In the historical epistles dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, we find accounts of the Travancore kings presenting elephants named “Padmanabha” as offerings to the revered Jagadguru Shankaracharyas of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
Additionally, in the records of the Mysore State Government for the year 1941-42, there are detailed entries of the government offering two elephant calves to Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya Swamigal Srimatham Samsthanam and Jagadguru Shri Sringeri (Tungabhadra-Kudali) Shankaracharya Swamigalavaru Srimatham Samsthanam as a humble contribution.
In the Bhumika of the book Sareeraka Meemamsa Bhashyam printed and published by Venkateswara Steam Press, Bombay, written by Mahavidvan Kashi Sesha Venkatachala Shastri, son of Pandita Dharmadhikari Shri Venkatasubramania Shastri and grand son of Pandita Dharmadhikari Kashi Sesha Nageshwara Shastri of Mysore, the following observation was made in Sanskrit about the Tungabhadra Sringeri (Kudali) matha established by Jagadguru Shri Shankara Bhagavatpadacharya.
Note: That this (Tungabhadra Sringeri) Matha was an independent Matha and that it was entitled to use Addapallaki and other paraphernelia was held in Appeal No.22 of 1847 on the file of the court of Huzur Adalat, Mysore. This order was confirmed by the Commissioner of Mysore, by his order dated 1st June, 1849. In the judgment it has also been quoted that “the Parwana of the Phalguna Bahula, 6 of the year Krodhana is to the effect that the (Tungabhadra Sringeri) Kūḍali Swami should always be on tour and that the (Tunga) Sringeri Swami should ever remain at Sringeri worshipping the deity.”- ‘Extract from the Judgement in Appeal No.22 of 1847 in the Court of the Huzur Adalat, Mysore’.- Sri Sankaracharya And Sankarite institutions by Sri Anantanandendra Saraswati of Upanishad Brahmendra Matha.
Q: Why is the Jagadguru Acharya of Tungabhadra Sringeri Matha revered with the special title “Tunga Bhadra Teeravasi”?
A:According to Mahavidvan Kasi Sesha Venkatachala Sastri of Mysore, the Birudu ” Tungabhadra Teeravasi” is associated with the Matha founded on Pitha in the confluence of Tunga-Bhadra rivers.
He founded a Matha and Vidya-dharma Pitha at the confluence of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers (known as Kudali in Kannada), situated many krosas away from (Tunga) Śṛṅgeri. As a result, the Acharyas came to be known by the title “Tungabhadra – Teeravasi.”
(Bhumika- Sareeraka Meemamsa Bhashyam by Kasi Sesha Venkatachala Sastri, Dharmadhikari & Hereditary Court Pandit of Mysore State, Printed By Venkateswara Steam Press, Bombay, 1913)
दसो दिशाओं के संरक्षक उपर्युक्त दशनामी संन्यासियों की संगठन शक्ति अक्षुण्ण बनी रहे और कालान्तर में उनके संगठन में किसी पृथकतावादी तत्त्व का समावेश न होने पाये, इसके लिये उन्होंने दशनाम संन्यासियों को निम्न रुप से एक ही शरीर के विभिन्न अंगों के रूप में प्रतिपादित किया-
Sareeraka Meemamsa Bhashya (Brahmasutra Bhashya) of Shri Shankaracarya, printed at Venkatesvara (Steam) Press, Bombay, was published in 1913.
Mahavidvan Kasi Sesha Venkatachala Sastri (Dharmadhikari and Hereditary Court Pandit of the Maharajas of Mysore) who has edited the work, has written a lengthy Bhumika, (preface) to the Bhashya, in Sanskrit, which contains much of information about Shri Sankara Bhagavatpada’s date, His life, Shankarite Institutions etc.
He has concluded his discussion on ‘Shri Shankaracharya’s time (vide page 59 of Bhumika (preface) to Sareeraka mimamsa Bhashya), with the following observation:
‘’ तथा गच्छत्वमितो बलवर्माण ततो जयसिंह ततः कृष्णगुप्तमिति इति (ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्ये ४ / ३ / ५) श्रीमच्छङ्कर भगवतत्पादैरुक्तस्तात्कालिक बलवर्म- जयसिंहः कृष्णगुप्तसामयिक एव पूर्णवर्मापि ग्राह्यः स च कलेः २००० वर्षानन्तर एव, नत्वंगलशकस्य सप्तमशतकादिः, स एव समयो भाष्यकृच्छङ्कर-भगवत्पादानां समय इति शिष्टं परिशिष्टे स्पष्टंप्रतिपादयिष्यते । “
The above passage in Sanskrit states that on the basis of Shri Shankaracharya’s observations in the Sutrabhashya (4-3-5 ) it is clear that the period of Shri Shankaracharya must be only after the elapse of 2000 years of the Kaliyuga.
