Adyar Pamphlets

Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

by: Kenneth Tryambak Telang
With a not by ANNIE BESANT President The Theosophical Society. 19!"#19$$ P%blished in 19$& Theosophical P%blishin' (o%se Adyar )hennai *Madras+ India The Theosophist ,--ice Adyar Madras. India PREFACE .ASINAT( T/0AMBA. TE1AN2 the late 3%d'e o- the Bombay (i'h )o%rt a deep scholar a tr%e patriot and a lar'e#hearted philanthropist 4as a sympathi5er 4ith the 4ork o- The Theosophical Society and a -riend o- the 6o%nders Madame (. P. Bla7atsky and )olonel (. S. ,lcott. (e 4as born in 18&! into a hi'h -amily o- the Saras7ata 2a%da Br9hmana caste and 4as ed%cated in Bombay at the Elphinstone (i'h School and the Elphinstone )olle'e. (e 4as a keen st%dent o- En'lish literat%re philosophy and political economy and became an accomplished speaker and 4riter. (e 4as a pro-icient Samskrt scholar and one 7ol%me in the Sacred Books of the East containin' admirable translations o- the Bhagavad-git Sanat-sujtiya and Anugita # stands to his credit and 4ill 'o do4n to posterity as a mon%ment to his deep scholarship. (is learned contrib%tions to the Indian Antiquary and his Gleanings from Mahratta hronicles are -%ll o- instr%cti7e hints and s%''estions. (e 4as at one time the President o- the Bombay Branch o- the /oyal Asiatic Society. In 18"1 he read be-ore the St%dents: 1iterary and Scienti-ic Society a 7ery interestin' paper on Samkaracharya; he had also other 7al%able notes and material on that obsc%re s%b<ect 4hich 4ith the paper 4ere resc%ed -rom obli7ion by )olonel ,lcott and p%blished in 18"9 in The Theosophist =>oI. I pp. "1 89 and ?!$@. The essay is admirable and contains 7al%able in-ormation and its p%blication in this permanent -orm 4ill it is hoped be appreciated. T. P. (. N,TE 6/,M the occ%lt standpoint the -irst Sri Samkaracharya 4as a Bein' -ar abo7e o%r race one o- the Three .%maras immediately belo4 the 2reat Initiator spoken o- in !he Secret "octrine and in closest relation 4ith (im. (e belon's to the h%manity o- S:%kra not to that o- o%r earth. (e became incarnate abo%t ei'hty years a-ter the passin' a4ay o- 2a%tama the 1ord B%ddha # a -act that is historically recorded only in the archi7es o- the A7araka Math. Some hints abo%t (im may be -o%nd in the !hird #olume of !he Secret "octrine b%t they are 7ery con-%sed and perhaps p%rposely made contradictory; they 4ill be -o%nd in the Section on B !he Mystery of Buddha B. ANNIE BESANT

Pa'e 1

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/e-erences 4ill be -o%nd inC

Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

The Age of Sri Sankaracharya# by Pandit N. Bhashyacharya Sri Sankarachary s !ate and !octrine in the Esoteric Writin's o- T.S%bba /o4# and The Mystery of "#ddha in the third 7ol%me o- the Secret Aoctrine by (.P.Bla7atsky

I MI2(T 4ell plead the m%ltit%dino%s en'a'ements o- a b%sy pro-essional and literary li-e as an eDc%se -or not complyin' 4ith the reE%est to brie-ly notice in !he !heoso$hist the incidents o- S:amkaracarya:s ill%strio%s career. B%t I am -irst and last a (ind% and my sympathies and h%mble co#operation are pled'ed in ad7ance to e7ery le'itimate attempt to el%cidate the history o- India or better the intellect%al condition o- my co%ntrymen. 6rom the earliest time the st%dy o- philosophy and metaphysics has been pri5ed and enco%ra'ed in this co%ntry and hi'h abo7e all other names in its history are 4ritten those oo%r people 4ho ha7e aimed to help men to clearer thinkin' %pon the s%b<ects embraced in those cate'ories 4hether by their 4ritin's disco%rses or eDample. The li-e 4hich -orms my present theme is the li-e o- one o- the 'reatest men 4ho ha7e appeared in India. Whether 4e consider his nat%ral abilities his %nsel-ish de7otion to the ca%se o- reli'ion or the in-l%ence he has eDerted %pon his co%ntrymen this splendid ascetic stands facile $rince$s. So enchantin' in -act are all his s%rro%ndin's that it is no 4onder that the admiration o- an astonished people sho%ld ha7e e%hemeri5ed him into an incarnation o- the Aeity. ,%r i'noble h%man nat%re seems e7er so conscio%s o- its o4n 4eakness and imper-ection as to be prone to dei-y 4hosoe7er eDempli-ies its hi'her aspirations; as tho%'h the keepin' o- him on the h%man plane made other men seem meaner and more little by contrast. S:amkaracarya:s bio'raphers apotheosi5ed their hero as AleDander:s and )icero:s and those oApolloni%s 3es%s and M%hammad did theirs. They made his ad7ent presa'ed by a hea7enly 7ision# oMaha#de7a to his -ather S:i7a#'%r%#and his career attended by miracles 4hich no theory o- interior or psychical de7elopment can co7er. A lenient posterity may 4ell pass o7er these pio%s embellishments as the -r%it o- an eD%berant partiality -or a-ter all these ha7e been stripped a4ay the tr%e 'rande%r o- the pandit philosopher and mystic is only the more plainly re7ealed to %s. We are %n-ort%nately 4itho%t the necessary data to enable %s to precisely -iD the epoch in 4hich this 'reat teacher -lo%rished. Some ascribe it to the second cent%ry be-ore others 4o%ld brin' him do4n to the tenth a-ter )hrist. Most modern scholars a'ree in locatin' him in the ei'hth cent%ry o- the )hristian eraC and since 4e ha7e -or this opinion the conc%rrent a%thority o- Wilson )olebrooke /am Mohan /oy 0a<nes7ara Sastri and Pro-. 3ayanarayana Tarkapancanana the Ben'ali editor o- Ananda#'iri:s S%amkara-vijaya and as it is less important a-ter all to kno4 4hen he ta%'ht than 4hat he ta%'ht and did 4e may as 4ell accept that decision 4itho%t debate. No more certainly can his birth#place be determined. As se7en cities competed -or the hono%r o- ha7in' prod%ced a (omer so -i7e bio'raphers ascribe his nati7ity to as many di--erent localities. S:rn'eri is commonly belie7ed to ha7e been the -a7o%red to4n; $See Pandit .. >. /ama#s7ami:s sketches pa'e F and themap at the end o- the book. % b%t a passa'e -rom the S:i7a#rahasya E%oted in the .a7i#caritra 4o%ld indicate a to4n in the .erala Aistrict named Sasala# 'rama; $ .a7i#caritra pa'e $ line 1" % Ananda#'iri:s li-e o- S:amkara names )idambara#p%ra; $ Pa'es 9 and 19. It may be added here that I ha7e 'ra7e do%bts as to the Samkara# 7i<aya p%blished at )alc%tta. bein' really a 4ork o- Ananda#'iri the p%pil o- S:amkara. % Madha7a p%ts Pa'e ?

