Parijnanashram III

Despite these decisions, the Kshamāyāchana (Letter of forgiveness) by members of the Karla Math (People who were strong supporters of Swamiji) to the present head of the Chitrapur Math, Swami Sadyojāt Shankarāshram in 2005, led to the mending of relations between the two sections of the community. Moreover, Swami Sadyojāt Shankarāshram accepted Swami Parijnānāshram III as his guru. (See Mending of relationships)

Swami Parijñānāshram died on August 29, 1991 while He was staying at Bangalore. His body was later flown to Karla where his samādhi is situated (at the Karla Math). He had not accepted a shishya (Disciple) to succeed Him as the Head of the community.

On August 27, 1991 Swamiji, suddenly left for Bangalore to be at the Chitrapur Math there, the place where His Guru Swami Ānandāshram had died. 2 days later, on August 29, 1991 Swami Parijñānāshram III died at the young age of 44.

On December 24, 1989 the Mahasabha (Grand gathering/meeting) of the Sāraswats took place at Mumbai where Swamiji made His position regarding becoming the mathādhipati very clear to the community. He wanted the community to be one and the divisions to be mended. Swamiji had received several letters asking him to go back to become the head of the community. This was so that the Guru parampara could be continued if He accepted a shishya (disciple). He stated that some people still considered Him as an excommunicated guru and any disciple of His too would be considered as excommunicated.

This was a unique project pursued by Swamiji after His abdication. This institute was a revolutionary project completed in conjecture with the State and Central Government on October 31, 1985. It is an actively functioning institution which runs on funds from the Government and large number of charitable institutions/individuals. It can now accommodate 302 children who are given training in life skills by 56 professionally trained teachers.

Tired of all the opposition and accusations he had to face, Swamiji graciously relinquished the title of Mathādhipati or Head of the matha and community by 1981. Certain aspects that caused the criticism and opposition are mentioned as follows:

Swamiji was tired of the constant opposition He faced. So as an act of grace, He did the ultimate sacrifice (Tyāga) of relinquishing the title of Head of the community and the matha by 1981. This was reminiscent of the Tyāga made by Swami Vāmanāshram.

This development oriented mindset was something that was usually never anticipated from a religious figure. This progressive outlook did not go well with certain orthodox members of society. Swami Parijñānāshram felt restrained by the lack of acceptance from certain sections of society and which finally resulted in His abdication of the post of the Head of Chitrapur Math (Mathādhipati) in 1979. He relinquished the title of the Head of the Community fully by 1981. After this, He travelled all across India and even went abroad (The first guru of the community to do so), before He settled down in a matha constructed under his regime, at Karla. He continued His service for the welfare of the people even though He was not Mathādhipati of the community. This allowed Him to extend His welfare programs to the down-trodden people irrespective of community, caste, creed or status.

There were a number of social development schemes executed under the aegis of Swamiji. He was responsible for the restarting of the Rathōtsav ("Car Festival") in 1973 which had been suspended for 35 years due to financial insecurity. Other ventures included the construction of housing societies, starting an institution for the physically and mentally challenged children as well as construction of temples and a matha.

He studied under His guru for a long period of 7 years until Swami Ānandāshram attained Mahā-samādhi on September 16, 1966. After the Mahā-samādhi, He took over as the sovereign head of the community of Sāraswats. This long period of tutelage under His guru allowed Parijñānāshram to attain a great command over the Sanskrit scriptures. He toured along with His guru everywhere and thus could attain hands-on experience in the matters of spirituality as well as administration.

At the age of 12, Parijnanashram was chosen by the incumbent guru Anandashram Swami to be his shishya (disciple). He was ordained as the successor to Swami Ānandāshram in a grand ceremony of initiation as a disciple at Shivaji Park, Mumbai on March 1, 1959. At this ceremony, he was christened Parijñānāshram. This ceremony was attended by over 10,000 devotees. The religious heads of other Saraswat mathas were present at the ceremony and they blessed Him too.

In 1953, Shankarnārāyan Shukla (Bhat) and his family shifted to Mumbai where the education of young Ravīndra was done at Poddar High School, Santa Cruz in Mumbai. He studied there till He was ordained to be the shishya of Anandashram Swami. As a child He was an avid collector of stamps and coins- a hobby He pursued even after becoming the Head of the Community.

Swami Parijnanashram III (Devanagari: परिञानाश्रम्, Pa.ri.jñā.nā.śram) (June 15, 1947 – August 29, 1991) was the tenth guru of the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community. He succeeded his teacher Swami Ānandāshram in 1966 after the latter died.

Swami Parijñānāshram was born to Shantābai and Shankarnārāyan Laxman Shukla (Bhat) on June 15, 1947 at Shirali in Karnataka. He was named Ravīndra Shankarnārāyan Shukla (Bhat). He did His primary schooling till the age of 6 at Shirali, under the watchful eyes of the incumbent Head of the community Swami Ānandāshram. Even before He was born, His mother Shāntabai claims to have known that her offspring was Divine, even while she was pregnant. Claims include she having dreams like the Vision of a 7 hooded serpent, the impulse to offer her offspring to Lord Bhavānishankar during the aarti and so on.

Later the Mahasabha reached the conclusion that the guru parampara would be continued by that person whom Swamiji had accepted as a shishya (disciple) and that any other person anointed as the head of the community would not be part of the original Guru Parampara that started in 1708.