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Jaya Jaya Sankara

Special Series on the life of Sri Adhi Sankara

(Based on the series in Tamil by Sri Ra. Ganapathy Anna)

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Translated by Sri Narayanan Bala

Volume 32

December 2014 - Anusham

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Chapter 3 of “Jaya Jaya Sankara” by Sri Narayanan Bala (original in Tamil by Sri Ra.Ganapathy)

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Sri Kanchi Maha Periva Thiruvadigal Saranam

Introduction

Hari Om! Namaskaram from the Kanchi Periva Forum community. We are pleased to bring you our Thirty Second edition ebook, which is a continuation of the special Anusham series – “Jaya Jaya Sankara”, a wonderful treasure originally authored by Sri Ra Ganapathy Anna, and translated by our moderator Sri Narayanan Bala (“anusham163” in our forum). Most of our readers are aware of our efforts to bring out regular ebooks which are designed to protect and nourish our age old traditions, culture, devotion and spirituality. Apart from these standard ebooks, we have also published special series ebooks like those on Sri Maha Periva’s Life History. Sri Narayanan Bala is a very well-known moderator to our Forum members (by the Forum name anusham163) and he has already made his presence strongly felt through many drawings/sketches of Periva and by his phenomenal translation works on Periva and on materials related to Periva. An ardent devotee of Sri Maha Periva, Sri Narayanan is a born artist. While he did not get a formal coaching from anyone, his “manaseeka gurus” were Shri Maniyam, Shri Gopulu and Shri Silpi. We would like to express our sincere thanks to him for coming forward to translate and bring out this beautiful series, which will help to cement this wonderful treasure in the minds of the present and future generations. On behalf of this Forum and our respected members, I would also like to specially thank our moderator Smt Sumi, who has put in a lot of effort in putting this title together and for getting it published well in time. If you are not already a member of our Forum and received this ebook from any of your friends, please also register on the forum http://www.periva.proboards.com to stay updated on devotees’ experiences and to receive our regular free publications. We humbly submit this e-book edition at the lotus feet of Shri Maha Periva. Though this book is for restricted circulation among like - minded members of the society, this is a free publication like all our other publications, which can be downloaded from http://www.periva.proboards.com/ . Any feedback or queries may be sent to us at [email protected]

Administrator Kanchi Periva Forum

Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara!





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Note from the Translator

Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah! Sri Maha Periva Thiruvadigal Charanam.This

narrative titled ‘Jaya Jaya Sankara’ on the life of Sri Adhi Sankara

Bhagavat Paadhal was written by Sri Ra .Ganapathy as a serial in the

‘KALKI’ weekly in 1962, with wonderful and lively drawings by Sri

Maniyam.

I have undertaken the ambitious task of translating the same into English. I bow my head to and

submit my ‘Ananhthakoti Namaskarams’ at the Lotus feet of the AdhiGuru and Sri MahaPeriava, to

guide me through this task.

I am greatly indebted to my very good neighbour and a very good friend of over forty years Sri

N.V.Subramaniam, who has taken it on him the task of reading my manuscript word by word,

comparing with the original and suggesting a lot of improvements in the selection of words and

reconstruction of sentences. A million thanks and Namaskarams to him for this great help.

I welcome your feedback on this compilation. I can be reached on [email protected]

Narayanan Bala

About the Author of the original series – Sri Ra Ganapathy Anna

Sri Ra.Ganapathy Anna belongs to a rare breed of writers, who could bring

through his pen and with his authentic personal experience, the

quintessence of religion expounded by great sages.

A naishtika brhmachari, he has a distinct style in Tamil that is enjoyable

to read and teases you sometimes with complex structure of

sentences. Sanskritised in certain narrations, he still does no violence to

the purity of language but captures beautifully the native Indian spirit in his works.

