In his article published by the Srirangam Vani Vilas Shankara Gurukulam Journal, Tinnavely Advocate R. Krishnaswamy Iyer, an adherent of the Tunga Matha, supported for 44 B.C.E as Shankaracharya’s birth year, in line with the Tunga Matha’s tradition.
Despite dismissing the traditional date favored by the Kanchi, Puri, Dwaraka and Jyotir mathas and date suggested by the Western scholars (509 B.C.E and 788 C.E), the Tunga Matha later shifted its stance and adopted the 788 C.E date.
What factors influenced this change from supporting 44 B.C.E to accepting 788 C.E as Shri Shankaracharya’s birth year?
The transition in the Tunga Matha’s position raises questions about the specific influences behind this shift from their initial stand for 44 B.C.E to eventually adopting the 788 C.E date, marking the period post the birth of Jesus Christ.
A: Shri Prithvidharacharya’s anointment as the first Acharya of the Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Matha, which was established at the confluence of Tunga and bhadra rivers is evident in texts such as Mathamnaya, Guruparampara of Bharati Sampradaya, and Shankaravijaya Churnika (Purva-pithika)
“.. The time of the foundation of the Sringeri Math cannot be definitely stated, as the date of Sri Sankara is still a matter of controversy among the
scholars of history. The date of the great Acharya is placed by scholars at different periods between the second century B.C. and 788 A.D. (the date of
Kumarila Bhatta whom Sankara met); but the information traceable up to date in Sringeri assigns to its founder the latter half of the century that preceded the birth of Christ…”
(The Sringeri Math By Swami Nikhilananda, Prabuddha Bharata, A Monthly Magazine devoted to Religion and Philosophy started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896.)
Are the Four Matha Theorists Cherry-Picking Quotes from Chidvilasa to Support Their Narrative?
The four matha theorists claim Shri Shankaracharya established only four mathas, citing Chidvilasa’s Sankara Vijaya. Yet, they disregard the same Chidvilasa’s account of Shri Sankaracharya’s meeting with His Guru Shri Govinda Bhagavatpada in Badarikashrama (not on the bank of Narmada) and His Sarvajna Peetharohana and Shanmatha sthapana in Kanchi. Why this inconsistency?
Within the Tunga Sringeri tradition, there are variations in the location of Govinda Muni’s ashrama, as documented in different texts:
Chidvilasa’s Sankara Vijaya mentions Ratnagarbha Ganapati who is worshipped in Tunga, the ashrama of Vibhandaka Muni, a detailed description of Sringeri, the establishment of four peethas and Bhagavatpada’s ascent of Sarvajna Pitha in Kanchipuram and can be understood as the work that upholds the Tunga tradition.
However, this work curiously places Govinda Muni’s ashrama in Badarikashrama in the Himalayas and has the following description of Govinda Bhagavatpada shining like the Sun with Rudraksha mala.
In a stark departure from Chidvilasiya, the Madhaviya Sankaravijaya mentions that meeting of Bhagavatpada with His guru Govinda Bhagavatpada happened on the banks of “Indubhava”.
Given that Chidvilasiya is of relatively older antiquity than Madhaviya, and Madhaviya is a sangraha of many texts from Vyasachaliya to Shankarabhyudaya, one has to wonder what source of Madhaviya Shankara Vijaya is for mentioning Narmada as the meeting place.
तेन प्रविष्टमजनिष्ट दिनावसाने चण्डत्विषा च शिखरं चरमाचलस्य ॥ ११ ॥
Madhaviya Shankara Vijaya uses the newly coined term “Indubhava” for River Narmada based on the traditional name “Somodbhava” replacing “Soma” with “Indu”. It is from the commentaries of Madhaviaya such as Advaitarajyalakshmi quoting Dindima that we know this.
It may also be noted here that Gururatnamala of Sadashivendra Sarasvati mentions “uparevam” situated near Reva nadi both in the stuti on Govinda Bhagavatpada and also mentions the word “pratichandrabhavam” similar to indubhava usage of Madhaviya when talking of where Shankara Bhagavatpada met Govinda Bhagavatpada. Likewise Tirumala Dikshita’s Shankarabhyudaya also mentions Narmada Tiram as the Place of Their meeting.
Given the wide extraction of many verses from Tirumala Dikshita’s work in Madhaviya, there is a likelihood that these works may have been a source for Navakalidasa Madhava, the author of the 18th-19th century Samkshepa Shankarajaya (Shankara Digvijaya) in its departure from Chidvilasiya Sankaravijaya. .
Curiously, Tunga Sringeri Matha’s Guruvamsa Kavya does not mention the location Govinda Muni’s ashrama.
The disparity between the Guruvamsa kavya and the Madhaviya Sankara vijaya and Chidvilasiya Sankaravijaya becomes a perplexing puzzle. It leaves room for speculation that either these two Sankara vijayas were not in existence when Guruvamsa kavya was written, or the Tunga Sringeri adherents were unaware of their existence when guiding the composition of Guruvamsa kavya.
