Post by Sumi on Jan 13, 2012 12:09:19 GMT 5.5
Courtesy: Shri Sundararajan
Source: www.periva.org
Paul Brunton’s search for his Master<http://mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/paul-bruntons-search-fo...> - part 2
Source: www.scribd.com/full/32932002?access_key=key-p1hlknsquce8fyorlqi
Early next morning I am surprised to receive an unexpected visit from him.
His carriage rushes hastily to the gate, for he fears that I might be out.
“I received a message late last night that my greatest patron is staying
for one day at Chingleput,” he bursts out. After he has recovered his
breath, he continues: “His Holiness Shri Shankara Acharya of Kumbakonam
is the Spiritual Head of South India.
Millions of people revere him as one of God’s teachers. It happens that he
has taken a great interest in me and has encouraged my literary career, and
of course he is the one to whom I look for spiritual advice. I may now tell
you what I refrained from mentioning yesterday. We regard him as a master
of the highest spiritual attainment. But he is not a Yogi. He is the
Primate of the Southern Hindu world, a true saint and great religious
philosopher. Because he is fully aware of most of the spiritual currents of
our time, and because of his own attainment, he has probably an exceptional
knowledge of the real Yogis. He travels a good deal from village to village
and from city to city, so that he is particularly well informed on such
matters. Wherever he goes, the holy men come to him to pay their respects.
He could probably give you some useful advice. Would you like to visit him?”
“That is extremely kind of you. I shall gladly go. How far is Chingleput?”
“Only thirty-five miles from here. But stay ?”
” Y e s ? “
“I begin to doubt whether His Holiness would grant you an audience. Of
course I shall do my utmost to persuade him.
But “”I am a European!” I finish the sentence for him. “I understand.”
” You will take the risk of a rebuff?” he asks, a little anxiously.
“Certainly. Let us go.”
After a light meal we set out for Chingleput. I ply my literary companion
with questions about the man I hope to see this day. I learn that Shri
Shankara lives a life of almost ascetic plainness as regards food and
clothing, but the dignity of his high office requires him to move in regal
panoply when travelling. He is followed then by a retinue of
mounted elephants and camels, pundits and their pupils, heralds and camp
followers generally. Wherever he goes he becomes the magnet for crowds of
visitors from the surrounding localities They come for spiritual, mental,
physical and financial assistance. Thousands of rupees are daily laid at
his feet by the rich, but because he has taken the vow of poverty, this
income is applied to worthy purposes. He relieves the poor, assists
education, repairs decaying temples and improves the condition of those
artificial rain-fed pools which are so useful in the riverless tracts of
South India. His mission, however, is primarily spiritual. At every
stopping-place he endeavours to inspire the people to a deeper
understanding of their heritage of Hinduism, as well as to elevate their
hearts and minds. He usually gives a discourse at the local temple and then
privately answers the multitude of querents who flock to him. I learn that
Shri Shankara is the sixty-sixth bearer of the title in direct line of
succession from the original Shankara. To get his office and power into the
right perspective within my mind, I am forced to ask Venkataramani several
questions about the founder of the line.
It appears that the first Shankara flourished over one thousand years ago,
and that he was one of the greatest of the historical Brahmin sages. He
might be described as a rational mystic, and as a philosopher of first
rank. He found the Hinduism of his time in a disordered and decrepit
state, with its spiritual vitality fast fading. It seems that he was born
for a mission. From the age of eighteen he wandered throughout India on
foot, arguing with the intelligentsia and the priests of every district
through which he passed, teaching the doctrines of his own creation, and
acquiring a considerable following. His intellect was so acute that,
usually, he was more than a match for those he met. He was fortunate enough
to be accepted and honoured as a prophet during his lifetime, and not after
the life had flickered out of his throat. He was a man with many purposes.
Although he championed the chief religion of his country, he strongly
condemned the pernicious practices which had grown up under its cloak. He
tried to bring people into the way of virtue and exposed the futility of
mere reliance on ornate rituals, unaccompanied by personal effort. He broke
the rules of caste by performing the obsequies at the death of his own
mother, for which the priests excommunicated him. This fearless young man
was a worthy successor to Buddha, the first famous caste breaker.
In opposition to the priests he taught that every human being, irrespective
of caste or colour, could attain to the grace of God and to knowledge of
the highest Truth. He founded no special creed but held that every religion
was a path to God, if sincerely held and followed into its mystic
inwardness. He elaborated a complete and subtle system of philosophy
in order to prove his points. He has left a large literary legacy, which is
honoured in every city of sacred learning throughout the country. The
pundits greatly treasure his philosophical and religious bequest, although
they naturally quibble and quarrel over its meaning.
Shankara travelled throughout India wearing an ochre robe and carrying a
pilgrim’s staff. As a clever piece of strategy, he established four great
institutions at the four points of the compass. There was one at Badrinath
in the North, at Puri in the East, and so on. The central headquarters,
together with a temple and monastery, were established in the South, where
he began his work. To this day the South has remained the holy of holies of
Hinduism. From these institutions there would emerge, when the rainy
seasons were over, trained bands of monks who traveled the country to carry
Shankara’s message.
to be continued
Sundararajan
.Yogah karmasu kausalam - Gita 2-50
Source: www.periva.org
Paul Brunton’s search for his Master<http://mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/paul-bruntons-search-fo...> - part 2
Source: www.scribd.com/full/32932002?access_key=key-p1hlknsquce8fyorlqi
Early next morning I am surprised to receive an unexpected visit from him.
