DIVINEINFORMATION PART 16 Dear friends,
While going through one of my externalmemory device, I came across some good information about Kanchipuram and Kamakoti peetham. I thought of sharing interesting ones fromthem as a series. These are short information. Inpart 16 , I am starting with 71th item in this posting. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 25-05-2021.In 71 Kancheepuram Kancheepuramis a celebrated place of pilgrimage. It is popularly known as Kanchi.Kancheepuram is situated about 74 kilometers southwest of Chennai by road. Kancheepuram has a railway station, which stands midway betweenChengalpattu and Arakkonam Junctions. Kanchi is one of the seven Mokshapuris -sacred cities by living in which or by death therein mangets emancipation from birth and death. Five important sacredplaces of Siva worship in South India are collectively called"Panchabhuta- Kshetras". Of these five, Kanchi is thePrithvi-kshetra. KamakshiVilasam, a section of the Markandeya Purana points to Kanchi as the"Nabhisthanam" -navel of the Universe. (Vide Chapters X and XI). Kanchihas been a center of literary pursuits and advanced learning. Inscriptions atKanchi point to the existence of Ghatikastan during Pallava regime. Sri Kanchi KamakotiPeetham has established a Deemed University - Sri Chandrasekharendra SaraswatiViswa Mahavidyalaya at Kancheepuram with an International Library. Variousdisciplines are taught at colleges affiliated to the University. Kancheepuram is a city oftemples: Some of the most important temples in Kancheepuram are for SriKamakshi Ambal, Sri Ekambaranatha, Sri Varadaraja, Sri Kailasanathar, SriVaikunta Perumal, Ulakalantha Perumal, etc. Sri Adi Sankara, after hisvarious tours through most parts of India, settled down at Kanchi to spend Hisevening years. He caused to remodel the city and reconstruct the threeprincipal temples -Sri Kamakshi, Sri Ekamranatha and Sri Varadaraja. At Kanchihe established a Math for himself and founded a line of successors after him onthe Peetha. Atpresent the presiding Pontiff is Pujyasree Sankara Vijayendra SaraswatiSwamigal He is 70th aacharya 72 Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya Inthis mundane world, conflict between good and evil has been a legendaryphenomenon from time out of mind. When this conflict turns acute and causes acrisis in the basic culture of the land, divine force intervenes to set thingsright. We find a number of anecdotes about demons endowed with tremendousmight, causing harm of non-mean degree, not only to human beings but to thecelestials as well. The Puranas speak of the avataras (incarnations) of LordVishnu who destroyed the demons and established the path of righteousness -Dharma. More than 2500 years ago, an avalanche of heretic and non-Vedic sects,with horrible religious practices threatened to wipe away the ancient Veda-Dharma. In the Bhagavad Geeta, LordKrishna has told Arjuna that, whenever there arises danger to Dharma, He(Krishna) will incarnate in this world to eradicate adharma and re-establishDharma. I n consonance with His words, the Lordhas made partial incarnations during the course of the present Kali Age. Andsuch an incarnation is the partial incarnation ofSiva as Sankara Bhagavatpada, which happened some twenty-five centuries ago, onthe prayer of celestials to Lord Siva to redeem Bharata-desa from the clutchesof non-Vedic and heretic sects. SriSankara Bhagavadpadacharya was one of the greatest philosophers andspiritualists of, the world. He was a discerning dialectician, a consummatecommentator and a celebrated poet. His miraculous achievements, within a shortspan of life of thirty-two years, speak of his super-human aspect. Sages andscholars, who have shone through the centuries after his time, have regardedhim as an incarnation of the Divine. Many a thinker and many a scholar ofdifferent climes and times has been attracted by the philosophic discipline ofAdvaita (Monism), effectively propagated by Sankara. Even modern thinkers and scholars of repute havepaid eulogistic tributes to Sankara's genius. Therelived a pious Brahmin couple -Sivaguru and Aryamba -in the village of Kaladi in Kerala. Evenafter years after their marriage they had no issue. Sothey went to Tiruchivaperur (modern Trichur in Kerala) and stayed there for anumber of days and worshipped Vrshachalesvara, the presiding deity of thetemple there, praying for a male offspring. Sankara biographies narrate thatboth Sivaguru and his wife had identical dreams, at night of the last day of their stay inTiruchivaperur, in which the Lord asked them if they desired to have a singleson endowed with