Swami Karpatri
Encyclopedia
Swami Karpatri was a monk in the Hindu
dashanami
monastic tradition. His ordained name
as a monk was Hariharananda Saraswati, but he was popularly known by the name Karpatri ("he who uses his hand as a food vessel") Swami
. He was married and the father of a baby daughter when he left home at age 17 to seek ordination as a sannyasi (monk). After his years of learning, including three years in icy caves in the Himalaya, he was ordained as a monk. He was the pupil of the very famous Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath Swami Brahmananda Swaraswati. He was also the founder of Dharma Sangha in Varanasi. He spent most of his life at Varanasi
. He was a teacher in the Advaita Vedanta
tradition of Hindu philosophy
. In 1948, he founded the Ram Rajya Parishad
, a traditionalist Hindu party
. He also guided Alain Daniélou
, a noted French
indologist
into converting into Hinduism
under the name, Shiv Sharan. Swami Karpatriji was the most popular teacher of Advaita Vedanta in Varanasi in his lifetime. He was also the great expert of Shree Vidya and probably all the present day experts in Varanasi have somehow or the other obtained Shree vidya from him or his pupils. There are some tales that he was a siddha purush. His certain pupils include Swami Nischalananda Swaraswati the present shankaracharya of Puri as well as Swami Chinmayananda Swaraswati the present Shankaracharya of Varanasi.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
dashanami
Dashanami Sampradaya
Dashanami Sampradaya is a Hindu monastic tradition of Ekadandisannyasins [1][5][7] generally associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition...
monastic tradition. His ordained name
Yoga patta
Yoga patta is the name given to Dasanami sannyasin in the Smarta tradition of monasticism of Adi Shankara....
as a monk was Hariharananda Saraswati, but he was popularly known by the name Karpatri ("he who uses his hand as a food vessel") Swami
Swami
A swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
. He was married and the father of a baby daughter when he left home at age 17 to seek ordination as a sannyasi (monk). After his years of learning, including three years in icy caves in the Himalaya, he was ordained as a monk. He was the pupil of the very famous Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath Swami Brahmananda Swaraswati. He was also the founder of Dharma Sangha in Varanasi. He spent most of his life at Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
. He was a teacher in the Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...
tradition of Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy is divided into six schools of thought, or , which accept the Vedas as supreme revealed scriptures. Three other schools do not accept the Vedas as authoritative...
. In 1948, he founded the Ram Rajya Parishad
Ram Rajya Parishad
Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad , was a traditionalist Hindu party in India. It was founded by Swami Karpatri in 1948. The Ram Rajya Parishad won three Lok Sabha seats in the 1952 elections and two in the 1962 elections. In 1952, 1957 and 1962, it won several dozen Vidhan Sabha seats, all in...
, a traditionalist Hindu party
Hindu politics
Hindu politics refers to the political movements professing to draw inspiration from Hinduism. Hindu nationalism is the numerically most significant among the current political movements claiming to be inspired by Hinduism.-Revivalism:...
. He also guided Alain Daniélou
Alain Daniélou
Alain Daniélou was a French historian, intellectual, musicologist, Indologist, and a noted Western convert to and expert on Shaivite Hinduism.-Life:...
, a noted French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
indologist
Indology
Indology is the academic study of the history and cultures, languages, and literature of the Indian subcontinent , and as such is a subset of Asian studies....
into converting into Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
under the name, Shiv Sharan. Swami Karpatriji was the most popular teacher of Advaita Vedanta in Varanasi in his lifetime. He was also the great expert of Shree Vidya and probably all the present day experts in Varanasi have somehow or the other obtained Shree vidya from him or his pupils. There are some tales that he was a siddha purush. His certain pupils include Swami Nischalananda Swaraswati the present shankaracharya of Puri as well as Swami Chinmayananda Swaraswati the present Shankaracharya of Varanasi.
See also
- Adi ShankaraAdi ShankaraAdi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
- VaranasiVaranasi-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...