Videha Kaivalyamukta Brahmaleena Paramapujya Srimatparamahamsa Parivrajakacharya Sachidananda Pranavaswarupa Paramacharya Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Shivaratanpuri Bhagvatpadacharya
Sri Sri Sri
Tiruchi Mahaswamiji
Founder, Sri Kailash Ashrama Mahasamsthana
He who sees me in all, and all
in me, from him I am never away,
nor is he ever away from me
He is neither benefited by
fulfilled tasks, Nor is He perturbed
by unfinished ones, and He is not
also dependent upon any
Living or non-living entity for
any purpose whatsoever.
Srimad Bhagavad Gita - 3:18
The ancestral lineage of Paramapujya Sri Tiruchi Mahaswamiji can be traced back to the rulers of the great Vijayanagar Empire. The fortunate parents, Smt. Ranganayaki and Sri. Adinarayana, were the descendents of the chieftains of Vijayanagara. As a fulfillment of the long cherished prayers of the pious couple at the altars of Goddess Kanyakumari and Palani Andavan and the blessings of the then Pontiff of Sringeri Sri Chandrashekhara Bharathi Swamiji, a Divine Spark took a human form on Wednesday, the 29th of March, 1929, the auspicious seventh Phalguni under Punarvasu Nakshatra. It was a day of great jubilation in Vikramasingapuram, where the Divine manifestation took place.
The Mystery of Mahaswamiji's name
The child grew up, unfolding brightness like a waxing moon. Naming the child was a problem to the Vaishnavite parents. Was He not a gift of Palani Andavan? How to give Him a Vaishnavite name? A sort of a miracle saved the situation. The child took ill and was in a delirious state. The anxious parents had given up all hopes. By God’s Grace, Amavasai Swamigal, a well-known Saint in the area, appeared on the scene and seeing the child, called, “O, Palani Swami!” The child woke up to the bewilderment of the parents and recovered soon. Noticing the working of the Divine Will in this miracle, they named Him Palani Swami.
The Call of the Divine Mother
At the proper age, the loving parents admitted Him to school. Though very active and intelligent, the boy disliked studies, frequently visited temples and sought the company of Sadhus. A Bhairavi Swami and a Muslim Baba, who were attracted by the sweet manners of the boy, taught Him some occult practices. Having been so dear to His parents and to His people, He could have lived like a prince, but destiny drew Him elsewhere, for a higher purpose. Yet in His teens, He visited Ceylon and stayed for some time in Kandy, a sacred place for the Buddhists, where the tooth-relic of the great Buddha is worshipped.
It was a turning period of His life. One day, it is said that a temple elephant which was let loose, ran wildly and began chasing people on the streets. They ran helter-skelter in panic. Palani Swamy came out to see what was going on. The approaching elephant saw the unmoved boy and lo! to the amazement of the onlookers, calmed down by itself and saluted the boy in reverence. The news spread far and wide in Ceylon, and people began to adore the boy, whose Divinity was recognized.
One auspicious midnight a Bhairavi Sanyasi beckoned the boy and surprised Him by showing the doll of ‘Parashakti’, with which He used to play as a child. When He followed Her, as if mesmerized, to the top of a hill all alone, She revealed Herself in the form of the Divine Mother (Parashakti) and blessed Him. He stood as if struck by lightning for a long time in Her brilliant Presence. She bid Him to visit the holy Himalayas to meet His spiritual Guru. She also indicated His destiny which was to spread Her Message and relieve the poor and the innocent of their anxieties. From that day He was a completely transformed being and resolved to remain a celibate for life and devote Himself entirely to spiritual service.
Returning to India, He did return home. He stayed for a considerable time with his uncle at Tiruchi, performing austerities amidst the Tayumanavar Hills in Tiruchi and hence the name ‘Tiruchi Swami’.
Meeting His Guru - Paramapujya Sri Shivapuri Baba
At the instance of His devotees and as per the direction of the great Goddess, He undertook a pilgrimage to the North. He visited Kasi, Prayag and many other holy places and finally went to the mighty Himalayas. Anyone is enchanted by the sublime beauty and the ennobling influence of the great Himalayas. Many souls have found peace in its lap. Again in Nepal at the bidding of Guhyambika (another form of Parashakti) in Her temple, He met the most noble ‘Sri Shivapuri Baba’ living nearby. Both were at once overwhelmed with blissful joy.
