Chapter 4

In the previous chapter we saw hoe, what was created to assure a stable societal structure based on the trade or profession, that may be mutated with the skills of an individual, was cast into permanent caste system by Brahmins based on birth. “Eventhough he forgets his trade profession, he was considered as a ‘Vaishiya’ (merchant) if he was born into a ‘Vaishiya’ caste; If he was born into a family of a ‘Shudhra’, eventhough he was not an active farmer and engaged in merchandising, he was termed a ‘Shudhra’. Born in a family of traditional rulers, even though he is standing in the streets without a kingdom, he was considered a.’Kshathriya’ …” Thus, for the sake of creating a ‘Stable Society’, ‘Manu’ had put a knot on every caste to contain them within their own caste. If that is the case, one may wonder about the flexibility afforded to the Brahmins and according to this system whatever trades they are engaged in, they will be considered a Brahmin. Truthfully, was there any literature that had prescribed a trade or profession for the Brahmins? … That is a valid question.
Before we explore the answer for this question, I want to bring it to your attention a lesson that was in my first grade book. The lesson was titled ‘Padam Paarththu Therinthu Kol’ (Look at the picture and learn). Don’t you think ‘What is this! This guy is trying to tell us what he studied several decades back in his first grade …’. Well. I have to start the answer to the above question only from that lesson. As soon as I tell you this it will sink into you like ‘a nail driven into a green tree’ and will engulf you like ‘fire engulfing the camphor’. What was taught through those books for the young children? ‘Kshathriyan’ (Picture depicting a king) rules the country, ‘Vaishiyan’ (Adjacent to the picture of a merchant) is a business man, ‘Shudhran’ (Picture of a man plowing land) a farmer cultivating land, ‘Ayyar’ (Picture of a Brahmin man) good man.  

Probably, you may have built up your further knowledge with what you have learned in the first grade as the foundation. But what was said as to the profession of a Brahmin in that grade : ‘Good Man’. Why? “‘Brahmaniyam’ (Brahmin Life) has a special status in the society. It has a special purpose. Brahmin is an avatar of Brahman (the Eternal Soul prevailing everywhere). A Brahmin has came to this world to carryon the duties to be performed by the God Himself. He came to this world to spread the message of God and bring the masses close to the God. He will not lie. He will not commit any murder. He lives only for the world peace … Only through  them, the kings to the ‘Shudhras’ are living peacefully and in prosperity”. What the Vedas have elaborated over the functions of a ‘Brahmin’, the textbook gave it in ultra condensed form … just two words ‘Ayyar – Good person’.    O.K. … Is being a good person a profession? … If that is so, is all those other ‘Varna’ (color, band, caste) who is carrying out other professions bad people? You may be posed with such questions. For some people these questions may have been aroused in the first standard itself. At that time if you ask any questions, the teacher would have threatened and forced you to sit in your place. However, the religious literatures were not like that. They in detail elaborate over the responsibilities and the duties of a Brahmin.

Just as in the textbook, here also at first only two words … yajanam and yaajanam. What does that mean … ?
Yajanam – Doing, acting
Yaajanam – That what gets done, The product that results from the act. What ? ‘Manthram’ (Mantra), ‘Yaagam’ (Sacrificial ceremonies), ‘Homam’ (Religious sacrifices) etc.

How … ? Here again I have to take the example of the school children. Just like the school kids use time table to keep all their time organized for each class, for each day at what time the Brahmin has to perform what act, is clearly, according to schedule, specified in the ‘Shashthram’ (Sacred texts). Let us see the daily schedule a Brahmin has to follow :
1.)   Early morning between 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., before sun rise get up from sleep.
2.) As he is going to pass the urine, he must take his ‘Poonool’(Sacred Thread) and wind it around his ears. After he finished with his morning restroom rituals, he must wash his hands and legs he must recite certain mantras,
3.) Later on before taking bath, he must recite certain other mantras.
4.) Another important ritual that must be performed before sunrise is ‘Sandhiya Vanthanam’. This is started to worship the Sun, that is the source of our energy. In this ritual, ‘Praanaayaamam’ (breathing exercise) is also included. Brahmins knew long back that if practiced regularly in the morning as well as in the evenings (twice daily), ‘praanaayaamam’ keeps the body healthy. Even today, it is an important breathing exercise, for healthful living. (Later days … Thre was a belief that the giants have hidden the sun, and to reclaim the sun from the giants everybody was searching for the Brahmins. The Brahmins took little water and chanted mantras and sprinkled the water, all the giants were driven out by the power of the sacred water. After that, the sun raised slowly. This little story was fabricated to stress the importance and benefit of the ‘Sandhiya Vanthanam’.
5.) Next … Yajanam, Yaajanam. These two are the Brahmin’s principal tasks in those days. They have to perform the necessary ‘Karmas’ (rituals and ceremonies) for their own well being. In addition, they have to perform ‘Karmas’ for others and they should receive ‘Dakshinas’ (money and gifts) from them. Some of the ‘Karmas’ include ‘Agnihothram’ and ‘Aubhashanam’.
6.) When the sun is in the high noon, they must take their lunch and take a brief afternoon nap. After the nap the Brahmins must read religious books … and in the evening, as the sun sets, again perform the ‘Sandhiya Vanthanam’ rituals … have supper and go to bed.

