Anonymous said... (AT POST #574)
I don't have much knowledge to criticize ur trial on translating Adi Sankara's master piece.
But as per details available on Kanchi mutt website, Adi Sankara lived 2500 yr ago and not in 8th century AD.
pls verify. It is very imp, we lost many things jus bcoz of historical confusion created by British ppl. pls try to avoid that.
REPLY:
1. The birth place of Shri Sankaracharya is Kalady, near Ernakulam (Cochi), Kerala. Here is a link to the Government website of the Ernakulam District: Ernakulam.nic.in/tourismmain.htm. I quote from the website:
KALADY
Kalady is the birth place of Sri Sankaracharya, the Great Indian Philosopher who lived in the 8th century it is situated on the banks fo river Periyar there are two Shrines in memory of Sri Sankaracharya One dedicated to him as Dakshinamoorthy and the other to the Goddess Sharadha. The ancient Sree Krishna Temple situated here was the family temple of Adi Sankaracharya. Adi Sankaras shrines in kalady are open to all pilgrim's irrespective of religion or caste.
NIC.in is the official website of the Government of India. Most of its web pages confirm the date of Sankaracharya as 788-820 or 778-820. The ASI site is silent. If Sankaracharya is of 2500 years ancestry, he becomes a contemporary of Gautama Buddha who lived in the 6th Century B.C. We need to collect adequate evidence to corroborate the claim made by the Kanchi Math.
MY VIEW AS A BLOGGER AND A HISTORY STUDENT (M.A. History)
I have cross-checked the date of Sankaracharya in the following manner:
The book 'Sankara Vijayam' by Vidyaranya Swami (Madhava Vidyaranya) is often regarded as the first record of the biographical narrative of Aadi Sankara. Vidyanaranya is the 13th in the line of succession of Sankaracharyas in Sringeri Math. (The Heads of the four Monasteries started by Aadi Sankaracharya call themselves Jagadguru Sankaracharyas). According to some historical records, Vidyaranya took to Sanyasa (monkhood) in 1331. Vidyaranya played a significant role in founding the Hampi Vijayanagara Kingdom and is regarded as contemporary of Harihara Raya and Bukka Raya.
If Vidyaranya is the 13th generation of Sankaracharya in the clan starting from Suresvara, assuming that the longest rein of 50 years is given to everybody, the 12 Sankaracharyas prior to him might have lived in their Monasteries for 600 years. 1331-600 = 701 will be the Aadi Sankaracharya's date. Naturally, some heads of the monasteries might have had shorter stays. Thus the dates 788-820 A.D. hold good for the Aadi Sankaracharya.
Some British historians might have twisted Indian history in other matters. But, such twisting might not have taken place in respect of Aadi Sankaracharya.
Without any intent to hurt the Kanchi Math, I wish to point out that only four Monasteries i.e. Puri, Sringery, Dwaraka and Badari seems to have been started by Aadi Sankaracharya. I doubt whether the Heads of these four Maths accept the claim of the Kanchi Math, to having been founded/designated by Aadi Sankaracharya. However, I shall not now come to a hasty conclusion. If readers have any information about this, I request some voluntary help by writing comments here.