Paramapujya Sri Shivapuri Baba blessed Him and gave Jnanopadesha, the mystic syllabus that leads to knowledge. He also gave Him Manasika Sannyasa, initiation into the state of renunciation without the external symbols of sannyasa like the ochre garb, the shaven head and the staff. He was asked to continue wearing white clothes. He also anointed Paramapujya Sri Tiruchi Swamiji as the next in the line of succession to Himself in the ancient Matha of Shivaratnapuri and gave Him the Deeksha name as Shivaratnapuri. Paramapujya Sri Tiruchii Swamiji had now become the head of a spiritual institution that went back in time. He did not spend much time with His Guru. What passed between them during this period is a matter that concerns only the two of them. All that we can say is that the Guru finally found the person He was waiting for and that the disciple found the person He was searching for. It will be seen that Paramapujya Sri Tiruchi Swamiji is the 40th in the line of succession.
After a few days Paramapujya Sri Shivapuri Baba said to Him, "You should not spend your time here. You have much work to do in the South, so please go South." In obedience to His command, Paramapujya Sri Tiruchi Swamiji started on His return journey to the South.
Life of Paramapujya Sri Tiruchi Mahaswamiji through the years
Tiruchi Swamiji with A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Tiruchi Swamiji with Sri Bharathi Theerta Mahaswamigal
Swamiji at Eashanya Mutt Thiruvannamalai, 1965.
Swamiji with Sri Samantha Desikar, Thiruvannamalai, 1965.
Swamiji with Sri Madike Swami, a renowned renunciate at Bengaluru Ashram, 1965.
Swamiji with Sri Sachinanda Swami of Holenarasipur at Bengaluru Ashram, 1965.
Swamiji with Acharya Mahamandaleshwar 1008 Sri Maheshwarananda Siri Maharaj of Sri Sanyas Ashram, Mumbai, 1968.
Swamiji with the Shankaracharya of Dwaraka Peetha discussing certain aspects of Vedanta, 1970.
Swamiji with Swami Chidbhavananda Puri of Tirupparaithurai, a direct great grand disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, 1972.
Swamiji with Ma Anandamayee in Vindhyachal, Madhya Pradesh discussing the Divine Glory, 1973.
Swamiji with the Sankaracharyas of the Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam, 1997.
Swamiiji blesses Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, 1977.
Swamiji with Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Sri Krishnanand Ji Maharaj of Udasina Sanyasi lineage, 1986.
Swamiji with Acharya Mahamandaleshwar 1008 Bhramanand Giri Ji Maharaj of Sanyas Ashram, Bombay, 1986.
Swamiji with Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Niranjani Peethadeshwar Sri Krishnanand Giri Ji Maharaj of Sanyas Ashram Delhi, 1986.
Swamiji with Satguru Sri Sivaya Subramaniya Swami of Kauaii Hindu Monastery, Kapaa, Hawaii during Swamiji's visit to Hawaii, USA, 1990.
Swamiji with Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Sri Vidyanand Giri Ji Maharaj of Sri Kailash Ashram, Rishikesh and Sri Kashikanand Giri Ji Maharaj of Sri Sanyas Ashram Kandivali, Mumbai, 1990.
Swamiiji blesses Smt. MS Subbulakshmi, the renowned vocalist and Sri Sadasivam, 1990.
Swamiji with Chinmayananda Saraswati, the founder of Chinmaya Mission, during the latest stay at the Ashram for a Geeta Gyana Yagana, 1990.
Swamiji with the Pope John Paul at the Vatican City, 1993.
Swamiji with the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lamberth Palace Chapel, 1993.
Swamiji with the Raja Guru of Mysore Maharaj, Srimad Abhinava Ramanuja Brahmatantra Parakal Swamiji, a Pontiff of Lakshmi Narasimha Parakala Mutt discussing Divya Prabhanda, 1980.
Swamiji with Sri Shivakumara Swami of Tumkur Siddaganga Math, 1999
Swamiji with Sri Satya SaiBaba at the Rajarajeshwari temple, Bengaluru, 1999.
To be inspired by the teachings of Paramapujya Sri Tiruchi Swamiji, devotees may purchase Manidweepa Prakashanam Publications
at the temple bookstore in
Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bengaluru.
Paramapujya
Sri Tiruchi Mahaswamiji
Sri Shivaratna Puri Mahaswamiji