This was prescribed as the daily schedule for the Brahmins in the religious texts. Thus, they were carrying on their live while constantly engaged in dividing the masses into various groups. While they were engaged in splitting the community, a split happened in their own caste. What??? … A Split within the Brahmin community? How can a group, carrying on their services exclusively to protect the world from evil spirits, and who is representing God Himself on this earth, split among themselves?

Before we get to the roots of it, we will explore little bit about the important worship customs prevailing amongst the Tamil population. Earlier we saw that the only population that soaked the devotion in love and lust, was Tamil people. They treated the love and lust as devotion, and imagined the God as male and themselves as female … imagined God as female and themselves as male and worshipped them and created the image of a ‘Hero and Heroine’. This was the worship pattern in Tamil country and several poems and offerings to God were written in this fashion.  

Foremost example, for the several idols of the ‘Hero and Heroine’ used in their worship was the ‘Lingam’. Even today the people who sees ‘Lingam’ believe that it is the image of God and have even eyes installed in it. Even if one looks along that path of worship, ‘Lingam’ is not an image. Rather it is a symbol. Indeed … It depicts the lust as a symbol of devotion and that is the philosophy behind the ‘Lingam’. When a male … and a female making love and enjoying themselves, if we only isolated their sexual organs what results is the ‘Lingam’. For the Tamil people, who worshipped man-women intercourse as the symbol of devotion, in the initial days could not find a place in the temples of worship. Vulgarity … Obscenity … and as some believed that one should not worship a symbol that was sexual thoughts provoking …

‘Lingams’ were installed in isolated places away from the villages under the trees, or on the banks of irrigation tanks or on the banks of rivers and was worshipped in the laps of the nature. (T.N. : Lingam is a symbol of procreation and was principally worshipped by the Yogis. In Tanthric tradition, sexuality is considered as divine experience under certain circumstances. Lingam, generally called as ‘Shiva Lingam’ and worshipped by Yogis, as Shiva was considered as the ‘Aadhi Yogi’ who taught the art of yoga to humanity. Yogis basically, preferred quiet place for meditation and that is usually a tree on the banks of a water source) Then and there they used to perform the pooja rituals using fresh flowers. Mainly they used to install these Lingams under the ‘Vilva’ tree. (‘Vilva’ tree is considered as the favorite tree of Lord Shiva.

While the ‘Linga’ worship was carried on in one side … The Brahmins, the descendents of the Vedic tradition, was carrying on ‘Vaishnava’ (worshipping Lord Vishnu) tradition and worshipping Lord Vishnu, who was depicted as the chief deity in the Vedas. In Veda Lord Vishnu is called as ‘Brahmam’ and according to Vedhaantha Dheshikar, the one who worships Vishnu, even if he was a lower cast ‘Shudhra’ he becomes a Brahmin. He further adds that a Brahmin who was not devoted to ‘Vishnu’ becomes a ‘Shudhra’.

 ‘nashoothrajaa bhagavadh bhakthaahaa   lipraa bhaagavadhaa …’

In this Sanskrit verse, the devotion to Lord Vishnu was emphasized and given more importance. Thus evolved from Aryan religion to Vedic religion to Brahmin’s religion to ‘Vaishnava’ religion. Thus, when the ‘Vaishnava’ tradition was grown to prominence …

A voice was heard.

