Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao

Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao (7 February 1921 – 16 October 1991) was a distinguished litterateur in Telugu language and a deep scholar of Indian thought. After relinquishing government job at an early age, he retreated into solitude of Tapas (Indian religions) – occasionally straying into literary realm of exuberance, putting out mature and brilliant output – as an accomplished poet, an essayist, a literary critic, a musicologist, a philosophical journalist, a master novelist, an authority on Mantra|Mantra Sastra, a prolific writer of English prose and an outstanding exponent of tradition. His most popular works include Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Stotra Bhashyamu, Sri Chakra Vilasanamu (Encyclopaedia on Shri Yantra|Sri Chakra), Sri Chakra Pooja Vidhanam, Saundarya Lahari|Soundaryalahari (Books on Mantra Sastra, philosophy and spiritualism) Dharmanirnayam (social novel), Tikkana Somayaji (Historical novel), Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao gari Sahitya Vimarsalu (Literary Criticism), Sivanugrahamu – Pitruyagnamu, Preyonuvakamu (Poetry) and Sringeri Revisited (Musings in Philosophy and mysticism). In this Telugu name, the surname is Tummalapalli.
== Personal life ==
Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao was born on 7 February 1921 to the Telugu language family of Tummalapalli Jwalapati and Mahalakshmamma in Gudivada, Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. After his early education at Gudivada, he graduated in Science from Government Arts College, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. Ramalingeswara Rao married Visalakshi from Telaprolu in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh and with her had three daughters (Uma Devi, Janaki, Lakshmi Savitri) and a son (Dr. Jwalaprakasa Vidyapati). A few months after graduation, he lost his father and the responsibility of the whole family was on his shoulders. After working for a few months in a temporary job at Bangalore, he joined Revenue Department and worked in several Tehsil of West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Later, he became a Business Executive and Administrator in a mining company at Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh. But he left the commercial line in 1961, shifted to Chennai and retreated into solitude of meditation and probe into the rationality of Indian spiritual and religious thought. 
He shed his mortal coil on Durga Ashtami|Durgashtami day (16 October 1991) during Navaratri.
== Spirituality ==
While working at Bangalore, he visited Sringeri Sharada Peetham|Sringeri and had the good fortune of securing the grace of His Holiness Jagadguru Chandrashekhara Bharati III, the 34th Pontiff of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. He was lucky to have been initiated into Shri Vidya|Sri Vidya by no less a person than His Holiness Sri Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya – Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati III Mahaswami and perhaps his Guru’s grace made his tongue the seat of the myriad faced literary muse. He authored several books on Mantra|Mantra Sastra. With the divine grace and blessings of His Holiness Abhinava Vidyatirtha (35th Pontiff of Sringeri Sharada Peetham|Sringeri Sarada Peetham) and His Holiness Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswami (36th Pontiff of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham), he served as Editor of Sri Sankara Krupa (a philosophical Telugu monthly of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham) for more than two decades. He took Telugu religious, philosophical and spiritual journalism to a rare watermark of literary eminence through this monthly. His glorious services to the growth of this philosophical Telugu language|Telugu monthly was recalled by His Holiness Sri Bharathi Tirtha|Bharati Tirtha Mahaswami in his Anugraha Bhashanam on the occasion of Golden jubilee celebrations of Sri Sankara Krupa in 2012 at Hyderabad.
After the demise of his wife in 1986 and as per his wish, he was initiated into Sannyasa in the presence of His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswami at Sringeri Sharada Peetham|Sringeri and earned the monastic name Adwayananda Bharati Swami. 
