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Sri. Seshadri Swamigal was born to Vardarajan and Maragathammal on Saturday, 22nd January 1870. When he was four years of age he would sing devotional songs and stotras, taught by his mother, in a melodious voice and everyone regarded the boy as a Divine-child.

Every day, His mother used to take  Him to the temple. On their way one shopkeeper would sell Krishna idols. One day the child got down on seeing the beautiful idols of Lord Krishna, and told His mother that He would perform puja  to Lord Krishna. The shopkeeper was so happy to see the child's interest that He gave the idol free  of cost to the child.

The next day when Maragathammal went with the child to the temple, the shop- keeper prostrated at her feet and took the child's hand and saluted it saying "Golden Hand", "Golden Hand". All the bystanders were surprised at the attitude of the shop-keeper. 

He started explaining that he never had such tremendous sales and attributed it to the touch of the divine child. He went on to say that all the idols were sold out. This news spread throughout the village and everyone started addressing Seshadri as "Thanga Kai Seshadri", which means "Seshadri with the Golden Hand.“

When He was 5 years of age, He was sent to school in the traditional and orthodox manner. At the age of 7, Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony) was performed. When He was 14, His father died. 

By 16 years of age, He completed His education. He had mastered various texts in Sanskrit and Tamil -- the whole Vedanta with three primary texts - Gita, Upanishads and Brahma Sutras, besides Vedas, Nyaya and Vyakarana. He had also mastered music and astrology.

When His mother was to breath her last, she chanted two slokas keeping her hand on the chest of Seshadri -- one of Sri Adi Sankara -- (Sat Sangatve - in Baja Govindam) which meant that the company of the good led one in time to solitude and thence to emancipation and the other shloka indicated the sacredness of Arunachala -- how merely by thinking of it, one attained ultimate Bliss. 

Repeating the word "Arunachala“, she breathed her last on the lap of Seshadri. He took these two shlokas  from her  for guidance in His life.  His personal Gods were Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchipuram and Sri Rama - the divine avatar.

With the pictures of Arunachala, Rama and Kamakshi His worship was going strong. He had no sleep and no appetite. He was seen in Chakrath-Azhwar and Kamakshi temples for several hours chanting mantras, shlokas, etc. His rigorous and exacting religious practices were viewed with concern by His foster-parents who were taking care of him. 

 He began doing His meditations in Rudrabhoomi (cremation ground) which was resented and questioned by His people. 

He was wandering in the streets of Kanchipuram, when He met a Gouda Sanyasi, Sri Balaji Paramahamsa, who finding Him worthy and fit, gave Him sanyasa.

After sometime  He was noticed in the temple precincts of Sri Mukteswara at Kaveripakkam, 20 miles away from Kanchipuram.

One day, in the temple, a big serpent  was seen; Seshadri beckoned it and it came and coiled over His body and held its hood over His head. Those who witnessed were awe-struck. Seshadri now "Seshadri Swami" was unperturbed. His act showed that all creations of Almighty are alike and is all pervasive. 

At the age of 19, in the year 1889 AD, He reached Thiruvannamalai and never left its outskirts, till He dropped His mortal-coil on 4.1.1929 AD. 

His 40 years of spiritual life in Thiruvannamalai showed that Swamigal was God himself. Speaking and walking among People, he was Sanchara-Dakshinamurthi .

His biography vividly shows that He was a Jivan-mukta (a realised soul while in body). He did not have body-consciousness and was in ever communion with His Atman (Soul). He saw atman in everything-animate and inanimate.

 Sometimes He would embrace people on the road including ladies and say that He saw para-sakthi  in them. He did not have any fixed abode. He was always on the move. He will be seen at many places within a few minutes. 

He will be in rags and dirty clothes. He will enter any shop on the roads and pull out anything from them. The shopkeepers revered him and considered his visit and touch as a great blessing.

He was a saint of advanced spirituality. He possessed supernatural powers and Godly possession. There was total abdication.

When Sri Ramana Maharishi was in His younger days doing meditation in Pathala Linga cave of Arunachala Temple, it was Sri Seshadri Swamigal who gave Him protection from urchins and brought Him to the notice of the world. Ramana, younger in age used to be called Chinna-Seshadri (Little Seshadri). 

His Holy-body was interred in a Samadhi, witnessed by Sri Ramana Maharishi and several devotees, at Thiruvannamalai.

Seshadri Swamigal ashram is next to Sri Ramanashramam between the second and third Lingam on the circumambulation route. Regular pujas are performed at the Samadhi of Sri Seshadri Swamigal.