shankara sampradaya

8/12/2019 Shankara Sampradaya

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&ankara &ampradh'am - !Pro(. Ha)me Nakam*ra had asked the same +*estion to HH ,ah' &w'm o(Kanhi when had ome to have His dharshan - hen the 0h'shams o('h'r'1 ta1k a0o*t advaitham2 how is that His s*essor 3i.e. Periav'4 iswearing vi00h*thi 30asmam4 and doing 5handra mo*1Iswara p6)a in themath dai1 7__&rI Periav'18s 1*id and deep answer to this and a1so onthe sm'rtha sampradh'am and as to wh it is genera11 assoiated withsaivaite tradition2 a10eit wrong12 is worth reading:__&ankara sampradh'am2 9eivathin K*ra1 3in ami142 ;o1 II2 pp: ##$-#!4.__"Note: he page n*m0ers ma s1ight1 var in the s*0se+*ent si?editions o( this vo1*me%hen I started reading the hapter on &ankara &ampradh'am "#%2 to makea s*mmar2 I (o*nd that a 1ot o( detai1s o( His diso*rse wo*1d 0e 1ost inthis e?erise. It appeared that the 0est wa to present His tho*ghts wo*1d0e to trans1ate the entire hapter. @(o*rse2 the 1oss d*e to m trans1ationis *navoida01e.__I811 attempt to post a o*p1e o( pages o( trans1ation evera1ternate da. 't this rate2 I hope2 this wo*1d go (or a o*p1e o( weeks.__heop right o( this origina1 0ook is with the p*01isher - ,r.hir*nav*kkaras*. Hope2 he wo*1dn8t mind this (ree-1ane trans1ation2p*re1 (or the sake o( mem0ers o( advaita 1ist.__In the r*nning te?t2

wherever m notes are inserted the are en1osed 0 s+*are0raes.__Regards2__&*dhakar___"#% HH &ri 5handhra sEkharEndhra&araswathi &wami)i2 8&ankara &ampradh'am8. 9eivathin K*ra1 3in ami142;o1. II2 &eond Edition2 ed. r'. Aanapathi2 ;anathi padhippagam2 5hennai2pp: ##$-#!4.

&ankara &ampradh'am - #he advaitins who (o11ow srI 'di &ankara Bagawadh p'da2 are known 0the name - sm'rth's. Nowads2 man sm'rtha o*ngsters are *naware o(this "Csm'rth'C% tit1e. he re(er themse1ves as 8Ier8 on1D__;aishnav's orvishist'dhvaitins are known as Ieng'rs. 9vaitins are addressed as Rao)is- i.e. the attah Rao or 'h'r as their s*rnames. 's the (o11ow srI,adhw'h'ra2 we a11 them as m'dhw's. he a1so are devotees o(;ishn*. B*t2 whenever we ome aross the term 8vaishnav's82 we tendassoiate that on1 with the (o11owers o( Ram'n*)'8s siddh'ntha. 'sm'dhwa8s have 8'h'r8 as their s*rname2 srI vaishnav's a1so have8'h'r'r8 as s*rname. he have two variations in this2 s*h as 8Ra)ag@p'1a IEng'r8 and 8Ra)a g@p'1'h'r'r8.__'s the m'dhw's are wide1known 0ased on the name o( srI ,adhw'h'ra2 the (o11owers o( srI


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&ankara or srI Raman*)a are not known to 0e re(erred to 0 the names o(their respetive ah'r's. he term 8&ankar'dvaitin8 ma 0e present insome Eng1ish phi1osoph 0ook ma (1oat in 1et*res2 0*t not in vog*e in da-to-da 1i(e. In pratie2 we ommon1 havedvaitins as Raos2 vishist'dvaitins as Ieng'rs and advaitins as

Iers.__Aenera112 sm'rth's a1one have sh'sthr2 sharma et. as theirs*rname. Even those who have 8dhIkshidhar8 as their s*rname areinvaria01 a sma11 segment o( sm'rth's in o*r region. "CPeriav' isre(erring to ami1 Nad*C%. he tit1e o( dhIkshithar is awarded to one whoond*ts ag's and to his (ami1. 3he ase o( dhIkshidhar o(5hidham0aram is +*ite di((erent4. In genera12 advaitins onsiderthemse1ves as those 0e1onging to Ier s*0set. e2 th*s2 on1*de 0asedon the s*rname in vog*e. "C ie Ier%.__his generation doesn8t *se thes*0set as s*rname. his has 0eome a ta0ooD Even in the previo*sgeneration2 others didn8t emp1o the s*0set name as m*h as Rao)is did.I( we go a generation or two 0akwards2 we an on1*de that we are

