Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry
Encyclopedia
Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry , native of Amaravathi, Andhra Pradesh
, was born to Sriman Dakshinamurthy couple at Hassanabada village, Krosur Mandal, Sattenapalli Taluk in Guntur district on August 28, 1925. He is scion of Malladi
family known for its philomath
y in the Vedas
. His grandfather, Sriman Malladi Ramakrishna Chainulu, was not only an authority in all aspects of Vedic and Sanskrit literature
but also a renowned propogator of the Advaita Vedanta
Siddhanta
scientifically all over Andhra Pradesh
. Sastry not only learnt and mastered the Vedas
, Śrauta
, Smartha
, Vyākaraṇa
and Tarka shastra
s but also delved deep into the intricate ramifications of Hinduism
ordained in the Puranas
under the expert tutelage of his grandfather at a young age.
He delivered pravachan
on the Ramayana
at his native place in the august presence of reputed pundits when he was hardly 19, Sastry established himself as an invincible pravachaka with a niche of his own with a discourse almost immediately at a event presided over by Viswanatha Satyanarayana
at Vijayawada
. The Ramayana
, the Mahabharata
and the Bhagavata Purana
besides the oratorios of Dattatreya
were his favorites.
and Telugu
and Sastra Prakarana. He inherited this Vedic knowledge from his grandfather, Pandita Pravara Malladi Ramakrishna Vidwat Chayanulu.
At a young age Chandrasekhara Sastry learned Vedas
, Vyākaraṇa
(grammar), Tarka (logic), Pūrva Mīmāṃsā
(literally 'investigation'. a part of Hindu philosophy) and vedanta sastram
(Indian spiritualism) from eminent scholars. His discourses on these subjects and on epics, the Ramayana
and the Mahabharatha are listened to with rapt attention.
scholar, an authority in Astadasha Puranas
and a very famous personality in Telugu
and Sanskrit
languages. He was conferred the title of Purana Vachaspati
. His commentaries on All India Radio
during the Bhadrachalam
Sitarama Kalyanam and Tirumala Brahmotsavam
are very famous. His Panchangasharvanam
on Ugadi
is also very famous. His answers to queries with regards to purana and various aspects of Hinduism
from television
audience
, are very popular. His programme based on this theme was previously telecast on Doordarshan Saptagiri
Channel and now is being aired on Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel with names as Dharma Sandehalu and Dharma Sukshmalu. He was also the principal of a college run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
to propagate the art of Purana Pravachan
. He was the recipient of Raja-Lakshmi Award in 2005.
day. He always combines it with a pinch of humour.
Brahmasri Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry was presented with the prestigious Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation
Award for 2005. The award consisted of Rs. 1 lakh, a citation and a memento. The awardee also would receive US $ 2000 instituted by Dr. K.V. Rao and Dr. Jyoti Rao, in association with the Telugu Fine Arts Society (TFAS) of New Jersey
, the U.S.A. Chandrasekhara Sastry, in turn, donated the cash prize to Sanatana Dharma Charitable Trust established by Sadguru Sivananda Murty
of Bheemunipatnam
, Visakhapatnam
, to help pursue the Trust's main objectives.
Sri Sringeri Sankara Mutt
presented him with the title of Savyasachi and Sanathana Dharma Trust presented him with Eminent Citizens Award.
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, was born to Sriman Dakshinamurthy couple at Hassanabada village, Krosur Mandal, Sattenapalli Taluk in Guntur district on August 28, 1925. He is scion of Malladi
Malladi
Malladi is a village in Amaravati mandal of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India.Bhavirisetty Hanumatha Rao is the sarpanch of the village.It has around 500 houses in the village. The main occupation of the village is agriculture. The village depends on Krishna river water for irrigation...
family known for its philomath
Philomath
A philomath + Greek manthanein, math- ) is a lover of learning. It is similar to but distinguished from philosophy in that "soph," the latter suffix, specifies "wisdom" or "knowledge."...
y in the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. His grandfather, Sriman Malladi Ramakrishna Chainulu, was not only an authority in all aspects of Vedic and Sanskrit literature
Sanskrit literature
Literature in Sanskrit begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical Sanskrit literature dates to late Antiquity . Literary production saw a late bloom in the 11th century before declining after 1100 AD...
but also a renowned propogator of the Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...
