Category: Bhagavatpada

Advent of Shankaracharya : Tunga Adherents’ uncertainty in 1958 & Advocate Krishnaswamy Iyer’s Admission

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In 1958, Advocate Krishnaswamy Iyer, Tirunelveli, a staunch adherent of Tunga matha in his book published by the Srirangam Vani Vilas Press, reveals that even at that time, they lacked clarity about Shri Shankaracharya’s birth year, His establishment of four mathas, or Kedara as His place of Siddhi. Iyer justifies the absence of evidence, dismissing such debates as unproductive.This prompts the question: how, why and when were their baseless theories- 788 as His Birth year, the founding of only 4 mathas and kedara as his place of siddhi – systematically planted and propagated by the adherents of Tunga Matha when they themselves were not aware of thse details even in 1958?

அத்வைதமே வைதிக தர்ஶனம்”

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அத்வைதமே வேதத்தில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ள ஶாஸ்த்ரம் ஆகும் என்பதற்குச் சான்றுகள் அனேகம் உள. ஸ்ரீமஹாபாரதம் ஶாந்தி பர்வத்தில் “सांख्यं योगः पाञ्चरात्रं वेदाः पाशुपतं तथा” என்று கூறப்பட்டுள்ளமை ஈண்டு அறியற்பாலது. இங்கு ஸாங்க்யம், யோகம், பாஞ்சராத்ரம், பாஶுபதம் என்னும் நான்கினும் வேறான ஒன்றாகத் தனியே “வேதமதம்” சொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. இந்த வைதிக தர்ஶனம்தான் அத்வைத தர்ஶனம் என்பது அறிஞர் கொள்கை ஆகும்

Shri Sureshvaracharya – Part 2 (Contd.)

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Special article commemorating the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of Shri Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam Shrine at Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Shrimatham, Kanchipuram on 03.5.2024.

Part-2 (contd.)

Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam inside Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Shri Matham

The Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam or Samadhi is located within the premises of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. Historical records indicate that this has been in worship for a long time.

Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam was shifted to Kumbhakonam and remained there for a brief period due to political unrest and religious persecution caused by invaders. Further, it is well-known that the repair and re-consecration of the Tatankas of Akhilandeshvari at Tiruvanaikkaval has been traditionally carried on by the Jagadgurus of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

During the time of the 64th Acharya of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Jagadguru Shri Chandrashekharendra Sarasvati Shankaracharya Swamigal, a case was filed by the representative of the Tunga matha in 1844. This case was duly dismissed with costs and the traditional rights of Shri Kamakoti Peetam was confirmed by the Principal Sadar Ameen Court, Tiruchirapalli. The two appeals filed by the Tunga side were also rejected by the Appellate Courts.

What is notable here is that the response by Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham was presented with evidence that “The plaintiff’s argument claiming there is no matham in Kanchipuram serves no purpose whatsoever. Inside the matham lies the adhishthanam of Shri Sureshvaracharya, also known as Mandanamishra, along with an agraharam in his name, and several other adhishthanams and Brindavanams in the area.”

Proof was also presented of arrangements of poojas and maintenance by the Karyasthas of Shrimatham that continued in these adhishtanams even during the very difficult period of the shifting, conflict and while the Acharyas, Chandramaulishvara and Bangaru Kamakshi were all on the move!

It is extremely important to note that the Tunga matha’s side in that court case did not challenge this statement regarding the existence of Sureshvaracharya Samadhi inside Shri Kamakoti Peetham Shrimatham in Kanchipuram. Nor was any contradictory evidence provided.

Shri Sureshvaracharya – Part 2

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Special article commemorating the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of Shri Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam Shrine at Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Shrimatham, Kanchipuram on 03.5.2024.

Part-2

Shri Sureshvaracharya and the Indra Sampradaya:

By the word “follower of Indra Sampradaya”, we understand that Shri Sureshvaracharya alone was considered the first acharya who bore the Indrasarasvati title. It cannot be argued that the word “sampradaya” used here in this text refers to a generic reference of Shri Sureshvaracharya’s association with the incident of Indra appearing and granting his shakti to Shri Sureshvaracharya alone.

This is because the earlier chapter – the 62nd Prakaranam of Anandagiriya Shankara Vijayam clearly talks about the establishment of the “Bharati Sampradaya” and the Bhogalinga at the sangama of the rivers Tunga and Bhadra. So sampradaya according to this text refers to the sannyasa nama.

Pandit Tarkaratna Panchanana the great Samskrta scholar (1866-1940) who interacted with Jagadguru Shri Chandrashekharendra Sarasvati Shankaracharya Swamigal during his Gangadi Vijaya Yatra corroborates this.

On 13th July 1935 Jagadguru Chandrashekharendra Sarasvati Swamigal reached Kolkata and observed Chaturmasya there. On behalf of the Bangiya Brahmana Sabha, Pandit Tarkaratna Panchanana read out an abhinandana patram for the Jagadguru. He pointed out the significance of the yogapatta “Indrasaraswati” that belonged to the Acharyas of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. In that address, he specifically alludes to Shri Sureshvaracharya being the first bearer of the Indrasarasvati nama,

सुरेश्वराचार्यगुरुक्रमादिदं सरस्वतीनाम तदर्थवाचिना ।
सहेन्द्रशब्देन पुरः प्रवृत्तीना प्रगृह्यते तन्मठपीठगोप्तृभिः ॥

Shri Sureshvaracharya And Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam (Part 1- contd.)