That voice belong to Appayya Dikhshithar. He was an Adaiyappulam native, which is located in present district of North Arcot in the state of Tamil Nadu. He proclaimed “The ‘Brahmam’ that is referred in the Vedas does not represent ‘Vishnu’ rather it represents ‘Shiva’”. Appayya Dikhshithar was respectfully called as ‘Shivothkrishtam’, which means that he is a person devoted to Lord Shiva and who always praises only Shiva and worships him always. To establish that Lord Shiva was the central deity in the Vedas, Appayya Dikshithar had written several books including ‘Niilakanda Vijayam’. ‘Dikhshithar’ was also born as Brahmin. However, his conclusions that Lord Shiva was the God referred throughout Veda faced with very stiff opposition from several fronts. ‘Vedhantha Dheshikan’, a ‘Vidhvaan’(Eminent scholar) of ‘Vaishnava’ literatures, was one such individual, who fiercefully opposed ‘Dikhshithar’ s assertions.
In Vedas there are two different divisions :
1.) ‘Karma Kaandam’ and 2.) ‘Gnyaana Kaandam’. ‘Karma Kaandam’ deals with procedures and details of how to perform various ‘Karma’s (rituals). One does not get liberated just performing the ‘Karmas’. To attain liberation, one must worship Lord ‘Naaraayanan’. According to ‘Gnyaana  Kaandam’ ‘Upanishadh’(Supplementary Treatise), a part of Veda, only by worshipping Lord ‘Naaraayana’ a soul gets liberated. ‘Vaishnava’ Brahmins, based on few of the ‘Slokas’ (verses) from this ‘Upanishadh’ claimed that the premier deity of Veda was only ‘Naaraayanan’.
 ‘Naaraayanam mahaagnayam viswaathmaanaam paraayanam   Naaraayana parambramhaa thathvam naaraayanaa parahaa …’
Thus, states ‘Thaithriya Upanishadh’. Meaning of this ‘sloka’ is : The only force that is keeping the world in motion and prosperity is ‘Naaraayanan’. He is the nucleus of the entire universe. Hence, pursue the ‘Naaraayana Principle’, worship constantly and attain liberation’.
 ‘Motsha michchethu janaarthanaathu …’ this ‘slokam’ also supported this view.
While the ‘Saiva’ (Shiva worshippers) traditionalists adopted the worshipping of the ‘Linga’ …. The ‘Vaishnava’(Vishnu worshippers) traditionalists insist only the worshipping of Lord ‘Naaraayanan’ ….
With the ‘Saiva’ … ‘Vaishnava’… charges and countercharges, the whole Brahmin community was split permanently.

Earlier we saw that the ‘Vaishnava’ traditionalists claiming that Lord ‘Vishnu’ is the first and foremost God while the ‘Saiva’ traditionalists countering that Lord “Shiva’ is the first and foremost God. Let us leave this debate on the fringes and move on.   Now, let us bow to a new personality. To this date, keeping this personality as the nucleus or focal point, a world of devotion is revolving around it. What did he wrote? … What has he accomplished? … What did he preach? … A world full of devotees, whether they know the answers to these questions or not, without any reservations, consider him as the God and worship him. Even today, there are his disciples, who follows his teachings. These disciples themselves have disciples who is following them. In the religious world, this person as the focal point, not only ‘sthothrams’ (hymns) but also shouting of slogans are taking place.

Who is this personality? ….

From Thiruchchoor, located in the Indian state of Kerala, if one travels few miles they can reach Aalwe … From there, if they turn and proceed few more miles, they will reach a small village called Angamaali. From Angamaali if one takes few foot steps, they will reach yet another small village called Kaaladi. At present, the ‘Periyaaru’ river that is creating several issues between the Tamil Nadu Government and Kerala Government, is beautifully meanders through this village. In this naturally very fertile land of Kaaladi …

Lived a Brahmin named ‘Shivaguru’ … He was married to devout lady named ‘Aariyaambhaal’. In this fertile land, a child named ‘Sankaran’ put his infant feet print, with this couple as the parents. The entire village of ‘Kaaladi’ was overwhelmed with joy when they saw this child. ‘Beautiful child … Look at his eyes … It is emitting ‘gnyanam’ (wisdom) … And look at his ears … It is opened up widely to listen to the entire world at the same time’ … Thus was the talk of the village among those elders who witnessed his infancy. While the father and mother were very happy over the birth of their precious son … Their happiness did not last permanently. While ‘Sankaran’ was a little baby, his father passed away.

The relatives and friends who used to crowd the place, during the days of prosperity, one by one started to stay away from their house. The very sight of a widow was considered as a bad omen according to religious literatures and everyone started their religious path and avoided the sight of widowed mother of ‘Sankaran’ as it was considered a sin. ‘Sankaran’s family fell into destitute. Yet, his mother did not put any obstacles to the child’s quest for knowledge and self realization. Not only she got rid of his hunger by feeding him well, but also she wiped his quest for knowledge by enrolling him with several religious scholars of his time. While he was attending to his studies with local religious masters, his mother has conducted his ‘Upanayanam’ (Ritual to Initiate into school) ceremony.