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

-or4ard .alati; $ Madha7acarya. II $. % and lastly 0a<7nes7ara S:astri in his Arya-vidya-sudhakara tells %s that S:amkara -irst sa4 the li'ht at .alpi.$ Pa'e ??G % E7en i- 4e do not belie7e the stories o- the portents and 4onders said to ha7e occ%rred in the animal and 7e'etable kin'doms at his birth #s%ch as the -raterni5in' to'ether o- beasts ordinarily hostile to each other the %ncommon pell%cidity o- the streams the preternat%ral sheddin' o- -ra'rance by trees and plants nor o- the <oy o- the Hpanishads nor the 'lad paeans o- the 4hole celestial host; 4e yet kno4 -or certain that o%r hero at an early a'e displayed a most 4onder-%l precocity. In his -irst year he acE%ired the Samskrt alphabet and his o4n lan'%a'e; at t4o learned to read; at three st%died the .a7yas and P%ranas#and %nderstood many portions o- them by int%ition.$ Madha7a. I>.1#$ % Ananda#'iri less circ%mstantial merely states that S:amkara became con7ersant 4ith Prakrta Ma'adhi and Samskrta lan'%a'es e7en in his Saisa7a in-ancy. (a7in' st%died the Itihasa the P%ranas the Maha#bharata the Smrtis and the Sastras Samkara in his se7enth year ret%rned -rom his preceptor to his o4n home. Madha7a narrates that the mother o- his hero bein' one day o7erpo4ered by the debility res%ltin' -rom the a%sterities she had practised be-ore his birth to propitiate the 'ods and make them 'rant her prayer -or a son as 4ell as by the torrid heat othe s%n -aintedC 4here%pon S:amkara -indin' her in a s4oon not only bro%'ht her back to conscio%sness b%t also ca%sed the ri7er to rise thereby coolin' the air -or her a circ%mstance 4hich oco%rse spread his -ame as a tha%mat%r'ist -ar and 4ideI The .in' o- .erala 7ainly o--erin' him presents o- 'old and elephants thro%'h his o4n minister came himsel- to pay re7erence and disclosin' his lon'in' -or a son like himsel- 4as made happy by the sa'e 4ho ta%'ht the kin' pri7ately the rites to be per-ormed in s%ch cases. I m%st not lose the opport%nity to point o%t in passin' the t4o thin's implied in this bio'raphical scrap 7i5. that it 4as belie7ed that the birth o- pro'eny mi'ht be bro%'ht abo%t by the recitation o- mantras $ Madha7a. > I. compare Ananda#'iri pa'e 11 % and the per-ormance o- ceremonial rites and that the secret is ne7er p%blicly ta%'ht b%t pri7ately con7eyed -rom adept to disciple. $ Madha7a > &9. % I shall not d4ell %pon these -acts b%t lea7e them to be disposed o-- as they 4ill be by o%r ne4 -riends the Theosophists to 4hom the mystical side o- nat%re o--ers most enticements. Abo%t the same time the 'reat sa'e A'astya. 7isitin' Samkara 4ith other sa'es. prophesied to his mother that he 4o%ld die at the a'e o- $?. 6eelin' that this 4orld is all a passin' sho4 this boy o- ei'ht years determined to embrace the li-e o- a holy Samnyasin b%t his mother ob<ected her motherly pride do%btless cra7in' that her son sho%ld in his t%rn be'et a son to inherit his o4n 'reatness o- so%l and mind. The lad:s determination 4as not to be shaken ho4e7er and the maternal consent 4as obtained as the bio'raphers tell %s by the 4orkin' o- a miracle.$ Madhava >. 8" None o- Madha7a:s details are to be -o%nd in Ananda#'iri 4here 4e ha7e b%t t4o lines on this s%b<ect alto'ether. Pa'e 1". % Bathin' in the ri7er one day his -oot 4as ca%'ht by an alli'ator. (e 4ailed so lo%d that his mother ran to the spot and bein' told that the alli'ator 4o%ld not lea7e 'o his hold %ntil she had a'reed to her son:s becomin' an ascetic -elt coerced into 'i7in' her consent. S:amkaracarya there%pon came o%t o- the ri7er and con-idin' her to the care o- relati7es and -riends and tellin' her he 4o%ld come back to her 4hene7er she sho%ld need his presence he 4ent a 4ay and took %p the career -or 4hich he had so stron' a nat%ral bent. As i- dra4n by some irresistible ma'netic attraction to4ards a certain spot S:amkara tra7elled -or se7eral days thro%'h -orests o7er hills by to4ns and across ri7ers yet all the 4hile %nconscio%s o- all and obli7io%s to the men and beasts that 4ent by him on his 4ay and arri7ed at the ca7e in a hill on the Pa'e $

