Shankara Jayanti! Kanchi,, Kamakshi and Adi shankara !

[Guest guest]

It is my pleasure to honor Jagadguru Shankarcharya today on this

auspicious day of Shankara Jayanti.

 

January 24, 2004

 

Here i was standing at the shrine of KANCHI KAMAKSHI AMMAN temple,

Kanchipuram, TAMILNADU. with a rose garland in my hand waiting for

the priest to do the archana for the well-being of my family. The

priest takes the garland from my hand and asks for kulam, gotram,

nakshatram, names etc ! I see the beautiful image of Sree Kamakshi

Devi in a posture looking peaceful and blissful." The priest informs

me that it was the renowned Adi Shankara who installed the Deity

there in the shrine and Shankara bhagvadapada also innstalled the

Sri Chakra in front of the devi .

 

Kamakshi was originally a Ugra Swaroopini, and that Aadi

Sankaracharya, upon establishing the Sri Chakra, personified her as

the Shanta Swaroopini! It is believed that during the days of Adi

Sankara, the presence of the Ugra Swaroopini was felt outside the

temple precincts, and that Sankaracharya had requested her not to

leave the temple complex. Symbolic of this, the festival image of

Kamakshi, takes leave from Sankaracharya, at his shrine in the inner

prakaram, each time she is taken out in procession.

 

The priest recites 108 names of Sree kamakshi and places the rose

garland on the sri chakra and then comes to us with the archana plate

~!! and he tells me " amma, let all your wishes be fulfilled." what

is my wish really - that all my children should be settled so i can

slowly retire from Samsaric life and devote my life to living and

practice the teachings of My guru of all gurUs, my very own beloved

Shankarapada!

 

There i am standing in front in front of the Idol of AdI

SHANKARABHAGVADAPADA , as large as life itself seated with his hands

in a'chin mudra' postion! Believe me , tears started flowing down my

cheeks looking at that awesome figure and if a stone idol could have

so much effect on me , what would i do if i saw adi shankara face to

face ? i would have passed ourt, for sure !

 

It was adi shankara who renovated the temple to Lord Vishnu in the

person of Sri Varadaraja, and then he asked the reigning king of

Kanchi to fashion the city in the form of a Srichakra giving the

central place to the shrine of Sri Kamakshi.

 

Then of course, we have the Ekambareswara temple where Lord Shiva in

the form of Prithvi is worshipped. In this temple, we see a small

panel depicting the story behind the temple's existence. Parvathi

incurred Siva's wrath when she made the mistake of playing a

mischievous prank on him by covering his eyes for a second. Since

even that one second of hindering Siva's vision led to years of

darkness for the mortals, Siva bade her to perform penance to obtain

forgiveness. The temple is said to have been built at the spot where

the lord forgave her.

 

But , the main point to be noted is IN KANCHI, WE SEE A HOLY SANGAMAM

OF ALL THREE FAITHS in the form of these three beautiful temples -

KAMAKSHI TEMPLE - A SHAKTI PEETHAM, SRI VARADARAJA TEMPLE - a Vishnu

TEMPLE and of course the shri Ekamareshwera temple - a shaivite

temple !! does this notconvey a powerful message - ynity in

diversity? Shankara bhagavadapada glorified almost all the deities in

his hyms - KANAKADHARASTAVAM (LAKSHMI), SHANMUGA BHUGANGA STORAM (

LORD SHANMUKA) , SIVANANDA LAHARI (GLORIFYING SIVA) , SAUNDARYA

LAHARI ( IN HONOR OF AMBAAL) and various other stotras honoring many

forms of hindu god/esses !

 

Why is Kanchi so special.? Nagareshu kanchi sings a poet . It is

called the mokshapuri of south. it is believed that Adi shankara

attained videha mukti here in this holy city of thousand temples! and

then Of course, the famous Kanchi mutt in the city - a place of

unique imortance -

 

..and our beloved adi shankaRA WORSHIPPED THE YOGALINGA (WHICH HE

OBTAINED FROM KAILASH) at the kanchi kamakoti pitham. and guess what!

folks! THIS IS THE SEAT OF GREAT LEARNING - IF YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO

LEARN ABOUT SANTANA DHARMA and advaita vedanta, send them to veda

pathashala there ... and when i visited the mutt, i saw a group of

young boys (between the ages of seven to 12 years old) reciting the

vedas - music to my ears and in a nearby mosque , i could hear the

loud speakers howling "alla-o akbar" ... I was wondering how the

great bhagvadapada would have reacted to this ?

 

oF ALL THE THINGS I REGRET MOST WAS I NEVER SAW THE kANCHI MAHA

PERIYAVAAL FACE TO FACE - and this is because i was told by several

people that the periyavval never grants vision to 'widows' this

angere me - what kind of areligion or philosophy is this but

subsequently i learned that maha periyavaal gave darshan to smt,

indira gandhi ( also a widow like me) and then i was appeased! but ,

by the time it was too late - i was already in Usa AND THE MAHA

PERYAVAAL ATTAINED SAMADHI...

