Podcast in English and Spanish- His Holiness Sri Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji came all the way to Ecuador from India to give a conference on the philosophy and spirituality behind Yoga, not just the physical practice but the daily living of Yoga. It is very interesting what Swami Ji had to say about the significance of Ecuador and South America becoming the successor and the new seat of Spiritual Knowledge, carrying the torch from India, this is why Swami Ji came to Ecuador.

Shankaracharya is a title used for the heads of matha (monasteries) in the Advaita tradition. Swami Ji is the eleventh successor of the Dholka-Bhanpua Peeth. When he reached the age of 27, he grew an inner desire to know the mysteries behind life and death. In his quest to understand these mysteries, he left home and sacrificed a bright career. He moved from one place to another. He met various saints of different schools of thought and had discussions with them. But he was not satisfied. He says, “I got satisfaction at a lonely and quiet place in an ancient Shiva Temple far away from crowded towns. This temple is located near Chapkauli, a small village in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. I stayed there for three and a half years continuously. Remembrance of those days thrills me even today. Those were the days of spiritual ecstasy”. During his stay at the Shiva Temple he also underwent the ‘Panch Maha Agni Tapa’ where he had to sit with fire all around him for 41 days in the year 1983 during the hot months of May and June of India where the sunrays fall perpendicularly over the Tropic of Cancer.

In 1984, he was initiated into ’sanyas’ by his holiness Swami Harishwaranand Teerth at Chitrakot. A well renowned Dandi Swami His Holiness Swami Vishnu Ashram Ji Maharaj of Sukh teerth in district Mujaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh imparted the knowledge of different scriptures to Swamiji and made him well versed in the theory of Vedanta.

 In 1984, he was initiated into ’sanyas’ by his holiness Swami Harishwaranand Teerth at Chitrakot. A well renowned Dandi Swami His Holiness Swami Vishnu Ashram Ji Maharaj of Sukh teerth in district Mujaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh imparted the knowledge of different scriptures to Swamiji and made him well versed in the theory of Vedanta.

 Nine years after leaving home  he was coroneted as Shankaracharya of Bhanpura Peeth by the Brahamleen Swami Ram Ashram Ji Maharaj, the then Sankracharya of the Peeth,in presence of all the mathadhipaties of the shankracharya order of sanyas during the Maha Kumbh, the Holy congregation of saints at Parayag (Allahabad), the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati on Moni Amawasya the 6th.February,1989. More than 500 Dandi Swamies attended the ceremony.

 After taking over as a Sankracharya, Swamiji has devoted his life for the upliftment of humanity in general and Sanatan Dharma in particular. He has undertaken three Pad Yatras (Pilgrimage on foot). First he went on foot from Delhi to the Holy Cave of Amarnath (Himalayas). His second pad yatra was from Bhanpura Peeth to Chitrakoot Dham and the third and the longest pad yatra was from from Gangotri (Himalayas) – the place of origin of the Holy Ganga in the north to Rameshwaram in the south. Twice he has been to Mansarovar. During these yatras His Holiness camped in villages and spread the message of Sanatan Dharma among the masses of India.

 His Holiness has also performed the rare Jyotirmati Kalpa, at Ram Ganj mandi in Rajsthan in July and August of 1994, sitting in a cave especially constructed for the purpose for 55 days. During this period he did not eat anything accept taking 250 grams of milk everyday.

 
He endeavors to serve people. He has made a charitable hospital and an ashram at Chapkauli Village. He is the founder patron of Swami Divyanand College of Polytechnic at Mulana in Ambala district of Haryana.

 In 2001 he led the VISHWA DHARMA PRASAAR YAATRA propagating the age-old message of Bharat that “the whole world is verily one family” (vasudhaiva kutumbakam). More than 20,000 people participated in the programe. It was educative and enlightening. Many in the audience wished to have such a programs periodically.

Swami Ji has visited Canada, United States and Venezuela, Columbia, Russia, China, European Contries, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and Indonesia. Altogether, he has visited thirty six countries Wherever he goes, he attracts a large gathering and leaves a mark of admiration and devotion in the minds and hearts of the people

Swami Ji's complete biography and website here

http://jagadgurubhanpura.info/

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