10 comments:
This is the abstract from Kalady Devasthanam Literatue The on and only institution founded by Sankaracharya at his Birth Place Kalady
TIME LINES OF SREE SANKARA ACHARYA Year (AD) 788
TIMELINES OF SREE SANKARA ACHARYA
SRUTHY SMRUTHY PURANANAAM AALAYAM KARUNAALAYAM NAMAAMI BHAGAVAD PAADAAM SANKARAM LOKASANKARAM
Year (AD)
<788
THERE EXISTED IN SASALAM (KALADY later) THE KRISHNA TEMPLE , KAVIL BHADRAKALI AMMA , SREE KARTHYAYANI TEMPLE AT MANICKAMANGALAM , 10 NAMBUDIRI ILLAMS AMBALAVASI AND OTHER SEVAKA SOCIETY FOR THE TEMPLE AND FAMILIES
788
SANKARA WAS BORN TO SIVASARMAN NAMBUDIRI AND ARYADEVI ANTHERJANAM AS BLESSING OF LORD VADAKKUMNAATHAN TRISSIVAPEROOR
790
FOR THE AGED PARENTS WHO CONTINUED TO VISIT VADAKKUMNATHAN WITH THE CHILD SANKARA, TRAVELLING 55 KMS. TO THRISSIVAPEROOR BECAME DIFFICULT. TO RESOLVE THE DIFFICULTIES OF HIS DEVOTEES LORD SIVA OF VADAKKUMNATHAN GAVE DARSHAN IN DREAM AND OFFERED TO APPEAR AS A DANCING WHITE DEER (VELLA MAAN THULLI) AND TO LEAD TO A PLACE NEARBY WHEREAT THE DEVOTEES CAN HAVE DARSHAN OF VADAKKUMNATHAN. NEXT DAY A WHITE DEER AS OFFERED LED THEM TILL NEAR BY MATTOR HILL TOP . SIVA ALLOWS SIVASARMAN TO INSTALL HIM AT THE SPOT AS DEITY THERE UPON KNOWN AS THIRU VELLAMAAN THULLI
792
SANKARA WAS DEPUTED BY HIS FATHER THE PREIST OF KARTHYAYANI TEMPLE TO OFFER MILK TO DEITY . LITTLE SANKARA CRIED BEFORE THE DEVI TO SEE SHE REALLY ACCEPTED HIS OFFERING AND DEVI DRANK THE MILK. SIVASARMAN ALSO HAD BEEN THE PRIEST OF MANJAPRA KARPPILLY KAVU SIVAN TEMPLE
793
SANKARA EXCELLS IN LEARNING LIKE GETTING CONCIOUS FROM SLEEP, COMPLEATS LEARNING ALL VEDAS AND PURANAS AND SUCH SYSTEMIC FORMAL EDUCATION. SIVASARMAN NAMBUDIRI ATTAINS SAYOOJYA AT THE LOTUS FEETS OF HIS ANCESTRIAL DEITY KRISHNA LEAVING HIS WIDOW ARYADEVI ANTHERJANAM AND CHILD SANKARA.
794
SANKARA AS VADU GOES FOR BHIKSHA TO A MATERNAL ILLOM WHEREAT THE ANTHERJANAM HAD NOTHING BUT AN AMLAKA PHAL TO GIVE. KARUNA OF SANKARA BECAME ' THE KANAKA DHARA STHAVAM STOTRAM TO LAKSHMI PRAYING HER ALL THROUGH AS WIFE OF HIS KRISHNA , RESULTING IN SHOWER OF GOLDEN AMLAKAS IN THE HOUSE. SIMILER GESTURE OF KINDNESS MADE ' AKAVOOR MANA TAKE OVER RUDE KUTTAMANA AND BECOME RICH. NAYATHODU DEITY SIVAN WAS PRAYED BY SANKARA AS VISHNU WHICH BECAME SANKARANARAYANAN .
795
FOR CONVENIENCE OF ROUTINE RIVER BATH OF HIS AGED MOTHER WHEN BLESSINGS OF HIS KRISHNA THAT RIVER WILL FLOW IN THE DIRECTION WHERE SANAKARA MARKS WITH HIS FEET (KALADY) WORKED,POORNA GOT REROUTED. THIS PLACE KNOWN 'SASALAM'THEN ON WAS CALLED KALADY(for FEET in Malayalam). BLESSED KRISHNA BECAME'THRI KALADY APPAN '(LORD OF KALADY) AND THE GHAT WHERIN THRIKALADY APPAN HAD HIS 1st AARAATU BY SANKARA IN NEW COURSE BECAME HIS AARAATTU KADAVU. ON THAT THIRUVONAM STAR OF TULAM KRISHNA WAS REINSTALLED TO THE PRESENT HOLY SHRINE.
He marked the occasion by reciting his famous Atchutha ashtakam
796
SANKARA GETS RELEASED FROM THE CROCODILE CATCH OF MAMATHA BANDHAN TO SANYASA. BY HIS BELOVED MOTHER UPON WHICH HE ASSURES IN TURN THAT HE CANNOT SACRIFICE HIS DUTY TO HER. SNAYASAM COULD ONLY BE THAT OF RIGHTS AND LEFT KALADY TO REALIZE HIMSELF.
