Ashrama Name: Shri Sarvajnatmendra Sarasvati
Appellations: Sarvajnatma Muni, Sarvajna Chandra
Birth Place: Brahmadesham, a village near Tirunelveli on the banks of the Tamraparni River
Purvashrama Name: Mahadeva
Purvashrama Father’s Name: Vardhana
Sannyasa: at age 7
Years as Pithadhipati: 42 after the Siddhi of Shri Sureshvara who reigned as protector for 70 years; in total 112
Siddhi: 2737 Nala Vaishakha Krishna Chaturdashi (BCE 365-Apr-20)
Siddhi Place: Vedachalam (Tirukkalukkundram near Chennai/Kanchipuram)
Other:
When Shri Shankara was about to ascend the Sarvajna Peetham in Kanchipuram, many scholars from all parts of the country came to challenge His qualification to be recognized as a “sarvajna” (omniscient). Shri Shankara proved His knowledge and was accepted by all scholars. When He was then about to ascend the throne, Shri Sarvajnatma, then a child of seven years who had been silent so far, challenged the Acharya and held Him in scholarly debate for three whole days. On the fourth day, He accepted the replies given by the Acharya and remained silent, after which the Acharya ascended the Sarvajna Peetham.
Shri Shankara was most happy to see such an erudite young child, and asked the child’s father about him. The father replied that since age 6, his son would only intake water, and would speak nothing but the Pranava when spoken to. Shri Shankara then decided to appoint this child as His suitable successor in the Sarvajna Peetham. After obtaining consent of the father, He gave the child sannyasa by the name of Sarvajnatmendra Sarasvati and appointed Him His successor under the guidance of Shri Sureshvara.
This Acharya retained His vrata of not consuming anything more than water. He composed works on Advaita such as Sankshepa Shariraka. At His time, the Jaina-s, who were not so peaceful then as they are now today and who had been subdued by Acharya Shankara, had been making a resurgence. This Acharya ensured that they do not disturb the Vedic Dharma as far east as Pragjyautisha (Kamarupa, today known as Assam).
श्रीसर्वज्ञसदाशिवबोधेन्द्रकृता पुण्यश्लोकमञ्जरी
ताम्रारोधसि वर्धनात् समुदितः सन्न्यासितः सप्तमात्
प्रागेवात्मविवादहृष्टमनसा श्रीशङ्करेणैव यः।
तत्पीठे ससुरेश्वरं समनयद् वर्षांश्च यः सप्ततिं
चत्वारिंशतम् आस्त सद्वयम् असौ अब्दान् स्वयं तन्मठे॥७॥
आचार्यप्रियपद्मपादचरणाम्भोजद्वयीसेवनाद्
ऊढद्वारवतीमठाय मुनये ब्रह्मस्वरूपात्मने।
श्रद्धाराद्धपदाय तत्त्वमतुलं चिन्मुद्रया निर्दिशन्-
नेवैक्यं समगान्निजेन महसा सर्वज्ञसंज्ञो मुनिः॥८॥
कल्यब्दैः स हयाग्निलोकनयनैः (२७३७) वर्षे नले माधवे
लिल्ये कृष्णचतुर्दशीमनु महस्याम्नायशैलान्तिके।
ग्रन्थैर्यत्कलितैर्न्यदर्शि विशदं सङ्क्षेपशारीरक-
प्रख्यैरद्वयसूत्रभाष्यगहनच्छन्नः पदार्थोच्चयः॥९॥
॥ श्रीसदाशिवेन्द्रसरस्वतीश्रीचरणविरचिता जगद्गुरु-रत्न-माला ॥
सलिलाशन एव यः सलीलं विलयं प्रापिपद् आर्हतान् सुशीलः ।
सुम-हार-फणीन्द्रयोः सदृष्टिः स हि सर्वज्ञ-गुरुर्ह्रियात् कुदृष्टिम् ॥ ३८ ॥
॥ पञ्चषष्टितमैः पीठाधिपतिभिः श्रीमत्सुदर्शनमहादेवेन्द्रसरस्वतीश्रीचरणैः प्रणीतः श्री-काञ्ची-कामकोटि-पीठ-जगद्-गुरु-परम्परा-स्तवः ॥
(३) अपोऽश्नन्नेव जैनान् य आप्राग्ज्योतिषम् आच्छिनत् ।
शिशुम् आचार्य-वाग्-वेणी-रय-रोधि-महो-बलम् ॥ ९ ॥
सङ्क्षेपशारीर-मुख-प्रबन्ध-विवृताद्वयम् ।
ब्रह्मस्वरूपार्य-भाष्य-शान्त्याचार्यक-पण्डितम् ॥ १० ॥
सर्वज्ञचन्द्र-नाम्ना च सर्वतो भुवि विश्रुतम् ।
सर्वज्ञ-सद्गुरुं वन्दे सर्वज्ञम् इव भू-गतम् ॥ ११ ॥