AdisankaraHisPracticalIdeology,Bhakti,

AestheticsenseandscientificLogicalIntelligence.
DrSuvarnaNalapat
AccordingtoVishnubhagavatham,Prajnaisrevealedasanoceanoflight(Niraavaranaa
Prajnaapaaramithaa).BudhisttextsalsothinksthatPrajnaparamithaisakintoSamvidsaagara.(Ocean
oflight).HavingadarsanaofSamvidsagara(PrajnaParamitha)asSudhasindhuinhisownprajna,
SankaraopinedthatUpanishadsarethenectarchurnedoutoftheoceanoftheVeda.Havinghadthat
Darsanaasswanubhuthi,forthesakeofmakingitaccessibletomanygenerationstocome,hegaveitto
usintheformofBhashyas.
SankarasstatementthatParavidyaorSwanubhuthi(Ownexperience)isabovealllogical
argumentativediscourses(Aparavidya)deservesspecialconsideration.Accordingtohim,theorderof
sequenceinahumanGurusmindisasfollows:

1.Swanubhuthi(ownexperienceofTruth)
2.Meditating,analyzingandlearningthesignificanceofthatswanubhuthi.Thisprocessiscalled
AdhyayanaorLearning.
3.Explainingwhatonediscoveredinalogicallyandscientificallyacceptablelanguageto
others.ThisprocessiscalledAdhyapana(Teaching)andatrueworldGuruhastogothrough
thesethreestagesinoneslife.ItisintheprocessofAdhyapana(Teaching)theBhashyaof
Sankaraarecreated.

GuruslikeThirujnanasambandhar,JnaneswarandSankarawhoattainedjnanaatatenderage,are
characterizedbysimple,pure,innocentIntellect,unpollutedbyanyoftheworldlypleasuresandtheir
stigmas.
InthePeetikaofKataUpanishad,Sankarasays:
RishivachoAmrithapaanasamutsuka
Upanishanmathadarsanalalasa
Aharahasruthisaragaveshina
Pibathabhashyamidamsarasammadhu
EvenhisbhashyaisgiventheadjectiveofSarasammadhu,whichdenoteshisaestheticsense.
SoundaryalahariSivanandalahariandmanyofhiskeerthansdepictthegreatpoeticandaesthetic
geniusofSankara.AttheheightofSwanubhuthi,flowoutbeautifulpoeticversesfromapersonsmind.
ThosewhosaythatSoundaryalahariandtheSthothrasofpoeticexcellancedonotbelongtoSankara,
areactuallybelittlinghimbysayingthatSankaradidnthaveSwanubhuthiandhisscholarshipwas

devoidofexperience.ThenameSarvajnagoestopersonswhohaveboththerightandleftbrain
functionsinequilibriumandSankarabeingaSarvajnahadbothartistic,aestheticexcellance(Rightbrain
functions)andlogicalintellectualacumen(Leftbrainfunctions)inequalproportions.Asingleverse
dedicatinghispoetrytoGodshowsthepoeticaestheticgeniusofSankara.
Sarvaalankaarayukthaamsaralapadayuthaam
SaadhuvrithaamSuvarnnaam
Sadbhi:samsthooyamaanaamsarasagunayuthaam
LakshithaamLakshanaadyaam
Udyathbhooshaaviseshaamupagathavinayaam
Dyothamaanaartharekhaam
Kalyaaneem,Deva,Goureepriya,
Mamakavithakanyakaamthwamgrihaana.
ThequalitiesarebeautifullyexpressedinasleshaforabeautifulchastewomanandtothePoetryitself.
Brahmaexperienceistheultimateexperienceorgoal(Paramapada)thataVedanthinstrivetoattain.
AboutthatParamapada,Sankarasays:ThadVishnorParamamPadam.Therefore,hesangGovindam
bhajaMoodamathetopeopleimmersedintheDukrinjkaraneofGrammatic/technicaldetails
sacrificingtheswanubhuthiofthatBrahmapadam.HowdoestheAthmadarsanaoftheViratappear?
EvadevoVishnurananthaprathamasareerithrilokyadehopadhisarveshambhoothanam
antharathmaa.
ItisthatGovindawithineverybeingsinnerself,theVedanthinexperiencewithinoneselfandattainthe
perfectblissofadvaitha.
Fortheseen,enjoyed,experiencedworldofourstherearethreeplanes:
1Paramarthikasatha(AbsoluteTruth)whichisParavidyaatthelevelofexperience
2.Apekshikasatha(RelativeTruth)orAparavidyaatlevelofComparisonsusinglogic.
3.Vyavaharikasatha(daytodaylife)orAvidyaofsamsara.KarmawithouttrueJnanaisthecauseofall
desiresandsorrows.