English Translation of Samskrtam Article by Panditaraja Pattabhirama Shastri, Vidyavachaspati, Varanasi, Part-3
This place is known as Kamakoti Pitha due to its being the place where Jagadamba in the form of Shakti reigns here. Kamakshi who is ruling this world with her divine eyes, created crores of Manmathas and fulfilled the wishes of Kama, the husband of Rati. That is described in the Amba Stava as,
दग्धं यदा मदनमेकमनेकधा ते मुग्धे कटाक्षविधिरङ्कुरयाञ्चकार ।
Thus the sangama of various Mahakshetrams named Kamakoshta, the pitha of Jagadamba Kamakshi, this Pitha named Kamakoshta shines in knowledge as well. Even today the sangama of Sarvatirtha is counted among the Sarvatirtha of Bhageerathi. Thus, Kanchipuram is counted as among the divyakshetram, divyatirtham, and divyapitham.
The Goddess of auspicious sacred form, Rajarajeshvari, known as Kamakshi, displaying her many lilas, reigns in this Pitha.This pitha is most ancient.
Bhagavatpada Shri Jagadguru Shankaracharya, when travelling in this region, understanding the greatness of Kanchi, just as he installed shrichakra in various places, installed a Shrichakra here as well. Worshipping the supreme goddess who reigns in the Shri Chakra – Shri Mahatripurasundari and obtained the grace of that lotus-eyed goddess, Acharyapada ascended the Sarvajna Peetha in Kanchipuram and conquering all the avaidika matas, establishing his matha here, bestowed the sannyasa diksha and sannyaasaabhisheka duly as per procedural injunctions, to Sarvajna(tma), gave him the yogalingam that was worshipped by Himself, among the five lingas that He brought back from Kailasa, and assigned Sureshvaracharya to protect the young shishya, with the understanding that the work He came for – dharmarakshana and weeding of durmatas, attained oneness with Paramba Kamakshi.
For this, there are innumerable pramanika granthas such as Shivarahasya, Markandeya Samhita, Anandagiri ShankaraVijaya, BrhacchankaraVijaya, Vyasachaliya. I argue that citing them will be like grinding ground batter. From Acharya ShriSarvajnacharana, worshipping the yogalinga and Shri Mahatripurasundari as per procedure, sanctifying this nation through dharmopadesha, and establishing the adhyatmashakti in the world, the Acharyas of Kamakoti Pitha duly have been carrying forward what was obtained from Bhagavatpada,
There in the avicchinna parampara, the very form of compassion, one who is like a jivanmukta, always meditating upon the self, Shri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Shricharana the 68th Acharya shines as if the very form of Kamakshi. Fortunate indeed is the compassionate Acharya! The reason for that is:
He is currently performing penance for the welfare of the world iin that Kamakoshtha, like another incarnation of Bhagavatpada in Kalavai near Kanchipuram in His guru’s adhishtana after duly bestowing the sannyasadiksha to the qualified Shri Jayendra Saraswati Pada as the 69th Acharya according to procedure from childhood, and having taught all shastras to him, and to take responsibility of all the Matham and Pitham related work, and to carry on the activities of puja, dharmopadesha and dharmaprachara.
It is our fortune that Jagadguru Jayendra Saraswati Shripada worshipped kshetras and tirthas from Kanyakumari to Himalayas and with extraordinary dedication performing puja reigns as the Kamakoti Pitha.
Both the Acharyas to uphold the dignity of Bharata seeing that it has experienced some decay, work continuously to restore it to its past dignity by supporting and sustaining the Vedas, the fundamental life breadth of Bharata and the shastras rooted in them, agama and shilpa and also teach the means for doing this!
