SEPTEMBER 11, 2022
Dwarka Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati passed away on Sunday at the age of 99 in Madhya Pradesh’s Narsinghpur district.
The Hindu religious leader breathed his last at Shridham Jhoteshwar Ashram at around 3:30 pm, Swami Sadanand Maharaj, second-in-command (known as Dandi Swami) of the Dwarka Peeth told PTI.
An Ashram release said the Shankaracharya died of cardiac arrest. He was on dialysis and used to be on and off ventilator for the last couple of months. He was also suffering from age-related issues and was a diabetic, sources were quoted as saying, adding that a special facility was built at the Ashram to treat him.
He will be given a “bhoo samadhi” (burial) on the campus of the Ashram around 3 to 4 pm on Monday, the release said. “His bhoo Samadhi in sitting position which is given to ‘sanyasis’ will take place around 3-4 pm at his Paramhansi Ganga Ashram, Jyoteshwar, in Gotegaon in Narsinghpur on Monday,” it said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is “deeply saddened” by the demise of Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati. “My condolences to his followers in this time of grief. Om Shanti!” he said in a tweet.
द्वारका शारदा पीठ के शंकराचार्य स्वामी स्वरूपानंद सरस्वती जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। शोक के इस समय में उनके अनुयायियों के प्रति मेरी संवेदनाएं। ओम शांति!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2022
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief and said the Shankaracharya’s work on spreading Sanatan Dharm will always be remembered. “I express my condolences to his followers. God bless the departed soul. Om Shanti.”
द्वारका शारदा पीठ के शंकराचार्य स्वामी स्वरूपानंद सरस्वती जी के निधन का दुःखद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ। सनातन संस्कृति व धर्म के प्रचार-प्रसार को समर्पित उनके कार्य सदैव याद किए जाएँगे। उनके अनुयायियों के प्रति संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूँ। ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्मा को सद्गति प्रदान करें। ॐ शांति pic.twitter.com/uPnv3JEull
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 11, 2022
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed Shankaracharya’s death as “an irreparable loss.” “May Lord Shri Ram grant the departed soul a place in his supreme abode and strength to the bereaved Hindu society to bear this sorrow,” he said in a tweet.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati always showed the way to follow the path of righteousness and truth. “May God grant peace to the departed soul,” he said.
पूज्यपाद ज्योतिष्पीठाधीश्वर एवं द्वारका शारदापीठाधीश्वर, जगद्गुरु शंकराचार्य स्वामी श्री स्वरूपानंद सरस्वती जी के ब्रह्मलीन होने का समाचार दुःखद है।
उन्होंने हमेशा धर्म और सत्य के मार्ग पर चलने का रास्ता दिखाया। ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्मा को शांति प्रदान करे।
सादर श्रद्धांजलि। pic.twitter.com/u6ycHjuZHN
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 11, 2022
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel called him a “great saint” who illuminated the earth. “Deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Swami Shri Swaroopanand Saraswati ji maharaj. Such great saints illuminate the earth. The moment of receiving blessings and knowledge of spirituality by sitting at his feet will always be remembered. Om Shanti,” Baghel tweeted.
Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati was the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham in Gujarat and the Jyotir Math in Badrinath.
The Shankaracharya was born as Pothiram Upadhyay in Dighori village in the Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh in 1924. He had left his home in pursuit of God at the age of 9.
Swaroopanand Saraswati had also gone to jail during India’s freedom struggle and called ‘Revolutionary Sadhu’. He is also known for his contributions to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
He became Shankracharya in 1981, his followers said, adding Shankaracharya’s 99th birthday was celebrated recently.