After the ‘Upanayanam’, ‘Sankaran’ s enthusiasm for leaning and searching for religious documents went into a vigorous phase. One day he said to his mother “Mother … what I have learned from the local Pundits is enough. Mother … on the banks of the river Narmatha, I heard, there are few Pundits. I would like to go there and learn from them …”. With her permission he left the banks of the river ‘Periyaaru’ and started his journey towards the banks of the river ‘Narmatha’. ‘Sankaran’ who came to the ‘Narmatha’ banks to immerse into the river of knowledge, learned from famous ‘Vidhvaan’s such as ‘Govindha Paathar’, ‘Padhma Paathar’, and ‘Gowda Paathar’. He was in residence during his learning period with the ‘Vidhvaans’ and learned various categories of Hindu scriptures. After he grasped the teachings of various ‘Vidhvaans’ his thinking wheels started spinning. For the scriptures that he learned such as Vedas, ‘Bhagavath Geetha’ and ‘Brahma Soothram’ he wrote ‘Bhashyam’ (Translation and commentary). Along with it he started reading the teachings of ‘Budhdha’. After reading the teachings of ‘Budhdha’, he was forced to go back and re-examine the Vedas and ‘Brahma Soothram’. ‘Budhdha’s teachings started to put lightening roots into ‘Sankaran’. Again he started to read the Hindu scriptures, and finally he got clarified. He proclaimed that he accepts the ‘ngyanam’ (knowledge) as revealed by ‘Budhdha’ and declared that everything else in this world is untruth. This is the ‘ngyanam’ that I gained.  

He declared that our birth is ‘Maaya’ (unreal) … Our life is unreal. In this world there are only two things you can count on : 1.) ngyanam (knowledge) 2.) angyanam (Ignorance). Everything else is ‘Maaya’ (unreal). Just like, we step on a piece of rope and get scared thinking that we stepped on a snake, we are frightened over the life in this world not realizing that it is also a ‘Maaya’. Just like the rope that is an unreal snake … this world and our life in this world is ‘Maaya’. Our fright is also a ‘Maaya’. “What we eat is also ‘Maaya’”. Thus ‘Sankaran’ started to preach to the world, the ‘Ngyanam’ he gained over the years. Except the God … what was written in Vedas and all the karmas described in it was also ‘Maaya’. As he started to attack the Vedas and preached against it, opposition against him began to mount, from the Vedic scholars and practitioners group. These were his youthful days. For him … The male is unreal … Female is unreal … As a matter of fact everybody and everything is unreal. Hence, he refused to get married. However his mother requested him to get married, he refused.

In his youthful age he he became a monk and relinquished all forms of worldly possessions. He started to assemble like minded youth who also believed that this world is ‘Maayam’(unreal), and who had faith in his teachings. Initially he had four youth who became his disciples.
They were
1.) Aanandhagiri,
2.) Sureshwaran,
3.) Padhmanaabhar, and
4.) Hashthamalakar.

While they were following, he travelled from one village to another and spread his message over the unreality of the world and ‘Maya’ nature of everything around us. Hence, he preached to the masses not to get confused over the reality and became a slave to worldly possessions. He preached his philosophy of ‘Adhvaitham’ everywhere he visited. The young monk ‘Sankaran’, who preached ‘Everything is unreal, nothing is truth’, was deeply shaken by an ‘unreal’ incidence.
 
What was that incident that jolted ‘Aadhi Sankarar’, who has been claiming and preaching to the world that Vedas as well as the karmas written in the Vedas were ‘Maayai’? At the tender young age his mother passed away. Even though he realized that everything around including mother and relationships were ‘Maayai’, the death of his mother was a severe shock and caused him much hurt and suffrage. Brahmins who conducts the last rites came and said “Listen son, you must carryout the rituals associated with your mother’s last rites by yourself. As usual don’t go around telling that this is ‘Maayai’ and that is ‘Maayai’ and make fool of yourself …”. With their insistence, even though it was in contradiction to what he was preaching, he carried out the last rites of his mother as per Vedic tradition.

After the death of his mother he realized, ‘Now, there is nobody is for me, and none is depending on me …’, ‘Sankaran’ plunged into the life of a ‘Sanyaasi’ (renounced monk). Again he started to visit various villages and continued his preachings. He also emphasized to the youth, the importance of taking ‘Sanyaasam’ (becoming a monk) with ‘slokas’ (verses) that were graspingly hot. Later on, from his biography we find overwhelming evidences that he ventured beyond the present Indian state of Kerala and to spread the ‘Adhvaitha’ philosophy and the path to become a ‘Sanyaasi’ (Wandering Monk). ‘Sankarar’ drew up very strict rules for living as a ‘Sanyaasi’ and not only enforced it on the disciples who chose the ‘Sanyaasam’(Monk way of life), but also onto himself. Basically, a ‘Sanyaasi’ shall not possess anything for himself. Even if he is in need of food he shall not procure the necessary grocery and cook for himself. Not only a ‘Sanyaasi’ must understand that he has no possession in this world … he must also understand that his culture requires that he must beg for food and eat only that was offered to him. ‘Sankarar’ said “ A ‘Sanyaasi’ must not approach the fire even if he is need of heat. He must go from house to house by foot and beg and what was offered shall be his food …” and he himself strictly followed the rules of the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’ (unwritten rules for Sanyaasi).
‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’ …. What is it? What does it says?

