Kanchi pontiff Vijayendra's father Krishnamurthi dead

Chennai: The head of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Vijayendra Saraswati’s father Krishnamurthi Shastri died on Saturday at a hospital here, an official of the math said.

He was 94.

“Shastri was admitted to a private hospital two days ago and he breathed his last at 11.30 AM.

The cremation has been scheduled on Sunday at his native village Thandalam (Kanchipuram district),” a Kanchi Math official told PTI.

The nonagenarian was a highly acclaimed Vedic scholar who taught Sri Vijayendra spiritual treatises, including Vedas during his younger days, he added.

“In keeping with tradition,Bala Periyava (Sri Vijayendra) will not attend the creamation of his poorvasrama (before he was initiated into sanyas) father…taking a dip in the sea or a river is the norm that is followed,” he said.

Sri Ramachandra Hospital sources confirmed the death and said Shastri was under the care of a cardiologist.