Sunday, February 21, 2016

Samadhi of Bodhendra Saraswathi, Govindapuram, Thanjavur

Samadhi of Bodhendra Saraswathi, Govindapuram, Thanjavur
The Samadhi or tomb of Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi, the 60th Shankaracharya of Kanchi matha is located in the town of Govindapuram in Thanjavur district, Tamilnadu and is an important Hindu pilgrimage destination.
History
Bodhendra Saraswathi, the 17th-century pontiff of the Kanchi matha reached Govindapuram during the course of his wanderings in the Cauvery delta. He was attracted by the beauty of the place and decided to attain Samadhi or salvation at the spot.

One morning, in the Purattasi (September-October) month of the year 1692, Bodhendra Saraswathi attained Jeeva Samadhi sitting in a yogic state. He attained Videha Mukthi at Govindapuram on Full Moon day in the month of Proshtapada of the cyclic year Prajotpatti (1692 AD).
Sri Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi Swamigal
Sri Bhagavannama Bodhendra Saraswathi Swamigal alias Sri Bodhendral was born in Mandana Miśra Agraharam at Kanchi as the son of Kesava Panduranga. Sri Bodhendral's former name was Purushothama. It was Sri Bodhendral who stressed the efficacy of devotion as a means to liberation in this Kali Yugam. Sri Bodhendral therefore undertook the Nama Siddhantha, or establishing the supreme efficacy of reciting the names of Bhagavan in many of his writings, chiefly in Namamritha Rasayana and Namamritha Rasodhaya.
Sri Bodhendral's mission of Nama Siddhantha was pursued with equal vigor by Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval of Tiruvisainallur and by Sathguru Swamigal of Marudanallur. It was the Nama Siddhanta of Sri Bodhendral that was ultimately responsible for the evolution of Bhajana Sampradhaya as an institution in the religious life of the Hindu community in South India. Sri Bodhendral performed Tatanka Pratishtha at Jambukeswaram and while returning to Kanchi.
Bodhendra Saraswathi was a 17th-century Hindu pontiff and the 60th Jagathguru (head) of the Kanchi mathaKanchipuramTamil NaduIndia. He spent his later life in Govindapuram.
Early life
Bodhendra was born to a Brahmin couple, Kesavapanduranga Yogi and Suguna in the beginning of 17th century (in the year 1610) at Kanchipuram, which was then headquarters of Kanchi matha. The couple did not have children for a long time and believed that they were blessed by the devotion to Viswakendra Saraswati (Athmabodhar), the 59th Jagathguru of the Kanchi Matha. The child was named Purushothama by Viswakendra Saraswati.
Seeing the extraordinary qualities and immense potentialities of the child, to render incalculable good to humanity, Sri Viswakendra Saraswati requested his parents to hand over the child to the Kanchi Matha with the pious hope of making the child succeed him. The parents willingly gave the child to the mutt. The child attained extra ordinary mastery over Shruti and the Smriti. It gradually dawned on him that Nama sankeerthanam (chanting of Lord Rama's name) would fetter the cycles of death and birth in Kali Yuga. He chanted Rama Nama (the name of Lord Rama) one lakh times every day.
Initiation of Sainthood
Athmabodhar instructed Bodhendra Saraswati to proceed to Kanchipuram after obtaining Lakshmi Sreedhar's Bhagawan Nama Koumundhi from the author himself at Jagannatha Kshetram (Puri Jagannath), and to compose a lakh of Bhagawan Nama Slokas (sacred texts on lord) on the basis of Bhagawan Nama Koumundhi. The above-mentioned mandate of his guru (teacher) gave him a golden opportunity to pour out his devotion to Lord Rama and to vindicate the efficacy of Rama Nama (name of Lord Rama).
Govindapuram
Bodhendra Saraswathi, during the course of his wanderings in the Cauvery delta was attracted by the beauty of the place and decided to attain Samadhi or salvation at the spot. One morning, in the Purattasi (September–October) month of the year 1692, Bodhendra Saraswathi attained Jeeva Samadhi sitting in a yogic state. He attained Videha Mukthi at Govindapuram on Full Moon day in the month of Proshtapada of the cyclic year Prajotpatti (1692 AD). The Samadhi of Bodhendra Saraswathi is maintained by the Kanchi matha.
Sanctity
A tomb was constructed by Bodhendra's disciples over his body and yearly aaradhanas are conducted at his tomb.

Connectivity
Govindapuram is a village in the Thiruvidaimarudur taluk of Thanjavur district in Tamil NaduIndia. It is situated at a distance of 7 kilometres from Kumbakonam and 27 kilometres from Mayiladuthurai and 1 kilometer from Thiruvidaimarudur.
Nearest Railway Station is located at Kumbakonam & Thanjavur. Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.