SRI BAGAVANNAAMA BODHENDHRA SARASWATHI SWAMIGAL

SLOKA :

RAAGA : DEVAGANdHARI                                                            tALA : ADI

PALLAVI

Raamaakyabdhi vihaara vilolam                                                                                                 
Raamaakyaparaposhana seelam |                                                                                                    
Raamaakyadhutha kilbisha jaalam                                                                                                                 
Raamaakya garjana jithakaalam ||

Bhajarae maanasa bodhendram                                                                                                                          
Bhavaapdhi tharanam daesikendram 

   SRI BAGAVAN NAAMA BODHENDHRA SARASWATHIKI !!       JAI  !!!

In the world famous kanchi city there lived in Mandanamishra Agraharam a religious Andra Brahmin by name Kaesava Panduranga Yogi.  His wife was Suguna.  To this couple Bodendra Swamigal was born for the welfare of the world.  He was an Amsa of Adi Shankara Bagavath Paada.  The highly blessed Paanduranga Yogi cast the child's horoscope and seeing the divine indication there in named the child as "PHURUSHOTHAMAN" and brought him up. The child grew up gradually and immersed their parents who were pining for an issue a long time, in an ocean of joy.

Phurushothaman gladdened his parents by his divine childhood sports.  Paanduranga yogi was doing Kainkarya to the then head of the kaanchi kaamakoti mutt, named aathma Bodendra alias Viswaadi kentra.  One day when Panduranga yogi was leaving of Sri mutt for kainkarya, child PHURUSHOTHAMAN, who was five years old then, cried that he would accompany his father.  The father brought him also to the mutt, and after paying his respects to Swaamigal, stood with respect before him.  The child also prostrated before the Swaamigal in the same manner as his father.  Swaamigal wondered at this.  Swaamigal realised that the capacity to protect all living beings was inherent in the child.  He enquired about the child.  The father replied that the child belonged to the Swaamigal as it was born by Swaamigal's grace.  Swaamiji then said,  if it was so, would the father leave the child with Swaamiji himself?  The father with some initial hesitation agreed to do so, saying Swaamiji's wish would be for his welfare.  if so let this child be treated from this day onwards as the child of Sri mutt  and father took leave of Swamiji.  The mother also, a chaste lady as she was, did not feel for it and considered it as a blessing.

Purushothaman also showed more devotion to the Swaamigal that his father.  He used to go to the mutt with his father and pay respects to Swaamigal.  As the nature of a plant will be known even when it sprouts, the five year old child's intelligence and its corresponding nature made all wonder at him.  The child began learning at the age of five, was adorned with sacred thread at the seventh year, became well versed in Veda  and Vedaanta before completing sixteen years and shone bright like full moon with the sixteen kalas.  He realised that the essence of all sastras was meditation on lord Naarayana alone.  he vowed before Guru Sannidhi that he would daily chant one lakh eight thousand Raama Naamas and acted accordingly.  Along with him his friend Sri Gnanasaegaran was also similarly engaged.  Thus these two were doing guru seva, Bhagawan Naama Keerthanam daily and were always established in contemplation of the lord.  They became mature by devotion and dispassion in young age.  They were not eneamoured of worldly pleasures, which were the products of Maaya.  They were always in the enquiry of lord and felt attracted by Baagavath Dharma.  Purushothaman's parents were also attained Lord's  feet one by one.  Purushothaman was shining fully qualified for ascending the Aacharyapeeta.  He possessed both Knowledge of sastras and realisation of Brahmanhood, the requisite necessities for becoming as Aacharya.  He also possessed appropriate Guru Bhakthi and Humility.  Aathma Bodendra Swamigal out of compassion for the people who unable to observe the regulations laid down for various stages in life, began to preach bhaagavatha dharma in the form of naama Keetrthana.

Bhaagavatha Dharma is not contradictory to Sanaathana Dharma and Advaitha concept.  Hence, Swaamigal Begun to preach bhaagavatha Dharma.  He gave prominence to Krishna bakthi which is the one of the nine modes of Bakthi and which alone is suitable dharma for Kaliyuga.  Hence he preached  that the Naama Keerthanam alone is the best saadhana for realising Brahmam.  Hence Swamigal preached Naama keerthana, which alone would purify the evils of kali.

Sri Bagavan Naama Bodendra Saraswathi Swamigal adorned the Kaanchi kamakoti Peetam established by Jagadguru  Aadi Sri Sankaraachaarya. Aathma Bodendra Swaamigal Crowned Bagavan Naama Bodendra Swamigal as the 59th Pontiff of Kanchi Kaamakoti Peetam and the head of Advaita Vendantha Saamrajyam.

Swaamigal who was expert in all saasthraas, composed eight works on naama Siddhantha Naamamrutha Rasodayam, Naama mrutha Rasaarnavam, Naamamrutha Rasaayanam, Naamamrutha Suryodayam, Naamamrutha Tharangam, Mrutha Bramha Vivekam, Harihara Bedha dikkaram and harihara advaitha Bhushanam.  In addition Swaamigal wrote several advaidha siddantha works also.

Swaamigal preached Naama siddhandha to all the people all over India and established Raama naama Siddhaandam through Bhaagavadha Sankeerthnam which can be understood by even ordinary people. 

Swaamigal used to play with children on the cauvery bank.  One day in the evening while playing with the children Swaamigal jumped into a deep place and asked the children to cover the pit with sand.  Hence taking this also as a play the children covered Swaamigal with sand and went home.  Next morning Swaamigal's desciples and the village people came to know about the incident and came to the bank to remove the sand and tried to bring out Swaamigal.

Then many fainted suddenly a voice was heard from the sky. "We will remain here itself in a siddha body made up of Gnana as a jeevan Muktha for the world's welfare.  We will be doing Naama Kirthana forever by yogic power.  A brindaavan can be built over this place and worship can be done. we will give darshan to those bhaaghavathars who chant daily one lakh eight thousand bhaghavan naamas. on hearing this people  wondered and obtained devotion to guru. a thulasi plant was installed there and abhishekham was also performed and naama keerthanam  was being done. Sri bhagavan naama bodendhra swaamigal is the first guru in bhajana sampradaya. Before him no guru keerthana is to be sung. The greatness for establishing naama siddhantha entirely belongs to him. Swamiji is resting in jeeva samadhi in govindapuram situated next to Thiruvidaimaruthur in Tanjore distrcit, Tamilnadu, south India. This event happened in salivahana year 1614 (1692 a.c) 0n the full moon day, proshta paada month ( tamil month purattasi corresponding to september october). Even now every year in the adhistana of Bodentral in Govindapuram, the aradhana of swamigal is being celebrated for 15 days commencing from full moonday till mahaalaya amavasya day (New moon day) by many bhaagavathas. Bhagavan nama Bodendra Swamigal remains in Jeeva Samadhi and he is doing naama keerthana always for the welfare of the world. This will be evident to devotees from  the divine feeling experienced in the Adhishtanam. The descent of Jagadguru Sri Bhagawan nama Bodendra Swamigal who is an ocean of infinite mercy in this world was for the purpose of removal of impurities of kali yuga by propogating Naama Keerthana which is the dharma ordained  for that yuga.