TRANSFORMATION FROM SHANKARA TO ADI SHANKARACHARYA

Adi Shankaracharya; an intellectual giant and a spiritual light, was the driving force behind enlarging on the core idea of Advaita Vedanta; the concept of non dualism, and expressed it with such clarity and zest that it reached the populace of the whole nation, Bharatvarsh. This article talks about the extraordinary man’s life, travels and also highlights some of his important works.

The times

Before Adi Shankaracharya many have spoken on his idea, minds like Patanjali and Badarayana had already pointed out it in their sutras; the Yogadarsana and Vedantadarsana respectively. Since Badri and his son Badarayana; who also wrote a commentary on Brahma Sutra, many like, Suka Yoginda, Gaudapadacharya and Govind Bhagavatpada, had already found that the true idea of Vedas was concealed in the absolute philosophy of the Upanishads, and that the reconciliation of the various conflicting theories of Vedic philosophy as well as Non- Vedic philosophies was of paramount importance; in telling the truth of Vedas that is spoken in the Upanishads, for the purpose of saving the nation from running into political chaos, scholarly ruins and spiritual downfall. It is important to remember that Adi Shankaracharya was born at a time when Buddhism held sway in the nation, and the philosophy of Buddhism had come to be interpreted as a denial of God.

The birth

A boy was born in the village of Kaladi in Kerala in 788 A.D. to a Brahmin couple; Aryamba and Sivaguru, and in-spite of a virtuous life the couple were not blessed with a child for a long time. However, the prayers at the Vrishabhachaleshwara temple at Trichur bore fruit and Lord Shiva appeared as an old man in a dream of Sivaguru and gave him a choice of many sons who would be happy or a single son who would become a great sage but would be condemned to a short and severe life. Sivaguru chose the single son. On the same say, Lord Shiva appeared in the dream of Aryamba, riding the Nandi bull and told her that her son would become a great sage. After the couple awakened and narrated each other about their respective dreams, they together heard the voice of Lord Shiva exclaiming – ‘I will be born as your son!’ After sometime the couple was blessed with a wonderful son and the parents named him ‘Shankar’ in praise of Lord Shiva.

       

The childhood

The child Shankara was true to his name, and exhibited such uncommon intelligence that his father had to initiate him in the mysteries of alphabet by celebrating his Aksharabhyasa; initiation of education, as soon as he reached his third year. He learned all the branches of secular literature including grammar and rhetoric in less than two years, so his father had to perform his Upanayana; acceptance of a student by a teacher, for him to be introduced into the studies of Vedas and other sacred literature. Not only for his intelligence, the child Shankara was also known for a kind heart, case in point the incident – he was collecting alms from various families from the village, a lady who was very poor and possessed only a piece of amla fruit, gave her only possession; the amla fruit. Taking pity on the lady, Shankara composed ‘Kanak dhaara strota’ to the goddess at the lady’s door step, and golden amlas rained upon the lady. The boy became proficient in the Aryan literature by the age of eight, but his father did not had the luck of seeing his son accomplish his grand mission, and Sivaguru died when Shankara was only eight. The sad event made the boy resolute to renounce the world to become a sannyasi, but held on his decision for one year because of – reverence for his father whose funeral ceremonies he had to perform, and for the affection that he felt towards her mother who wept at her fate. On the completion of his father’s first annual ceremony Shankar began to persuade his mother to give her consent for allowing his to become a sannyasi. Here the famous ‘crocodile incident’ happened – when Shankara was taking bath in the Purna river, a crocodile caught hold of his leg and started to drag him away. Hearing the cries Aryamba rushed to the scene, Shankara requested the permission of his mother to become a sannyasi; since every Hindu is supposed to enter the phase of sannyasa before his/her death. Aryamba having no choice gave her consent, as soon as she gave him permission, the crocodile let go of the leg. Shankar consoled her mother and promised her that he would be at her bedside during the time of her death. Soon after that incident his life as a sannyasi began.       