His carriage rushes hastily to the gate, for he fears that I might be out.
“I received a message late last night that my greatest patron is staying
for one day at Chingleput,” he bursts out. After he has recovered his
breath, he continues: “His Holiness Shri Shankara Acharya of Kumbakonam
is the Spiritual Head of South India.
Millions of people revere him as one of God’s teachers. It happens that he
has taken a great interest in me and has encouraged my literary career, and
of course he is the one to whom I look for spiritual advice. I may now tell
you what I refrained from mentioning yesterday. We regard him as a master
of the highest spiritual attainment. But he is not a Yogi. He is the
Primate of the Southern Hindu world, a true saint and great religious
philosopher. Because he is fully aware of most of the spiritual currents of
our time, and because of his own attainment, he has probably an exceptional
knowledge of the real Yogis. He travels a good deal from village to village
and from city to city, so that he is particularly well informed on such
matters. Wherever he goes, the holy men come to him to pay their respects.
He could probably give you some useful advice. Would you like to visit him?”
“That is extremely kind of you. I shall gladly go. How far is Chingleput?”
“Only thirty-five miles from here. But stay ?”
” Y e s ? “
“I begin to doubt whether His Holiness would grant you an audience. Of
course I shall do my utmost to persuade him.
But “”I am a European!” I finish the sentence for him. “I understand.”
” You will take the risk of a rebuff?” he asks, a little anxiously.
“Certainly. Let us go.”
After a light meal we set out for Chingleput. I ply my literary companion
with questions about the man I hope to see this day. I learn that Shri
Shankara lives a life of almost ascetic plainness as regards food and
clothing, but the dignity of his high office requires him to move in regal
panoply when travelling. He is followed then by a retinue of
mounted elephants and camels, pundits and their pupils, heralds and camp
followers generally. Wherever he goes he becomes the magnet for crowds of
visitors from the surrounding localities They come for spiritual, mental,
physical and financial assistance. Thousands of rupees are daily laid at
his feet by the rich, but because he has taken the vow of poverty, this
income is applied to worthy purposes. He relieves the poor, assists
education, repairs decaying temples and improves the condition of those
artificial rain-fed pools which are so useful in the riverless tracts of
South India. His mission, however, is primarily spiritual. At every
stopping-place he endeavours to inspire the people to a deeper
understanding of their heritage of Hinduism, as well as to elevate their
hearts and minds. He usually gives a discourse at the local temple and then
privately answers the multitude of querents who flock to him. I learn that
Shri Shankara is the sixty-sixth bearer of the title in direct line of
succession from the original Shankara. To get his office and power into the
right perspective within my mind, I am forced to ask Venkataramani several
questions about the founder of the line.
It appears that the first Shankara flourished over one thousand years ago,
and that he was one of the greatest of the historical Brahmin sages. He
might be described as a rational mystic, and as a philosopher of first
rank. He found the Hinduism of his time in a disordered and decrepit
state, with its spiritual vitality fast fading. It seems that he was born
for a mission. From the age of eighteen he wandered throughout India on
foot, arguing with the intelligentsia and the priests of every district
through which he passed, teaching the doctrines of his own creation, and
acquiring a considerable following. His intellect was so acute that,
usually, he was more than a match for those he met. He was fortunate enough
to be accepted and honoured as a prophet during his lifetime, and not after
the life had flickered out of his throat. He was a man with many purposes.
Although he championed the chief religion of his country, he strongly
condemned the pernicious practices which had grown up under its cloak. He
tried to bring people into the way of virtue and exposed the futility of
mere reliance on ornate rituals, unaccompanied by personal effort. He broke
the rules of caste by performing the obsequies at the death of his own
mother, for which the priests excommunicated him. This fearless young man
was a worthy successor to Buddha, the first famous caste breaker.
In opposition to the priests he taught that every human being, irrespective
of caste or colour, could attain to the grace of God and to knowledge of
the highest Truth. He founded no special creed but held that every religion
was a path to God, if sincerely held and followed into its mystic
inwardness. He elaborated a complete and subtle system of philosophy
in order to prove his points. He has left a large literary legacy, which is
honoured in every city of sacred learning throughout the country. The
pundits greatly treasure his philosophical and religious bequest, although
they naturally quibble and quarrel over its meaning.
Shankara travelled throughout India wearing an ochre robe and carrying a
pilgrim’s staff. As a clever piece of strategy, he established four great
institutions at the four points of the compass. There was one at Badrinath
in the North, at Puri in the East, and so on. The central headquarters,
together with a temple and monastery, were established in the South, where
he began his work. To this day the South has remained the holy of holies of
Hinduism. From these institutions there would emerge, when the rainy
seasons were over, trained bands of monks who traveled the country to carry
Shankara’s message.
to be continued
Sundararajan
.Yogah karmasu kausalam - Gita 2-50