Family:
Yellambalase Subbarao was born to Sri Nanjundaiah (whose name given at birth was Narayana) and Smt. Lakshmidevi in Chikkamagalur on January 5, 1880 which corresponds to Shalivahana saka 1802, Pramathi nama samvatsara, Margashirsha bahula ashthami, hasta nakshatra, Monday.
He was the 15th of the 16 children born to his parents but only 7 children survived beyond childhood - elder brothers: Shivaramaiah, Srikantaiah; elder sisters: Tangamma (Rangamma), Lakshmakka, Nanjamma; younger brother: Krishnaswamy.
He spent his childhood in Yellambalase where his parents had settled down after his father's retirement as Shekdar. His childhood was often beset with illness which he survived thanks mainly to the homely ministrations of his mother.
He married Lakshmidevamma (daughter of Arasikere Mylarajois) at the age of 14 and the marriage was consummated in 1901. He had one son, Y. Narasappa, and three daughters Lakshmidevi, Girija, Sukanya.
Schooling:
He began his schooling when he was 6 years of age and went on to finish Junior F.A.; though he attended senior F.A. Classes he could not take the examination. His schooling was not regular and he shifted across many towns staying at various times with his brothers, sisters, relatives or friends:
- 1886-87: Charantara Koolimatha, Yellambalase;
- 1887-1890: Government School, Yellambalase;
- 1891-93: Chikkamagalur, 1st and 2nd Standards;
- 1893-95: Tarikere ;
- 1896: Hassan.
- 1897-99: Chikkamagalur, Metriculation examination (school finishing exam) in Hassan and re-examination in Bangalore; passed with First Class;
- 1900-01: Bangalore, First Arts in Central College; passed Junior FA ranking 4th among 94 candidates; started attending senior FA classes but had to discontinue and return Yellambalase due to ill health.
- 1903: Bangalore; he came on leave from kadur to resume his senior FA again but could not take the examination as his leave was not extended.
He was noticeably good in mathematics and was remarkably adept at self-learning any subject he set his heart on. It was thus that he learnt Sanskrit and later on, studied various philosophical works, especially Advaita that too mainly works of Shankara.
Career:
Like his education, his career was also somewhat disorganised. While in Yellambalase after returning from Bangalore in 1901 he got the idea that he should take up the profession of a school teacher. His teaching career began as a remuneration-less Sanskrit teacher to his friend Puranika Narasimhabhatta. However, seeking a salaried job he applied for and got a job as Overseer in Kadur in 1902. His main work was that of a Sanitary Inspector. While in Kadur Plague struck and he was put on Plague duty. He fell ill and went on leave to continue his senior FA in Bangalore. But before he could take the examination he had to return to his duties in Kadur on getting a letter that his leave cannot be extended. During his stay in Kadur, he met Hosakere Chidamabaraiah and through his influence got a temporary (agianst a leave vacancy) school teacher's job in Jagalur. After a few months in Jagalur as the person (against whose leave vacancy he held the job) was transfered to Holalkere Anglo-Vernacular School, Subbarao had to go there. After 4-5 months in that school he got a permanent appointment as an assistant teacher and transfered to Molakalmuru. He was promoted as Headmaster and transfered to Hosadurga in 1906. After only 7 months there he was transfered as Headmaster, A.V.School, Holalkere. He was there till 1909. His later stints were:
- Davanagere: 1909-1912.
- Kalurkatte (Hosanagara): 1912-14.
- Holalkere: 1914-15
- Harihara: 1916-17
- Hosadurga: 1917 He was then transfered to Bangalore where he essentially remained till his retirement in 1935.
- Bangalore: 1917-35 with short stints at Maddagiri, Channapatna; served in various A.V.Schools in Bangalore - Fort, S.R.N., Vishveshwarapura, Basavanagudi, Sultanpet. He also served as lecturer in English and General Subjects and later as Professor of Vyakarana and Tarka in Sri Jayachamarajendra Sanskrit College during 1923-25.
Sanskrit education:
In his very first year of schooling at Charantara Koolimatha he was introduced to Amarakosha through R.L.Rice's Tikamarakosha. While he was studying in Tarikere (1893-95) he was sent to Sri Appannapandita to learn Sanskrit; there he got acquainted with Raghuvamsha and Hitopadesha. Though he had taken Sanskrit as an optional subject in higher primary classes under the advice of his teacher Ramaswamy Aiyengar he did not opt for it while preparing for lower secondary examination (corresponding to present 7th standard).
