Adi Shankaracharya is certainly one of the most revered sages of post 9th century AD as his contributions in organizing Hinduism and taking Buddhism and Jainism head on in terms of theological debates has no parallel in Indian history. His contribution in consolidating and refining Indian philosophical thoughts under his doctrine of Advaita Vedanta will always be recognized as path breaking contribution for a long long time. His doctrine uniting the Atman and Brahman as one and his travel in all directions of Indian subcontinent resulted in great transformation of Vedic Hinduism to contemporary Hinduism. It was his singular efforts that pushed Mimansa approach of strict ritualism and its anti-monasticism into oblivion.
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| Adi Shankaracharya |
Within a small span of his life he started a reform movement in Hinduism proposing a better moral agenda that can successfully compete with the noble way of eightfold path advised by Buddha. At around the same time, there was also pressure of monotheist philosophies of Islam. As is often said, every Great person becomes great by responding to challenges of his times. As a reply to good working of Buddhist monasteries where many people were jointly working together and contributing for developing various studies, Shankara thought of replicating similar arrangements within Hinduism (which has always been very open and carefree religion without any central command or concerted group efforts). So, he took lead and founded four Mathas in four directions as pioneering centres for learning general religious studies and particularly Vedic knowledge. He left indelible impression on religious, cultural and philosophical life of India.
Shankaracharya is a commonly used title for heads of these four Mathas founded by Adi Shankaracharya in the ninth century CE. He is honoured as Jagadguru and certainly is the last so well known authority on Vedic knowledge and every other thing that got associated with Hinduism. Bom in 788 CE, he spent all his life in promoting superiority of Hinduism over other popular religious thoughts within India. It is he who reinterpreted the Brahma Sutras and several Upanishads to propagate the doctrine that Atman and Brahman are not separate. He wrote a number of commentaries on various Vedanta literatures, initiated shastrartha with most other thinkers of his time, and convinced many to follow his philosophy; travelled across the country to reinvigorate Vedic knowledge as the pure and Sanatan knowledge.
He was born into a high class Brahmin family of Kerala and is credited with many vehemently fought debates with Buddhists and constantly pursued many kings and other influential people to divert their support from Buddhism to Hinduism. Because, Shankara himself was an ascetic, there were many situations where he came in conflict even with other Vedantic for his recommended renouncing of desire and sexuality but he faced all of them with great vigour and prevailed over most thinkers of his time.
Shankara combined sharp philosophical thinking with impressive administrative and organizational skills. To defeat Buddhism and Jainism and to brand them as heterodoxies, Shankara returned to those very ancient Upanishads from which Buddhist doctrines had evolved to begin with. In well-calculated moves, he proposed an alternate superior way with new explanations for achieving salvation and knowledge. Besides incorporating and surpassing Buddhist doctrines, Shankara made use of their institutions by establishing monasteries like structures within Hinduism that got called Mathas.
He is credited for establishing four different Mathas in all four direction of the country and made each of them responsible for a specific Veda to continue the guidance to every follower and preserve the sacred powers of Hinduism. The summary of the Mathas along with their name, location, name of Adi's disciples who was made responsible for the math, assigned Veda and Mahavakya are as under:
1. Govardhana Peetham, Jagannath Puri for Rig-Veda, under Padmapadacharya with mahavakya as 'Brahman is Knowledge'.
2. Sharada Peetham, Shringeri, Karnataka for Yajur-Veda, under Sureshvacharya with mahavakya as 'I am Brahman'
3. Dwarka Peetham, Dwarka Gujarat, for Sam-Veda, under Hastamalakacharya with mahavakya as "Tattvam asi - That thou art."
4. Jyotirmath Peetham, Joshimath, Badrinath, for Atharva-Veda, under Totakacharya with mahavakya as 'This Atman is Brahman'
Jagadguru Adi Shankara himself finalised most of the systems for successful functioning of the Mathas and the fact that these have been in operation for about 1200 years already, speaks volumes of his deep knowledge of initiating systems which could withstand so much historical peaks and valleys.
All Shankaracharya are required to travel extensively in India preaching their particular sectarian beliefs. The title passes on from one person to next by personal selection by the outgoing Shankaracharya. The heir is declared well in advance and the particular disciple who is named as heir apparent must fulfill minimum qualifications of being a born Brahmin, completely established in Yoga, whose soul is in union with God and is divine. His knowledge of scriptures should be near perfect and he should also be well versed with other competing religious faiths of his time and most importantly, he must also be recognized as Shankaracharya by the heads of other three Mathas. Actually; the person identified is required to receive proper Vedic initiation by the other three Shankaracharyas according to Hindu scriptural injunctions.
