Atmanandanatha Guruji

An enlightened master, Srividya Guru, Sri.Atmanandanatha Guruji has been on the sacred path of Srividya, the esoteric worship of the Mother Goddess Sri Lalita Tripurasundari for more than three decades. As a revered Guru, he plays a crucial role in transmitting the Mantras, Yantras, and rituals associated with this tradition, ensuring that the knowledge is preserved and practiced correctly by his disciples.

Sri Atmanandanatha Guruji was born to the couple Sri.JV Shivashanmugam and Smt.Puttamma on July 26th’ 1946 at his maternal grand parents house in Haragadde.

In his Purva-Ashrama, Sri Atmanandanatha Guruji was known to the world as Sri.JSD Pani, a professional in the pharmaceutical industry, who embarked on his entrepreneurial journey in 1990. At the age of seven, Sri.JSD Pani was fortunate to receive blessings from Sri Shilpi Siddalinga Swamigalu at his uncle’s residence, a moment captured in a preserved photograph.

The book “Shodashi Maha Puja Kalpa” published in 1948, is likely the first Kannada text on Sri Chakra Puja, authored by Asthana Vidwan Sri H.P. Venkataramana Sharma Ji. It acknowledges Sri Shilpi Siddalinga Swamigalu as the Srividya Guru of H.H Sri.Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, who also played a significant role in the construction of Sri Kameshwara Kameshwari Temple in Mysuru.

As early as eight years of age, he exhibited a keen interest in astrology, with his mother serving as his initial mentor in the field of Astrology. Subsequently, he received teachings in Astrology from Sri. Ramachar of Haragadde village, who played a pivotal role in nurturing Sri. JSD’s passion for the subject. Over time, under the guidance of esteemed figures such as Sri. Dr. Ranabeer Taranath Ji, the son of the renowned Sri. Dr. Pandit Taranath Ji and brother to the illustrious sarod maestro Sri. Dr. Rajeev Taranath Ji,as well as Sri. Gunjuru Ramachandra Shastry (Pushya) and Sri. Dr. B.V. Raman, Sri. JSD honed his skills in the field of Astrology. He fondly recalls the countless hours spent discussing astrology with Sri.Dr. Ranabeer Taranath Ji between 1977- 1980.

Sri. JSD‘s uncle, Sri J.V. Doddaveerappa, the founding chairman of the first insurance company in the Old Mysuru State, known as The Mysore Insurance Company, which later merged with the Life Insurance Corporation, was a distinguished Sri Vidyopasaka. He was initiated by the revered Jagadguru Sankaracharya Sri Sri Sri Anantashri Bharatikrishna Teertha Mahaswami. Additionally, Sri. JSD‘s uncle was guided by Sri Sri Shilpi Siddaliga Swamigalu of Mysuru, who served as the Srividya Guru to H.H Sri Jayachamaraja Wodeyar.

Sri. JSD Pani received the blessings of Sri.Paranandanathar Guruji, a revered figure in Srividya Upasana, through the Poornabhisheka and the Deeksha Patta titled “Atmanandanatha” on the Ashwayuja Pournima during the Tarana Nama Samvatsara, specifically on Wednesday, October 27, 2004. This date coincided with the occasion when Sri. Chidanandanathar Guruji conducted the Sri Chakra Navavarana Puja at the Sri Kanchi Kamakshi temple. Sri. Krishnanandanatha (Sri Krishnamurthy), who belongs to the same Guhananda Parampara, was the first one to introduce Sri Atmanandanatha Guruji to Srividya in 1990.