 

really speaking, Adi sshankara lives through his teachings -from

the 'srimukham' of periyavaal, we can hear all the beauty and glory

of adwaita philosophy... this is the legacy Our beloved shankaraoada

has left us ... the four peethams, and the fifth peetham saradamata

and the countless bhasyams on srimad bhagvat gita, the brahmasutras,

great treatises like viveka chudamani, atma-bodha , the devotional

hymns on all deities and of course my favorite baja govindam ... THIS

IS HIS MATCHLESS GIFT TO THE WORLSD... and this group , here, is a

humble tribute to the Living legend ODF adi shannkara bhagavadapada!

 

kaamaparipandhikaamini kaamesh_varii kaamapiiThamadhyagate .

kaamadudhaa bhava kamale kaamakale kaamakoTi kaamaakShii ..

 

Kanchi is the only mokshapuri in the south (Ayodhya, Madhura, Maya

(Haridwar), Kashi , Avantika, Dwaraka are the rest). Sri kAmAkshi

amman temple is situated almost at the center (bindu staana) of the

city. Devi's naabi is said to have fallen here after daksha yagJNa

giving raise to kAmakoTi pITam.

 

(courtesy- ambaal,org - aravind krishna)

 

ONE OF adi shankara's disciples Sureshvara sums uop the entire tenet

of advaita vedanta thus ...

 

'How can the man of discrimination, who sees the same one Self in the

friend, in the enemy and in his own body, feel anger, any more than

he could do so against the limbs of his own body.'

 

 

salutations to the mystic of mystics,the a devotee of devotees, the

guru of all gurus, adi guru, parama guru , jagadguru SHANKARA !

 

JAYA JAYA SHANKARA !

 

HARA HARA SHANKARA !

 

 

 

---

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16>

wrote:

> It is my pleasure to honor Jagadguru Shankarcharya today on this

> auspicious day of Shankara Jayanti.

>

> January 24, 2004

 

Namaste,

 

Let us all join in seeking the blessings of the Shri Adi

Shankaracharya:

 

Listen to Smt. Subbalaxmi singing Totakashtakam, a homage to

Shankara by his disciple, Totaka:

 

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/l/02000H001Z

 

-----------------------

 

Verses for meditation:

 

AtmA tvaM girijA matiH sahacharAH prANAH sharIraM gRRham.h |

pUjA te viShayopabhogarachanA nidrA samAdhisthitiH ||

sa.nchAraH padayoH pradakShiNavidhiH stotrANI sarvA giro |

yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhila.n shambho tavArAdhanam.h ||

 

"You are my Atman; my intellect is Girija; my sense-organs

are your attendants; this body is your temple; ministering

to the objects of the senses is my worship to You; my sleep

is Samadhi; all my moving about on foot is the act of Pradakshina

(circumambulation); all the words spoken are hymns to You -

whatever works I do, all are Your worship alone, O Shambhu!"

--------------------------------

 

rUpa.n rUpavivavuvarjitasya bhavato dhyAnena yatkalpitam.h |

stutyAnirvachanIyatAkhilaguRo dUrIkRRtA yanmayA ||

vyApitva.n cha nirAkRRtaM bhagavato yattIrthayAtrAdinA |

kShantavy.n jagadIsha tadvikalatAdoShtrayaM matkRRtam.h ||

 

"O Lord! in my meditation I have attributed forms to Thee who

art formless;

O Thou Teacher of the world! by my hymns I have, as it were,

contradicted that Thou art indescribable;

By going on pilgrimage I have, as it were, denied Thy omnipresence;

O Lord of the universe! forgive me these threefold faults committed

by me."

----

-----------------------

 

Kanchi Paramacharya's discourse on 'Outer Karma and Inner Meditation'

can be read at:

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part21/chap1.htm

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Namaste Adiji.

 

Well done. Thanks for your beautiful Kanchi reminiscence.

 

I have visited Kanchi twice. The first one was at mid-day in the

summer heat when I almost burnt my soles doing pradakshiNAs. Had to

call out to the Smiling Beauty for help. Also, I yelled out to Her

later when I was tossed around by the rush for Her darshan and when I

read the written warnings about pick-pockets.

 

But, Adiji, you forgot one thing. Why didn't you mention about the

writings on the wall. The whole Soundaryalahari is there written on

the walls.

 

Also, two important stop-overs enroute Chennai to Kanchi, viz. the

KarumAriappan Temple and the BhavAni Temple (Mangavu), cannot be

forgotten. All the artArtIs of Chennai throng the KarumAriappan

Temple. Yet, for all the rush, that is a place I would like to visit

again and again and break down without asking Her for anything!

Looking at the dishevelled me, the priest there once took out a

garland of red flowers from Her neck and wound it around mine. I

have no words to tell you how I felt then.

