Sunday, April 21, 2013

THE CONTRIBUTION OF ANDHRA TO ADVAITA -VEDANTA



CHAPTER 2
ADVAITA - ITS ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

Before discussing the contribution of Andhras to Advaita Vedanta, the status of Advaita among the Darsanas merit brief discussion.

The philosophical discussions and theories established by famous acharyas are named Darsanas. Etymologically, Darsana connotes that through which Atman can be seen [realized]. It suits every Darsana since the exponents of every Darsana were convinced that that was the actual Atman.
These Darsanas are of two kinds: orthodox and heterodox. Those systems which
do not accept the testimony of the Veda are known as heterodox Darsanas while
those which do are orthodox Darsanas. Charvaka, Jaina and the four schools
of Buddhistic thought, namely, Madhyamika, Yogachara, Sautrantika, Vaibhashika
are heterodox systems, while the orthodox systems are Sankhya, Yoga,
Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Purva-Mimamsa and Uttara-Mimamsa.

Now let us discuss some of the salient features of these systems.

CHARVAKA DARSANA :

Brihaspathi is regarded as the founder of Charvaka Darsana. His chief disciple, Charvaka, propagated this thought. Although the original works of Charvaka Darsana are extinct, his views have percolated to us, rather ironically, through his opponents who bitterly criticized him.
The main features of this Darsana are:
a) Earth, water, fire and air are the basic elements. Ether is not accepted as an element.
b) Senses and objects are the result of the different combinations of these elements.
c) Perception is the only source of knowledge.
d) The soul is nothing but the consciousness of the body.
e) There is no God.
f) Artha and Kama are the two Purusharthas.
g) Death alone is liberation.

JAINA DARSANA :

The Jaina Darsana has a pre-historic origin. The twenty-four Tirthankaras, right from Vrishabhadeva to Vardhamanamahaveera, who were the originators of this faith, are said to be the exponents of this philosophy.

The salient features of this philosophy are:
a) Consciousness is the essence of the soul.
b) The four vows, Ahimsa, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Non-attachment and Continence are the practical tenets of Jainism.
c) The three-fold path; right belief, right knowledge and right understanding are the means to salvation.

BAUDDHA DARSANA :

Gautamabuddha, the Light of Asia, is the founder of Bauddhadarsana. The four noble truths -- suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering and the means leading to this cessation of suffering -- constitute the philosophy of Bauddhadarsana. The noble eight-fold path goes like this : right faith, right resolve, right speech, right action right living, right effort, right thought and right concentration are the means to liberation. Unfortunately, Buddha's followers interpreted his teachings each in his own different way. Some of his followers were nihilists (Sunyavadins), some subjective idealists (Yogacharas), some, representatives of critical reality (Sautrantikas), and still others were direct realists (Vaibhashikas). Their philosophies may be summarized as follows.

1) Sunyavadins stressed the unreality of all things, objects, knowledge and knower.
2) Yogacharas admit that objects perceived are all ideas in the mind. The mind alone is real. There is no external reality.
3) Sautrantikas maintained that both external and conceived objects are real. It would be meaningless to say that consciousness appears as the external object. Objects are felt directly as existing outside of the self.
4) Vaibhashikas maintained that both mind and external objects are real but, unlike Sautrantikas, they hold that external objects are directly known through perception and not inferred. The first two of the above four schools come under Mahayana category while the last two under Hinayana.

SANKHYA DARSANA :

Among the oldest systems of Indian philosophy, Sankhya is predominant. Kapila was its exponent. Since Sankhya means perfect knowledge and since the philosophy inheres perfect knowledge, the title Sankhya is highly appropriate.

YOGA DARSANA :

Patanjali was the founder of Yogadarsana. The yoga sutras composed by him constitute the earliest and grandiose work on this system. Yoga advocates an eight- fold path of discipline : Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dhyana, Dharana and Samadhi. One has to practise these eight disciplines for obtaining liberation.