Siddhanta
Siddhanta
Siddhanta, a Sanskrit term, roughly translates as the Doctrine or the Tradition. It denotes the established and accepted view of a particular school within Indian philosophy.-Hindu philosophy:...
scientifically all over Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. Sastry not only learnt and mastered the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, Śrauta
Srauta
' traditions are conservative ritualistic traditions of the historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on the body of Śruti literature...
, Smartha
Smartism
Smarta Sampradaya is a liberal or nonsectarian denomination of the Vedic Hindu religion which accept all the major Hindu deities as forms of the one Brahman, in contrast to Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, the other three major Hindu sects, which revere Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti,...
, Vyākaraṇa
Vyakarana
The Sanskrit grammatical tradition of ' is one of the six Vedanga disciplines. It has its roots in late Vedic India, and includes the famous work, The Sanskrit grammatical tradition of ' is one of the six Vedanga disciplines. It has its roots in late Vedic India, and includes the famous work, ...
and Tarka shastra
Shastra
' is a Sanskrit term used to denote rules in a general sense. The word is generally used as a suffix in the context of technical or specialized knowledge in a defined area of practice; e.g., Bhautika Shastra , Rasayana Shastra , Jeeva Shastra , Vastu Shastra , Shilpa Shastra , Artha Shastra ' is a...
s but also delved deep into the intricate ramifications of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
ordained in the Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
under the expert tutelage of his grandfather at a young age.
He delivered pravachan
Pravachan
Pravachan is a form of Hindu religious discourse, which are lectures on scriptures. A Pravachana Pandit becomes a religious and spiritual interpreter of these Scriptures....
on the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
at his native place in the august presence of reputed pundits when he was hardly 19, Sastry established himself as an invincible pravachaka with a niche of his own with a discourse almost immediately at a event presided over by Viswanatha Satyanarayana
Viswanatha Satyanarayana
Viswanatha Satyanarayana , popularly known as the Kavi Samraat , was a modern Telugu poet.He was a disciple of the Tirupati Venkata Kavulu duo...
at Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
. The Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and the Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
besides the oratorios of Dattatreya
Dattatreya
Dattatreya or Datta is a Hindu deity encompassing the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, collectively known as Trimurti. The name Dattatreya can be divided into two words - "Datta" and "Atreya" referring to the sage Atri, his physical father.Various Hindu sects worship him differently...
were his favorites.
Early life
He pursued his education in rare fields of SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and Sastra Prakarana. He inherited this Vedic knowledge from his grandfather, Pandita Pravara Malladi Ramakrishna Vidwat Chayanulu.
At a young age Chandrasekhara Sastry learned Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, Vyākaraṇa
Vyakarana
The Sanskrit grammatical tradition of ' is one of the six Vedanga disciplines. It has its roots in late Vedic India, and includes the famous work, The Sanskrit grammatical tradition of ' is one of the six Vedanga disciplines. It has its roots in late Vedic India, and includes the famous work, ...
(grammar), Tarka (logic), Pūrva Mīmāṃsā
Mimamsa
' , a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" , is the name of an astika school of Hindu philosophy whose primary enquiry is into the nature of dharma based on close hermeneutics of the Vedas...
(literally 'investigation'. a part of Hindu philosophy) and vedanta sastram
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
(Indian spiritualism) from eminent scholars. His discourses on these subjects and on epics, the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and the Mahabharatha are listened to with rapt attention.
Career
Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry is a vedicVedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
scholar, an authority in Astadasha Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
and a very famous personality in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
languages. He was conferred the title of Purana Vachaspati
Vachaspati
Vachaspati is a Rigvedic deity presiding over human life. The name is applied especially to Brhaspati, the lord of eloquence, but also to Soma, Vishvakarman and Prajapati.-Other uses:...
