sivananda-ashram

SRI SANKARA JAYENDRA BALAVIHAR

• Aryamba was a very devoted and pious woman. She observed many a sacred practices and to her was born the great world teacher, Adi Shankaracharya.

It was Panchami, a Sunday in the month of Vaishaki of the year Nandana In the early hours of the morning during the ‘Brahmamuhurtha’, Shankaracharya was born in a place called Kaladi, a village in Kerala.

At the early age of five, Adi Shankara learnt the Gayathri Mantra. He learnt all that was contained in the Vedas by the time he attained the age of fourteen. He prepared the texts and his commentary acquired the name ‘Shankara Bhasya’ His fourteen disciples accompanied him when he travelled all over India. Once when he was staying in Benares, he noticed an old Brahmin in a house reciting some rules of Grammar. Shankara entered that house and said that reciting Grammar rules will not help him at the end.

Vyakaranamu kapadadura.

Sing the glory of Lord Govinda, utter the name of Lord Govinda; Oh, you ignorant person. You should go on uttering the name of the Lord. It will not be possible for you to do so when death faces you and you are close to it. Reciting the rules of grammar cannot save you. Adi Shankara composed Dwadasa Manjari also (Series of twelve verses).

• Adi Shankara, at the age of five, after the performance of his Upanayana ceremony approached his preceptor and was able to master the four vedas and the six sastras within three years. Through earnest desire and sincerity, anything can be accomplished. From his studies, Shankara realised that Oneness (Ekatvam) is the essence of all knowledge. This is the doctrine of "ADVAITA". "Ekameva Adviteeyam Brahma" (The absolute is one alone, not two) There is no second, but there is the appearance of an enormous multiplicity. How, then, can oneness be claimed? Here is an example. You have the number 1 and the number 9. Of the two numbers which is the bigger? The natural answer will be: 9. But this is not so. One is really the bigger number 1+1+1+1+....... upto nine, makeup nine. Hence, the vedas declare: "Ekoham bahusyam". "I am one; I willed to be many, only the one exists". But it has assumed numerous forms. Shankara declared that the many (Anekatvam) is subsumed by the one (This is the unity in diversity). There may be many stalks of sugarcane, but the juice from all of them has the same sweetness. Beings are many, but the breath is the same. Nations are many, but the earth is one.

Adi Shankara insisted on the recognition of the unity that underlines all diversity. "Isha, Girisha, Naresha, paresha, mahesha, bileshaya bhushana bho, sambasadashiva shambo shankara sharanam meythava charana yugam", declared Adi Shankara, in praise of Shiva. In listing attributes of Shiva, the Acharya declared that Shiva is everything, by whatever name He is called. Thereby, the omnipresence of the Lord is proclaimed.

The Advaitic doctrine of Shankara propagated the view that bodies are manifold, and in these separate bodies the one Divine is present. With regard to Advaita, however, it is possible only to experience it as a "Bhava" (a conscious feeling), and not apply it as "Kriya Advaita", to carry on one’s activities in daily life. There is the Divine in a tiger, in a snake and in a human being. You can recognise this as a concept, but on that account, you cannot go and embrace a tiger. The tiger must be treated as a tiger and a snake must be treated as a snake. The human being must be given the status that is appropriate to the human. You must have the faith that the same Divine dwells in all beings. This is indicated by the presence of three Divine characteristics in all beings. Asthi, Bhathi, Priyam (Existence, recognizability and utility). This is also expressed in other terms as: "Sat-chit-Ananda" (Being Awareness Bliss). "Sat"refer to that which is unchanging. This is a Divine attribute. "Chit" refers to total Awareness to know the complete nature of anything. When "Sat" and "Chit" are together, there is Ananda (Bliss). This Bliss is unchanging. It is described as Brahmanandam (Supreme Bliss). It is like mixing sugar with water, resulting in a syrup.

When Shankara thought of renouncing the world (in order to get the authority to educate it), he felt that his mother’s consent had to be taken for the step. So when bathing in the Poorna river near his house one day, he cried that a crocodile had caught his leg. It was true for the crocodile was, as in the Gajendra Moksha story, represented only samsara. When the mother came rushing to the banks of the river, he told her that the crocodile would let him off only if he took sanyasa and become a monk! This was also true because for, renunciation, detachment or giving up worldly ties, is the only means of saving oneself from bondage. The bewildered mother agreed and the boy left home to seek his guru, and through him learn the secret of liberation.