NYAYA DARSANA :

This school of philosophy was founded by Gautama and is primarily concerned with correct thinking and acquiring true knowledge. Pramana is the means of knowing things correctly. Nyayadarsana proposes four Pramanas : Pratyaksha, Anumana, Upama, and Sabda. This system is an elaboration of sixteen principles also known as Padarthas.
They are :
1) Means of right knowledge (Pramana) 2) Object of right knowledge. (Prameya)
3) Doubt (Samsaya)  4) Purpose (Prayojana) 5) Illustrative instances (Dristanta)
6) Accepted conclusion(Siddhantha) 7) Premises (Avayava) 8) Argumentation (Tarka)
9) Ascertainment (Nirnaya) 10) Debate(Vada) 11) Dispensation (Jalpa) 12) Fallacy (Hetvabhasa)
13) Quibble (Chala) 14) Refutation (Jati) 15) Destructive criticism (Vitanda) 16) Points of opponent's defeat ( Nigrahasthana)

This system is concerned with an explanation of the above sixteen issues. It is said that the highest good, Nissreyasa, is attained through a thorough knowledge of them and their practice.

VAISESHIKA DARSANA :

Vaiseshika philosophy was founded by Kanada and it is derived from
the word 'Visesha' which means particularity. The system involves the seven Padarthas : Dravya (substance), Guna (quality), Karma (action), Samanya (generality), Visesha (particularity), Samavaya (inherence) and Abhava (non - being).

PURVA-MIMAMSA DARSANA :

The word Mimamsa means detailed discussion or critical investigation. This system interprets the Vedic sentences and hence the title. The earlier part of the Veda advocates Karma while the latter part deals with Jnana. Thus Mimamsa is divided into Purva-Mimamsa and Uttara-Mimamsa. Jaimini was the exponent of Purva-Mimamsa. This system has the function of upholding Vedic rituals.

UTTARA - MIMAMSA DARSANA :

This system, also known as Vedantadarsana, is said to be the best of all Darsanas because it explains admirably the nature of soul and serves as the beacon light of human life. Moreover, it satisfies the human aspiration of getting rid of worldly entanglements and attaining salvation. Sankaracharya, in his Bhashya on Brahma-Sutras, expounds the superiority of Vedantadarsana over the other philosophies in the following way.
Exponents of other systems tried to advance their own theories basing upon arguments which, for the most part, are illogical and inconsistent. For example,materialists assert that the body is the soul and its existence is merely transitory;another school holds the view that mind itself is the self. Disagreeing with this view,some argue that soul's existence is transitory, while the nihilists pooh pooh the ideaand declare the illusoriness of soul because it is a void. Still others believe that there is a soul [separate from the body] which transmigrates and is the agent of work (Karta) and the experiencer of the results (Bhoktha). Yet some others say that the soul is a mere experiencer (Bhokta) and not an agent (Karta). In this veritable Babel, some believed in God who is different from the soul and is all-knowing (Sarvajna), and all-powerful (Sarvasakthiman) while in another view, the Atman itself is the experiencing individual.

Thus we see that there are diverse philosophic concepts which are mutually contradictory although they all draw on logic and texts. If one accepts any of these views without critical examination, one is liable not only to be denied emancipation but also face grief. Hence to realize the self, one should study the Vedantadarsana which reveals the uniqueness of Atman. Badarayana was the exponent of Vedantadarsana. His aphorisms numbering 555, known as Badarayana Sutras, were the first treatise emanating form this system.

Badarayana was not the actual founder of this system because the ideas already existed in the Upanishads. His role consisted only in expatiating the philosophy of the Upanishads in his Sutras. Though all the Upanishads aver the soul to be the noblest thought, to the superficial observer, the aphorisms seemed divergent. This seeming paradox had to be addressed by someone at some time. This Himalayan task was taken up by Badarayana. He succeeded in establishing the sameness or the similarity of the teaching of the Upanishads and setting at rest the opponents' onslaughts once for all. In the process of composing the Vedanta Sutras Badarayana was fair enough to acknowledge the views borrowed from both his predecessors and his contemporaries while at the same time he had to condemn others' views. They were "Asmaradhya", "Audulomi", "Kasakritsna", "Karshajani","Jaimini", "Badari", "Atreya", and so on. The Vedantic concepts advocated by them are known as Arshavedanta.

There were many other advocates of Vedantadarsana who came after Badarayana and before Sankaracharya.(9) Gaudapada, the paramaguru (teacher's teacher) of Sankaracharya developed the school of Vedanta in a systematic way and he deserves to be honoured as the first systematic expounder of Advaita Vedanta. His treatise was in the form of Karikas, named after him, his name being 'Gaudapada' and is the first available systematic treatise on the Advita Vedanta. The purpose of the Karikas is to explain the philosophy of the Upanishads in general and the Mandukyopanishad in particular.

