Shree Gurubyoh Namah
Sri Sambamoorthi Shastrigal, Sri Kuppuswamy Iyer, “Sollin Selvan” P.N.Parasuraman
The holiest of holy days was heralded in the year of Jaya, on the eighth day of the lunar month of Vaikasi, on Sunday (20th May, 1894), when the constellation Anusham was shining in the sky. This day was the blessed day when Srimad Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya, the 68th Acharya Swamigal of Sri Kamakoti Peetam, established by Sri Adi Sankara, was born into this world. This auspicious event took place in the house of Govindarayar, located in the southern tip of an agraharam in Nawab Thoppu, in the town of Vizhuppuram in South Arcot district. A Brahman named Subramania Shastrigal and his devout wife Mahalakshmi Ammaiyar had the good fortune of bringing this holy man into this world, as their second son.
Sri Swamigal, in His purvashramam, belonged to the Hoysala Karnataka Smartha Brahmin community. This community had migrated from Karnataka and settled in the Chola kingdom, near Cauveri during a time when a prominent member of the community, Govinda Deekshithar was a minister to the Tanjore Nayak kings. One of the branches of this community settled in the holy place of Thiruvidaimaruthur. It is from this branch that our Swamiji’s ancestors hailed. Some of the family members held prominent posts in the court of Maratha King Amarasimha Maharaja (Sarabhoji Maharaja’s uncle), who ruled over Thiruvidaimaruthur. In this glorious family, was born Ganapathi Shastrigal, our Swamiji’s grand father.
Ganapathi Shastrigal was well versed in Shastras and trained in Rig Veda at an early age. He was fluent in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Maharashtram as well as being an able administrator. The 64th Acharya Swamy of Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Swamigal, discovering his efficiency, appointed him as the Chief Executive Officer of the mutt in 1835. He occupied this post for more than 50 years during the tenure of 64th and 65th Peetathipathi.[1] The 64th Acharya Swamiji performed the kumbabhishekam of the Kancheepuram Kamakshi Amman temple in 1840 and the Thatanga prathishtai of Sri Akhilandeswari Amman in 1848. Ganapathi Shastrigal helped to conduct these two events successfully and obtained Swamiji’s blessings. Moreover, he was instrumental in effecting important events that were beneficial to the mutt in the long term. Let’s take a look at one of the key events here:
The 64th Acharya Swamy, Srimad Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Swamigal camped in Thiruvanakaval between 1844 and 1848 at Kanchi Sankara mutt in North Street. The ear rings of Sri Akhilandeswari, the residing deity of Thiruvanakaval, had to be repaired and prathishta of the ear rings had to be performed again. The temple officials and authorities requested Swamigal’s to accomplish these events and he accepted their invitation.
At that time, officials of Sringeri mutt filed a case at Tiruchirapalli Sathar Ameen court claiming that the right to perform Thatanga Prathishta to Ambal rested with their Acharya only. The judge presiding at that court rejected their claim on 17th October, 1846. The officials of Sringeri mutt filed an appeal at Tiruchi civil court. The civil court judge upheld the lower court's decision and rejected the appeal on January 12th, 1848. Sesha Josyar, the Agent of Sringeri mutt, then filed special appeal with Chennai Sadar Adalat court (then High Court) on 11-9-1848. The High court also rejected the case. But a petition was filed to review the decision and the petition was duly rejected. It is to be noted that all judges who ruled against the Sringeri Mutt were not Hindus.
After the conclusion of the above said event, the 64th Acharya conducted the Thatanga Prathishta of Ambal’s ear rings in the proper way after repairing the same, during the later part of the year 1848.
The Sri Mutt was facing difficult times financially after bearing the expenses of a long legal battle, the Thatanga Prathishta and also because the Acharya was stationed in one place. During that time, Acharya was said to have told Ganapathy Shastrigal, “I am getting old and the debts of the mutt are increasing. Taking these into consideration, I feel I should have let Sringeri Swamigal perform the Thatanga Prathishtai”.
Immediately following this event, Ganapathy Shastrigal was not found anywhere around the mutt for few days. When he returned, he was asked about his sudden trip. Ganapathy Shastrigal had gone to visit Tanjore palace to find out about the feasibility of the Acharya's visit to the palace on the way from Thiruvanakaval to Kumbakonam. He was informed by the King and his officials that the visit was not possible.
It was decided that Swamigal and his followers would leave for Kumbakonam via Thiruvaiyar in a couple of days. On the appointed day, the caravan including carts belonging to Sri Mutt, elephants, horses, etc were traveling on the way to Thiruvaiyar. At the cross roads to go to Thiruvaiyar, the officials from Tanjore palace waylaid the mutt caravan and ordered them to turn towards Tanjore. Carts belonging to Sri Mutt were forced to travel towards Tanjore. After some time, when Acharya Swamy reached the Thiruvaiyar / Tanjore crossroads, he was received and welcomed with great respect by the Diwan, palace officials and Vedic scholars and taken to Tanjore.
Acharya Swamy was camped at Tanjore for more than a week. Special food was provided to everyone belonging to Sri Mutt as well as the general public at Shreyas Chathiram, Vennathangarai Chathiram and Rathri Chathiram.
On the night before His departure, Sri Swamy was taken on a procession on an elephant with the king’s son-in-law seated behind His Holiness. On another elephant, the king followed along with Ganapathy Shastrigal and the procession continued around all the four streets and thousands of people gathered to watch the glorious sight.