Read more about him & download his ebooks here: http://divyavidyatrust.org/



mailto:[email protected]

http://divyavidyatrust.org/



CHAPTER 3

During Childhood

The problem posed by Devas’ prayer to Mahadevan was now solved by the prayer by the Sivaguru couple. He decided to be born to them as their son. Though He bestows more than what is asked for, in order that those who got the boon do not become arrogant, and the fact that life is a mixture of happiness and sorrow, He told them that the child will live for a short period only. Thus He was born on a ‘Vaisaka Shukla Panchami’ day and started His human life. But is it really an ‘Avatar’? ‘Avataram’ means ‘to descend and come’ But how do we say from where He, who is the ‘Infinite Brahmam’ and who does not have a beginning or an end , comes down ? Somehow, the ‘Brahmam’ took pity on the humanity and assumed human form. As we say ‘the sun (who is always there) has risen’, we also say that the ‘Omnipresent’ has ‘risen’. As an indication that His ‘rising’ is going to be the beginning of the end of the ‘other’ religions which do not follow the path shown by the Vedas, a darkness engulfed the minds of such persons momentarily, and their religious scripts fell from their hands. After Sankaran was born, Sivaguru’s family and home, enjoyed a happiness, which they had not experienced before; at the same time, a feeling of sorrow also ran through that happiness. Siva guru and Aryambikai, were constantly worried at the thought of losing that happiness. During the performance of ‘Jatha Karma’, when the child was blessed “you shall live hundred years” , Sivaguru’s heart was stricken with grief. His voice broke down when he touched the ground and said, “Bless me so that I shall not have to cry for my son”. Sankaran grows up among the love and care of relatives and friends, shining with the rituals performed as ordained in Vedhas. He blooms along with the His childhood play.





They take all protective steps so that He is not affected by any doshas (ills); He passes through the phase of childhood ‘blabbering’. In the sixth month, the parents feed Him food as per custom. They place toys, weapons and palm leaf—scripts in front of Him, as per Sastras. The child picks only the scripts of wisdom. Then he starts to learn walking; he walks and goes to any one who calls him; starts looking at things around him and also at the sky and the moon. Bala Sankaran was very mischievous. The Puja items which used to be in their specific places, are now scattered everywhere. But the parents of that ‘Ammaiyappan’ were only too pleased with those mischiefs. They know that there is no better Puja than making him happy. The saying goes, ‘the child and God will be where they are eulogized’; but here the God is also the child ! The child’s intellect was much superior to its beauty but more than the intellect was his ability to be kind and loving towards others, which made them forget the effect of his mischiefs. What Sivaguru wanted ----- he wanted a young child in his home to distribute the prasadham to the other children, with his tender hands----is happening now ! Before He reached the age of three, He learnt to speak all the words in Tamil fluently; it sounded like the sweet jingling noise coming from Goddess Saraswathi when Her ornaments shake. But this child, born in Tamil Nadu, has taken Avatar to spread Dharma throughout Bharatham, is it not? Therefore, is it not necessary that He should excel Himself in Samskrit, which was the popular common language then ? It is an interesting story how He got the proficiency in Samskrit and poetry. That day, Child Sankaran was thinking seriously on something. ‘Father has gone out on some job. For Mother also it is not convenient to perform ‘Neyvedhyam’ to Swami. But Father has told me that we should not eat without offering to ‘Annapoorani’ who feeds us all.





What to do now? I don’t feel like having anything without performing ‘Neyvedhyam’ to Swami. But the maid has kept a cup full of milk here for me to drink.’ He found a solution to His problem. He picked up the cup of milk and went to the Puja room; looked at Devi; He uttered ‘Ksheeram Nivedhayami’ ( I offer this milk to you) as His father used to say, and closed His eyes. Annapoorni laughed to Herself. Even though She is living in this Sankaran, She appears as a separate entity also. Is She not the ‘Infinite’, from which if one takes the infinitude, what remains is the ‘Infinite’ alone? (Brahadharanyaka Upanishad invocation verse.) Smiling, She now played a trick on Him ! With the result……… When Sankaran opened His eyes and looked at the cup, He almost cried ! Yes, the cup of milk was empty ! The Mother who feeds everyone, has robbed Him of His food ! His tender heart melted at this disappointment. The small lips trembled. Tears appeared in the eyes. That moment when the child cried was the time to sow the seed for the proficiency in the poetic ability which is going to make the world happy. For the Vedhas to prevail and the world to prosper, the time has come for Sankaran to attain proficiency in languages. He cried, therefore. When He looked at the cup with eyes full of tears, it looked as though it was full of water. He closed His eyes and opened them again, so that the tears dropped off, and then looked at the cup again. Oh ! What a surprise ! The cup was full to the brim with milk ! Was it the ordinary cow’s milk ? No; It was the very essence of Wisdom; Mother who feeds the whole universe, fed Herself that day ! Once before, another child, which was crying for milk, drank the milk of wisdom fed by ParaSakthi and became the master of the three sections of the Tamil language; and today, this child attained the peak of wisdom, and mastered Samskrit. But Sankaran never forgot the fact that He was a Tamil child. Later when He became the Jagath Guru Sankara BagavathPadhar, He mentioned this incident





