Introduction

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A Profile of Dr. Sankara Bhagavadpada

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He completed his doctoral research [PhD] in Theoretical Nuclear Physics, from The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai in 1979, with Prof. C.S. Warke as his thesis advisor. Thereafter for two and a half years he was in what was then West-Germany, at The Institute for Theoretical Physics, at the University of Frankfurt as an Alexander Von Humboldt post-doctoral research-fellow till late 1982; working here with Prof. Walter Greiner and Prof. C.S. Warke as his mentors and collaborators. His research work, for this period of a decade [1972-1982] was published in the form of ten papers in the best International journals in the field of Theoretical Nuclear Physics. There was for him, at this stage in his philosophical development an unmistakable inner call to enter into the spiritual sphere of Dharma, moving away in this process from his decade long academic pursuits. He went back to his beloved Master and philosopher – friend, Sri Sri Bhagavan.

In the early 1970s, in attempting to cope with a highly competitive modern world, in which no one paid any attention to the spiritual well-being of individuals, he underwent a radical change of heart, whereby his spiritual life and the aspirations of his deeper-self, took precedence over all other survival concerns. He was able to tide over this crisis – which was one of conflict between the spiritual-aspirations of the deeper-self on the one hand and bread & butter concerns of a mundane world on the other – by taking to heart, the teachings of the Master Sri J.Krishnamurti, for this is what he was asked to do by his philosopher – friend Sri Sri Bhagavan.

In his family archives, he has about fifty personal letters written by the world-teacher Sri J. Krishnamurti to his late mother, who had the privilege of not only knowing the great Master personally since her early childhood, but also of translating a number of his works into her mother tongue, the Telugu language. His late father A Ramachandran was a Barrister from Cambridge University. He had a distinguished legal practice in Chennai for 40 years. Sankara Bhagavadpada is a house-holder, living with his wife & only daughter in the out-skirts of Chennai.

As a token of his abiding gratitude towards his philosopher – friend and Master Sri Sri Bhagavan, he felt morally bounden to serve his Master, for the bliss of equanimity in his heart which he secured, as a result of turning inwards and watching the ‘self’ at work and as a result of taking to heart the Upadesa of this beloved Master. Thus he served his Master Sri Sri Bhagavan, as a completely self-less karma yogi for seventeen long years. Thereafter, watching his Master’s growing spiritual mission steadying itself firmly on its own feet; in 1999, he withdrew from an active involvement in his Master’s mission work and has been, since then responding to a new inner calling from Vedic astrology, for which he has had his Master’s blessings in sumptuous measure.

Among the Jyotish Acharyas, who had inspired him in his pursuit of astrological knowledge and wisdom are foremost Prof. V.K. Choudhry, followed by ancient & contemporary Vedic astrologers, including Pandit Vamadeva Shastri. In the last seven years, his labours of learning have been in the spheres of Vedic astrology & the Systems Approach in the spheres of Dharma & Moksha. In late February 2007, ‘The Systems Institute of Hindu Astrology’ under the chairmanship of Prof. V. K. Choudhry conferred on him the honorary title of ‘Jyotish Ratan, in appreciation of his meritorious services, towards the cause of Hindu Astrology. In March 2006 and in February 2007, he presented his astrological work in the spheres of Dharma and Moksha at The First and Second International Astrological Conferences in Gurgaon, India; again, under the chairmanship of Prof. V. K. Choudhry, and organized by the International Institute of Predictive Astrology [IIPA], Fairfield, USA. In terms of samskaras inherited, his maternal grandfather’s family was engaged in making Panchangas [almanacs] in the Andhra country. They were Vedic Purohits, who had dedicated their lives to Vedic-learning. Using a judicious combination of Vedic astrology and the Systems Approach to Hindu astrology, he has thrown a flood of astrological light on the Self-realization and life of Sri Ramana Maharshi, in his first work – which is now awaiting publication. Apart from his beloved Master Sri Sri Bhagavan, the three advaitic Masters Sri J. Krishnamurti, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Sri Ramana Maharshi have also given him insights and peace and shaped his philosophical and spiritual development.