A ‘Sanyaasi’, who hss renounced the world, detached from worldly possessions and who practices abstinence, got rid of desires, how should he carry on with his lives, what not to do are given in the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’.
“Padhathii asov swayam  Biktshahii yasya ethathu  Thvayam bhavethu …”
A ‘Sanyaasi’ even if he touches the money with his hands that is a monumental sin … Further, the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’ emphasizes the simplistic life they must adhere to during the ‘Sanyaasam’ period. Wherever he goes, a ‘Sanyaasi’ must travel only by foot or must travel in a ‘Pallaack’ (A cabin carried by men). The following ‘sloka’ states that except these two means of transportation, a ‘Sanyaasi’ must not engage any other modes of travel.
“Vaaganasththam yathiim thirushtvaa   Sajesa snaana maaserethu …”

Do you know, what is the inner meaning of this ‘sloka’? A ‘Sanyaasi’ shall steadfast to his ideals and principles, no matter what changes take place in the world culture. He shall travel only by foot and spread the message among the masses. For the purpose of traveling, do not search for cart or other means of transportation. For traveling from place to place do not get into any cart or other vehicles and ride in pleasure. There is no worst sin in the world than using vehicles for traveling and spreading the message of God. A true ‘Sanyaasi’ shall not even set his eye on horse drawn carriages or ox drawn carts. Even his sight shall not ride in such carriages (He shall not even take an imaginary ride in a carriage). Then how else he can travel? Under unavoidable situations and unfortunate conditions if he happened to see such vehicles, he must immediately immerse in water, and shall get rid of the sin. Thus, the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’ advises a ‘Sanyaasi’ the evils of riding in carts and other vehicles. ‘Sankarar’ took the ‘Smiruthi’ very seriously and carried on his ‘Sanyaasam’ strictly according to the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’.  I would like to narrate another matter that is more appropriate. ‘Maha Periyavar’ (The Extremely Great Soul) Chandrasekara Saraswathi Swamikal (Chief of the Kanchi Sankaraachaarya Math) was very particular in observing the travel rules as dictated by the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’. During his life time he has not traveled in any motorized or animal drawn carriages. He traveled only by foot or in a ‘Pallaakku’ (palanquin).  

While strictly living according to the ‘Sanyaasa Smiruthi’ at his young age, he also wrote the scripture called ‘Bhaja Govindham’. ‘Moodamathee …’ i.e., In this composition, ‘Bhaja Govindham’, ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ calls the hearts as ‘Foolish Hearts’ and what he has written in these ‘slokas’ is applicable, even today, it is an advise not only for the ‘Sanyaasis’ but also for every average individuals. It contains intricate knowledge that is important for seekers and guides everyone through the self realization path. What happens if one is engrossed in hoarding money? …  What happens to a person constantly seeking pleasures with women? … Thus several hot topics are covered in ‘Bhaja Govindham’  looking through several angles. (‘Bhaja Govindham’ means I am praying and chanting the name of Lord ‘Govindhan’). We shall look into some important ‘slokas’. I wonder whether any of the monks of today, following the contents of this important scripture. Let us open up the widows of this precious document so we can get a glimpse!

The messages ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ conveyed in ‘Bhaja Govindham’ … Did his followers considered as true ‘Govindham’ and found its way to their ear drums? … Are they following its contents? Basically, if you want to test whether a pot full of rice is cooked, all you need to do is to take one morsel and pinch and test. Like wise let us look at a few ‘slokas’ only.  

 “Ardhdham Anarththam Bhaavaiya Nidhyam   Naasthi thadhahaa Suka Vee sa haa sathyam …”
This is also a ‘sloka’ emphasizing the evils of ‘Pana Bhakthi’ (Devotion to Money). The meaning of ‘Panam’ (Money) is ‘Nothing’. With ‘Panam’ there is not even an atom of benefit. Do not waste your time running after money. Money is the destroyer of TRUTH. You only will have several infighting within yourself. It is more difficult to hold on to the money than to earn it. If you become rich, even your friend will become your staunchest enemy.
Thus wrote ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ in the following stanza :
 “Puthraadhabhi Dhana paajaam Piithihi ….”, What is the nutshell meaning of this stanza?
For a rich man, the danger comes only from his own beloved wife and his dear sons. Constant fear prevails from everyone around him. ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ warns that the root cause for ‘Mannaasai’ (Love for Land), ‘Pennaasai’ (Lust for Women) and several other desires is money and further he emphasizes and shoots a bulls eye over the ‘Pennaasai’ in another ‘sloka’:
 “Naariis Thana bhara Naabii Dhesam   Thrishtavaa Maathaa   Moohaa  Veesam ….”

