Accountant Spreads Advaita

Pradeep Krishnan meets chartered accountant turned Advaita Vedanta teacher Shri N Avinashilingam of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, to find out how the study of Vedanta can help modern man

- Pradeep Krishnan

Will people ever flock to a chartered accountant to quench their thirst about the existential problems of life: What is the purpose of Creation? Why am I suffering? What is enlightenment? Not likely. But then, why is it not surprising that several people seeking answers to the eternal questions on life, living, and death approach Shri N Avinashilingam 62), a Coimbatore-based auditor and company secretary?

It is because Sri Arsha Avinash, as he is fondly called, is equally at ease with analysing balance sheets, and profits and loss accounts as he is with teaching Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit, and Indian Culture. Inspired by his guru, the late Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti, Tamil Nadu, he founded the Arsha Avinash Foundation in 2014 to propagate Advaita Vedanta, Indian Culture, Sanskrit, mantras, etc. through e-books, lectures, seminars, camps, and classes. He teaches Vedanta and Sanskrit, and is the author of about 220 articles on spirituality and culture. The website of his foundation offers 400-odd spiritual texts for free download.