Anthardeepikanyaya:
Whenaketavilak(alampwhichburnsforever)islightedwithinaJnani,likegheeinthemilk,firein
fodder,energywithineverylivingandnonlivingbeingisseenwithinasAnthardeepika.Thatinnerlight
aloneissatya,Siva,Sundara(Truth,auspiciousnessandbeauty)Brahmaexperience.Andthataloneisthe
signofaJnani.HowdoessuchaJnanibehave?Inthisjuncture,twoslokasarequotedbySankara
fromtheGita.

1.Sunichaivaswapaakechapandithasamadarsina.(AjnaniseetheverysameBrahmaninthe
dogandthepersonwhoeatsthedog.ThusheattainsSamadarsithwa._
2.Samamsarveshubhootheshu.AllelementsbecomeequalintheeyesoftheJnani.Theconcept
ofequalityandfraternitythusoriginatedinancientIndia.

ThepopularstoryofSankarameetingaChandalaandrecognizingSivainhimhastobeunderstoodin
thissense.ThatisthebehaviorofaJnani,asignbywhichwesaythatthispersonisajnani..Thestory
tellsus,itisnotbirthinaparticularfamilywhichmakesmanaJnani/sarvajna/Brahmanabutthe
AntharjnanaofenlightenmentthateverythingincreationisequalandisSivam(auspicious).Though
borninaloworhighfamily,theAthmanwhichrevealssignsofJnanaseeonlySivam,everywhere.That
Athmanwhichiscoveredbyatroubledmindduetoinequalitiesandseparatisms(whetherbornin
highorlowclass)hastobeconsideredasaSudrasincehe/shebecomessad/orrevengefulbyjusta
wordofinsult.
ParamarthathathwamAthmavidoBrahmanoVidya:
Athoasivahethuthwaabhaavaathadwayathaivasivethiabhipraya
Allthatisbornisasaivam(inauspicious),sudram,chandalam.ThemomenttheJnanaofAdvaitha
(onenessofentirecreation)isrevealed,itbecomesSivam.ThisexplainstheApasudradhikarana.

ApasudradhikaranaofBrahmasuthra:

Whenwehearawordofinsultordislike,weexperiencesorroworangerandourmindbecometroubled
withthoughtsofrevengeordespair.SuchatroubledmindisinturmoilandBrahmandoesnotrevealits
fullgloryinit.Whenmindistroubledwithrevengeanddespairsamadarsithwacannotexistinit
becauseconcentration/dhyanabecomesimpossibleinatroubledmind.Therefore,Jnanaisimpossible
forsuchminds.ThisYogapsychologyofPathanjaliisessentialtounderstandtheApasudradhikaranaof
Brahmasuthra.
CanahouseholderattainBrahmaexperience?Sankarasays,ifthehouseholderisJnaanapradhaana,he
canattainBrahmaexperience.AnhouseholderwithJnanacanlivewithBhaikshyacharya(
Parigrahaabhaavam)andpracticeJnanaandDhyana,thesignsofatruesanyasin.

Madhyadeepikanyaya:

Whenalampislightedandkeptinthemiddleoftworooms,boththeroomsarelightedup.Similarlya
GuruofthePresent,isalampkeptbetweenpastandfuture.He/shelivesinthepresent,understands
andinterpretsthepastandleadstheworldintoanewbrightfuture.Pastistheprologueofthefuture
andaGuruinthepresentshowsthelightintoabettertomorrow.TheAnthardeepikanyayaand
MadhyadeepikanyayaexplainedbySankaratellsushowaGurufirstbecomesenlightedwithaninner
light,andthenhowhe/shebecomesaleadinglightresourcetonextgenerationssimplybyhis/her
presenceinsociety.AnthardeepikastateisthestateofSwanubhuthiandAdhyayanaand
MadhyadeepikastateisthefullfledgedGuru/BhashyakarastateofAdhyapanaforbenefitofentire
world.WithouttheAnthardeepikastatenoonecanbecomeaSarvajnaGurulikeSankara.Therefore,it
isevidentthatSankarahadswanubhuthiandhispoeticalcreationsaretestimonytosuchmomentsof
ecstacyofexperience,withoutwhichastudyofSankarawillbeincomplete.