grandson3s4 o( either an Ier or Ieng'r or a Rao)i. Even those who had8'h'r8 as s*rname2 did not re(er to themse1ves as those 0e1onging to 8'h'r s*0set8 - the re(erred themse1ves on1 as Raos orm'dhw's. &imi1ar12 vaishnav's with 8'h'r'r8 s*rname2 don8t re(erthemse1ves as 0e1onging to 'h'r'r s*0set - 0*t onsider themse1vesas Ieng'rs on1D "CeC% sm'rth's re(er o*rse1ves as Iers: not as those0e1onging to sharm' s*0set or sh'sthr s*0set.__'s m*h as (o11owerso( srI &ankara Bhagawad p'da are not aware o( their 0eing sm'rth's2"CtheC% are e+*a11 *naware o( another important (atD he (at that "C'diC%'h'ra hasn8t identi(ied an parti*1ar deit as an e?1*sive1 hosen one(or them and instead advoated to view a11 o( them e+*a11 "Cwith e+*a1venerationC% is not known even to man advaitins.hinking that "C'diC% 'h'ra has hosen Parama &ivan as their 8*p'san'm6rth82 the identi( themse1ves as &aivaites. here appears to 0e areason (or this 1ine o( thinking.__Both dvaitins and vishist'dvaitins are(o11owers 3*p'sak's4 o( ;ishn*. It appears that the sm'rth's o( toda whohappened to 0e advaitins2 onsider themse1ves to 0e saivaites as thedi((er (rom the other two s*0sets. B*t2 this reasoning is wrong.__Ier2Ieng'r or Rao are not sanskrit names. Hene2 when an Ieng'r re(ers tohis s*0set2 he introd*es himse1( as a vaishnava Rao)i does as am'dhw'. here is nothing wrong in their "Cs*hC% identi(iation. B*t2 on1this Ier who happened to 0e an advaitin2 re(ers to himse1( as a 8saivaite8.Even others seem to ho1d this wrong notionD__Even I8m onsidered to 0e asaivaite 'h'r' 0 man. ' pro(essor (rom Fapan 3Ha)me Nakam*ra4 hadome to me. He said2 I8ve st*died "C'diC% 'h'r'18s s6tra 0h'sham2 gIta0h'sh'm et. In a11 o( them2 on1 advaita is e1a0orated 0*t no mentionhad 0eenmade at a11 a0o*t &iva and asked me How is that o* remain a&aivaite 7__I asked him 0ak2 @n what 0asis do o* onsider me asaivaite7. He rep1ied2Yo* are wearing on1 vi0h6thi7 Yo* are doing &hiva


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p6)a 35handhra mo61Iswara p6)a4. '11 other &hankar'h'r's are a1sohappened to 0e saivaites 1ike this. hen "C'diC% 'h'r' hasn8t (o*nd an0hEdha 0etween &hiva and ;ishn*2 wh is that o* and those o( other&hankara ,ath's wear saivaite sm0o1s and do &hiva p6)a7__I answeredhim "Cth*sC%.

&ankara &ampradh'am - Ghih re1igion or how man o( them were there in this 1and2 0e(ore theadvent o( 'h'r'17 It 0eomes known (rom the 8&hankara ;i)aa8 te?tsthat there was the vEdi re1igion o( san'dhana dharm' and there wereother sevent-two heterodo? sets. B*t2 among the non-vEdi (aiths2 thepredominant one was on1 Bh*dhism. he ma)orit o( the genera1 p*01iand o( the inte11et*a1 1ass2 whih arried o*t the phi1osophia1 researh2have 0een either with the san'dhana vaidhIka dharma or with Bh*dhism.@ther (aiths had on1 a sma11 gro*p o( (o11owing here and there. ho*gh thesma11 gro*ps o( (o11owers o( these sp1inter (aiths had ver vigoro*s1

em0raed and (o11owed their respetive paths - Even now2 are we notwitnessing the adherents o( vario*s 8isms8 and 8shoo1s8 (o11owing theirideo1ogies rather vigoro*s1 tho*gh the sie o( (o11owing in terms o(n*m0ers o*1d rather 0e meager - in genera1 the re1igio*s sene then wass*h that it o*1d 0e divided into two 0ig gro*ps s*h as vaidhIka mathamand Bo*dham.__hose who (o11owed this san'thana-dharma-vaidhIka-matham are known 0 thename - 8&m'rth's8. "Che wordC% &m'rth's means those who (o11owsmrithis. &mrithi means dharma sh'sthr's. he work that proper1o11ets2 o11ates2 1assi(ies the dharm's en*niated at vario*s p1aes invEd's and ogent1 presents them as a sing1e so*re o( in(ormation so asto g*ide di((erent setions o( the soiet2 regarding their ode o( ond*t -presri0ing the dos and don8ts (or a )Ivan right (rom its oneption in themother8s wom0 to its 0irth2 growth2 1earning phase2 marriage2 proreationand (ina11 ti11 its remation a(ter the death - thro*gh a set o( r*1es isdharma sh'stra. he are a1so known as smrithis. hose who (o11ow themare &m'rth's. he (o11owers o( vEdi re1igion2 addressed toda as8Hind*s82 were origina11 known on1 0 this name "C&m'rth'sC%.__Neitherthe 8e?1*sive8 *p'san' o( ;ishn* nor the 8e?1*sive8 *p'san' o( &hiva had0een advoated 0 dharma sh'stras. '11 the 8vEda pradhip'dha8 deities3those mentionedin the vEd's4 are onsidered to 0e e+*a1 here. here is nothing wrong inhoosing an one o( them (or *p'san'. It wo*1d 0e redita01e2 i( the*p'san' is arried o*t with the 0asi *nderstanding that a11 the deities areessentia11 one in nat*re. &m'rth's do p6)' (or (ive deities s*h ass6ran2 am0'12 mah' ;ishn*2 Pi11a'r and paramEswaran as indiated 0the verse2 8'dhitham-am0ik'm- vishn*m-ganan'tham- mahEshwaram8.'s (ive deities are worshipped2 this is known as 8Panh'athana p6)'8.@ne an have additiona1 devotion 3prIthi4 towards one8s (avorite 3ishta4deit. In the same (ami12 Parama &ivan o*1d 0e the ishta dEvath' (or the


