His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya, the 69th Shankaracharya Guru and pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, visited Amritapuri Ashram on January 19, 2010. The Kanchi Acharya met with Amma privately before addressing the Amritapuri Ashram residents in the Main Hall.
Upon his arrival in Amritapuri, he was welcomed with purnakumbham, the ceremonial presentation of the “full pitcher,” by Amma’s senior disciples Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, Swami Turiyamritananda Puri, and Swami Amritatmananda Puri, as well as the brahmacharis. There was also panchavadyam, a temple orchestra of five instruments, and thalappoli, a traditional procession of women and young girls.
In their private meeting, the Kanchi Acharya and Amma discussed Advaita and its practical application in society. Amma gave him a rudraksha mala, which he immediately put around his neck.
Sitting beside Amma and addressing the ashram residents, he said, “Kerala is a holy land. It was in this land that Adi Shankaracharya took birth. Many other mahatmas have incarnated here, such as Sri Narayana Guru and Chattampi Swamikal. And now in this Kali Yuga, Mata Amritanandamayi has divinely blessed us. She graciously guides Her devotees through darshan, bhajans, devotion, and seva.
“For many years now, I have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to visit this sacred place. Today I finally got the chance. All of you are indeed blessed and virtuous.
“God resides in the hearts of all beings and governs them, yet His true nature remains a mystery. To realize His true nature, we need the attitude of service. The sutra, manava seva madhava seva, ‘service to man is service to God,’ expresses this essential principle. Serving a temple is important. But along with that, we need to love our fellow beings and serve them without anger, hatred, or jealousy. Considering others with an attitude of love is by itself a great service. As this love develops, most of the problems of society will vanish.
“It is true that we need to serve the needy. The affluent sectors of society do not need our help. But they still need our love and care. If we develop such noble virtues as love, compassion, and devotion to God, our life becomes complete. Everyone around us benefits.”
The Kanchi Acharya briefly stressed the importance of maintaining symbolic customs such as the application of sandal paste, kumkum, and vibhuti on the forehead. He said that these markings help us and others to remember God. “If we look at Amma, we see that She is never without this.”
When he finished his talk, Amma asked the ashram residents to sing the Adi Shankaracharya hymn, Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, and to chant Purusha Suktam.
Before leaving, he offered his full support to Amma and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the Mata Amritanandamayi Math in the future.
The parampara, or lineage, of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham is traced back to Adi Shankaracharya, with his first ashram being under the care of Sureshwaracharya Swami, his foremost disciple. It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya spent his final years in Kanchipuram.