 

By the way, you have a beautiful name (I am not divulging it!). It

reminds me of our Madams LalitA (in LalitA SahasranAmAs) and ShyAmala

of the ShyAmalAdaNdakam fame. Your parents were Her devotees, if I

am not mistaken?

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair

________________

 

advaitin, "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16>

wrote:

> It is my pleasure to honor Jagadguru Shankarcharya today on this

> auspicious day of Shankara Jayanti.

>

> January 24, 2004

>

> Here i was standing at the shrine of KANCHI KAMAKSHI AMMAN temple,

> Kanchipuram, TAMILNADU. with a rose garland in my hand waiting

for

> the priest to do the archana for the well-being of my family.

[Guest guest]

-hi my own nairji!

 

Thank you for that "unique" interpreatation and taking the help of

ADI SHANKARA'S MAHISASURA MARDINI STOTRA!!! do uoy recall how you and

i became spritual friends ? you asked me to post the entire verse and

its translation in my group beaHmanshakti?

 

you write ...

 

"burnt my soles"

 

what an expression ... IN SUFISM ( a refined version of islam)

The sufis worship the God as a WOMAN and are always expressing their

Love for the Divine in these ECSTATIC TERMS ....

 

Like a candle I shine, reflecting the light

Turn my fortune so I can shed myself candle-like

The promise of the morning breeze, of joining Thee day and night

Burning, yellow, shaking, crying and humble, candle-like.

Thy flowing hair, like scissors sheer my soul at its height

In this fire of separation burn me no more, candle-like.

Pearls overflowing from the sea of my eye, fill my bosom in delight

My burning heart sent its flames blazing upward, candle-like.

Solar flares set in the celestial lantern, sooth the sight

Every morn dam my tears and shed no more, candle-like.

Thy face is spring like, thy fire sorrows fight

How long burn in this solstice of separation, candle-like?

>From the memory of thy light, every night flames take flight

If only my heart fire would burn, my soul desire candle-like.

How long burn thyself Shams-e Tabrizi, thy love beaming bright

We know of nothing other than burning up, candle-like.

 

(Ó Shahriar Shahriari

Vancouver, Canada

July 1, 1998)

 

so, nairji your 'soles'were burning but in reality your heart was

pining for the vision of our beloved "KAMAKSHI" ( the one with the

eyes of kama for lord and master Kameshwera and love and compassion

for her devotees ) !

 

YES, I forgot about the 'saunbdaryalahari" thanx for mentioning that!

 

and i forgot to mention about the Temple Elephant too ! when i placed

the 'coin' in his outstretched , He grabbed my hand - How fresh a guy

can get!!!! smiles!!!

 

I dis not mention about the intense 'security' check at the Kanchi

mutt too ... i felt like i was going thru an airport security

device!! i don't want to go into that here ! politics and religion do

not mix!!

 

i did not write about the 'bangaru' kamakshi amman temple either !!!

those experiences are all captured in some posts in my group!

KANCHIPURAM IDLIS, KANCHIPURAM SAREES ... KANCHI is a city of many

wonders!

 

Nairji, i am a little inhibited in your group ; because here the

spiritual seekers are all scholars and very advanced!

 

i am just by nature and attitude a "gypsy" () bhagvatam mentions this

m by the term "swantara" a name for sree lalita devi also-free

spirited) and a *bee* ( lord dattatreya mentions the BEE as one of

his 24 upagurus) and like a bee i gather nectar from every source (

hinduism, sufism ,, ..... ) ... sounds 'misxed' up...

 

Harsha is doing great .... the other day , he came on IM and he

chatted for afew minutes... whener i have a doubt, i write to him and

he responds ... my spiritual 'son' !

 

well, nairji , you have a knavck of makinfg 'members' feel loved and

accepted for who you are ... and that is a great quality in a devi

upasaka !

 

Love and warm regards

 

n IM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

doing pradakshiNAs. Had to

> call out to the Smiling Beauty for help. Also, I yelled out to Her

> later when I was tossed around by the rush for Her darshan and when

I

>

> By the way, you have a beautiful name (I am not divulging it!). It

> reminds me of our Madams LalitA (in LalitA SahasranAmAs) and

ShyAmala

> of the ShyAmalAdaNdakam fame. Your parents were Her devotees, if I

> am not mistaken?

>

> PraNAms.

>

> Madathil Nair

> ________________

>

> advaitin, "adi_shakthi16"

<adi_shakthi16>

> wrote:

> > It is my pleasure to honor Jagadguru Shankarcharya today on this

> > auspicious day of Shankara Jayanti.

> >

> > January 24, 2004

> >

> > Here i was standing at the shrine of KANCHI KAMAKSHI AMMAN

temple,

> > Kanchipuram, TAMILNADU. with a rose garland in my hand waiting

> for

> > the priest to do the archana for the well-being of my family.