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&ankara &ampradh'am - !
Pro(. Ha)me Nakam*ra had asked the same +*estion to HH ,ah' &w'm o(
Kan-hi 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 is
wearing vi00h*thi 30asmam4 and doing 5handra mo*1Iswara p6)a in the
math dai1 7.__&rI Periav'18s 1*-id and deep answer to this and a1so on
the sm'rtha sampradh'am and as to wh it is genera11 ass-o-iated with
saivaite tradition2 a10eit wrong12 is worth reading:__.&ankara sampra
dh'am.2 9eivathin K*ra1 3in :ami142 ;o1 II2 pp: ##$-#<=2 &e-ond Edition
3#$>!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 make
a s*mmar2 I (o*nd that a 1ot o( detai1s o( His dis-o*rse wo*1d 0e 1ost in
this e?er-ise. It appeared that the 0est wa to present His tho*ghts wo*1d
0e to trans1ate the entire -hapter. @(-o*rse2 the 1oss d*e to m trans1ation
is *navoida01e.__I811 attempt to post a -o*p1e o( pages o( trans1ation ever
a1ternate da. 't this rate2 I hope2 this wo*1d go (or a -o*p1e o( weeks.__:he
-op right o( this origina1 0ook is with the p*01isher - ,r.
:hir*nav*kkaras*. Hope2 he wo*1dn8t mind this (ree-1an-e trans1ation2
p*re1 (or the sake o( mem0ers o( advaita 1ist.__In the r*nning te?t2
wherever m notes are inserted the are en-1osed 0 s+*are
0ra-es.__Regards2__&*dhakar___"#% HH &ri 5handhra sEkharEndhra
&araswathi &wami)i2 8&ankara &ampradh'am8. 9eivathin K*ra1 3in :ami142
;o1. II2 &e-ond Edition2 ed. r'. Aanapathi2 ;anathi padhippagam2 5hennai2
pp: ##$-#<= 3#$>!4.
&ankara &ampradh'am - #
:he advaitins who (o11ow srI 'di &ankara Bagawadh p'da2 are known 0
the 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 or
vishist'dhvaitins are known as Ieng'rs. 9vaitins are addressed as Rao)is
- i.e. the atta-h 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 a-ross the term 8vaishnav's82 we tend
ass-o-iate that on1 with the (o11owers o( Ram'n*)'8s siddh'ntha. 's
m'dhwa8s have 8'-h'r8 as their s*rname2 srI vaishnav's a1so have
8'-h'r'r8 as s*rname. :he have two variations in this2 s*-h as 8Ra)a
g@p'1a IEng'r8 and 8Ra)a g@p'1'-h'r'r8.__'s the m'dhw's are wide1
known 0ased on the name o( srI ,adhw'-h'ra2 the (o11owers o( srI
&ankara or srI Raman*)a are not known to 0e re(erred to 0 the names o(
their respe-tive a-h'r's. :he term 8&ankar'dvaitin8 ma 0e present in
some Eng1ish phi1osoph 0ookE ma (1oat in 1e-t
*res2 0*t not in vog*e in da-to-da 1i(e. In pra-ti-e2 we -ommon1 have
dvaitins as Raos2 vishist'dvaitins as Ieng'rs and advaitins as
Iers.__Aenera112 sm'rth's a1one have sh'sthr2 sharma et-. as their
s*rname. Even those who have 8dhIkshidhar8 as their s*rname are
invaria01 a sma11 segment o( sm'rth's in o*r region. "CPeriav' is
re(erring to :ami1 Nad*C%. :he tit1e o( dhIkshithar is awarded to one who
-ond*-ts ag's and to his (ami1. 3:he -ase o( dhIkshidhar o(
5hidham0aram is +*ite di((erent4. In genera12 advaitins -onsider
themse1ves as those 0e1onging to Ier s*0se-t. /e2 th*s2 -on-1*de 0ased
on the s*rname in vog*e. "C ie Ier%.__:his generation doesn8t *se the
s*0se-t as s*rname. :his has 0e-ome a ta0ooD Even in the previo*s
generation2 others didn8t emp1o the s*0se-t name as m*-h as Rao)is did.
I( we go a generation or two 0a-kwards2 we -an -on-1*de that we are
grandson3s4 o( either an Ier or Ieng'r or a Rao)i. Even those who had
8'-h'r8 as s*rname2 did not re(er to themse1ves as those 0e1
onging to 8'-h'r s*0se-t8 - the re(erred themse1ves on1 as Raos or
m'dhw's. &imi1ar12 vaishnav's with 8'-h'r'r8 s*rname2 don8t re(er
themse1ves as 0e1onging to '-h'r'r s*0se-t - 0*t -onsider themse1ves
as Ieng'rs on1D "C/eC% sm'rth's re(er o*rse1ves as Iers: not as those
0e1onging to sharm' s*0se-t or sh'sthr s*0se-t.__'s m*-h as (o11owers
o( srI &ankara Bhagawad p'da are not aware o( their 0eing sm'rth's2
"CtheC% are e+*a11 *naware o( another important (a-tD :he (a-t that "C'diC%
'-h'ra hasn8t identi(ied an parti-*1ar deit as an e?-1*sive1 -hosen one
(or them and instead advo-ated to view a11 o( them e+*a11 "Cwith e+*a1
venerationC% 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 a
reason (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 who
happened to 0e advaitins2 -onsider themse1ves to 0e saivaites as the
di((er (rom the other two s*0se-ts. B*t2 this reasoning is wrong.__Ier2
Ieng'r or Rao are not sanskrit names. Hen-e2 when an Ieng'r re(ers to
his s*0se-t2 he introd*-es himse1( as a vaishnavaE Rao)i does as a
m'dhw'. :here is nothing wrong in their "Cs*-hC% identi(i-ation. B*t2 on1
this 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 a
saivaite '-h'r' 0 man. ' pro(essor (rom Fapan 3Ha)me Nakam*ra4 had
-ome to me. He said2 .I8ve st*died "C'diC% '-h'r'18s s6tra 0h'sham2 gIta
0h'sh'm et-. In a11 o( them2 on1 advaita is e1a0orated 0*t no mention
had 0een
made at a11 a0o*t &iva. and asked me .How is that o* remain a
&aivaite 7.__I asked him 0a-k2 .@n what 0asis do o* -onsider me a
saivaite7.. He rep1ied2.Yo* are wearing on1 vi0h6thi7 Yo* are doing &hiva
p6)a 35handhra mo61Iswara p6)a4. '11 other &hankar'-h'r's are a1so
happened to 0e saivaites 1ike this. /hen "C'diC% '-h'r' hasn8t (o*nd an
0hEdha 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 answered
him "Cth*sC%.
&ankara &ampradh'am - G
/hi-h re1igion or how man o( them were there in this 1and2 0e(ore the
advent o( '-h'r'17 It 0e-omes known (rom the 8&hankara ;i)aa8 te?ts
that there was the vEdi- re1igion o( san'dhana dharm' and there were
other sevent-two heterodo? se-ts. B*t2 among the non-vEdi- (aiths2 the
predominant one was on1 Bh*dhism. :he ma)orit o( the genera1 p*01i-
and o( the inte11e-t*a1 -1ass2 whi-h -arried o*t the phi1osophi-a1 resear-h2
have 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 the
sma11 gro*ps o( (o11owers o( these sp1inter (aiths had ver vigoro*s1
em0ra-ed and (o11owed their respe-tive paths - Even now2 are we not
witnessing the adherents o( vario*s 8isms8 and 8s-hoo1s8 (o11owing their
ideo1ogies rather vigoro*s1 tho*gh the siHe o( (o11owing in terms o(
n*m0ers -o*1d rather 0e meager - in genera1 the re1igio*s s-ene then was
s*-h that it -o*1d 0e divided into two 0ig gro*ps s*-h as vaidhIka matham
and Bo*dham.__:hos
e who (o11owed this san'thana-dharma-vaidhIka-matham are known 0 the
name - 8&m'rth's8. "C:he wordC% &m'rth's means those who (o11ow
smrithis. &mrithi means dharma sh'sthr's. :he work that proper1
-o11e-ts2 -o11ates2 -1assi(ies the dharm's en*n-iated at vario*s p1a-es in
vEd's and -ogent1 presents them as a sing1e so*r-e o( in(ormation so as
to g*ide di((erent se-tions o( the so-iet2 regarding their -ode o( -ond*-t -
pres-ri0ing the dos and don8ts (or a )Ivan right (rom its -on-eption in the
mother8s wom0 to its 0irth2 growth2 1earning phase2 marriage2 pro-reation
and (ina11 ti11 its -remation a(ter the death - thro*gh a set o( r*1es is
dharma sh'stra. :he are a1so known as smrithis. :hose who (o11ow them
are &m'rth's. :he (o11owers o( vEdi- re1igion2 addressed toda as
8Hind*s82 were origina11 known on1 0 this name "C&m'rth'sC%.__Neither
the 8e?-1*sive8 *p'san' o( ;ishn* nor the 8e?-1*sive8 *p'san' o( &hiva had
0een advo-ated 0 dharma sh'stras. '11 the 8vEda pradhip'dha8 deities
3those mentioned
in the vEd's4 are -onsidered to 0e e+*a1 here. :here is nothing wrong in
-hoosing 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 are
essentia11 one in nat*re. &m'rth's do p6)' (or (ive deities s*-h as
s6ran2 am0'12 mah' ;ishn*2 Pi11a'r and paramEswaran as indi-ated 0
the verse2 8'dhitham-am0ik'm- vishn*m-ganan'tham- mahEshwaram8.
's (ive deities are worshipped2 this is known as 8Pan-h'athana p6)'8.