His senior in school Timmappaiah possessed a copy of Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa with English translation and notes. Subbarao used this book for self study learning Sanskrit through English. Around this time he aquired a copy of McDonald's English Sanskrit dictionary which greatly aided his studies.
When he joined junior FA class in Bangalore in 1900 his limited means posed a problem. One of his friends suggested that he enroll for some course in the Sanskrit Pathashala where the first ranker in each course would get regular financial assistance (scholarship). Fortunately for Subbarao, there was a course without any students and he enrolled for the course as it guaranteed that he would stand first in that class of only one student! This course was taught by Karigiriyacharya, a scholar in Sanskrit grammar. It was under his tutelage that a firm foundation was laid for Subbarao's scholarship in Sanskrit. Though Karigiriyacharya taught him just one Sarga (Canto) of Kiratarjuniya and one chapter of Dashakumaracharita (which were the prescribed texts) he imparted in Subbarao the proper way of studying classics to learn a language. Subbarao considers him as his principal Sanskrit teacher.
After a break in studies when he rejoined senior FA class in 1903 he took Sanskrit as his optional language which pleased the then Principal of Central College Professor Tait; Subbarao impressed him even more by standing first in Sanskrit in the first quarterly tests. When he went back to Kadur he studied Meghasandesha and four more chapters of Kiratarjuniya.
After he met Hosakere Chidamabaraiah during his second stint in Kadur both of them started studying Sanskrit together; they worked through Laghusiddantha Kaumudi, the standard text for Sanskrit grammar, Kuvalayananda and Prataparudriya.
Spiritual Development:
Subbarao's upanayana was performed when he was 10years old. Along with Sandhyavandana mantras, his father taught him many Stotras - Krishnashtottara, Shivashtottara, Indrakshi, Shivakavacha, Krishnashthaka, Kalabhiravastotra and many others. In childhood he loved performing puja unhurriedly with tulasi leaves and flowers.
While in Chikkamagalur1897-99 he stayed with his elder brother in a room in Pleader Hariyappa's house. Sri Hariyappa was a very gentle and devout person. Sri Subbarao came under his influence and remembers that many corners of his personality were smoothened out during this period. Near the end of his stay he had shift out of Hariyappa's house and when he was struggling to find lodging and board his school headmaster, V Subrahmanya Iyer came to his aid by arranging for food in his own house and stay in the school hostel. Coming into contact with V Subrahmanya Iyer turned out to be an important event in his life. It was there that he had a first glimse of the Bhagavadgita Bhashya of Shankaracharya and it was Sri Iyer who introduced him to K. A. Krishnaswamy Iyer whom he considers as his Guru.
Adhyatmaprakasha Karyalaya:
During his stay in Davanagere as an Assistant Master in the Government Middle School he got acquainted with a rich businessman, Sri Maganahalli Doddabasappa. Sri Doddabasappa was impressed with Subbarao's simple life devoted to his work as a teacher along with his spiritual sadhana and held him in high esteem. When he learnt of Subbarao's respect for Swami Vivekananda, he left a set of Swamiji's complete works with him. While Subbarao was in Kalurkatte on transfer from Davanagere he received a letter from Doddabasappa requesting Subbarao to come and spend a few months in Davanagere taking leave without salary and that he would compensate his salary. When Subbarao went to meet him to ask what he was expected to do during this period he was told that a house would be rented for him and that he should stay there and translate Swami Vivekananda's Rajayoga into Kannada which he accepted and started on the translation. The translation was completed later when Subbarao was at Holalkere in 1914-15. When the printed book came out of the press Doddabasappa gave all the copies to Subbarao and asked him to use the sale proceeds for bringing out his next book. Subbarao managed to sell off the stock at some commission to a book seller and bought printing paper for his next book. This provided the impetus for Subbarao to complete a translation of Mandukyopanishat which he had begun some time ago.
Around this time Sri Surappa of Tiptur sought him out and requested his permision to stay with him in Bangalore for spiritual guidance. They decided to start a monthly spiritual magazine, Adhyatmaprakasha with Surappa as its editor. But unfortuantely Surappa passed away while on a trip to Varanasi before the magazine could take-off (it eventually started in April 1923 with Subbarao as Editor; it has continued to come out regularly as a monthly magazine and is quite popular with spritual seekers (currently there are about 3000 subscribers)). Though the magazine did not take-off, its name had made a deep impression on Subbarao and so when he readied Mandukyopanishat translation for printing in 1920 he wrote on the back cover that this would the first of a series of books on famous works of Sri Shankaracharya in Kannada under the banner of Adhyatmaprakasha. It was thus in 1920 that the Adhyatmaprakasha Karyalaya came into being without much fanfare.