A DIVINE SANYASI

Sree S.Nijalingappa

Honesty, service, determination, fortitude, purity, magnanimity, tenderness, truth, love, compassion and a lofty aim-anyone of these qualities renders an individual honourable in the eyes of society and capable of safeguarding humanity. But Sree Sivakumara Swamiji of Sree Siddaganga Mutt is a confluence of all the virtues mentioned above. This can be deemed to be the good fortune of the country at large. Added to these, he has learning and dispassion. Naturally, honour, affection and admiration have been showered upon him all over Karnataka. Eagerness to seek his darshan and blessings is all too evident. A deluge of people approaches him all the time to listen to his thought provoking and soul stirring words and find inspiration to better their lives.

Sree Swamiji's Mutt is not too big in size. The property of the math is not considerable. His predecessors deall their time to asceticism and worship. They conducted asmuch "dasoha" as they could. Small contributions were made towards this by people living in the vicinity.

Learned, virtuous and talented even in his student the present Swamiji assumed his holy office in 1930. Instead of devoting himself to religious practices fulltime,he also plunged into the service of humanity. For the country to make headway, a transformation must be effected in the lives of ordinary men and their intellectual horizons must be widened. This change can come about only on the basis of education of all children. Sree Swamiji dicided to set up primary and secondary schools first and colleges later. The rich, experience no diffuculty getting their children educated. The poor, on the other hand, countenance a host of problems. In rural areas children are compelled to earn cooli to help and maintain the family. One more morsel of food, an inch more of clothing that is all they hope to contribute to the family. Appart from this, they have no other future. Realising this plight, Sree Swamiji arranged for free education, boarding and stationery materials for them. This privilege has been extended to them for well over seven decades.

Sree Swamiji is too broad minded to be cribbed and cabined in a narrow cast though he is a Guru of a Veershaiva Mutt. Educational facilities have been extended to all non - Veerashaivas also including Harijans. The credit for this goes entirely to Sree Swamiji. His sacred mission has won him accolades and cooperation from the have's and havenot's alike. The math is not in possession of too considerable a properaty to boast of. The sphere of Swamiji's activity has brodaned little by little and now includes an Engineering college producing thousands of engineers. Such an achievement is a rarity. It is to be noted that Swamijees of other faiths are emulating his example in establishing similar institutions. But most of them are endowed with great affluence and enjoy the support of many rich followers. Sree Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt has no such privileges. Thanks to his divine personality, his achievements eclipse those of others. The fact that Sree Swamiji's activities are diversified bears testimony to his competence and rectitude.

Sree Swamiji has set a very good example in purity, sincerity, administrative competence and farsightedness. Other Mutts will do well to emulate his example. I sincerely hope that Sree Swamiji's service to the panic stricken society will continue for years to come.

Namaskar