The senior most pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Jayendra Saraswathi passed away on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was the 69th Shankaracharya Guru at one of the oldest Shaivate Mutts in India.
The 82-year old seer was admitted to a hospital near Kamakshi Amman temple on Wednesday due to breathing problems. His health condition had reportedly deteriorated in January after which he was admitted in a hospital and later discharged.
The senior pontiff succeeded in 1994 as the 69th Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam after Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Swamigal, hailed as Maha Periyava. He was chosen as the successor when he was only 19 years of age.
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In 1987, Jayendra Saraswathi mysteriously disappeared from the mutt. He reportedly left behind his sacred thread and other articles of faith in his living quarters. Jayendra Saraswathi, however, was traced in Karnataka’s Talacauvery three days after he went missing.
Jayendra Saraswathi will be succeeded by Vijayendra Saraswathi, who will be anointed as the 70th Shankaracharya.
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