Thus in this world, we are indeed fortunate that they will spread the greatness of Kamakoti Pitha,from Rameshvaram to Himalayas. It is not just people from India but people from other countries too consider themselves grateful by darshana of the Shricharana and His shishya Shricharana and by seeing their puja and hearing their upadesha and spread the greatness of Kanchi Kshetra, Kamakoti Pitha and Bhagavati Kanakshi thus rendering the people of those countries fortunate, saying thus it establishes the tenet of Manu, स्वं स्वं चरित्रं शिक्षेरन् पृथिव्यां सर्वमानवा:।
Victory to Kamakoti Pitham! Victory to Kamakoti Pitham! Victory to Kamakoti Pitham! (3/3)
Source: Translation of the original Skt. Article published- Kumbabhishekham of Shri Kanchi Kamakshi Temple in 1976,
English Translation of Samskrta article of Panditaraja Pattabhirama Shastri, Vidyavachaspati Varanasi – Part-2
In the tenth adhyaya of Kamakshi Vilasa the location of Kanchipuram in the earth is described. “पुरा यत्र स्रोतःपुलिनमधुना” as Bhavabhuti said how many ever changes can be shown, those are merely to be taken as incidental.
In the works of poets such as kavyas and natakas that are born from the inspired poetry of poets, even though they are based on Puranas there is some alteration. Poets for the pleasure of connoisseur write poetry, but Maharshis do not expound the puranas in that manner. Neither did they use the faculties of imagination nor hyperbole, they had the minds to engrave things as they were. The Maharshis were endowed with divine vision to see scenes that are not of this world. Their efforts and writing the puranas were not to please others minds, seek fame, or to seek enormous wealth but being endowed with a mind focussed on examining the tattvas espoused in the Veda, they operated according to the injunction “The meanings of the Veda has to be seen along with the statements in itihaasa and purana.
Bhattapada when describing the nature of pramanya of the entirety of Samskrta literature, in the Smrtyadhikarana says,
“Thus the instructions are also from the words in the itihasa and purana. The stories however are to be taken as arthavaada (ie words of praise with the intent to make someone undertake an act). Even foretelling the future is also based on the Veda on account of the extraordinary knowledge of the dharma and adharma anushthanas owing to the changes of yugas and the nature of yugas since time memorial.” (Shabara Bhashyam Page. 166 Pune edition), saying thus he explains the knowledge of the Maharshis, the writers of the Puranas.
In this manner, when looking at the Kamakshi Vilasa in the Markandeya Purana, Kanchipuram, the descriptions of all the temples there that precede it, it is understood that this place Kamakoshta is the abode of Paramba Kamakshi. The word koshtha means antargrha or innermost sanctum. It also is understood that this is a place that fulfils all desires. Thus the end of desire, the highest refuge. The place where the desires of all beings are attained. Hence this Kamakoti Pitham is sacred.
Kama is the third purushartha; the fourth purushartha is moksha; That is expressed by the word koti. The word Kamakoshtha/ Kamakoti indicates that for the people of this world who have ordinary worldly aspirations, and for the Maharshis who seek this extraordinary thing, moksha, are obtained in this place of penance. Alternately it was because Jagadamba who revived Kama who was burnt by the eye of Rudra and gave him life in crores. This is the place where the krcchra penance obtained fruition. Due to the depth of the navel, this Kamakoshtakam is also in the form of bilam. This Kamakoshta is the essence of all great kshetras. (2/3)
English Translation of Samskrtam article by Panditaraja Pattabhirama Shastri, Vidyavachaspati, Varanasi, Part-1
From the time of Parameshvara’s first srshti unto this minute, Bharatadesha is counted amongst the most sacred. What may be the reason for this?
Even if the parabrahma is devoid of qualities, form or blemish, and is truly sacchidananda, it takes various forms with various names at various times due to the divine lila, in order to establish dharma and punish the evil, incarnating in various places on earth in the forms such as Rama, Krishna and Nrsimha and walks all over Bharatabhumi thus sanctifying it. Further creating men of great wisdom and the seers of the darshanika tattvas and philosophical systems such as Vyasa, Jaimini, Kapila and Gautama enriching the mind and intellect of human beings.
With the ocean of Vedas, which was the primary cause for creation, establishing granthas for countless shrauta and smarta karmanushthana for the welfare and conduct of this world, and sages such as Apastamba – Katyayana- Baudhayana- Latyayana Maharshis were the cause of the greatness and glory of Bharata Mata. Vyasa and Markandeya Maharshis wrote countless puranas writing many things worthy of practising and following thus proclaiming the fame for Bharata’s itihasa. Smrtinibandhanakaras such as Manu and Yajnavalkya codified rules for the society enabled human beings to live in an orderly manner knowing their limits.