The fundamental doctrine of Gaudapada entails No-origination (Ajatavada). Negatively treated, it means that the world only appears to be, but, in fact, it is non- existent. The concept of Creation is just a myth.

न कश्चिज्जायते जीव: सम्भवोS स्य न विद्यते
एतत्तदुत्तमं सत्यं यत्र किंचिन्न जायते ( गौडपादकारिका ३/४८

Gaudapada was succeeded by his disciple, Govindabhagavatpada. A very interesting fact in this lineage is that this Govindabhagavatpada had the rare privilege of teaching the great Sankaracharya. This privilege can further be extended to Gaudapada because Sankara happened to be his sishya's sishya - a sort of grand disciple.

Sankaracharya, also known as Sankarabhagavatpada [A.D.788-820], was the first to consolidate the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, a sub-school or a subsidiary of Vedantadarsana. He was born in Kaledy, a village in Kerala, to a Nambudri Brahmana couple, Sivaguru and Aryamba and lived for just thirty-two years. His father died while he was quite young Sankara received his initiation at the age of five and was attracted to the ascetic life. He somehow managed to get permission to renounce the world and left Kerala and traveled towards the North in search of a guru. He met Govindabhagavatpada on the bank of the river Narmada and prostrated before him to be accepted as his disciple. This meeting may well be described as love at first sight. When enquired about his identity, Sankara gave such a mystic reply that it presented the quintessence of Advita Vedanta.


न भूमिर्न तॊयं न तेजो न वायु:
न खं नेन्द्रियं वा न तेषां समूह:
अनैकान्तिकत्वात्सुषुप्त्यैकसिद्ध:
तदॆकॊSवशिष्ट: शिव: केवलोSहम्


"I am neither Earth nor Water nor Fire nor Air nor Sky nor the senses which by their very nature are prone to change, whereas I am not prone to change".

This reply moved Govindabhagavatpada so much that he at once accepted him as his disciple. In time he ordained Sankaracharya to write commentaries on the Prasthanatraya, viz.,. the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita in accomplishing his guru's desire and propagate Advita Vedanta. Sankara faithfully undertook this task and succeeded remarkbly. The commentary written by Sankaracharya is known as Sarirakamimamsabhashya. Sarira, being impure, has therefore come to be known as sariraka, while the jiva which dwells in the sarira is saariraka. A discussion whether this saariraka is the same as Brahman or not is known as Saarirakamimamsabhashya. Apart from the Bhashyas written on the Prasthanatraya, Sankara was said to have written the following works:

1. Advaita pancharatnam.                                                       19. Praudhanubhutiprakaranam.
2. Advaitanubhuti.                                                                    20. Brahmanuchintanam.
3. Adhyatmavidyopadesa.                                                         21. Manishapanchakam.
4. Anatmasrivigarhana.                                                             22. Mayapanchikam.
5. Aparokshanubhuti.                                                                 23. Mohamudgara.
6. Atmabodha.                                                                              24. Laghuvakyavrittiprakarana.
7. Atmanatmaviveka.                                                                     25. Vakyavritti.
8. Upadesasahasri.                                                                         26. Vivekachudamani.
9. Ekasloka.                                                                                     27. Vedantasara.
10. Kasipanchakam.                                                                         28. Satasloki.
11. Kaupinapanchakam.                                                                29. Shatpadi.
12. Jnanankusamsavivaranam.                                                     30. Sadacharaprakaranam.
13. Dasasloki.                                                                                31. Sanatsujateeyam.
14. Nirvanashatkam.                                                                    32. Sarvavedantasiddhantasangraha 
15. Pancharatnamalika.                                                                 33. Swarupanusandhanastakam.
16. Panchikaranam.                                                                      34. Swatmanirupanam.
17. Prabodhasudhakara.                                                               35. Hastamalakiyabhashyam.
18. Prasnottararatnamala.
Besides the above, around fifty works of Stotra type are ascribed to Sankara wherein Bhakthi is described as the pivotal subject interspersed with Advaita.