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e1der 0rother whi1e mah' ;ishn* o*1d 0e (or the o*nger one. hewo*1dn8t get separated into two di((erent (aiths s*h as &aiva - ;aishnava20ea*se o( this "Cdi((ereneC%. itho*t getting sp1it into two distint s*0sets2 0oth &hiva and ;ishn* *p'sak's had even matrimonia1 a11ianes0etween them. he ommon gro*nd (or a11 o( them was - vEd's. he

8karm'n*sht'n's82 advoated therein were a1so the ommon 0asis (or them.

&ankara &ampradh'am - It is advised in the vEd's that a11 sho*1d ond*t the a)nakarm'n*sht'n's and sho*1d wear the res*1ting 8h@ma 0asm'8 "C'sheso0tained (rom the h@maC%. hat is wh2 initia112 a11 sm'rth's did on10asma dh'ranam 3smearing o( the vi0h6thi4. In1*ding those whoworshipped ;ishn* as their (avorite deit. Even now2 when 'gas areond*ted2 0oth vaishnavaites and m'dhw's have to wear the h@ma0asm'.__he pratie o( wearing 8n'mam8 and in that2 wearing with

8p'dham8 and a1so with o*t it ame in to vog*e d*e to ;aishnava'h'r's2 who ame 1ater "Cthan &hankaraC% is known (rom their g*r*parampara stories themse1ves2 as reto1d 0 vaishnav's. Later2 when aseparate re1igion and a s*0 set were esta01ished 0ased on ;ishn* as theso1e presiding deit2 it 0eame a neessit to give a new identit to theonverts o( this (aith.__&imi1ar12 8g@pi handhan8 and 8h'ndh*8 wereemp1oed 0 m'dhw's2 when their new 8sampradh'am8 ame intoe?istene as a separate 3soia14 gro*p. Jor those2 who didn8t hoose to(o11ow ano( these new (aiths 0*t ontin*ed to pratie the origina1 vEdi path asadvoated 0 Bhaghavadp'dh'2 no new names s*h as vaishnav' orm'dhw' were given. he same o1d tit1e2 sm'rth's2 ontin*ed. &imi1ar12the pratie - advoated 0 vEd's (rom the ver 0eginning and emp1oed(rom generation to generation - o( wearing vi0h6thi 30asma dh'ranam4staed 0ak with sm'rth's. ' vEdi mantra (or reitation e?ists2 on1 (ormi?ing vi0h6thi with water and smearing.__ho*gh a wrong impressionthat sm'rth's are saivaites as the wear vi0h6thi2 has gained *rren inpresent das2 it an 0e said that2 in rea1it the pratie o( vi0h6thidh'ranam o( sm'rth's has got nothing to do with &hiva 0*t is 0ased onits vEdi roots.__Be(ore the esta01ishment o( vishist'dvaitam as aseparate sampradh'am 0 srI Ram'n*)ar2 even the vaidhIk's whoworshipped ;ishn* with a11 devotion as their ishta dEvath' wo*1d have0een sm'rth's wearing on1 0hasm'. ' &an'si does not have the right toond*t a)nas. Hene2 he an not ond*t ah@ma and wear the res*1ting 0asm'. Even then2 he wi11 sport thevi0h6thi.__9*ring the 8p'nha r'thra dhIksh'82 the vaishnavaites have towear the h@ma 0asm'2 even toda.__Bh*ddh' o0)eted to the vEdire1igion. He opposed a)nas and karm'n*sht'n's. He made no mention o(Ishvar'. Hene2 there is neither 3vEdi4 karma nor 0hakti in Bh*dhism.9*ring his das2 sm'rth's engaged in a 1ot o( karm'n*sht'n's. I(


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Bh*ddh' didn8t speak o( Ishvar'2 then2 there was a setion o( (o11owers o(the path o( 3vEdi4 karma2 who 0e1ieved2 hat i( Ishvar' e?isted7 @r whati( He didn8t7 e have the karm's en*niated in vEd's. e811 have srEas0 simp1 pratiing them. he are known as p6rva mIm'msak's. he0e1ieved on1 in karm's. Neither in 0hakti nor in g'na. he a0horred the

prinip1es o( g'na m'rga s*h as ontemp1ating the a0so1*te tr*thontin*o*s12 doing 'thma vih'ra2 0eoming a san'si 0 reno*ning a11karm's and remaining a1was in the tho*ghts o( 'tman et.

