*SWAMI OMKARANANDA SARASWATI*
17.01.1956 - 10.05.2021
- A brief biography
by N. Avinashilingam
Om.
*BIRTH:*
Sri Goshteswara Sharma alias Manoharan was born in Perur, Coimbatore,
Tamil Nadu, India on January 17, 1956. He was born in an orthodox Brahmin family. After sannyasa diksha he was known as *Swami Omkarananda Saraswati.*
*EARLY EDUCATION:* Manoharan studied in the traditional Veda patasala. He studied at Srimat Jnanasivachariyar Swamigal Madalyam, Mel Mutt, Perur. He
studied from great Vedic scholars, Veda purva baga, conduct of simple Ganapathy homas to elaborate temple kumbhabisekam. He was gifted with a great memory. His vedic chanting was appreciable and his voice was melodious.
Sri Kripananda Varier was a great Tamil orator giving talks on Hindu literature. After
listening to the talks and returning home, Manoharan used to repeat the whole talk
to his family and friends. He had such a remarkable memory.
His father used to chant Rudram at the famous Perur Pateswarar temple. He used to visit the temple along with this father and go around the temple. He used to observe each and every part of the temple with great devotion and interest. He also studied the devotional texts in Tamil.
He later studied Vedas and Sanskrit in depth at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
*STUDENT OF SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:* He had all the four required
qualifications required for a vedantic student – discrimination, detachment, discipline
and desire for moksa. He left home and stayed at Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam,
Tirupparaithurai, Trichy, Tamil Nadu. Swami Chidbhavananda, Founder of
Tapovanam initiated Manoharan to sannyasa in 1985. He was given the diksha name *SWAMI OMKARANANDA*. He studied Vedanta from Swami Chidbhavananda. He started giving talks on Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita and conducting spiritual camps for seekers.
*STUDENT OF SWAMI PARAMARTHANANDA:*. He wanted to study Vedanta in depth. Hence he went to Chennai and studied from Swami Paramarthananda. Swami Paramarthananda is a student of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati and a great
*2.Vedanta teacher.*
He stayed with Swami Parmarthananda and studied advanced
Vedanta during 1987 to 1995. Swami Paramarthananda had allowed only four
students to stay with him and study Vedanta. Swami Omkarananda was one of those four students who had done enormous punyam to stay with Swami Paramarthananda.
*PUBLIC TALKS:*
He started giving advanced talks on Vedanta. Through his
eloquent discourses, he drove home the deep insights of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads, such that even an average person can comprehend them with ease.
He also gave talks on sacred Tamil texts such as Thevaram, Thiruvachakam
Thirumandiram, Thayumanavar's hymns, Bharatiyar songs and Thirukkural. He became a very popular Tamil speaker on Hinduism.
He interacted freely with people of all strata without discrimination of caste, creed, age, economic status or education and attracted them by his compassionate words
and friendly nature.
He has conducted jnana yagnas in many parts of india like Madurai, Erode, Chennai, Coimbatore, Rajapalayam, Salem, Namakkal, Theni, Cumbum, Pudukkottai,
Virudunagar, Sivakasi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
He has also conducted jnana yagnas in may places abroad like Malaysia, Singapore,
Australia, Hong Kong, London, Dubai and Muscat.
*SRI SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA ASHRAMAM, THENI:*
He established Sri Swami Chidbhavananda Ashramam. It is run by Vedanta Sashtra Prachara Trust. In 1995, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati inaugurated the Ashramam at Vedapuri,
Theni, Tamil Nadu. From 1995 this was his Head Quarters.
Three year residential Vedanta courses were conducted here in traditional Gurukulam style. The students who had completed the course are spreading Vedanta throughout Tamil Nadu.
*VEDA PATHASALA:* In the Ashramam, Veda Pathasala is functioning. The brahmacharis from Vaidika families are taught Yajur Veda and Sivagamam.
*ANTARYOGA:* Short duration spiritual camps are conducted at the Ashramam.
These camps have introduced the spiritual vision to common public. The campers are taught meditation, chanting, yoga and Vedanta texts.
*TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR YOUTH:*.
Training programmes are conducted in the Ashramam for youth, giving them value education and cultural education.
*VEDANERI TAMIL MAGAZINE:*.
The monthly magazine published by the Ashramam has articles on Veda purva and Vedanta.
*3. SANATANA PUBLICATIONS:*
Swami Omkarananda's chanting and spiritual talks
are available in CDs and books through Sanatana Publications, Chennai.
*DAKSHINAMURTI TEMPLE:*.
Under the auspices of Sri Dakshinamurti Seva Samiti, he had constructed a magnificent edifice named Adiguru Sri Prajna Dakshinamurti
Vidyapitham in 2002.
The murti of Sri Dakshinamurti is 9 feet in height. The murti
with chinmudra symbolises self knowledge. In the temple, worship is done with
great zeal and enthusiasm and as per tradition. This temple helps the spiritual
growth of seekers.