The essential meaning of this Sanskrit poem, an advise given to the ‘Sanyaasi’, by ‘Sankarar’  is “Do not trust the ladies”. Ladies show off their moves and their body parts and try to seduce you. Don’t get disappointed by getting into her trap of darkness. Don’t become prey to her intoxicating smile, and commit suicide. Most importantly … O sinner … Don’t get stimulated by looking at a girls top portion of her body and become inebriated … Later on you will never be able to become sober. Hence, use extreme caution with women … Everything in this world is ‘Maayai’ (unreal) … Women is also a ‘Maayai’ … Even her motivating body is also a ‘Maayai’. Thus ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ cautioning his followers even in those days. Today, we read in news magazines, usual occurrences of excited youth committing adultery and extra marital affairs as well as several ‘Sanyaasis’ falling prey to the women’s bodies, discarding the caution and advise given by ‘Sankarar’.  

While, on one side ‘Sankarar’ was embracing the ‘Sanyaasa’ path and following it with very strict discipline, he was also fierce fully opposing the Vedic rituals. Just to demonstrate … As soon as he became a ‘Sanyaasi’ he completely shaved off his head.  Yet, more importantly, he untied his  ‘yagnyobhavidham or Poonool’ (Sacred Thread), which is essential for a Brahmin to conduct the Vedic ritual, and threw away. While Veda is ‘Maayai’, and the rituals directed in the Vedas is also a ‘Maayai’, the so called Veda dictated sacred thread that he is wearing  around his shoulder, is also a ‘Maayai’ and how can he wear this falsehood. That was the reason for throwing away his sacred thread. These two actions brought severe opposition to him from the Brahmins performing Vedic rituals. Because … At a time when both the ‘kudumi’ (small bunch of tied hair at top of their head), and ‘yagnyobhavidham or Poonool’ (Sacred Thread) are considered to be an essential accessories for Brahmins conducting Vedic rituals … “Sankarar’ abruptly shaving his head completely and throwing away the sacred thread to become a ‘Sanyaasi’ was upsetting to other Brahmins.

To add to the upset created by Sankarar’s  determination to shave his head and remove the sacred thread, his teachings stirred up more anger among the Brahmin community. As I have pointed out in the earlier parts of this series, the Veda says “Baby … Here is the milk … Drink this and live healthily ,,, ”. In addition, Vedic discipline states “For your sake, you join hands with a women who has complete trust in you, and carry on with your life happily … If anybody disagrees with this discipline and preaching about ‘Sanyaasam’ (renunciation or celibacy), do not even let them in your society. Chase them away from your settlement”. In addition the ‘Upanishadhs’ (Vedic Teachings) says … “Jaanaathii Icchathii yathathee …”. It means … Our mind will fall in love on whatever we see. When the love for that object overwhelms, then we strive to obtain it at any cost. By striving, if you accomplish or obtain what you were seeking for, that gives you immeasurable joy. This joy is the life. When you fall in love on an object, and strive hard to obtain it, and the joy upon your success in your quest is the real intelligence. … Thus states the ‘Upanishadhs’.

But Sankara’s ‘Adhvaitha’ teachings … were diametrically opposite to this and hence, the Vedic priests and followers were constantly poking holes in his philosophy. In these circumstances, a split opened up among the followers of Sankarar and became two groups. One group clung to the ideology that the world is ‘Maayai’ (unreal) … and other claimed that the world is not ‘Maayai’ and it is our ignorance and began to broadcast their philosophy. Since, Sankarar was spreading his philosophy entirely within the educated class of people, this split did not have much impact in the community. However … to squelch the opposition from the Vedic priests, Sankarar gave a statement contradicting his own teachings.

 “Veedhoo nithyamathiya thaam   Thadhuuthitham karma svanushteethaam   Kaamye mathihi …”
That is, if you carryout the rituals dictated in the Vedas, with purified mind one can easily attain liberation … Along these lines his statements began to muddy up the ‘adhvaitha’ pond.  

Last paragraph, I wrote, by declaring that, If one carries out the rituals dictated in the Vedas, with purified mind one can easily attain liberation, Sankarar muddied up pond of ‘adhvaitha’ philosophy. Only the ‘adhvaitha’ pond was mixed up. Sankarar who has been soaked in that pond was not confused over this issue. As far as he was concerned he was not deviating from his teachings on “Maayai’. As this issue was on the back burner, the philosophical differences between Sankarar and the ‘Aagama’ ritualists began to explode. ‘Aagama’ ritualists? Who were they? First of all what is ‘Aagamam’? … How to worship God? What are all the customary rituals to be performed for the idols? Rules and regulations for these questions and setting out all the religious rituals that has to be carried out for individuals from their birth to death is ‘Aagamam’. In short, ‘Aagamam’ means the ‘procedure’ for performing religious rituals.