Next morning, when Sri Swamigal was about to leave the palace, He was requested to sit in an Asana under a tree. The king Shivaji Raja showered Sri Swamigal with small gold flowers which covered up to His Holiness’ neck. The sudden change in the king’s attitude that had previously rejected Ganapathi Shastrigal’s proposal of Sri Acharya’s Tanjore visit was revealed at that time.
Two days before Sri Swamiji left Thiruvanaikaval, the king had a dream where someone kept asking him how he could not do aradhana for Sri Acharyal and Chandramouliswarar Swamy when they were passing by to go to Thiruvaiyar that is so close to Tanjore. Immediately Shivajiraja made all arrangements including the stay and Kanagabhishekham.
Even though, Sri Swamigal was not keen on keeping the gold from kanagabhishekham, Ganapathi Shastrigal wanted to use the money to obtain revenue yielding land for the mutt. After finally obtaining the consent of Sri Swamy, Ganapathy Shastrigal consulted Perunilakizhar Moopanar from Kapisthalam. He purchased 250 acres of fertile lands belonging to Anaikudi Ramaswamy Pillai at Karuppur, which is situated two miles from Tanjore. The lands in this village are the most extensive and most profitable of all of the mutt’s properties. It is believed that the lands in Karuppur were purchased within a few years of the ascension of monastery by 65th Peetathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Maha Devendra Saraswathi Swamigal.
Ganapathi Shastrigal had three sons, namely, Subramania Shastrigal, Ramanatha Shastrigal and Sundaramoorthi Shastrigal. The eldest of the three, Subramania Shastrigal was Swamiji’s father. He was born in the year 1855, had upanayanam performed at an appropriate age and obtained Vedic instruction. Ganapathi Shastrigal also provided Anglo-education for his son. In the year 1872, Subramania Shastrigal matriculated in the first place from Kumbakonam Government Kalasala.
Leaving Kalasala, Subramania Shastrigal joined as a teacher at a school started by Rao Bahadur Appu Shastrigal, Swaminatha Iyer and other prominent persons at Kumbeswara Swamy South Street, Kumbakonam. He got this job with a recommendation from the principal of Kumbakonam Government Kalasala, Sri.Gopal Rao. The same school today goes by the name of Negative High School in Kumbakonam. After working there for sometime, he was appointed to teach the famous land lord Thyagaraja Mudaliar at Kavalakudi village near Thiruvarur. He worked there for a few years and then joined the government education department as a teacher. Later, he was promoted to supervisor and moved around Virudachalam in South Arcot district, Chidambaram, Parangipettai, and Vizhuppuram. Tindivanam, Vikravandi and Manjakuppam for around 30 years.
Our Swamiji’s maternal ancestors belonged to the illustrious Raja Govinda Dikshithar who was a very able administrator and minister in King Sevappa Nayakar, the first Nayakar king to rule Tanjore. Govinda Dikshithar belonged to Upamanyu gothram, conducted various yegnas and was considered a Maha Vidwan. During his times, he was very well known by another name ‘Ayyan’. Around Chola kingdom, there are many places named after him, like Ayyankulam, Ayyan Vaikkal, Ayyan street, Ayyan kadai, etc. He claims the acclamation of building various mandapams and stone steps along the banks of Cauveri in Chola kingdom. He also has the credit of repairing temples in Thiruvannamalai and other temples around Chola nadu. He has also dug tanks and canals in lots of places.
Govinda Dikshithar retired to a famous place Pateeswaram, near Kumbakonam. Even today, his wife’s and his full size statues can be found inside Shiva temple here. Our Swamiji’s mother Mahalakshmi Ammal belonged to this Dikshithar lineage.
Mahalakshmi Ammal was born to Nageswara Shastri and his dharmapatni Meenakshi Ammaiyar at the beautiful village of Eechangudi, that is four miles east of Thiruvaiyar and on the northern banks of Cauveri.
Nageswara Shastrigal hailed in Upamanyu Vasishta gothram, did adhyayanam of Rig Veda and was well versed in Dharma Shastras. Numerous families in Kumbakonam area respected him and considered him their Acharya. One of the families is that of our Swamiji’s grandfather Ganapathi Shastrigal. Once, when Nageswara Shastrigal visited Ganapathi Shastrigal’s house for an occasion, he expressed his wish to give his daughter Mahalakshmi’s hand in marriage to their son Subramanian. Who in their right mind would reject Mahalakshmi knocking on their front door? Moreover, an offer from his Acharya to wed his own daughter to his son was not something Ganapathi Shastrigal could refuse. The wedding of Mahalakshmi Ammaiyar in her 7th year and Subramania Shastrigal in his 17th year took place at Eechangudi.
Mahalakshmi Ammaiyar was a very humble woman, well versed in prayers and hymns in Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit languages. She spent her time taking care of her husband’s needs and bringing her children up with lot of care and attention. She, also, performed all the pujas and vratas observed by women in the appropriate times. Especially, she was known to keep equilibrium without being carried away by good times or bad times, leaving it all to God. She had five siblings, two girls and three boys. Her last brother Subramania Shastrigal was trained in Rig Veda, Shastras, and South Indian languages and spent more than 60 years working in the Mutt.
[1] Sri Maha Devendra Saraswathi Swamigal, 65th Peetathipathi, in his purvashrama was Ganapathy Shastrigal’s brother’s son.
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