THE THREE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS OF THE SOUTH INDIAWHO GAVE ADVAITHA,VISHISHTADVAITHA AND DWAITHA PHILOSOPHIES
PART : I : AADI SHANKARA
Friends,

Adi Shankara, Ramanuja and Maadvaachaarya are the three very great Acharyaas , of the SOUTH INDIA who expounded ADVAITHA, VISHISHTADVAITHA and DWAITHA schools of philosophies respectively.

Among these, Adi Shankara was the oldest. There are two different versions about his time. One is that he lived between the years 788-820CE. The other one is that he lived between 509-477 BC. Whatever it may be , without touching the disputed versions of his life period, he was born to a NAMBOOTHIRI pious couple called SHIVA GURU and ARYAMBA in KALADI a place very near to THRISSUR in the present KERALA STATE. There is a story behind his birth. Shivaguru and. Aryamba had no issues for quite a long time. Hence they went to THRISSUR VADAKKUNAATHA Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and started praying. This Temple in Sanskrit is called as VRISHABHAACHALA TEMPLE. During that time, one night during the course of their prayers, Lord Shiva came in their dream and asked whether they liked to have a long lived son but who lacked in intelligence or a short lived son who excelled in intelligence for which they preferred the later one . Accordingly Aryamba gave birth to a son whom they named as SHANKARA an epithet of LORD SHIVA meaning the GOD who gave all goods. Shankara ‘s UPANAYANAM ( HOLY THREAD WEARING CEREMONY) was performed at his age of 5years How-ever, he was extra-ordinarily intelligent from his early age.
He did not like the worldly life from his young age and wanted to become a SANYASIN. As his father died when Shankara was a child his mother did not like her son becoming a SANYASIN. He learnt all the 4 Vedas by the age of 8 years. As customary he was living with his Guru ( teacher ) and living on alms which he got. Once , he happened to ask a poor lady for alms. She had nothing to give as alms except a gooseberry ( NELLIKKAI ), which she gave as BIKSHA. Shankara was taken aback by this gesture of the lady and seeing her in utter poverty , he made the famous KANAKADHARA STHOTHRA which starts thus “Angam hare pulakabhUshanaamaasrayanthi…..”Immediately, there was a rain of GOOSEBERRY made of GOLD on the pious and famished lady. Such was his powers at a very young age attained through BHAKTHI.

As I had told earlier, Shankara was inclined to become a SANYASIN, and since his mother was standing against his wish. One day as usual she took her son to PERIYAR RIVER which flows through KALADY, When Shankara was in water , a crocodile caught his leg. His mother cold not save him . Shankara then told her to give permission
to him to become a SANYASIN which she gave but put condition that he should reach
her bed side before she died and also perform her APARAKRIYA to which he agreed. Lo! The crocodile released his leg immediately and vanished. It is said that the crocodile was none else than LORD SHIVA. Friends, I have gone to this place and taken bath there which is called MUTHALA KADAVU in Malayalam. In Kalady there are two memorials built for him , one by Sringeri Mutt and the other by Kamakoti Mutt. In grandeur the first one is considered good but in appearance the 2nd one look good. Whatever it may be this Muthala Kadavu is in the Memorial built by Sringeri Mutt. Immediately, Shankara whom we call as as SHANKARA BHAGAVATH PAADAR, immediately too k Sanyasa which is called Apath SanyAsa. Shankara went to North India and near the banks of the Narmada River GOVINDA BHAGAVATHPAADA who is the disciple of GAUDA PAADA and identified himself as Shankara. While doing so he included ADVAITHA SIDDAANTHA in the verse. Hearing this, Govinda Bhagavathpaada was thrilled and immediately accepted Shankara as his disciple. It is said that Shankara Bhagavthpadar kept his KAMADALU on the flooding water which was about to take the life of his teacher Govinda Bhagavathpada who was in penance on the banks of REVA River. As ordered by his teacher, Ginda Bhagavathpada to write a commentary to Brahma Suthra and also propagate the ADVAITHA SIDHANTHA, Shankara wrote a commentary on Brahma Suthra and started propagating ADVAITHA SIDDHANTHA.