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

banks o- the Narmada 4here 2o7inda 0ati had -iDed his hermita'e. A-ter the %s%al preliminaries the sa'e accepted the lad as a p%pil and ta%'ht him the Brahman o%t o- the -o%r 'reat sentences#.no4led'e is Brahman; This so%l is Brahman; Tho% art That; and I am Brahman. It is related by Madha7a that immediately a-ter he had entered %pon this discipleship one day 4hen his '%r% 4as immersed in contemplation or as 4e sho%ld say Aharana by prono%ncin' certain mystic 7erses S:amkara per-ormed the miracle o- E%ellin' a -%rio%s tempest o- rain accompanied by a4-%l th%nder and li'htnin'. Hpon ret%rnin' to conscio%sness o- eDternal thin's hearin' 4hat his ill%strio%s p%pil had done 2o7inda Natha 4as o7er<oyed as this 7ery e7ent had been -oretold to him by >yasa at a sacri-ice celebrated lon' be-ore by the sa'e Atri. Besto4in' his benediction %pon S:amkara be bade him 'o to (oly Benares and recei7e there the blessin' o- the Aeity. ,n thy 'lorio%s 4ork Then enter and be'in to sa7e mankind. Th%s admonished S:amkara proceeded to Benares 4here a-ter a residence o- some months he is said to ha7e recei7ed his -irst p%pil Sanandana # the same 4ho a-ter4ards became celebrated as his 'reatest -a7o%rite %nder the title o- Padma#pada. I con-ess to a do%bt o- the acc%racy o- this date tho%'h I E%ote the circ%mstance -rom Madha7a :s book $ Madha7a. >. &$#G1. % -or it does seem impossible that S:amkara sho%ld ha7e be'%n to 'et p%pils at s%ch a 7ery tender a'e as %pon Madha7a :s o4n sho4in' he m%st ha7e reached at the time. (o4e7er be this as it may Padma#pada 4as d%ly enrolled as a disciple at Benares and there most o- the others also <oined him. In his t4el-th year S:amkara remo7ed to Badari on the banks o- the 2an'es 4here he composed his masterpiece the commentary on the Brahma-sutras. (ere also he 4rote the commentary on the &$anisads on the Bhagavad-gita on the 'rsirmha-ta$ani =so called by Madha7a@ and on the Sanatsujatiya besides other 4orks. (e then ta%'ht his 'reat commentary to his n%mero%s p%pils b%t al4ays reser7in' his mar7ello%s po4ers o- eDposi tion -or Padma#pada. This eDcited en7y in the breasts o- the other p%pils to dispel 4hich S:amkara once standin' on the bank o- the ri7er 4hich -lo4ed by his residence called to Padma#pada to come o7er to him directly -rom the opposite bank. The latter obeyed and da%ntlessly 4alked o7er the s%r-ace o- the 4aters 4hich sent %p a lot%s at each step he took. I t 4as on this occasion that the name Padma#pada 4as 'i7en him by S:amkara as he 4armly embraced him in reco'nition o- his enth%siastic de7otion. While teachin' his p%pils the yo%th-%l teacher did not -ail to make ad7ersaries amon' the learned men 4ho held tenets di--erent to his o4n b%t he al4ays came o-- 7ictor. (e dre4 says Madha7a -rom the arsenal o- a 7ast >edic learnin' the 4eapons 4ith 4hich to combat his po4er-%l assailants. We are treated to a description o- an ei'ht#days: debate# bet4een himsel- and >yasa 4ho appeared %nder the '%ise o- an a'ed Brahmana b%t 4hose identity 4as int%iti7ely reco'ni5ed at least by Padma#pada. The bio'rapher tells %s that the spirit o- >yasa in his ass%med '%ise o- the Brahmana propo%nded a tho%sand ob<ections to S:amkara:s 'reat Bhasya on the Brahma-sutras 4hich 4ere all tri%mphantly ans4ered and in the end 'a7e the latter an eDtension o- siDteen years o- li-e o7er and abo7e the set term o- siDteen that he 4as to ha7e li7ed and a-ter biddin' him %ndertake a re-%tation o- all the other philosophic systems in 7o'%e blessed him and then disappeared. A-ter this S:amkara set o%t -or Praya'a in search o- Bhatta .%marila 4ith a 7ie4 to ask him to 4rite Pa'e F