On becoming a sannyasi

It is said that just before Shankara left Kaladi God Achyuta appeared to him and instructed him to go to Govinda Bahavapada to get himself formally initiated into sannyasa, it was then he composed ‘Achyutashtaka.’ On the way he was joined by Vishnu Sarman; later known as Chitsukha, one of his co-students at Kaladi Gurukul. He along with his new companion wandered into Northern India until he came in contact with Govinda Bahavapada at Amarakanta on the banks of the Narmada River. Govinda Bahavapada was instructed by the Lord to initiate Shankar into asceticism. Shankara sat at the feet of his holy master for two years and learnt everything. It was during this time that he composed ‘Narmadashtaka’ and many of his minor poems and Prakaranas such as ‘Sadhana Panchaka’,’Yati Panchaka’,’Vakya Vritti’,’Vivek Chudamani’, ‘Dasa sloki’, ‘Bala Bodhini among others.’ During his tutelage under Govinda Bahavapada none impressed him more as the Karikas of Gaudapadacharya; because for him they were in a nut shell the principles of Vedanta Philosophy. He felt the desire to meet Gaudapadacharya and to ask from him the permission to write a commentary on the Karika’s. Govinda Bahavapada took Shankara; his worthy pupil to his guru, to Badrikasrama on the Himalayas. Gaudapadacharya welcomes him and offered to teach Shankara all he knew. Shankara studied under Gaudapadacharya for four years, and during this period he composed many minor works on Vedanta such as ‘Shatpadi’, ‘Hari stuti’, ‘Sata sloki’, ‘Svatma Nirupana’ among others. He also obtained the permission to write a commentary on Gaudapadacharya’s ‘Mandukyopanishad Karikas.’ Shankar’s commentary impressed Gaudapadacharya so much that he requested him to write similar commentaries on ‘Vedanta Prasthana Traya’ and thereby establish the supremacy of the Advaita School of Vedanat Philosophy. It is during this time that Shankara also composed ‘Shodas Bharya Traya.’ It is also said that at the request of Gaudapadacharya Shankara began to write his ‘Bhashya on the Upanishads.’ The result of this was the Gaudapadacharya was so delighted with Shankara’s activity that he took him to Kaliasa where his guru and paramguru; Sage Badarayana and Sage Suka, were engaged in tapas. After going through Shankara’s Bhashyas and Prakarans, and pronouncing his ‘Bhasya on the Brahma Sutra’ as containing the true interpretation of the Upanishads, both Sage Badarayana and Sage Suka, offered their blessings and directed him to go and preach his Advaita Darsana at Varanasi; Benares. After directing him all the three gurus instantly disappeared; fulfilling their mission in this world. He found himself alone, grieved as human existence appeared pointless to him, and he composed ‘Dakshinamurti Stotra.’ Pleased by his hymn Sage Suka intervened on the behalf of his great grand disciple as worthy to be taught the mystery of spiritual knowledge and the Divine Teacher accordingly received Shankara and bid the attendance to prepare him for initiation into Adhyatma Sannyasa. The Mahavakyas of the Upanishads were directly taught to him by the Gracious Lord, and he solemnly repeated them with all his faculties absorbed in loving devotional to the Spiritual Teacher. As the initiation got completed Shankara sung two great hymns in praise of the Lord Shiva – ‘Siva Padadi Kesanta Varnana Stotra’ and ‘Siva Kesadi Padanta Varnana Stotra.’ From that moment on Shankara transformed into a new man; he became Jivan Mukta. Shankara the new spiritual teacher went back to the heritage of Badarayana at the foot of the Kaliasa Mountain; from where the three gurus had disappeared. There he found his old companion, Vishnu Sarman who questioned him. Shankara narrated – how he suddenly missed the three great teachers, how in his despair he found out the Divine Guru in the form of Dakshina Murti under the foot of a banyan tree, how he had been received by the Spiritual Teacher and initiated into the Adhyatma Sannyasa, how he had been taught by the Gracious Lord the mysteries of Vedanta Philosophy and how Lord Shiva the lord of wisdom revealed himself to him in MahaKailasa. On the earnest request of Vishnu Sarman Shankara composed ‘Adhyatmavidya Sannyasavidhi’ and ‘Vedanta Dindima.’ After that Vishnu Sarman prayed Shankara in eight verses known as Guruvashtaka and pleaded with Shankara to take him as his disciple. Shankara accepted the pupil, made him go through the formalities and initiated him with the red robe of sannyasa under the name of Chitsukha.

