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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Adi Sankara, a great 'knower of Truth'

 

CHENNAI, APRIL 27. How should a devotee conduct himself so as to

win the grace of the Lord? To this question, Adi Sankara has

provided us the simple recipe. In one of his verses, praying to

the Lord, he refers to the manner as to what we should seek from

Him: ``Let me possess humility. Let me not be arrogant. My mind

wanders all over - let it be firmly fixed on You. I desire to

obtain whatever I see but let me not wallow in the mire of

desires. Make me compassionate. How shall I get freed from this

ocean of transmigration. Bless me with liberation.'' The essence

of this verse is that we should be humble and control our senses.

Adi Sankara has thus described the important attributes of an

ideal human being. The Acharya's poetic talent was of a rare

kind. If we recite at least one of his verses daily, great merit

will accrue to us.

 

Adi Sankara, an incarnation of Lord Siva, had done immense good

to mankind. His accomplishments during his brief stay of 32 years

in this world are incredible. After mastering the Vedas and

scriptural works, he took to ascetic order, received the

blessings of Veda Vyasa, and travelled all over India to spread

the gospel of Advaita doctrine. He appointed four prime disciples

as heads of four Maths established by him. It is a known fact

that one becomes fit for realisation of the ``Self'' only by

subduing the mind. If one diligently practises the methods taught

by the Yoga Sastra, one will come to possess supernatural powers.

Adi Sankara was an adept at Yoga and there are many instances in

his life which clearly show that he had acquired a number of

``Siddhis'' (special power). He alighted in Mandana Mishra's

house from the skies. He entered the body of a king, using a

special technique. He even miraculously appeared before his

mother in Kaladi in her dying moments as soon as he learnt that

she needed him.

 

Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamigal of Sringeri Math in a message

(for Sankara Jayanthi) said that in Sanskrit literature, Kalidasa

is known to be a great composer but Adi Sankara was no less a

poet than the former. In one of his slokas, describing Siva's

neck, he points out how it contains poison which neither went

down the body nor was ejected. In one stanza he draws a beautiful

allegorical reference to the story of Trisanku whose strange

desire to enter heaven with his physical body led him to a state

when he was suspended between two worlds. Sankara was a great

``knower of Truth''. At the same time he was also an expert at

managing worldly affairs.

 

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