Fwd: The importance of Kanchi

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kamakotimuscat, Sivakumar.S.Venkat@p... wrote:

 

The importance of Kanchi

 

 

 

 

How the Mutt began

 

 

More than 2500 years ago, an avalanche of heretic and non-Vedic

sects, with

horrible religious practices threatened to wipe away the ancient

Veda-Dharma. In the Bhagavad Geeta, Lord Krishna has told Arjuna that,

whenever there arises danger to Dharma, He (Krishna) will incarnate

in this

world to eradicate adharma and re-establish Dharma. In consonance

with his

words, the Lord has made partial incarnations during the course of the

present Kali Age.

 

And such an incarnation is the partial incarnation of Siva as Sankara

Bhagavatpada, which happened some twenty-five centuries ago, on the

prayer

of celestials to Lord Siva to redeem Bharata-desa from the clutches of

non-Vedic heretic sects. Several sources of authentic information

lead to

the conclusion that Sri Adi Sankara was born at Kaladi on the fifth

day of

the bright fortnight of the Vaisaka month of the cyclic year Nandana

in

cyclic year Nandana - Kali 2593 corresponding to 509 B.C.

 

Sri Sankara Bhagavadpadacharya was one of the greatest philosophers

and

spiritualists of the world. He was a discerning dialectician, a

consummate

commentator and celebrated poet.

 

His miraculous achievements, within a short span of life of thirty-two

years, speak of his super-human aspect. Sages and scholars, who have

shone

through the centuries after his time, have regarded Him as an

incarnation of

the Divine.

 

Many a thinker and many a scholar of different climes and times has

been

attracted by the philosophic discipline of Advaita (Monism)

effectively

propagated by Sankara. Even modern thinkers and scholars have paid

eulogistic tributes to Sankara's genius.

 

>From available biographical information, it is learnt that

Sankaracharya

placed one of the five sphatika lingas got at Kailas and kept the

Yoga Linga

for his own personal worship and that of his successors at Kanchi.

 

Bhagavatpada Sankara got Kanchi city remodeled and also caused the

reconstruction of the three principal temples of Kanchi, viz., the

temples

of Sri Ekamranatha, Devi Kamakshi and Sri Varadaraja with the

assistance of

Rajasena, ruler of Kanchi. Sankara consecrated the Srichakra before

Devi

Kamakshi and thereby secured Her bounteous grace for devotees having

Her

darshan.

 

A significant event in the history of Sankaracharya is his occupying

the

Sarvajnapeetha - the Throne of Omniscience at Kanchi. Sankara

Bhagavapadacharya repaired to Kanchi, the Southern Mokshapuri,

towards the

end of his earthly career and shook off his mortal coils in that

sacred

city. A number of works state these facts.

 

Markandeya Samhita, an ancient puranic treatise, consists of 100

khandas,

each having sub-sections called parispandas, Sub-section 7 and 8 of

the 72nd

khanda of this work narrate briefly the history of Sankara.

"Sankaracaritam". A verse, in the seventh parispanda of the 72nd

khanda of

this work, relates that the Mahatma Sankara, attained the cit-

svarupa, i.e.

attained eternal bliss at Kanchi, after having consecrated Kamakshi.

 

Anantanandagiri's biography of Sankara (12th century A.D.) - all

versions

printed and manuscripts, including the Madras University edition -

says "The

World Preceptor (Sankara) desiring to leave for his own abode,

sitting once

in the Moskhapuri of Kanchi, absorbed his gross body into the subtle

one and

getting reduced into the size of a thumb, attained eternal bliss and

remains

as the all-pervading "Cit" to this day".

 

Coming to modern times, there is quite a large number of works, in

different

languages, written by erudite scholars mentioning Kanchi as the last

resort

of Sankara.

