by Sridevi Rao
At every place he visited, Sankara would debate with the local heads and scholars of the prevalent religious sects. The establishment of a school of philosophy by refuting the premises of others in debate was an accepted practice of the day. The debates were not so much for public entertainment as for the fine-tuning of painstakingly synthesised philosophies. Refuting the doctrines of a rival sect was part of this process of plugging all the loopholes in one's system — the more you debated, therefore, the more polished your approach and the more complete your synthesis became. In the skill of debate, Sankara, by all accounts, was simply brilliant. He debated with Sankhya enthusiasts, Purva Mimamsakas, Buddhists, Jainas, Pasupatas, Vaishnavas, Maheshvaras, Kapalikas many others. He is not known to have lost a single debate.
However, Sankara's aim was clearly not to 'defeat' or decimate any particular sect but to guide its adherents onto the path of Advaita, while finding a place for their beliefs and practices in his broad philosophical framework of Vedanta. For instance, Sankara had accommodated many of the premises of the complex dualistic Sankhya system — especially its cosmology — in his philosophy. Buddhism was the one religion he trenchantly opposed, although it was one he came closest to in terms of ultimate truth or vision. However, being aware of the mood of the times, he appropriated a principal teaching of that religion, that of non-violence to all sentient beings, as being of Vedic origin.
But the crucial factor in his acceptance by the vast majority was his absorption of bhakti at its many levels within the Vedantic fold. It was a time when the smartha-puranic sect, which worshipped the myriad gods and goddesses of Vedic mythology, held sway. The Bhakti Movement, spearheaded by the Alvars and Nayanmars, had drawn together worshippers of Vedic, folk and tribal gods and goddesses alike in a single devotional stream. By finding a place, however basic, for this dualistic bhakti in his framework, Sankara was able to extend his influence over every such sect of the day. He regrouped them into six broad categories, according to the deities predominantly worshipped: Vaishnava (Vishnu), Shaiva (Shiva), Sakta (Shakti), Saura (Surya), Ganapatya (Ganapati) and Kaumara (Skandha or Kumara). He came to be regarded as Sanmatasthaspanacharya — the founder of the Six Sects.
Till then, each sect had functioned as an independent religious group, the only commonality among the sects being the Vedic or puranic origin of their mythologies and deities. By grouping them thus and bringing them under the common Vedantic umbrella, Sankara gave them not only a common origin but also a common religious/philosophical matrix. The diverse sects now began to assume a common identity. Over the centuries, this nascent identity would evolve to form the modern Hindu identity.
Adi Sankara drew inspiration for setting up the first matha on watching this sight – a serpent giving shade to a pregnant frog
Sankara was keen to establish, within the Vedantic tradition, a monastic order on the lines of the highly efficient Buddhist ones. The mathas, or monastic centres, would also serve the spiritual needs of the community. He established four such mathas, one in each geographical region, and designated his four chief disciples to head them — Hasthamalaka headed Govardhana Matha at Puri in the east, Sureshvara headed Sarada Matha at Sringeri in the south, Padmapada headed Kalika Matha at Dwarka in the west and Totakacharya headed Jyothir Matha near Badrinath in the north. There is some controversy over whether he established the one at Kanchipuram, where he apparently stayed for a while and where he ceremonially ascended the Sarvajnapitha or Seat of Omniscience.
During the time of Sankara, there were numerous wandering mendicants who belonged to no particular order. Sankara grouped them into ten different orders of the Vedantic tradition, giving them a monastic 'family' and access to residential facilities, studies and spiritual guidance.
There is a tract authored by Sankara, called Mahanusasana, where he gives tips and pointers to his disciples and the members of the monastic orders that he founded. He advised them not to confine themselves to one place but to wander constantly to preach the truth of Advaita and inculcate right conduct (more specifically, the varnashramadharma) among people. It is reflective of the kind of life he led in his last years — travelling, preaching, teaching and reforming, ceaselessly and tirelessly.
Sri Saradamba Devi Temple in Sringeri
When did he meet his end? And where?
Unfortunately, or maybe appropriately for a man whose life events are subsumed in the effulgence of his teachings, this is unknown. There are different claims made by different sets of people regarding the place of his samadhi, as to whether his life ended in the Himalayas, near Kedarnath, in Kashmir or in Kanchipuram. The generally accepted view is that he ended his earthly life in Kedarnath. He was, by most accounts, thirty-two years old when he died.
The Badrinarayan Temple at Badrinath
The Vedantic tradition of Sankara has continued to flourish in India till today. Modern sages like Ramana Maharshi who, like Sankara, came to spontaneous and direct Realisation, found validation for their vision in his Advaitic teachings. Pre-eminent philosophers like Vivekananda, S. Radhakrishnan and Sri Aurobindo based their teachings on Vedanta, and sought to extend its truths into the realms of ethics, history, religion, cosmology and evolution. Ritualistic and dualistic modes of worship continue to be followed within the Hindu tradition to this day. However, with the eclecticism of more modern times, Advaitic practices like dhyana are increasingly being followed by people outside the monastic order.
Sri Aurobindo
Vivekananda
Sri Ramana Maharshi
And so, in the midst of the colour and clamour of the Hindu practices, the voice of Sankara still comes, almost unbidden — in the form of questions that visit our hearts and minds. When, after all the energy and zeal of our worship and rituals are spent, we turn, for a moment, inward: What, ultimately, is reality? Who, ultimately, am I?
It is in that moment that our journey into Sankara's vision could begin.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
An Interpretation of the Life & Teachings of Shri Shankaracharya (Elucidatory & Reconciliatory) by Swami Mukhyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, 1998, Ernakulam
Shankaracharya by T S Rukmani, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, March 1994, New Delhi
Life and Thought of Sankaracharya by Govind Chandra Pande, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1994, New Delhi
Sankara Digvijaya — The Traditional Life of Sri Sankaracharya by Madhava Vidyaranya, Translated by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai
Indian Philosophy— Volume II by Dr S. Radhakrishnan, Macmillan New York; George Allen & Unwin Ltd, London, 1940
Sankaracharya by T.M.P Mahadevan, National Book Trust, India, New Delhi, 1968