SHANKARA’S ADVAIDA SIDDANTHA

“ brahma sathyam jagath mithya, jIvO brahmaiva nAparh “ - vivEkachUdAmaNi

The above verse is the shortest form of SHANKARA BHAGAVATHPADA’S ADVAIDA SIDDANTHA. The above-quoted verse is taken from” vivEkachUdAmaNi” which is one of Shankara’ s own work based on the UPANISHADS, the BHAGAVAT GITHA and BRHMA SUTHRAS. According to his siddantha, THERE IS ONLY ONE GODWHO IS OMNIPOTENT, OMNIPRESENT AND OMNICIENT. In other words, God is ONLY ONE,
who is present in all matters whether has life or not.. He is NIRGUNA, NIRAAKAARA AND NIRVISHESHA meaning GOD has no attributes or characteristics , He has no forms and He is without any speciality . In short the definition from Upaqnishads say that “EKO DEVA,
SARVA BHOOTHESHU GOODA, SARVA VYAAPEE, SARVA BHOOTHANDARAATHMA, KARMAADYAKHA, SARVA BHOOTHESHU VAASA, SAAKSHEE CHETHO KEVALO NIRGUNASCHA” ., This is the definition of GOD.

This definition is akin to Buddha’s definition of GOD and this was very much needed to counter the growing popularity of Buddhism and decline of Hinduism. In fact , Hinduism at that period was about to be routed out. ( Some persons are of the opinion that the famous Venkatachalpathy Temple of Thirumala and Sri. Ayyappa Temple at Shabari Mala were Buddhist Temples )

According to Advaitha Siddantha , our soul is engulfed with MAYA which can be called as AVIDYA, or ignorane in English. We must study (BY VIDHYA) the VEDAS and procure knowledge (JNAANA) in the VEDAS. and obtain enlightment. which paves the way for liberation or MOKSHA.. In other words, When the soul gets enlightment as we are nothing but GOD HIMSELF then we can say the entire universe is a FALSITY (Mithya) . As an example, when we see a rope in darkness we feel it as snake but when the darkness is over the light falls in we will know that the thing which we thought as a snake is nothing but a rope..

Advaitha school of philosophy also allow us to worship any deity like VIGNESWARA OR AYYAPPA, GURUVAYURAPPA , VAIKKATTHAPPA, DEVI SUBRAHMANIA etc as our ISHTA DEVATHA. In fact Shankara Bhagavathpaada’s ADVATHA professes that .ALL DEITIES ARE ONE AND THE SAME “SHIVAYA VISHNU ROOPAYA”. It means that we can worship SAGUNA BRAHMAN”. However, for one’s liberation we must meditate on NIRGUNABRAHMAN.

ADI SHANKARA traveled throughout India by foot and defeated all others who believed in other philosophies during his life period. He founded FOUR PEETTHAS ( MUTTS) in order to guide all people (1) the one at Sringeri ( Shri Sharada Peethom – For Yajur Vedam)in the South (2) Dwaraka (. Sharada Peethom) in the West for Saama Vedam (3) Puri (Shri Govardhana Peethom) in Orissa and JYOTHR MUTT in Badarinath, North for Atharva Vedam )and installed his disciples (1)Sureswaraachaaya(2) Padmapaadaachaarya (3) Hasthaamalakaacharya and (4) Thotakaachaarya respectively as the MATTHAADHIPATHIS or Heads of the Matth.

He has written many STHOTHRAS on different deities . among which BHAJA GOVINDAM, SHIVANANDA LAHARI, SOUNDARYA LAHARI, SHYAAMALAA DANDAKAM are only few to mention, and he has also written BHASHYAM (commentary) for Brahma sUthra, Aithreya Upanishad, Bruhat Aranyaka, Isopanishad, Thaiththaryopanishad and other Upanishads, BHAGAVAT GITHA, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA and GAYATHRI MAHA MANTHRA. His treaties “Viveka Choodaamani ,Upadesha Sahasri, Athma Bodha Nirguna Maanasa Pooja etc are worth mentioning.

