Vamanashram

Swami Vāmanāshram (Devanagari: वामनाश्रम्, Vā.ma.nā.śram) was the Sixth guru of the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community(6th in the Guru Parampara). His period of reign was for 16 years from 1823 to 1839.

Swami Vāmanāshram had been under the tutelage of his guru Swami Keshavāshram for a period of 19 years. This helped him gain mastery over the Vedas, Upanishads and other Sanskrit scriptures. He was considered a Bramha-jñāni(All knowing one). He died in 1839 at Mangalore. He was succeeded by his shishya(disciple) Krishnashram. The samādhi of Swami Vāmanāshram is located at Mangalore.

(Note: Henceforth in this article Swamiji will refer to Swami Vāmanāshram only)

Swami Vāmanāshram was from the Shukla Bhat family from Mangalore. He had been ordained as the successor to Swami Keshavāshram in 1804. So under the tutelage of Swami Keshavāshram for 19 years, he could gain great knowledge on the Sanskrit scriptures of India. By the time he was the Mathādhipati(Head of the Chitrapur Math), he had gained mastery over it.

Swamiji was formally ordained as the Guru of the community after Swami Keshavāshram attained Mahā-samādhi(died) on the 9th day of Mārgha month in 1823.

Swamiji was a man who was deeply involved in spiritual pursuits. So he could not concentrate on the administration affairs of the matha and affairs of the community in general. In order to reduce the burden, he gave total responsibility of the administration to the Shukla Bhat managers. After giving charge to the Manager, he could pursue his spiritual conquests.

Upon the insistence of his devotees to accept a disciple to help him discharge the affairs of the community, Swamiji consented in accepting a shishya(disciple). The successor was found in the hamlet of Vitthal in Karnataka when Swamiji had come to visit. His name was Parameshwar Nagar who hailed from the Nagar family. The priest of the Shri Vishweshwar Vitthal temple had told swamiji about this young boy who radiated with energy and potential.

In the month of Jyēshta in 1836, Swamiji formally ordained his shishya as Krishnāshram. Thus another link was added to the Guru Parampara on that day. Swamiji handed over the responsibilities of administration to Krishnāshram while he continued his never-ending quest for spiritual knowledge.

The administration of the matha and its treasury was materialistic pleasures that the Swamiji denounced. He relinquished the responsibilities over to his shishya and the Shukla Bhats. He was an embodiment of compassion, forgiveness and austerity.

Swamiji went to visit his devotees in Mangalore in 1839. It was during this visit that he became seriously ill. His health was rapidly deteriorating.

On the 9th day of the month of Kārtik in 1839, Swami Vāmanāshram died. The devotees of Swamiji, constructed his samādhi(shrine) and poured tender coconut water as Abhisheka. His samādhi is now the matha at Mangalore. Devotees offer seva(service) as Shiyala Abhisheka. Tender coconut("Shiyala" in konkani) water is poured on the shrine as abhisheka.