• Shankara suggested Sathsanga as the very first step in sadhana; the company of the wise and the good will develop into detachment and love of silence and solitude. That will promote the disappearance of Moha, which according to Arjuna, was the fruit of listening of Gita. When that happens, one is established steadily in the Tat-tvam, the reality of this and that, the identity of this with that, the recognition of that identity is the attainment of Mukti.
• When Shankara was giving spiritual lessons to his disciples, one young man asked him why all human beings in this world should not be regarded as equal, since the same kind of blood flows in them. Shankara told that it is not possible for man to distinguish between permanent and impermanent things. One can adopt the notion of non-duality (advaita) in one’s thoughts and attitudes, but it is not possible to put everything in the world into practice. The young man protested that it does not seem right.

• Once Shankara posed the question: "Who is a real conqueror in this world?" His disciples gave different answers. One disciple said that a real conqueror was one who had subdued the world and brought it under his sway. Another said the man who scaled the Himalayas and planted a flag on its summit was a great conqueror. Another declared that one who crossed the oceans was a hero. Shankaracharya listened to these replies with a smile and said, "Dear students! You are looking at conquests solely in worldly terms. Viewed in this way, anyone can achieve victory. An animal can fight another and establish its victory. Likewise, there can be a victory among birds. Birds cross oceans and fly over the Himalayas. Where is the victory in all this? Nothing at all." Shankaracharya declared: "Only the person who has subdued his mind is a real conqueror." It is a mental aberration to think that one has achieved a victory without subduing his mind.
• The growth of desires was described by Adi Shankara as "trishna" (thirst). This thirst is a strong kind of fetters. Iron chains will rust in course of time but the chains of desire grow stronger everyday. Therefore Shankara declared: "The desire for more and more wealth is dangerous. Cultivate the good sense to give up your desires. Wealth is the result of past deeds. Therefore be content with what you have."
• Once Adi Shankaracharya reached the holy city of Kasi(Benaras) after the successful completion of his country-wide campaign of philosophical debates(Digvijaya yatra). There, while having "Darshan" of the presiding deity of the place, Viswanath, he offered the following prayer: "O Lord! I have come to you for the expiation of my sins." How strange? Adi Shankaracharya had sanctified his short span of life by studying all the scriptures of the land as well as writing many volumes of brilliant expositions and profound commentaries on the Veda, the Upanishads and other texts. Also he had conducted his life on the line laid down in the scriptures. Because of his glorious achievements, he is acclaimed as the very incarnation of Lord Shiva. It may, therefore, seem strange and even paradoxical that a great person of his standing should have prayed like that. What, then, were the sins committed by him? He himself gave the answer as follows:

• Shankara strove to re-establish in the heart of man the faith that he is the limitless Almighty; he tried to remove vicious traits that had taken residence there, so that man could move towards his reality. When he has even a glimpse of that reality, man becomes free from ego, pride and despondency, so that praise does not please him or abuse sadden him. He is rendered stable and secure like a mountain peak, which no storm can shake. Like the screen in the cinema hall, he is not affected by the fire of calumny or the rain of extolment.
• Adi Shankara proclaimed the supremacy of the path of knowledge for the realisation of the Self. In his ‘Anandalahari’ he declared that Ananda (Bliss) is man’s goal and it can be secured only by God’s grace. He firmly asserted that Brahman alone is real and there is no second.
• Shankaracharya came for the work of Dharmasthapana, but he did not wage a war against the narrow sectarians or the wild theologians who opposed him or the critics who condemned him as a pseudo - Buddhist. He won them over by argument, persuasion and preaching, he spoke softly, but, with conviction. He gave his opponents four chances to present their cases to the best of their ability and sometimes he even helped them to clarify their own point of view. Through Bodha (preaching) alone can Dharma be saved in the modern kali age. That is why I (Baba) am engaged in Bodha, in this task of reconstructing through upadesa.

Atma Jnana (knowledge of the self) is essential. This was the main teaching of Adi Shankara throughout his life, as he was preaching and following the Vedic dictum: "Ekatma Sarvabhoota Antaratma." (the one Atma is present in all beings) "Ekam sath vipra Bahuda Vadanthi (the one truth is described in many ways by the wise). He was also preaching that Jnana or wisdom was nothing but "Advaita Darsana" (Vision of Non-duality) But during his last days, Shankara realised that Bhakti was greater than Jnana In his famous "Bhaja Govindam", Adi Shankara emphasizes that only the path of devotion will help you to get over the cycle of birth and death.