&ankara &ampradh'am - Even now2 starting (rom the shoo1 te?t 0ooks to ever oneiva01eonte?t2 there is re(erene and e1a0oration on1 a0o*t Bh*ddh'2 whi1e ithas 0een ens*red that even the names o( K*mari1a Bhatt' and6daan'h'r'r are not known to anone. 9*ring the British r*1e2 3the4did this de1i0erate1. heir desire was to somehow 0e1itt1e the vEdi re1igionand onvert everone to 5hristianit.__he o0)etive was2It is a11 right2

even i( it is not possi01e to attrat "CHind*sC% to 5hristianit. 't an ost2vEdi re1igion has to 0e 0e1itt1ed. It has to 0e ens*red that the Hind*s2 r*1ed0 *s2 don8t remain pro*d o( their re1igion and *1t*re. he (at - that the8s*0)*gated8 Hind*s had reahed the pinna1e o( ivi1iation and *1t*ra1g1or even in the remote past d*ring whih the themse1ves were et toevo1ve into a ivi1ised soiet - ontin*ed to remain as a thorn in their(1esh. hat is wh the tho*ght th*s.__he took e((orts2 sstematia112right (rom the e1ementar shoo1 1eve12 to ens*re that Hind*s don8t 0eome aware o( the greatness o( their vEdi re1igion and a1so o( thegreat persona1ities who hai1ed (rom that re1igion. Hene2 the pop*1arisedamongst the hi1dren2 in a 0ig wa2 on1 the esta01ishment o( a 8vEdavr*ddha8 3heterodo?4 re1igion 0 Bh*ddh'2 right (rom their shoo1 dasthro*gh their *rri*1*m. B*t2 1e(t o*t2 a11 the re(erenes a0o*t the8mah'ns8 o( vEdi re1igion.__K*mari1a Bhatt' emphasised the nat*re o(vEd's as Pram'n' 3vEda pram'nam4 and the importane o( vEdikarm's and ritiised Bh*ddhism (or having di((ered on these two o*nts.6daanar ritiised the Bh*ddhist8s arg*ment o( 8nirIshvara v'dham8 andesta01ished the e?istene o( Ishvar'.__@*t o( the triad o( karma-0hakti-g'na2 on1 a(ter the Bh*ddhist prinip1es regarding karma and 0haktiwere demo1ished 3nir'karanam4 0 these two2 o*r Bhagavadp'da2 who re-esta01ished the g'na m'rga in aordane with vEdi prinip1es2 took theavat'ram "Con this earthC%.

&ankara &ampradh'am - &imi1ar12 even in the sphere o( *p'san'2 vEd's don8t pro1aim either8;ishn* a1one is s*perior and &hiva is in(erior8 or 8&hiva a1one is s*periorand ;ishn* is in(erior8. vEd's onsider a11 the deities as "Cthe mani(estationo(C% the same param'thm' and view a11 o( them e+*a11. In r*dram2 everthing wo*1d have 0een re(erred to as the &hiva svar6pam "C(ormC%. P*r*shas6ktham ma see ever thing as ;ishn* svar6pam. In some other p1ae2var*n' himse1( wo*1d have 0een re(erred to as param'thm' Indr' wo*1dhave 0een identi(ied as paramEshvar' 'gni as the on1 primordia1godhead "C,*h*-m*dhaR-kadav*LC% &*r' as the primordia1 Aod et.


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h*s2 it an 0e seen that2 whenever vEdi s6kth's re(er to an deit2 theidenti( it as the param'tman Himse1(. In(at2 vEd's have *ne+*ivoa11on1*ded that 8here e?ists on1 one sat' man names have 0een giveto it 0 g'nis83Ekam-sat-vipr'h'-0ah*th'-vadhanthI4.__Even the dharmash'str's 3smrithIs42 whih (o11ow e?at1 the vEd's2 don8t s*0sri0e to the

e?1*sive s*periorit o( an parti*1ar deit - neither o( &hiva nor o( ;ishn* nor o(am0'1 nor o( an other "CvEdiC% deit. B*t sti112 0oth shr*thi and smrithiapprove o( the prinip1e o( ishta dEvath' - worship o( an deit2 towardswhih the mind nat*ra11 (1ows and gets a0sor0ed in2 o*t o( 0hakthi2 as theprimordia1 godhead. Jo11owing this "CadvieC%2 whi1e doing *p'san'speia11 (or their ishta dEvath'3s42 sm'rth's o((ered worship to otherdEvath's a1so2 witho*t engaging in an nindhan'2 thro*gh panh'athanap6)'.__'s the karm' theor o( vEd's got into a 1oop o( misinterpretationand on(*sion "Ck*haR*padiC% 0 the stand o( mIm'msak's that2 Everthing is k'rm'2 in the 1ater das even the vEdi path o( *p'san' got

