

original name was Suryanarayana, was the son of Balachandra. He

attained mukti in 795 AD in Chidambaram.

38. Sri Abhinava Sankarendra Saraswathi: One of the greatest Pontiffs

of the Kanchi math, his life story is described in detail in ‘Sankara

Vilasa.’ He was an erudite scholar, who defeated Vakpati Bhatta,

another great scholar in argument. He is believed to have entered the

Dattatreya cave in Himalayas in 840 AD. 39. Sri Satchidvilaasendra

Saraswathi: The 39th Pontiff, who was known as Sripati before

Sanyasa, was the son of Kamaleswara of Kanyakubja. He lived in

Padmapura for a long time. He attained mukti in 873 AD. 40. Sri

Mahadevendra Saraswathi II: Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi II hailed

from Karnataka. The son of Kannayya, he was very handsome and his

former name was Sivaramabhatta. He attained mukti in 915 AD. Express

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