Today May 9th is Sri Shankara Jayanthi

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Hari OM!

 

Dear Narayanas in Masks,

 

Sruti Smrti PurAnAm Alayam karunAlayamNamami BhagavadpAda Sankaram lokasankaramToday (9 May 2008) is Shankara Jayanti.

 

 

On this auspicious day, it is appropriate to be reminded of one of the many greatnesses of Sri Shankara Bhagavadapadacharya - his great sycretism. He not only reinstated, once again, the timeless darshanamof Advaita, but he also established the Vedic agamas and the variousVedic philosophies on the firm ground of Vedartham. While it is truethat he refuted all contrary philosophies that existed in his time,including Vaidika philosophies such as Nyaya-Vaisesika, Sankhya,Yoga, and Purva Mimamsa, as representing the highest Truth of theVedas, he also reinforced them as having their proper place in thescheme of Vedic structure. In other words, he demolished the viewthat the rivers are the Ocean, but at the same time he did not deny the proper place of the various rivers that flow into the vast Ocean of Vedic Knowledge.Adi Shankaran gave us a darshanam that was smartha in nature, not elevating any one aspect of Brahman to the exclusive position of the Supreme, but acknowledging that the Supreme has many faces as revealed in the smritis, the subsidiary arm of the Vedas. This aspect of Shankara Bhagavadpada is for me one of his unique greatnessess, especially when its value is seen in the context of acultural mileau wherein there is unending strife with each sect or sampradayam tending to uphold one name of God as being above another.

 

The darshanam of Advaita does not have a problem with this as it s to the view that Brahman is large enough to accomodate each one of them, such being the content of the various smritis themselves. Hence it is smartha, upholding the various visions of smriti.The tradition of Advaitam considers Adi Shankaran as an avataram of Lord Shivan. In the middle of Rudram, which is in the middle of Yajur Vedam, there occures the word 'Shivan'. And Shivan is described there in as the One with the matted locks and the One with the shaven head. The tradition of Advaitam considers the shaven headed One as Adi Shankaran.One of the Greatest creation, Nirvana Shatakam, of Sri Adi Shankaracharyan

 

 

 

Mano budhya ahankara chithaa ninaham,Na cha srothra jihwe na cha graana nethrer,Na cha vyoma bhoomir na thejo na vayu,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 1Na cha praana samgno na vai pancha vaayur,Na vaa saptha dhathur na va pancha kosa,Na vak pani padam na chopa stha payu,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 2Na me dwesha raghou na me lobha mohou,Madho naiva me naiva matsarya bhava,Na dharmo na cha artha na kamo na moksha,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 3Na punyam na paapam na soukhyam na dukham,Na manthro na theertham na veda na yagna,Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhoktha,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 4Na mruthyur na sankha na me jathi bhedha,Pitha naiva me naiva matha na janma,Na bhandhur na mithram gurur naiva sishya,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 5Aham nirvi kalpi nirakara roopi,Vibhuthwascha sarvathra sarvendriyanaam,Na cha sangatham naiva mukthir na meyaChidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 6

 

 

Here is what Sage of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Sri Periavaa also says :

 

 

"It is worthy of note that whatever their mutual differences may be, all thinkers belonging to schools other than Advaitam, are one in their attack on Sri Adi Sankara's views. This should be regarded as a tribute paid by them to Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadar.

 

Each of them singled out Advaitam, as expounded by Sri Acharyar, as the only system worthy of taking notice of for the purpose of criticising. According to Advaitam, the ultimate bliss is the experience of non-difference between the Jivatman and the Paramatman. Acharyas of other schools of thought would wish to have at least a tract of distinction between the two so that the Jivatman, standing apart, may be able to enjoy the realisation of the Paramatman. Thus the difference between the several systems of Hindu religious thought is slight, as all are agreed upon the ultimate realisation of the Supreme. But when it comes to a question of expounding each system, this difference got magnified to the point of violent opposition. And yet we find that in their ultimate reaches, all of them speak the language of Advaitam. This shows that the expansive heart of Sri Adi Sankaran accommodated all views of the ultimate reality and all approaches to it. Though other systems quarrel with Advaitan, Advaitan has no quarrel with any. The catholicity of Advaita is also evident from the fact that pronounced Advaitins like Vachaspati Misran, who lived about one thousand years ago, Vidyaranyan and Appayya Dikshitar wrote encyclopedic works on other systems with the fidelity of exposition rarely equaled and much less excelled by the protagonists of those systems themselves. Appayya Dikshitar says that as God's grace is