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

varttikas on his Bhasya b%t -o%nd that he 4as %pon the point o- sel-#cremation in dis'%st 4ith the 4orld. >ainly entreatin' him to reconsider his determination S:amkara ne7ertheless 4as permitted to eDplain his commentaries 4hich .%marila praised %nstintin'ly; and a-ter the latter had accomplished his act o- sel-# immolation S:amkara proceeded on to Mahismati the city 4here as .%marila had in-ormed him he 4o%ld -ind Mandana Mis:ra 4ho 4o%ld %ndertake the 4ork S:amkara had reE%ested him to per-orm. Arri7ed at the place he 4as directed to the sa'e:s ho%se by parrots mirac%lo%sly endo4ed 4ith h%man speech and able to disc%ss most recondite E%estions o- philosophy. (e -o%nd the ho%se b%t -o%nd it closed so that to obtain entrance he had to raise himsel- %p into the air and ali'ht a deus e( machina in Mandana:s (all. An animated and at -irst e7en acrimonio%s disc%ssion ens%ed bet4een the host and his %neDpected and %n4elcome '%est the t4o -inally decidin' to make the 4i-e o- Mandana Mis:ra %mpire bet4een them. B%t she ha7in' other matters to attend to 'a7e each a 'arland stip%latin' that he sho%ld be deemed 7anE%ished 4hose 'arland 4ithered. I 4ill not attempt in s%ch time and space as I no4 command to e7en epitomi5e this 4onder-%l debate b%t re-er the reader to Madha7a =>III &8#1$!@ -or partic%lars addin' that they 4ill richly repay st%dy. S:amkara 4on and in 4innin' %nder the terms othe debate claimed his anta'onist as a disciple and reE%ired him to abandon the domestic li-e and become an ascetic. (e consented and the 4i-e#4ho 4as an incarnation o- Saras7atl as 4e are told started -or the other 4orld. B%t be-ore she had E%ite departed she 4as pre7ailed %pon by S:amkara to tarry 4hile he sho%ld hold a debate 4ith her also. Then commenced the second disc%ssion b%t the ready ans4ers o- the -orner to all E%estions p%t to him -oiled Saras7ati as she may no4 be called %ntil she str%ck into a path to 4hich S:amkara 4as a total stran'er She asked him a E%estion on the Science o- 1o7e. (e 4as o- co%rse %nable to ans4er it at once bein' a Samnyasin and a celebate all his li-e; so he cra7ed a respite o- one month 4hich bein' 'ranted he le-t Mahismati. The E%estion o- Saras7ati as to the tr%e nat%re o- 1o7e reE%ired to be ans4ered tho%'h he 4ere ten times a 0o'in or Samnyasin So S:amkara <o%rneyed on to -ind the means o- learnin' the tr%th. As he 4as 'oin' o%t 4ith his p%pils they met the corpse o- a certain kin' named Amar%ka =o- Amrta#p%ra@ to the 4est o- Mandan Misra :s city accordin' to Ananda#'iri $Ananda#'iri. ?FF. % lyin' at the -oot o- a tree in the -orest s%rro%nded by men and 4omen mo%rnin' his death Takin' ad7anta'e o- the opport%nity S:amkara entr%sted his o4n body to the char'e o- his p%pils and ca%sed his so%l to enter the corpse othe kin'. The s%pposed res%scitation 4hich -ollo4ed deli'hted the people and .in' S:amkara 4as taken in tri%mph -rom the -orest o- death to the throne o- royalty.$This incident is too important to pass by 4itho%t editorial comments. The po4er o- the 0o'in to E%it his o4n body and enter and animate that oanother person tho%'h a--irmed by Patan<ali and incl%ded amon' the Siddhis o- .rsna. is discredited by E%ropeani5ed yo%n' Indians. Nat%rally eno%'h since as 4estern biolo'ists deny a so%l to man it is an %nthinkable proposition to them that the yo'in:s so%l sho%ld be able to enter another:s body. That s%ch an %nreasonin' in-idelity sho%ld pre7ail amon' the p%pils o- E%ropean Schools is E%ite reason eno%'h 4hy an e--ort sho%ld be made to re7i7e in India those schools o- Psycholo'y in 4hich the Aryan yo%th 4ere theoretically and practically ta%'ht the occ%lt la4s o- man and nat%re. We 4ho ha7e at least some tri-lin' acE%aintance 4ith modern science do not hesitate to a--irm o%r belie- that this temporary transmi'ration o- so%ls is possible. We may e7en 'o so -ar as to say that the phenomenon has been eDperimentally pro7ed to %s in Ne4 0ork amon' other places. And since 4e 4o%ld be amon' the last to reE%ire so mar7ello%s a statement to be accepted %pon anyone:s %ns%pported testimony 4e %r'e o%r readers to -irst st%dy Aryan 1iterat%re and then 'et -rom personal eDperience the corroborati7e e7idence. The res%lt m%st ine7itably be to satis-y e7ery honest enE%irer that Patan<ali and S:amkaracarya did and Tyndall )arpenter and (%Dley do not kno4 the secrets o- o%r bein'.# EAIT,/ The Theosophist. =(. P. B.@ % There .in' S:amkara standin' as it 4ere in the shoes o- Amar%ka and indeed Amar%ka himsel- so -ar as Pa'e &

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

the eye co%ld discern and passin' as s%ch; learned practically all that pertained to the science and art o1o7e and -itted himsel- to ans4er the E%ery o- the c%nnin' 4i-e o- Mandana. (e also st%died the theory o- the s%b<ect in >atsyayana and made pro'ress eno%'h to 4rite an ori'inal treatise %pon it himsel-.$ Madha7a. J. 18. % Mean4hile ho4e7er the ministers o- the state -indin' their res%scitated /a<a a -ar 4iser and better man than e7er be-ore s%spected that there had been some transmi'ration o- so%ls and so to $revent the return of this intruder to his o)n *ody+ secretly issued an order that all cor$ses in the city should *e *urnt; b%t they took 'ood care that the order sho%ld not come to the kno4led'e o- the kin'.B $ Pandit /ama#s7ami says that the order 4as iss%ed by the E%een hersel-. and in this the pandit is at one 4ith Ananda#'iri 4ho also makes the K%een s%spect the -act =p. ?F&@. and makes no all%sion to the ministers. % In the meantime the p%pils o- S:amkara 4ho had char'e o- his body -indin' that the limit o- time -iDed by him -or his ret%rn had already been eDceeded 're4 7ery %neasy. While the others 4ere '<7en %p to their 'rie- Padma#pada s%''ested a plan 4hich 4as %nanimo%sly adopted and they started o%t to disco7er the 4hereabo%ts o- their preceptor. The stories o- Madha7a and Ananda#'iri do not a'ree as to this E%est o- the p%pils a-ter their master the -ormer makin' them 4ander -rom pro7ince to pro7ince 4hile the latter tells %s that S:amkara:s body 4as deposited in the o%tskirts o- the .in':s o4n city. In -act Madha7a himsel- else4here describes the circ%mstances o- S:amkara:s so%l not -indin' the body in the appointed place then animatin' it on the -%neral pyre and his ret%rnin' 4ith his p%pils to Mandana as a 4ork o- b%t short d%ration; b%t 4e are interr%ptin' the seE%ence o- o%r narrati7e. Padma#pada:s plan 4as -or them to -irst disco7er the 4hereabo%ts o- their master and then 'ainin' access to his presence %nder the dis'%ise o- sin'ers eDpress to him their sorro4 at his absence and recall him to his o4n body and to the prosec%tion o- his labo%rs. Arri7ed at .in' Amar%ka :s city they heard the story o- the preternat%ral res%scitation and satis-ied that they 4ere on the ri'ht track carried o%t their a--ectionate plot. Their m%sic not only held the a%dience spell#bo%nd b%t reached the inner conscio%sness o- S:amkara in his borro4ed body. (e dismissed the sin'ers le-t the /a<a :s coil empty once more this time e--ect%ally retrans-erred himsel- to his o4n body 4hich he -o%nd already amid the -lames and 4hich 4as %nin<%red it ha7in' been rendered -ire#proo- by his occ%lt po4ers and re<oined his de7oted p%pils sin'in' the praises o- Nrsimha. /eachin' the residence o- Mandana he ans4ers Saras7ati:s E%estion and e7ent%ally con7erts Mandana Mis:ra to >edantism. Tra7ellin' so%th4ards S:amkara p%blished his 4orks in Maha#rastra and took %p his residence at S:ri# S:aila 4here a stran'e proposal 4as made to him. A .apalika called on him and beso%'ht him to 'i7e him his head 4hich he said he 4anted to o--er %p as a sacri-ice as he had been promised by Maha#de7a a residence in .ailasa in his h%man body i- he o--ered %p the head o- either a kin' or an omniscient person. S:amkara a'reed on condition that the .apalika sho%ld come -or it 4itho%t the kno4led'e o- his p%pils 4ho mi'ht inter-ere. This 4as done b%t be-ore the decapitation co%ld be e--ected Padma#pada learnt the thin's thro%'h his inner conscio%sness and ass%min' the -orm o- a man#lion -ell %pon the .apalika and rent him <oint by <oint. (e had then to be appeased and bro%'ht back to himsel-. The neDt miracle attrib%ted to S:amkara 4as the brin'in' back to li-e at 2okarana o- a child 'reatly belo7ed by its parents =Madha7a JII ?F@. To Sri7ali 4here he 'ot a ne4 p%pil in the person o(astamalaka a lad s%pposed to be an idiot b%t in -act somethin' 7ery di--erent#and Srn'a#'iri he then 4ent. At the latter place Mandana Mis:ra 4ho had taken the name o- S%res7ara =see pa'e ?&1 oAnanda#'iri 4hose acco%nt lea7es it a matter o- do%bt as to the identity o- Madana 4ith S%res:7ara@ 4rote at S:amkara:s command an independent treatise on the Brahman 4hich s%rprised the other p%pils Pa'e G