@ne -an have additiona1 devotion 3prIthi4 towards one8s (avorite 3ishta4
deit. In the same (ami12 Parama &ivan -o*1d 0e the ishta dEvath' (or the
e1der 0rother whi1e mah' ;ishn* -o*1d 0e (or the o*nger one. :he
wo*1dn8t get separated into two di((erent (aiths s*-h as &aiva - ;aishnava2
0e-a*se o( this "Cdi((eren-eC%. /itho*t getting sp1it into two distin-t s*0
se-ts2 0oth &hiva and ;ishn* *p'sak's had even matrimonia1 a11ian-es
0etween them. :he -ommon gro*nd (or a11 o( them was - vEd's. :he
8karm'n*sht'n's82 advo-ate
d therein were a1so the -ommon 0asis (or them.
&ankara &ampradh'am - I
It is advised in the vEd's that a11 sho*1d -ond*-t the a)na
karm'n*sht'n's and sho*1d wear the res*1ting 8h@ma 0asm'8 "C'shes
o0tained (rom the h@maC%. :hat is wh2 initia112 a11 sm'rth's did on1
0asma dh'ranam 3smearing o( the vi0h6thi4. In-1*ding those who
worshipped ;ishn* as their (avorite deit. Even now2 when 'gas are
-ond*-ted2 0oth vaishnavaites and m'dhw's have to wear the h@ma
0asm'.__:he pra-ti-e 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 a
separate re1igion and a s*0 se-t were esta01ished 0ased on ;ishn* as the
so1e presiding deit2 it 0e-ame a ne-essit to give a new identit to the
-onverts o( this (aith.__&imi1ar12 8g@pi -handhan8 and 8-h'ndh*8 were
emp1oed 0 m'dhw's2 when their new 8sampradh'am8 -ame into
e?isten-e as a separate 3so-ia14 gro*p. Jor those2 who didn8t -hoose to
(o11ow an
o( these new (aiths 0*t -ontin*ed to pra-ti-e the origina1 vEdi- path as
advo-ated 0 Bhaghavadp'dh'2 no new names s*-h as vaishnav' or
m'dhw' were given. :he same o1d tit1e2 sm'rth's2 -ontin*ed. &imi1ar12
the pra-ti-e - advo-ated 0 vEd's (rom the ver 0eginning and emp1oed
(rom generation to generation - o( wearing vi0h6thi 30asma dh'ranam4
staed 0a-k with sm'rth's. ' vEdi- mantra (or re-itation e?ists2 on1 (or
mi?ing vi0h6thi with water and smearing.__:ho*gh a wrong impression
that sm'rth's are saivaites as the wear vi0h6thi2 has gained -*rren- in
present das2 it -an 0e said that2 in rea1it the pra-ti-e o( vi0h6thi
dh'ranam o( sm'rth's has got nothing to do with &hivaE 0*t is 0ased on
its vEdi- roots.__Be(ore the esta01ishment o( vishist'dvaitam as a
separate sampradh'am 0 srI Ram'n*)ar2 even the vaidhIk's who
worshipped ;ishn* with a11 devotion as their ishta dEvath' wo*1d have
0een sm'rth's wearing on1 0hasm'. ' &an'si does not have the right to
-ond*-t a)nas. Hen-e2 he -an not -ond*-t a
h@ma and wear the res*1ting 0asm'. Even then2 he wi11 sport the
vi0h6thi.__9*ring the 8p'n-ha r'thra dhIksh'82 the vaishnavaites have to
wear the h@ma 0asm'2 even toda.__Bh*ddh' o0)e-ted to the vEdi-
re1igion. He opposed a)nas and karm'n*sht'n's. He made no mention o(
Ishvar'. Hen-e2 there is neither 3vEdi-4 karma nor 0hakti in Bh*dhism.
9*ring his das2 sm'rth's engaged in a 1ot o( karm'n*sht'n's. I(
Bh*ddh' didn8t speak o( Ishvar'2 then2 there was a se-tion o( (o11owers o(
the path o( 3vEdi-4 karma2 who 0e1ieved2 ./hat i( Ishvar' e?isted7 @r what
i( He didn8t7 /e have the karm's en*n-iated in vEd's. /e811 have srEas
0 simp1 pra-ti-ing them.. :he are known as p6rva mIm'msak's. :he
0e1ieved on1 in karm's. Neither in 0hakti nor in g'na. :he a0horred the
prin-ip1es o( g'na m'rga s*-h as -ontemp1ating the a0so1*te tr*th
-ontin*o*s12 doing 'thma vi-h'ra2 0e-oming a san'si 0 reno*n-ing a11
karm's and remaining a1was in the tho*ghts o( 'tman et-.
&ankara &ampradh'am - K
Even now2 starting (rom the s-hoo1 te?t 0ooks to ever -on-eiva01e
-onte?t2 there is re(eren-e and e1a0oration on1 a0o*t Bh*ddh'2 whi1e it
has 0een ens*red that even the names o( K*mari1a Bhatt' and
6daan'-h'r'r are not known to anone. 9*ring the British r*1e2 3the4
did this de1i0erate1. :heir desire was to somehow 0e1itt1e the vEdi- re1igion
and -onvert everone to 5hristianit.__:he o0)e-tive was2.It is a11 right2
even i( it is not possi01e to attra-t "CHind*sC% to 5hristianit. 't an -ost2
vEdi- re1igion has to 0e 0e1itt1ed. It has to 0e ens*red that the Hind*s2 r*1ed
0 *s2 don8t remain pro*d o( their re1igion and -*1t*re.. :he (a-t - that the
8s*0)*gated8 Hind*s had rea-hed the pinna-1e o( -ivi1iHation and -*1t*ra1
g1or even in the remote past d*ring whi-h the themse1ves were et to
evo1ve into a -ivi1ised so-iet - -ontin*ed to remain as a thorn in their
(1esh. :hat is wh the tho*ght th*s.__:he took e((orts2 sstemati-a112
right (rom the e1ementar s-hoo1 1eve12 to ens*re that Hind*s don8
t 0e-ome aware o( the greatness o( their vEdi- re1igion and a1so o( the
great persona1ities who hai1ed (rom that re1igion. Hen-e2 the pop*1arised
amongst the -hi1dren2 in a 0ig wa2 on1 the esta01ishment o( a 8vEda
vr*ddha8 3heterodo?4 re1igion 0 Bh*ddh'2 right (rom their s-hoo1 das
thro*gh their -*rri-*1*m. B*t2 1e(t o*t2 a11 the re(eren-es a0o*t the
8mah'ns8 o( vEdi- re1igion.__K*mari1a Bhatt' emphasised the nat*re o(
vEd's as Pram'n' 3vEda pram'nam4 and the importan-e o( vEdi-
karm's and -riti-ised Bh*ddhism (or having di((ered on these two -o*nts.
6daanar -riti-ised the Bh*ddhist8s arg*ment o( 8nirIshvara v'dham8 and
esta01ished the e?isten-e o( Ishvar'.__@*t o( the triad o( karma-0hakti-
g'na2 on1 a(ter the Bh*ddhist prin-ip1es regarding karma and 0hakti
were demo1ished 3nir'karanam4 0 these two2 o*r Bhagavadp'da2 who re-
esta01ished the g'na m'rga in a--ordan-e with vEdi- prin-ip1es2 took the
avat'ram "Con this earthC%.
&ankara &ampradh'am - <
;ishist'dvaitins and 9vaitins who o0)e-t to 0oth Bh*ddhism and
advaitham do so 0ased on the "Cper-eivedC% simi1arities 0etween these two
s-hoo1s o( tho*ght2 in the rea1m o( g'na. :he *sed to even a0*se o*r
'-h'r'1 as a Bh*ddhist in disg*ise - 8Pra-h-hanna Bh*ddh'8. B*t2 this
per-eption is not at a11 -orre-t.__Even tho*gh '-h'r'1 Himse1( is a--*sed
o( having 0een a 8Bh*ddh' in disg*ise8- 0ased on iss*es s*-h as 0oth
Bh*ddhism and advaitham -1aim the wor1d to 0e a m'' and in advaitham2
at a ver high stage o( g'na as even the Ishvara *p'san' drops o*t - on
deeper ana1sis it wi11 0e-ome -1earer that this "Ca--*sationC% is +*ite
inva1id.__/hi1e -1aiming the wor1d to 0e a m''2 '-h'r'1 never meant
an thing to 0e a s6n' o( Bh*ddhists. He -onsidered the wor1d to 0e on1
a temporar tr*th 3thark'1ika *nnmai4 and emphasised that it sho*1dn8t 0e
-onstr*ed to 0e an a0so1*te tr*th. He -1ari(ied that this m'a 1@k' doesn8t
disso1ve itse1( into s6n'E instead when the rea1isation that this wor1d is
not an a0so1
*te tr*th dawns "Cin *sC%2 it811 a1so 0e rea1ised that this 1@ka and even we2
who rea1ise this wor1d to 0e a m''2 a1so are the a0so1*te1 tr*e and
-omp1ete 3p6rna4 Bhrahman itse1(. :he moksh' o( Bh*ddhist - the nir;an'
- is a s*0strat*m 1ess empt s6n'. @n the other hand2 the m@ksha
des-ri0ed 0 '-h'r'1 is advaitham whi-h is 0e-oming "Cone withC% the
-omp1ete state 3pari-p6rna-ni1ai4 o( highest tr*th2 know1edge and 01iss - ie
sat--hit-'nandh'. E+*ating these two "CBh*ddhism and advaithamC% to 0e
identi-a1 is wrongD__/hat is the greatness o( '-h'r'1 7 It is His a--epting
a11 paths and &iddh'nth's at di((erent 1eve1s and esta01ishing that a11 these
together2 at their highest 1eve12 1ead to g'na m'rga. Bho*dh's are those
who not on1 reno*n-ed 8vEdi- karmas8E 0*t those who even o0)e-ted to
them. /hi1e '-h'r'1 was the one who went o*t-and-o*t in s*pport o( the
pra-tise o( vEdi- karm's. :he ver starting verse o( His 8*padEsa s'ram8
is__LvEd@-nitham-adHIath'm-thath-*dithama-karmas*-an*shtIath'm L
__'s a
pre1*de to the dawn o( the know1edge2 the mind has to remain (o-*ssed.