required to reach the Ultimate Reality, and as that grace can be obtained only through Bhakti, he was expounding the other systems which promoted this Isvara-bhakti. According to Shri Adi Sankaran, no school of thought is foreign to Advaitam. In the scheme of the path to realise Adviataanubhavam, every system contributes an essential step and so Shri Sankaran used the truths of each of them and pressed them into his service. By its very name, Advaitam negates duality and dissension and comprehends every warring sect and system into its all-embracing unit. In fact, the survival of Hinduism is itself due to this Advaitic temper, which sees no distinction between Saivam, Vaishnavam and other denominations. Shri Adi Sankaran underlined the essential unity of all Sampradaayams and sects and saved Hinduism from disruption. All denominations have the common Vedic basis. By bringing to our minds all the great Acharyans, we can acquire that peaceful frame of mind and develop that catholic temper and universal accommodation characteristic of Shri Adi Sankaran and of the Advaita Vedantam he expounded, which will enable us to live in peace and amity, so essential for securing universal welfare. " Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham! Jaya jaya shankara Hara hara shankara

 

With Love & OM!

 

Krishna Prasad

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Excellent Post,Thank you.It is really elevating on Shankara Jayanthi.Soudarya Lahiri Sivananda Lahiri Subramanya Bujangam every one of Shankara,s Compositions show that He was an Avatar.

Jai Jai Shankara Hara Hara Shankara--- On Fri, 9/5/08, adidaiveekam <no_reply > wrote:

adidaiveekam <no_reply >[Guruvayur] Today May 9th is Sri Shankara Jayanthiguruvayur Date: Friday, 9 May, 2008, 8:28 PM

 

 

 

Hari OM!

 

Dear Narayanas in Masks,

 

Sruti Smrti PurAnAm Alayam karunAlayamNamami BhagavadpAda Sankaram lokasankaramToday (9 May 2008) is Shankara Jayanti.

 

 

On this auspicious day, it is appropriate to be reminded of one of the many greatnesses of Sri Shankara Bhagavadapadacharya - his great sycretism. He not only reinstated, once again, the timeless darshanamof Advaita, but he also established the Vedic agamas and the variousVedic philosophies on the firm ground of Vedartham. While it is truethat he refuted all contrary philosophies that existed in his time,including Vaidika philosophies such as Nyaya-Vaisesika, Sankhya,Yoga, and Purva Mimamsa, as representing the highest Truth of theVedas, he also reinforced them as having their proper place in thescheme of Vedic structure. In other words, he demolished the viewthat the rivers are the Ocean, but at the same time he did not deny the proper place of the various rivers that flow into the vast Ocean of Vedic Knowledge .Adi Shankaran gave us a darshanam that was smartha in nature, not elevating

any one aspect of Brahman to the exclusive position of the Supreme, but acknowledging that the Supreme has many faces as revealed in the smritis, the subsidiary arm of the Vedas. This aspect of Shankara Bhagavadpada is for me one of his unique greatnessess, especially when its value is seen in the context of acultural mileau wherein there is unending strife with each sect or sampradayam tending to uphold one name of God as being above another.