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

At this time S:amkara learnin' in some s%pernat%ral 4ay $ We m%st take iss%e 4ith o%r distin'%ished contrib%tor %pon this point. We do not belie7e in s%pernat%ral 4ays B and 4e do belie7e and kno4 that it 4as not at all di--ic%lt -or an Initiate like S:amkara to learn by his interior -ac%lties o- his mother:s state.# =(.P.Ba7atsky Editor o- !he !heoso$hist. % o- his mother:s bein' at the point o- death hastened to her side and at her reE%est -or spirit%al con-ort instr%cted her or rather attempted to instr%ct her in the -ormless Brahman. She co%ld not comprehend his teachin' b%t he tranE%illi5ed her mind %ntil the moment o- her dissol%tion. (is relati7es re-%sed to aid him in per-ormin' the %s%al -%neral ceremonies on the 'ro%nd that he bein' an ascetic 4as not competent to per-orm the o--ices in E%estion. There%pon he prod%ced a -ire -rom his ri'ht hand 4here4ith he b%rned the corpse. =Madha7a ?9#&G.@ At this time Padma#pada 4ho had been absent on a pil'rima'e ret%rned and told S:amkara ho4 a commentary on the Bhasya 4hich he had composed and deposited 4ith his %ncle 4hen he 4ent on his pil'rima'e 4as destroyed by that person as it contained a re-%tation o- the doctrines he held. To the 'reat <oy o- Padma#pada S:amkara dictated the 4hole -rom memory as he had once read it himsel- and -rom his dictation Padma#pada re4rote it. /a<a#s:ekhara also 4ho had lost his dramas had them dictated to him in the same# manner And no4 accompanied by his p%pils and by .in' S%dhan7an S:amkara started on his. to%r o- intellect%al conE%est. The redargutio $hiloso$hiarum 4hich >yasa had s%''ested to him and -or 4hich his ori'inal lease o- li-e had been eDtended no4 commenced. (e -irst directed his steps to4ards the Set% # the Brid'e # then passin' thro%'h the co%ntries o- the Pandyas the )olas and the Ara7idas he 4ent to .anci 4here he erected a temple and established the system o- the adoration o- the Ae7i. (a7in' then -a7o%red 4ith a 7isit the people called Andhras and ha7in' looked in at the seat o- >enkatacalesa he proceeded to the co%ntry o- the >idarbhas. ,n hearin' that S:amkara 4ished to 'o into the .arnataka co%ntry the kin' o- the >idarbhas 4arned him o- the mischie7o%s character o- the people 'enerally and o- their en7y and hatred o- S:amkara partic%larly. S:amkara 4ent into that co%ntry ne7ertheless and the -irst person o- note he came across 4as a .apalika named .rakaca 4hose eDposition o- his o4n doctrines so dis'%sted all 4ho heard it that S%dhan7an ca%sed him 4ith all his -ollo4ers to be i'nominio%sly dri7en a4ay. They 4ent breathin' 7en'eance and ret%rned armed in h%ndreds. They 4ere ho4e7er destroyed by kin' S%dhan7an# all b%t the -irst .apalika .rakaca 4ho came %p to S:amkara and addressed him sayin' C B No4 taste the -r%it o- thy deeds B. (e then prayed to Bhaira7a and as soon as he appeared asked him to destroy the destroyers o- his -ollo4ers. B%t Bhaira7a killed .rakaca himseleDclaimin' B Aost tho% o--end e7en me L B ,n4ard 4ent S:amkara to the 4estern ocean and to 2o#karIa 4here he 7anE%ished Nilakantha a philosopher 4ho tho%'ht himsel- per-ectly in7incible. S:amkara thence 4ent into the Sa%rastra co%ntry and p%blished his Bhasya there. Then he 4ent to A7ara#7ata or A7araka and thence to H<<ayini 4here he challen'ed and conE%ered Bhatta Bhaskara. Thence he 4ent B conE%erin' and to conE%er B into the co%ntries o- the Bahlikas Bharatas S%ra#senas .%r%s Aaradas Pancalas and so -orth. In the co%ntry o- the .ama#r%pas S:amkara enco%ntered and de-eated Abhina7a#'%pta a doctor o- the S:akta school. (a7in' ho4e7er more 4ordly 4isdom than philosophy or lo7e o- tr%th and -indin' that he co%ld not compete 4ith S:amkara that persona'e 'ot his p%pils to hide his 4orks -or a period and passed himselo-- as belon'in' to S:amkara:s school all the 4hile mat%rin' a plot o- 4hich the seE%el 4ill be presently narrated. Pa'e "