Bhakthi *p'san' is essentia1 (or a-hieving that one pointedness o( the
mind. 's the mind wi11 remain a0sor0ed on1 in Bhagav'n2 "C'-h'r'1C%
has in-orporated 0hakthi as a pre-re+*isite. Karm'n*sht'nam is a ver
essentia1 step prior to "Cthis stage o(C% 0hakthi.__He o0served that the
imp*rities o( the -hittham wi11 0e -1eansed o((2 on1 when the mind is
a1was engaged in "CdoingC% karm's2 advo-ated 0 vEd's. @n1 when one
engages2 more and more2 in vEdi- karm's2 the mind wi11 0e-ome p*rer. :he
mind2 th*s p*ri(ied2 when immerses itse1( in 0hakthi2 wi11 0e-ome (o-*ssed
or one-pointed. @n1 a(ter that2 s*-h a (o-*ssed mind wi11 0e a01e to 1ose
itse1( and disso1ve into the g'na2 whi-h is the a0so1*te tr*th. :h*s2
'-h'r'1 has given *s a ver we11 ordered step-0-step path "C(or spirit*a1
evo1*tionC%.
&ankara &ampradh'am - M
"CvEdi-C% karm's advo-ated 0 p6rva mim'msa2 the prin-ip1e o( Ishvara
esta01ished 0 n'' and dh'na-vi-h'ra pra-tised 0 Bh*ddhism whi-h
negated 0oth karma and Ishvara2 e?ist as di((erent phases/parts o(
'-h'r'18s advaita. However2 when these s-hoo1s o( tho*ght (o-*ssed
on1 on a parti-*1ar phase/1eve1 o( "Cspirit*a1 evo1*tionC% and got st*-k at
that phase itse1(2 '-h'r'1 gave His s-hoo1 o( tho*ght whi-h a--omodated
ea-h one o( them at its s*ita01e 1eve1.
's other siddh'nth's stopped at a parti-*1ar 1eve12 He arg*ed withthem
too.__;aidhIka karm's2 no do*0t2 are a--epta01e to '-h'r'1. :he stand o(
p6rva mim'msak's that neither 0h'kthi nor g'n' is re+*ired2 however2
was not a--epta01e to Him. He advised2 .:he karm's o* do -an not ie1d
(r*its 0 themse1ves. Karma is a )ada vasth*. :here(ore2 the person who
0estows the 8pha1a8 (or the karmas is on1 Ishvar'. It is He who has
ordained so man karmas thro*gh vEd's2 inorder to -arr o*t the a-tivities
o( this 1@k'. :he (r*it o( an karma done2 there(ore2 sho*1d 0e o((ered to
Him on1. /e have to engage in karmas2 whi-h are given to *s2 to 0e -arried
o*t2 (or the we1(are o( the who1e wor1d and o((er the (r*its thereo( 0a-k to
Him. @n1 we when do that2 more than the dire-t (r*it o( the karma2 d*e to
the reno*n-ing o( the karma-pha1a2 we wi11 get the greatest (r*it o( a11 -
-hitha sh*ddhi "Cp*rit o( mindC%.__&imi1ar12 He arg*ed with Nai'ik's2
.It is not s*((i-ient to esta01ish the e?isten-e o( Ishvara 0 1ogi
- a1one. :hat 1ogi- has to res*1t in dire-t e?perien-e. :he dire-t e?perien-e
o( Ishvara has to 1ead to the rea1isation2 in the end2 that there e?ists nothing
that He is not. :he -*1mination o( 0hakthi2 at its Henith2 is the advaiti-
rea1isation that even we don8t e?ist as a di((erent one (rom Him. and
esta01ished advaita.__I( we engage a1was in the vi-h'ra/dh'na s*-h as2
./ho are we7 /hat is the :r*th 7 /hat is dh*kh' 7 et-. over-oming the
p*11s and press*res o( atta-hments2 then we ma a1so get the
-1arit/reve1ation s*-h as the one Bh*ddh' had got. :here is a1so a view
point whi-h sas2 .Bh*ddh' has not mentioned a0o*t Ishvara dire-t1.
:ho*gh he hasn8t de(ined nirv'na e?a-t12 he hasn8t o0)e-ted to Ishvara
e?p1i-it1 either. :here(ore2 it -o*1d 0e possi01e that he -o*1d8ve o0tained
the advaiti- g'naE on1 that he -o*1dn8t e?press it in words proper1..
Even then2 is it possi01e (or ever one to engage in dh'na and vi-h'ra 7
9oes one not re+*ire to have pre-re+*isite "Cspirit*a1C% mat*rit 7 Yes2 it
is re+*ired. :hat is wh vEdi- dharm' has pres-ri0ed karma and 0hakthi as
a pre1*de 3to g'na4. @n1 a(ter o0taining p*rit 3sh*ddhi4 and one-
pointedness 3Ik'kriam4 o( the mind thro*gh karma and 0hakthi
respe-tive12 one -an engage in g'na vi-h'ra a0o*t the tr*th.__:he
vEd's and smrithis have -1assi(ied the karmas 0ased on the mat*rit o(
varieties o( )iv's and a1so (or the we1(are o( the wor1d and pres-ri0ed them
as varna-dharma and 'shrama-dharma. Based on the adhik'ri 0hEdham -
when s*-h and s*-h a se-tion "Co( the so-ietC% engages on1 in s*-h and
s*-h a vo-ation2 not on1 the811 o0tain srEas 0*t a1so -ontri0*te to the
we1(are o( the wor1d - vario*s karm's and *p'sana m'rgams have 0een
-1assi(ied and pres-ri0ed 0 them.__'s Bh*ddhism over1ooked a11 these
(a-tors2 re)e-ted the vEdh@ktha karma2 *p'san' et- and pres-ri0ed
dh'na-vi-h'ra (or a11 witho*t taking the 8adhik'ri 0hEdham8 into
-onsideration2 the a-tivities o( the 1@ka wo*1d 0e dist*r0edE e?-ept (or a
rare one or two 1ike Bh*ddh'2 as others m
a not get en1ightenment "C0 s*-h an approa-hC% '-h'r'1 -ondemned
even Bh*ddhism. 's mentioned ear1ier2 the -ondemnation o( Bh*ddhism2
-arried o*t in a massive s-a1e ear1ier 0 0oth K*mari1a Bhatta and
6daan'-h'ra was -omp1eted 0 '-h'r'1D
_NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
&ankara &ampradh'am - =
'(ter the de-1ine o( Bh*ddhism d*e to the "Ce((orts o( thisC% trio "CK*mari1a
Bhatta2 6daan'-h'r' and &hankaraC%2 on1 the s-hoo1 o( "Co*rC%
'-h'r'1 got esta01ished in this 1and. :he san'dhana vEdi- re1igion2 a1so
known as sm'rtha sampradh'am - whose *1timate state is the advaiti-
g'na2 given 0 *panishads and esta01ished thro*gh the e1a0orate
dis-*ssions 0 '-h'r'1 - a1one got sta0i1ised on-e again.__However2 the
advaith'n*0havam is not (easi01e (or ever one. B and 1arge2 peop1e were
engaged in vEdi- karm's and Ishvara *p'san'. B*t the did not -arr
them o*t2 1ike p6rva mImamsak's2 with an attit*de2 .karm' is ever thingE
Even a &v'mi is not re+*ired "C(or the (r*its C%.. 's shown 0 '-h'r'12
the a--epted the Ishvara and engaged in karm's with the sense o(
dedi-ation "Co( pha1a C% to Him.__/henever we do an karm'2 don8t we sa
nowadas2 d*ring the sanka1pam at the 0egining2 that it is 0eing done (or
the prIthi "Cp1eas*reC% o( param'thma 3paramEshvara prIthartham4 7
__:HI& &'NK'LP', H'& BEEN IN:
R@965E9 3and ordained4 BY @6R '5H'RY'L @NLY.__Be(ore Him2 the
sanka1pam was not 1ike this. He designed the sanka1pam this wa to avoid
s*-h misinterpretations as28the (r*its o( a karm' 0e1ongs/goes to the
karth' himse1( and one -an o0tain the (r*its dire-t1 (rom the karm'
instead o( 0eing 0estowed 0 an Ishvara8. He got a11 vEdi- karmas - right
(rom a simp1e karma to 'ga and a)n's - dedi-ated to Ishvar'
3Ishvar'rpanam4.__/hen the origina1 vEdi- re1igion started adopting the
smrithis or dharma sh'str's2 whi-h depend on and (o11ow the vEd's2 it
-ame to 0e known as sm'rtha re1igion. :he are not di((erent. :he vEdi-
re1igion itse1( is sm'rtham. :he karm's are pres-ri0ed2 in vEd's2 to
0e-arried o*t on1 with a sense o( dedi-ation to Ishvar'2 (or o0taining
8-hittha sh*dhhi8. @n1 the p6rva mIm'msak's2 who -ame 1ater -reated the
-on(*sion. '-h'r'1 has )*st re-ti(ied that. In other words2 He re)*venated
the 8origina18 and an-ient sm'rtha re1igion and re-esta01ished the same
"CagainC%.
