Periava's Picture From Hariharan's Pooja Room

His Holiness Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal was the 68th Pontiff of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He was usually referred to as Paramacharya, Mahaswami or Maha Periyavaal During his thirteenth years of age he was taken to Kalavai, when he was studying at Tindivanam, to be initiated into ascetic order and ordained as the 68th Acharya of the Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt. He was given the Sanyasa name Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati. He adorned the Peetam from February 13, 1907. True to the tradition of the Peetam set by Adi Sankara, Mahaswamigal travelled throughout the country by foot or by the traditional palanquin. He also stood by the national sentiments in discarding "foreign cloth" (He immersed them in water instead of setting fire) and started wearing Khadi. He set the trend to create Trusts for achieving the objectives of the Peetham. His foremost concern was preservation of the Vedas, tradition and dharma. He advocated simplicity, shunned pomp, ostentation and extravagance. His exposition of Vedanta, Sastras and the Dharmic duties attracted scholars and laymen alike, from far and wide, for it had always been rich in values and simple in understanding. Great humorist he had the keen acumen to relate root words of all the languages to Sanskrit highlighting its greatness. He attained Moksha (merges with the Supreme Lord) at Kancheepuram on 8th January 1994 (Dhanur, Krishna Dwadasi) in his Centenary year

He preached about the importance of following the Dharmic path. He treated all religions equally and with respect. He was the head of the Mutt for eighty-seven years.Throughout his life, the focus of his concern and activities was rejuvenating Veda adhyayana, the Dharma Sasthras, and the age-old tradition, which had suffered decline. He referred to Veda rakshanam in most of his talks.

Remaining active throughout his life, the sage of Kanchi twice undertook pilgrimages on foot from Rameshwaram in the far south of the Indian peninsula to Benares in the North. Providing support through Veda Patashalas (schools teaching Vedic lore) through the Veda Rakshana Nidhi which he founded and honouring Vedic scholars, he reinvigorated Vedic studies in India. He organised regular sadhas (conferences) which included discussions on arts and culture these led to a renewed interest in Vedic religion, Dharma sasthras, and the Sanskrit language. His long tenure as Peetadhipathi is considered by many to have been the Golden Era of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam

His various discourses are available in a volume of books called 'Deivathin Kural' (Voice of the Divine) which have been compiled by R. Ganapathi, a devotee of Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, and published by Vaanathi Publications. These books are available both in Tamil and English. A condensed form of these books is also available in English. These are available in all branches of the Kanchi math.

Go Samrakshanam, Pidi Arisi etc are the noval philanthropic works of "Maha Periyavaal", along with the Collection of Vedic Scriptures, developing the vedic schools