SRI GURU GANGESHWARANANDAJI VEDA RATNA PURASKAR

AWARD FUNCTION AT SRI KANCHI KAMAKOTI MUTT, KANCHEEPURAM

This Puraskar was started in 1995 by the devotees of Sri Guru Gangeshwaranandaji, who was a renowned scholar of all the four Vedas and Vedangas, under the administration of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Sri Guruji lived for 115 years and went to his eternal abode in 1993. The Puraskar carries a purse of Rs. 1 Lakh, a citation, a shawl, a garland and a statue of Sri Guru Gangeshwaranandaji.

So far 33 scholars in Vedas have been honoured. They had selected 6 Veda Pundits for the year 2005-2006 for this award and one among them from Tamil Nadu is Nithya Agnihotri Sri Musuri V.S.Ananthanarayana Somayaji, who is a staunch devotee of Kanchi Shankara Mutt. He was nominated by Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram for this award. Sri Musiri Ananthanarayana Somayaji, a very senior Vedic Scholar is a qualified Krishna Yajur Veda Salakshana Ganapatigal. He has also mastered Veda Bashyam and has secured Shiromani in Nyaya, Mimamsa and Vedantha. He is also an eminent teacher.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan represented by Secretary Mr. Pai and Sri Kashi Raya awarded him this Puraskar on 14th May 2007 in the August presence of His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamiji and His Holiness Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamiji in front of the Brindhavan of Mahaswami Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi at Kanchi. Sri Mathur Krishnamoorthy, Director of Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan welcoming the gathering consisting of Veda Pandits and devotees of Shri Shankara Mutt, explained about the Puraskar. Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal spoke about the Vedic Knowledge of Sri Somayaji and why he was selected for the Puraskar. His Holiness explained that how Sri Somayaji�s entire family is dedicated to Vedasamrakshana. His all the four sons have done Vajpayee Yagam. His grand children also follow his footsteps. His Holiness also pointed out in His speech that Sri A.N. Somayaji is a man of action and he practices what he preaches.

About Sri Guru Gangeswarananda:

He was a child Prodigy who lost his eye- sight at the age of 3 due to lightning. Once when he went with his parents to a Jathra he lost the company of his parents. This child was picked up by a philanthropic who left him in the company of some Sadhus. Though he had no sight, he learnt all the Vedas and Vedangas. He was initiated to Udasin Sampradaya by Sri Chandiji. Vedas, Sruthis and Smruthis flowed from him. Swami Gangeshwaranandji also wrote extensively in Sanskrit and Hindi in Vedic literature. His works include Shroutamuni Charitamratam, Vedopadesa Chandrika, Bhagavat Gita, Veda Gita etc. The Crowning glory of all his endeavours was the compilation of four Vedas in one 22 kg volume, which he lovingly always called �Ved Bhagwan�. At his ripe age of 93 he took up strenuous travels all over the world and installed �Ved Bhagwan� in 95 Ved Mandirs.