Hari OM
Story-day is for cultural exploration, puraanas and parables and finding out about leading lights in spiritual philosophy.
Sri Adi Shankaraacharya was a prodigy. By the time he was the age most of us are thinking of University, he had travelled the length and breadth of India, learned virtually all that could be learned in Upanishadic and Vedic knowledge, taught it, written on it and established four 'matha' (or 'mutts'); centres of excellence and learning. Here is a 'snapshot' biography. Please note that full biography can be obtained from Chinmaya Publications. It is an inspiring read!
The following has been cut and pasted, with gratitude, from Kamakoti pages. It is kept intact without editing or alteration.
Lord
Shiva, also known as Dhakshinamurthy, who spreads the Universal Truth not by
words but by his silence and by his sign of his hand which is held in the form
of "Chin Mudra".
About 2500 years ago, when the spiritualisation
of the people greatly reduced, all the Gods and the Rishis went to Kailash and
pleaded with Lord Shiva to revive the world. Lord Shiva agreed with their
request and informed that he will be born in this world. Lord Brahma, Indra and
others also agreed to be born in this world to help Lord Shiva.|
In
Kaladi, Kerala, a learned brahmin, by the name of Sivaguru, and his wife,
Aryambal, spent their life in pooja and in giving alms to poor and in other
good deeds. This childless couple went to Trichur and performed puja for 48
days to Lord Vadakkunathan (Lord Shiva) and prayed for a son. Lord Shiva
melted in their devotion and appeared before them and told them "I am
extremely happy with your devotion and you will get what you want. But tell
me whether you want a number of dull children or a son who is extremely
intelligent, who will live for a short period only." The couple replied
the decision could not be theirs as the Lord knows what is good for them.
Lord
Dakshinamurthy, pleased with the reply, was born to Aryambal under the star
"Thiruvaithhirai". As the Lord had already promised that he will be
born to do good to this world, the child was named Sankara. Sam means
prosperity and Karathi means te giver. All the visitors stood in awe at the
divinity of the child and said "This is not an ordinary child".
As
Shankara grew up, he attraced everybody with his intelligence and kindness. At
the age of three, he was given "Aksharabyas", i.e., the learning of
writing and reading. At the age of four, he lost his father. At the age of
five, he was initiated in Brahmacharyam i.e., the holy thread ceremony was
conducted and he was sent to Gurukul for learning of scriptures. As per the
practice the brahmachari has to go from house to house and take alms and submit
this to his guru. On a Dwadasi day Sankara happened to go to the house of a
very poor lady jand asked for the alms. The lady did not have a single grain of
rice in her house to give. However she had kept a single Amla fruit for herself
as it was a Dwadasi day. She unhesitatingly gave this Amla fruit to Sankara as
she could not send a Brahmachari empty handed. Sankara was moved by her
selflessness and the poverty of the lady and prayed to Goddess Lakshmi in a
beautiful sloka which is called "Kanaka Dhara Stotram". On completion
of this stotram, Goddess Lakshmi appeared in person and showered a rain of
golden coins on the poor lady's house.
One day,
the rishis came to him and reminded him of his duty to the land in spreading
spiritualism. Sankara agreed it was time to become a Sanyasi and go all over
the country to kindle religious ferver.
One day when Sankara was taking bath, a crocodile
caught hold of his leg. Sankara called out to his mother. Aryambal came running
and to her horror she found her son in the grip of the crocodile and she cried
that se did not know how to help her son. Sri Sankara informed his mother that his life
was nearing to an end, but if he became a Sanyasi, he could start a new life as
a sannyasi. Thus Sri Sankara obtained permission from his mother to become a
sannyasi.
Sri
Sankara went in the search of a Guru to be formally initiated as a Sannyasi. At
the banks of the river Narmada, he found the river gushing forth into floods.
By using his powers, he encapsulated the river in his Kamandal (a vessel
sannyasi's carry) and released it in the banks of the river. Sri Govinda
Bagawathpathar, an ascetic who saw this, marvelled at Sri Sankara dn took him
on as a Shishya.
Sri
Govinda Bagawathpadar taught various vedas to Sri Sankara. He also taught about
Advaita, the principle that every one in this world is the manifestation of God
and that God and Atman are one and the same. He advises Sri Sankara to go out
in the world and spread this truth throughout the country.