trapped into a simi1ar sit*ation wherein (ights regarding the s*periorit o(respetive ishta dEvat's 0eame +*ite ommon.__h*s2 when 0oth thepaths o( karm' and 0hakti were in a state o( on(*sion "Cd*e to wronginterpretations and pratiesC% and when even the g'na m'rga was0ro*ght down to a simi1ar state 0 Bh*dhists2 o*r 'h'r'1 took avath'r and reti(ied and0ro*ght ever thing 0ak to its origina1 shape/position and gave a step-0-step proed*re "C(or spirit*a1 evo1*tion i.e. karma-0hakti- g'naC%.'5H'RY'L H'& N@ 5RE'E9 'NY NE P'H @N HI& @N B6 @NLYREN@;'E9 HE @RIAIN'L @NE "Cie the vEdi pathC%. hen the path o(san'dhana vEda dharm'2 a1so known as sm'rtha sampradh'am 0eameridden with stones and thorns2 HE F6& 5LE'N&E9 H' &,'RH' 'Y20 removing those stones and thorns 0*t 9I9 N@ 5RE'E ' NEP'H.__Jor those who aepted the vEdi dit*m o( ishta dEvath'*p'sana - g'napath's who worshipped pi11a'r "CAanEsh'C% as theprimordia1 godhead2 Ka*m'r's who worshipped &*0raman'2 s'kth'swho worshipped am0'12 saivaites who worshipped Ishvar'2 vaishanvaiteswho worshipped ;ishn*2 &a*r's who worshipped &*r' - He 1eansed a11their paths "Co( an non-vEdi pratiesC% and 0ro*ght them *nder thevEdi (o1d. hat is wh He is known as &hanmatha sth'pan'h'r'. Heesta01ised this to (ai1itate the worship o( one8s ishta dEvath' with o*t having to ind*1ge inthe nind' "Ca0*seC% o( ana-dEvath'3s4. 's shown 0 the verse8'ditham-am0ik'm-vi*shn*m-ganan'tham-,aheswaram82 He got a11 the sm'rth's todo panh'athana p6)a (or these (ive m6rtis2 as it was in vog*e origina11.3's a11 the vaidhIka karm'n*sht'n's re1ated to 'gni are said to reah&*0rahmana2 one o( the deities o( the shanmath'2 it an (air1 0eon1*ded that 'h'r'1 has hosen not to in1*de Him "C&*0rahmanaC%in the panh'athana4.__here(ore2 N@ NE &',PR'9H'Y' &65H '&8&H'NK'R' &',PR'9H'Y'8 H'& E;ER A@ 5RE'E9. HEN HE


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@RIAIN'L &,'RH' &',PR'9H'Y', @R HE ;E9I5 P'H BE5',E9IL'PI9'E9 IN BEEEN2 I A@ REF6;EN'E9 'N9 BR@6AH @LIJE BEER H'N E;ER BEJ@RE BY &H'NK'R'. here(ore2 i( an onere(ers to it as 8&hankara sampradh'a82 then it is wrong even i( I hadre(erred to it that wa2 then a1so it is wrong. __"Note: Parts o( sentenes

whih are given in 0o1d in the ami1 origina12 are reprod*ed here inapita1s%

&ankara &ampradh'am - $'s the sisht's o( toda2 amongst *s2 think2 I( some0od proposes a newpath/ phi1osoph2 we sho*1d not aept it diret1 it has to 0e hekedwhether it (o11ows the tradition or sampradh'am2 so a1so o*r 'h'r'1has given *tmost importane to o*r sampradh'am thro*gh o*t His0h'shams. He *sed to re(er with great respet that 8this is thesampradh'am this is how the sampradh'ikars opine hene this a1oneis aepta01e8.__It is said a0o*t Fes*s 5hrist that2 8He hasn8t ome to

e1iminate the ear1ier re1igions 0*t on1 to make them omp1ete8. Even'h'r'1 had ome on1 to get the origina1-vaidIka-sm'rtha-sampradh'am 0ak on its rai1s rather (irm1 and He didn8t esta01ishanthing new. He wo*1d onsider re(erring to His as 8&ankarasampradh'am8 as an 8apah'ram8 itse1(D__He has esta01ished even His(ina1 on1*sion - advaita - on1 0ased on the pram'na o( te?ts2 handeddown 0 the tradition2 s*h as *panishads2 gIt' and 0hrama s6tras andwo*1dn8t have mentioned an where anthing as His own2 even 0mistake.__hat is wh2 the (o11owers o( o*r 'h'r'1 did not get an newname the tit1e 8sm'rth's8 got st*k.__Be(ore the advent o( srI Ram'n*)arand srI ,adhw'2 even among sm'rth's2 a set e?isted whih onsidered;ishn* as their 8ishta dEvath'8.__here is a (*nn aspet to this 3idhi1E or*vEdikkai4: here were peop1e among sm'rth's who didn8t have the"Cspirit*a1C% mat*rit to engage in panh'athana p6)' with speia1*p'san' (or their ishta dEvath' and witho*t ind*1ging in 8para dEvath'nindh'82 as advoated 0 'h'r'1. hat is2 the onsidered on1 their(avo*rite deit as the primordia1 Aodhead tho*gh at the phi1osophia1 1eve1the seemed to have aepted advait'.__'mong s*h peop1e2 even thehardore/hper 3thIvira4 ;aishnavaites remained as advaitins. How "CIC% gotto know this is thro*gh a (at2 hitherto *nknown to o*2 whih I811 sharewith o* "CnowC%.__here are (ew2 who hai1 (rom s*h an advaiti-vaishnava-parampar'2 e?ist even toda. he ho1d on1 me as their'h'r'. I( "Co*C% ask a0o*t their siddh'ntham2 "Cthe811 sa thatC% it is advait' on1. he won8t wear then'mam. he won8t wear vi0h6ti either2 as it is onsidered to 0e assoiatedwith &iva. Re)eting 0oth the n'mam and vi0h6ti2 the wear on1 the 8g@pihandan8.__earing neither the 8vada ka1ai n'mam8 nor the 8then ka1ain'mam82 there is a set2 re(erred to as kItr* n'mak k'rarga1 "Cthosewearing kItr* n'mamC%2 whih ontin*es to 0e advaitins. However2 theseadvaitins are hardore 3vIra4 vaishnavaites2 when ompared to those who


