Date: 22-04-1996 :: Cl: Religion
"Only in men with a background of outstanding and distinguishing
acts will the tree of spiritual life take real roots. Control of
mind is the sprouting leaf-bud of that tree; checking the senses,
its tender foliage; contentment its blossoms; forbearance, its
nectar; and faith, its fruits. Your teachings, which inculcate
all these excellences become available only to men who possess
great merits to their credit. A dip in the waves of mercy of your
river of grace fetches liberation from bondage. Your message is
like a necklace of splenderous pearls, strung on the golden
thread of sound-reasoning which dispels the darkness of
ignorance."
This exemplary tribute about Adi Sankara is from the verses of
another great scholar Madhava Vidyaranya extolling that great
personality. "But for the timely appearance of Sankara, the
world of pious men would not have been able to taste the nectar
of Adwaita philosophy," was the praise showered on the great
Guru by another ascetic. In one of his works (Upadesa Panchakam),
Adi Sankara has urged devotees to perform well all the acts
enjoined in the Vedic revelations. "Give up the thought of
engaging in desire-prompted rites. Worship God through the
observance of duties. Eradicate the hosts of sins. Contemplate on
the faults in worldly enjoyments. Pray for the knowledge of the
self."
In a lecture on the occasion of Sankara Jayanthi, Sri Bharathi
Theertha Mahaswamigal, Head of the Sringeri Math, has advised
people to recite at least one hymn of the great Acharya (Sankara)
everyday and attain prosperity. Adi Sankara has categorically
established in his commentaries that liberation can be achieved
only through knowledge of the `self.' He had held that in
reality, the individual soul and the Almighty are not different.
Adi Sankara's depth of knowledge has remained unparalleled. He
was a poet par excellence and was no less eminent than Kalidasa
in his poetic genius.
In one of his prayers, Adi Sankara urges the Lord "Let me
possess humility. Let me not turn arrogant. My mind wanders all
over and hence, you should enable me to firmly fix it on you.
Make me compassionate and do not allow me to wallow in the mire
of desires, but bless me with liberation." The manner in which a
man should conduct himself is thus focussed by him. The Acharya
asks man to be humble, control his senses and refrain from
desires. Indirectly, he describes the attributes of an ideal
human being in this poem.
Adi Sankara's patience in dealing with people has been seen on
many occasions. He was not treated with respect when he visited
Mandana Mishra; Ubhaya Bharathi questioned him on matters opposed
to ascetic order; another even asked for his head for a religious
rite. But Sankara treated all of them with compassion.
Copyright: The Hindu, Chennai, INDIA