THE SALIENT FEATURES OF ADVITA :

According to Advita, Brahman alone is the Reality; the world is unreal and is superimposed in Brahman just as the snake is superimposed in a rope. Brahman is one without a second and there is nothing apart from Brahman, similar to Brahman or different from Brahman and Brahman is essentially undivided.
This attribute-less Brahman is inaccessible to sensory perception. The attributes Sat, Chit, Ananda, as well as the concepts Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient, are agencies which enable one to understand the nature of Brahman.
Jiva, despite being Brahman himself, has the illusion of being different from It(Brahman), due to nescience. This illusion arises because Jiva has a body, senses and mind. Though Jiva is one, it appears to be many in respect of Upadhi.
The happiness in one and the unhappiness in another, as experienced universally, may be ascribed to the concept of Antahkarana. Consciousness and Atman are identical and it is all-prevasive. When it is reflected in Maya (Universal nescience), it is known as Iswara, while the same, when reflected in Avidya ( Individual nescience), is known as Jiva.
Advaita, to which everything except Brahman is mere illusion, however, accepts three realities, Pratibhasika ( transient reality) - a rope being mistaken as a snake; Vyavaharika (world experience) - a snake appearing as a snake; and Paramarthika ( the actual and absolute reality) - Brahman.

Just as dream apparations disappear as soon as consciousness is restored, situations experienced in the usual state of consciousness vanish when the state of Brahmajnana is obtained. As a follow-up, we may perhaps touch briefly on nescience (Maya). Maya comprises three gunas - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. This Maya is believed to be in existence perhaps prior even to time and space. The world and its inhabitants consist of the basic elements; earth, water, sky , fire and air. The Jiva results when consciousness enters them. When this consciousness, which we may call mundane consciousness, evolves and graduates into the real and ultimate Jnana, the Jiva becomes one with Brahman. This supreme state and stage can be attained through an appropriate guru who teaches eternal truths such as Tattvamasi and Dasamastvamasi. When the ultimate realisation dawns on the Jiva, the three karmas, which hang on to Jiva, vanish automatically. Unfortuantely, even after the realisation, Jiva has still to undergo Prarabdha as long as it runs its coursce. This stage in the evolutionary process is known as jivanmukthi - liberation while still living the normal life. Jivanmukthi transforms into Videhamukthi when the body of the jivanmuktha perishes. The central point in the whole discussion is that Jnana is the sine qua non of complete liberation.
We now turn to have a look at Sankara's disciples, the famous among them being Padmapada, Hastamalaka, Totakacharya and Sureswara. These disciples eventually headed the four Mutts established by Sanakara in the four corners of the country. Sankaracharya travelled the entire length and breadth of India on foot propagating Advita Vedanta and drawing large number of admirers. It is a pity that he passed away at the prime age of thirty-two. Had he lived a little longer, no one knows what earth-shaking achievements he would have made. Even during his short span of
life the propagation of his philosophy had a tremendous impact on India and abroad.

After Sankara's departure, his philosophy got divided into three branches; Bhamati, Vivarana and Vartika. The first two have survived and even enjoy critical examination, while the latter one, Vartika, has suffered extinction.

The conceptual differences between Bhamati and Vivarana schools of thought will be discussed later. Most of the Acharyas who existed in the Post-Sankara period composed commentaries and treatises independently, following either of the two schools, not contradicting each other. However, there are a few who followed one school contradicting the other. Apart from the works based on these two Prasthanas, many independent works, both major and minor, as well as commentaries were written on Advita Vedanta. Besides the above, some other notable works refuting the philosophy of Visistadvaita and Dwaita saw the light of the day.

Among the authors of Advaita Vedanta, the part played by the scholars of Andhradesa deserves special study.

                                                                                     ***

CONTRIBUTION OF ANDHRA TO ADVAITA-VEDANTA

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CHAPTER 1
THE ANTIQUITY OF ANDHRA : LITERARY AND CULTURAL GREATNESS

It was Appayyadikshita, a great poet, rhetorician and philosopher of South India, who declared that to be an Andhra and to speak Telugu is a rare gift won through a rigorous penance.

आन्ध्रत्वमान्ध्रभाषा च प्राभाकरपरिश्रम: |
तत्रापि याजुषी शाखा नाSल्पस्य तपस: फलम् ||

The Andhras are a society with a long antiquity. There are several references to Andhras in the Vedas, the epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Puranas as well as the Buddhistic literature. The foremost reference to Andhras as a race is as old as the Aitareyabrahmana of the Rig Veda. An episode in the Aitareyabrahmana goes like this.