&ankara &ampradh'am - >
&imi1ar12 even in the sphere o( *p'san'2 vEd's don8t pro-1aim either
8;ishn* a1one is s*perior and &hiva is in(erior8 or 8&hiva a1one is s*perior
and ;ishn* is in(erior8. vEd's -onsider a11 the deities as "Cthe mani(estation
o(C% the same param'thm' and view a11 o( them e+*a11. In r*dram2 ever
thing wo*1d have 0een re(erred to as the &hiva svar6pam "C(ormC%. P*r*sha
s6ktham ma see ever thing as ;ishn* svar6pam. In some other p1a-e2
var*n' himse1( wo*1d have 0een re(erred to as param'thm'E Indr' wo*1d
have 0een identi(ied as paramEshvar'E 'gni as the on1 primordia1
godhead "C,*Hh*-m*dhaR-kadav*LC%E &*r' as the primordia1 Aod et-.
:h*s2 it -an 0e seen that2 whenever vEdi- s6kth's re(er to an deit2 the
identi( it as the param'tman Himse1(. In(a-t2 vEd's have *ne+*ivo-a11
-on-1*ded that 8:here e?ists on1 one sat'E man names have 0een give
to it 0 g'nis83Ekam-sat-vipr'h'-0ah*th'-vadhanthI4.__Even the dharma
sh'str's 3smrithIs42 whi-h (o11ow e?a-t1 the vEd's2 don8t s*0s-ri0e 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 "CvEdi-C% deit. B*t sti112 0oth shr*thi and smrithi
approve o( the prin-ip1e o( ishta dEvath' - worship o( an deit2 towards
whi-h the mind nat*ra11 (1ows and gets a0sor0ed in2 o*t o( 0hakthi2 as the
primordia1 godhead. Jo11owing this "Cadvi-eC%2 whi1e doing *p'san'
spe-ia11 (or their ishta dEvath'3s42 sm'rth's o((ered worship to other
dEvath's a1so2 witho*t engaging in an nindhan'2 thro*gh pan-h'athana
p6)'.__'s the karm' theor o( vEd's got into a 1oop o( misinterpretation
and -on(*sion "Ck*HhaR*padiC% 0 the stand o( mIm'msak's that2 .Ever
thing 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(
respe-tive ishta dEvat's 0e-ame +*ite -ommon.__:h*s2 when 0oth the
paths o( karm' and 0hakti were in a state o( -on(*sion "Cd*e to wrong
interpretations and pra-ti-esC% and when even the g'na m'rga was
0ro*ght down to a s
imi1ar state 0 Bh*dhists2 o*r '-h'r'1 took avath'r and re-ti(ied and
0ro*ght ever thing 0a-k to its origina1 shape/position and gave a step-0-
step pro-ed*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: @NLY
REN@;':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 0e-ame
ridden with stones and thorns2 HE F6&: 5LE'N&E9 :H': &,'R:H' /'Y2
0 removing those stones and thorns 0*t 9I9 N@: 5RE':E ' NE/
P':H.__Jor those who a--epted the vEdi- di-t*m o( ishta dEvath'
*p'sana - g'napath's who worshipped pi11a'r "CAanEsh'C% as the
primordia1 godhead2 Ka*m'r's who worshipped &*0raman'2 s'kth's
who worshipped am0'12 saivaites who worshipped Ishvar'2 vaishanvaites
who worshipped ;ishn*2 &a*r's who worshipped &*r' - He -1eansed a11
their paths "Co( an non-vEdi- pra-ti-esC% and 0ro*ght them *nder the
vEdi- (o1d. :hat is wh He is known as &hanmatha sth'pan'-h'r'. He
esta01ised this to (
a-i1itate the worship o( one8s ishta dEvath' with o*t having to ind*1ge in
the 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 to
do pan-h'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 rea-h
&*0rahmana2 one o( the deities o( the shanmath'2 it -an (air1 0e
-on-1*ded that '-h'r'1 has -hosen not to in-1*de Him "C&*0rahmanaC%
in the pan-h'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
@RIAIN'L &,'R:H' &',PR'9H'Y', @R :HE ;E9I5 P':H BE5',E
9IL'PI9':E9 IN BE:/EEN2 I: A@: REF6;EN':E9 'N9 BR@6AH: :@
LIJE BE::ER :H'N E;ER BEJ@RE BY &H'NK'R'. :here(ore2 i( an one
re(ers to it as 8&hankara sampradh'a82 then it is wrongE even i( I had
re(erred to it that wa2 then a1so it is wrong. __"Note: Parts o( senten-es
whi-h are given in 0o1d in the :ami1 origina12 are reprod*-ed here in
-apita1s%
&ankara &ampradh'am - $
's the sisht's o( toda2 amongst *s2 think2 .I( some0od proposes a new
path/ phi1osoph2 we sho*1d not a--ept it dire-t1E it has to 0e -he-ked
whether it (o11ows the tradition or sampradh'am.2 so a1so o*r '-h'r'1
has given *tmost importan-e to o*r sampradh'am thro*gh o*t His
0h'shams. He *sed to re(er with great respe-t that 8this is the
sampradh'amE this is how the sampradh'ikars opineE hen-e this a1one
is a--epta01e8.__It is said a0o*t Fes*s 5hrist that2 8He hasn8t -ome to
e1iminate the ear1ier re1igionsE 0*t on1 to make them -omp1ete8. Even
'-h'r'1 had -ome on1 to get the origina1-vaidIka-sm'rtha-
sampradh'am 0a-k on its rai1s rather (irm1 and He didn8t esta01ish
anthing new. He wo*1d -onsider re(erring to His as 8&ankara
sampradh'am8 as an 8apa-h'ram8 itse1(D__He has esta01ished even His
(ina1 -on-1*sion - advaita - on1 0ased on the pram'na o( te?ts2 handed
down 0 the tradition2 s*-h as *panishads2 gIt' and 0hrama s6tras and
wo*1dn8t have mentioned an where anthing as His own2 even 0
mistake.__:hat is wh2 the (o11owers o( o*r '-h'r'1 did not get an new
nameE the tit1e 8sm'rth's8 got st*-k.__Be(ore the advent o( srI Ram'n*)ar
and srI ,adhw'2 even among sm'rth's2 a set e?isted whi-h -onsidered
;ishn* as their 8ishta dEvath'8.__:here is a (*nn aspe-t to this 3idhi1E or*
vEdikkai4: :here were peop1e among sm'rth's who didn8t have the
"Cspirit*a1C% mat*rit to engage in pan-h'athana p6)' with spe-ia1
*p'san' (or their ishta dEvath' and witho*t ind*1ging in 8para dEvath'
nindh'82 as advo-ated 0 '-h'r'1. :hat is2 the -onsidered on1 their
(avo*rite deit as the primordia1 Aodhead tho*gh at the phi1osophi-a1 1eve1
the seemed to have a--epted advait'.__'mong s*-h peop1e2 even the
hard-ore/hper 3thIvira4 ;aishnavaites remained as advaitins. How "CIC% got
to know this is thro*gh a (a-t2 hitherto *nknown to o*2 whi-h I811 share
with 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 t
heir siddh'ntham2 "Cthe811 sa thatC% it is advait' on1. :he won8t wear the
n'mam. :he won8t wear vi0h6ti either2 as it is -onsidered to 0e asso-iated
with &iva. Re)e-ting 0oth the n'mam and vi0h6ti2 the wear on1 the 8g@pi
-handan8.__/earing neither the 8vada ka1ai n'mam8 nor the 8then ka1ai
n'mam82 there is a se-t2 re(erred to as .kItr* n'mak k'rarga1. "Cthose
wearing kItr* n'mamC%2 whi-h -ontin*es to 0e advaitins. However2 these
advaitins are hard-ore 3vIra4 vaishnavaites2 when -ompared to those who
hai1 (rom srI Raman*)a sampradh'am. Even in the present das2 when the
Ram'n*)a-vaishnavites visit &iva temp1es2 these advaita-vaishnavites2 who
-onsider me as their '-h'r'2 never enter a &iva temp1eD__I pointed o*t to
that Fapanese pro(essor2 .It (o11ows (rom this itse1( that2 what a great
mistake it is to -onsider me a saivaite..__&imi1ar12 there are advaitins even
among the vIra-saivaites. :ho*gh the have a--epted the advaita o(
'-h'r'1 as a phi1osoph2 the -o*1d not take His advo-ated e+*animit
"Ctowards a11 vEdi- deitiesC% at the *p'san' 3theo1ogi-a14 1eve1 and had
ended *p ho1ding the e?-1*sive s*periori o( either ;ishn* or &iva.
&ankara &ampradh'am - #!
Even then2 there is an important reason (or the preva1en-e o( the genera1
per-eption that advaitins are saivaites. '(ter Bhagavadp'dh'12 srI
Ram'n*)'-h'r' propagated vishist'dhvaitham.
srI Ram'n*)' was o( the -onvi-tion that 8)Ivan and Bhraman -an not
0e-ome one and 0e an advaiti- rea1it. Even in the state o( m@ksh'2 the
)Ivan remains as a di((erent entit "Cthan the BhramanC% and rea1ises that
the ver Bhraman itse1( e?ists as antar'mi within him and a1so a-tivates
him. Even the Bhraman is not an attri0*te1ess and a-tion1ess 8nirg*na
vasth*82 as advo-ated 0 &hankara. :hat possessed virt*o*s attri0*tes
3sag*nam4. :hat engages in a-tion too. :he one that prope11s even the )Ivan
to engage in a-tion is that "CBhramanC% on18.__:i11 this2 it remains on1 as a
phi1osophi-a1 tho*ght2 app1i-a01e to devotees worshipping an "CvEdi-C%
deit. B*t2 srI Ram'n*)' added here that28&*-h a sag*na Bhraman is ,ah'
vishn* on1E neither &hiva nor an other deit8 and th*s made
vishist'dhvaitham a--epta01e on1 to those who he1d a parti-*1ar deit2
theo1ogi-a112 as their 8ishta dEvat'8.__:hose who em0ra-ed the
siddh'nth' o( Ram'n*)'2 ti11 then2 were sm'rth's on1. Even the vaidhIka
matham or Hind* matham
itse1(2 ti11 His "CsrI Ram'n*)'8sC% das2 was on1 the sm'rtha matham. &o2
those who got -onverted to His siddh'nth'2 whi-h pro-1aims ;ish* as the
so1e primordia1 Aodhead2 sho*1d have 0een (rom sm'rth's on1.__&ome
wo*1d have 0e-ome His (o11owers p*re1 0ased on His phi1osoph. ,ore
than the phi1osoph2 at the theo1ogi-a1 1eve12 as the 8ishta dEvat'8 o( man -
,ah' vishn* - is esta01ished as the highest2 man sm'rth's wo*1d have
opted (or srI Ram'n*)a sampradh'am.