good qualities, wisdom and intelligence or sons wicked andidiotic by nature and that the couple left the decision of the choice to theLord Himself. Months after Sivaguru andAryambal had returned to Kaladi, a malechild was born to Aryambal, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of theVaisaka month of the cyclic year Nandana (509 B.C.). Thoughmany dates are assigned for the birth of Sankara, this date may be said to befairly well established by research scholars on the basis of literary,architectural and astrological sources of information. The parents gave the name "Sankara" tothe child. Thelife story of Sankara is told in many purely biographical works and also shortsketches of the Great Acharya are had in works devoted to other topics. Butsince all works, which narrate the history of Sankara, have been produced, manycenturies after his lifetime, the historian of Sankara has to depend on the lotof traditional information that has gathered round Sankara's name and fame. …. Having had his upanayanam at the age offive, Sankara was sent to a local patasala for studying the Veda. One forenoon,during hisrounds for collecting biksha (alms), Sankara happened to stop in front of apoor man's house and uttered the usual word of request for biksha -"Bhavatibikkshamdehi". Thelady of the house came out and saw the lustrous little brahmachari. She went inand searched for something for offering to the boy. But there was nothing inthe house to offer. She picked up a dry amla fruit and dropped it in Sankara's bowl.The boy looked at the woman and noticed the lines of poverty and sorrow writlarge on her face. He began singing the praise of Sri Mahalakshmi, the Goddessof Wealth, in fine Sanskrit verses. And lo! Mahalakshmi stood above the house.Sankara requested the Goddess to provide the means for the livelihood of theinmates of that house. The Devi caused a shower ofgold amalakas on that house. The eighteen verses of Sankara's prayer to Lakshmigo by the name "Kanakadhara Stotram". Thisvery first poem of Sankara breathes with his compassion and concern for thepoor and the needy. At theage of eight Sankara finished the study of the Veda. The idea ofbecoming an ascetic was revolving in his mind. Onemorning when he was bathing in the river flowing by the side of his house, a crocodile caught one of hisfeet and began to drag him into the deep. Sankara shouted for help. Hismother came running to the bank of the river. Sankara told his weeping mother, "In accordance with mydoings during past births I have to die. But I may continue to live if I becomean ascetic, since change of asrama causes a new birth. Hencegrant me permission to become a sanyasi quickly". Aryambareluctantly agreed, as she desired to have her son alive at least as anascetic. Sankara took to apat-sanyasa (becoming an ascetic in time of danger)by uttering the pertinent mantras. Suddenly the crocodile left Sankara's foot, turned into agandharva (good spirit) and flew up after praising Sankara. Aryamba asked Sankara to comehome. Sankara told her that fromthat day, the wide world was his home and whoever offered him alms was hismother. Aryamba asked him as to who wouldperform her funeral rites if she died in his absence. Sankara consoled his sobbingmother saying that he would be by her side whenever she chose to think of himand that he would perform the due riteson her death. 72.1 Initiation into regular Sanyasa Leavinghis old mother in the care of near relatives, Sankara left Kaladi and began totravel towards the north, in search of a preceptor to get himself initiatedinto regular sanyasa. Monthslater he reached the bank of the Narmada. He learnt from the peopleliving nearby that a great yogi lived in a cave near the riverbank and that hewas spending most of his time in penance. Soon Sankara went near that cave andstood before the entrance to the cave singing about the yogin in some couplets.The yogi, SriGovinda Bhagavatpada, recipient of the Mahabhashya from the lips of SriGaudapada, asked from within the cave, who was standing near the cave. The reply of Sankara was in the form of 10 slokas ending with therefrain "Sivahkevaloham", These ten slokas constitute thefamous Dasasloki of the Acharya. Immensely pleased, Govindamuni came out of thecave. Sankarawho was struck by the divine personality of Govinda Bhagavatpada fell at hisfeet. After someconversation, Govinda Bhagavatpada accepted Sankara as his disciple andinitiated him in all the Mahavakyas, Some of the biographies saythat Sankara lived on with his 'guru' for about 3 years and learnt thespiritual truths and the disciplines under Govinda Bhagavatpada. Aftermastering all that had to be learnt from the 'guru', Sankara was grantedpermission to leave, and the guru told him, that Sankara should preach Advaita Vidya, and also writean authoritative commentary on the Brahma Sutras. Heinstructed Sankara to go to BENARAS,which was the spiritual centre of gravity of India, to do this work. Accordinglyin course of time, Sankara returned to Kasi, crossing the Vindhya Mountains,after a prolonged journey of months. 