Dwarka Sharda Peeth's Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati's last rites will be held today at Jyoteshwar in Narsinghpur district from around 3 to 4 pm. Shankaracharya died of cardiac arrest in his ashram in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, at the age of 99. He breathed his last at around 3:30 pm on Sunday.
He will be given a "bhoo samadhi" (burial) on the campus of the Ashram. “His bhoo Samadhi in sitting position which is given to 'sanyasis' will take place around 3-4 pm at his Paramhansa Ganga Ashram, Jyoteshwar, in Gotegaon in Narsinghpur on Monday," an Ashram release issued on Sunday said.
Swami Swaroopanand, the Shankracharya of Dwarka-Sharda Peeth (in Gujarat) and Jyotish Peeth (in Uttrakhand) was not keeping well for over a year. He had recently celebrated His 99th birthday on Teej which fell on August 30.
Swami Swaroopanand was on dialysis and used to be on and off the ventilator for the last couple of months. He was also suffering from age-related issues, the Ashram sources told news agency PTI, adding that a special facility was built at the Ashram to treat him.
PM Modi & Other Leaders Offer Condolences
In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed that he is "deeply saddened" at Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati's passing and offered his condolences.
Union Home Minister, Amit Shah said that his work on spreading Sanatan Dharm will always be remembered.
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi also expressed sorrow over his passing.
Swaroopanand Saraswati was born as Pothiram Upadhyay in Dighori village in the Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh in 1924. He had left his home in pursuit of God at the age of 9. He became a freedom fighter in the Quit India movement in 1942 and was called as "Revolutionary Sadhu". He was jailed twice, once for 9 months and another for 6 months. Pothiram Upadhyay became Shankracharya (of Dwarka Peeth) in 1981.