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theo1ogia112 esta01ished a parti*1ar deit as 8the on1 Aodhead8.__Even inthe ,adhwa tho*ght2 on1 ;ishn* is the param'thm'. Krishna a1one isBhraman or param'thm'2 even (or the other two "C ;a11a0h' and5haithan'C%. Hene2 these paths too are 0ased on ;ishn* *p'san'.Peop1e have migrated even to these sampradh'ams2 on1 (rom sm'rth's.

'mong those onverts2 in addition to those who opted (or the new pathp*re1 0ased on the phi1osoph2 wo*1d there not have 0een sm'rtha-vaishnavites2 who hose the new pathe?1*sive1 0ea*se2 a highest p1ae had 0een aorded to their (avo*rite"CdeitC% ;ishn* 7__&*mming *p2 on1 (rom the sm'rtha set2 peop1e hadmoved 1ater to a11 the ;aishnava shoo1s s*h as Ram'n*)a siddh'ntham2,adhwa siddh'ntham2 ;a11a0ha siddh'ntham2 5haithana sampradh'am2and 3here was one Nim0'rkar - He was a1so a Krishna devotee4 Hissiddh'ntham.__here(ore2 among those who staed 0ak as sm'rth's2 theproportion o( vishn* devotees wo*1d have grad*a11 red*ed and wo*1dn8tthat o( 0hakth's o( Ishvara 3&iva4 have inreased "Cin d*e o*rseC%7 hat is

wh the pop*1ar notion that advaitins are saivaites had gained *rrenD_

&ankara &ampradh'am - #GOJrom the das o( British ra)2 when the do*ments were written "CandregisteredC%2 sm'rth's were (o*nd to re(er to themse1ves as those0e1onging to 8siva math'm8 than to sm'rtha setD__It is not on1 thepresent generation sm'rth's2 who are tota11 ignorant o( o*r re1igion2 are*nder the impression that the are saivaities even d*ring the 1ast ent*r2the "Csm'rth'sC% have re(erred to themse1ves as s*h2 even in thedo*ments aepted and hono*red 0 the government.__Not on1 this.Long time 0e(ore this "CEng1ish r*1eC%2 even d*ring the period whenRam'n*)' had sta0i1ised the ;aishnava sampradh'am when man o( thesm'rth's having ;ishn* as their 8ishta dEvath'8 started adopting His path2the term advaitin seemed to have given a saivaite onnotation.__h I saso is 0ea*se "Cthe saintC% srI Kant'h'r' is said to 0e a ontemporar o(Ram'n*)'. He sas2 phi1osophia112 simi1ar to that o( vishist'dvaitham.B*t2 He is +*ite 1oser to advait' on the +*estion o( state o( m*kthi.heo1ogia112 &iva is Hismain deit. 's Naraan' is the param'thman (or Ram'n*)'2 &iva is theparam'thman (or srI Kant'h'r'.ho*gh He had th*s esta01ished a 8&aiva-vishist'dvaitha8 path2 the n*m0ero( sm'rtha-saivaites 3sm'rth's having ParamEshwar' as their ishta-dEvath'4 who adopted the &aiva siddh'ntha o( srI Kant' is a0sma11 1owompared to the sm'rtha-vaishnavaites who em0raed the siddh'nth' o(Ram'n*)'.__his o*1d 0e d*e to the se1( pereption o( the sm'rth's2main1 as saivaites2 a(ter the e?od*s o( vaishnavaites towards Ram'n*)'.hat is wh2 when a re1igion was esta01ished as &aiva siddh'nth' itse1(2 itappears2 the didn8t have the in1ination to swith over to that. ,oreover2


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as the m@ksh' o( &aiva siddh'nth' was +*ite 1oser "Csimi1arC% to that o(advaith'2 man wo*1d have +*estioned as to wh to hange over to a new0*t a simi1ar shoo12 1eaving advait'.__Phi1osoph is important 3orappea1ing4 on1 to a se1et (ew. hat is important to the vast ma)orit is0hakti and the *p'san' m6rth. hat is wh there had 0een man

instanes o( migration o( ardent sm'rth' devotees o( ;ishn* to thoseshoo1s whih he1d ;ishn* in an e?a1ted position.__P*re1 0ea*se o( this2 advait' had ome to 0eseen as a set onsidering &iva as its main deit and when a new shoo1with &iva Himse1( as its entra1 prinip1e was started2 sm'rth's 3ie ardentdevotees o( &iva4 didn8t hoose to )oin this2 in 1arge n*m0ers.__It has ometo s*h a pass2 nowadas2 that advaitins are taken (or granted to 0esaivaites2 per se2 0 those *naware "Co( o*rtraditionC%._