As per rules laid out by Adi Shankaracharya himself, a Shankaracharya once established following all prescribed procedure detailed above, can't be removed from his position in his lifetime except if he became mentally infirm or it is proven, based on his action and judgement, that he is no more qualified to hold his title. In such eventuality a new Shankaracharya may be elected by a learned body of Pundits that include a broad based list representing all major religious head of Hindu religion. This way the Mathas have been maintained and handed over from Master to Disciple for over one thousand of years.
Primary purpose of these Mathas is to ensure deep learning of scriptures and traditions by the qualified seekers living life established in perfect Dharma.
Shankar's influence was not limited to only intellectualism. In addition to incorporating Buddhist and Jain models for faith and organizing success, he also incorporated worship of Lord Shiva particularly songs of praise. These hymns of devotion in praise of Shiva or Vishnu became foundation for the new and popular culture of Hinduism, the Bhakti way of worship that has endured until present day India.
Akharas and Naga Sadhus: Every subject where we have no or less knowledge, generally enhances our curiosity and desire to know more about it. This saying is so true for Naga Sadhus whom we come to know only around Kumbh Melas where we hear of semi naked and naked sadhus with ash smeared all across their body queuing to have dip in holy Ganga. Such curiosity gives rise to obvious questions as to who they are? Where do they live generally? What are their belief systems? How one goes to become like them? How are they organized? Where do they go back after Kumbh is over?
Actually; these sadhus arrive at material world only at Kumbh melas and rest of the time they are supposed to remain busy in pursuing their yogic and such other spiritual pursuits. These are the people who have given up the material world and started pursuing the seeking of Moksha. Ascetics have been part of Hinduism from the very early days and they started in parallel to Vedic system. Later, some got branched out to Jainism some to Buddhism, while remaining have remained firmly with Hinduism.
Adi Shankaracharya argued that phenomenal world of everyday experience as also the biological rounds of birth and death are unreal and the source of our bondage with this maya is to be attacked by following monastic or ascetic life of renunciation. He is supposed to have taken the idea of formal monastic order based on similar institutions operating for long within Buddhism. So he reworked those systems for Hinduism and brought out his own order for similar work to be pursued within Hinduism.
Before Adi Shankaracharya came up with a well defined and structured system of organizing and administering issues related to Hindu Ascetics, Sadhus were categorized either as followers of Shiva or Vishnu. Shiva followers were identified with carrying Trishul while Vaishnavites were carrying a single stick; Trishul vs Danda. Adi Shankaracharya founded Dashnami Sampradaya for ascetic Hindus to regulate and support monastic traditions in Hinduism specially those who have been associated with the Advaita Vedanta Tradition doctrine popularized by him.
Adi Shankara organized Ekdandi Sadhus under ten different sampradayas having its unique name out of an exclusive listing of ten names. That is how the name Dashnami Parampara came into existence. Further, each of these ten sects is attached with one specific Math for their proper governance and administration. Now, becoming Sadhu or Sannyasi is open to every Hindu irrespective of class or caste or age or gender. The distribution of ten different names and their assignments under specific Math are as under:
1. Sarasvati,
2. Puri,
3. Bharati names under Shringeri Math,
4. Tirtha,
5. Asrama names under Dwarka Math,
6. Giri,
7. Parvata,
8. Sagara names under Jyotir Math,
9. Vana, and
10. Aranya names under Govardhana Math.
In addition to above names, in North India, Ekadandi monasteries have organized themselves under Akharas which also were organized, by Adi Shankaracharya himself in his own life time. These Akharas are categorises as main and sub Akhara where a sub Akhara operates under the command of its main Akhara. At present we have three main Akharas while there are some sub Akharas which are also part of one or the other main Akharas as under:
1. Juna Akhara with minor akharas of Avahan and Agni
2. Mahanirvani Akhara with minor akhara of Atal
3. Niranjani Akhara with minor akhara of Ananda
Any new aspirant to join Ekadandi system adopt one out of above ten names and has to select a particular sampradaya and initiate his joining in one of the seven Akharas.
It takes about twelve years to become a naga sadhu in which period he has to master celibacy obtain mahapurush diksha under a guru, has to complete his own last rites to denote that he has nothing to do with his earlier name or body; a tough task where many weak people fail and get shunted out of the system. Final initiation happens only at four Kumbh Melas held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain as per their predefined systems of time intervals.
In addition to Ekdandi Sadhus under Dashnami parampara, there are some other sampradayas also for people following other belief systems. These include Shaivas, Vairagis, Kalwasis and Udasins. They in turn have their own Akharas which are independent of the Shankaracharya directed Mathas. These are loosely administered by Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad that comprises of about fourteen Akharas for Hindus and Sikhs. Prominent of these are Nirmohi Akhara (part of the Ayodhya Ram Janm Bhumi dispute) and Sri Dattareya Akharas.
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