Sri
Sankara went to Kasi and by that time, he had a lot of disciples. One of them,
Sanandhyaya, was drying the clothes of his Guru and suddenly Sri Sankara called
him to the other bank of the river as he needed the clothes urgently.
Sanandhyaya, little realising that he would drown, starts walking into the
river. However, the Grace of his Guru resulted in a lotus materialising
wherever he was keeping his foot. When asked as to how did he cross the river,
he says that when his Guru calls, he is not to worry about anything. Sri
Sankara named him as Padma Padar (lotus feet).
Once, in
Kasi, when Sri Sankara was going to the Vishwanath Temple, his path was blocked
by an "untouchable" who was accompanied by his wife and 4 dogs. The
disciples of Sri Sankara shouted at him to make way, and to keep a distance.
The untouchable smiled and said, ""According to your principle of
Advaita, which you practice, all the Jivatma are same as God. How do you ask me
to go? How am I different from your Paramacharya? What you say is unreasonable.
How can I go away from myself?"
Sri Sankara realised that it was not an ordinary
person and understood that it was Lord Shiva himself who had come along with
His consort and the four Vedas. He prostrated before the Lord and sang five
slokas called "Manisha Panchakam". Lord Shiva presented himself along
with Visalakshi and blessed Sri Sankara.
Sri
Sankara learnt that there was a great learned person by the name Mandana Mishra
who lived in Mahishmati and who followed the Karma Mimaamsa method of devotion.
Sri Sankara arrived at his house and found his house was closed and Mandala
Mishra was carrying out some rituals inside his house. Sri Sankara entered the
house by using his powers and entered the house. Mandala Mishra became very
angry and shouted at Sri Sankara. But Sri Sankara smiled and explained the
uselessness of such rituals.
However, Mandala Mishra admired the intelligence
of Sri Sankara and started discussions with him after completing the rituals.
Sri Sankara said that there should be a judge to decide the winner and
suggested that Sarasawani, the wife of Mandala Mishra, to be the judge.
Sarasawani, who was extremely intelligent and learned, realised that Sri
Sankara was none other than Lord Shiva, did not want to declare her husband as
the loser. She suggested that both of them should wear a garland of flowers and
whichever garland fades first, that person would be the loser. Naturally, Sri
Sankara won.
As per
the original condition, Mandala Mishra became an ascetic and started to leave
the house. Unable to bear the separation, Sarasawani stood transfixed and told
Sri Sankara that according to our faith, the husband and wife, even though have
two bodies, are spiritually one and she would be incomplete without her
husband. Sri Sankara accepted this and started discussion
with this lady. Saraswani showered questions like rain and Sri Sankara gave
very beautiful answers and Sarasawani acknowledged him, and followed Sri
Sankara and her husband's footsteps.
In
their travels, they reached Sringeri in Karnataka, which is on the banks of
Tungabadra. While Sri Sankara and Mandala Mishra were walking, Sarasawani did
not move and stood fixed in the sands of Tungabadra. Sri Sankara turned back
and realised by his divine powers that Sarasawani did not want to proceed any
further and created a seat for her for spreading the Advaita. This seat is
today called the Sharada Peetham or the Seat of Sharada. This was the first Mutt
installed by Sri Sankara, with the direction that all the heads of the Mutts
will be called Sankaracharayas and they will have a lineage of Shishyas or
disciples.
When
Sri Sankara was in Sringeri, he divined by his superior powers that his mother
was in her deathbed, and as per his promise while taking Sanyas that he would
be by her side while she breathes her last, he reached Kaladi and paid his last
respects to the old lady. Aryambal was happy that her son had come back. Sri
Sankara prayed to Lord Venkateswara who appeared in person and blessed
Aryambal. Sri Sankara did the last rites for his mother but the people of
Kaladi said that a Sanyasi does not have the right to do the last rites, but he
did not hear that and carried the body of Aryambal and put her in the pyre
himself and lit it himself.
After
the death of his mother, he went all over the country and converted the people
of other faith to Advaita. He revived a number of temples and using his powers,
he established a number of Yentras in these temples to spread the blessings of
Parasakthi. During his travels, he arrived at Mukambi, a religious place in
Karnataka. A poor brahmin came to Sri Sankara with his deaf and dumb son and
prostrated before Sri Sankara. Sri Sankara asked the boy, "who are
you?". The dumb and deaf child, for the first time, opened his mouth and
explained, "The body is not me, it is the Paramatma who is my body."