One important thing before Benares

Shankara along with Chitsukha were back at Govinda Bahavapada’s hermitage; had narrated what all had transpired with the three gurus, and were preparing to go to Benares, when Agni Sarman; a relation of Shankar, turned up with a bag of gold and bundles of precious gems given by her mother Aryamba. Agni Sarman informed him that his mother is seriously ill. Shankara’s devotion to his mother made him long to see her at once, so he along with Chitsukha and Agni Sarman returned to his village, but not before he had dedicated all the gold and precious gems to Lord Narayana in the construction and repairing of the ancient temple of Vishnu at Badarikasrama and in setting up the sacred image of Narayana. His mother through extremely weak was still able to walk, she was glad to see her son. And Shankara set aside all the appropriate rules of sannyasi, rushed to his mother, touched her feet and embraced her with affection and devotion. As his mother’s illnesses worsen she desired her son to discourse her on things that would bring her eternal peace and happiness. Shankara preached her the essence expressed in Tatva Bodha, in simple words, sadly that too was difficult for the declining Aryamba to comprehend, so she desired her son to sing a hymn in praise of Lord Krishna. Shankara recited ‘Krishnashtaka’ hymn, which delighted her mother, and brought her prefect peace, she blessed her son for his grand mission, and gave up her body like a yogini. Shankara performed all the rites appropriate of her funeral ceremony, by preparing a funeral pyre at the back of his own house in accordance with the ancient custom of Kerala Brahmin, by placing her mother’s body on it and setting it on fire himself. The critics of Shankara; of that time, who had become jealous of his fame, questioned – how could a sannyasi perform funeral rites? They even maligned his name by questioning his parentage by investing the story that he was the child of an adulterous intercourse of a Brahmin widow with a Chandal. They put up many such maligning charges to put dirt on his name. A visitor by the name of Sanandana arrived with the news that his guru Govinda Bahavapada was seriously ill, and is holding for his return, before he quits the body. Shankara once again retuned to Govinda Bahavapada’s hermitage along with Chitsukha and Sanandana, and met his guru, who exhorts him to undertake his victorious tour; Dig-vijaya, throughout the nation, Bharatvarsh. The guru also instructed the other students to follow Shankara in future as their master. As soon as the ceremonies connected with the Siddhi of Govinda Bahavapada were over and his body was interred in a samadhi constructed by his students, Sanandana approached and requested him to initiate him into the mysteries of Advaita Philosophy, which Shankara duly did by composing ‘Atma Bodha’ for the benefit of Sanandana and also for the instructions of the students of Govinda Bahavapada, who had become his students.

