Tattva Bodha - Post 1

                                                    Adi Sankara

Born in Kalady, Kerala

Born in 8th century A.D., Adi Sankaracharya was the only son of a devout brahmin couple, Sivaguru and Aryamba. 

He grew up in Kalady, Kerala. The couple, childless for a long time, had prayed for a child at the Shiva temple. 

It is said that Lord Shiva appeared in the couple’s dream and promised them a brilliant son who would be short-lived or many sons who would be mediocre at best. The couple chose to have a brilliant son who would have short life.

Legend holds that one day Aryamba, the widowed mother of Sankara, fainted after walking three kilometers for her daily bath in the Periyar, then known as Purna river. 

Feeling helpless, Sankara prayed to Lord Krishna. The tears of the child moved Krishna, who blessed him thus: "The river will flow where your little feet marks". The Purna river took its new course in the place marked by the little boy's feet. That place came to be called Kalady. 

The Purna river began flowing through Sankara's home garden. Sankara then installed Krishna into the present temple, and marked the occasion by reciting his famous Achyutashtakam.

Took Sanyasa at young age

So great was Sankara’s thirst for the Truth that He took Sannyasa when He was eight years old. By age 16, He had not only mastered but also written commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and other prominent Vedic texts. These commentaries known as Bhashyas stand at the pinnacle of Indian philosophical writing.

Four Mathas established

Sankara established Mathas in the four corners of India to carry forward the wisdom of the Vedas. 

Sringeri in South India, 
Puri in the East, 
Dwarka in the West and 
Badri in North India. 

These Mathas exist even today as proof of the invaluable contribution Sankara made to Indian culture.

Sankara represented truths of Vedanta

He presented the timeless truths of Vedanta so that every man, woman and child would appreciate and live its high values. His contribution to Indian philosophy, in fact humanity, is so great and lasting that all the later philosophers have only tried to refute or elucidate His ideas. All over the world, Indian philosophy has come to be identified with the Vedanta that Adi Sankaracharya spoke of. He symbolizes the great Rishi-culture, prevalent in India, whose foremost exponent He was.

Acharya prostrated before Lord Shiva  

On his way to the Vishwanath temple in Kashi, the city of God and spirituality He came upon an untouchable and his dog. 

When asked to move aside by Sankara’s disciples, the untouchable asked: “Do you wish that I move my soul, the Atman and everlasting, or this body made of clay?” 

Seeing the untouchable as none other than Lord Shiva, Adi Sankaracharya prostrated before Ishwara the God, composing five shlokas (Manisha Panchakam).

The three categories of  Sankara's Works :

   

1) Bhasyas:

Acharya Sankara wrote Bhasyas on the 10 Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. They are indeed masterpieces. Today, study of Upanishads & Brahma Sutras is never considered complete without their study. 

The Upanishads on which He wrote his classic commentaries are:

Isavasya Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, Kena Upanishad,  Mundaka Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad, Aitareya Upanishad, Tattiriya Upanishad, Prasna Upanishad,  Chandhogya Upanishad  & Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Besides the above, Sankara also wrote the Bhasyas on the following:

Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu Sahasranama,  Hastamalakyam, Sanat-sujatiya

2) Prakarana Granthas:

Prakarana Granthas are writings that explain complex concepts in a simple manner, in an easily understandable language/manner and explain the terms and terminologies employed in the Shastras (Shastras are primary texts like Brahma Sutras, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita etc.)  

Some of the Prakarana Granthas composed by Sankara are:-

Upadesha Sahasri, Vivekachudamani, Atma Bodha, Tattva Bodha, Aparokshanubhuti, Atma-anatma Viveka,  Prabodha Sudhakar, Prasnotarmallika, Brahma-gyanavalli, Vakya Vritti, Laghu Vakya Vritti, Drg-drshya Viveka, Shata Shloki, Swatma Nirupana, Sarva-vedanta-siddhanta-sar Samgraha

 3) Stotras:

Sankara also composed numerous Stotras, i.e., Hymns, in praise and worship of God in various forms.

Following is the list which has most of the Stotras composed by Sankara. 

Dakshinamurthy Stotram, Bhaja Govindam, Dasa Shloki, Nirvana Shatakam, Manisha Panchakam, Hari-meede Stotram, Sadhana Panchakam, Sadachara Stotram, Pratah Smaran Stotram, Dhanyashtakam, Shat-padi, Veda-rajastava, Yoga Taravali Stotram, Ganga Stotram, Narmada Ashtakam, Ganesh Ashtakam, Guru Ashtakam, Saundarya Lahari, Tripura Sundari Stotram, Annapurna Stotram, Kashi Panchakam, Shiv Panchakshar Stotram, Shiv-aparadha-kshmapana Stotram, Devi-aparadha-kshmapana Stotram, Meenakshi Pancharatna Stotram, Bhavani Ashtakam, Govinda Ashtakam

Teachings

Sankara teaches that from a non-dualistic, deep state, bondage and liberation from bondage are illusory. That state of highest emancipation (liberation, freedom) is had by yoga-meditation (higher yoga). He stands for a thorough knowledge of reality through direct realization, which is an actual experience. In it, the individual soul perceives the Supreme Self as itself, and this great insight is the highest goal, called Moksha (Sanskrit : freedom) or liberation.

Samadhi at young age of 32

Sankaracharya is believed to have attained the Sarvajnapitha in Kashmir. After a while, He withdrew to Kedarnath and attained samadhi at the age of thirty-two.

Tattva Bodha

Tattva Bodha is a work in prose form that has been attributed to Sankaracharya. 

Tattva Bodha is a fundamental and important work in understanding higher texts of Vedanta like Upanishads and Brahma Sutra. 

Tattva Bodha introduces us to important terms used in Vedantic scriptures which every ardent student of Vedanta should be aware of. 

We will take up this work from the next post onwards, verse by verse.

Love.