प्रातः स्मरणीय..
Category: Bhagavatpada
Adi Sankara Served Cause of Integration
SRI SRINGERI MUTT By R. KRISHNASWAMY AIYAR
” It is idle for us to attempt to fix the exact period of time when the Master blessed the earth with his presence Scholars who have specialised in the ransacking of old records and re-building the history of the land are of varied opinion and the dates suggested by them range from 509 B C. to 788 A D. that is, for a period of nearly thirteen hundred years.
It may be mentioned however that the Sringeri tradition gives a date between these two limits and that date, namely 44 B. C, is probably neater the truth if we accept the authority of Bhaskararaya, the famous commentator of the Lalita Sahasranama Stotra.
If the Vikramarka Saka is referred to in this stanza, the date given for the birth of Sri Sankara is about 49 B. C.”
(SRI SRINGERI MUTT By R. KRISHNASWAMY AIYAR, M.A, B. L., Advocate, Tennevally – The Journal of the Sri Sankara gurukulam Srirangam, Vol. IV, No. 13.)
Sri Sankaracharya’s Disciples…1
The Horoscope of Sankara Bhagavadpada
The Date of Sankara Bhagavadpada has been needlessly drawn into controversy. This is partly due to the unwholesome desire of western scholars to demote Indian Chronology so as to line it up and subordinate it to the Chronology of Greece and partly due to the confusion in the History of India written by the Western historians. Sankara’s Horoscope as given by Citsukhacharya is given below. This is in accordance with what is recorded in the 32nd prakara of his Brihat-Sankara-Vijaya.
Note :- Constellation: Punarvasu 2nd quarter Rising Sun (Lagna) Kataka (cancer)
Time: Just afternoon (Abhijit-Muhurta)
Day: Sunday
Tithi: Panchami, bright half (Suklapaksha)
Month: Visakha
Year: Nandana,
Kali 2593 (509 B.C.)
Yudhistira Saka 2631.
(Date of Sankara By V.G.Ramachandran, Published by International Society for the Investigation of Ancient Civilizations, Madras – General Editor: Dr.N.Mahalingam, 1985)
SIDELIGHTS ON THE DATE OF SRI SANKARA BHAGAVADPADA
The Guruparampara of Dwaraka Matha is given in the “Vimarsa” published an Acharya of the Matha. This ancient document contains a summary of the dates of the principal events of Sri Bhagavadpada’s life. An abstract of the same is given below:
GANAPATYAM … 3
Shodasa Ganapati Shrine in the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Jagadguru Pujyashri Shankaracharya Swami Srimatha, Rameswaram :
Ganapati being the embodied Primordial Sound of Pranava, all the letters 51 in number-are His manifestations; and we have 51 forms of Him (अकारादिक्षकारान्त महा सरस्वतीमय – Sahasranama).
Here we have very close affinity with the Sakti-Religion which also speaks of all varnas as the Divine Mother’s manifestations, in fact their very name is Matrka.
Out of these 51 forms, 32 are singled out for special worship: namely,
1. Bala Gana pati,
2. Taruna Ganapati,
3, Bhakta Ganapati,
4. Vira Ganapati,
5. Sakti Ganapati,
6. Dhvaja Ganapati,
7. Siddhi Ganapati otherwise called Pingala Ganapati,
8. Ucchishta Ganapati,
9. Vighnaraja Ganapati,
10. Kshipra Ganapati,
11. Heramba Gana pati,
12. Lakshmi Ganapati,
13. Maha Ganapati,
14. Vijaya Ganapati also called Bhuvanesa Ganapati,
15. Nrtta Ganapati,
16. Urdhva Ganapati,
17. Ekakshara Ganapati,
18. Vara Ganapati,
19. Tryakshara Ganapati,
20. Khsipra Prasada Ganapati,
21. Haridra Ganapati,
22. Eka Danta Gana pati,
23. Srshiti Ganapati,
24. Uddhanda Ganapati,
25. Rna-mochaka Ganapati,
26 Dundi Ganapati,
27. Dvimukha Ganapati,
28. Trimukha Ganapati,
29. Simha Ganapati,
30. Yoga Ganapati,
31. Durga Ganapati and
32. Sankatahara Ganapati.
Even among these 32 forms, the first 16 are said to confer the highest bounties and they collectively go by the name “Shodasa Ganapatis.”
It speaks volumes of the Grace of Jagadguru His Holiness Sri Chandra sekharendra Sarasvati Sri Padah, that he has installed these sixteen Ganapatis, two in each corner of an octogonal mantapa of chariot shape, in the Ramesvara Sankara Mandapa, which is an epitome of all the wealth that our Vedas and Puranas contain.
