Guest guest Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Most Respected Bhaskar Prabhu-ji, I know in my heart of hearts and this is a woman's intution - although Shankara Bhagavadapada WAS A GREAT EXPONENT OF advaitha vada ,he was also a 'shakta' - as is evident from the beautiful hymns he has composed on the many goddesses. Anyone who has read Saundarya lahari knows that adi shankara was a Devi Upasaka, par excellance. It was his own womb mother (she was a shakta) who taught Shankara Bhagvadapada the finer nuances of devi worship. Only a tantrik-advaitin like Shri Shri Ssankara bhagvadapada could compose such beautiful lines ... Let my every word be a prayer to Thee, Every movement of my hands a ritual gesture to Thee, Every step I take a circumambulation of Thy image, Every morsel I eat a rite of sacrifice to Thee, Every time I lay down a prostration at Thy feet; Every act of personal pleasure and all else that I do, Let it all be a form of worshiping Thee." >From Verse 27 of Shri Aadi Shankara's Saundaryalahari YES! our divine mother is 'vidya' swaroopini! HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRANSCEND'AVIDYA' without her vidya or knowledge ! FROM DEVI UPASANA, WE PROCEED TO BRAHMA GNANA, step by step! THAT IS WHY OUTR PROFESSORJI HAS MADE A WONDERFUL POINT FROM 'NARTAKI' TO KIRTANA!!!! sing the praises of the Goddess , she herself will lead you to Brahma- jnana. Goddess is just not any 'stree' - she is the 'shakti' in everything - in the Earth, agni, water, - in all of Prakriti. She is para-shakti ! she is breath of breath! she is consciousness itseld- chid-rupini! in the rig veda, DEVI SUKTAM 1. I move with the Rudras and also with the Vasus, I move with the Adityas and all the Gods. I support both Mitra and Varuna, Indra and Agni and the two Ashvins. 2. I uphold Soma the exuberant; I uphold Tvastar, Pusan, and Bhaga. I pour wealth on the offerer of oblation, the worshiper and the pious presser of Soma. 3. I am the ruling Queen, the amasser of treasures, full of wisdom, first of those worthy of worship. In various places the divine powers have set me. I enter many homes and take numerous forms. 4. The man who sees, who breathes, who hears words spoken, obtains his nourishment through me alone. Unrecognizing me, he yet dwells in me. Listen, you who know! What I say is worthy of belief. 5. It is I myself who announce and utter the tidings that Gods and men alike rejoice to hear. The man I love I make increase in strength. I make him a priest, a sage, or a learned seer. 6. It is I who draw the mighty bow of the God, that an arrow may pierce the hater of the Holy Word. Among the people I arouse the struggle and I have permeated Earth and Heaven. 7. At the world's summit I bring forth the Father. My origin is in the Waters, in the ocean. Thence I am spread through all existing worlds and even touch the heaven with my forehead. 8. I breathe out strongly like the wind while clasping unto myself all worlds, all things that are. I tower above the earth, above the heavens, so mighty am I in my power and splendor! (RAIMON PANIKKAR-THE VEDIC EXPERIENCE) YAA DEVI SARVA BHUTESHU CHID-RUPENA SANSTITHA! love and regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Dear AdiMa, Thank you for these beautiful words! Warm reagrds, Chittaranjan advaitin, "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16> wrote: > Most Respected Bhaskar Prabhu-ji, > > I know in my heart of hearts and this is a woman's intution - > although Shankara Bhagavadapada WAS A GREAT EXPONENT OF advaitha > vada ,he was also a 'shakta' - as is evident from the beautiful > hymns he has composed on the many goddesses. Anyone who has > read Saundarya lahari knows that adi shankara was a Devi > Upasaka, par excellance. It was his own womb mother (she was a > shakta) who taught Shankara Bhagvadapada the finer nuances of > devi worship. > > Only a tantrik-advaitin like Shri Shri Ssankara bhagvadapada could > compose such beautiful lines ... > > Let my every word be a prayer to Thee, > Every movement of my hands a ritual gesture to Thee, > Every step I take a circumambulation of Thy image, > Every morsel I eat a rite of sacrifice to Thee, > Every time I lay down a prostration at Thy feet; > Every act of personal pleasure and all else that I do, > Let it all be a form of worshiping Thee." > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 praNAm Sri Adi mAtAji Hare Krishna Thanks a lot for sharing with me those beautiful hymns. I really enjoy recitation of Saundarya lahari, bhavanyashtaka, shivAnanda lahari, AnnapUrNa stotra etc. etc. which are in the name of shankara bhagavad pAda. mAtAji I do respect & worship sri mAtA's maha mAyA shakthi when I offer my pUja to her. In ISKCON also we used to call rAdhA mAyi as the supreme power of godhead & in rAdha mAyi's sahasra nAma, one of the names is mahA mAyi. All these are fine in spirituality. But what we are doing here is brahma jignAsa & we are not discussing about mysticism/theology. So, our enquiry into the ultimate reality should be with clinical precision with nityAnitya vastu viveka based on shruti janita jnAna. Bringing in celestial beings & their powers etc. in brahma jignAsa is something strage & hardly finds any place in shankara's prasthAna trayi bhAshya. Secondly, I am surprised to see you are calling shankara bhagavad pAda *a tAntric advaitin*. No doubt saudarya lahari is maily a tAntric based work, but shankara's authorship of this work still not determined in traditional circle ( with all my humble respect to Sri paramAchArya of kanchi). Shankara clearly refuted tantra sAdhana in gIta bhAshya & says worshipping vinAyaka & mAtru gaNa is avaidhika. Under these circumstances we cannot say shankara was a tAntrik advaitin. And finally, your declaration that shankara was a shAkta. mAtAji I am really failed to understand how you've come to this conclusion. Some says he was *shaiva* since he was the very personified form of bhagavan shankara. Some others say shankara basically a vaishNava since he uses examples of sAligrAma etc. for worshipping of vishnu(in sUtra bhAshya he uses this example) & he hardly uses any other example when it comes to deity worship, he has written commentary vishnu sahasranAma, lakshminrusimha stotra, vishnu pAdAdimastakAnta stotra etc. Sri prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao argues in his book *shankara & adhyAsa bhAshya* that shankara was very much a vaishnava. So, we can easily say nothing is clear as regards to shankara's mata & his affliation to any particular sect. Still its an unresolved problem among historians. Just a few thoughts mAtAji. Kindly pardon me if I hurt anyone's sentiments. Hari Hari Hari Bol!!! bhaskar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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