[Advaita-l] Benedictory Message by the Jagadguru of Sringeri in 1989

[V Subrahmanian]

In an address of a gathering of devotees and the general public, Jagadguru
Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamiji of Sringeri said at the beginning of a
fairly lengthy discourse:

//In our Holy land, Bharath, persons in the Government, Advaitic
Sannyasins,devotees and people interested in the Shastras have been
celebrating , since the start of the current year, the twelfth centenary of
the advent of Bhagavatpada, the preceptor. Historically, 1200-1300 years
have passed since Bhagavatpada was born. If, following deliberation as on
other issues, a consensus had arisen about the year of Bhagavatpada’s
advent, be it 1200 years ago or earlier or later, there would have been no
occasion for dispute.* Historians have so far not determined the year of
Buddha’s Nirvana with exactitude and certainty.  Yet, in 1956, the
2500**th** anniversary
of Buddha’s Nirvana was commemorated in various parts of the globe.
Research has not established that Jesus Christ was born precisely in 1 A.D.
on December 25.  Nevertheless, the world over, Christmas is observed on
December 25 and the Christian era commences from 1 A.D. * Thus, there are
precedents for the anniversaries of events relating to personages being
celebrated even in the absence of historical definiteness about the dates
of those occurrences. So, the mere reason that 788 A.D. may actually not be
the year of Bhagavatpada’s advent cannot debar or render censurable the
current twelfth birth centenary celebrations. //