&ankara &ampradh'am - ##
Later2 srI ,adhw'-h'r'2 srI ;a11a0h'-h'r' and srI Krishna 5haithan'
propagated their siddh'nth's whi-h di((ered phi1osophi-a11 "C(rom ea-h
otherC%.__srI ,adhw'-h'r' didn8t even a--ept the -on-ept o(
Param'thma remaining in the )Iva as anthar'mi and esta01ished that 0oth
are +*ite di((erent. :hat is dvaitham.__It wi11 0e +*ite di((i-*1t to e?p1ain in a
n*tshe11 the phi1osophies o( srI ;a11a0h'-h'r' and srI 5haithan'. :hat
dis-*ssion is not re+*ired now. /hat I wanted to -onve is that2 a11 these
three "C'-h'r'sC%2 whi1e esta01ishing a phi1osophi-a1 tho*ght2
theo1ogi-a112 esta01ished a parti-*1ar deit as 8the on1 Aodhead8.__Even in
the ,adhwa tho*ght2 on1 ;ishn* is the param'thm'. Krishna a1one is
Bhraman or param'thm'2 even (or the other two "C ;a11a0h' and
5haithan'C%. Hen-e2 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 path
p*re1 0ased on the phi1osoph2 wo*1
d there not have 0een sm'rtha-vaishnavites2 who -hose the new path
e?-1*sive1 0e-a*se2 a highest p1a-e had 0een a--orded to their (avo*rite
"CdeitC% ;ishn* 7__&*mming *p2 on1 (rom the sm'rtha se-t2 peop1e had
moved 1ater to a11 the ;aishnava s-hoo1s s*-h as Ram'n*)a siddh'ntham2
,adhwa siddh'ntham2 ;a11a0ha siddh'ntham2 5haithana sampradh'am2
and 3:here was one Nim0'rkar - He was a1so a Krishna devotee4 His
siddh'ntham.__:here(ore2 among those who staed 0a-k as sm'rth's2 the
proportion o( vishn* devotees wo*1d have grad*a11 red*-ed and wo*1dn8t
that o( 0hakth's o( Ishvara 3&iva4 have in-reased "Cin d*e -o*rseC%7 :hat is
wh the pop*1ar notion that advaitins are saivaites had gained -*rren-D
_NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
&ankara &ampradh'am - #G
OJrom the das o( British ra)2 when the do-*ments were written "Cand
registeredC%2 sm'rth's were (o*nd to re(er to themse1ves as those
0e1onging to 8siva math'm8 than to sm'rtha se-tD__It is not on1 the
present generation sm'rth's2 who are tota11 ignorant o( o*r re1igion2 are
*nder the impression that the are saivaitiesE even d*ring the 1ast -ent*r2
the "Csm'rth'sC% have re(erred to themse1ves as s*-h2 even in the
do-*ments a--epted and hono*red 0 the government.__Not on1 this.
Long time 0e(ore this "CEng1ish r*1eC%2 even d*ring the period when
Ram'n*)' had sta0i1ised the ;aishnava sampradh'amE when man o( the
sm'rth's having ;ishn* as their 8ishta dEvath'8 started adopting His path2
the term advaitin seemed to have given a saivaite -onnotation.__/h I sa
so is 0e-a*se "Cthe saintC% srI Kant'-h'r' is said to 0e a -ontemporar o(
Ram'n*)'. He sas2 phi1osophi-a112 simi1ar to that o( vishist'dvaitham.
B*t2 He is +*ite -1oser to advait' on the +*estion o( state o( m*kthi.
:heo1ogi-a112 &iva is His
main deit. 's Naraan' is the param'thman (or Ram'n*)'2 &iva is the
param'thman (or srI Kant'-h'r'.
:ho*gh He had th*s esta01ished a 8&aiva-vishist'dvaitha8 path2 the n*m0er
o( sm'rtha-saivaites 3sm'rth's having ParamEshwar' as their ishta-
dEvath'4 who adopted the &aiva siddh'ntha o( srI Kant' is a0sma11 1ow
-ompared to the sm'rtha-vaishnavaites who em0ra-ed the siddh'nth' o(
Ram'n*)'.__:his -o*1d 0e d*e to the se1( per-eption o( the sm'rth's2
main1 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 it
appears2 the didn8t have the in-1ination to swit-h over to that. ,oreover2
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 new
0*t a simi1ar s-hoo12 1eaving advait'.__Phi1osoph is important 3or
appea1ing4 on1 to a se1e-t (ew. /hat is important to the vast ma)orit is
0hakti and the *p'san' m6rth. :hat is wh there had 0een man
instan-es o( migration o( ardent sm'rth' devotees o( ;ishn* to those
s-hoo1s whi-h he1d ;ishn* i
n an e?a1ted position.__P*re1 0e-a*se o( this2 advait' had -ome to 0e
seen as a se-t -onsidering &iva as its main deit and when a new s-hoo1
with &iva Himse1( as its -entra1 prin-ip1e was started2 sm'rth's 3ie ardent
devotees o( &iva4 didn8t -hoose to )oin this2 in 1arge n*m0ers.__It has -ome
to s*-h a pass2 nowadas2 that advaitins are taken (or granted to 0e
saivaites2 per se2 0 those *naware "Co( o*r
traditionC%._NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
&ankara &ampradh'am - #I
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 0e-a*se o( a
spe-i(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 in
this 1@k'. '-h'r'1 had ens*red that *ninterr*pted 'r'dhan' 0 keeping
the two o*t o( (ive in the matams at &ringEri and k'n-hi and the remaining
three at the temp1es o( NEp'12 kEd'rn'th and 5hidam0aram. /hen we sa
8&ankara ,atams82 sho*1d there not 0e 8*ni(ormit8 amongst a11 o( them7
:hat 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 whi-h is "C-onsidered to 0eC%
His &war6p'2 Narasimha ,*rht a1so gave a s'1agr'mam2 whi-h is o( His
&war6p'. 's He has kept the spatika 1ing' in the p6)' o( the matam2 He
has kept that s'1agr'mam too in the p6)a.__He doesn8t entertain the &iva-
;ishn* Bhedham2 even a 0i
t. 's He has done the spatika 1inga prathisht' at 5hidam0aram2 He has
done the N'r'ana prathisht' at Badhrin'th. :here itse1(2 He had
esta01ihed a math. 'mong the p1a-es where He had esta01ished the
matams2 P*ri Fagann'th and 9warak' are important Krishna kshEtr's. He
has not -ommented on &iva sahasran'mamE instead He wrote a 0h'sham
on1 (or ;ishn* sahasran'mam. :ho*gh there are man gItas in o*r
p*r'n's s*-h as &iva gIta2 dEvi gIta et-2 He has -hosen to give a
0h'sham on1 to the gIta2 presented 0 Krishna Param'thm'. 's He has
-omposed devotiona1 hmns towards Ishvar' and am0'12 He -omposed on
,ah' ;ishn*2 srI R'm'2 Krishna and ,aha Lakshmi a1so.__'s a11 these
points are not proper1 -onsidered2 He is interpreted to 0e a saivaite
"Ca10eit wrong1C%.__/hat is 0eing -ond*-ted "Cdai1C% in '-h'r'18s
matams is not on1 "Can e?-1*siveC% &iva p6)a. 's I mentioned in the
0egining2 the ver pan-h'athana p6)a is the p6)' o( the matam too.
'-h'r'1 is the -om0ined avth'ram o( Ishvar' and am0'1E 6ma and
,ahEsh
wara themse1ves gave Him the pan-ha 1ing's at Kai1'shE that is wh He
esta01ished Ishwara and am0'1 as the main deities o( the p6)a o( the
matam. B*t sti112 as per &iva pan-h'athan'2 even ,aha ;ishn*2
Aanapath and &*r' are a1so present in the p6)a. Here "Cin the matamC%2
simi1ar to &iva r'thri and nava r'thri2 we -e1e0rate r'ma navami2
g@k*1'shtami2 Narasimha )aanthi et- a1so "Cin the same
s-a1eC%.__/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 a-tivit2
.kriathE n'r'ana smrthihi.. :hat is2 an 0ook or an a-tivit "Csa-red or
se-*1arC%2 (or whi-h this srIm*kam is iss*ed as a token o( 01essing2 to
0e-ome a s*--ess2 we sa that 8we remem0er N'r'an'8. /e don8t sa
that 8we remem0er &iva8.__/hat do I sa when o* prostrate 0e(ore me7 I
sa on12 .N'r'ana N'r'ana.. '11 the shankar'-h'r's a1so sa on1
so. :his is the r*1e made 0 the 'di '-h'r'1 Himse1(. Inorder to get the
good "Cand a*spi-io*sC% things to happen to this
1@ka2 He has ordained the remem0ran-e o( N'raan' on12 as He is the
s*stainer o( this wor1d 3)agadh-parip'1ana-karth'4.__Jor so 1ong2 I was
ta1king a0o*t the e?isten-e o( the impression that advaitins are saivaites.