His grand tour

The first place that Shankara visited was Prayaga; the most ancient seat of learning among the Aryans ever since Ramayana and Mahabharata, but which had lost its luster since the time when Gautama Buddha began to preach on the sacred land. Shankara wished to restore Prayaga to its former greatness by firmly establishing his Advaita Philosophy. After taking bath at the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati; known as Triveni, the dutiful son and student offered oblation of water to his mother and his guru. Thereafter, Shankara and his disciples halted at Bharadvajasrama, the heritage of Bharadvaja, to preach his philosophy to the citizens. It was during this period that he composed some of his minor poems like ‘Prayagashtaka’, ‘Yumunashtaka’, ‘Madhavashtaka’ and ‘Vedasara Siva Stotra.’ In a short while Shankara’s fame as a great Vedantic teacher reached all the four corners of the nation and intelligent men from all corners came to seek admission as his pupil to study the Vedanta Philosophy. One day Shankara went out with his students and found an orthodox young Brahmin trying to put an end to his life. The young man’s reason for taking such a drastic step was leprosy. As he saw the approaching Shankara and his pupil the distressed man called out to Shankar - to save him. Shankara touched the young man and miraculously all the marks of leprosy disappeared, in fact the Brahmin turned into a charming young man, and the locals started to proclaim him as Udanka; one deprived of all marks of leprosy. The young Brahmin requested Shankara to initiate him into Vedanta Philosophy, which he did once he found that the boy was qualified to receive instructions to attain that knowledge. On another insistence Shankar and his disciples had been to Pratishthanapuri where Prabhakaracharya; one of the disciples of Kumarila Bhatta – the celebrated backer of Purva Mimamsa, lived and knowing that Shankara was there he decided to meet him and convert Shankara into his philosophy. Shankara calmly argued with him, taking his opponents own stand point and in a few hours convinced him that Jnana; the knowledge of the Supreme Brahman alone is the final means for attaining Moksha and that Karma; the adherence to the duties enjoined in the Vedas is only a means to attain purity of heart, which leads to Jnana of the oneness of the individual soul with Supreme Soul by which alone Mukti can be realized. The result was that the whole of Pratishthanapuri converted into Shankara’s faith. Then Prabhakaracharya threw himself and his son; Prithvidhara, on Shankara’s feet and requested him to cure the son of the disease. The father said – Prithvidhara had stopped talking five years back, would not play with children his age. At that Prabhakaracharya thought that his son is possessed by some spirit and tried his best to cure the boy, but all efforts failed.’ Shankara at once realized that the boy was a born yogi and that he had assumed this dumbness to avoid all the ceremonies which his father was enforcing on him. Then Shankara gently placed his hand on the boy’s head and asked – Who he was? And why he was behaving so? In reply Prithvidhara burst into an eloquent song consisting of twelve verses known as Hastamalaka Slokas, describing the true nature of soul and requested Shankara to accept him as his disciple. Prabhakaracharya was astonished and requested Shankara to initiate him also into the Advaita Philosophy. Shankara composed ‘Tattvopadesa’ for Prabhakaracharya and initiated him into a sannyasi. He then initiated Prithvidhara as one of his chief disciples under the significant name Hastamalaka; as one who realized the Brahman as an Amalaka fruit held in one’s own hand. On another day; Shankar was sixteen at that time, he was brought the news that Kumarila Bhatta the champion of Karma Marga was about to commit himself to flames in a secluded part of the city of Prayaga. Shankara went in haste and found Kumarila Bhatta lying calmly on the funeral pyre that was already ablaze, surrounded by Brahmin who were chanting Vedic mantras prescribed by the sastras for the great penance ceremony, Vaidika Prayaschitta, which Kumarila Bhatta was bent on carrying out. The reason was – in order to defeat the Jainas; to prove the supremacy of his philosophy; Kumarila Bhatta had put on the disguise of a Jaina and had enrolled to learn all its secrets. With the information acquired by learning as a Jaina he was able to defeat the Jainas. But technically Kumarila Bhatta was guilty of the offence of betraying his preceptor and he wanted to do penance for his sins by burning himself in a slow fire. So Shankar was directed by Kumarila Bhatta to meet his famous pupil Mandana Misra.             

