THE THREE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS OF THE SOUTH INDIA WHO 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”.

.

P.R.Radhakrishn

MELPATHUR NARAYANA BHATTATHTHIRI AND HIS BOOK THE FAMOUS NARAYANEEYAM
AND FEW OTHER WRITINGS


Most of the Bhakthas might have heard that Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri was the person who wrote NARAYANEEYAM which is a condensed form of MAHA BHAGAVATHAM. He was born in Old Calicut District presently known as Malappuram District in KERALA STATE in MELPATHUR ILLAM which ( Namboothiri Houses are called ILLAM and Tamil Brahmin’s Houses are called MADHOM in Malayalam in order to differentiate the two sections of Brahmins. ) was situated on the north side of NEELA NADI ( BHARATHA PUZHA IN MALAYALAM ) , and is three and a half kilometer away from THRUNAVAYA TEMPLE. . Although, he was well educated in Sanskrit , Meemaamsa etc, he was a womanizer and led a happy-go-lucky way of life till he married the niece of famous Sri Achyuta PishArOdy due to whose intervention Bhattathiri was reformed. In fact it is said that he was the GURU of Melpathur Bhattathiri ( to those who know Malayalam, it is written in “ARANMULA VILASAM” thus “…..ambaththimoonnu vayassiratti irunnulla melpaththuoor patterickium guruvaayirunnavan.” However , there is no dispute that Melpaththoor was born some where in the year 1500 AD.

It is said that Melppaththoor seeing his GURU suffering from KUZHA VAATHAM (a type of paralysis) , took the decease to himself and saw that his mentor and Guru got rid of the permanent disease . However , Melppaththur started suffering from the disease and hence to get cured he went to GURUVAYUR temple to perform BHAJAN. Since his disease was worsening, he sent his younger brother to THUNJATTHU RAMANUJAN EZHUTHTHACHCHAN , just to find out from him the real CURE for the disease. This Thunjatthezhththachchan was a great poet and a pure BHAKTHA of the Lord RAMA ( most of the malayalis read his ADHYAATHMA RAMAYANA during the month of KARKKATAKA the solar month ) . However, he had a weakness, that he was a drunkard. In the drunken mood he told Bhattaththiri’s brother to tell Bhaattaththiri to taste MATSYA (Fish) and start eating..
Hearing this , Bhattaththiri’s brother got wild and came out disgusted and went to his brother . When Narayana Bhattaththiri asked him as to what Ezhuththachchan told, he said that he asked Battaththiri to taste Matsya and eat. Bhattaththiri thought a while and said “if this is the remedy I shall follow it and then started writing Narayaneeyam which is the condensed form of Maha Bhagavatha , starting from Matsyavathaara., which was the inner meaning of what Ezhuththachchan told.

Friends, It is time now to answer one of our devotee’ s. question, where he has asked where LORD KRISHNA is shown as an AVATHARA. Kindly go through NARAYANEEYAM OR MAHA BHAGAVATHAM and you will get the answer.
Please note that the word BUDDHA need not denote GAUTHAMA BUDDHA who formed another religion. BUDDHA simply means a person with knowledge .

Shri Battaththiri completed NARAYANEEYAM on the day which is written in KATAPAYAATHI as “aayuraarOgyasoukhyam” in the last stanza of Narayaneeyam.
To those interested to know what is written in the last stanza of NARAYANEEYA, I quote it “ ajnaathwA thE mahathwam yadiha nigaditham vishwanAtha. kshamEthhA:, sthOthram chaithath sahasrOththaramadhikatharam thwath prasAdAya bhooyAth, dwEdhA nArAyaNIyam shruthishu cha janushA sthuthyathAvarNanEna, spItham lIlAvathArair idamiha kuruthAm “AyurArOgyasowkhyam”.

It means it was completed in KALI SAMKHYA 1712210 corresponding to the Malayalam month of Vrischika 28th of KOLLAM Era 762. By this time he was fully cured of paralysis.. He lived thereafter a full long life and then died

To those who want to know about “KATAPAYAATHI” I can explain it , but not here since it is a different subject.

Herein above I have told only about the reason of writing NARAYANEEYAM. This is only to prove that if one possesses ACHANCHALA NISHKALANGA BHAKTHI on GOD he can get whatever he wishes.

To those who question the existence of GOD, I have this answer Which Mahathma Gandhi told. The existence of GOD is like an axiom. It is self proved.

Bhattaththiri was slightly egoist about his vast knowledge in Sanskrit.. Ones after writing “SANTHANA GOPALAM- PAANA” , Poonthaanam Namoothiri who had no proficiency in Sanskrit, approached Melpathur to correct his Malayalam Krithi.
Bhattaththiri who had profound knowledge in Sanskrit did not like to correct the Malayalam Bhaasha Kavitha and hence did not oblige. It so happened , the paralysis which he was suffering aggravated and Bhattaththiri started praying Lord Guruvayurappa to relieve him from the pain. That night, Bhattaththiri had a dream in which The Lord appeared and told him that HE liked the BHAKTHI of Poonthaanam than the VIBHAKTHI of Bhattaththiri. Next day , Bhattaththiri called Poonthaanam and requested him to give his SANTHANA GOPALAM – PAANA, and corrected it..

Again ones while POONTHANAM while reciting VISHNU SAHASRANAMA started reading AMARA PRABHU as MARA PRABHU. Melppathoor on hearing this asked Poonthaanam to recite as AMARA PRABHU and not MARA PRABHU. Immediately, there was an ASHAREERI saying that “I AM BOTH MARA PRABHU AND AMARA PRABHU”. This way the LORD brought down the ego of Bhattaththiri.

Bhattaththiri has written many essays in Sanskrit . SUBHADRAA HARANAM is the foremost in these series. The other essays are RAAJASOOYAM, DOOTHA VAAKYAM, , NALAYANEE CHARITHAM, PANJALEE SWAYAMVARAM, KIRAATHAM, KAILAASA VARNANAM, SUNDOPA SUNDAAKHYAANAM etc. He has also written many STHOTHRAS like GURUVAYUPRESHA STHOTHRAM, SHREEPAADA SAPTHATHI etc. His RAAMAAYANAM PRABHANDHAM , MAHABHARTHAM CHAMBU are other famous KRITHIS.

I do not like to deal with such writings due to fear of the article becoming lengthy. In short , Bhattaththiri was the rarest of the rarest gems KERALA produced.