Harischandra was performing a Yajna in which the sacrificial animal died before it was actually offered for the sacrifice. As a remedial measure, he had to substitute a human being. He accumulated a huge amount of money and wandered from door to door seeking a human being for the purpose. Having failed in his effort, he approached the sage Richika, brother- in- law of Viswamitra, and requested him to spare one of his children in exchange for the money. Although Richika had as many as three sons -- Sunahpuccha , Sunassepha and Sunolangula -- he refused to part with his eldest son while his wife Satyavati was unwilling to give away the youngest son. Thus it fell to the lot of Sunassepha, the middle boy, to oblige Harischandra and undergo the ordeal. While he was reluctantly following Harischandra, he came
across Viswamitra, his maternal uncle, and prostrated before him for relief from the predicament. Having taken pity on him, Viswamitra wanted any one of his own sons to follow Harischandra in lieu of Sunassepha. It so happened that one of his sons bore the name Andhra. Since none of his sons were willing, Viswamitra grew angry and cursed them.

Though not strictly relevant here, the reader may get curious to know the follow-up of this episode. At Viswamitra's instance, Sunassepha invoked Indra and got relieved of the surrogate sacrifice, as Indra was content with the function sans the sacrifice of life.

Though Andhras have existed even from Vedic times, nothing is known about their contribution to Sanskrit literature till recently. Apastamba was the first known person who contributed considerably to Grihya Sutras, a work in Sanskrit known as Apastamba Sutra and this work is the oldest literary contribution of Andhradesa.

Apastamba's assertion 'Atmalabhanna param vidyate kinchit ' which means that there is no higher knowledge than knowledge of one's own self, is said to be the cornerstone of Advaita Vedanta.

The Andhra region of India is a treasure house of rich culture and heritage. This land, though united geographically, is divided into three regions for administrative convenience : Coastal area, Telangana and Rayalaseema. The Coastal region is divinely identified with Saraswati, Rayalaseema, with Parvati, and Telangana, with Lakshmi. The ancient name of the State of Andhra Pradesh is Thrilingadesa as it is in the midst of three Sivakshetras, Draksharama, Kaleswara and Srisaila. This idea is expressed by Vidyanatha, a great rhetorician and a Poet Laureate in the court of King Prataparudra.

यैर्देशस्त्रिभिरेष याति महतीं ख्यातिं त्रिलिंगाख्यया
येषां काकतिराजकीर्तिविभवै: कैलासशैल: कृत: |
तं देवा: प्रसरत्प्रसादमधुरा: श्रीशैलकाळॆश्वर
द्राक्षारामनिवासिन: प्रतिदिनं त्वच्छ्रेयसे जाग्रतु ||
(Prataparudriyam of Vidyanadha, page-151)

The ancient Andhradesa is said to be somewhat different from and wider than the present Andhra Pradesh. According to Vidyanatha the Andhradesa bordered on Maharashtra in the West, Kalinga in the East, Pandya in the South and Kanyakubja in the North.

पश्चात्पुरस्तादपि यस्य देशौ ख्यातौ महाराष्ट्रकळिंगदेशौ |
अवागुदक्पाण्ड्यककन्यकुब्जौ देशस्स तत्रास्ति त्रिलिंगनामा ||

The geographical situations and other ambiance of Andhradesa are congenial for the development of education in all branches of knowledge. This region, which has earned the well-deserved title "the granary of South India" because of the lush green fields encompassing the area producing very rich harvest, is congenial for the spread also of mundane and transcendental knowledge.
The greatness of Andhradesa is also reflected in the writings of the Greek historian Megasthanes and the records of the Venitian traveller, Marco Polo, who visited this country during the reign of Rudramadevi of the Kakatiya race. Great personalities of the East and West have paid rich tributes to Andhradesa in respect of language, culture and heritage.
For example, while describing the greatness of Krishnadevaraya [A.D.1509-29], Barbosa, a famous historian of the West, says : "The king allows such freedom that every man may come and go and live according to his own creed without suffering any annoyance and without enquiring whether he is a Christian , Jew, Moor or Heathen. Great equity and justice is observed to all ,not only by the ruler but by the people to one another". [The Wonder That Was India; vol-2,by saa rizvee p-87.]

