Sadasiva Brahmendra (15th/16th Century) was a saint, composer of Carnatic music and Advaita philosopher and Sishya of the Great saint Shri Paramasivendra Sarasvati (57th Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham), who lived near Thiruvenkadu, Tamil Nadu, during the 15th/16th century. Even Today, many saints from big and small mathas come and prostrate at his adhisthanam to pay their respects to him and his guru parampara. Unfortunately only a few of his compositions have survived, but they are recognized as great compositions of Carnatic music.[2]
Life
Sadasiva was born in 15th Century into a Telugu Brahmin couple Moksha Somasundara Avadhaani and Parvati.[3][4] His initial name was Sivaramakrishna.
Sadasiva lived in Kumbakonam, in Tamil Nadu in the 15th to 16th century. He went to learn vedas and other various subjects in Sanskrit in Thiruvisanallur. His contemporaries such as Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval and Sri Bhagvan Nama Bodendral lived in the nearby areas at that time.[citation needed]
Shiva ramakrishna left his home in search of Truth. He became the sishya of Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati . He started aathma vichara and received mahavaakya upadesas from his guru. After taking sanyasa, he is said to have wandered around, naked or semi-naked, and often in a trance-like state. He was reclusive and often meditated, and was described as being in a "supremely intoxicated state".[5] He is said to have performed many miracles whilst alive, some of the most prominent are provided below. His jiva samadhi site is briefly mentioned in 'Autobiography of a Yogi', Chapter 41 by Paramahamsa Yogananda.[6]
On the river banks of Cauvery in Mahadhanapuram, he was asked by some children to be taken to Madurai, more than 100 miles away, for an annual festival. The saint asked them to close their eyes, and a few seconds later they reopened their eyes and found they were in Madurai.[7] He also wrote the Atma Vidya Vilasa, an advaitic work.[8]
There is an epilogue to this story. The next day, another youth, incredulous at hearing this story, asked Sadasiva to take him also to this festival. It is said that the youth immediately found himself in the distant city. When it was time to return, Sadasiva was nowhere to be found. The youth had to make his way back on foot.[9]
Whilst relaxing near a heap of grains, he began meditating. The farmer who owned the land mistook Sadasiva for a thief, and confronted him. The farmer raised his stick to hit the saint, but became a statue. He remained in this state until the morning, when Sadasiva finished meditating and smiled at the farmer. The farmer was restored to his normal state, and asked the saint for forgiveness.[7]
At another time, while meditating on the banks of the Cauvery river, he was carried away by a sudden flood. Weeks later, when some villagers were digging near a mound of earth, their shovels struck his body. He woke up and walked away.[9]
He is said to have met the Raja Thondaiman of Pudukottai and initiated him into the Dakshinamurthy Mantra. He is said to have written the mantra on sand. This sand was picked up by the king and it is in the worship of the royal family till now in the Dakshinamoorthy temple inside the Pudukottai palace in Pudukottai.[10][11]
He also installed Lord Ganesh and a powerful Ganesh Yantra at the Thirunageshwaram Rahu Stalam temple at Kumbakonam. An inscription in the temple bears testimony to this fact. The shrine can still be seen at the entrance to the temple.
Karachi - Details about this Samadhi are not much known. But it was active and there were visitors from India before Partition. It was supposed to be located close to the Indus river[13]
Every year in Nerur and Manamadurai, music festivals are conducted in his honor. In Manamadurai his samadhi is located at the Somanathar temple[14]
Sri Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrusimha Bharati, (fondly referred to as "Abhinava Shankara"), the 33rd Jagadguru of the Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sri Sharada Peetham had visited Nerur and composed two slokas in praise of Sri Sadasiva Bramhendra - Sadasivendra Stava and Sadasivendra Pancharatna[15][16]
Sri Vasudevanand Saraswati ,known as Tembe swami, a great saint of Maharashtra visited Nerur in the year 1907 and composed a hymn on Sadasiva Brahmendral. This incident is mentioned in his biography.
Books
Idol of Sadasiva Brahmendra
He is the author of several works. The following works have been printed/published.
Brahmasūtra-vṛtti or brahma-tattva-prakāśikā - A commentary on Brahma Sutras
Yoga-sudhākara which is a commentary on the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali.
Siddhānta-kalpa-valli
Advaita-rasa-mañjari
Kaivalya Amrita Bindu based on teachings of upanishads
ātmānusandhānam
ātma vidyā vilāsa
Shiva mānasa pūjā
Dakshinamurtty Dhyanam
Swapnoditam
Navamanimala
Navavarnaratnamala
Swanubhuti prakashika
Mano niyamana
Paramahamsa charya
Shiva yoga Dipika
Suta Samhita Sangraha
Manisha Panchaka Vyakhyana (Tatparya Dipika)
The following works are ascribed to Sri Brahmendral but no printed version is available.
Bhagavata sara
Saparya paryaya stavah
Atmanatma viveka prakashika
Gita ratnamala - A Commentary on Bhagavat Gita
Songs
He also wrote several Carnatic compositions to spread the advaita philosophy among common people. These songs are renowned for depth in content as well as brevity of expression. His compositions are quite popular and can be heard frequently in Carnatic music concerts though they are not always rendered in the same raga since the same song has sometimes been set to music by various artists. Some of these are
Character of Sadasiva Bramhendra is portrayed in the Tamil movie Mahashakti Mariamman
In popular culture
samathi of Sadasiva Brahmendra
Sivan Sar, a great saint and younger brother of Kanchi Mahaperiyava Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (68th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham) has written a detailed life history of Sri Brahmendral and venerated in his magnum opus book "Yenipadigalil Manithargal"
Tamil writer Balakumaran has written a novel Thozhan based on the life of Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra.
Printed Sources
Sadasiva Brahman, the Silent Sage, Cuttān̲anta Pāratiyār, 1967[21]
^"pudukottai - ananthablahblah". ananthablahblah.wordpress.com. 28 February 2012. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
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