Ashrama Name: Shri Sacchitsukhendra Sarasvati
Purvashrama Name: Girisha
Purvashrama Father: Somanna of the Chikka family (indicating an Andhra origin)
Years as Pithadhipati: 31
Siddhi: 3612 Khara Vrishabha Shukla Saptami (CE 0511-May-21)
Other:
This Acharya was especially devoted to Subrahmanya.
The well-known Indian astronomer Aryabhata (CE 476-550) was a contemporary of this Acharya. He was also initially a nastika who rejected the existence of anything that cannot be explained by mundane science. (Hence he would not attach importance to the achara-anushthana-s that are prescribed by the dharma shastra-s. He also refuted the possibility of powers higher than science.) However he was devoted to his science and for purposes of making astronomical observations he had travelled into and spent much time in the western sea by boat.
The Acharya, upon meeting Aryabhata, enlightened him [that science, being after all the product of limited human senses and mind, is itself perforce limited in its scope. There are many things that cannot be explained by science hence indicating forces beyond mundane science, perhaps which can be understood by a higher science based on higher levels of perception than those resulting from the flesh-and-blood body/brain or its inventions. These forces were understood by the Rishi-s due to their elevating themselves to higher spiritual stages of perception than an ordinary human mind. Such Rishi-s have prescribed to us the path of Dharma, achara and anushthana-s. Thus it is important, while continuing one’s scientific researches, to not lose sight of the greater principles shown by the Rishi-s which would lead human life into spiritual evolution. Aryabhata, who was after all a logical thinker could understand and accept the Acharya’s clear logic].
Thereby the Acharya reminded him that a Brahmana (whose prime responsibility is the protection of the Veda-s and performing the various anushthana-s like agnihotra for the welfare of the world) is advised not to delve into the seas as this constitutes a breach of achara. For further proof that there exist matters beyond science, the Acharya performed a miracle. Aryabhata was disabled in one hand. By His tapas shakti, the Acharya recreating Aryabhata’s hand and restored its function.
By this time, Aryabhata was fully convinced of the truth of Sanatana Dharma. The Acharya thus rendered the former nastika into an astika, having him perform the adequate prayashcitta-s for absolution of the achara loss generated by the sea travel.
श्रीसर्वज्ञसदाशिवबोधेन्द्रकृता पुण्यश्लोकमञ्जरी
श्रीचिक्काकुलसोमनायतनयः सोऽयं गिरीशः पुरा
संन्यस्तः परिपूर्णवोधगुरुणा सच्चित्सुखः षण्मुखम् ।
ध्यायन् कालविदं सुदूरमुदधौ प्रोष्यार्यभट्टाभिधं
प्रत्यावृत्तमधादथास्तिकमनुष्ठाप्योदितं निष्क्रयम् ॥ ४८ ॥
चित्सुखं विनिवेश्य स्वे पदे सच्चित्सुखः सिते ।
खरे खरांशौ वृषगे सप्तम्यां सिद्धिमाप सः॥४९॥
॥ श्रीसदाशिवेन्द्रसरस्वतीश्रीचरणविरचिता जगद्गुरु-रत्न-माला ॥
अपि नास्तिकम् आस्तिकं दधानान् लपितैर्ज्यौतिषम् आर्यभट्टम् ऊनम् ।
प्रतिषिद्ध-पयोधि-पोत-यानान् यति-सच्चित्सुख-सद्गुरून् नमामि ॥ ५३ ॥
॥ पञ्चषष्टितमैः पीठाधिपतिभिः श्रीमत्सुदर्शनमहादेवेन्द्रसरस्वतीश्रीचरणैः प्रणीतः श्री-काञ्ची-कामकोटि-पीठ-जगद्-गुरु-परम्परा-स्तवः ॥
(२३) सच्चित्सुखान् प्रपद्येऽहं सुखम् आप्तगुहास्थितीन् ।