Part 4 - Sri Sankara Vijayam

Thanks to my spiritual Friend Subramanian Garu for sharing this information.

When Sankara was staying in Vyasa Guha, Sanantana's understanding of the Upanishads and Brahma Sutram and his Bhashyas, commentaries, surprised Sankara.One day,when Sankara was on the other side of the river, he called Sanatana for some teachings.Sanantana, took to his orders immediately and he simply walked over the river and reached Sankara!The other disciples were dumbstruck to see that as Sananatana walked on the river, there appeared a lotus under each of his step!Sankara became quite happy andstarted calling him Padmapada.

The One with lotus on his foot.Sankara treated Padmapada as his first disciple.In his presence, Sankara composed Upadesa Sahasri, Proudanubhuti and the great Vivekachoodamani.We can take that the disciple mentioned in Vivekachoodamani is Padmapada.

Sankara also composed here Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram, the quintessence of Advaita.Padmapada was the first one to listen to this great work.

In Vyasa Guha, Sankara also revived the concept of Siva-Panchayutana Puja, the worship of siva along with Vishnu,Devi, Ganapati and the Sun.Each one is a stone, obtained from various rivers and Siva is in the form of Linga from Narmada river.

After covering Rudraprayag, Vyasa Guha and Kedarnath, Sankara came to Uttarakasi.He was by now 16 years old and he wanted to leave his body, as per the destiny.He was in total silence and in Samadhi, waiting ready for the call of the divine.

At this time, one very old brahmin came to see Sankara.Sankara did namaskaram to him.He sat before the old man.The old man asked him:Can you explain me the Brahma Sutra commentary written by you?I would like to debate on that.Sankara readily agreed and the explanations lasted for a whole week.Sankara said:"Brahman is without form.Only Jnana path can lead one to the realization of Brahman within.All the other paths like bhakti and karma are only sublanes to go to the royal path of Jnana.The other paths can give higher birth after the death,and perhaps Heavens but not definitely the deliverence.For a Jivan mukta there is no need to leave the body, he has realized the Self even while alive.The leaving of the body can take place when the prarabdha is completed."

The old man was quite pleased.Padmapada who was nearby was trying to guess who the old man was.He understood through meditation that he was none other than Vyasa.He sang melodiously:

Vyasa smiled at him.He then told Sankara:You are given another 16 years of life, because there are many more work you have to undertake.First you go to Kasi and meet Kumarila Bhatta and Mandanamisrar.Sankara then prostrated before him and sang his Maneesha Panchakam once more.

Sankara then walked down to Kasi.He found on the way many many people rushing to Kasi on the banks of Ganga and Prayag.They told him:Kumarila Bhatta is sitting on a burning heap of husk to leave his life.We are all going to see him.Sankara also literally ran to Kasi and met Kumarila Bhatta.He asked Kumarila Bhatta to come out.Kumarila Bhatta refused and narrated his story to Sankara.

Kumarila Bhatta is one who followed Karma-marga, stating that the vedic sacrifices, pujas and chanting god's name would confer liberation.He wanted to win over Buddhists there.He went to their Math and debated with them.Since Kumarila had only Vedas as reference point, and since Vedic reference was not acceptable to Buddhists, he could not win over them.He then wanted to embrace Buddhism, only to find out their philosophy and then again debate with them for proving his point.He was taken to their Math and he learnt Buddhism thoroughly, and found that Hinduism and Buddhism are telling the same Truth in different fashions.What Buddhists call Sunya is Bliss for Hinduism; as other wise, there was no difference between the two approaches. He was ready to commence the debate.

The Buddhist monks knew his trick and pushed him down a hill.As he fell down, he was telling: If Vedas are true, let me saved.He was saved but for injury in and loss of one eye.He was wondering.Then, he understood that he had said, "If Vedas are true"; he did not say "Vedas are true." The word, 'If' is a word of suspicion and he got his punishment.After falling down the hill, he regretted his foul play and decided
to kill himself on a fire over a heap of husk.The fire was slowly burning the husk and he was being killed slowly suffering every inch of pain and misery.

Sankara looked at Kumarila Bhatta.The latter was quite happy and he found in Sankara the sublimity of Jnana. In one second,he understood that it is Jnana that would confer liberation.And Jnana is common to all religions.In total Jnana there is no difference between Buddhism and Hinduism.All fights are due to karma marga.

Kumarila Bhatta then said to Sankara:"I have no life left to listen to your bhashyam, commentaries.Please tell me briefly." Sankara then sang five verses briefly explaining the Pranava.A, U, m and the soundless conclusion.A is Waking, U is sleep,m is deep sleep and the soundless conclusion is tuirya.This is the famous Pranava dhyana panchakam.

Kumarila Bhatta then left his body.Sankara said to his disciples: This is how non-attachment and sacrifice burns as Jnanagni.

Sankara then came to Mahishmathi, the town where Mandanamisrar was living.Padmapada was with him.He came to the brahmins' street and listened to the Vedic chanting by young boys from every house.He found the brilliance of sacrificial fire from every portal.Sankra then asked one of the young boys playing on the street,"Where is the house of Mandana Misrar?"The boy said:"Dont you know even this?There is a house, where parrots will be telling, Vedam Pramanam.Veda is the Reference and Truth. That is the house!"

Sankara was smiling and went to that house.There were smoke from the sacrificial fires and mantras were heard.He entered.Mandana Misrar asked him:What do you want?Sankara: I want Bhiksha!Please wait.Let the ceremonies be over, you can eat!Sankara pursued:I have come for Vadha Bhiksha.The food of debate!Mandana misrar looked at the great saint and grew a little nervous.He said:Fine, please eat first.Let the ceremonies be over.

(There is a story that Mandana misrar asked Sankara:Wherefrom this tonsured head comes?Sankara said:The tonsured head comes from the neck!This is not there in Sri Sankara Vijayam, of Madhva Vidyaranya.)

There was dinner.Then Mandana Misrar said:Who can we appoint as Judge?My colleagues and disciples are all steeped in karma path.You may not like them to be Judge.Who can we select as Judge?Sankara said:Anyone you like.Mandana Misrar thought for a while and said:Let my wife Ubhaya Bharati (or Sarasavani) be the Judge, if you have no objection!Sankara looked at Ubhaya Bharati as Mother.She is Ubhaya Bharati,an exponent in two margas, both Karma and Jnana.Only for her husband's sake she has adopted Karma marga..She is thorough both in Poorva Mimasa (Karma Kanda) and Uttara Mimamsa ( Jnana Kanda).

Ubhaya Bharati brought two garlands and asked them to wear.The debate started.The debate continued for 18 days!Sankara was generously fed by Ubhaya Bharati after each session.

Source: http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?board=10.150