Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao (7 February 1921 – 16 October 1991) was a

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

poet, novelist, literary critic, philosophical journalist, writer of English prose and an exponent of Mantra Shastra and tradition. His works covered a wide range of subjects like history, sociology, literature, philosophy, religion and spiritualism. His popular works include ''Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Stotra Bhashyamu'', ''Sri Chakra Vilasanamu'', ''Sri Chakra Pooja Vidhanam'' (Mantra Sastra, philosophy and spiritualism), ''Dharmanirnayam'' (social novel), ''Tikkana Somayaji'' (Historical novel), ''Sivanugrahamu Pitruyagnamu'' (Poetry) and ''Sringeri Revisited'' (Musings in Philosophy and mysticism).

Personal life

Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao was born on 7 February 1921 to the

family of Tummalapalli Jwalapati and Mahalakshmamma in Gudivada,

Krishna District Krishna district is district in the coastal Andhra Region in Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, with Machilipatnam as its administrative headquarters. It is the coastal district of Andhra Pradesh. Machilipatnam is the most populated city in the di ...

of Andhra Pradesh. After completing his school education in Gudivada, he went on to study at the Government Arts College, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh and received his bachelor's degree in science. Ramalingeswara Rao married Visalakshi from Telaprolu in

of Andhra Pradesh and with her had three daughters (Uma Devi, Janaki, Lakshmi Savitri) and a son (Dr. Jwalaprakasa Vidyapati). He worked in Revenue Department of West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. He resigned the government job to join a mining company in Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh and worked as a business executive. He shifted to

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

in 1961 and retreated into solitude of meditation and probe into the rationality of Indian spiritual and religious thought. He shed his mortal coil on the day of

Durgashtami Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami is one of the most auspicious days of the five days long Durga Puja Festival celebrated in the honor of mother goddess Durga. Traditionally, the festival is observed for 10 days in Hindu households but the actual pu ...

(16 October 1991) during Navaratri. Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao with his wife Visalakshi

Spirituality

Ramalingeswara Rao secured the grace of Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswami, the 34th Pontiff of

Sringeri Sharada Peetham Dakṣināmnāya Śrī Śāradā Pītham or Śri Śringeri Maṭha (, ; sa, मठ, ) is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams following the Daśanāmi Sampradaya - the ''peetham'' or ''matha'' is said to have been established by acharya ...

and he was initiated into Sri Vidya by the Mahaswami. Guru’s grace made Rao's tongue the seat of the myriad faced literary muse. He authored several books on Mantra Sastra. With the divine blessings of Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswami (35th Pontiff of Sringeri Sarada Peetham) and Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswami (36th Pontiff of

), he served as Editor of Sri Sankara Krupa (a philosophical and spiritual Telugu monthly magazine of

) for more than two decades. After the demise of his wife, he embraced Sanyasa in 1988 at

Sringeri Sringeri (IAST: Śṛngēri) also called Shringeri is a hill town and Taluk headquarters located in Chikkamagaluru district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the site of the first maṭha ( Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharada Peetham) establi ...

. He was given the yogapatta (monastic name) Sri Adwayananda Bharati.

Literary career

Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao’s works include Social and historical novels, poems, books on Mantra Sastra and Darsana Sastra, books on literary criticism, essays, translations from English to Telugu, introductions and forewords, editing, short stories for children and radio talks. His books on Mantra Sastra got appreciation from Saints of

, Siddheswari Peetham,

Courtallam Courtallam is a panchayat town situated at a mean elevation of in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu, India. The Coutrallam Falls on the Chittar River is a major tourist attraction. Demographics India cens ...

and other scholars. His novels and literary criticism made landmarks in the history of Telugu literature. His social novel ''Dharmanirnayam'' was considered as one of the best ten novels in

. Two of his works - ''Dharmanirnayam'' and ''Sringeri Revisited'' - were translated into Kannada language. His novels were the subject of study for doctoral level research in the field of

literature.

Bibliography

Following works of Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao (Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami in his Turiyashrama) have been published.

Poetry

* ''Sivanugrahamu – Pitruyagnamu'' * ''Hasyagaadha Dwisathi'' * ''Preyonuvakamu'' * ''Godavari Garbhamu'' * ''Agnishtomamu''

Social and historical novels

* ''Dharmanirnayam'' * '' Tikkana Somayaji'' * '' Pothanamatyulu'' * ''Tallapaka Annamacharyulu'' * ''Manaku Migilindi'' * ''Meenakshi Pellichesukundi''

Mantra Sastra

* '' Sri Chakra Vilasanamu'' * '' Sri Chakra Pooja Vidhanamu'' * ''Saundaryalahari'' * ''Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Stotra Bhashyamu'' * ''Sri Lalitha Trisathinama Bhashyanuvadamu''

Literary criticism

* ''Sri Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao Sahitya Vimarsalu''

Vedic commentary

* ''Mantra Pushpamu'' * ''Panchasukta Manyusooktamulu'' * '' Aditya Hrudayamu'' * ''Kesavadi Chaturvimsatinama Vyakhyanamu'' * ''Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotramu'' * '' Mohamudgaraha'' * ''Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Stotramu'' * ''Sri Kanakadhara Stotramu''

Philosophy and religion

* ''Manamu Mana Mathamu''

English books

* ''

Revisited'' * ''Sri Sureswaracharya'' * ''A Profile of Kalady'' * ''Rationale of Mantra Sastra'' * ''Our Sannidhanam''

Translations

* '' Brahmavidya Vyakhyana Simhasanamu'' * '' Kalady'' * ''Malli Chuchina

'' * '' Kanchi Sri

Kamakshi Tripura Sundari (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरा सुन्दरी, IAST: Tripura Sundarī), also known as Rajarajeshwari, Shodashi, Kamakshi, and Lalita is a Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of supreme goddess Mahadevi m ...

Devi'' *''Sri

Sankaracharya Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , " Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi Shankara; tea ...

Vijayamu''

Awards and honors

* He was given the honorifics Aarsha Vidya Vachaspati, Sri Vidya Ratnakara and Sarvatantra Swatantra. * In 1974 he was honored by a felicitations Committee in

. * In 1979 he was felicitated by Kalabharati,

. * In 1980 he was honored with Sri Yarlagadda Rajyalakshmi Venkanna Chowdary Kalapeetham Award. * In 1981 he was honored on the occasion of his Shasti Poorthi in

. * In 1989 Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami (Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao in his poorvashrama) was honored in Hyderabad on his completion of first

Chaturmas Chaturmasya ( sa, चातुर्मास्य, lit=Cāturmāsya), also rendered Chāturmāsa, is a holy period of four months, beginning on Shayani Ekadashi—the eleventh day of the bright half, Shukla paksha, of Ashadha (fourth month of ...

Vratha Vrata is a Sanskrit word that means "vow, resolve, devotion", and refers to pious observances such as fasting and pilgrimage ( Tirtha) found in Indian religions such as Jainism and Hinduism. It is typically accompanied with prayers seeking hea ...

Deeksha ''Deeksha'' () is a 1974 Indian Telugu-language drama film, produced by Koganti Kutumba Rao and Vajje Subba Rao under the Sri Padmaja Films banner and directed by K. Pratyagatma. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Jamuna, and music composed by Pendyala ...

Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami Trust

With a view to preserve and maintain the traditional, cultural and spiritual values and heritage of India, Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami Trust was established in 1989 in honor of Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami.

References

External links

* https://tummalapalliramalingeswararao.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Telugu poets 1921 births 1991 deaths Telugu writers