9iagona11 opposite to this2 there are some who ho1d that &ankara
worshipped on1 ,ah' vishn*. :he +*ote this N'raana smaranam and
;ishn* sahasran'ma 0h'sham et- as the s*pportive eviden-e (or their
-1aim. In addition to that2 the a1so point to the (a-t o( esta01ishing the
Ishvara or the sag*na Bhraman2 whi-h does a11 these 1@ka-vavah'ra2 to
0e none other than N'r'an' Himse1(2 0 '-h'r'12 whi1e e1a0orating
a0o*t Him "CIshvaraC% in His Bh'sh's.__-------_"#% :he
message/(oreword/01essings (rom the presiding '-h'r' o( a &hankara
,ath2 in the o((i-ia1 1etter head with the sea1 o( the math is known as
srIm*kam._NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
&ankara &ampradh'am - #K
Even then2 the ver identi(i-ation o( '-h'r'1 either as a saivaite or as a
s'kth' or as a vaishnavaite2 is nothing 0*t viewing Him in a ver narrow
prespe-tive. It is not -orre-t to -ategorise Him2 th*s2 as a 0hakth' o( a
parti-*1ar deit a1one.
I( it is asked as to wh He has identi(ied the sag*na 0hrahman as
N'r'an'2 in His 0h'sha granth's2 it is 0e-a*se ,ah' ;ishn* has 0een
entr*sted with the responsi0i1it o( 1@ka rakshan'm2 d*ring the division o(
three primar a-tivities. He has re(erred to the one who is in-harge o(
prote-tion "Co( this -reationC% as the ver energ whi-h takes -are o( this
entire 8prapan-ham8.__'-h'r'1 is a saivaite and a1so a vaishnavaite and
s'kth' too. /e2 the sm'rth's a1so sho*1d 0e 1ike that. :he one who
remains as a ro1e-mode1 (or a11 sm'rth's is srI ,*th*swam 9hIkshidhar.
He has viewed a11 the deities in-1*ding even m'riamman "#%2 ian'r "G%
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 as
vario*s deities is o*r o0)e-tive. :he attit*de to view a11 o( them with
e+*animit sho*1d 0e -*1tivated in *s. :ho*gh2 it is pointed o*t that even
among advaitins2 there e?isted vIra saivaities and vIra vaishnavaites2
a-t*a11 it "Cs*-h gro*pin
gsC% is not in -on(orman-e with the man@0h'va o( '-h'r'1 and a1so with
His advi-e/ instr*-tions to *s.__:here is nothing wrong in having e?tra-
oridnar devotion towards an parti-*1ar ishta-dEvath' 1ike 'ppaa
dhIkshit' 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 disso1ved
themse1ves in their 0hakti (or their ishta dEvath' witho*t ind*1ging in the
8nindh'8 o( other deities2 we sho*1d a1so deve1op deep devotion towards
o*r ishta m6rth2 witho*t resorting to an -riti-ism o( an other
deit.__:his is one o( -ardina1 prin-ip1es o( the vEdi- re1igion known as
sm'rth' matham. /hi1e denigrating the other deit2 i( one8s dEvath' is
-1aimed to 0e 8the8 dEvath'2 then it -an not 0e -onsidered to have the
a--eptan-e o( vEd'. Aoing 0 this test2 on1 we - the sm'rth's2 who (o11ow
the '-h'r'1 a1one are 8p6rna vaidIk's8.__I don8t sa th*s. It is wrong2 i( I
sa so. It ma appear as th
o*gh I8m ta1king +*ite high o( it2 0e-a*se it is m sampradh'am.
:here(ore2 this is not m opinion. It happened to 0e the opinion o( three
great persona1ities o( ore.
Even the opinion o( the m61a p*r*sh' o( dvaithins2 advaitins and
vishist'dvaitins - v'sa maharshi Himse1(- was this. In the an*s'sana
parv' o( Bharatham2 when He 1ists o*t the names o( (ive mathams2 that
were in e?isten-e (rom time immemoria12 thro*gh BhIshma pith'mahar2 He
sas2__s'nkham @ga: p'n-ha r'thram vEdh': p'sh*patham
thath':__In these2 8vEdh':8 is the vEdi- re1igionE sm'rtha matham o( 1ater
das. It -ontains ar'dhana (or a11 dEvath's. :he triad o( karma- 0hakthi-
g'na a1so is there "Cin the vEdi- re1igionC%. :he s-hoo1 o( tho*ght whi-h
does the phi1osophi-a1 resear-h2 the &ankh'2 is a1so a part o( that. Even
the @ga s'dhana is a part o( vEdi- dh'an'. '11 these things do e?ist in
the sm'rth' sampradh'am a1so2 whi-h was re)*venated 0 o*r
'-h'r'1.__In works s*-h as &iv'nandha 1ahari2 &o*ndhara 1ahari and
shatpathI sth@thram whi-h is addressed towards srI ,ah' vishn62 even
o*r advaitha '-h'r'1 has a--epted dvait' and vishist'dvaitha at di((erent
1eve1s. In His 8@ga th'r'va1i82 He has -omp
1ete1 e1a0orated the n*an-es o( Pathan)a1a @ga. '1so2 He has mentioned
the twent (o*r 8thathv's8 o( s'nkh'2 at man p1a-es2 in His 0h'sh's._
_
"#%: m'riamman is the 3non-vEdi-74 (orm o( am0'1 worshipped in :ami1
Nad*. &he is parti-*1ar1 known to prote-t devotees (rom sma11-po?. :he
most (amo*s m'riamman temp1e is at &amaap*ram2 a s*0*r0 o( :ri-h.
Aenera112 non-0hramin priests known as 8p6)'ris8 o((er worship to Her.
&a-ri(i-ing goats et- is sti11 a part o( Her worship.__"G%: Ian'r is
-onsidered to 0e 3again2 the non-vEdi-74 deit in-harge o( prote-ting the
vi11ages - @ork k'va1 dEivam in :ami1. He is seen to 0e seated on a horse
with si-k1e/sword and His temp1es are a1was 1o-ated 0eond the vi11age
1imits. Even He is worshipped 0 p6)'ris with anima1 sa-ri(i-es.
&ankara &ampradh'am - #<
@*t o( the (ive "Cs-hoo1sC% mentioned 0 ;'sar2 the remaining two apart
(rom vEd'2 s'nkh' and @g' are p'n-har'thram and p'sh*patham.__In
p'n-har'thram2 ;ishn* a1one is identi(ied as the AodE whi1e in
p'sh*patham2 on1 &iv' is seen as the Aod. :hese s-hoo1s denigrate other
deities and ho1d on1 spe-i(i- deities as the s*preme Aodhead.__'s tho*gh
;as'-h'r' was o( the opinion that these two s-hoo1s are non-vEdi- in
nat*re2 He has mentioned the vEdha matham separet1 as 8vEdh':82 and
gro*ped these two as sampradh'ams2 di((erening (rom vEd's2 0 making
a separate mention as 8p'n-har'thram2 p'sh*patham8. &ankham is a
mere phi1osophi-a1 spe-*1ation 3thathva-v'dham4 on1. In that2 there is
neither karm'E nor 0haktiE nor an means to the e?perien-e o( g'na.
:ho*gh @g' is a s-hoo1 he1d in ver high esteem2 there is no s-ope (or
vaidhIka *p'san' and karma in it. Even with regards to g'na2 there is not
so m*-h -1ear e?positon a0o*t the 8param'thma thathvam82 as it is in
*panishads.__'s these (o*r s-hoo1s are
8ap6rnam8 in one wa or the other2 He has disting*ished them (rom the
-omp1ete 3p6rna4 vEd' "CmathamC%2 whi-h possesses a11 the "CpostiveC%
aspe-ts o( these s-hoo1s2 0 naming them separate1.
;'sar is a ,aharshi. '0so1*te g'ni. I( His opinion was 1ike this2 there
was another - who was a gandharv'2 took 0irth as a h*man d*e to a -*rse
o( am0'12 0e-ame a great &iva 0hakth'2 s*ng in praise o( Ishvara2 o0tained
the ver Ishvara as a res*1t and (ina11 0e-ame a permanent resident o(
Kai1'sam 3nitha-kai1'sa-v'si4. His name is P*shpa dhanthar. :he
sth@thra that he -omposed is known 0 the name - 8&iva mahimna
sth@thram8. It means that 8the sth@thra that ta1ks a0o*t the greatness o(
&iva8.__:hro*gh o*t North India2 starting (rom those regions 1ing to the
north o( P*ne2 there wo*1d 0e no 0hakth'3s4 who wo*1d not know "CthisC%
&iva mahimna sth@thram. 3In o*r region "C:ami1 Nad*C%2 neither
:hir*pp'vai "#% nor :hir*vem0'vai "G% nor :hir*-m*r*g*-'tr*p-padai "I%
nor ;in'agar agava1 "K%2 0e-ame so pop*1ar even a(ter m repeated
pers*ations and getting them printed as 0ooks and distri0*ting them4.__'s
;'sar had mentioned "Cin His verseC%2 even in this sth@thr'2 there is a
re(eren-e to vario*s s-hoo1s. :hi
s 1ooks as tho*gh P*shpa dhanthar has -omposed his s1@ka keeping the
verse (rom ,ah'0h'rath' in mind:_
_
"#% :his a most -e1e0rated devotiona1 work 0 'nd'1 on &riman N'r'an'.