In literature, Andhras have made rich contributions in almost all branches of knowledge. In the words of Dr.V.Raghavan, an eminent critic and Indologist of the South, the Andhra output has been remarkable in quantity as well as quality. In Kavya, Andhra evolved a large variety of panegyrical poems, Prasasti Kavyas or Kshudra Prabandhas. Historical Kavya and Kavya by women writers are two other noteworthy features of the productions of Andhra. In some branches, the works of Andhra Sanskritists gained pan-Indian vogue. In Alamkara Sastra, the Prataparudriyam of Vidyanatha under the Kakatiyas initiated a form which was imitated in other areas. In several branches, the works produced in Andhra gained places of honour in the curriculum of studies in the respective branches all over India. There is no study of Veda without Sayana's commentary; no Advaita without Panchadasi and Jivanmuktiviveka; Annambhatta's Tarkasangraha and Dipika form the beginning of all study of Tarka; Jagannatha's Rasagangadhara occupies a similar position in Alamkara Sastra. Above all, one name is enough to highlight Andhra contribution to Sanskrit - Mallinatha, the prince of commentators, a name synonymous with the study of Sanskrit and the Panchamahakavyas with which that study begins.

So far we have had a broad idea of the contribution of Andhras to literature in general. We now take up their specific role with regard to Advaita Vedanta, the central topic of this paper.
The Vedanta philosophy -- the philosophy based on the concluding portion of the Vedas, i.e., Upanishads -- occupied a prominent place among the orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. The edifice of the entire Vedanta system is built mainly upon the literary tripod of the Upanishads, the Brahmasutras and the Bhagavad-Gita which are known as Prasthanatraya. On the basis of the above works, Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa established their own theories - Advaita, Visistadvaita, and Dwaita respectively. Quite a number of people, scholars as well as laity, are aware of the unique nature of Advaita Vedanta. The essence of Advaita is summarized in the following line :

'Brahma satyam jaganmithya jivo brahmaiva naparah'

which means Brahman is the only reality and the world is not real and jiva is not other than Brahman Itself.

It may not be out of place here to mention that South India bags the credit of producing the principal Acharyas of Vedanta Darsana - Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Srikantha and Vallabha. All these celebrated exponents are from the South. Historically, Sankara was born in Kerala, Ramanuja in Tamilnadu, and Madhva in Karnataka. While on this nativity issue, Sri Kota Venkatachalam, a famous historian of Andhradesa, states that the surnames 'Asuri' and 'Nadiminti' of Ramanuja and Madhva respectively prove the Andhra nativity of their ancestors.

Ramanujacharya was the son of Asuri Kesavayajwan and Kantimathi, the sister of Mahapurna, a disciple of Yamunacharya. Ramanuja was born in 1017 A.D.  Madhvacharya was the son of Madhyagehabhatta, who lived in the city of Rajatapitha, near Udipi which is about forty miles west of Sringeri, where there was a famous Mutt of Sankara. Vallabhacharya, the propounder of Suddhadvaita philosophy, [A.D. 1481-1533] also hailed from Andhradesa. He was born in the linege of Yajnanarayana Bhatta.

Nimbarka alias Nimbaditya alias Niyamananda is also said to be an Andhra who probably lived in Nimba or Nimbapura in the present Bellary district. His commentary on the Brahmasutras is called Vedantaparijathasourabha.

The early reference of Advaita in Andhradesa is found in the reign of Kakatiyas. There is an inscription on the thousand-pillared temple at Hanumakonda dated A.D.1163. The author of this inscription was Achintendradeva, son of Rameswarapandita. He flourished in the court of Kakatiyas from his very early life. He belonged to Bharadvajasagotra and was a disciple of Advayamritayathi [corpus-3;verse-4]. The name Advayamritayathi indicates that in the period of Kakatiyas the Advaita was in prominence. Similarly the very name 'Advayacharyatirumala' [A title of Annambhatta's father, Meligirimallinatha] and 'Advaitanandatritha' [a name adopted by Kurumganti Subrahmanyasastry in his later life after Asramasweekara] prove the prominence of Advaita in those days.
In this context, it is necessary to state that there were many scholars in Andhra who toiled for the development and preservation of Advaita Vedanta. Their monumental contribution can be divided into three categories:
1.Independent works                        2.Commentaries and                                            3.Minor works.

Some scholars like Vidyaranya, Chitsukha and Bellamkonda Ramarayakavi wrote independent works while others like Gundayyabhatta wrote commentaries. For example, Chitsukha wrote Tattvapradipika, also known as Chitsukhi after his name, on Advaita Vedanta. Gundayyabhatta wrote a succulent commentary on the most difficult Advaita classic of Sri Harsha, The Khandanakhandakhadya. In addition to the above, many works were authored by scholars of the 19th century and beyond. Similarly, the contribution made by Mutts, Gurukulas and other educational institutions of higher learning deserves a scrutiny. Also, there were Mutts, Gurukulas, Principalities, besides individual pundits, all having made immense contribution to Advaita Vedanta.
In other words, the contribution made by Andhras to Advaita Vedanta is luminous and voluminous. An attempt is made in this paper to present the literary acumen of some of the scholars.

