Category: FAQ

Question: According to the Mathamnayas, which matha holds the distinction of being the very first one to have been founded?

Answer: According to all the Mathmnayas, Dwaraka matha is the first of the four mathas to have been founded. Sarada pitha, at Dwaraka is the “first amnaya matha”- “prathamaḥ paścimamnayaḥ śāradāmaṭha ucyate”.

However, Anandagiri, a follower of the Kanchi Tradition, along with his followers Cidvilasa and Kasi Lakshmana Sastri, the author of GVK, both adherents of the Tunga Sringeri matha, assert in their works that Tungabhadra Sringeri was the site where the first matha was founded.

Further research on this subject is warranted due to the disagreement between mathamnaya texts and hagiographies on whether the first founded matha was Dwaraka or Tungabhadra Sringeri.

Question: Why do Mathamnaya theorists consider Cidvilasa Sankaravijaya to be exceptionally unique and significant and could you specify the exact location where Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada ascended the Sarvajna Peetha according to this historical account?

Answer: Cidvilasa is an adherent of the Tunga Sringeri Matha, presents a unique perspective in his Sankaravijaya by claiming that the Acharya established four mathas. Cidvilasa clearly asserts that Sri Sankaracharya ascended the Sarvajna Peetha exclusively at Kanchipuram.

Image: 19th Century Palm-leaf Tamil manuscript of Cidvilasa Sankaravijaya – Translation of the Skt. original text from the Tunga Sringeri matha, evidencing Sri Sankaracharya’s Sarvajna Peetharohanam at Kanchipuram.

First Printed Edition of “Mathamnaya“

Question: When and where was the first printed edition of “Mathamnaya” published, and who was the publisher?

Answer: In 1894, the first printed edition of “Mathamnaya” in the Sanskrit Grantha script was published at Srividya Mudraksharasala, Kumbhakonam. The publisher of this edition was Brahmasri Guruswami Sastri, hailing from Kalpattu village.

Images: Cover page (original) & Foreword by the Publisher in Tamil (Reprint)

Q: Until when did the adherents of the Tunga Sringeri Matha of Mysore State believe that Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya was born in the first century B.C.E.?

A: Sri Sacchidananda Sivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Swami, Head of the Tunga Srirgeri Matha of Mysore State (from 1868 C.E. to 1912 C.E.) constructed a temple for Sri Sankaracharya at Kaladi in Kerala. The consecrations of this temple and also of the newly erected adjacent temple of Sri Saradambal, took place in 1910, in the immediate presence of and under the directions of the Swami.

The Swami also caused to set up a stone plaque, containing an inscription of 18 Sanskrit verses, on one of the walls of the Sri Saradambal temple. The inscription was seen at the spot till about 1970.

Though the plaque with the inscription is not to be found at present in the temple, luckily, the text of the inscription, containing 18 verses in Sanskrit, has been published in the work ‘Kalady’ edited by Prof. K.R Venkatraman, and published by P.S. Narayanan of Palghat – 1966, with a message of blessings from Sri Abhinava Vidyateertha Swami of the Tunga Sringeri Matha, dated 8.1.1966.

The first three verses of this inscription are as given below:

कालटीकुम्भाभिषेकवृत्तान्तबोधनाय

श्रीशारदामन्दिरे प्रतिष्ठापितशिलालिखिताः

इमे श्लोकाः ॥

प्रायशो वर्षसाहस्रद्वितयात्प्राक्सदाशिवः ।

दृष्ट्वाऽधर्मेण धर्मस्य ग्लानिं सर्वत्र भूतले ॥१॥

कालट्यां केरले श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यसंज्ञया ।

प्राप्य जन्म स्वप्रतिज्ञापालनार्थीमिवादरात् ॥२॥

विजित्य सर्वान् वादेन दुर्मताविष्टचेतसः I

आविष्कृत्यासमन्ताद्वै वैदिकं धर्ममुत्तमम् ॥३॥

The preamble of the inscription states that the verse inscribed below are in memory of the consecration of the Sri Sankaracharya temple at Kaladi and for having a knowledge of the details about the Kumbhabhishekam of the temples.

The first two verses of the inscription purport to say that on seeing the weakening of Dharma in the world, Sadasiva, as if in accordance with his resolve, was born at Kalady, in Kerala, some 2000 years ago. (i.e., 1910–2000 = 90 B.C.) as Sri Sankaracharya.

From the above it is to be understood that till1966, the adherents of the Tunga Sringeri of Mysore State have held that Sri Sankaracharya was born in the first century B.C.E.

(Source: Sri Sankara Bhaktha Jana Sabha, 91, Salai Street Kanchipuram-2 Publication)

Q: Is Mathamnaya authored by Sankaracharya, or is it the creation of someone else entirely?

A: In ‘Sankara Granthavali’ printed at the Vani Vilas Press, Sirangam and published in 1910 C. E. in commemoration of the consecration of Sri Sankaracharya murti at Kaladi, in Kerala, under the personal directions of the then Sringeri Acharya, the Mathamnaya Stotra has not been included. This clearly indicates that the Mathamnaya is not a work of Sankaracharya.

Q: What is the reason for the disagreement regarding the date of Sankaracharya?

A: Sri Sankaracharya appeared in 509 B.C. Hundreds of Acharyas have arisen since then in the march of time. The line of world teachers started from the Adi Acharya has not become extinct, it is living even now. So there is nothing wrong in holding that many Acharyas appeared in 44 B.C. or 800 A.D.; there were Sankaracharyas during all these periods.

The error is in the vehement assertion that there is only one Sankaracharya and that His period is only what they say; It sounds like the faith of the Semetics who hold that there is only one Prophet in the world and He is theirs.

It is this Semetic Attitude and ignorance of Indian National Traditions on the part of modern scholars that has given rise to unnecessary disputes over the Date of Bhashyakara Sankaracharya.”

– Sakhyananda

Q: In which year did an Acharya of an Advaita Matha belonging to Karnataka region attempt to tour the South for the first time?

A: The Karnataka region was divided into a number of diocese for purposes of spiritual as also fiscal administration of the Matha benefices.

The West Karnataka was under the jurisdiction of Kudali Sringeri Matha and East Karnataka, under the sway of Puspagiri Sringeri Matha, South Karnataka, comprising modern Kolar under the jurisdiction of the Amani (Avani) Sringeri Matha and North Karnataka under Sankheswara Sringeri Matha.

South India, including Chola, Pandya, Chera countries and Tondaimandalam has always been under the jurisdiction of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha. In 1816, Babu Rao, the agent of Col. Mackenzie was informed by the then Sri Sankaracharya of the Kamakoti Pitha that Their jurisdiction extended over the districts enumerated above.

About 1792, when Tippu Sultan had annexed Coimbatore and Salem districts, the Acharya of Amani Sringeri toured these districts and recruited Sishyas. But, when He attempted to recruit disciples in the Akhanda Caveri region of Karur and Trichinopoly region, such attempts were firmly resisted. He was firmly told that, that region was not under His spiritual jurisdiction, and that, if at all he wanted to tour the districts, it should be on the distinct undertaking that He would not attempt recruiting any Sishyas. He gave the undertaking that He would thereafter desist from recruiting disciples. This original document of undertaking given by the Amani Acharya evidencing the spiritual authority of the Kanchi matha in the region was also filed as an evidence in the 1844 Tatanka Pratishta case.

This was the first occasion when an Acharya of an Advaita Matha belonging to the Karnataka region attempted to tour the South.

(Source: The Traditional Age of Sri Sankaracharya and His Mathas By A.Nataraja Aiyer and S.Lakshmi narasimha Sastri, M.A.L.T.)