The crest jewels of Bharata – poets such as Bhasa, Kalidasa and and Bhavabhuti enriched and propagated Samskrta literature.
Sacred rivers such as Ganga, Krishna and Godavari and tirthas worshipped by Maharshis flow across Bharata bhumi sanctifying her. Various temples, sthalas, tirthas and Pithas that increase the spiritual shakti illuminate the eminence of Bharatadesha. Such being the case and reasons for its glory, what is to doubt the preeminence of Bharatadesha? It is true that it is due to the great fruition of our purvapunya that we were born in this sacred nation.
In this renowned Bharatadesha, there are some that are kshetras, some tirthas and some Pithas. Wherever we set our eyes on, we experience in these great temples the presence of devatas, the living of yogis, mahatmas and great devotees, the people whose hearts are purified by the adhyayana of veda and shastra, the constant travelling of those of great learning and immersed in shrauta, smarta karmas. Among these tirthas,
it is possible to say that the city of Kanchipuram is bestowed with all of these qualities is not hyperbole. Kanchipuram is divyakshetram, divyatirtham and divyapitam.Even now in Kanchi, jivanmuktas and Mahatmas dwell; it is the place of residence of panditas learned in the four shastras. Here Vedas, the pramana of Bharatadesha resound. To answer the question of what the cause of this kind of greatness is one has to say that it is here that lotus-eyed shakti Kamakshi the Paramba’s abode is.
The Goddess Herself says in the Kamakshivilasam of Markandeya Purana,
From these it can be ascertained that Kanchi is a divyakshetram. Others may be kshetras but this is a divyakshetram whether it be for devas, human beings or for rakshasas for they all attempted to acquire some power and achieved success there.
There was a time when the devas and humanbeings could see each other, talk to each other and go to each other’s places and be of assistance. With Bhagavan Vasishtha’s anugraha, Raghu the son of Dilipa received a divine chariot that could go from place to place in the sky, how else could he get the horse for the ashvamedha conducted by his father Dilipa and battle against Devaraja and win? Arjuna was given ardhaasana by Devaraja.Thus many kings, having requested by Devaraja rendered assistance in battle.
Here, in Kanchi Bhagavati the form of Shakti orders the devas, “You all stay here”. Even now we see in Kanchipuram, there are many temples for all the devatas. Hence this is a divyakshetram.
Kanchi is the central part of the bhuvalayam. Just as the central part of the human body is the navel, likewise is Kanchi. Like the armor, it protects all the creatures. All living creatures take the essence of food from the mother through the umbilical cord in the navel for sustenance when they are in the womb. Hence among the sharira avayavas, there is an important place for the navel as among all the places of this world, Kanchipuram acquires primary importance on account of its being the navel centre and also because of Sati devi’s navel falling here.
It is said in the Markandeya Purana
जगत्कामकलाकारं नाभिस्थानं भुवः परम् ।
पदपद्मस्य कामाक्ष्या महापीठमुपास्महे || इति ।
From this it can be ascertained that among the 51 Shakti Pithas this is an important pitham. This is also elaborated in detail in Meru Tantra in the Nityashodashikarnava and Jnanarnava and other tantra granthas. Due to the depth of the nabhi this Pitha is in the form of a bilam.
This kshetram is known in five names such as Kamakoshtam, KamakotiShripuram, bhuH, bhadram, jivanmuktipuram.Just as the central hub of a wheel is important for the moving of a wheel, likewise for the movement of the wheel of samsara, deciding that Kanchipuram the central part or the nabhisthana, bilam is Kamakoshtam, Kamakshi rules there and sets in motion this samsara chakra. The name Kanchi is also well known as the abharana or the ornament worn in the waist. The waist is the middle portion of the body. Thus the central portion of Bhudevi, the waist portion became known as Kanchi with its etymologically significant name. This is not a name that was just made up but is mentioned in the Puanas. (1/3)
Shankarite Institutions have been at the forefront of patronising and encouraging the publication of rare shastra granthas and scholars in all parts of the country. We have seen earlier about the publication of Shivarahasyam Manuscripts by the North and South Indian scholars in 1932 & 1934 and the interactions of Tarkaratna Panchanana Bhattacharya of Bengal in Kashi.