804
SREE SANKARA REALIZED HIMSELF, DONE PRASTHNA TRAYAM BHASHYAM,
DEPARTED THE KNOWLEDGE TO SELECTED FOUR SHISHYAS RAISED THEM EQUAL TO HIMSELF AS JAGADGURU SHANKARACHARYAS,
INSTITUTED FOUR EQUI DISTANT MUTTS EQUI DISTANTFROM THE NERVE CENTRE OF INDIA AT SUCH PIOUS LOCATIONS LIKE BADARI PURI DWARAKA AND SRINGERI THE FIRST AND FOREMOST AMONG ALL,
IN NONE OF THIS MUTTS HE ASSUMED POWER AS CHIEF THAT POORNA CONTINUED FLOWING INSTALLING TEMPLES AT PLACES LIKE BADARI, KANCHI, MOOKAMBIKA AND A LOT INCLUDING HIS VERY DIVINE SARADAMBAL AT SRI SRINGERI
819
JAGADGURU FROM THE THROWN OF OMNI-KNOWLEDGE FLEW BACK TO THE DEATH BED OF HIS MOTHER AT KALADY AS HER SANKARA. SHE TOO WAS GIVEN SAYOOJYA IN HER DEAR THRI KALADY APPAN -KRISHNAN, WITH SANKARA RECITING VISHNU BHUJANGAM AND ATCHUTHA ASHTAKAM. WITH THE HELP & COOPERATION OF JUST 2 OUT OF 10 ILLOMS OF KALADY, HE DULY CREMATED HIS BELOVED MOTHERS BODY. THEN APARA KRIYAS WERE DONE IN NEARBY GHAT IN POORNA. THE REMAINS WHERE PLACED BELOW 'UTHAMA VRIKSHAM AND KAPPILLY NAMBUDIRIS CONTINUED DAILY 'DEEPAM ' WITH ALL SUCH SMRUTHI LAND AREA MARKED IN NAME OF KAPPILLY NAMBUDIRI. ONE CAN SEE THE BLACK STONE LAMP DONATED FOR CONVENIENCE OF DAILY LAMP, MARKED ' THRI THEKKE MADHOM VAKA' (BY THEKKE MADHOM) WITH MUDRA OF MUTT ENGRAVED '.
SANKARA LEAVES HIS KALADY, ENTRUSTING THALAETTUM PILLY (Head lifting) MANA RENAMED ON LIFTING HEAD SIDE OF MOTHERS BODY TO PYRE AND TO KAPPILLY MANA RENAMED AS SUCH ON LIFTING KAL (Leg) PART TO PYRE, WHO ARE THE ONLY ONES SURVIVED WITH REST IN 10 ILLOMS EXTINCT.SANKARA WEPT LIKE A LITTLE CHILD UNDER THE BANIAN TREE BEFORE HIS KAVIL BHADRAKALI FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT AND LEFT KALADY.
THESE FAMILIES, NAMES & HISTORY AND THE REAL FACTS IN HOLY KALADY PROVES THE WRITERS CLAIMING TO BE BASED ON MADHVA VIDYARANYA AND HIS SCHOOL FOLLOWERS ASSIGNING SANKARA AS A BUTCHER THAT TOO OF HIS OWN MOTHERS BODY, (PERHAPS MADE INNOCENTLY),AND THAT HE CURSED IN TOTAL THE PEOPLE OF KALADY AND THE PLACE AS TOTALLY WRONG AND IGNORANT IN THIS ASPECT
820
JAGADGURU PARAMAHAMSA PARIVRAJAKA SUGRAHITHA NAAMA SANKARACHAYA TOO ATTAINS SAYOOJYAM RECITING 'KESHAADI PAADA STHOTHRAM' OF HIS KULA DEVA YADUPATHY SREE KRISHNAN; MAY BE AT KEDARAM;AT DAKSHINA KEDARAM TRISSUR HIS MOOLA STHAN; OR NOT KNOWN
825
KOLLA VARSHAM STARTED IN KERALA IN RECOGNITION AND RESPECTS OF JAGADGURU WHICH NO OTHER INDIAN STATE EVER DONE, STARTED 4 MUTTS OF 4 SANKARA DESCIPLES AT TRICHUR NEAR ACHARYAS MOOLA STHANAM TRISSUR VADAKKUMNAATHAN VADAKKE, NADUVIL, TRIKAIKKATTU, THEKKE MUTTS
900
THEKKEMADHOM SWAMIYAAR HONOURED WITH ARCHANA RIGHTS FOR THRI KALADY APPAN AND PALACE PROVIDED IN LAND IN THE NAME OF KAPPILLY NAMBUDIRI
1797
KALADY RECOGNISED BY BALRAMA VARMA AS ' SANKARA SANKETHAM ' WITHIN WHICH ONLY HIGH CAST HINDUS ONLY WERE PERMITTED TO DEAL PROPERY & LIVE IN, RAJABHOGAM (tax) NAMED MUPPARA & ETTIL ONNU BEQUEATHED TO THEKKE MADHOM, RAJAH CANNOT ENTER WITH ARMS AND GUARD; POSITION AKIN TO STATE OF SRI SRINGERI
1864 To 1898
LEGENDARY LAW FIGHT BY X' TIANS FOR CHURCH NEAR SANKARA SANKETHAM IN KALADY, EVEN BRITISH CROWN RECOGNISES KALADY AS SANKARA SANKETHAM, THE CHURCH CONSECRATED FINALLY ON 1898 NOV 14 FR. S. POONOLI GIVES A TRUE INSIGHT OF KALADY 150 YRS BACK WITH NAMES & ADDRESS OF INMATES IN HIS MODAL BOOK.