In all, ‘Vaishnava’ (Vishnu Worshippers) tradition has two ‘Aagamam’s and the ‘Saivaith’ (Shiva Worshippers) tradition has sixty three ‘Aagamam’s. ‘Vaishnava’ has ‘Vaigaanasa Aagamam’ and ‘Paancharaathra Aagamam’. How to perform ‘Abhishekam’ (Bathe), worship and decorate Lord Vishnu? … How to conduct various religious ceremonies?  … How to perform recitations and chant mantras? … Such details were worked out explicitly and presented by ‘Viganasar’ and this procedure was named after him and was called ‘Vaigaanasa Aagamam’. Next … Lord Vishnu himself came down from heaven and gave instructions on … How to decorate him? … How to perform ‘Abhishekam’ to him? … How to worship him? … How to conduct religious rituals? … How to perform recitations and chant mantras? … Thus, there is a belief that Lord Vishnu himself briefed to few devotees during a period extending to five nights. That is why it is called ‘Paancharaathra’ (Five night) ‘Aagamam’. ‘Saivaith’ tradition has, as I said before, sixty three ‘Aagamams’ out of which several of them are rarely in use at present times.  

O.K. … These are the ‘Aagamams’. I.e., these are the mantras that teaches one how to worship God through the idols. The ‘Aagamams’ besides teaching the customary worship practices, it also dwelled in another controversial subject. ‘Only by offering to the Idols as prescribed per the ‘Aagamams’ and worship strictly according to the directions one can attain “Moksham’ (liberate themselves from the cycles of birth and re-birth). This was where ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ intervened … Criticized such notion … and even one may say that he condemned such claims. Only God is real. All the rest were ‘Maayai’, unreal. ‘Aagamams’ are nothing but accumulation of lies compiled to worship ‘The Real’ and demanding the people to worship their way. They are even looking that ‘Real’ only through the unreal shapes of ‘Vigrahams’(Idols). Thus … If one believes in the advise of the ‘Aagama’ ritualists, they will never get liberated from the cycles of birth and death. Besides, they will not even get the blessings of God. Sankarar was debating and claimed that not only the ‘Aagamams’ are fake but also clinging to them is a colossal mistake. If ‘Aagamams’ are not the answer to liberation, ‘What is the pathway to liberation?’ according to Sankarar :
 “Sathsangathvee nithsangathvam  
   Nithsangathvee nirmoogathvam  
   Nirmoogathvee nithsalachiththam  
   NithsalaChiththee Jiivan Mukthi …”

What is the underlining meaning that resides in these lines? When you are in the company of ‘Sanyyasis’ (the soul that renounced the world), ‘Saadhus or Rishis’ (all persons who has attained saathvic character), ‘gnyaani’ (enlightened souls) your desire to own worldly material things and indulge in trivial activities that are considered as ‘Maayai’ diminishes. As your desire towards worldly material things diminishes, your heart is devoid of lust. As your lust diminishes, you are gaining an unwavering stable mind. When you attain the unwavering stable mind, you will be a liberated soul. Hence, one need not worry about past karma and the worship rituals. Thus, traveling by foot he traveled to several places throughout India, and after preaching about the pathway to joyful living as well as getting liberated from the cycles of birth and death ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ … at an early age of thirty two he was said to have been liberated from the soul. While his birth place was identified with certainty, there is no evidence exists to fix with certainty his place where his soul departed from his body. All we have about his demise is an unreliable belief that he went to the Himalayan mountain and never returned. If the disciples had any information, they would have erected a memorial for him. None such memorials exist. Hence, where ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ attained ‘Moksha’ is not known.

While this guessing game is going on … There are several calculations and conclusions over Sankarar’s period of existence. Jawaharlal Nehru in his authoritative history book ‘Discovery of India’ claims that ‘Aadhi Sankarar’ lived in 8th century A.D. Yet some others … claim that he lived during 4th century A.D. and 6th century A.D. Yet some others, as if they ate raw meat, without hesitation claim that he lived about 2500 years back. Even though there are wide ranging and differing opinions over the period, Sankarar lived either 7th century A.D. or 8th century A.D. If we distill all the historical evidences available we can truly establish that he lived approximately 1200 years back. What is this? He has narrated the Sankarar’s birth to death in detail. If anybody mentions Sankarar, what comes to mind is the ‘Mutts’ (Monastery, Abbey, Religious centers). I can clearly understand your question ‘How come he never mentioned a single line about them?’. All the ‘Sankarar Mutts’ were started only after his life time. Hence, how can we tell about the ‘Mutts’ when we are telling the life story of ‘Sankarar’?