Shankara and Mandana Misra debate

Mandana Misra; an authority on Karma Kanda, lived in a fine Manson, in which even the parrots that lived in his garden mimicked mantras. Since Shankar was a Jnana Kanda, he agreed to have a debate with Mandana Misra; the loser of the debate would agree to become the disciple of the victor. Mandana Misra’s scholarly wife Ubhaya Bharti agreed to serve as the judge of the debate, and she placed garlands on both Shankara and Mandana Misra and told that the person wearing the garland that would fade would accept defeat. The debate prolonged for fifteen days and finally the garland of Mandana Misra faded and he accepted defeat and became disciple of Shankara, and was renamed Sureswaracharya. However, his wife refused to accept defeat and asked Shankara to have a debate with her also. So Shankara got involved into another debate. Ubhaya Bharti conceded to Shankara on many points, but when she asked about the martial life and obligations, Shankara was stumped, as he being an ascetic since the age of eight, had no answer to her questions. To be fully able to answer Ubhaya Bharti’s questions Shankara asked for a period of one month, and after that they will resume the debate. At the same time the King of the state, Amaruka, was on his death bed, so Shankara decided to inhibit the body of the King and requested his disciples to take care of his body. Then Shankara entered the King’s body and lived like the King, catering to the various wives, attending the Kingly household duties, and enjoyed the immense riches of Kingdom. Slowly Shankar was drawn into the material world and forgot who he was, this caused a worry among his disciples who decided to confront the situation by singing verses from ‘Bhaja Govindam’ hearing which Shankara  realized who he was, quickly dropped the King’s body, and reappeared in his body. Thus having experienced material life Shankara was ready to face Ubhaya Bharti’s questions. Realizing this Bharti conceded defeat and became his disciple.           

Shankara’s last test

In Kashi, during his regular visits to the temple along with his students, one day his way was blocked by an untouchable who was with his dog. Shankara requested the untouchable to move since he would not touch the person. At this the untouchable asked – ‘O Shankara, the expounder of Advaita even if you are blinded by outward appearance and by maya, how can you preach the truth?’ Shankara immediately realized his mistake and offered his pranam at the feet of the untouchable. The he composed ‘Manishha Panchakam’ - that exemplifies that atman shines forth equally in a Brahmin and an untouchable. The untouchable was Lord Shiva himself who had visited Shankara to remove the last trace of ego in him.     

Shankara’s dig-vijaya continues and his final resting place

Shankara lived in Sringeri for twelve years teaching the Vedanta. He next visited Kanyakumari and finally settled at Kanchi; one of the seven great cities of Bharatvarsh. At Kanchi he renovated many ruined temples, extended chiefly the temple of Ekamranatha and Varadaraja and rebuilt the city on a new plan with the shrine of Kamakshi in the centre. To spread his teachings around the whole nation, he established mathas in four corner of Bharatvarsh: at Sringeri in the South, at Badri in the North, at Dvaarka in the West, and at Jaganath Puri in the East.  Shankara also appointed his chief disciples as the head of each of these mathas: Sureswaraacharya in Sringeri, Padmapada in Dvaarka, Totaka in Badri and Hastamalaka in Puri. Shankara next visited Kashmir where he again held his philosophical acumen and triumphed in various debates including debates on tantric practice which were prevalent at that time. Adi Shankaracharya; well known commentator of Vedantic wisdoms have written the celebrated tantric works Prapancasara and Saundarye- Lahari, and also other like Cintamani-stava among other texts. In the tantric text; as is the case in Vedic lore Adi Shankaracharya is preceded by Sages like Vasistha, Sakti, Suka and Vyasa, but his guru’s guru and immediate guru like Gaudapada and Govinda do not immediately follow one another, there are four or five other teachers that come in between. In tantric tradition Gaudapada and Govinda are described as a great tantric expert. The great temple of Kanchi; to which Adi Shankaracharya was associated for many years, was dedicated originally to Tara. Then he visited Nepal, where he had a vision of Sri Dattatreya; the guru of Patanjali. There are three versions on his maha-samadhi: first, a place near the shrine of Kedarnath is supposedly his place of disappearance. Second, he merged with Mount Kamakshi in Kanchipuram. And third, he climbed Mount Kailash and disappeared. It is generally agreed that he attained maha-samadhi in the year 832 A.D. Shankara was merely thirty two at that time.    

Importance of Adi Shankara’s life                

Adi Shankaracharya became a key figure in restoring people’s belief in the Vedas and Upanishads. The great revolutionary emphasized upon sannyasa and his teaching about the nature of Brahman and the world stood in sharp contrast to the more conservative philosophies of that time. Adi Shankaracharya advocated that the Supreme Soul alone is real and unchanging, while the soul is a changing entity and does not have absolute existence. He not only convinced many great thinkers of the rational correctness of his teachings, but also gave them a means of interpreting the scriptures in a consistent manner.        

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