PROMISE TO HIS MOTHER KEPT UP AGAINST ODDS

When his mother was on her death bed, SHANKARA as promised to her, reached his house.
Her last wish to see PARA BRAHMA was realized to her by him by just her touch on his body. When she died the NAMBOOTHIRI BRAHMINS did not go to help him in her cremation and other APARA KIYAS stating that HE as a SANYASI had no right to perform this as he had left all worldly customs.

SHANKARA had to take the body on his shoulders to the CREMATION GROUND where he could not get FIRE WOOD to burn her body. He saw a newly thrown BANANA PLANT with which he burnt her mortal remains and performed her APARA KRIYA..

SAMADHI OF ADI SHANKARA

This subject is also controversial. According to many SHANKARA BHAGAVATHPAADA attained SAMADHI while trekking the HIMALAYAS near KEDARNATH.. Few others say that He attained SAMADHI at VADKKUNNATHA TEMPLE at Thrissur. Ome others say that after attaining Sarvajna Peettah he attained Samaadhi at Kancheepuram. Where some of is deciples started a PEETHOM called KANCH KAAMAKOTI PEETHOM. However, there is consensus in his life span which was very short i.e. 32 years of age.

Friends, I have not dealt with many of the wonderful works or deeds of Adi Shankara except giving a very short biography due to fear that this may become very lengthy.

I conclude this biography here by praying to this Great SAINT

Let us bow to this GREAT SAINT by saying “sruthi smruthi purANAnAm Alayam

karuNAlayam, namAmi bhagavathpAda Sankaram lOkasundaram”.

Regards to one and all.

P.R.Radhakrishnan

THE WORSHIP OF LINGA

Friends,

The worship of LINGA is prehistoric. In fact it started when men became free from external dangers and started thinking about GOD etc. In fact, man carved GOD in his own image.

The worship of GOD in LINGA form which is prevalent in India, started long ago , even before we started worshipping Lord SHIVA in the form of NATARAJA etc. The same way the worship of DEVI also is prehistoric as we see SHIVA LINGA in YONI in all SHIVA TEMPLES.

This LINGA worship as we see in India can be seen as prevalent in other parts of the world. The only difference is that they give different names for this cult. I told before that man considered GOD in his own image. It means for increasing our progeny a man and a woman is required. The PHALLUS or LINGA or PENIS has to enter the YONI and after the secretion of semen only the production of progeny starts. This is exactly what we projected in LINGA & YONI WORSHP . Later on people started giving it shape of human beings like the present Lord Shiva having serpent as necklace, carrying Ganga and Chandra on his head, as Nataraja etc. Even we call him as SMASHANA VASA and NEELAKANDHA. Another important thing we find is that this worship is found more in SOUTH than in NORTH although people of North also worship LINGA.

When a war broke out between the original inhabitants of our motherland and others who came to India in which the original inhabitants might have been overpowered or when a fusion took place between the old inhabitants and others who came to India, the LINGA cult took a back seat as others who came to India thought it barbaric. However , they had also FEAR in their minds to completely disbelieve the old faith, and hence called him as RUDRA and started worshipping HIM in that form. In fact , the LINGA itself was later on divided in which process ,the portion which entered the YONI became known as BRAHMA the CREATOR ,the middle portion was named after VISHNU the PROTECTOR and the top portion is depicted as SHIVA the DESTROYER.

This is the true depiction of LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS and LAW OF INDUSTRUCTIBILITY OF MATTER. Without destruction there is no creation or need to protect. In other words this depicts that NOTHING CAN BE DESTROYED EXCEPT THE FORM. This is later on told by LORD KRISHNA in BHAGAVAT GITHA

In the Ramayana ,our Great epic, we have read Lord RAM and SEETHADEVI,
Worshipping the SHIVA LINGA together with the YONI ( PARVATHY) which we consider as the better half of Lord SHIVA. In Mahabharatha also such stories are plenty.

By writing this, I have no intention to degrade the believers of MAHAVISHNU as the superior GOD. God can be prayed in any form as you like although HE is only ONE.