Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal was the head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
Highlights
- He was admitted to the hospital after complaints of breathing problems
- Head of Kanchi Mutt, among most prominent Hindu monasteries, since 1954
- Mutt runs many schools and hospitals, has huge following in South India
, the 69th pontiff of the Kanchi Mutt, died on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram. He was 82.
He had been admitted to a hospital this morning after he complained of breathing problems. He suffered a cardiac arrest, news agency PTI reported. He had been in poor health for much of last year.
Born Sri Subramaniyam on July 18, 1935, Jayendra Saraswathi was head of the Kanchi Mutt or Hindu monastery established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century and had a huge following in South India. The Mutt runs several schools, eye clinics and hospitals. The junior pontiff Vijayendra Saraswathi will succeed Jayendra Saraswathi.
The rites of the guru, described as 'Brindavana Pravesha Karyakramam' in vedic parlance, will commence from tomorrow, according to the mutt.
His body has been kept at the Kamakoti Peetam for his followers to pay last respects. Many of the devotees who visited the mutt were in tears and described him as a 'jagathguru.'
He had been named as the successor to the Mutt by Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal and was given the title Sri Jayendra Saraswathi on March 22, 1954.
The Shankaracharya was among those charged in a 2004 murder of a Kanchipuram temple employee. Sankara Raman was found murdered within the Kanchi temple premises in September 2003. On November 11, 2003, on Diwali day, Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested from Mahbubnagar in Andhra Pradesh. After two months in jail he got bail. In 2013, he and 22 others were cleared of the charges.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among those who expressed their condolences.
(With inputs from PTI)