Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati, earlier known as Kuppa Venkateshwara Prasada Sharma, was formally anointed as successor to Sri Bharati Tirtha, Sankaracharya of the Sringeri Math, in Sringeri on Friday.
According to a release from the Math, the elaborate ceremony of ‘Shishya Sweekara’ began on Thursday.
The successor-designate performed several rituals, fasted all day and stayed awake throughout the night. He began Friday by paying homage at the ‘samadhi’ shrines of the previous Sankaracharyas.
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Later, he went to the banks of the Tunga and performed ‘Preshochaarana’ and ‘Sarva-bhoota-abhaya Pradhana,’ signifying a vow of non-violence towards all beings.
As he rose from the Tunga river, Sri Bharati Tirtha blessed him with ‘kashya vasthram’ (saffron monastic robes), ‘dandam’ and ‘kamandalu.’
As per the tradition, the senior pontiff gave the successor ‘pranava upadesha’ and ‘mahavakhya upadesha.’
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On completion of the ceremony, the junior pontiff entered the Sharada temple. The event was witnessed by over 40,000 persons, the release said.