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

The North th%s disposed o- and acceptin' the respect and 7eneration o- the >idehas the .osalas the An'as and the >an'as S:amkara 4ent into the co%ntry o- the 2andas. It 4as then that the ne-ario%s desi'ns o- the discom-ited doctor o- the S:akta school c%lminated. S:amkara s%ddenly ca%'ht the disease called Bha'am#dara $ A terrible -orm o- %lcerated sore or -ist%la. Editor# The Theosophist. % 4hich had been sent %pon him by the necromantic spells o- Abhina7a#'%pta 4ho had per-ormed a special sacri-ice to accomplish his malicio%s plot. The 'reatest physicians attended on S:amkara b%t in 7ain. Mean4hile the patient himsel- beha7ed stoically or rather 7edantically. B%t at last 4hen the disease co%ld not be c%red he prayed to Maha#de7a to send do4n the As:7ini#k%maras 4ho 4ere accordin'ly sent do4n dis'%ised as Brahmanas. B%t they prono%nced the disease to be beyond their po4ers o- c%re as it 4as ca%sed by the act o- another. ,n this comm%nication the an'er o- Padma#pada once more came to the relie- o- the >edantism o- S:amkara. 6or tho%'h diss%aded by S:amkara himsel- he m%ttered some mystic incantations 4hich trans-erred the disease to Abhina7a#'%pta himsel- 4ho died o- it.$ Madha7a D7i ??#?$. An important point -or the st%dent o- occ%lt science is here made and sho%ld not be o7erlooked. The la4 o- physics that action and reaction tend to eE%ilibrate each other holds in the realm o- the occ%lt. This had been -%lly eDplained in lsis &nveiled and other 4orks o- the kind. A c%rrent oAkasa directed by a sorcerer at a 'i7en ob<ect 4Ith an e7il intent m%st either be propelled by s%ch intensity o- 4ill as to break thro%'h e7ery obstacle and o7erpo4er the resistent 4ill o- the selected 7ictim or it 4ill rebo%nd a'ainst the sender and a--lict him or her in the same 4ay that it 4as intended the other sho%ld be h%rt. So 4ell is this la4 %nderstood that it has been preser7ed to %s in many pop%lar pro7erbs s%ch as the En'lish ones : c%rses come home to roost : the biter bit B etc. The Italian one :1a bestemia 'ira e 'ira e 'ira e torna adosso a che la tira : etc. This re7ersal o- a male-icent c%rrent %pon the sender may be 'reatly -acilitated by the -riendly inter-erence o- another person 4ho kno4s the secret ocontrollin' the Akas:ic c%rrents#i- it is permissible -or %s to coin a ne4 4ord that 4ill soon be 4anted in the 4estern parlance.#(. P. Bla7atsky editor o- !he !heoso$hist. % Abo%t this time S:amkara heard o- a temple in .ashmir 4hich none b%t an all#kno4in' person co%ld open 4hich had been opened on its northern eastern and 4estern side b%t 4hich had contin%ed closed till then on its so%thern side. S:amkara accordin'ly 4ent %p to the temple b%t the contro7ersialists there 4o%ld not allo4 him to enter be-ore they eDamined him. (e 4as eDamined accordin'ly and 4as -o%nd as one may say not 4antin'. (e then entered b%t as he 4as 'oin' to take his seat on the stool 4ithin the 2oddess o- the temple##Saras7ati said C B 0o%r omniscience has been already more than s%--iciently pro7ed ; b%t omniscience is not eno%'h to entitle yo% to take yo%r seat on this stool. )ontinence is also necessary. Bethink yo%rsel- o- yo%r acts and say 4hether yo% can claim it %nder these circ%mstances.B S:amkara repliedC BThis body is per-ectly p%re. It cannot be tarnished by the sins o- another body .B This 4as o- co%rse a clincher and S:amkara took his seat on the co7eted stoolI: $ Madha7a. D7i. 8G. % (e thence 4ent to the hermita'e o- /syasrn'a and a-ter stayin' there -or some time to Badari. There he ta%'ht his Bhasya to some persons 4ho 4ere st%dyin' in the Patan<ala School o- Philosophy. Thence he proceeded to .edara# 4here he prayed to Maha#de7a to send do4n 4arm 4ater -or his ben%mbed p%pils. That 4as o- co%rse done; and Madha7a says the ri7er still -lo4s 4ith hot 4ater in that part o- the co%ntry .$Madha7a.. D7i.1!1. Accordin' to Ananda#'iri the prayer -or hot 4ater 4as made to Narayana. pa'e ?$&. % (e no4 arri7ed at the close o- his thirty#second year and his term o- li-e bein' o7er all the 2ods and all the Siddhas and all the Sa'es came do4n in di7ine 7ehicles to escort him %p to hea7en. As soon as S:amkara made %p his mind his 7ehicle appeared -or him and then B 4ith his praises s%n' by the Pa'e 8