72.2 Sankara at Kasi Takingleave of his preceptor, Sankara left the Narmada bank and in course of timereached Kasi, also known as Varanasi, situated on the bank of the sacred Ganga,as desired by his preceptor. Sankara's stay at Kasi was for about four years. During this period, a number ofdisciples gathered around him to learn the Advaita Vedanta. A prominent one of them wasSanadana, a native of the Chola country. It was during these yearsthat Sankara wrote the famous commentaries on Vyasa's Brahmasutras, theprinciple Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Geeta. Besides the bashyas onVishnusahasranama and the Lalita Trisatistotra are also said to have beenwritten by him during his long stay at Kasi. One day, when Sankara wasseated at the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanaasi, Sage Vyasa came here, disguised as an oldBrahmin. He saw a young asceticsitting amidst numerous disciples and looking like Siva with his attendants, as Indra in the middle ofcelestials and as Brahma surrounded by sages. Vyasa asked the disciples whothe boy ascetic was. They replied "Oh! Old man! This is Sankara, the preceptor steeped in bliss.Having dissolved heretic sects in many places, having produced a commentary,with clear and decisive interpretations on the Brahmasutras, and having taughtAdvaita philosophy to discerning students, he shines as Rudra on the bank ofthe Ganga." Then Vyasa got near the group of disciplesand sat before Sankara. A long and heated debate ensuedbetween the two on the purport of some of Vyasa's Brahmasutras. At a particular stage, Sankara learnt from a hint of his disciple,Padmapada, that the old man was Sage Vyasa in disguise and bowed before him. Immensely satisfied withSankara's exposition of the Brahmasturas, Vyasa blessed Sankara and departed along with Brahma who had gone overthere to grant an extension of life to Sankara. Duringthe long stay at Kasi, one morning Sankara was returning with his disciplesfrom the temple of Visvesvara. An outcaste, leading four dogs, stood on the way. Sankaraasked him to clear away from the path. But the outcaste did notmove and asked Sankara, "From which, do you want and, what, to go where? Do youwant this body, which has been similarly built out of food? Do you want oneliving consciousness to go away from another? What do you say, Oh! Learned Brahmin?Which do you want to differentiate; this body of matter or the livingChaitanya?" Sankara was struck dumb at this, as theverypurpose of all his teachings, that the Self alone is the sole Reality, had beensummarised by the Chandala in a single verse. Sankaraimmediately understood the Vedantic purport of the Chandala's question and alsoconjectured that the Lord Himself had come in the form of a Chandala to test ifSankara had realised the truth that he had been teaching. Hethen uttered in reply, those immortal slokas which go by the name of "Manishapanchaka".These represent the high watermark of Sankara's teaching, where the consistencyof a remorseless dialectician, Sankara declares, that he, who has realised theoneness of the Brahman, and he who has intuited the Truth of this doctrine, isfit to be even Sankara's master, even though he, be a Chandala or a high casteBrahmin by birth. Even as he was about toconclude the small poem, theoutcaste and his dogs disappeared and Lord Visvanatha was seen above the place,blessing the Acharya. When Sankara left Kasi, theKing of Kasi, scholars and people bowed before him and bid him farewell. 72.3 Digvijayams Biographiesnarrating in full the story of Sankara speak extensively regarding the longtours of Sankara to many parts of the country. These digvijaya travels may be said tohave begun from the time of Sankara's leaving the sacred city of Kasi. Biographiesof Sankara tell about Sankara's visit to Prayag, Badrinath, Kashmir and to a number of places inthe south such as Chidambaram, Madhyarjunam, Jambu-kesvaram, Srirangam,Rameswaram, Tirupati and to many other sacred spots lIke like Dwaraka in thewest coast and Puri Jagannath on the eastern coast. I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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