&ankara &ampradh'am - #I( it is pointed o*t that in a11 3srI shankara4 matams2 on1 the 5handra,o*1Iswara p6)' is ond*ted2 "Cthen the answer is thatC% it is 0ea*se o( aspei(i reason.__ParamEshwara Himse1( gave (ive spatika 1ing's to'h'r'1 and wanted Him to ens*re the 'r'dhan' (or them2 (or ever2 inthis 1@k'. 'h'r'1 had ens*red that *ninterr*pted 'r'dhan' 0 keepingthe two o*t o( (ive in the matams at &ringEri and k'nhi and the remainingthree at the temp1es o( NEp'12 kEd'rn'th and 5hidam0aram. hen we sa8&ankara ,atams82 sho*1d there not 0e 8*ni(ormit8 amongst a11 o( them7hat is wh He introd*ed 5handra ,o*1Iswara p6)a in "Ca11 HisC%matams.__Lakshmi Narasimha ,*rht gave a 8s'1agr'mam8 to 'h'r'1.'s Ishvar' Himse1( had given a spatika 1ing'2 whih is "Considered to 0eC%His &war6p'2 Narasimha ,*rht a1so gave a s'1agr'mam2 whih is o( His&war6p'. 's He has kept the spatika 1ing' in the p6)' o( the matam2 Hehas kept that s'1agr'mam too in the p6)a.__He doesn8t entertain the &iva-;ishn* Bhedham2 even a 0it. 's He has done the spatika 1inga prathisht' at 5hidam0aram2 He hasdone the N'r'ana prathisht' at Badhrin'th. here itse1(2 He hadesta01ihed a math. 'mong the p1aes where He had esta01ished thematams2 P*ri Fagann'th and 9warak' are important Krishna kshEtr's. Hehas not ommented on &iva sahasran'mam instead He wrote a 0h'shamon1 (or ;ishn* sahasran'mam. ho*gh there are man gItas in o*rp*r'n's s*h as &iva gIta2 dEvi gIta et2 He has hosen to give a0h'sham on1 to the gIta2 presented 0 Krishna Param'thm'. 's He hasomposed devotiona1 hmns towards Ishvar' and am0'12 He omposed on,ah' ;ishn*2 srI R'm'2 Krishna and ,aha Lakshmi a1so.__'s a11 thesepoints are not proper1 onsidered2 He is interpreted to 0e a saivaite"Ca10eit wrong1C%.__hat is 0eing ond*ted "Cdai1C% in 'h'r'18smatams is not on1 "Can e?1*siveC% &iva p6)a. 's I mentioned in the0egining2 the ver panh'athana p6)a is the p6)' o( the matam too.


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'h'r'1 is the om0ined avth'ram o( Ishvar' and am0'1 6ma and,ahEshwara themse1ves gave Him the panha 1ing's at Kai1'sh that is wh Heesta01ished Ishwara and am0'1 as the main deities o( the p6)a o( thematam. B*t sti112 as per &iva panh'athan'2 even ,aha ;ishn*2

Aanapath and &*r' are a1so present in the p6)a. Here "Cin the matamC%2simi1ar to &iva r'thri and nava r'thri2 we e1e0rate r'ma navami2g@k*1'shtami2 Narasimha )aanthi et a1so "Cin the samesa1eC%.__henever srIm*kams "#% are iss*ed2 (rom the matam2 what do we"Cthe presiding 'h'r'sC% sa7 In that2 we sa2 (or a parti*1ar ativit2kriathE n'r'ana smrthihi. hat is2 an 0ook or an ativit "Csared orse*1arC%2 (or whih this srIm*kam is iss*ed as a token o( 01essing2 to0eome a s*ess2 we sa that 8we remem0er N'r'an'8. e don8t sathat 8we remem0er &iva8.__hat do I sa when o* prostrate 0e(ore me7 Isa on12 N'r'ana N'r'ana. '11 the shankar'h'r's a1so sa on1so. his is the r*1e made 0 the 'di 'h'r'1 Himse1(. Inorder to get the

good "Cand a*spiio*sC% things to happen to this1@ka2 He has ordained the remem0rane o( N'raan' on12 as He is thes*stainer o( this wor1d 3)agadh-parip'1ana-karth'4.__Jor so 1ong2 I wasta1king a0o*t the e?istene o( the impression that advaitins are saivaites.9iagona11 opposite to this2 there are some who ho1d that &ankaraworshipped on1 ,ah' vishn*. he +*ote this N'raana smaranam and;ishn* sahasran'ma 0h'sham et as the s*pportive evidene (or their1aim. In addition to that2 the a1so point to the (at o( esta01ishing theIshvara or the sag*na Bhraman2 whih does a11 these 1@ka-vavah'ra2 to0e none other than N'r'an' Himse1(2 0 'h'r'12 whi1e e1a0oratinga0o*t Him "CIshvaraC% in His Bh'sh's.__-------_"#% hemessage/(oreword/01essings (rom the presiding 'h'r' o( a &hankara,ath2 in the o((iia1 1etter head with the sea1 o( the math is known assrIm*kam._