In the vimana of this mandapa are also depicted sages deeply devoted to Vignesvara, like Ganaka, Mudgala, who are the Rshis for Ganapati mantras. Here there is also a replica of the Gavaksha (window) of Tiruvalanchuzhi, which is spoken of as one of the four inimitables of our temple archi tecture. Centrally amidst the Shodasa Ganapatis is
installed a Ganapati who faces the seas-Thus a ‘gana’ of Ganapatis (a Host of the Lord of Hosts) is installed here!
– Sankarakinkara – Sankara And Shanmata (1959)
GANAPATYAM .. 2
“Anandagiriya Sankara Vijayam” unmistakably dwells on the fact that Sankara re-established Ganapatya as one of the Shan-matas.
In the 71st prakarana, it is stated that when Sankara once for all took his abode in Kanchi, he sent out Girijakumara to spread Ganapatyam throughout the land; and that Girijakumara did accordingly and reported to Sankara the success of his mission.
Ganapati again, is one of the five deities worshipped in the Panchayatana Puja prescribed by Sankara.
The great Ganapati Pitha of Morgaon-Shri Yogindra
math-considers Shri Sankara Bhagavadpada as one of the Yugacharyas of Ganapatyam along with
Ganaka (Krta of Yuga),
Mudgala (Treta Yuga),
Bhrgu and Veda Vyasa (Dvapara Yuga).
Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada is referred to as Ganesa Acharya of Kali Yuga.
– Sankara Kinkara, Sankara And Shanmata (1969)
Sankaracarya
In the case of the Sankarite Institution at Kanchi where Sankara spent the last lap of his earthly career, according to at least seven important literary works giving information about the life story of Sankaracarya, it seems that only recently the name of Kanchi has been tagged.
Looking back at the history of this institution of the recent and remote past, it is learnt that successive heads of this Sankarite Institution have been known only by the name ‘Sankaracarya’.
In the case of other mutts it is found that they are referred to along with the name of the locality wherein the particular Mutt is situated, as for instance the ‘Puri Mutt’, ‘Vanamamalai Mutt’ etc.
In almost all old records pertaining to the Sankara Matha a Kanchipuram, the Mutt is noted simply as ‘Sankaracarya Mutt,’ and the heads of this institution as Sankaracaryas’. Some instances are given below:
1. A copper-plate grant of Vijayaganda Gopala (Andhra Chola ruler) of 1111 A.D., offering lands in the village of Ambi (near Kanchi), to the head of the Sankaracarya Mutt at Kanchi mentions the grantee only as ‘Sankararya Guru’.
2. A copper-plate inscription of the Government Museum, Madras of 1455. A.D., recording the transfer of some rights in the temple at Tiruvotriyur (near Madras), refers to the transferee simply as ‘a camp-follower of Sri Sankaracarya.
3. A firman issued by Daud Khan, a top-ranking officer of the Moghul Court, dated in the 24th regnal year of Padshah Alamgir, (firman renewed twice subsequently and reported in the Historical Records Commission – Vol. xxii pp.72, 73), granting land in circa Dhar Dhara, in the Carnatic province, to the then head of the Badkara Mutt at Kanchi, speaks of the grantee only as ‘Sankarācārya Gossain.”
S. A copper-plate inscription of Vijayaranga Chokkanatha Nayak King of Madurai, dated 1708 A.D., makes mention of land offerings and of rice etc., in favour of the Mutt (existing from olden times’) at Jambukesvaram (near Tiruchirapalli), belonging to the Sankara Mutt at Kanchi. The lands granted are in the villages of Mahendramangalam, Gopalasvami – thottam, Krishnapuram, Karakkadu, Kondayampettai, Mangamambapuram, Ariyur and Ariyamangalam – all in the Tiruchirapalli district (Tamilnadu). The name of the swami of the Mutt is stated in the grant as ‘Lokaguru Sankaracarya Svami.
5. A firman issued by the Nawab of the Carnatic, in Hijri 1188, conveys an order to the Officials of Subas, to afford safe passage, without collecting tolls, for two camels proceeding from Bunder, the animals having been noted as belonging to ‘Sankaracarya Mutt, without any specification.
6. An order of the English East India Company to the officials of the Company, regarding the tour of the Head of the Mutt (dated in April 1792 A.D.), refers to the Acarya only as ‘The Great Guru Sankaracarya s’vāmi.”
7. A report by Babu Rao, Mahratta Translator, to Colonel Mackenzie, dated 8th & 9th May, 1817. A.D., speaks of the Acarya of the Kanchi Sankara Mutt (who has been met by the translator at Kumbakonam), as the Chief priest of Sankarachari.’ (vide Mackenzie’s Collections by Wilson – 1828- pp. 263, 264).
