Edifying Parables

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A rare sage, who renouneed the world before completing 14 years of age and who attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the highest state of Yoga. Before He was 20, His Holiness Jagadguru Adhinava Vidyatheertha Mahaswamigal was a renowned Jivanmukta and a scholar par excellence in Tarka and Vedant. He aborned the sacred Sringeri Sharada Peetham and brought great glory to it in the 35 years of his pontificate as its 35th jagadguru Shankaracharya. The very embodiment of compassion, the Acharya graced innumerable devotees in many a way. He had the innate ability to effortlessly render even highly complex sctiptural topics easily and thoroughly intelligible by means of stories conceived by him on the spot or based on the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Puranas and other works. This book contains over a hundred of his edifying parables culled from his public discourse and personal conversations.

Acharyal had an innate ability to explain even complex topics in a simple manner through stories composed by him on the spot or based on texts such as the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. This book contains well over a hundred edifying parables of our acharyal compiled by a disciple and groped under 97 heads. The sources of the parables are Acharyal's benedictory addresses and his private conversations with the disciple. Following are the minor liberties that have been taken in the preparation of the text.

1. Parables narrated by Acharyal in more than one benedictory address have been grouped under a single head.
2. In rare cases, names have been given to the characters of a story even when Acharyal did not do so during His talk with the disciple.
3. Where Acharyal has narrated more than one version of a story, information from all the versions have been utilised.

We are extremely thankful to Ms. K. Rathna Kamakshi for transcribing and correcting material presented to her in cassettes, computer – composing the account about Acharyal and proof correcting part of the text. She worked for long, unmindful of strain, with great sincerity.

Our heartfelt thanks are due to Sri. R. Subramanian who computer – composed and proof – corrected the text with his customary punctiliousness and dedication. It was he who enabled us to bring out Enlightening Expositions" and "Divine Discourses". So consistently helpful has he been that we have almost begun to take his support for granted.

Sri. G. Raghavan of Anugraham Computer services took personal interest in generating the laser print out of this book. He also gave valuable suggestions and liberal access to his impressive computer facility, even at nights. Our thanks to him.