,ore detai1s on this work -an 0e o0tained (rom the ;ishisht'dvaita home
page.__"G% :his is a devotiona1 hmn s*ng 0 the (amo*s saivaite saint
,'nikka v'sagar2 in praise o( Lord &iva in a naaki 0h'vam. Both these
works together *sed to 0e s*ng d*ring the month o( m'rghaHhi "9e- #< -
Fan #K%.__"I% :hir*-m*r*g*-'tr*p-padai is a work on Lord &*0hrahman'
0 the :ami1 poet NakkIrar2 poet 1a*rate o( Panda king2 r*1ing the so*th
Indian -it o( ,ad*rai d*ring 8&angam8 period.__"K% :his is a -omposition2
(*11 o( @ga s'dhana detai1s2 s*ng in praise o( Lord AanEsh' 0 His
poetess devotee 8@*-vaI-'r8. :he spe-ia1it o( this work is the 1*-id
e1a0oration o( Her spirit*a1 progress2 step-0-step2 in the 8agava18 metre.
&ankara &ampradh'am - #M
8thraI s'nkham @ga: pash*pathi matham vaishnavam ithi8__8thraI8
re(ers to vEdha matham. :hen s'nkham and @gam. :his pash*pathi
matham is the same p's*patha matham that denigrates other deities and
-1aims that &iva is the s*preme 1ord. &imi1ar2 vaishnavam is the one whi-h
re(*tes 3nir'karanam4 other deities and esta01ishes the s*prema- o(
;ishn*. ;'sar re(erred this on1 as p'n-har'thram.__Both ;'sar and
P*shpadanthar had a--epted a11 these (ive s-hoo1s. :he have spoken in
praise o( them 0 e+*ating them to (ive di((erent rivers whi-h (ina11 take to
the same sea. :he have a--epted even those who -1aimed that 8@n1 o*r
deit is s*preme8. However2 as this attit*de was -onsidered to 0e against
the tr*e spirit o( vEdha matham2 the had -hosen to -1assi( these s-hoo1s
as those di((ering / deviating2 -omp1ete1 (rom it "CvEdaC%.__In the -ase o(
P*shpadanthar2 it is +*ite interesting. Be-a*se2 he himse1( was a great
s'm0hav'. :he theme o( his sth@thr' is nothing 0*t &iva ,ahim'. He had
even mentioned
that these (ive s-hoo1s are (ive di((erent rivers 1eading to the -on(1*en-e
into the same sea o( ParamEshvar'. Inspite o( a11 these2 he hadn8t
-onsidered the saivaite pash*pathi matham to 0e o*r san'dhana
dharmam2 known a1so as vEdha matham. ;Edha matham is the one that
re)e-ts nothing. 's it is the one whi-h a0sor0s everthing2 he had
di((erentiated it (rom p'sh*patham.__:he third one is a poet. I( there is
signi(i-an-e to the *tteran-e o( ;as'2 an important persona1it (or a11 the
three "CvEd'nti-C% s-hoo1sE i( there is importan-e atta-hed to the
di((ertiation o( the s-hoo1 whi-h ho1ds on1 &iva as the s*preme (rom vEd'2
0 the saivaite P*shpadanthar himse1(E then there e?ists a great amo*nt o(
va1*e to the o*tpo*ring o( a poet 3kavi-v'kk*4 who remains tota11
*n0iased witho*t a1igning himse1( with an parti-*1ar s-hoo12 and -1aiming
neither s*periorit nor in(eriorit o( an deit.__Let *s 1ook at the opinion
o( s*-h a poet here. /ho is that poet7 It is the one who -omposed the
stor o( Na1an as 8naisha
dham8 - srI Harshar. /hen he was attempting to give a simi1ie in a s-ene
with e?tra ordinar 1iterar merit2 he a1so to*-hes *pon this topi- o( (ive
s-hoo1s.__:he svaamvaram o( 9hamaanthi is going on. &he is in 1ove
with on1 Na1an. &he is ver parti-*1ar that she has to gar1and Na1an a1one2
who is present in the svaamvaram ha11. Even the (o*r dEv's - Indr'2
;ar*n'2 'gni and am' - are pining (or her. It is their desire to have her as
their wi(e. :he are a1so aware o( her 1ove (or Na1an. :here(ore2 a11 o( them
disg*ised themse1ves e?a-t1 1ike Na1an and arrived there. Jive Na1ans are
seated in the ha11 where the svaamvaram is going on. How -o*1d
9hamaanthi (ind the rea1 Na1an "C(rom these (iveC%7__It is on1 here2 srI
Harshar sas that simi1ar to the presen-e o( 8tr*e8 "Cs-hoo1 o(C% advaitha in
the midst o( (ive mathams2 the presen-e o( tr*e Na1an amidst (ive Na1ans
-a*sed -on(*sion "Cin herC% and des-ri0es the astonishment o(
9hamaanthi d*e to her ina0i1it to identi( him.__.pan-hama k@ti
m'thrE ..
. math'n'm advaitha thathva iva satha tharEpi 1@ka:.__8tharam8 means
the -omparative degree. :he poet hasn8t said the other (o*r s-hoo1s are
inva1id/wrong2 per se. &imi1ar to ;'sar and P*shpadanthar2 he a1so
a--epts them to 0e tr*e and va1id. B*t sti112 in -omparison with them2 as
advait' a1one is (o*nd to 0e s*perior in e?po*nding the tr*th e?a-t12 he
appre-iative1 re(erred to it as 8satha thara api advaita8.__&imi1ar to the
wa o*r '-h'r'1 has -1assi(ied the satham into three tpes2 &ri Harshar
a1so -ategorised it as 8ordinar tr*th8 and 8e?tra-ordinar tr*th8 3*thama
satham4 and de-1ared that o*t o( the (ive s-hoo1s mentioned in the
"C,ah'C%0h'ratham2 the other (o*r are ordinar tr*th whi1e advaita a1one is
the e?tra-ordinar tr*th.__In the 0h'ratham2 in BhIshma va-hanam2 the
term *sed is not 8advaitham8. :he a-t*a1 word emp1oed is on1 8vEdh':8.
B*t2 whenever a s-hoo1 had set in the pro-ess o( po1iti-iHation s*-h as
8;ishn* is the on1 Aodhead8 or 8&iva a1one is the s*preme 1ord82 it -ame to
0e
regarded2 then2 as di((ering (rom "Cthe tr*e import o(C% vEdi- tho*ght. :he
same view is e-hoed 0 the words o( P*shpadanthar. Even in his
-omposition2 the vEdha matham has 0een re(erred to on1 as 8thraI8 and
not 0 the name 8advaitham8.__In the post '-h'r'1 period2 with the advent
o( saivaite and vaishnavaite s-hoo1s2 whi-h invaria01 denigrate one
"CdeitC% and a((irm the s*periorit o( another "CdeitC%2 it is on1 the
sm'rtha matham o( advaitins that had t*rned o*t to 0e the -omp1ete
3p6rna4 vEdha matham2 a--epting ever thing. :hat is wh2 &ri Harshar had
emp1oed the term 8advaitham8 itse1( "Cin his verseC%2 in 1ie* o( 8vEdha
matham8._NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
&ankara &ampradh'am - #=
:ho*gh the wrong notion that advaitins are saivaites has gained -*rren-2
the opinion that 8advait' a1one is the -omp1ete 3p6rna4 vEda matham8 had
a1so 0een present2 parti-*1ar1 a(ter the esta01ishment o( vario*s
siddh'nth's 0 the 1ater da '-h'r's2 whi-h di((ered (rom advaita. :he
-ontin*ation o( the -ommon tit1e - sm'rth's2 on1 (or the advaitins "Cti11
todaC% is a proo( o( this.__:he root meaning o( the word 8sm'rth'8 is
neither 8the one who had adopted advaita siddh'nth'8 nor 8the one who
(o11ows &hankar'8. B*t2 it re(ers to the one who (o11ows the -omp1ete1
8vEdi- smrithis8 3dharma sh'str's4. &imi1ar12 the s*rnames s*-h as
8sharm'2 shastr8 et- have -ontin*ed on1 (or sm'rth's.__Even (rom the
sh'stri- works2 whi-h were in vog*e 1ong 0e(ore theadvent o( '-h'r'12 it
0e-omes known that 8sharm'8 is re(erring to the 0hramin -aste. It is a
tradition (rom vEdi- times to re(er to a 0hramin as 8sharm'8 and a kshatri'
as 8varm'8. I( we sa that there was a painter 0 name Ravi ;arm'2 then it
imp1ies that
he was a kshatri'.__Even now2 when a 0hramin 0o prostrates2 a(ter his
*panaanam2 0 te11ing his vEdi- s'kh'2 s6thr' and g@thr'2 we ask2 .what
is "Co*rC% sharman7.. Even he te11s his name as 8s*-h and s*-h sharman8.
:his is app1i-a01e even (or ieng'rs and m'dhw's.__B*t2 the one who
a1was *ses this 8sharma8 as a s*rname2 indi-ative o( his -aste2 wi11
invaria01 0e an advaitin. :his shows that he is the on1 -omp1ete 3p6rna4
(o11ower o( vEdi- matham. 8&h'str8 means the 8one who (o11ows sh'str'-
s8. "C:he wordC% &hastr' re(ers on1 to vEda-dharma sh'str'-s. Even this is
*sed as a s*rname on1 0 the advaiti- sm'rth'.__'s an e?-eption2 either
a m'dhw' or a ;aishnavaite ma rare1 have 8sharm'8 as his s*rname. B*t2
in genera12 0 the mere mention o( names s*-h as 89.&. &arma8 and 8Right
Hono*ra01e &hastr82 we in(er that these "CpersonsC% are on1
sm'rth's._NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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&ankara &ampradh'am - #>
I( one is said to 0e a (o11ower o( R'm'n*)a siddh'nth' or that o( ,'dhw'
or 8,Ei-kaNd'r8"C1itera112 the one who saw the tr*thC%2 the m61a p*r*sh' o(
saiva siddh'ntha madam-s2 then it "Cone8s (o11owingC% is not an iss*e2
dependent on1 on his 0irth "Cinto one o( the (ami1ies o( (o11owersC% and his
persona1 (aith on an o( these paths.__B mere1 0eing a son o( an iEng'r
or a 8p*thran8 o( a r'o)i or having 0een 0orn in a (ami12 a((i1iated to a saiva
mad'1aam2 one is not -onsidered to 0e a (o11ower o( an o( these (aiths.