1905
AUTHORITIES DECIDES TO START VEG& NON VEG MARKET JUST NEXT TO BHADRAKALI KAVU AT KALADY CENTRE AND KALADY DEVASWOM SHIFTS KAVU TO PRESENT SPOT
1910
KALADY RECOGNISED BY SREE SRINGERI SARADA PEETHAM AS ' SANKARA BIRTH PLACE AT THE INSTENCE OF HIS HOLINESSES 33RD PONTIFF JAGADGURU SIVABHINAVA NARASIMHA BHARATHI AN EXCEPTIONALLY DIVINE AND SACRED PERSONALITY AND AT HIS HOLOINESSES INSTRUCTION TRAVANCORE HIGHNESS DONATED ARAYAMBA SAMADHI HITHERTO MAINTANED WITH ENCLOSED PROTECTION WALL AND THE ADJACENT HOLY GHAT WHERIN THE APARA KRIYA FOR MOTHER WAS DONE BY SANKARA AND A LAND AREA MEASURING AROUND 25 ACRES IN THE NAME OF KAPPILLY NAMUDIRI AND UNDER -THEN SANKETHAM POSSESSION OF THEKKEMADHOM -ACQUIRED AND HANDED OVER TO SREE SREE SRINGERI SARADA PEETHAM . TEMPLES OF DIVINE SARADA DEVI AND SHANKARACHARYA IN SIVA DAKSHINA MOORTHY FORM IN IN TWO BEAUTIFUL SHRINES ON TWO SIDES OF ARYAMBA SAMAADHY WERE BUILT AND CONSECRATED ON 1910 . THIS STARTED A NEW ERA IN KALADY WITH MORE OF SRINGERI DEVOTEES TURNING IN WITH RELATED FAME AND PROGRESS USHERING IN.
1936
SELFLESS SWAMI AGAMANANDAJI STARTED OFF WITH NO INSTITUTIONAL AND GOVT. SUPPORT; JUST RESPECTS AND HELP OF LOCAL PERSONS LIKE PARAYATHU MENON. AND STARTED OFF A NEW ASHRAM A WING OF SREE RAMA KRISHNA MISSION. HE INITIATED A BRIDGE , A SCHOOL A COLLEGE WHICH NOW RUN BY SREE SRINGERI MUTT AND A LOT MANY INSTITUTIONS TO DEVELOP THE LAND KALADY. IN 1976 THE BEAUTIFUL MAGNIFICIANT INERNATIONAL RAMAKRISHNA TEMPLE WAS INSTALLED UNDER DIRECTIONS OF SWAMI GANANDAJI WHO ALSO STARTED 1ST TRIBAL HOSTEL IN KERALA AT KALADY
1978
KANCHI ' STOOPAM' 9 STORIED TOWER SHORTLY RECOGNISED AS THE IDENTITY HALL MARK OF KALADY ALL AROUND STARTED
1993
ON SPECIAL INTERESTS OF SRINGERI ADVENT OF SREE SANKARACHARYA SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY
Excellent article.One of the greatest contributions of India to the world is Holy Gita which is considered to be one of the first revelations from God. The management lessons in this holy book were brought in to light of the world by divine Maharshi Mahesh Yogi , Sri Sri RaviShankar and Swami Bodhanandji, and the spiritual philosophy by the great Adi Sankaracharya the greatest philosopher of India and proud son of Kerala, and Sri. Srila Prabhupada Swami and humanism by Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and Satya Sai Baba. Maharishi calls the Bhagavad-Gita the essence of Vedic Literature and a complete guide to practical life. It provides "all that is needed to raise the consciousness of man to the highest possible level." Maharishi reveals the deep, universal truths of life that speak to the needs and aspirations of everyone. Swami Chinmayanandaji preached and educated the people and Swami Sandeep Chaitanyaji continuing the mission by keeping this lantern burning always knowing the wishes of the modern generations. Arjuna got mentally depressed when he saw his relatives with whom he has to fight.( Mental health has become a major international public health concern now). To motivate him the Bhagavad Gita is preached in the battle field Kurukshetra by Lord Krishna to Arjuna as a counseling to do his duty while multitudes of men stood by waiting. It has got all the management tactics to achieve the mental equilibrium and to overcome any crisis situation. The Bhagavad Gita can be experienced as a powerful catalyst for transformation. Bhagavad gita means song of the Spirit, song of the Lord. The Holy Gita has become a secret driving force behind the unfoldment of one's life. In the days of doubt this divine book will support all spiritual searches. This divine