The evidences given above, prove that the Sankarite Institution at Kanchi has been noted as the Institution of Adya Sankaracarya and his successors in that institution have been and are known to the rulers and people of different times and climes, by the name ‘Sankaracarya’, after the name of the illustrious founder pontiff.
– D. Ramanathan Chettiar
GANAPATYAM.. 1
Ucchishtha Ganapati Sahasranama and Shankarabhagavatpada
Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada who was immersed in the realization of Oneness with the Supreme, was a great devotee of all the various manifestations of God-head. We see him as the great Ganesh-Bhakta in his Pancha-ratna and Bhujanga on Vinayaka…
In the Sahasranama of Ucchishta Ganapati (also referred to as Guhyanama Sahasraka or the thousand esoteric names) we see Ganapati referred to as the custodian of all the six amnayas of the six maths of Sankara, five of them established in the ter restrial plane, while the sixth belongs to the domain of pure spirit.
The five maths and amnayas are referred to in the following namas (328-337):
कामकोटीपीठवासः, शङ्करार्चितपादुकः, ऋश्यशृङ्गपुरस्थः, सुरेशार्चितवैभवः, द्वारकापीठसंवासः, पद्मपादार्चिताङ्घ्रिकः , जगन्नाथपुरस्थः, तोटकाचार्यसेवितः, ज्योतिर्मठालयस्थः, हस्तामलकपूजितः । and again namas (776-780):
तोटकाचार्यसन्दिष्टपूर्वाम्नायकमन्त्रकः ।
सुरेशसमुपादिष्टदक्षिणाम्नायमन्त्रकः ।
पद्मपादसमादिष्टपश्चिमाम्नायमन्त्रकः ।
हस्तामलक सन्दिष्टोत्तराम्नायकमन्त्रकः ।
शङ्कराचार्यसन्दिष्टोर्ध्वाम्नायाखिलमन्त्रकः ।
– Names which very clearly record that Sri Bhagavatpada established Maths at Kanchi, Sringagiri, Dvaraka, Jagannathapuri and Badari, putting them respectively in charge of himself and his disciples, Suresvara, Padmapada, Totaka and Hastamalaka.
It is also of significance that Ganapati is said to be extolled by all the mantras (Akhila mantrakah) in the Kamakoti Peetham. While each of the other Mathas has one of the four Mahavakyas, Kamakoti has all the four of them.
Later in this Sahasranama, the five pithas are said to signify the five acts of the Lord and Kamakoti in this scheme is the special seat conferring the grace of Liberation (Urdhvamnaya mantroghair anugraha prakasakah).
Guhyanama Sahasraka also speaks of the five Lingas that Sankara got from Siva
विद्याभोगयशोमोक्षयोगलिङ्गप्रतिष्ठितः ।
The names of the five Lingas are given as Vidya, Bhoga, Yaso, Moksha and Yoga Lingas.
In the traditional biographies of Sankaracharya, we have the names Muktilinga and Varalinga in place of Vidyalinga and Yasolinga. Mukti being none other than Moksha the nomenclature of Guhyanama Sahasraka seems more acceptable.
This Sahasranama, occurring in the Uddamarmesa Tantra, one of the 64 tantras, is imparted only to those who have touched the very end of Tantra Upasana. What appears gross and obscene in it, is in reality a symbol of Supreme Enjoyment of Bliss. That is why the layman is not initiated into it. At a very modest estimate, this Sahasranama should have attained its high status at least some four centuries back, since we come to know that the great Sakta of revered memory, Sri Chidanandanatha, is the eighth in the succession of disciples of one of the schools of Ucchishta Ganapati Upasana.
It is of particular interest to know that Shri Sacchidananda Sivabhinava Nrsimha Bharati Sankaracharya Svamiji of Shri Sringeri Peetha was deeply drawn to this Sahasranama.
Sankara’s devotion to Ganapati was very great. When he found the Goddess Akhilandesvari of Tiruvanaikka radiating a fierce aspect that common people could not stand, he not only drew that fierce aspect in the Sri Chakras to be placed in Her ears, but also installed an image of Ganapati in front of Her; because he knew the immense love that Ganapati’s presence would evoke in the Divine Mother.
Fittingly, the Kamakshi temple, which is intricately interwoven with the Kamakoti Peetha, contains a number of images of Ganapati, each with a different name. In his Pentad on Devi, Sankara prays to Kamakshi in each stanza; ” Let the Goddess residing in this Ambapura, mother of Ganapati, protect me” (Mam Ambapuravasini Bhagavati Heramba Mata avatu). It implies that he is entitled to the Divine Mother’s love in an equal measure with Ganapati, beloved of her.
– By Sankara Kinkara – Sankara And Shanmata (1969)