Post by Sumi on Jan 12, 2012 22:26:50 GMT 5.5
Courtesy: Radhakrishnan Venkatraman
Site: www.periva.org
OM SRI GURUPYO NAMAHA :
HARA HARA SANKARA,SIVA SIVA SANKARA
JAYA JAYA SANKARA HARA HARA SANKARA II
Regarding meditation, Shankara refuted the system of Yoga <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga> and its disciplines as a direct means to attain moksha<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha>,
rebutting the argument that it can be obtained through concentration of the mind.
His position is that the mental states discovered through the practices of Yoga can be indirect aids to the gain of knowledge, but cannot themselves give rise to it. According to his philosophy, knowledge of brahman springs from inquiry into the words of the Upanishads, and the knowledge of brahman that shruti <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shruti> provides cannot be obtained in any other way.[38]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara#cite_note-37>
It has to be noted that it is generally considered that for Shankara the Absolute Reality is attributeless and impersonal, while for
Madhava<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venkata_Madhava> and Ramanuja <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanuja>, the Absolute Truth is Vishnu <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu>. This has been a subject of debate, interpretation, and controversy since
Shankara himself is attributed to composing the popular 8th century Hindu devotional compositionBhaja
Govindam <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaja_Govindam> (literal meaning, "Worship Govinda"). This work of Adi Shankara is considered as a good summary of Advaita Vedanta and underscores the view that devotion to God, Govinda <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>, is not only an important
part of general spirituality, but the concluding verse drives through the message of Shankara: "Worship Govinda <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>, worship Govinda <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>, worship
Govinda<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>,
Oh fool! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean".Bhaja Govindam <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaja_Govindam> invokes
the almighty in the aspect of Vishnu; it is therefore very popular not only with Sri Adi Shankaracharya's immediate followers, the Smarthas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smarthas>,
but also with Vaishnavas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishnavas> and others.
A well known verse, recited in the Smarta tradition, in praise of Adi
Shankara is:
श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानामालयं करुणालयम्|
नमामि भगवत्पादशंकरं लोकशङ्करम् ||
*Śruti smṛti purāṇānāṃālayaṃ karuṇālayaṃ*|
*Namāmi Bhagavatpādaśaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaraṃ*||
I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as
Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the world auspicious.
Adi Shankara begins his Gurustotram or Verses to the Guru with the
following Sanskrit Sloka <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aloka>, that has become a widely sung Bhajan <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhajan>:
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Deva Maheshwara. Guru Sakshath Parambrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha. (tr: *Guru is the creator
Brahma<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma>,
Guru is the preserver Vishnu <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu>, Guru is the destroyerShiva <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva>. Guru is directly the supreme spirit — I offer my salutations to this Guru.*)
SOURCE --WIKIPEDIA.
Site: www.periva.org
OM SRI GURUPYO NAMAHA :
HARA HARA SANKARA,SIVA SIVA SANKARA
JAYA JAYA SANKARA HARA HARA SANKARA II
Regarding meditation, Shankara refuted the system of Yoga <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga> and its disciplines as a direct means to attain moksha<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha>,
rebutting the argument that it can be obtained through concentration of the mind.
His position is that the mental states discovered through the practices of Yoga can be indirect aids to the gain of knowledge, but cannot themselves give rise to it. According to his philosophy, knowledge of brahman springs from inquiry into the words of the Upanishads, and the knowledge of brahman that shruti <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shruti> provides cannot be obtained in any other way.[38]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara#cite_note-37>
It has to be noted that it is generally considered that for Shankara the Absolute Reality is attributeless and impersonal, while for
Madhava<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venkata_Madhava> and Ramanuja <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanuja>, the Absolute Truth is Vishnu <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu>. This has been a subject of debate, interpretation, and controversy since
Shankara himself is attributed to composing the popular 8th century Hindu devotional compositionBhaja
Govindam <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaja_Govindam> (literal meaning, "Worship Govinda"). This work of Adi Shankara is considered as a good summary of Advaita Vedanta and underscores the view that devotion to God, Govinda <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>, is not only an important
part of general spirituality, but the concluding verse drives through the message of Shankara: "Worship Govinda <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>, worship Govinda <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>, worship
Govinda<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda>,
Oh fool! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean".Bhaja Govindam <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaja_Govindam> invokes
the almighty in the aspect of Vishnu; it is therefore very popular not only with Sri Adi Shankaracharya's immediate followers, the Smarthas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smarthas>,
but also with Vaishnavas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishnavas> and others.
A well known verse, recited in the Smarta tradition, in praise of Adi
Shankara is:
श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानामालयं करुणालयम्|
नमामि भगवत्पादशंकरं लोकशङ्करम् ||
*Śruti smṛti purāṇānāṃālayaṃ karuṇālayaṃ*|
*Namāmi Bhagavatpādaśaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaraṃ*||
I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as
Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the world auspicious.
Adi Shankara begins his Gurustotram or Verses to the Guru with the
following Sanskrit Sloka <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aloka>, that has become a widely sung Bhajan <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhajan>:
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Deva Maheshwara. Guru Sakshath Parambrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha. (tr: *Guru is the creator
Brahma<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma>,
Guru is the preserver Vishnu <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu>, Guru is the destroyerShiva <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva>. Guru is directly the supreme spirit — I offer my salutations to this Guru.*)
SOURCE --WIKIPEDIA.