Another such account of Kanchi-Kashi Sambandha is the account of Mimamsakesari Vidyavachaspati Mahamahopadhyaya Padmabhusana Pandit P. N. Pattabhirama Shastriji. He was born in 1908 in Palasur village near Kanchipuram, initially educated at Tirupati and later in Varanasi under M.M. Chinnaswami Shastri. From there he went to Kashi and served at Banaras Hindu University. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya later recommended his appointment as Principal of Maharaja Sanskrit College, Jaipur. His dedicated mastery of the sastric tradition of Bharatam and his writings, lectures and editions on Mimamsa remain as evidence of his work.
The All-India Kashiraj Trust was established in 1951 and its silver jubilee was celebrated on 24th October 1981. The recods of the proceedings started with a mangalacharana by Shri Ganeshvara Dravid and Shri Pattabhirama Shastri read out a sandesha from Shri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Swamigal, the 68th Acharya of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham that was specially sent for the occasion. This is published in the summary of the activities of the Kashiraj Trust in 1982
Pt. Pattabhirama Shastri’s disciple Pt. Dr.Mandana Mishraji writes in his general editor’s preface of the edition of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Kendiya VidyaPith 1984 wries in his introduction to “Shabara Bhashya with the Tuptika Varttikabharana, Tantrashikhamani and Bhashya Sandarbha Yojini” says that it was only due to the anugraha of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Acharya that his guru Shri Pattabhirama Shastri was able to do this work and seeks their continued blessings for the good health and strength for Shastri to complete this work.
The Tuptika is written by Shri Venkateshvara Dikshita, the architect of the 72-mela system and the son of Advaita Vidyacharya Govinda Dikshitar. The relationship of the matrilineal side of this Govinda Dikshita family to the purvashrama families of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham is well-known. The Tantrashikhamani is written by Shri Rajachudamani Dikshita, the youngest son of Shri Ratnakheta Dikshitar and also a student of Shri Nilakantha Dikshitar. Rajachudamani Dikshita was a gifted writer of kavya and the author of Shankarabhyudaya, a literary work on Shankaracharya which traces his birth to His siddhi in Kanchipuram.
The story behind this publication is narrated by Pandit Pattabhirama Shastri in the introduction titled “Yatkinchit”. Shastriji says as follows:
“Once I went to Shahabad near the banks of Pampa river in Karnataka to have darshana of the “walking God”, Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Shricharana, of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham established by Shri Jagadguru Adishankaracharya with my spouse. My two daughters were also with me. Shricharana was getting ready to have his snana. Knowing that I had come, he beckoned me. All of us went towards Him. He asked me if I can stay there for 3-4 days and if I knew someone near by. I responded that I will stay as long as Shricharana wishes and that I will get to know someone who lives around the area. Then someone said they will make arrangements for my stay with family hear near the banks.”
Then a young man who they knew from Kolkata introduced himself to them and took them to his home for three days. Then for three days we had the fortune of darshana of Shricharana who was in the state of Kashtamauna for three days. On the fourth day having learnt that the Jagadguru completed His maunavrata and was speaking, we went. The Karunamurti looked at us and beckoned us. He asked us what our daily activities were and how many students were studying and what I was teaching and what I was publishing. Then he asked me why I had not yet edited and published the TupTika of Shri Venkateshvara Dikshita and the Tantrashikhamani of Shri Rajachudamani Dikshita.Then he detailed the lives of the two granthakarthas. When I replied that that the manuscripts of these two were not available to me in full, He said that manuscripts of these works will be available in the Tanjavur Sarasvati Mahal and Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras and in Mysore Oriental Library and you may try and obtain the copies. Publish whatever you can find.”
Three hours went by in this conversation and thus instructed. Then Shricharana was getting ready for His anushthana and we sought His permission to go back to Varanashi and then mentioned that Shricharana has given ajna to publish this work but I fear that I don’t have the kind of vaidushyam and am afraid at each step I take”. Shricharana raised His hand blessed me and said “You will have a long life and take up this work at the earliest and complete it!”
Then he details the accounts of how he collected the various manuscripts from different locations and also found a copy from the collection of his teacher Chinnaswami Dikshitar and with prayers to Shricharana he began the laghu tika that accompnies this text and how this was published with the assistance of his student Mandana Mishra.