book will contribute to self reflection, finer feeling and deepen one's inner process. Then life in the world can become a real education—dynamic, full and joyful—no matter what the circumstance. May the wisdom of loving consciousness ever guide us on our journey? What makes the Holy Gita a practical psychology of transformation is that it offers us the tools to connect with our deepest intangible essence and we must learn to participate in the battle of life with right knowledge?. It shows us the path to handle the situation with equipoised mind irrespective of what comes our way and reminds us time and again, that what the right action is.
Sankara and his contemporary disciple Sureswara quote the Buddha scholar Dharmakeerthi by name whose date is around 6/7th century AD. So Sankara can not have flourished in BC period.
I agree. ThankQ.
Reason for deleting the above comment: A palladium ad.
please take chance to download books of PN Oak while they are there
http://www.archive.org/details/EnglishBooksOfP.n.Oak
http://ia341321.us.archive.org/0/items/EnglishBooksOfP.n.Oak/
http://www.archive.org/details/HindiBooksOfP.n.Oak
http://ia341343.us.archive.org/1/items/HindiBooksOfP.n.Oak/
http://www.archive.org/details/AReviewOfbeefInAncientIndia
http://www.archive.org/details/HinduKyon
do email me. my observation is you a elder fellow .... you translation seva is great . you may have kidney problems. also it seems that analysis are logical though the foundation of your anylsis ie. using authentic editions of books may be wrong
one quote by " i read authors not books" thus before skeptizing start right
please download above books before they possibly removed..
It is true that Kanchi math was not established by Adhisankaracharya. Kanchi Math ascribes 509 BC to Adhisankaracharya. But Adhisankara and his contemporary disciple Sureswara refer the Buddhist scholar Dharmakeerthi by name. This scholar has been given 7/8th century AD by historians including those of Tibet History. So Sankaracharya, who has quoted Dharmakeerthi could have lived only after Dharmakeerthi. This gives a blow to the claim of Kanchi Math that it was established by Adhisankara in 509 BC and also makes its line of Acharyas from 509 BC as false.
provide some quotation of information of sankara and suresvara quoting dharmakeerthi
Reply to Shri Ndas: Thank you very much for your advice, to read books of PN Oak. I am 71 now. I read the books of Shri PN Oak sometime in 1971. At that time they were published by Orient Paperbacks, New Delhi. I get an impression that the line of thinking of Shri Oak seems to have influenced our BJP Leaders. Anyway, I shall not touch that area because BJP is a political party. This Vivekachudamani blog is not a political blog.
You said "You may have kidney problems". Right now, I do not have kidney problems or heart problems or lungs breathing problems. I suffer from sleeplessness. That started when in 1998 I was working as a System Administrator in a Public Sector Bank; for about two years, I had to work late upto 12.30 night and reach home at 1.00 a.m. Probably my sleep cycle might have got disturbed. My father is 97. He stays with me, and I spend about 5 hours everyday nursing and nourishing him. He suffers from asthma, apart from old age ailments.
You may see from history that Shri Arun Jaitley and Smt. Sushma Swaraj suffered from kidney problems. I have a feeling approaching Super Speciality Hospitals for treatment, kills us within 3 months. Viveka Chudamani teaches us to realise the transientness of our bodies.
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