in ‘Soundarya Lahari’ where He had said “You gave that to the child of Dhravidam’. In those times, it was believed that the tuft was the roof to the body where God resides. In His third year, Sankaran had a tuft which was bundled up and tied in the Chera (Kerala ) style. During this ritual, when the Mantra ‘May you live for one hundred and sixteen years’, was chanted, Sivaguru was again perturbed. From then on, his prayer was always that he should precede the child. He submitted that prayer to that child only ! Because, one day , the child had made him realize who He was ! Little Sankaran was enjoying playing with the toy chariot. Seeing this, Sivaguru involuntarily chanted the line from the ‘Namakam’------‘Pranams to Parameswaran who is a charioteer’. Then He started chanting the ‘Namakam’, and when he came to the line, ‘Pranams to Parameswaran who is seated in the chariot’, the actual chariot of the village came to the street ! Sivaguru remembered it was ‘Rathotsavam’ (celebration with chariot) that day. He lifted Sankaran and went to have Swami Darsanam. The chariot came near ; he could see the ‘Vigraha’s (idols) of Lord Siva and Devi Uma. He called Sankaran and pointed to him the deities and said, “Sankara ! look at the ‘Ummaachi’ ( meaning Umamaheswaran, but said in a changed form for the sake of small babies and children) and turned towards the child. Suddenly, he felt he has been lifted to the top of a huge wave. Yes ! The Lord who was sitting in the chariot was now sitting in his arms ! He was thrilled ! He wiped his eyes and looked again. Now he saw Devi sitting in his arms ! When He somehow got over this phenomenal experience, he saw the child sitting there. Now the child opened His tender lips and spoke, “Appa ! I can speak very well now; then why are you saying ‘Ummachi’ ? you could say ‘Umamaheswaran !” The depth, the firmness and the mischief which reflected in these words, made Sivaguru’s heart bubble with happiness !





“Uma—Mahesa ! Only you should protect this child----no this child only should protect me !”—he prayed. Then he shifted his vision to the chariot where the deities were decorated and seated. Oh ! Wonder of wonders ! Is not Sankaran sitting there ! Sivaguru became breathless and speechless for a moment ! When he regained his normal self, he realized that he has seen whatever he hasn’t, up till that time; in spite of seeing, hearing, and touching so many times, what he hasn’t understood so far, he understood now ! There are a lot of unlucky persons who lose many things; he decided that he should not be an unlucky person who will lose God Himself. Therefore he prayed to Sankaran who is going to be known as Sankara BagavathPadhar, to reach him to the lotus feet of Bagavan. The noble man’s desire was fulfilled. Sankaran was four then. Aryambikai who somehow got out of that sea of distress, was irritated with herself. She was scared that her bad luck would infect Sankaran also. She decided to conduct His Upanayanam (Brahmopadesam ) and send Him off to a GuruKul (home for learning under a Guru) out of her sight. So, Brahmopadesam was performed for Sankaran at the age of five. Sivaguru, the Vedic scholar, was unlucky not to have got the good opportunity to prove that ‘the name Sivaguru was very apt to him’ by initiating Sankaran in the Gayathri Mantra. The ‘Samskaram’ ( making one perfect ) having been performed by relatives instead of parents, Sankaran prostrated before His mother as an orphan. Why should the Supreme being be subjected to this humiliation ? Is it to show that in life, suffering grief is unavoidable? As per the custom specified for a Brahmachari (bachelor), Sankaran left His mother to begin His stay in the home of Guru to learn Vedas. When He started the studies, Veda Matha (mother of Vedas) was overjoyed and started inscribing on His tongue. Before the age of seven, He mastered all the Vedas, Vedantha, its branches, Smrithis, Puranas, Sastras and the epics.