AdvaithaofJnana,BhakthiandKarma:

SanyasayogaandJnanayogaareoneandthesame.TheonlysignsofasanyasinaccordingtoSankara,
areDhyanaandJnana.(Jnanadhyanaadikriyaapaanasambhinnaartthamarthaathsanyaasi)
Sarvakarmaparityagayogaath
kevalaBrahmanishtaswarupam.
InthatKevalaBrahmaswarupaattainedbySarvakarmaparityagayogaandJnana,thereareno
directions,spaceandtimedifferences,movements,nodifferencesingender,class,orcasteoranyother
dualities.SarvamBrahmamayamandthatparamapadaisVishnu.
Dikdesakalaphalagathisunyamhiparamarthasath.ThatSathisseenasAsath(Nothingness/emptiness)
byMoodabudhi(lesserintellects).ItiscalledSunyanotbecauseitisemptiness,butbecauseithasno
dik,desa,kala,gathi,phalaetc.Withoutunderstandingthis,lesserintellectsmisunderstandthatthe
SunyaorPoorna/Pujyaisnothingness.Poornaremainspoornaevenifanynumberofcreationisadded
toitorsubtractedfromit.AndthusthesymbolofZeroasPoornna/SunyaoriginatedinIndiaduring
VedictimesandUpanishadshaveeulogizeditasBrahman,whileIndianAstrophysicshasuseditinits
GanithaandNumbertheories.ThewordKhaharaintheVedaandUpanishadisusedassynonymofZero
inAstronomytextsandcomparedtoVishnu(BhaskaracharyasSidhanthasiromaniforexample).
SankarawasawareofthissignificantcontributionandhasexplaineditinhisBhashya(WhichIhave
dealtwithindetailinthestudyof12UpanishadstitledSudhasindhu.DCBooks2003).
WomeninSankaraslife:
JustasSudraswomenalsohaveanimportantroleinassessingahumanbeingswayofthinking.How
doesahumanbeingbehavetowomen,whoarerelatedtohim,orwhocomesincontactwithhim?To
assessthis,wehavetoconsiderthewomenassociatedwithSankaraduringhislifetime.
FirstandforemostishismotherAryamba.Hissanyasaataearlyage,againsthismotherswishesisa
legend.Hischaracterisrevealedinceratinepisodeslikecomingtohismotherssidewhensheneeded