Sri Vidyatirtha, the 51st Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha is also revered as Sri Vidyasankara, in the Guruparampara records of the Tungabhadra (Kudali) Sringeri and other Advaita mathas of Karnataka . Sri Vidyatirtha’s greatness is undeniable, especially if we consider that the Vijayanagara kingdom was influenced by his glance from Bukka. Born in Bilvaranya, Sri Vidyatirtha was the son of Sarangapani and lived from 1296 to 1384. He spent seventy-three years in Kanchi, practiced penance for fifteen years near the Himalayas. He also revitalized the Sankarite institutions of Karnataka.
In the book “Founders of Vijayanagara,” published by the Mythic Society in Bangalore in 1938, the distinguished historian of Mysore State, S.Srikantayya, expresses his perspectives regarding the association between Sri Vidyatirtha (also known as Sri Vidyasankara) and the Vijayanagara empire.
The Historical survey records published by the Mysore Government provide fascinating insights into the migration and settlement of Tamil Brahmins from Tanjore and Kanchipuram regions, near the Sankarite institutions on the Tunga and Tungabhadra rivers (Tunga Sringeri and Tungabhadra -Koodali Sringeri mathas).
In the Quarterly journal of the Mythic Society, while reviewing the 1931 Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of Mysore, there is an interesting observation that Sri Vidyatirtha also hailed from the Tamil Brahmin community of Choladesa (Tanjore) in his earlier life.
“… Hale Sringeri Village is about two furlongs to the west of Sringeri with about one Brahman and twenty other houses. A small mud shrine contains the old Vidyasankara Linga, about six feet high. The Vidyasankara image is 1½ ft. high in Yoga-mudra with a sannyasi disciple on either side. Compared with this, it will be clear that the image to which I have referred in my article on “An Ancient Image at Hampi ” may not be that of Vidyasankara.
In his notes on Vidyaranyapura, Dr. Krishna says that “Vidyaranya also must have been a Karnataka (Kannadiga). But Vidyasankara is said to have been a ‘choli’ (belonging to the Chola-desa of Tamilnadu) since some ‘cholis’ (Tamil Brahmins from Chola desa) have set up his image in the Agrahara.”
This statement is evidently traditional, picked up during the course of enquiries but it deserves further investigation…”
The authenticity of this statement is supported by the ancient Guruparampara records of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha. These records state that Sri Vidyatirtha, the 51st Acharya of Sri Kanchi Matha, originated from Bilvaranya kshetra of the Chola desa. His successor, Sri Sankarananda, the 52nd Acharya hailed from Madhyarjuna kshetra (Tiruvidaimaruthur) in the Chola country.
(Reviews : Archaeological Survey of Mysore – Annual Report for 1931 – The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society.)
Dr. Hultzch in his Report on the Search for Sanskrit Manuscripts in Southern India, Part II printed by the Government Press, Madras, 1905, refers to a Guruparampara of the Bharati line of Sanyasins and gives the Guru Parampara Vide No. 21461.
This manuscript was also found in the collection of the manuscripts made by a Pandit of the Tanjore Palace. This list gives the names of 30 Acharyas.
According to this Guruparampara Stotra, Sri Sankaracharya established a matha at the Tungabhadra (Kudali) sangama kshetra and anointed Sri Prithvidhara Bharati as its first Acharya. Later, Sri Sankaracharya visited Kanchi where He consecrated Sri Kamakshi Devi and attained the final Bliss.
Sri Sacchidananda Saraswati of Hole Narasipur in his Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada Vrithantha Sarvaswa raised a doubt about the 5th & 6th verses and that their reliability would be clear if it was known who the author of this Guruparampara stotra was.
It is surprising, an erudite scholar like Sri Sactchidananda Saraswati didn’t know the fact that even before Dr.Hultzh, this Guruparampara list was noticed by K.B.Pathak of Belgaum in 1882. According to him Atmananda was the author of this Guruparampara list.
Here’s an Excerpt from K.B. Pathak’s article published in the Indian Antiquary journal:
“I have lately come across a manuscript which gives the date of Samkaracharya. The manuscript belongs to Mr. Govinda Bhata Yerlekara of Belgaum. It is a small one, consisting of three leaves only, written in Balbodh characters.
The manuscript next says that Samkara established his matha on the banks of the Tumgabhadra, appointed Prithvidhara to be the head of it, conferred upon him the title of Bharati, and,
आगत्य स्वेच्छया कांचीं पर्यटन्पृथिवीतले ।
तत्र संस्थाप्य कामाक्षीं जगाम परमं पदं ॥
Then follow the names of his successors. We next come to a minute description of the mathas established in various parts of India. Then follows the guru parampara or the succession of teachers…”
– K.B.Pathak, B.A. Belgaum High School (June,1882)
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.