Nor does he 0e-ome one2 even a(ter a se1(-de-1aration that he -omp1ete1
a--epts a s-hoo1 with tota1 (aith. I don8t sa so. :he ver '-h'ra p*r*sh'-
s themse1ves2 o( these sampradh'ams2 sa so.__.It is not s*((i-ient to 0e
0orn as an iEng'rE nor is it ade+*ate to have persona1 (aith in
vishist'dhvaithamE one who is 0orn th*s2 sho*1d have got
8m*dhr'dh'ranam8 3o( sankha and -hakra4 on his 0odE sho*1d have 0een
initiated into a mantra o( ,ah' vishn* "Cmantr@padEsamC%. @n1 when he
does t
he 8sam'-hraanam8 th*s2 he 0e-omes a vishist'dhvaitin. - th*s spake
vaishnava '-h'r's.__In vaishnava sampradh'am2 it is s*((i-ient to have
this sam'-hraanam2 done on-e. @n the -ontrar2 one has to get the
8pan-ha-m*dhra-dh'ranam8 done2 a--ording to ,'dhwa siddh'nth'2 ever
time one has the dharshan o( his '-h'r'. Even the "C,'dhw'sC% have
mantr@padEsam.__:ho*gh there is no m*dhr'dh'ranam in saiva
siddh'nth' s-hoo12 one has to get 8pan-h'kshara *padEsam8. :he re(er
to this as 8dhIkkai8. It is the trans(ormed (orm "Cin :ami1C% o(
8dhIkshai8.__Even in other sampradh'ams2 on1 when some
samsk'ram3s4 is th*s -arried o*t2 one wi11 0e -onsidered to have 0e-ome a
(o11ower o( it.__Neither the 0irth nor the pro(essed (aith a1one wo*1d make
one a vaishnavaite or a m'dhw' or a saivaite. @ne has to mandatori1 do a
samsk'ram2 e?-*1sive1 (or that. :his has 0een emphasised 0 the
respe-tive '-h'r'-s themse1ves.__I( it is so2 then there are man2
amongst those wearing n'mam and sporting vi0h6thi2 who have not got
sam'-hraanam or m*dhr'dh'ranam or dhIkshai et-. and what -o*1d 0e
the sampradh'am2 to whi-h the -an 0e said to 0e1ong 7__'11 s*-h
peop1e are on1 sm'rth's. It is a rather *nknown (a-t to manD
&ankara &ampradh'am - #$
Now2 a person is a Hind*. He gets -onverted to 5hristianit. How does he
do it7 ' 8Jather8 o( that re1igion -ond*-ts the -eremon o( 0aptism (or him.
@n1 when it is done2 he811 0e -onsidered to 0e a -hristian. @therwise2 wi11
he not -ontin*e to 0e a Hind*7__&imi1ar12 on1 when &iva-dhIkkai or
sam'-hraanam or m*dhr'dh'ranam is done2 a person 0e-omes a saiva-
siddh'nthi or a srI ;aishnavaite or a m'dhw'.__' person who gets
-onverted to 5hristianit2 1eaves o*r vEda - sh'str'-s. "C@n the other
handC% the one who adopts other siddh'nth'-s2 e?-ept advaita2 (o11ows the
respe-tive s-hoo1s2 whi1e retaining vEda-sh'str's. Even the '-h'r'-s o(
these samprdh'am-s are the ones who have a--epted the pram'n' o(
vEd'-s and smrithi-s. However2 the insist on some rites2 in addition to
those pres-ri0ed 0 vEd'-s and smrithi-s. @n1 when these rites are
-arried o*t2 one wo*1d 0e -onsidered to have 0e-ome a vaishnavaite or a
saivaite or a m'dhw'.__@therwise2 he -ontin*es to 0e a sm'rth'E it -an
even 0e -on-1*ded that he i
s the (o11ower o( &hankara Bhagawadh p'd'1. 'rg*ing th*s2 am I tring to
gra0 more n*m0er o( peop1e to m sampradh'am or what7__I( '-h'r'1
had ever re-ommended an new samsk'ram to 0e done (or an advaitin2
then what I said -o*1d 0e wrong. B*t2 '-h'r'1 had never s*ggested an
thing 1ike that. He had never segregated an one as an advaitin. He 1et His
devotees -onti*ne to (o11ow the immemoria1 sm'rtha sampradh'am and
the p6rna vaidhIka matham. He never introd*-ed an separate samsk'ram
(or an advaitin. :here(ore2 a11 those who have not *ndergone an new
samsk'ram2 are His (o11owers2 0 de(a*1t.__Neither the dhIkshai nor
m*dhr'dh'ranam nor sam'-hraanam had 0een mentioned in the vEd'-s.
/hat is re-ommended "Cin vEd'sC% is on1 the g'athrI *padEsam a(ter
*panaanam2 as a pre-re+*isite2 0e(ore the starting o( vEdi- ed*-ation2 (or
those 0e1onging to the (irst three varn'-s2 +*a1i(ied to have this know1edge.
@n1 *panaanam is s*ggested (or 80hrama-kshathra-vais'-s8. Even that
is not there (or the (o*rth var
na. Even witho*t this2 he "Cthe one 0e1onging to the (o*rth varnaC% is
a--epted to 0e the (o11ower o( vEda matham. '-h'r'1 had retained the
same (rame-work3vaHhi-m*rai4 "Co( vEd'-sC%. He has not introd*-ed an
new samsk'ram.__&m'rth'-s sho*1d not (ee1 0ad that the don8t have an
new samsk'ram pres-ri0ed. /hatever is mentioned in vEd'-s is more than
s*((i-ient (or *s.__Is there an re(eren-e either to the m*dhr'dh'ranam or
sam'-hraanam or siva-dhIkshai o( srI R'ma-handhra m6rth or Krishna
param'thm' in te?ts s*-h as Ram'an'2 Bhagavatham et-7 No.__I( other
siddh'nthi-s arg*e that the "Cs*-h ritesC% are not app1i-a01e to them as
the are avath'ra p*r*sh'-s2 then that is not a -orre-t 1ogi-.__/h
0e-a*se2 it is mentioned in Ram'an' that Rama a1ong with His 0rothers
had done vEda-adhaanam "#%. 'dhaanam is possi01e on1 a(ter the
*panaanam. Jrom this2 His *panaanam 0e-omes an e?p1i-it (a-t.
&imi1ar12 there is a re(eren-e to the *panaanam o( Krishna param'thm'2
0eing -ond*-ted 0 ;as*dEvar and 9Evak
i2 immediate1 a(ter their re1ease (rom 8k'r'gr*ham8 "G%. &*0se+*ent12
Krishn' is said to have started His g*r*-k*1a-v'sam *nder a 0hramin
known as &'ndIpanI and -omp1eted the vEda-adhaanam 1ike an other
ordinar st*dent "Co( His timesC%.__/h are on1 these things "Cs*-h as
*panaanam2 g*r*-k*1a-v'sam2 adhaanam et-C% re+*ired (or avath'ra
p*r*sh'-s7 @n their own2 within a moment o( their wi11ing2 -o*1d have the
not mastered a11 the vEda-sh'str'-s7__/h sho*1d R'm' 1earn asthra-
shasthra-a0h'sam2 8pa1ai8and 8athipa1ai8 mantr'-s (rom ;ishw'mithr'7
__&o2 it 0e-omes -1ear "C(rom the a0ove instan-esC% that the have got
*panaanam done and -ompe1eted the vEda-adhaanam to set an
e?amp1e regarding an idea1 wa o( 1i(e (or the mankind. /hatever tha had
done is ade+*ate (or *s. srI Bhagavadh p'dh'1 has en)oined that anthing
that is in e?-ess o(/more than what has 0een said in the vEd'-s and a1so in
smrithi-s2 the -reation o( maharshi-s 0 -1ose1 (o11owing sr*thi-s2 is not at
a11 re+*ired (or *s.__:ho*gh
the '-h'r'-s o( other sampradh'am-s have introd*-ed new
samsk'ram-s whi1e a--epting the vEda-sh'str'-s2 their (o11owers are
(or-ed to re1in+*ish man things that have 0een pres-ri0ed2 with o*t an
&iva ;ish* 0hEdham2 0 sh'str'-s2 d*e to their phi1osoph. &o2 tho*gh
there are (ew new additions2 some "Co( the ear1ier samsk'ram-sC% do get
dropped. /e -an 0e satis(ied that we have neither o( these.__@*r '-h'r'1
had advo-ated 89o not add anthing to the immemoria1 sh'str'-sD Nor
miss o*t even a sing1e e1ement o( it "Cin pra-ti-eC%D8. He removed on1 the
new1 a--*m*1ated d@sh'-s2 -1eansed and 0ro*ght it 0a-k to its origina1
(orm._
_
"#%. 8vadhik'dhaanE rath':8. #>th sargam2 0'1a k'ndam2 srImadh ;'1mIki
R'm'anam.__"G%. 8atha s6ra s*th@ r')an ... dvi)asamskrithim8. K<th
sargam2 #!th skandham2 srimadh Bh'ghavatham.
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