 

The darshanam of Advaita does not have a problem with this as it s to the view that Brahman is large enough to accomodate each one of them, such being the content of the various smritis themselves. Hence it is smartha, upholding the various visions of smriti..The tradition of Advaitam considers Adi Shankaran as an avataram of Lord Shivan. In the middle of Rudram, which is in the middle of Yajur Vedam, there occures the word 'Shivan'. And Shivan is described there in as the One with the matted locks and the One with the shaven head. The tradition of Advaitam considers the shaven headed One as Adi Shankaran.One of the Greatest creation, Nirvana Shatakam, of Sri Adi Shankaracharyan

 

 

 

Mano budhya ahankara chithaa ninaham,Na cha srothra jihwe na cha graana nethrer,Na cha vyoma bhoomir na thejo na vayu,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 1Na cha praana samgno na vai pancha vaayur,Na vaa saptha dhathur na va pancha kosa,Na vak pani padam na chopa stha payu,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 2Na me dwesha raghou na me lobha mohou,Madho naiva me naiva matsarya bhava,Na dharmo na cha artha na kamo na moksha,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 3Na punyam na paapam na soukhyam na dukham,Na manthro na theertham na veda na yagna,Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhoktha,Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 4Na mruthyur na sankha na me jathi bhedha,Pitha naiva me naiva matha na janma,Na bhandhur na mithram gurur naiva sishya,Chidananada Roopa

Shivoham, Shivoham. 5Aham nirvi kalpi nirakara roopi,Vibhuthwascha sarvathra sarvendriyanaam,Na cha sangatham naiva mukthir na meyaChidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham. 6

 

 

Here is what Sage of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Sri Periavaa also says :

 

 

"It is worthy of note that whatever their mutual differences may be, all thinkers belonging to schools other than Advaitam, are one in their attack on Sri Adi Sankara's views. This should be regarded as a tribute paid by them to Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadar.

 

Each of them singled out Advaitam, as expounded by Sri Acharyar, as the only system worthy of taking notice of for the purpose of criticising. According to Advaitam, the ultimate bliss is the experience of non-difference between the Jivatman and the Paramatman. Acharyas of other schools of thought would wish to have at least a tract of distinction between the two so that the Jivatman, standing apart, may be able to enjoy the realisation of the Paramatman. Thus the difference between the several systems of Hindu religious thought is slight, as all are agreed upon the ultimate realisation of the Supreme. But when it comes to a question of expounding each system, this difference got magnified to the point of violent opposition. And yet we find that in their ultimate reaches, all of them speak the language of Advaitam. This shows that the expansive heart of Sri Adi Sankaran accommodated all views of the

ultimate reality and all approaches to it. Though other systems quarrel with Advaitan, Advaitan has no quarrel with any. The catholicity of Advaita is also evident from the fact that pronounced Advaitins like Vachaspati Misran, who lived about one thousand years ago, Vidyaranyan and Appayya Dikshitar wrote encyclopedic works on other systems with the fidelity of exposition rarely equaled and much less excelled by the protagonists of those systems themselves. Appayya Dikshitar says that as God's grace is required to reach the Ultimate Reality, and as that grace can be obtained only through Bhakti, he was expounding the other systems which promoted this Isvara-bhakti. According to Shri Adi Sankaran, no school of thought is foreign to Advaitam. In the scheme of the path to realise Adviataanubhavam, every system

contributes an essential step and so Shri Sankaran used the truths of each of them and pressed them into his service. By its very name, Advaitam negates duality and dissension and comprehends every warring sect and system into its all-embracing unit. In fact, the survival of Hinduism is itself due to this Advaitic temper, which sees no distinction between Saivam, Vaishnavam and other denominations. Shri Adi Sankaran underlined the essential unity of all Sampradaayams and sects and saved Hinduism from disruption. All denominations have the common Vedic basis. By bringing to our minds all the great Acharyans, we can acquire that peaceful frame of mind and develop that catholic temper and universal accommodation characteristic of Shri Adi Sankaran and of the Advaita Vedantam he expounded, which will enable us to live in peace and amity, so essential for securing universal welfare. " Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham! Jaya jaya shankara

Hara hara shankara

 

With Love & OM!

 

Krishna Prasad

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