. His commentaries on All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
during the Bhadrachalam
Bhadrachalam
Bhadrachalam , a town known for the Sri Rama Temple constructed in the year 1674 A.D., is a Municipality in Khammam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located east of state capital, Hyderabad. The Bhadrachalam Temple, where the presiding deity is Lord Rama, is an important site...
Sitarama Kalyanam and Tirumala Brahmotsavam
Brahmotsavam
Tirumala Brahmotsavam is an annual festival at Tirumala Lord Venkateswara Temple celebrated for nine days in the months of September and October. The celebration attracts pilgrims and tourists from all partsof the nation and across the world.- Brahmotsavam :...
are very famous. His Panchangasharvanam
Panchangam
A panchāngam is a Hindu astrological almanac, which follows traditional Indian cosmology, and presents important astronomical data in tabulated form. It is sometimes spelled Pancanga, Panchanga, Panchaanga, or Panchānga, and is pronounced Panchānga...
on Ugadi
Ugadi
Yugadi or Ugadi or "Samvatsradi" , Konkani/Marathi: युगादी yugādi, , formed by sandhi of yuga "age" and ādi "beginning": the beginning of an age) is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar...
is also very famous. His answers to queries with regards to purana and various aspects of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
from television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
, are very popular. His programme based on this theme was previously telecast on Doordarshan Saptagiri
DD Saptagiri
DD Saptagiri is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad.Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad was inaugurated by the then President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy on 23 October,1977...
Channel and now is being aired on Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel with names as Dharma Sandehalu and Dharma Sukshmalu. He was also the principal of a college run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also referred as TTD is an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh...
to propagate the art of Purana Pravachan
Pravachan
Pravachan is a form of Hindu religious discourse, which are lectures on scriptures. A Pravachana Pandit becomes a religious and spiritual interpreter of these Scriptures....
. He was the recipient of Raja-Lakshmi Award in 2005.
Titles and Awards
Sri Chandrasekhara Sastry, called as Abhinava Vyasa, for his meritorious output through his writings and discourses and for compiling and codifying the Vedas and Puranas, continues to be an excellent orator on these topics and is known for his Panchanga Sravanam(reading the almanac in the presence of God/King) on UgadiUgadi
Yugadi or Ugadi or "Samvatsradi" , Konkani/Marathi: युगादी yugādi, , formed by sandhi of yuga "age" and ādi "beginning": the beginning of an age) is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar...
day. He always combines it with a pinch of humour.
Brahmasri Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry was presented with the prestigious Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation
Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation
Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation is a Charitable Trust that promotes Arts, Sciences, Literature, Medicine, Journalism, Humanities and other intellectual pursuits and to honour distinguished persons in these fields. Established in 1979 in Chennai by P.V...
Award for 2005. The award consisted of Rs. 1 lakh, a citation and a memento. The awardee also would receive US $ 2000 instituted by Dr. K.V. Rao and Dr. Jyoti Rao, in association with the Telugu Fine Arts Society (TFAS) of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, the U.S.A. Chandrasekhara Sastry, in turn, donated the cash prize to Sanatana Dharma Charitable Trust established by Sadguru Sivananda Murty
Sadguru Sivananda Murty
Kandukuri Sivananda Murty is a well-known Indian scholar and a humanist with a wide following in India and in other countries, who writes about Indian heritage and culture, spirituality and philosophy. He has published many books and articles in newspapers and journals...
of Bheemunipatnam
Bheemunipatnam
Bheemunipatnam , is a town, a municipality and mandal headquarters in Visakhapatnam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.It was the second municipality in Indian mainland, established on 9 February 1861. 150-Years of its formation has been celebrated in 2011.Bheemunipatnam is supposed to...
, Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
, to help pursue the Trust's main objectives.
Sri Sringeri Sankara Mutt
Sringeri Sharada Peetham
Sringeri Sharada Peetham is the southern Advaita Vedanta matha. It is located in Shringeri. It is claimed that it is the first of the four original mathas established by Adi Shankara.-Location:...
presented him with the title of Savyasachi and Sanathana Dharma Trust presented him with Eminent Citizens Award.