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

principal deities headed by Indra and Hpendra and 4orshipped 4ith hea7enly -lo4ers s%pported by the arm o- the 1ot%s#born 2od he mo%nted his eDcellent B%ll and eDhibitin' his knots o- hair 4ith their ornament the moon he started -or his o4n residence hearin' the 4ord :7ictory: %ttered by the sa'es.B$ Madha7a. D7i. 1!". % This does seem too materialistic and non#7edantic. Ananda#'iri has the -ollo4in' acco%ntC B ,nce in the city o- .anci the place o- absol%tion as he 4as seated he absorbed his 'ross body into the s%btle one and became :eDistence: ; then absorbin' the s%btle one into the body 4hich is the ca%se =o- the 4orld@ became :p%re intelli'ence :; and then =ass%min' the@ si5e o- a th%mb and attainin' in the 4orld o- Is7ara -%ll happiness =%nbroken@ like a per-ect circle he became the intelli'ence 4hich per7ades the 4hole %ni7erse. And he still eDists in the -orm o- the all#per7adin' intelli'ence. The Brahmanas o- the place and his p%pils and their p%pils recitin' the &$anishads the Gita and the Brahma-sutras then eDca7ated a ditch in a 7ery clean spot and o--erin' to his body pi'ment rice etc. raised a tomb o7er it there.B $ Ananda#'iri. p. ?8!. % And here ends the story o- the li-e o- S:amkaracarya. As I look back o7er the narrati7e th%s 'i7en by me a-ter Madha7a methinks I hear the 'eni%s o- the nineteenth cent%ry scepticism 4hisper: in my earsC B All this is an abs%rd -able -rom -irst to last; it is the: tinsel clink o- compliment: to one 4hom a halo o- 'lory s%rro%nds. At the a'e o- t4o it is impossible to ha7e learnt 4hat S:amkara is said to ha7e learnt; those miracles 4hich he is reported to ha7e per-ormed are :mere and sheer: impossibilities # in a 4ord all Madha7a:s narrati7e is -itter -or the pa'es o- a romance than o- a 4ork pro-essin' to be historical B. No4 tho%'h I con-ess that I do belie7e there is some -orce in this ar'%ment I m%st also a--irm that I am not prepared to 'i7e it as m%ch 4ei'ht as those 4ho propo%nd it seem to claim -or it. I am per-ectly 4illin' to 'rant that there is a considerable menstr%%m o- poetry in this narrati7e C b%t I am not prepared to say that it is as m%ch as may at -irst si'ht appear. E7en in the sceptical nineteenth cent%ry 4e ha7e had acco%nts o- historical persona'es 'i7en as history 4hich bear in some points a 7ery strikin' resemblance to Madha7a :s acco%nt o- S:amkaracarya. I shall p%t -or4ard t4o 7ery 'ood instances in point 4hich occ%r to me at this moment. Ar. Thomas Bro4n a man 4ho -lo%rished in this nineteenth cent%ry a man 4hose li-e has been 4ritten by a prosaic 4esterner not '%ilty o- ,riental hyperboles is said to ha7e been en'a'ed in the -o%rth year o- his a'e in comparin' the narrati7es o- the e7an'elists in order to -ind o%t any discrepancies that there mi'ht be bet4een them. To appreciate the -%ll -orce o- this eDample it m%st be remembered that this critical spirit 4as bro%'ht to bear %pon a 4ork on 4hich an opinion o%t o- the common r%t 4o%ld be do4nri'ht heresy. This circ%mstance I may mention is recorded in the memoir o- Ar. Bro4n pre-iDed to his eloE%ent lect%res on the Philosophy o- Mind:.$ See also !he ontem$orary ,evie). 3%ne. 18"?. /obert 1eslie Ellis Pro-essor 2rote. % Mr. Morley the present Editor o- !he -ortnightly ,evie) had contrib%ted to the pa'es o- that p%blication a 7al%able li-e o- T%r'ot. (ere is his deli7erance on the precocity o- the s%b<ect o- his memoir. B It has been <%stly said o- him that he passed at once -rom in-ancy to manhood and 4as in the rank o- sa'es be-ore he had shaken o-- the d%st o- the play'ro%nd.B $The 6ortni'htly /e7ie4. A%'%st 18G9 % I- more a%thority is necessary -or re-%sin' to s%bscribe to the theory that e7ery statement 4hich appears 4onder-%l is at once and by reason o- its bein' 4onder-%l to be p%t do4n as totally -alse 4e ha7e the Pa'e 9

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Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

