Mahasamadhi of Sri Swami Satyananda Giri,

Disciple of Parama Pujya Sri Vidyananda Giri Swamigal

of Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam

Swami Satyananda Giri was born in 1947 at Chennai to a pious Brahmin couple Smt. Lakshmi and Sri Krishnamurthy and was named as Mahadev. He studied in Christian College High school, later at Madras Christian College, Tambaram and Presidency College. He had outstandingly brilliant educational career. He worked for a short time in “The Hindu”.

Very early in his life, he was drawn to spiritual life when he read the book “Pathways through to space” by Dr.Franklin Merrell Wolff. It led him to the study of Sankara Vedanta and was keenly drawn to Bhagavan Sri Ramana. He was visiting Arunachala often. Subsequently, he met Sadguru Swamini Gnanananda Saraswati and was drawn to her. As advised by her, he came to Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam and received sannyasa diksha from Parama Pujya Sri Swami Vidyananda Giri on Vyasa Puja day, 9^th July 1979.

He was staying at Sri Gnanananda Niketan and was taking part in the activities of the ashram. An erudite scholar of western philosophy, particularly Kant and was interested in comparing Sankara Vedanta with some of the thinkers of the West. It resulted in writing books like “The Twirling of the Lotus” and on “Kant”.

He attained Mahasamadhi on 31^st March 2015 and was laid to rest at Sri Gnanananda Niketan, Thapovanam.

In above photo, second from left is Sri Swami Satyananda Giri and fourth from left is Sri Swami Vidyananda Giri.

SRI SANKARA JAYANTHI MAHOTSAVA

Sri Sankara Jayanti Mahotsava commenced at Sri Gnanananda Niketan on the sacred day of Akshaya Tritiya on Tuesday, the 21^st April 2015. It was celebrated with annadana. About 250 people from the neighboring two villages participated including the school children from the two Government Elementary Schools in Kuchipalayam and Kudamurutti.

Sri Sankara Jayanti was celebrated on Thursday, the 23^rd April 2015. The poojas and Vedaparayana were performed at Satsang Mandap. On the day of Sri Sankara Jayanti an elaborate pooja was performed to Adi Sankara.  Ashtottarasata Namavali Archana was offered to Sri Dakshinamurty, Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya and Sri Gnanananda Swaminah.

Before the Aarti, Swami Nityananda Giri read a few sentences from Sri Sankara Bhashya on Bhagavad Gita and also Chapter VI of Chandogya Upanishad. He also explained their meaning in detail. The passage on Gita Bhashya was from the introduction where Sri Sankara points out that the Gita presents the essence of the teachings of the Vedas and also Yoga Sastra. He specially draws our attention to an important aspect that our religion, Sanatana Dharma, comprises of Pravritti Marga (engagement in activities relating to Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga) and Nivritti Marga (withdrawal from religious activities to totally devote oneself to the study of Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Brahma Sutra – Gnana Yoga).

The passage from Chandogya Upanishad Bhashya relates to the summing up of the entire teaching on Mahavakya “Tat Tvam Asi”. Acharya Sankara points out:

“What does a person gain from the teaching given in the sixth part of the Upanishad? Prior to the instruction, he cherishes the notion that it is his duty to perform ritualistic actions and that he will experience their results in this world and the next. In other words, he regards himself as the doer of actions and the enjoyer of their results. But all these notions cease for one who is awakened to the Knowledge of Reality by understanding the meaning of the statement: “That thou art.” The notions of being the doer and of enjoying the result are contrary to the Knowledge of Pure Being. When a person realizes himself as Pure Being, One and without a second, there is then no possibility of his cherishing the idea that he is one entity and that work is something else, which it is his duty to perform in order to enjoy a certain result. All ideas of diversity vanish for him. Therefore, the notion that the human soul is a modification disappears when one has rightly understood Pure Being, the non-dual Self.”

-          Trans. Swami Nikhilananda

Moola Parayana of Krishna Yajur Veda- Asitidvaya, Sakha Samhita was performed by seven qualified Vedic pundits. It commenced on 24^th morning and concluded by mid-day on Monday, the 27^th April 2015.

 

On Tuesday, the 28^th April 2015, the day of the Aradhana of Paramapoojya Swami Vidyananda Giri Swaminah, special pooja with abhisheka was performed at his Samadhi shrine. It was attended by Swami Nityananda Giri and Swami Sadasiva Giri. Traditional Aradhana was performed in the main Ashram and both of them participated in it.  At Ananda Kutir, Pooja was also performed to Adi Sankara and our Sadguru Gnanananda. Special Bhiksha was also arranged at Niketan. A special Bhojan for sannyasins and sadhus was also arranged at Yogi Ramsuratkumar ashram, Tiruvannamalai on the day of the Aradhana.

Paramapoojya Swami Vidyananda Giri was very fond of giving clothes and sweets to Children.

Hence as a concluding feature of this year’s Mahotsava, function was organized to distribute a pair of uniforms with sweets to each of about the 90 children studying in the Government Elementary Schools at Kuchipalayam and Kudamurutti. In his talk, Swami Nityananda Giri specially advised the Elementary School teachers to appreciate their importance in shaping the character of young children in their formative age. Children should be taught Tamil Classics of moral instruction. He also advised the children that they should study well and show respect to elders.

Prayers were offered during the Mahotsava to Acharya Sankara that all the devotees may be blessed with his Grace so that they may develop unflinching devotion to God and Guru leading to growth of Viveka(spiritual discrimination between the Real and non-Real), Vairagya(detachment from the non-Real) and desire for Moksha(liberation from primordial Ignorance).