KAVIYOGI MAHARSHI SHUDDHANANDA BHARATI

Kavi Yogi Maharshi Shuddhanadha Bharati born on 11th May 1897 was a Divine Poet, a Great Yogi and a freedom fighter. As a boy of eight years, the Divine Force called upon him to serve the nation while he embraced the Holy Feet of Sri Meenakshi Amman, in the temple at Madurai, Tamil Nadu. In the wake of that Grace, he made his life-long spiritual pilgrimage with song-thrills, acquiring wisdom through meditation and association with Great men of his times. A mysterious saint in the Himalayas Gnana Siddha initiated him in Mahaturya Samadhi, the highest plane in spiritual development. His intimate contacts with Ramana Maharshi, Shirdi Sai Baba, Siddharudar, Sri Aurobindo, Mother, Sri Seshadri Swamigal and Avatar Meher Baba influenced his spiritual pursuit.He was a tireless volunteer of the Indian National Congress during the freedom struggle and had contacts with Great Leaders like Lokmanya Tilakji, Gandhiji, Nethaji, V.V.S.Ayyar, V.O.C Chidambaram pillai (the first Indian to sail a commercial ship against the British), Poet Subrahmanya Bharati, Subramania Siva, M.N.Roy, Raja Mahendra Pratap and Shenbagaraman. He served as an editor for `Swarajya’ (Tamil), `Bala Bharati’, `Iyarkkai’ (Nature in Tamil), and `Samarasa Bodhini’. He campaigned against evils of untouchability, Liquor and slaughter of animals in the name of God. His Holiness Sri Narasimha Bharati, Sankaracharya of Sringeri gave him the titles- `Kavi Yogi’ and `Bharati’, Shri Sivananda conferred on him the title `Maharshi’. Kaviyogi spent 20 years in silence at the Aurobindo Ashram, Pondichery. He wrote hundreds of books in Tamil, French, English, Sanskrit, Hindi and Telugu. His Magnum Opus, `Bharata Sakti Mahakavyam’, fetched him after long years, the first `Raja Rajan Award’ for best Tamil literature, constituted by the Tanjore Tamil University.He mastered all the Yogic Sadhanaas and synthesized the best in every system of Yoga and Religion in what he called SAMA YOGA (Religion of Equality) or Spiritual Socialism. His SamaYoga recognizes the synthesis of Yoga and Science, vital for upliftment of human race. He traveled all over the world several times and spread his ideals and India’s celebrated culture and values. He established Yoga Samaj Centers at Vadalur and Chennai and published his books. He founded the Shuddhananda Bharati Desiya Vidyalayam High School in Sholapuram village, near Sivagangai, Tamilnadu. He lived in Sholapuram during his last years guiding the samaj and the school. He attained Maha Samadhi on 7th March 1990. Kaviyogi, during his life was ever healthy, smiling, simple and active.