a%thority o- that prince o- philosophic historians Mr. 2eor'e 2rote. BIn separatin' B says that 'reat a%thority %pon all matters o- historic criticism B bet4een the mar7ello%s and the ordinary there is no sec%rity that 4e are di7idin' the -ictitio%s -rom the real B. $ See too the A%ke o- Somerset:s recent book on hristianity and Sce$ticism p. FG and the A%ke o- Ar'yll:s ,eign of .a)+ passim. % And not to depend on the i$se di(it e7en o- a 2rote I 4o%ld re-er the sceptic to the 4onders o- science 4hich are B tr%ths stran'er than -iction B 4hich yet 4e see per-ormed be-ore o%r eyes. Be-ore the -act 4hat 4o%ld one ha7e tho%'ht o- the electric tele'raphL Be-ore the -act 4hat 4as tho%'ht o- the /ail4ay L I 4o%ld ask the sceptic to pa%se here to consider these matters -%lly -rom this point o- 7ie4 be-ore at once ar'%in' C B these circ%mstances are 4onder-%l; ergo they are impossible.B They are not o- a piece 4ith the common r%n o- occ%rrences; I am 4illin' to concede also that they may be m%ch eDa''erated. B%t 4hen I am told that no reasonable man can belie7e them then I dem%r. I rather choose to hold mysel- in s%spense. I had intended in this paper to say somethin' abo%t the 4orks o- S:amkaracarya and abo%t some other matters connected 4ith him. B%t 4ant o- time and the len'th to 4hich this paper has already eDtended ha7e pre7ented me -rom incorporatin' those necessary portions o- a bio'raphy into the present paper. I hope ho4e7er in another paper to treat o- those matters as leis%re and the materials accessible to me 4ill permit. &'TE A Accordin' to Ananda#'iri S:amkara does not seem to ha7e le-t his birth#place be-ore takin' the Samnyasa and 4hen he le-t the place he had already 'ot n%mbers o- p%pils. (e -irst 4ent -rom )idambara#p%ra so%th4ard to Madhyar<%na =p. 19@ 4here he con7erted the people to ad7aitism by a miracle =p. ?!@. Thence he proceeded to /ames7ara near the Set% 4here he stayed -or t4o months de-eatin' the representati7es o- 7ario%s sects 4ho entered into contro7ersies 4ith him =p. ?1@. Then he 4ent to Ananta#Sayana 4here he remained -or one month =p. &1@. Tra7ellin' 4est4ards he reached the to4n o- S%brahmanya in -i-teen days =p.81@. Proceedin' thence in a north#4esterly direction he 4ent to the to4n o- 2ana7ara and so<o%rned there -or a month =p. 1!?@ thence to Bha7ani#na'ara =p. 1??@ 4here he stayed -or a month and held d<sc%ssions 4ith the sectaries o- the nei'hbo%rin' to4ns o.%7alaya#p%ra and others =p. 1?"@. 6rom that to4n he 4ent north4ard to H<<ayini 4here he remained -or t4o months =p. 1$8@ thence in a north#4esterly direction to the city o- An%malla =p. 1G!@ 4here he spent t4enty#one days. 2oin' 4est4ard neDt to the to4n o- Ar%ndh =p. 1GF@ and north4ard -rom that to Ma'adha#p%ra =p.1"!@ he 4ent on -irst to lndra#prastha =p. 1"F@ and then to 0ama#prastha 4hence a-ter stayin' there -or a month =p. 1"8@ he proceeded to Praya'a at B the con-l%ence o- the 2an'es the 3%mna and the Saras7atIB :=p. 18F@. 2oin' east4ard thence in B hal- a -ortni'ht B he reached .asi =p.?!&@ and a-ter Bstayin' there -or some time he 4ent noth4ard to Badari by the ro%te o- .%r%.ksetra =p. ?$&@. (a7in' neDt seen A7araka and other hea7en#like places he 4ent to Ayodhya thence to 2aya and thence to Par7ata by the ro%te o- 3a'an#nath =p. ?$&@. A-ter a month he proceeded to /%ddha#p%ra 4here he sa4 .%marila =p. ?$G@ and north4ard thence to a 7ery -amo%s seat o- learnin'# >i<aya#bind%# sit%ated to4ards the so%th#east o- (astina#p%ra =p. ?$8@. (a7in' there 7anE%ished Mandana Mis:ra and established a colle'e near Srn'a#p%ra on the banks o- the T%n'a#bhadra he stayed there -or t4el7e months =p. ?&1@ a-ter 4hich he proceeded to Ahobala thence to >enkata#'iri and thence to the to4n o.anci 4here 4ithin a month o- his arri7al he -o%nded Si7a#kanci and >ishn%#kanci =p. ?&1@. (ere his so%l le-t o-- this mortal coil. B%t be-ore this end he is said to ha7e a%thori5ed -i7e o- his principal p%pils to -o%nd the Sai7a >aisna7a Sakta Sa%ra and 2ana#patya systems o- 4orship. =?GF et seE@.

Pa'e 1!

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&'TE "

Sankaracharya Philosopher and Mystic

No. 199

I m%st con-ess that e7en a-ter a 'reat deal o- time and labo%r spent %pon the 4ork I am as -ar as e7er -rom bein' able to comprehend the 'eo'raphy o- the to%r o- Samkaracarya as related by Ananda#'iri and abstracted in the last note. Many o- the names cannot be -o%nd noted in o%r modern maps. The only point 4orth notin' is perhaps this that )id#ambara 4hich is mentioned by Ananda#'iri as S:amkara:s birthplace may be )hill%mbr%m =so#called in the map@ a place to the so%th o- Porto No7o. The acco%nt o- Madha7a is some4hat better b%t there are di--ic%lties. Th%s tho%'h his pro'ress thro%'h the co%ntries o- the Pandyas the )olas and the Ara7idas to .anci and thence to the co%ntry o- the Andhras may be %nderstood 4hy sho%ld he 'o %p as -ar as the co%ntry o- the >idarbhas#identi-ied 4ith Berar and then ret%rn to the .arnatic districts L What -ollo4s ho4e7er is not 7ery hard to %nderstand. It may perhaps be 4orth 4hile to mention some o- the names 4hich ha7e been identi-ied. The kno4led'e may not be ne4 to those 4ho ha7e st%died the s%b<ect b%t it may be ne4 to those 4ho ha7e not looked into it as it 4as to mysel-. Mahismati is mentioned in /a'h%#7amsa =>I F$@ as sit%ated on the Narmada. It is also mentioned in Ma'ha =II GF@ as the city o- Sis%#pala and it is identi-ied in Mr. 2arret:s recent dictionary 4ith )h%li Mahesh4ar. The Pandrya co%ntry embraces the Tinne7elly and Mad%ra districts; the )ola co%ntry is the )oromandel )oast so%th4ard -rom 2oda7ari and east4ard -rom the hills at Nandid%r' =Elphinstone:s India -i-th edition p. ?$9@ ; the Ara7ida co%ntry abo%t Madras %p to Ban'alore on the 4est =Elphinstone p. ?$1@. The Andhra co%ntry is abo%t Waran'al and -orms part o- Telin'ana. The co%ntry othe >idarbhas is Berar; that o- the S:%ra#senas is Math%ra ; that o- the .ama#r%pas is the east o(ind%stan; that o- the >idehas Mithila ; .osalas ,%dh ; An'as north#4est o- Ben'al Proper. Indra# prastha is near Aelhi. The probable sit%ation o- )id#ambara has been already stated and that o- Srn'eri is 4ell kno4n. Sasala#'rama mentioned abo7e I cannot -ind. May it not be the B Salla#'rama B in the Mysore pro7ince; or perhaps 4hat is called B Sosilly B in )assel:s Atlas also sit%ated in the same pro7inceL As to .alati mentioned by Madha7a I can say nothin' at all. I may add here that it appears to me to be 7ery probable that Madha7a did not re'ard Shrn'eri as Samkara:s birthplace -or in JI> ?9 he makes S:amkara lea7e Shrn'eri in order to see his mother in her last moments and is then described as -lyin' thro%'h space 4hile she hersel- -or a%'ht that appears to the contrary contin%ed to remain at the to4n o- his birth 4here he had le-t her in char'e o- relati7es.

Pa'e 11