*GOSALA:* Cow is the abode of all devatas. Every day morning, worship of cow
takes place in front of Sri Dakshinamurti. A gosala is run in the ashramam to take good care of the cows.
*SRI BHUVANESWARI AVADUTA VIDYA PITHAM, PUDKKOTTAI:*. Sadguru Santananda Mahaswamigal founded Sri Bhuvaneswari Avaduta Vidya Pitham in
1962. He attained maha Samadhi in 2002. In 2005, Swami Omkarananda
succeeded him as the Pontiff in the lineage of Sri Dattatreya. The Pitham conducts
various homams for the benefit of the world.
Sri Bhuvaneshwari Charitable Trust maintains this Sri Bhuvaneswari Avaduta Vidya Pitham. Sri Swayamprakasa Avadhuta Sadasiva Trust maintains the Sri Sri Judge Swamigal Adhishtanam.
*SRI DATTATREYA AVADHUTA VIDYAPITHAM, SENDAMANGALAM:*
He became the Pontiff of Sri Dattatreya Avadhuta Vidya Pitham in 2005. The renovation and kumbhabhishekam of Lord Dattatreya's temple and Sri Swayam Prakasa Swamigal Adhishtanam at Dattagiri, Sendamangalam, Namakkal District,
Tamil Nadu were conducted in 2008.
*SADGURU SHATHANANDA SATSANGAM TRUST,*. CHENNAI: He founded
Sadguru Shanthananda Satsangam Trust at Chennai in 2008. The objective of the
Trust is to preserve Bharatiya culture in all its vibrancy by a series of activities and implementing them through tireless efforts.
*REVERENCE FOR PUJYA SWAMI DAYANANDA SARSWATI:*.
Swami Omkarananda was very much devoted to his Guru Swami Parmarthananda's Guru, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati. He was in charge of the vaidika rituals during Pujya Swamiji's 60th, 70th and 80th birthday celebrations. He was in charge of the
Kumbhabisekam of the temples in Arsha Vidya Gurukulam at Anaikatti and Swami Dayananda Ashram at Rishikesh. He has also succeeded Pujya Swamiji in Dharma Rakshana Samiti and Sri Mahalinga Swami Seva Trust.
*4.DHARMA RAKSHANA SAMITI:*.
Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded Dharma Rakshana Samiti in 1999 to spread awareness of the richness of Vedic culture and stop conversion. Pujya Swamiji appointed Swami Omkarananda as itsPresident in 2014.
*SRI MAHALINGA SWAMI SEVA TRUST:*. Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded Sri Mahalinga Swami Seva Trust in 2010 to build five chariots for Sri Mahalingaswamy Temple at Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbhakonam. Pujya Swamiji appointed Swami Omkarananda as its Chairman and Managing Trustee in 2014.
*U V FOUNDATION:"
He founded U V Foundation in 2017 to spread 'Ullam Thorum Valluvam', an initiative to spread the message of Thirukkural. The Foundation trains
teachers, who in turn can teach students Thirukkural.
*ATMA VIDYA ONLINE COURSE:*
He conducted a five year online course on atma vidya in Tamil. Thousands of students had benefitted.
*WHATSAPP SPIRITUAL MESSAGES:*
He used social media to reach students. He sent spiritual messages on Bhagavad Gita and Thirukkural through regular Whatsapp
messages. Many thousands of students had benefitted.
*AGNI GLOBAL CLASSROOM:*
He conducted classes on sacred texts and Vedanta
through Agni Global Classroom from Theni.
*MAHA SAMDHI:"He attained maha Samadhi on May 10, 2021 at Madurai.
*SWAMIJI'S UNIQUENESS:*
Swamiji was an authority on karma kanda and jnana
kanda parts of the Vedas. This is a very rare combination. Swamiji gave the vision of Vedanta in an easily understandable manner in Tamil.
*SWAMIJI'S QUALITIES:* Swamiji was simple and accessible to one and all. In spite of his physical ailments, he always had a smiling face. He had a captivating voice. In spite of his challenging health conditions, he enthusiastically took part in all the religious and spiritual activities with great vigour and strength. Swamiji loved Mother India and Veda Mata equally. He always expressed his love for
Mother India and had a vision for national development. Whenever atheist politicians
criticised Hindu Dharma, we gave them a fitting reply quoting the greatness of Hindu
Dharma from the scriptures. He had thousands of students around the world. His students are rooted in spirituality and lead a purposeful life of righteousness and love and enjoy inner peace.
Swamiji lives with us in the form of his teaching, books, audios, videos and institutions established by him.
5.REFERENCE: The Sacred Mission of Pujyasri Swami Omkarananda published by Sri Swami Chidbhavananda Ashramam, Theni.
Om Tat Sat.
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