Those teachers (Gurus) did not understand whether Sankaran was learning from them or Sankaran was showing them new meanings. When He utters such sentences as ‘Thath Thvam Asi’ (you are the Supreme Being) which teaches the oneness of Jeevathma and Paramathma, from the depth of His heart, the Vedic scholars, who got the opportunity to teach the Adhi Guru, themselves felt that the disciple is teaching them. Among all this, Sankaran memorized only one principle again and again. Sri Dhakshinamurthy took the human form for that purpose only; beginning from the first sentence, ‘Enjoy by doing sacrifice’, the one prominent principle of sainthood which is prevalent throughout the Upanishads, got etched deep into Sankaran’s mind. Sankaran was an example for the Upanishad’s saying ‘that Supreme Being, in search of whom, they practice ‘Brahmacharyam’’. He followed the rules of the Ashram deligently; discarding the palatial house, away from His mother, He remained with the teachers and did their chores. He went to each and every house and begged for alms. He ate the same thing , given as prasadham by the ‘guru pathni’s ( wives of the teachers.) That was a Dhwadhashi day. Those who observed fasting on the previous day (Ekadhashi day) used to break their fast in the early morning itself. There was no such ‘breaking of the fast’ in one house; the house of Vedic scholar Ayaasakan. Because, there was no Ekadhashi fasting for him; meaning, his was a poor house where everyday was an Ekadhashi day, because he is ‘A—Yaasakan’, who never begs anybody for anything. ‘Bhavathi Bikshaam Dhehi !”----the ringing tone waved into the ears of Ayaasakan’s wife. She was not concentrating on the meaning of those words; because, she was eager to see who it was who had such a sweet voice, and went to the front door. There in the front of the house……





Oh! Has the blue—coloured Vamanan Himself come down and is standing there ? Or is it the six—faced Arumukan (Karthik) who has come with a single face ? A boy sparkling with the brightness of a lightning was standing in the street. Like the dark cloud whose darkness is not diminished by the lightning, there was a tuft tied up neatly on the top of his head. The shaven front portion of his head was shining fresh. A wide forehead smeared with the sacred ash as if representing the three Vedas. Eyes like berrys. A nose like the fully bloomed ‘Champaka’ flower. Tiny teeth looking like pearls planted in the coral—like mouth. That mouth was showering the nectar—like words, ‘Bhavathi Biksham Dhehi”.. When the rays of the morning sunlight were passing through the crimson ears of the child, even the veins inside were visible. The diamond ear rings were spreading a brightness around the face. A neck like the conch. That conch only had made this sweet sound. Sacred ash smeared all over the small body. A small sacred thread is resting on the chest. A deer skin wrapped over the dress and a belt made of grass worn around the waist must be hurting his tender skin. A ‘Dhandam’ made of ‘Palasa’ twig was inserted in the belt. What for he has come to me, hurting his tender thighs and feet ? “Bhavathi Biksham Dhehi” Now only her mind turned to what he had been so far saying and understood the meaning and also the purpose. Yes ! He is asking this beggar to give alms ! The points of the fingers, which were gripping the ‘Biksha Paathram’ had become more reddish and reminded her of Sri Lakshmi sitting on the lotus flower. Why this child, in whom the Ten Lakshmi swaroopams are residing , should ask me, who is the ‘Ashta dharithrai’ ( poor lady ) for alms ?





She ran inside the house with an agitated mind. She felt that her heart

would break if she did not give something to that child.

But, there was nothing in the house to give ! Her mind and body staggered;

she caught hold of the wall for support; the place where she put her hand

was a ‘Purai’ ( a small depression on the face of the wall, which you find in

the olden days’ houses, where a lamp or a picture of a Deity is kept).

She found something there; it was a small amla fruit, which had even

decayed a bit.

Amidst this utter poverty also, her husband’s belief in Sastras had not

diminished a bit. He had kept that amla fruit, to break his fast after

returning from a bath in river Soorna.

‘ Yes , today is Dwadhashi ! Therefore, yesterday was Ekadhashi ! That child

standing in the street must have been fasting throughout yesterday.

I should not keep him waiting anymore; I have only this amla fruit; I should

give this to that young boy !’

She came running to the front door, wondering whether he was still waiting

or had gone away.

TO BE CONTINUED…………………….





Sri Maha Periva Divya Darshan

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