• Once Shankaracharya asked his disciples what is the hall mark of greatness. Each disciple gave his own answer. One disciple said that the man who had won great victories in battle is a great man. Another disciple said that the man who underwent many troubles and amassed large wealth is great. Another said that a great man is he who has accomplished by determined effort what he wanted to achieve. Planting one’s flag over a territory or crossing a mighty ocean were mentioned as marks of greatness. Ultimately Sankara gave the answer that he alone is great who has mastery over his mind. "All other achievements are of no avail. Every action is sanctified by making it an offering to God." Sankaracharya declared the one who is immersed in the contemplation of the Supreme Self, experiences the highest bliss, regardless of another actions (Swami sang stanza from the Bhaja Govindam hymn of Sankarachaya)Sankara exhorted the devotee to adore God, in whatever situation he was placed, whether in a crowd, or while enjoying something or in any other state. This experience of Divine is one’s true wealth.
• After Shankara propagated his Adwaithic Doctrine from Kasi, there was an assembly of great scholars in the holy city. Shankara, who was in that assembly, closed his eyes and experienced the vision of his mother in great distress. Immediately, he dispersed the assembly and left for Kaaladi. He reached his mother in her last moments, as promised, administered Tulasi Water to her lips and discharged his duties to the mother.

At that time, people of Kaaladi did not view with approval the action of Shankara, because in their view, one who had not taken sanyasas, should not revert to the activities of a household and perform rituals. "Sanyasa" means giving up all desires. The view of the orthodox pandits was that once a person had taken Sanyasa, he should not perform the last rites for a mother or a father which are obligated for a householder.

To enable the students understand the implications of the incident, I(Baba) shall explain what sanyasa means. Before one takes Sanyasa, the "Viraga Homa" is performed which signifies that the person dies as it were and gives up all his previous world by commitments and enters a new life, assuming a new form and a new robe. The old form is cast away and the former name is also given up. He gets a new name related to the ascetic order. The suffix Ananda is added to the name, though only a few of them experience Ananda!. After going through this ceremony, where is the place for mother or father.

Shankara pointed out how the world life is like the pictures on a screen. They come and go, but the screen remains. He declared: "Brahmam Sathyam, Jagath Mithyam" (The self is real, The world is illusory). Shankara also declared "Sarvam Vishnumayam Jagath" (The Universe is permeated by God). When scholars pointed out the contradiction between the two statements, Shankara said, "Worldly life is illusory because it is continually coming and going." At the same time, this worldly life is lived like the moving scenes on a permanent screen. In this process the world and the Divine become one as it were like the oneness of the screen and the picture in it. This is the basis for the statement "Sarvam Vishnmumayam Jagath".

• When he was a six year old boy, his mother, Aryamaba, told him, "O! Son, your father was a pious person and he used to worship God according to the prescribed rituals. You must follow his example. You are very lucky. I am always devoted to God. Having taken birth as my son, you should conduct yourself in such a way that you achieve great name and fame and bring a good name to me. Act according to your father’s example. It is the mother that makes a son noble and great. It is a noble son who brings glory to the mother. Hence, remembering this, act according to your fathers injunctions."

The father of Shankara was a regular worshiper of Devi Rajarajeshwari for many years. He used to offer milk everyday to the Goddess. One day when Sankara was barely 5 years old, the father had to visit a neighbouring village. Everyday after finishing Puja and offering milk to the Goddess, he used to distribute the remaining milk to his wife, son and others as Prasadam. He told the boy, "Son! Your mother cannot perform the worship which I do. You better do the worship today."

After the father left, the boy followed his father’s instructions. He filled a tumbler with milk, placed it before the image of the Goddess Rajarajeshwari and prayed: "Mother! Accept this offering of milk". He went on praying to the Goddess. When he found that the milk remained untouched, he became very sad. He cried: "Mother! What great crime I have committed? When my father offered the milk you used to take it, when I am offering, You are not taking". He was in a deep distress. He was thinking whether there was any lapse on his part, he became desperate. He declared in agony : "Mother! If You do not take the milk I shall end my life. I would have dishonored my father. I would also be guilty of failing to fulfill my mother’s command. If I cannot please my parents, what is the use in my living?". He prayed intensely to the Goddess in great agony. Moved by the naive entreaties of the boy, Rajarajeshwari appeared before Him. She told him: "Child, Be happ. I am immensely pleased with your devotion. I shall drink the milk". So saying, She drank all the milk in the tumbler.

The boy was aghast to see that the whole tumbler empty. "O! Mother" He cried: "If You drink all the milk, what is left for distributing as Prasadam? My mother will think that I have drunk all the milk, I have to give the prasadam to her. My father used to give some milk as prasadam also. Therefore, please restore some of the milk in the tumbler." How can the milk once consmed be brought back?. Can the rivers that has joined the ocean return? Can the apple that has been digested be brought back?

The Goddess told the boy that it is impossible to bring back the milk that has been consumed. The boy was in deep distress again. He thought within himself: "I will get a bad name from my mother." He prayed, "Mother please give atleast a little quantity of milk." Responding to the prayes of the young boy the Goddess drew milk from her breast and gave it to the boy. It was the sacred power of the milk whcih enabled Sankara in later years to master all the scripturers and earn lasting fame as a great spiritual leader revered by all.

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