56. Sankarananda Swamikal

Disciple of Sree Narayana gurudevan

Sankarananda Swamikal

The fourth head of Sivagiri Mutt. His name was Sankaran. He was born into a financially well to do family in Puthullad, Trichur district. . He did not show much interest in formal education. From his early life he showed interest in Spirituality. Due to the pressure from his family members he started a family life, but that did not last long. He left the house and traveled to different holy places in South India .

After staying at Ramana Maharshi's Thiruvanna malai for a brief period he came to Palghat and stayed at Brahmananda Shiva Yogi's ashram. After some time he went back to his native place and started to live there. He was heard about Guru and his social activities. When Guru was staying at Peringottukara ashram, he went to see Guru and told him about his mental dilemma. Guru told Sankaran that, “if his path is right he will reach his aim”. He went back home and told his relatives about his wish to join Guru as a Sanyasin.

Next day, accompanied by his uncle, he went to Adwaitha ashram and met Guru. With Guru's blessings he became an inmate at the ashram. Later Guru gave him a new name, ‘Sankarananda', and accepted him as Guru's sanysin disciple. . He served as the administrator of the Await Ashram for a long time.

After Achuthananda Swami's samadhi, Sankarananda became the head of Sivagiri Mutt. Guru's hundredth birth anniversary was celebrated while he was the head of the Mutt. He was not an orator or writer, but he showed much interest in collecting and publishing Guru's works. Two periodicals, ‘Navajeevan' and ‘Sivagiri' were published during his time.

The commencement of Sivagiri pilgrimage, the celebration of Guru's hundredth birth anniversary and the construction of Maha Samadhi Mandir were occurred while he was the head of the Mutt.