Vedic mathematicians biography

Shri Bharati Krishna Tirtha Maharaj was born on 14th March 1884 in Pue, in Orissa. He was very good in Mathematics, Science, Humanities and was excellent in Sanskrit language. His original name was Venkatraman Shashri and his father's name was P.Narashima Shashri. His father was a Tehsildar at Tirurelveli in Madras Presidency.

He was an ardent believer of ancient Vedic Tradition of all around spiritual and cultural harmony. He was always generous enough to help people who needed his assistance. Bharti Krishna Tirtha’s life was an example of simplest living and highest thinking. He had a magnetic personality with scintillating intellectual brilliance and powerful oratory skills. He always believed in the philosophy of Vedantic ideal of Purnatva which means “all round perfection and harmony”.

Venkantraman had his basic education from National College, Tirchinopoly. Then he moved to Church Missionary Society and then to Hindu College, both in Tirunelvelli. He passed his matriculation examination from Madras University in January 1899, where he finished first. According to his own testimonials, Sanskrit and Oratory were his favourite subjects. Due to his knowledge of language, he was conferred the title of "Saraswati" at the age of 16 by Madras Sanskrit Association. He was greatly influenced by his Sanskrit Guru Vedam Vekantrai Shastri. After long eight years of devotion towards studying Vedanta, he went to Sannyasa and was conferred the name "Swami Bharakrishna Tirtha" in 1919.

In between the year 1911 – 1919, during his deep meditation in Shringeri Forest, he became aware of 16 Sutras associated with Vedic Mathematics. Later in 1925, due to ill health of Swami Madhusudhama Tirtha, Bharati Krishna was compelled to accept Govardhana Gaddi and hence seemed as Shankaracharya of Govardhan Gaddi Matna. He was the 143rd Shankaracharya of Govardhan Maath.

However due to undisclosed reasons,Shri Bharati Krishna Tirtha borrowed a large sum of money from money lender and devotee of Dakor, Shri Manilal Desai. Bharati Krishna Tirtha gave his manuscript notes as security against the borrowed amount. But Bharati Krishna Tirtha was not able to repay the amount owned until 1955 or so. Later these notebooks were taken under the charge of Shri. Laxminarayan, son of Shri Manilal Desai. Later an initiative was taken by Vijaya M. Sane, Professor with Kalabhavan Polytechnic in Vadodara, to locate the manuscripts with assistance of Gujrat Government and Gujarat Police Department. The boxes containing the manuscript were traced from Laxminarayan. He sold those manuscripts to a German scholar at $50 per manuscript (as shared by 145th Shankaracharya of Govardhan Maath). He transported the trunks containing manuscript from Dakor to Asarva in Ahmedabad. Owing to the loss of the manuscript which was confirmed in 1956, the advent devotees of Bharati Kirshna Tirtha requested him to write the manuscripts. In 1957, he wrote the presently available Vedic Maths book inspite of suffering from old age and ill health with weak eyesight. He ensured to continue with his studies and writing, deliver talks with enthusiasm and zeal. In 1958, he went on a tour to US and addressed audiences of Colleges, Churches and other Institutions on World Peace , which was organized by Self Realization Fellowship of Los Angeles. In 1958, the typescript of Vedic Maths was sent for publication in US. Bharati Krishna Tirtha attained Mahasamadhi on 2nd February 1960. 5 years later, his book Vedic Maths was published.