Sri Mahasannidhanam was born to Smt. Anantalakshmamma and Sri Venkateswara Avadhani of Alugumallepadu, Guntur, on April 11, 1951 (Chaitra Shukla Shasti of the year Khara in the Indian calendar). His purvasrama name was Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu.

Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu's spiritual inclinations were revealed at a very young age. He would watch his parents perform puja with avid interest. He began learning Sanskrit at the tender age of five from Sri Pratapagiri Sivarama Sastri, and spoke the language fluently by age seven.

In His seventh year, Sri Venkateswara Avadhani performed his son's upanayana. Sri Sitarama Anjaneyulu pursued Vedic studies with great vigor. He meticulously implemented the Sastraic dictates meant for a brahmachari: he maintained a tuft, wore a simple dhoti, smeared vibhuti on his forehead, learnt all the Anushthana mantras, sincerely performed his daily sandhyavandana, samidadhana, and brahmayajna at appropriate times. He began learning the Veda from his father who was a Vedic scholar of repute. Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu was a Ekasanta grahi (he grasped anything taught just once), who attained complete mastery over the Samhita, Brahmana, and Aranyaka of the Krishna Yajur Veda very quickly. He completed the Guntur District Vedapravardhana vidwat pariksha with honors.

In 1961, Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal of Sringeri visited Vijaywada. Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu paid his respects to His Holiness who asked the ten year old boy to speak in Sanskrit. The enchanting articulation that followed struck a responsive chord in Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha who smiled compassionately, spoke encouragingly, and blessed him with a shawl. Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu's mind experienced a holy transformation, and he felt he had found his own guru in the person of His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha. Five years later, Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal was observing the chaturmasya vrata at Ujjain. Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu walked all the way from Guntur to Ujjain, prostrated before his Guru, and sought his tutelage. The very next day, Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamigal began teaching him Tarka Sangraha. After the chaturmasya period, Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu accompanied his Guru to several other places over a two year period. After returning to Sringeri, Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu lived for eight years as an antevasin, engaged in learning and tapas. Seeing his devotion and his eminent capability to be the future Sankaracharya of the hallowed Sringeri matha, Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswami decided to formally take him on as his chosen disciple. Just as he himself had been taught by his great guru, Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati, Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha bestowed great affection on Sri Sitarama Anjaneyulu, and felt that his prayers to Goddess Saradamba for obtaining a worthy successor had been answered.

In 1974, Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamigal announced His successor-designate by informing Sri Venkateswara Avadhani, "As per Saradamba's orders, I have decided to designate Sri Anjaneyalu as the successor Peethadhipathi of our matha after initiating Him into sannyasa. Please inform your wife about this. You have another son who will take good care of you in your old age. My blessings are ever there for you." Both parents were overjoyed, and felt grateful for this great blessing conferred on their son.

On November 11, 1974, Sri Sitarama Anjaneyalu completed the sandhyavandanam, after which he performed the Purusha Sukta Homam and the Viraja Homam. He was twenty-three years old at the time. The Sishya designate then entered the River Tunga, and having had a bath stood in waist deep water where he discared his clothing and sacred thread. His Guru then gave him the saffron robes (vastra), a bamboo staff (danda), and a vessel (kamandalu), and named his disciple "Bharati Tirtha". The guru and sishya then proceeded to the temple of Sri Saradamba, where the young sannyasi ascended the Vyakhyana Simhasana (Throne of Transcendental Wisdom). A Salagrama (a symbol of Lord Vishnu) was placed on his head and worshipped by Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamigal. From this day onwards, he was the designated future Jagadguru of the Sringeri matha. For fifteen more years, he lived with his Guru, and ascended to the title in October 1989.

In keeping with the conditions prescribed for the pontificate by Sri Adi Shankara - Suchi (unimpeachable character), Jitendriya (conqueror of senses), and Vedavedaantangaadi Vichakshana (well-versed in the Vedas, the Vedangas, Vedanta and other Shastras), Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha's choice of successor was eminently qualified in all respects. Sri Bharati Tirtha's unswerving devotion to his Guru is a shining example of sadhana as prescribed by the Sruti. Those who saw the two Gurus together fondly recall the natural reverence which Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamigal demonstrated to his Guru.

As per his Guru's directions, H. H. Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamigal began undertaking independent tours since 1983, traversing the length and breadth of India. Speaking Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi and English fluently, His Holiness captured the hearts and minds of devotees all over. Besides being such an astonishing linguist, His Holiness is also a poetic genius. His elegant compositions, Dharma Sasta Stavam, Sri Guru Dhyanam, Sarada Pancharatna Stuti, and Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Aksharamala Stotram show the ease and felicity with which His Holiness handles the Sanskrit language.

His Holiness has continued with his Guru's initiatives in improving the existing facilities at the Sringeri Sarada Peetham. The tradition of the Sankaracharyas is primarily a tradition of gurus, and many young students come from all over the country to the matha for pursuing Vedic studies. His Holiness devotes great time and attention to his teaching responsibilities. The amenities at the Veda patashalas have improved considerably, offering free food, books, and accomodation to students. Advanced students are personally evaluated by His Holiness, and competent scholars are appointed to teach the students. Aware of the increasing inflow of pilgrims to Sringeri, a new guest house called Sri Sarada Krupa has been built. This is a significant addition to the existing boarding facilities at the matha. Under his guidance, an advanced Sanskrit learning center was established at Sringeri, in the year 1992. The Sadvidya Sanjivani Pathashala was rebuilt as part of its centenary celebrations in 1995, and His Holiness has recently established the Veda Vedanta Gurukula Mahavidyalaya in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

To address the needs of devotees residing in the Western world, Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamigal blessed the creation of a non-profit organization in the United States - Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation which has established the Sringeri Sadhana Center in Stroudsburg, PA. Besides building a shrine for Sri Ganesha, Sri Saradamba, and Sri Adi Shankara, this Sadhana Center is also planning on regular community events, meditation retreats, etc. In 1997, the Sringeri Sadhana Center organized an Atirudra Mahayajnam in Stroudsburg, PA. This was the first time that such a Vedic yajna was held outside India.