Sri Narayana Yatheendra Mahadesikan, 87, 45th Azhagiyasingar of Sri Ahobila Mutt, passed away here shortly after midnight on Saturday night. He had been ailing for some time. The swami, who was in Chennai, developed breathlessness and was brought to Srirangam. On Friday night he developed renal failure. His successor Sri Ranganatha Yatheendra Mahadesikan and close disciples were by his side when the end came.
The 45th Azhagiyasingar was the eighth swami in the hierarchy of Sri Ahobila Mutt to bear the asrama name “Narayana”.
Born on December 12, 1926 at Villivalam in North Arcot, the swami, known as Sri Krishnamacharya before he took up sanyas, was a student of Madras University and passed Nyaya Siromani in 1949, bagging first prize for general proficiency. His elder brother Vedanta Vaavadhook Narayanachariar Swamy provided the foundation, after which Krishnamacharya learnt Nyaya and Meemamsa Sastras at the feet of 42nd and 43rd Azhagiya Singars.
Krishnamacharya was trained by a series of great scholars in Srivaishnava texts and commentaries, the Bhagavad Gita and Nalayira Divya Prabandam . He was editor of Sri Matam’s journal Sri Narasimha Priya. He was known for his captivating discourse on Sri Bhashyam,Rahasya Traya Saaram, the Ramayana, Bhagavatam , Tiruppavai and the Bhagavad Gita.
The swami ascended the throne when the 44th Jeeyar, who was responsible for construction of the Rajagopuram at Srirangam, suddenly took ill in October 1991 and called upon Krishnamacharya to take over the reins of the Mutt. The anointing ceremony took place on October 21, 1991.
S. Rajagopalan, CEO of the Mutt, said the last rites would be performed at 10 a.m. on Sunday, beside the Brindavan of the 44th jeeyar.