== Literary Career ==
File:SABS1.jpg|thumb|Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami
Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao’s works include Social and historical novels, poems, books on Mantra|Mantra Sastra and Hindu philosophy|Darsana Sastra, books on literary criticism, essays, translations from English to Telugu, introductions and forewords, editing, short stories for children and radio talks. His books on Mantra|Mantra Sastra received wide appreciation from Saints of Sacred India like Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswami of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Bharathi Tirtha|Bharati Tirtha Mahaswami of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati Swami of Siddheswari Peetham, Coutallam and learned scholars like Jnanpith Award|Jnanpith awardee Sri Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Sri K Sivananda Murthy,Sri Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma and Sri Cherukupalli Jamadagni Sarma. His novels and literary criticism are unique and made landmarks in the history of Telugu literature and this is evident from the praises showered on him by eminent litterateurs like Jnanpith Award|Jnanpith awardee Sri Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Acharya Pingali Lakshmikantam|Pingali Lakshmikantham, Dr. Diwakarla Venkatavadhani, Dr. Akkiraju Ramapathi Rao, Sri Cherukupalli Jamadagni Sarma and Dr. Kethavarapu Venkata Ramakoti Sastry. His social novel Dharmanirnayam was rated as one of the best ten novels in Telugu language|Telugu by Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi|Sahitya Academy and the book was translated into Kannada by Dr. N.S. Dakshinamurthy. His English book Sringeri Revisited which is considered as musings in philosophy and mysticism was translated into Kannada by Sri Y N Ramaswami. Apart from editing, he has written Introductions and Foreword to many religious texts. Some of the works of Ramalingeswara Rao attracted the attention of research scholars to make an in-depth study on his works for their doctoral thesis in the field of Telugu language|Telugu literature. 
== Bibliography ==
Following works of Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao have been published.
=== Poetry ===
* Sivanugrahamu – Pitruyagnamu
* Hasyagaadha Dwisathi
* Preyonuvakamu
* Godavari Garbhamu
* Agnishtomamu
=== Social and Historical Novels ===
* Dharmanirnayam
* Tikkana Somayaji
* Pothanamatyulu
* Tallapaka Annamacharya|Annamacharyulu
* Manaku Migilindi
* Meenakshi Pellichesukundi
=== Mantra Sastra ===
* Shri Yantra|Sri Chakra Vilasanamu
* Shri Yantra|Sri Chakra Pooja Vidhanamu
* Saundarya Lahari|Saundaryalahari
* Sri Lalita Sahasranama|Lalitha Sahasranama Stotra Bhashyamu
* Sri Lalitha Trisathinama Bhashyanuvadamu
=== Literary Criticism ===
* Sri Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao Sahitya Vimarsalu
=== Vedic Commentary ===
* Mantra pushpam|Mantra Pushpamu
* Panchasukta Manyusooktamulu
* Ādityahṛdayam|Aditya Hrudayamu
* Kesavadi chaturvimsatinama Vyakhyanamu
* Sri Vishnu Sahasranāma|Vishnu Sahasranama Stotramu
* Bhaja Govindam|Mohamudgaraha
* Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Stotramu
* Sri Kanakadhāra Stotram|Kanakadhara Stotramu
=== Philosophy and Religion ===
* Manamu Mana Mathamu
=== English Books ===
* Sringeri Revisited
* Sri Sureśvara|Sureswaracharya
* A Profile of Kalady
* Rationale of Mantra|Mantra Sastra
* Our Sannidhanam
=== Translations ===
* Brahmavidya Vyakhyana Simhasanamu
* Kalady
* Malli Chuchina Sringeri
* Kanchipuram|Kanchi Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple|Kamakshi Devi
*Sri Shankaracharya|Sankaracharya Vijayamu
== Awards and Honors ==
* He was bestowed with titles Aarsha Vidya Vachaspati, Shri Vidya|Sri Vidya Ratnakara and Sarvatantra Swatantra for his immense contributions to the field of Mantra|Mantra Sastra. 
* In 1974 he was honored by Sri T Ramalingeswara Rao felicitations Committee, Chennai|Madras in recognition of his contributions to Telugu language|Telugu literature.
* In 1979 he was felicitated by Kalabharati, Chennai|Madras.
* In 1980 he was honored with Sri Yarlagadda Rajyalakshmi Venkanna Chowdary Kalapeetham Award as an eminent litterateur. 
* In 1981 he was honored by a committee of hosts on the occasion of his Shashti Poorthi|Shasti poorthi celebrations in Chennai|Madras. 
* In 1989 Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami (Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao in his purvashrama) was honored by his disciples and Committee members of SABS Trust at Hyderabad on his completion of first Chaturmas|Chaturmasya Vrata|Vratha Diksha|Deeksha. 
== Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami Trust ==
Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami Trust was established in 1989 in honor of Sri Adwayananda Bharati Swami (Sri Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao in his Purvashrama) to preserve and maintain the traditional, cultural and spiritual values and heritage of India and to organize seminars and publish books and brochures etc., to propagate and foster the spiritual values and heritage of India. The latest editions of some of the works of Tummalapalli Ramalingeswara Rao (Adwayananda Bharati Swami in his Turiyashrama) were published by the Trust and it has organized a few literary meets also.
Category:1921 births
Category:1991 deaths