&ankara &ampradh'am - #Even then2 the ver identi(iation o( 'h'r'1 either as a saivaite or as as'kth' or as a vaishnavaite2 is nothing 0*t viewing Him in a ver narrowprespetive. It is not orret to ategorise Him2 th*s2 as a 0hakth' o( aparti*1ar deit a1one.I( it is asked as to wh He has identi(ied the sag*na 0hrahman asN'r'an'2 in His 0h'sha granth's2 it is 0ea*se ,ah' ;ishn* has 0eenentr*sted with the responsi0i1it o( 1@ka rakshan'm2 d*ring the division o(three primar ativities. He has re(erred to the one who is inharge o(protetion "Co( this reationC% as the ver energ whih takes are o( thisentire 8prapanham8.__'h'r'1 is a saivaite and a1so a vaishnavaite ands'kth' too. e2 the sm'rth's a1so sho*1d 0e 1ike that. he one whoremains as a ro1e-mode1 (or a11 sm'rth's is srI ,*th*swam 9hIkshidhar.He has viewed a11 the deities in1*ding even m'riamman "#%2 ian'r "G%


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and navagrah's as the svar6pa o( param'athm' and worshipped a11 o(them thro*gh "CHisC% kIrthan's.__he on1 param'thm'2 appearing asvario*s deities is o*r o0)etive. he attit*de to view a11 o( them withe+*animit sho*1d 0e *1tivated in *s. ho*gh2 it is pointed o*t that evenamong advaitins2 there e?isted vIra saivaities and vIra vaishnavaites2

at*a11 it "Cs*h gro*pingsC% is not in on(ormane with the man@0h'va o( 'h'r'1 and a1so withHis advie/ instr*tions to *s.__here is nothing wrong in having e?tra-oridnar devotion towards an parti*1ar ishta-dEvath' 1ike 'ppaadhIkshit' who remained a devo*t s'm0hav' 3devotee o( &iva4 and LI1's*kar who was a devo*t 0h'ghavath' having deep 1ove (or Krishna2 to+*ote a (ew (rom among advaitins. B*t2 as these saints disso1vedthemse1ves in their 0hakti (or their ishta dEvath' witho*t ind*1ging in the8nindh'8 o( other deities2 we sho*1d a1so deve1op deep devotion towardso*r ishta m6rth2 witho*t resorting to an ritiism o( an otherdeit.__his is one o( ardina1 prinip1es o( the vEdi re1igion known as

sm'rth' matham. hi1e denigrating the other deit2 i( one8s dEvath' is1aimed to 0e 8the8 dEvath'2 then it an not 0e onsidered to have theaeptane o( vEd'. Aoing 0 this test2 on1 we - the sm'rth's2 who (o11owthe 'h'r'1 a1one are 8p6rna vaidIk's8.__I don8t sa th*s. It is wrong2 i( Isa so. It ma appear as tho*gh I8m ta1king +*ite high o( it2 0ea*se it is m sampradh'am.here(ore2 this is not m opinion. It happened to 0e the opinion o( threegreat persona1ities o( ore.Even the opinion o( the m61a p*r*sh' o( dvaithins2 advaitins andvishist'dvaitins - v'sa maharshi Himse1(- was this. In the an*s'sanaparv' o( Bharatham2 when He 1ists o*t the names o( (ive mathams2 thatwere in e?istene (rom time immemoria12 thro*gh BhIshma pith'mahar2 Hesas2__s'nkham @ga: p'nha r'thram vEdh': p'sh*pathamthath':__In these2 8vEdh':8 is the vEdi re1igion sm'rtha matham o( 1aterdas. It ontains ar'dhana (or a11 dEvath's. he triad o( karma- 0hakthi-g'na a1so is there "Cin the vEdi re1igionC%. he shoo1 o( tho*ght whihdoes the phi1osophia1 researh2 the &ankh'2 is a1so a part o( that. Eventhe @ga s'dhana is a part o( vEdi dh'an'. '11 these things do e?ist inthe sm'rth' sampradh'am a1so2 whih was re)*venated 0 o*r'h'r'1.__In works s*h as &iv'nandha 1ahari2 &o*ndhara 1ahari andshatpathI sth@thram whih is addressed towards srI ,ah' vishn62 eveno*r advaitha 'h'r'1 has aepted dvait' and vishist'dvaitha at di((erent1eve1s. In His 8@ga th'r'va1i82 He has omp1ete1 e1a0orated the n*anes o( Pathan)a1a @ga. '1so2 He has mentionedthe twent (o*r 8thathv's8 o( s'nkh'2 at man p1aes2 in His 0h'sh's._

_"#%: m'riamman is the 3non-vEdi74 (orm o( am0'1 worshipped in ami1Nad*. &he is parti*1ar1 known to protet devotees (rom sma11-po?. hemost (amo*s m'riamman temp1e is at &amaap*ram2 a s*0*r0 o( rih.Aenera112 non-0hramin priests known as 8p6)'ris8 o((er worship to Her.


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&ari(iing goats et is sti11 a part o( Her worship.__"G%: Ian'r isonsidered to 0e 3again2 the non-vEdi74 deit inharge o( proteting thevi11ages - @ork k'va1 dEivam in ami1. He is seen to 0e seated on a horsewith sik1e/sword and His temp1es are a1was 1oated 0eond the vi11age1imits. Even He is worshipped 0 p6)'ris with anima1 sari(ies.

&ankara &ampradh'am - #

shankara sampradaya

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