Guest guest Posted September 3, 2001 Report Share Posted September 3, 2001 If my memory is correct, the reported debate between sri Veda Vyasa and Bhagavan Sri Shankaracharya is reported in Madhaviya Shankara Dig Vijaya. Refer the English translation by Swami Tapasyananda of Sri Rama krishna Math. Available with Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras. S. Venkata Subramanian Venkat_advaita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2001 Report Share Posted September 3, 2001 Namaste, Your memory indeed has served you well. The debate is described in Chapter 7[Madhava-Vidyaranya Digvijaya]. There is another edition [1985] in print, with the original Sanksrit, and English translation by K. Padmanabhan. The debate is said to have taken place in the Muktikamandapa in Varanasi, on the banks of river Ganga. Shankara, a 16 year old genius, was expounding the Brahmasutras to his disciples and other scholars. An old brahmin appeared and began to debate with Shankara, It went on for 8 days, when Padmapada hinted that this Brahmin was none other than Vyasa himself, and prayed to both debaters to conclude the debate as none in the audience was capable of ending it! Vyasa then approved Shankara's commentary, after which S. wanted to take 'samadhi'. Vyasa gave him a boon for an extension of his life for 16 more years so he could debate all the heterodox scholars, and establish the Vedic religion. [shankara had previously been granted a boon at the age of 8 yrs. by Rishi Agastya, for 8 more years of life.] Regards, sunder advaitin, "venkata subramanian" <venkat_advaita@r...> wrote: > If my memory is correct, the reported debate between sri Veda Vyasa and Bhagavan Sri Shankaracharya is reported in Madhaviya Shankara Dig Vijaya. > > Refer the English translation by Swami Tapasyananda of Sri Rama krishna Math. Available with Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 The followers of each school of thought felt that it is important to get a seal of approval for their interpretation of the Brahmasuutra-s and Upanishad from Bhagavan Vyasa. Whether Shankara or Madhava had any debate with prehistoric Vyasa is a questionable preposition, but each school nevertheless claims in their digvijaya-s that their master's interpretations have been approved by Vyasa Bhagavaan. There is no problem in that until a rational intellect start questioning how Vyasa Bhagavan can give seal of approval to contradictory philosophies. I am not sure if similar seal of approval exists in vishishhTadvaitic tradition. Hari OM! Sadananda -- K. Sadananda Code 6323 Naval Research Laboratory Washington D.C. 20375 Voice (202)767-2117 Fax:(202)767-2623 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 Namaste, I was far away from computers when this thread was discussed but would like to give this quote from Swami Tapsyananda's translation of Madhava-Vidyaranya account of Sankara's life...p75. The debate with Vyasa has been completed and the great sage departed: 'Though himself an illumined sage, Sankara felt sad at the departure of the great Vyasa. How can any person help feeling sad when the force of circumstance separates him from such centres radiating universal love? Sankara, the greatest among Sannyasins, somehow assuaged his own grief by feeling Vyasa's presence in his heart through meditation, and soon started, as desired by him, on a spiritual conquast of the whole land of Bharata.' I find this a wonderful passage that reveals someone's deep insight and whether it really happened is not of any concern for me because it brings out an aspect of advaita that can be sometimes superimposed by academic discussion. I hope that this late entry still may have relevance, Ken Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help? Donate cash, emergency relief information http://dailynews./fc/US/Emergency_Information/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2001 Report Share Posted September 18, 2001 namaste. A further thought on this, following up on shri Ken Knight's observation of a day ago. Great R^iShi-s can envisage and bring in front of them personal God, or any entity from different times. That is the capability of the sages. So, I am not surprised that shri shankara had discussions with veda vyAsa. These discussions can take place in the mental plane. We have other examples of such episodes. Yogi paramahamsa [Autobiography of a Yogi] had discussions with His teacher of an entirely different generation in a hotel room (I think) in Bombay. The personal God appears before us in form when we concentrate our thoughts with deep devotion. So, in my view, shri shankara having discussions with veda vyAsa is not a surprising or unlikely event at all. Regards Gummuluru Murthy --- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2001 Report Share Posted September 18, 2001 Namaste, Three other famous happenings that readers may enjoy reading about were: 1. Sw. Vivekananda: People used to hear him debating loudly with 'somebody' in his room, at night, before his lectures the following day. All he disclosed was there was no-one else in the room, and he would fall exhausted on his bed wondering what he would lecture on the next day! 2. Sri Aurobindo: While in Alipore jail on charges of anti-government conspiracy in 1912, Sw. Vivekananda [d. 1902] instructed in detail over a period of 2 weeks, about the yoga he subsequently developed. 3. Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni [d. 1936]: He recognised Sri Ramana's greatness and was the first to address him as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. He had taken a vow to complete Uma-sahasra-nama [1000 names of Uma devi] by a particular date. He completed 700 verses over a month, revising them about 6 times. Only one day was left to complete the rest. He went to Sri Ramana in a mood of total despair. The Grace flowed in such torrents from the Maharshi that the Muni completed the the 300 remaining verses in a day, and did not have to revise them even once!! [if Maharshi himself composed anything in Sanskrit, he would always check with Muni first! After Muni's passing away, Maharshi did not compose anything in Sanskrit.] Regards, sunder advaitin, Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy@m...> wrote: > > namaste. > > A further thought on this, following up on shri Ken Knight's > observation of a day ago. > > Great R^iShi-s can envisage and bring in front of them personal > God, or any entity from different times. That is the capability > of the sages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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