***

CONTRIBUTION OF ANDHRA TO ADVAITA-VEDANTA

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CONTRIBUTION OF ANDHRA
TO
ADVAITA-VEDANTA.

INTRODUCTION

I have often felt a strong impulse to bring to light the glorious contribution of Andhras to Advaita Vedanta. (Incidentally, my thesis for Ph.D. was also on Advaita -Vedanta.) My guide and mentor, Prof. P.Srirama Murthy, has acted as a catalyst in encouraging me repeatedly to go ahead and has wished me Godspeed.

However, I have faced annoying hurdles and have had to take the matter as a challenge. I had to search a lot for obtaining authoritative literature at different places and at different times with grit and determination. As the saying goes, all is well that ends well. Finally, I seem to have made it, hopefully, to a not inconsiderable extent.

It is common knowledge that quite a number of Andhras have contributed considerably to Advaita Vedanta. This revelation made me at once happy and unhappy : happy because I happen to be an Andhra myself, and unhappy because it became very difficult to get the personal data of most, if not all, of the Advaitins.. This was because they did their research and published the results after, and not before, abdicating their normal family lives and anointment of sanyasa, in which avatar, naturally, their past biography went into limbo and they assumed personal identity related to ascetic milieu. This put me on the nerves and it was very difficult to fathom their original names and their heritage. Among my probes were the anecdotes related to them , which I could cull from rare sources. I have also had to rely upon authentic accounts available from the pundits associated with Advaita Vedanta.

There are two kinds of literary works, vis-à-vis- Advaita Vedanta. One class comprises just a literary translation from the Sanskrit original and a few scholars have commented upon these works. The other class is literature in Sanskrit itself shedding lights on many aspects of Advaita Vedanta. I have confined myself to this latter section.
Acquisition of material has been a sort of hide and seek. I have visited a number of libraries at different places, consulted some rare manuscripts as well as printed material and have met with a number of scholars spread far and wide. It has been a race for me to procure their material and encouragement. Naturally, the only return I can give them is to acknowledge their help and encouragement from deep within my heart. In particular, I am highly indebted to :

Prof. P.Srirama Murty, who planted this seed of Advaita Vedanta in me;
Sri Maddulapalli Manikyasastry for unwinding the various items of Advaita Vedanta, but for which I could not have ventured into this project;
Dr.O.S.R.L. Sarma, my erstwhile teacher, for offering his valuable advice on and off;
Prof. G. A. Sarma, also my erstwhile teacher, for his scintillating verbal flow of wisdom;
Prof. M.V. Ramana, Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Andhra University, who readily and heartily blessed me and supplied valuable literature;
Director of M.G.O.M.L., Madras;
Director of Adyar Library;
Director of Sanskrit Academy, Hyderabad ;
Chief Librarian, Osmania University, Hyderabad ;
Honorary Secretary,Saraswataniketanam,Vetapalem;
Chief Librarian, Rashtriya Samskrita Vidyapeet, Tirupati ;
Chief Librarian, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam ; as well as
Prof. B. Ramaraju ;
Prof. P. Sriramachandrudu ;
Prof. V. Anjaneya Sarma ;
Sri V. Sundararama Sastry ;
Dr. Srikala, Department of Philosophy, Sri Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kaledy, Kerala ;
Dr.R.Sadasiva murthy;
Dr.S.Ranganath, Head, Department of Sanskrit, NMKRV college for women, Banglore;
Dr.C. Rajendran; Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and
Authorities of Various Mutts for giving me valuable advice.

I must express my deepest thanks to Sri K.V. Satyanarayana, retired head of the department of chemistry and Vice-Principal of A.N.R. College for advising me to make some suitable alterations in the composition..

I Should be failing in my duty if I do not record my intense feelings of intimacy and indebtedness to Dr. Y. Venkateswara Rao, retired Principal of A.N.R. College, for always shedding light on various types of literature including Advaita Vedanta.

I must also express my gratitude to my college authorities who have readily allowed me to take up the project.

Last in the order but first and foremost in priority is University Grants Commission, S.E.R.O, Hyderabad, without whose financial offer this project could not have been taken up.
I also thank Dr. Chirravuri Sivarama Krishna Sarma for providing required material.