Was it really so …
The ‘Sankarar Mutts’ were not established till Sankarar’s life chapter came to an end? … The prevailing belief that the ‘Mutts’ were established by ‘Sankarar’ himself was not a fact? … Even if we assume that way, then what is the story behind the blossoming of all the ‘Adhvaitha Mutts’? … The answers to these questions can be found only during the first century after his death. ‘Sankarar’ ordered his disciples to travel all over the world, after his death, and spread the ‘Adhvaitha’ philosophy that he had taught them. Sankarar, who got the essence of his version of the ‘Adhvaitha’, from Budhdha … was called by the ‘Vaishnava’ sect of Brahmins as ‘Prasanna Bowdhdhar’. What that means was that, he was the individual, who preached the Budhdha’s doctrines indirectly. Similarly, his disciples were also called as ‘Prasanna Bowdhdhars’. After the days of ‘Sankarar’ … These ‘Prasanna Bowdhdhars’, just like their Guru, traveled from village to village and immersed in preaching the ‘Adhvaitha’ philosophy. They were pressing over and over those gathered, ‘Life is ‘Maayai’, Do not trust in any worldly things … Plunge into the life of a ‘Sanyaasi’’  
The disciples as they took their ‘Sanyaasam’, they had to take their oath of ‘Sanyaasi’ by affirming ‘Thaneshane … Paaryashane … Puthreshane …’, the meaning of which is ‘I have deserted my desires to own wealth … dumped my desire for marriage and lust for females … discarded my want of a family with sons and daughters …’. By taking this oath of celibacy, the disciples, who set out to spread the philosophy of ‘Sankarar’, wandered all over the country side and came to a conclusion. “Our guru Sankarar, adopted the essence of Budhdha’s teachings ‘Sarvam Shoonyam’ (everything is nothing) and spread this message among the masses by declaring that only the God is Real and the rest is nothing but ‘Maayai’”. To spread this Sankarar’s version of Budhdha’s message, why we cannot adopt the idea employed by Budhdha’s own disciples. What was that idea? … At the beginning of this series, when I was writing about Budhdha, in one of the chapter I have pointed out the broadcasting technique of the disciples of Budhdha. Do you recall? … In the fourth chapter I have noted “Nowadays, as everyone knows, there is considerable debate over establishment of various Sankarar ‘Mutts’(Abbey) … The idea of establishing the ‘Mutts’ was also borrowed from the ‘Vihars’(huts) established by Budhdha’s disciples.” Bring this back to your memory. Adopting this very idea to spread the message of their Guru was debated among the disciples of Sankarar.  
At the conclusion, they decided to establish the ‘Mutts’ along the same lines of the Budhdha Vihars and initiated the establishment of various ‘Mutts’. What are these ‘Mutts’? It means the abode of ‘Sanyaasi’.

They were established at various locations for the sole purpose of sheltering the monks who stays there permanently and spread only the message of ‘Adhvaitham’ relentlessly and in full force. For that purpose they were required to stay in the ‘Mutts’. Hence, Aadhi Sankarar’s ‘Adhvaitha’ disciples … started marching in bunches, along various directions. Those journeyed towards South reached ‘Sirungeri’ and started a ‘Mutt’, for spreading the ‘Adhvaitha’ message,by laying the foundation stone. Those traveled towards the Eastern direction, to spread the message of ‘Maayai’ reached ‘Poori’ and decided to establish a ‘Mutt’ over there. Those traveled towards the West reached ‘Dhwaaragai’ and established a ‘Mutt’ over there. Those traveled towards the North reached ‘Bhadhrinaath’ and established a ‘Mutt’ to spread the message of Sankarar. Thus … Several of the principal disciples of Sankarar, including Sureshwaran, Aanandhagiri, Padhmanaabar, and Hashthamalakar have established all these four ‘Mutts’.

To comply with the teachings of Sankarar … No worship practices or other rituals were entertained in these ‘Mutts’. As per the pathway of knowledge advocated by ‘Adhvaitha’ philosophy … No Idol worships are performed. No pooja (worship ritual) will be performed. No relationship shall exist between the Hindu Temples of worship and ‘Adhvaitha Mutts’. ‘Aagama’ practices are abandoned. Rituals advocated by Vedas shall not be performed. In the ‘Mutts’ established to spread ‘Sankarar’s message, no cooking shall take place. As the ‘Sanyaasis’ are required to eat only that was obtained through begging, why cooking is necessary in the ‘Mutts’? … If there was no cooking … i.e., no food to offer to God (‘Naivedhyam’) … Then how can they have worship services? If there were no pooja services, why install Idols? In plain English, “Shankara Mutts are only for proclamation of Advydam …”. The sole and foremost mission of the Mutts established by the disciples of Sankarar spread the ‘Adhvaitha’ philosophy … Only to broadcast Sankarar’s message world over and for no other purposes. You may wonder ‘Whether the mission of the Mutts still remain the same?’ … In addition, you may ask ‘What evidence we have to substantiate that Sankarar had not established the Mutts himself?’.