Vedas and Adi Sankara - Part 7 By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji.

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

 

Even when Bhagavãn took Rama-Krishnãdi-avatãrs we find that they have also had a

Guru. Thus, our Religion is one that envelops everything. It contains various

kinds of Smritis, Vedas, Paths, etc.In the Gita,

Bhagavãn says that it is He who created all these. To each, according to his

taste (‘ruchi’). Taittiriyopanishad says, “If not, follow the path that your

family follows.” This should not be a blind following. If your father has not

followed a proper way then take the path adopted by one in the family who took

to a genuine path. Follow the one who had led a dhãrmic life in your family. If

this also does not

work then listen to the words of the Guru. Our religion encompasses everything.

It contains all that the world speaks of. Our religion has ‘Nyãya matha’,

‘Sankya matha’. To explain the ‘sankya tatva’ in

simple words -- “while speaking of two entities i.e. Bhagavãn and those that are

apart we say take hold of Bhagavãn so that the rest leave you. But the ‘Sankya

tatva’ says ‘shirk off the rest and then Bhagavãn alone remains’. While saying

‘neti’ ‘neti’ (not this; not this) that which cannot be shirked off is ‘Ishwara

swaroopa’. This is ‘Sankya tatva’. Jãpãli speaks of lokaya matha. Look at

whatever is seen with the eyes.

 

All siddantãs are spoken of - the worldly, atheism etc. in the form of question

and answer (‘prasna vãdam’). What was the condition of our country at the time

of Adi Sankara’s birth? Bhagavãn says, “Whenever dharma is threatened I take

‘Avatãr’!” What was the

threatening faced by Bhãrat (India) at this time? Various religions had sprouted

up without proper base. Each had its philosophy propagated. Some religions

preached that just as nothing is left with the lamp burning out nothing remains

when life burns out. After

long years of tapas they declare that it is only desire that is the cause for

all problems. But this has been said in the Vedas and is nothing new to be found

after prolonged tapas! And, to shirk desires

should not become another desire in itself! Sankara opposed the philosophy that

‘atma’ is ‘kshanika’, i.e. the ‘atma’ keeps changing as time passes until one

dies and the ‘atma’ is no more. Sankara pointed out that it cannot be so because

one is able to recognize a person whom he had met, say, some ten years back. If

it were to be a changing ‘atma’ he would not have been able to recognize him

after this interval. So, it goes to show that there is in you something, which

is stable.

 

There were other religions that were not sure about their own philosophy! They

were neither able to say a strong ‘yes’ or a strong ‘no’ to the presence of the

‘Atma’. Such religions were opposed to Vedic dharma. Their spiritual practices

were very weird. So, at the time that Sankara took birth in Sanatana dharma

innumerable such religions had sprouted and taken hold of the country. And at

this time it was not the Muslim-Hindu conflict that was the uppermost but

Vaishnava-Saiva conflict. They were at loggerheads to prove their Lord (Lord

Vishnu, Lord Siva, respectively) as the Supreme. Everyone ignored the

Upanishads, which comes in the end of the Vedas. In those days yajnãs were

performed using various types of ‘pasu’. But it was pointed out that these

yajnãs were performed for selfish ends and for nothing better. They harassed the

‘pasu’ used in such yajnãs. However, there was a sect which used ‘pasu’ made out

of rice flour.

 

At the time of birth of Sankara there were innumerable religions of varied

beliefs all at loggerheads with each other. On the one hand were those who

declared that nothing really existed while on the other hand there was a

sectarian war between the Vaishnavas and

Saivites. There were those who were offering animals into the sacrificial fire

for their own selfish ends. It was those with belief in the Sanatana dharma who

were deeply affected by all these storming

controversies. They knew not what and whom to look upto. It was at this time

when people were groping in the dark and deeply yearned for a hold to lead them

on that the birth of Adi Sankara took place in Kaladi Kshetra on the banks of

the Purna nadhi (river).

 

!!! Will Continue !!!

 

Regards