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(Special article commemorating the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of Shri Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam Shrine at Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Shrimatham, Kanchipuram on 03-5-2024.)

The Markandeya Samhita manuscripts of which, are found in the Oriental Library Mysore and Adyar Library also corroborates this evidence. The 72nd Kanda, 7th Parispanda of this work says that in the beautiful city of Kanchipuram, in Kamakoti, Shri Shankaracharya installed the exalted yoga lingam. He appointed Shri Sureshvaracharya to worship it and made him the Peetadhipathi.

काञ्च्यां श्रीकामकोटौ तु योगलिङ्ङ्गमनुत्तमम् । प्रतिष्ठाप्य सुरेशायं पूजार्थं युयुजे गुरुः ॥ ७/१५ ॥सुरेश्वराचार्यवरं स्वशिष्यं काञ्चीपुरसुन्दरकामकोटौ।श्रीचन्द्रमौलीश्वरपूजनार्थं नियोज्य चक्रेऽस्य धराधिपत्यम् ॥८/२॥(Mysore ORI & Adyar Library – मार्कण्डेयसंहिता ७२ काण्डे ७ परिस्पन्दे ११)

Shri Sureshvaracharya during Shri Shankaracharya’s Siddhi

At the time of Shri Shankaracharya’s siddhi in Kanchipuram, He sends his sishyas Paramatakalanala and others for the establishment of Shanmatas. Anandagiriyam here again mentions Shri Sureshvaracharya with the adjective “follower of Indra Sampradaya”.

Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya, after sending His sannyasi sishyas Paramatakalaanala and others for various tasks (such as Shanmatha sthapanam), called Shri Sureshvara, follower of the Indrasampradaya, saying, “Oh Shishya, send this Mokshalinga, to Chidambaram.” Then desiring to go to his own loka, He remained in the Mokshapuri of Kanchi and absorbed His gross body into the subtle, the subtle into the causal and attained the unlimited bliss.

ततः परं सर्वलोकगुरुः आचार्यः स्वशिष्यान् परमतकालानलादियतीन् तदन्यांश्च तत्र तत्र विषयेषु प्रेषयित्वा तदनन्तरं समीपस्थ इन्द्रसंप्रदायानुवर्तिनं सुरेश्वराचार्यमाहूम “भो शिष्य । इदं मोक्षलिङ्गं चिदम्बरस्थ (ले) [लं प्रति] प्रेषय इत्युक्त्वा…

Image: Shri Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam, Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Jagadguru Shrimatham, Kanchipuram.

Shri Sureshvaracharya And Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam (Part 1)

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(Special article commemorating the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of Shri Sureshvaracharya Adhishtanam Shrine at Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Shrimatham, Kanchipuram on 03-5-2024.)

Shri Shankaracharya visited Mahishmati as part of His digvijayam. There, He defeated Mandana mishra. According to the Punyashlokamanjari, Mandanamishra was a Gauda brahmana, born in Kashmira and a disciple of Shri Kumarila Bhatta. After his defeat, he accepts Sannyasa from Shankaracharya and becomes Shri Sureshvaracharya. Shri Sureshvaracharya wrote the varttika on the Taittiriya Upanishad bhashya and Brhadaranyaka Upanishad bhashya of Shri Shankara Bhagavatpada. He also has written texts such as Naishkarmya siddhi with an admixture of prose and verse with many examples that are modelled on Shri Bhagavatpada’s Updadeshasahasri. In addition, there are a few other works such as Manasollasa commentary to the Dakshinamurti Stotra. Shri Sureshvaracharya’s impact can also be felt in many other writers such as Vachaspati Mishra.

Shri Sureshvaracharya and Kanchipuram

According to the 65th Prakarana of Anandagiriya Shankara Vijayam, titled Shrichakra Pratishta and Yogalingasthapanam, Shri Shankaracharya comes to Kanchipuram and first. consecrates a Shrichakra there. He establishes a matha fit for his own residence there and then asks Shri Sureshvaracharya to worship the Yogalingam and asks him to stay on in Kamakoti Pitham.

तत्रैव निजवासयोग्यं मठमपि परिकल्प्य तत्र निजसिद्धान्तपद्धतिम् अद्वैतं प्रकाशयितुम् अन्तेवासिनं सुरेश्वरमाहूय योगनामकं लिङ्गं पूजयेति तस्मै दत्वा त्वमत्र कामकोटिपीठमवधिवस इति व्यवस्थाप्य शिष्यजनैः परिपूज्यमानः श्रीपरमगुरुः सुखमास। (आनन्दगिरीये श्रीचक्रप्रतिष्ठा योगलिङ्ङ्गस्थापनं नाम पञ्चषष्टिकं प्रकरणम्)

Adishankara’s Birthday – April 3, 509 B.C.

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“Putting an end to the controversy over the exact date of birth of Adi Shankara, Shankaracharyas across the country on Monday unanimously accepted April 3, 509 B.C. as the birthday of the philosopher and guru. At a seminar organised in Mumbai, Shankaracharyas of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Dwarka Jyotirmath, Badrinath and Govardhan peeth Puri unanimously accepted the date and emphasised that there was no need for debate on the subject.”

(Times of India, Bangalore : 21.01.2003)