Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry
 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. The reason given is: need more sources and dates to establish notability, chronicle how he became famous. (March 2014) |
Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 August 1925 Krosuru, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Occupation(s) | Scholar, guru, television and radio personality |
Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry (born 28 August 1925) is a scholar and television personality who has specialized in the Vedas and Puranas texts in the Telugu and Sanskrit languages. His works have included commentaries on All India Radio during Bhadrachalam's Sitarama Kalyanam and Brahmotsavam festivals. For Ugadi day, he recites the Panchanga Sravanam (almanac reading). On television he hosts a show Dharma Sandehalu and Dharma Sukshmalu[clarification needed] where he answers questions regarding the Purana and various aspects of Hinduism. The show is telecast on the Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel and formerly on the Doordarshan Saptagiri Channel. He is the principal of a college run by the trust named Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams where they do pravachan (lectures) on the Puranas.[clarification needed] He received the Raja-Lakshmi Award in 2005, and has also been conferred the title of Purana Vachaspati.
Biography
Early life and education
Sastry was born to a Dakshinamurthy couple at Hassanabada village, which is located in Krosuru mandal, in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. He is a native of Amaravathi village, Guntur district.[1] His grandfather, Sriman Malladi Ramakrishna Chainulu, was not only an authority in Vedic and Sanskrit literature, but also a propagator of the Advaita Vedanta Siddhanta (doctrine) over Andhra Pradesh. Sastry studied in the fields of Vedas, vyakaranam (grammar), tarkam (logic), poorva meemamsa (extension of the Vedas), and vedanta sastram (Indian spiritualism).[1] He also studied the Puranas in Hinduism.
When he was 19, he delivered Pravachan (lectures) about the Ramayana. His speaking ability allowed him to give a discourse at an event presided by scholar Viswanatha Satyanarayana at Vijayawada. Sastry cites the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, and the oratorios of Dattatreya among his favorite works for discourses.
Career
Sastry has established himself as an authority in the Vedas and the Astadasha Puranas texts. He provided commentaries on All India Radio during Bhadrachalam's Sitarama Kalyanam and Brahmotsavam festivals. On television, he hosts a show Dharma Sandehalu and Dharma Sukshmalu[clarification needed] where he answers questions regarding the Purana and various aspects of Hinduism. The show is telecast on the Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel and formerly on the Doordarshan Saptagiri Channel.[year needed]
On Ugadi day, he recites the Panchanga Sravanam (almanac reading). Writers have noted that he delivers his orations "with a pinch of humour".[1]
He is the principal of a college run by the trust named Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams where they do pravachan (lectures) on the Puranas.[clarification needed]
Awards and accolades
- Sastry was given the title "Abhinava Vyasa" for his writings and discourses and for compiling and codifying the Vedas and Puranas texts.[1]
- Sastry was conferred the title of Purana Vachaspati.
- In 2005, Sastry received an award from the Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation.[1]
- Sringeri Sankara Mutt[2][clarification needed] presented him with the title of "Savyasachi".[1]
- The Sanathana Dharma Trust[3] presented him with the Eminent Citizens Award.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Scholar felicitated". The Hindu. 25 November 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
- ^ "Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam". Sringeri.net. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "SDF - Home". Sanatanadharmafoundation.com. Retrieved 11 March 2014.