Discourse on Lord Murugan – Sat., July 2, 2011 @ 11:30AM

About Sri Sri Siddeshwarananada Bharati Swami

Poet and Scholar

Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati Swami, formerly known as Dr. Prasadaraya Kulapati, was born on 23rd Jan.
1937 at Elchur, Prakasam Dt., Andhra Pradesh into the Potaraju family – a family with a rich literary tradition
of four generations of poets and scholars. Swamiji learned Sanskrit and Telugu traditionally and by age
nineteen he had already gained wide fame for his asu-kavitvam, and avadhanam skills. Having secured a B.A.
from Guntur Hindu College, M.A. and Ph.D from Sree Venkateswara University, Swamiji returned to Guntur
Hindu College in 1956 and worked over the next 40 years as a Lecturer, Professor, Head of Dept. and retired
as its Principal in 1998.
During his gloried literary career Sri Swamiji was honored by various organizations with titles such as
“Avadhani Saraswati”, “Sahiti Sarvabhouma”, “Saraswati Kanthabharana”, “Rupaka Samrat”, “Kavita
Sudhakara” etc. He has authored several poetic works such as “Rasa vahini”, “Ananda Yogini”, “Rasa Ganga”,
“Gandharva Geeti”, stuti kavyas “Siva Sahasri”, “Ambika Sahasri” – an ode to Jillellamoodi Amma, “Aindree
Sahasri” – an ode to goddess Vajra Vairochani, dramas “Kavi Brahma”, “Kavya Kantha”, novels “Ramani Priya
Dootika”, research works “Andhra Bhagavata Vimarsa” (his Ph.D dissertation), “Tantrika Prapancham”,
“Kavita Mahendra Jalamu”, and innumerable essays and articles published in various magazines. Swamiji was
famous for conducting literary sabhas such as “Indra Sabha”, “Vaikuntha Sahiti Sabha”, “Srinatha Vijaya
Sabha”. He has traveled with troupes of poets and scholars all over India and in several American cities and
enthralled audiences with his oratory, scholarship, wit and spontaneous poetry recitals.

Yogi, Mantra Sadhaka, Tantrik Scholar

From a young age Swamiji had been an avid weight lifter and wrestler. The physical strength gained as a
result of these activities was a great source of self-confidence for him throughout his life. He traveled the
state giving exhibitions of his physical prowess and also officiated at several wrestling events.
The physical studies inevitably led to meta-physical studies. He was an upasaka of Lord Hanuman and recited
the Hanuman mantra a few million times. Over time he was drawn more and more to deeper spiritual
matters. He applied himself to the practice of Dhyana, Mantra sadhana in the path of Raja Yoga. He
advanced rapidly in the attainment of siddhis. He sought out advanced practitioners of Tantra and under the
guidance of one great guru learned many advanced mantras and practiced relentlessly. By his master’s grace,
Swamiji was blessed with experience of Divinity.

Divine Visions

Swamiji was blessed with a close association with Jillellamoodi Amma. She continues to guide him in deep
meditative trances. Swamiji wrote the thousand poem ode “Ambika Sahasri” in her honor.
Rasa Yogi Sri Radhika Prasad Maharaj guided Swamiji to the worship of the goddess of Brindavan, Sri Radha
Devi. After years of rigorous penance, Sri Radha Devi blessed Swamiji with Her divine vision and initiated him
in Her six syllable (shadakshari) mantra. More over She also arranged for the split headed goddess Vajra
Vairochani in the form of Bhadra to be Swamiji’s perpetual guardian angel. “Aindree Sahasri” is a thousand
poem ode to praise this goddess.

Blessed with Her divine grace, through relentless practice of meditation, Swamiji had begun visualizing details
of his many prior births. In one such trance Swamiji saw the idol of goddess Kali he had worshipped in the
Himalayas some six hundred years ago. Heeding Swamiji’s prayer this idol descended from thin air before the
eyes of several devotees in Swamiji’s Guntur ashram. This idol has miraculously grown in size to its current
state and is being worshipped as “Swayamsidhha Kali” at the Guntur Kali Peetham. The sacrificial fire (“homa
gundam”) in this temple burns incessantly. The poojas performed at this sacred altar have helped thousands
of devotees realize their wishes.

Courtallam Peethadhipati

Having established the “Swayamsiddha Kalee Peetham” Swamiji was contemplating monkhood (“sanyasam”),
retiring to Brindavan and spending the rest of his life in Radha Sadhana. The siddha yogis and gods too
willed that Swamiji undertake Sanyasam and conveyed to him through the astral body of Swami
Sraddhananda.
Guided by the wishes of His Holiness Mouna Swami, the founding saint of Sri Siddheswari Peetham at
Courtallam, the then current head of the Peetham Sri Sri Sri Sivachidananda Bharati Swami, initiated Swamiji
into monkhood under the moniker Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati Swami and also anointed Swamiji to be his
successor. Soon after Sri Sivachidananda Swami attained Siddhi and on Datta Jayanti day 19th Dec. 2002,
Swamiji was appointed the Peethadhipati. Ever since, the Courallam Peetham has been an active center for
Japa, Homa, Dhyana sadhakas with facility for several parallel homas to be conducted by various
practitioners. Swamiji points out that while the Vedic tradition restricts the practice of Veda mantras to
Brahmins, Tantric tradition invites every one – men and women of all races and faiths – with open arms to
the practice of mantra.
In his role as a Peethadhipati, Sri Siddeswarananda Bharati Swami, has traveled extensively, mesmerizing
audiences everywhere with his lectures on Hindu dharma, philosophy, spirituality, establishing and
inaugurating temples, performing yagnas for Peace for the Human Kind and, gracing devotees with mantra
siddhi to solve their personal problems.

Author of Religious Books

• Swamiji continues to share with the world the knowledge and wisdom received by him through the many
siddha yogis during his divine visions.
• “Tantrika Prapancham” (“Tantrik Universe”) was written to dispel the many myths about Tantra.
• “Naga Sadhana”, “Bhairava Sadhana”, “Pratyangira Sadhana”, “Sree Lalita Devi Charitra” are books
detailing the worship of these deities.
• “Kurtala Yogulu” (“Yogis of Courtallam”) details Swamiji’s association over many lives with Sri Mouna
Swami of Courtallam and its many great sages.
• “Vraja Bhagavatam”, “Brindavana Bhagavatam” and “Brindavana Yogulu” (“Yogis of Brindavan”) are
books filled with many interesting details of the holy place Brindavan and worship of Radha.
• “Himalaya Yogulato Mouna Swami” describes the association of Sri Mouna Swami with the yogis of
Himalayas.