himmostduringherdeath.HegaveherMukthibyrecitingthemostbeautifulVishnubhujamgaather
deathbed.
VishnubhujamgaisabeautifulpoeticworkandadevotionalmusicalsthuthiofaBhakthasmind.In
thosetimesasanyasinwasnotallowedtodothelastritesofhis/hermother.But,Sankarawasnot
boundbyrulesofsociety.Heknewthatastheonlychildofhismother,heisboundtodothelastrites
forheranddidso,andthatwasarevolutionaryactionduringhistimes.Socialnormswerenotabove
theloveanddutytowardsonesmother.InBrihadaranyakaUpanishadBhashyawefindthewords:
SthreePraadhaanyaathgunavaanputhrobhavathi.
SankarawasaGunavanPuthra.AndhisGunawasduetoSthreepradhanyaaccordingtothisUpanishad
BhashyavakyaandAryambasinfluenceontheinfantSankarawasgreatinmakinghimaGunavan
Puthra.
ThesecondwomanisthepoorBrahminlady,towhomSankaragaveblessingbythegoldenAamalaki
fruitsduringhisBhikshainBrahmacharyaperiod.ThedemonstrationofSankarasSidhiisnotonlyinthe
goldfruitwhicherasedpovertyfromherlife,butalsofromthegoldenwordsandphrasesofaesthetic
poetryinSuvarnaDhaarasthava.
ThethirdimportantwomanisUbhayabharathialiasSarasavani,wifeofMandanamisra.Sheis
consideredastheincarnationofGoddessSaraswathyherself.Shewasthemediatorandfinaljury/judge
inthedebatebetweenSankaraandherownhusbandMandanaMisra.ThefactthatSankaraaccepted
thewifeofhisopponentasthefinalJudgebearstestimonytohisimpeccablefaithinherimpartial
judgement.ThisSaraswathygaveSankarainsighttintoChandrakalavidya(ofThanthrikKarmakanda)
anditsAdvaitha(Oneness)withVedicAdvaitha.
WifeofKingAmarukawastheGurufromwhomSankaralearnttheGrihasthadharmaandkarmakanda
ofChandrakalavidya.OnlyhisAthmanwithinthedeadkingsbodywasinthisrelationship,andhisbody
nevertouchedanyoftheroyalpleasuresinthisperiod.ThebodywassafelykeptbyPadmapada,away
fromGrihastha/Samsaralife.
ItisherewehavetoreassessthequestionIsitpossibleforaGrihasthatobeaSanyasin?Sinceanyone
canbecomeasanyasin,ifhe/shehasDhyanaandJnanathisispossible,accordingtoSankara..Sankaras
AthmaninAmarukasbodyexperimentedandexperiencedthistruth.ItiswiththisexperienceSankara
declaresthataGrihasthacanbeasanyasintoo.
WhatdoesSankarasayabouttheintellectofwomen?(Sthreeprajna)
Maithreyibrahmavadinibhabhoova
Sthreeprajnairtharhikarthyayani(BrihadaranyakaUpanishad)
Sankarasaysinhiscommentaryoverthis:Grihaprayojanaanweshanalakshanasaasthreeprajna.

Thatintellectwhichisinterestedinenquiringintothingsneededforrunningahome/householdis
definedassthreeprajna.Thatwhichisoppositetothis,istheenquiryintoabsolutetruth
(Brahmavada).OneofthewivesofYajnavalkya(Maithreyi)hadamindturnedtoenquiryofBrahmanand
becameBrahmavadini.Theother,Karthyayani,wasinterestedinlookingafterthehomeandshehad
sthreeprajna.Evenifamaleisinterestedinhomeandthingsrelatedtohouseholderslife,heishaving
sthreeeprajnaonly.

Sarveswaravadam:

ThereisonlyoneIswara.Ekamsadviprabahudhavadanthi.ThisEkeswaraisperceivedeverywherein
everything.Therefore,EkeswaravadaofIndiaisSarveswaravada.Brahmaniseverywhere.Everythingis
Brahman.ThereisnothingbutBrahman.Thusevenstones,plants,animals,humanbeingsandeverything
innatureisBrahmanonlyandcognizingthisonenesswithNatureiswhatismeantbyAdvaitha.Inshort,
Ekeswara=Sarveswara.
ThusworshippingeverythinginnatureasanidolorasymbolofGodispermissiblein
Sarveswara/EkeswaravadaofIndia.
ProtectionofeverythinginnatureisthegreatestassetofSarveswaravada.Brahmanisineverything,in
Nature.Therefore,protectandworshipNature.BypreservingNature,biodiversityofNatureis
preserved.Forprotectingeverybeing,loveandcompassionisessential.ThusKaruna(Nonviolence)isa
basicaspectofSarveswaravada.GodisdesignatedasParamakarunika(Themostcompassionate).All
theworldGurushavecometoremindusthisfact.Brahmajnanabringsloveandcompassionforentire
Nature,withallbeingsandprotectionofthembecomeourgreatestdutyandpleasure.
InthiswaySankaraintegratedBhakthi,KarmaandJnanainhisbeing,logicallyexplaineditsbasic
principles,andlivedasapracticalexampleandinspirationformanymoregenerationstocome.

(Ref:Sudhasindhu:Studyof12majorUpanishads.DrSuvarnaNalapat.DCBooks.2003)

DRSuvarnaNalapat
Achutham(Cheeradath)
MRARoad
PO:Puthanpalli
Guruvayur680103
snalapat@gmail.com

(Mobile9895006074)