Sadasiva Brahmendra

Sadasiva Brahmendra (17th century) was a saint, composer of Carnatic music and Advaita philosopher and Sishya of the great saint Shri Paramasivendra Saraswati, 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.

Life Sadasiva was born in 17th Century into a Telugu Brahmin couple Moksha Somasundara Avadhaani and Parvati. His initial name was Sivaramakrishna.

Sadasiva lived in Kumbakonam, in Tamil Nadu in the 17th to 18th century. He went to learn vedas and other various subjects in Sanskrit in Thiruvisanallur. His contemporaries such as Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval.

Sivaramakrishna left his home in search of Truth. He took Sanyasa from a very Old Saint near Thiruvisanallur and reached Thiruvenkadu and in-turn became the sishya of Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati who was staying there. He studied under his guidance for 18 years and attained knowledge comparable only to the Adi Shankara Himself. After leaving the Thiruvenkadu, 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". 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.

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. He also wrote the Atma Vidya Vilasa, an advaitic work.

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.

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.

He was responsible for installing the deity Punnainallur Mariamman near Thanjavur and guided the installation at Devadanapatti Kamakshi temple. He was also involved in the thanthonimalai Kalyana Venkatesa Perumal temple at Karur. He instructed king of Tanjore to start the Saraswathi Mahal Library which runs till date.

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.

There is a shrine for him in the Nandrudayan Vinayaka Temple, Trichy.

He has five samadhis : Nerur (Tamil Nadu) Manamadurai Omkareshwar Kashi 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

Every year in Nerur and Manamadurai, music festivals are conducted in his honor. In Manamadurai his samadhi is located at the Somanathar temple

Sri Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrusimha Bharati, (fondly referred to as "Abhinava Shankara"), the 33rd Jagadguru of the Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharada Peetham had visited Nerur and composed two slokas in praise of Sri Sadasiva Bramhendra – Sadasivendra Stava and Sadasivendra Pancharatna

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

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

Ananda Purna Bodhoham Sachchidananda – Shankarabharanam Ananda Purna Bodhoham Satatam – Madhyamavati Bhajare Gopalam – Hindolam Bhajare Raghuviram – Kalyani Bhajare Yadunatham – Peelu Brahmaivaham – Nadanamakriya Bruhi Mukundethi – Gowla, Navaroju, Kurinji, Senchurutti Chetah Sreeramam – Dwijavanthi / Surati Chinta Nasti Kila – Navroj Gayathi Vanamali – Gavathi, Yamuna Kalyani Khelathi Brahmande – Sindhubhairavi Khelathi Mama Hrudaye – Atana Kridathi Vanamali – Sindhubhairavi Krishna Paahi – Madhyamavati Manasa Sanchara Re -Sama Nahi Re Nahi Re – Gavathi Pibare Rama Rasam – Ahir Bhairav or Yamunakalyani Poorna Bodhoham – Kalyani Prativaram Varam – Todi Sarvam Bramha Mayam – Mishra Sivaranjani Smaravaram – Jog or Sindhubhairavi Sthiratha Nahi Nahire – Amruthavarshini Tatvat Jeevitham – Keeravani Tunga Tarange Gange – Hamsadhwani

In the movies

Character of Sadasiva Bramhendra is portrayed in the Tamil movie Mahashakti Mariamman

In popular culture

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