Chandrashekhara Saraswathi, 99; Hindu Pontiff
Chandrashekhara Saraswathi, one of the five pontiffs of Hinduism, and revered among millions in India and Nepal for his emphasis on religious tolerance, died Saturday at age 99.
Hundreds of thousands of Hindus thronged Saraswathi’s retreat in Kanchipuram, 40 miles southwest of Madras, after he died in his sleep there.
Saraswathi, popularly known as the Kanchi Sankaracharya or Guru of Kanchi, was considered one of the greatest sages of Hinduism. Sankaracharyas do not have powers like that of the Pope, but have substantial influence and their word is often regarded as absolute.
A monk picked Saraswathi to be pontiff at age 13.
He went through a grueling period of learning languages and religious texts. He spoke fluent English, French, Swedish and nearly a dozen Indian languages.
Saraswathi’s emphasis on religious harmony won him wide respect among Muslims, whose relations with Hindus have been scarred by violence.
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