Panditaraja Pattabhirama Shastri was also the editor of Advaita Grantha Kosha. In the year 1946, Shri Shankaracharya of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Mulamnaya Sarvajna Pitham expressed a desire that a comprehensive list of all manuscripts and books pertaining to Advaita be compiled and published. This was prepared by a disciple of Sri Ishtasiddhindra Saraswati Swami of the Upanishad Brahmendra Matha Kanchipuram and edited by Panditaraja Pattabhirama Shastri and was released in 1964.
Shivarahasyam also acquires great significance in the Gangadi Vijaya Yatra of 1934 of Shri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Shankaracharya Swamigal, the 68th Acharya of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Mulamnaya SarvajnaPitham.
When some scholars questioned the validity of the Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham, Shivarahasyam was considered as evidence and one of the important pramana granthas for the charitam of Shri Shankara Bhagavatpada.
The sixteenth adhyaya of the ninth amsha of this Shivarahasyam narrates the history of Shivabhaktas beginning with that of Shri Shankara Bhagavatpada. This text says that He incarnated 2000 years after the beginning of Kaliyuga.
Many granthas accept the pramanya of Shivarahasyam. Shivarahasyam is also quoted in nibandhanagranthas such as nirnayasindhu and the Advaitarajyalakshmi commentary of Madhaviya Shankara Vijayam.
Sadananda who wrote the Shankara Digvijaya Saram, a summary of Madhaviya Shankara Vijayam refers to both Shivarahasyam and Anandagiriyam and that he writes his text after examining them.
During the Gangadi Vijaya Yatra a large body of scholars and Panditas of Kashi gathered, headed by Tarkaratna Panchanana Bhattacharya, and weighed and examined all the pramanas. The body of scholars wholeheartedly accepted the validity of the Mulamnaya Sarvajna Pitha and its sthapana by Shri Bhagavatpada after carefully weighing all the textual evidence.
In the Shivarahasya, Shiva gives the five lingas to Shri Shankara Bhagavatpada and asks Him to take these lingas and worship them thrice a day. To this day, the Jagadgurus of the Kanchi Kamakoti Mulamnaya Sarvajna Pitham offer puja to Shri Chandramaulishvara three times a day.
The Shivarahasyam concludes that by worshipping these five lingas named Yoga, Bhoga, Vara, Siddhi ( Moksha) and Mukti in His digvijaya, Shri Bhagavatpada defeated scholars and then ascended the Sarvajna Peetham in Kanchipuram in the sannidhi of Shri Kamakshi Devi.
सर्वज्ञपीठमधिरुह्य विजित्य मिश्रान् काञ्च्यां शिवे तव पुरः स च सिद्धिमाप॥ ४६ ॥
In a publication from Shri Vallabharama Shaligrama Sanga Vedavidyalaya titled “Adishankara Pujakalpa” the preface by Purushottamashrama Swami in 1992 says that an old copy of Shivarahasyam was available in Kashi Naresha Pustakalaya and copy was with Panditaraja Rajeshvara Shastri Dravid. The tippani of this also contains extracts from Anandagiriya Shankara Vijaya from Shri Rama Taraka Matha Pustakalaya, thus establishing the pramanya and importance of these two granthas for both the Shankaracharitam and for Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Mulamnaya Sarvajna Pitham.
According to the Royal Modi records of the Tanjore Mahratta kingdom, it is documented that Maharaja Serfoji obtained a copy of the Shivarahasyam manuscript from Varanasi. This itihasa which is a valuable piece of ancient literature is also safeguarded in numerous libraries across Bharat.
During the later part of the 19th century, some books were published with the altered version of the shodasodhyaya, navamamsha of Shivarahasyam. However, the learned Pandits of Varanasi through their expertise, identified and removed those spurious alterations made in the original text of Shivarahasyam.
They successfully foiled the attempts made by the four math propagandists to diminish the eminence of Kanchi pitham and alter the sacred samadhi sthala of the Acharya in Kanchipuram, by comparing the modern publications with the original Shivarahasyam manuscripts preserved in Varanasi.
(3/3)
[Images: Shivarahasyam, 9th Amsha, 16th Chapter – Gangadi Tirtha Vijaya Yatra of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadhipati Jagadguru 1008 Shri Shankaracharya Swami, Published by Shri Madavram Sanda, Shri Jagannatha Shastri Bharadwaj and Shri Damodardas Khanna, Varanasi (1936). ]