Sri Sankara was pleased with his answer and he gave an amla fruit and named
this boy as Hastaaamalakan. (Hastaa means hand and Amalakan means amala).
Hastaamalaka became one of the principle disciples of Sri Sankara.
Sri
Sankara, with his three principle disciples, namely, Padmapadar, Sureshwarar
(Mandala Mishra) and Hastaamalaka, went from place to place, and preached
Advaita. Sri Sankara gave intense training to his disciples. One of the other
disciples, Giri, while listening to the discourses, would not ask any doubts,
would not open his mouth, and would be silent all the time. Some of the other
disciples thought that this Giri was a dumb idiot and did not know anything.
One day, all the disciples were ready to listen to Sri Sankara's discourses.
Sri Sankara waited for Giri to arrive. Ultimately, Giri turned up but instead
of keeping silent on that day, burst forth into eight slokas which had never
been heard by the disciples earlier. These were the creation of Giri. On
hearing this, all the disciples felt ashamed and praised Giri. These slokas are
called "Thotaka ashtakam". Giri was named as Thotakar by Sri Sankara.
Sri
Sankara visited Thiruvidaimarudur in Tanjore district of Tamilnadu, which is a
great religious place, and the ruling deity in the temple was Lord Shiva. The
learned Saivites of the temple informed Sri Sankara that Lord Shiva is the
creator and that they are all merely lowly life created by Lord Shiva, and if
that was so, how does Sri Sankara say that they were one with the Lord ? They
did not agree with the Advaita principle. Sri Sankara asked them to enter the
temple. As they reached the Sanctum Santorum of the temple, their was a
thunderous statement "Satyam is Advaita". This was repeated thrice
and it was also followed by a hand which came out of the Linga which conformed
the truth. All the learned persons acknowledged the principle of Advaita and
accepted Sri Sankara as their Guru. Even today, there is a Sankara Mutt at
Thiruvaimarudur and there is a linga with a hand materialising out of it.
Sri
Sankara visited Thiruvanaikar, near Trichy in Tamilnadu. In this temple, the
Goddess Akhilandeswari was having a feirce power and people who went to have
her darshan could not stand the fierceness of this Goddess. Sri Sankara created
two sets of earrings which are called Tatankam and he presented these to the
Goddess. The fierceness of the deity reduced. This tatankam, the earrings, has
been maintained over time by the Acharyas of the Kanchi Mutt.
Sri
Sankara visited Tirupathi and recited the Sloka "Vishnu pathathi keshanta
stotra" which describes the Lord from his foot to the head. He wanted the
people to visit the Lord in great numbers and get his blessings, he established
an yantra. From that day the number of followers of the temple increased and is
increasing day by day.
Arjuna
tree is the tree of "Marutha" and the place where Lord Shiva appears
as a Linga under this "Martha" tree is called Arjuna Kshetra. The
Thiruvadaimaruthur which Sri Sankara visited earlier is called Madhyaarjunam.
Srisaila, in Andhra, is called Mallikarjunam as Lord Shiva resides under a Marutha
Tree which has also got Jasmine creepers on this tree. Sri Sankara visited this
tree and became ecstastic on seeing the linga at the foot of this tree. His
happiness flowed like the waves of a flood and became a sloka called
Sivanandalahiri.
Near
Srisailam, there is a forest called Hatakeshwaram, that no man enters. Sri
Sankara entered this place and did penance for many days. During this time, a
Kabalika, by name Kirakashan appeared before him. Kapalikas are a set of people
who live in the burial grounds and pray to God by giving human and animal
sacrifice. They were against Advaita which preaches love and affection and
shuns violence. He asked Sri Sankara that he should give his body as a human
sacrifice to Lord Shiva. Sri Sankara was happy to hear this request and agreed.
Kirakashan was about to cut off Sri Sankara's head when Lord Narasimha appeared
in the form of a lion and killed Kirakashan.
Sri
Sankara completed his travels and went to Badrinath. Lord Vishnu appeared
before him and told that his sculpture in Alaknanda river should be taken out
and a temple should be built for it. This temple is called Badrinarayan temple
and is one of the important religious places for Hindus.
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