 

It may be noted that the name of Sri Sankaracharya is found only in

the

official seal of Kanchi Kamakoti Matha. The word "Kanci-divya kshetre

and

the phrase "Srimacchankara-Bhagavatpadacaryanam adhisthane" in the

birudavali indicate Sankara's siddhi at Kanchi.

 

>From Anantanandagiri (1119 - 1199 A.D.) whose work is the earliest

biography

of Sankara, down to Mahamahopadhyaya Lakshmana Suri (Author of

"Bhagavatpadabhyudayam" - 1917) of the last century, a number of

reputed

historians, distinguished scholars and researchers have candidly

stated, in

their works, that the Great Sankara established monastic institutions

(mathas) at many an important and sacred places that he visited,

during his

digvijaya tours.

 

It may be interesting to read about a Sankara Math at the sacred city

of

Kasi. This is known as Sumeru Math and as Paduka Math. It is presided

over

by an Advaita Dandi Sanyasi. In some authentic works, only one

monastic

institution is spoken of. In the Sankaracharya Charita by

Govindanatha, and

the Sankarabhydaya of Rajachudamani Deekshita, there is no mention

about any

Matha or Peetha except the Sarvagna Peetha at Kanchi.

 

Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada settled down at Kancheepuram (Kanchi) at the

end of

his peregrinations and spent the evening years of his life in the

Math at

Kanchi, established on Vaisakha Sukla Purnima of the year Sidharthi -

Kali

2620 (482 B.C.) He initiated a very young boy into the ascetic order,

nominated him as his successor in his Kanchi Matha, and placed him

under the

care of Sri Suresvara, the most aged and the most erudite of His

disciples.

Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada attained Videha mukti in his 32nd year -

Cyclic

year Raktakshi, Adhika Rishabha Maasa, Sukla Ekadasi - Kali 2625 (477

B.C.)

 

After the Great Acharya, Sri Adi Sankara, a long line of successor

Acharyas

distinguished for their learning, discipline and penance has adorned

the

Acharya Peetham at Kanchi Sankara Math. Presently,Sri Jayendra

Sarasvati

Swami who was initiated and nominated successor in 1954. In 1983,

this 69th

Preceptor gave sanyasa-deeksha to a boy in his early teens, gave him

the

name Sankara Vijayendra Sarasvati and nominated him as successor

Acharya.

The 69th Acharya and his Disciple Acharya are adorning the Kanchi

Sankara

Matha at present.

 

Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham has the distinction of an unbroken line

of 70

Acharyas till now. The Acharyas have taken measures for the

protection of

Veda Dharma, for propagating the Advaita discipline, and alleviating

the

sufferings of the people.

 

A Keerti Sthamba (Pillar of Fame) has been erected in the year 1978 at

Kaladi, the birth place of Sri Adi Sankara on Sankara Jayanthi day

(May).

 

During the time of the 68th Acharya and later, suitable memorials

have been

erected in commemoration of the Bhagavatpad's visit to important

places of

Bharat such as Allahabad, Tiruvidaimarudur, Rameswaram, Puri-

Jagannatha,

Srisailam, Tryambaka, etc.

 

Renovation of ancient temples which are in need of repairs is one of

the

important activities of the Math. During His life time, Sri

Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamigal (68TH Acharya) on the occasion

of

Bhoomi Pooja in 1981, blessed the leading citizens of Sattara for

construction of a new temple on the model of the famous Sri Nataraja

temple

at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. The kumbabhishekam of this temple known

as

Uttara Chidambaram was performed in the immediate presence of His

Holiness

Sri Jayendra Sarasvati Swamigal in 1984.

 

New temples have been erected for Kamakshi and Subramanya at Delhi,

Kamakshi

temples at Coimbatore and Salem, Subramanya temple at Secunderabad.

 

The famous temple car of Sri Varadaraja Perumal at Kanchi was

completely

redone at considerable cost and was inaugurated in May 2000.

Rajagopurams at

the northern and southern side of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple at

Rameswaram

are being constructed with the blessings of the Acharyas.

 

 

 

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