Thousands mark golden jubilee of Sringeri Sharada Mutt Seer Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji’s Sanyasa Sweekara

Mysore/Mysuru: Amid the resplendent lighting of the Mysore Palace, thousands of devotees participated in a grand Stuti Shankara Stotra Parayana at the Palace premises last evening.

The event marked the Golden Jubilee of Sanyasa Sweekara (ascetic initiation) of Sringeri Sharada Mutt Seer Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji.

On the occasion, the large gathering rendered stotras composed by Adi Shankaracharya — Kalyana Vrishti Stava, Shiva Panchakshara Nakshatramala’ and Lakshmi Narasimha Karunarasa — in a melodious and devotional chorus that reverberated across the Palace and its surroundings.

The programme commenced with Veda Ghosha and Vagdevi Stuti in the benign presence of the Junior Pontiff of Sringeri Sharada Mutt, Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Swamiji.

Immense spiritual power

Addressing the gathering, Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Swamiji said that stotras possess immense spiritual power.

Describing them as a sacred language of communication with the Almighty, he said Adi Shankaracharya gifted humanity this profound medium to connect with God.  He noted that Adi Shankaracharya revitalised Sanatana Dharma by systematising Advaita Vedanta (non-dualistic philosophy) and that stotras serve as an accessible path to understand this philosophy.

Emphasising the importance of purity in spiritual expression, the Seer said the language used to communicate with the Divine must be elevating and reiterated that Adi Shankaracharya provided the finest such language through his stotras.

Sharada Mutt and Mysore Palace

In his address, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar recalled the long-standing and cordial relationship between the Sringeri Sharada Mutt and the Mysore Palace.

Observing that the erstwhile royal family had always sought the guidance of the Sringeri Jagadgurus, he said the Mutt has played a pivotal role in preserving India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage and has rendered yeoman service to society.

Stuti Shankara programme convening committee member Sudhakar S. Shetty said the event was not merely a religious gathering but a movement for spiritual awakening and cultural renaissance, celebrating India’s timeless religious traditions.

Earlier, Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Swamiji was accorded a warm welcome at the Palace by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, MP Yaduveer and his wife Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar. Members of the erstwhile royal family later performed Paduka Puja to the Seer.

Among those present were Yedatore Yoganandeshwara Saraswathi Mutt Seer Sri Shankara Bharati Swamiji, Sri Brahmananda Bharati Swamiji, former MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, State BJP OBC Morcha President R. Raghu Kautilya and others.

Thousands of devotees from across the State, who had practised Adi Shankaracharya’s stotras for nearly a year, took part in the mega spiritual event.