Finally, I express my hearty thanks to all those who have directly or indirectly helped me in completing this project.

In course of essaying the various aspects of the Advaita Vedanta, I have had to quote the relevant original stanzas (slokas) for the purpose of roundedness. Since some, at least, of the readers may not find it easy to understand them properly, and since a word-for-word translation is both difficult and undesirable (because of the complexity of the subject), I have taken the liberty of deviating from the tradition of literal translation, but, to make them intelligible, I have ventured to suggest the essence of the slokas. I seek the indulgence of litterateurs for this digression.

                                                                                             ***

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

నూతన తెనుగు సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు


ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు
డాక్టర్. చిలకమర్తి దుర్గాప్రసాదరావు
ఉత్పలమాల:
అంత వసంతమొప్పె నుదయాచలమందరుణుండు ప్రాచ్యది
క్కాంతనవారవిందమున క్రాలెడు కుంకుమ రీతి దోచె శా
కుంతములెల్లవీడె తమ గూండ్ల కొలంకులు తాము పద్మినీ
కాంతుని బిల్చురీతి నును గాడ్పుల బంపె కరంబు వేడ్కతోన్.
ఉత్పలమాల:
భూవలయంబులోని నలుపుం దొలగించెను స్వీయకాంతి ధా
రావళి చీకటుల్గిరి గుహాలయసీమలకేగె మేఘముల్
ఆవిరియయ్యె గాన వినయంబున కాకకులంబు సూర్యునిం
గావు మటంచు వేడుకొనెనా! యను భాతిగ 'కావు కావ'నెన్
సీసము:
భూలోకజనపాపపుణ్యముల్దెలియ శ్రీ
పతిపంప వచ్చిన ప్రతినిధియన
మైనాకుగననేగి మఱలెడు హిమశైల
రాత్సుతాధృతశిరోరత్నమనగ
పాతాలలోకాధిపతి శంభునర్చింప
గైకొన్న సౌవర్ణకలశమనగ
విరహిణీజనతాపహరణార్థమై వైద్య
గురువొసంగెడు రత్నగుళికయనగ

తేటగీతి: వారినిధిలోననున్న బంగారముబడ
బానలంబున కఱగి ముద్దయ్యెననగ
రమ్యమైనట్టి రత్నదర్పణము రీతి
భానుడుదయించె దేదీప్యమానుడగుచు.
తేటగీతి:
అట్టి భానుండు సర్వలోకైక హితుడు
పావనంబగు విజయాఖ్యవత్సరమున
భూజనులనెల్ల నిత్యము బ్రోచుగాక
ఆయురారోగ్యభోగభాగ్యములొసంగి.
శ్రీశ్రీశ్రీశ్రీశ్రీశ్రీశ్రీశ్రీ

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

తండ్రికి తగిన తనయుడు


తండ్రికి తగిన తనయుడు
డాక్టర్. చిలకమర్తి. దుర్గాప్రసాద రావు
09897959425

ఈశ్వరుడు అష్టమూర్తి. భూమి, నీరు, అగ్ని, వాయువు, ఆకాశం అనే పంచభూతాలు, సూర్య చంద్రులు, యజ్ఞ పురుషుడు ఆయన శరీరాంగాలు. ఆందుకే ఆయన్ని అష్టమూర్తి అని అంటాం. ఆయన కొడుకు వినాయకుడు కూడ తక్కువేం కాదు . తండ్రికి తగ్గ తనయుడే. ఆయన కూడ ఆష్టమూర్తే. ఎందుకంటే ఆయనకి కూడ ఎనిమిది లక్షణాలూ ఉన్నాయి.
ఏకరదుడు. ఒకేదంతం కలవాడు. ద్వైమాతురుడు. ఇద్దరు తల్లులు గలవాడు. ఒకావిడ పార్వతి, రెండో ఆవిడ గంగ. నిస్త్రిగుణుడు అంటే గుణాతీతుడు. సత్వరజస్తమోగుణాలకు అతీతుడు. చతుర్భుజుడు అనగా నాలుగు భుజాలు కలవాడు. పంచకరుడు అంటే ఐదు చేతులు కలవాడు. తొండం కూడ అవసరాన్ని బట్టి వాడుకుంటాడు. అందువల్ల భుజాలు నాలుగే అయినా చేతులు ఐదు . షణ్ముఖనుతుడు అంటే ఆరు ముఖాలుగల కుమారస్వామిచే స్తుతించబడేవాడు. సప్తచ్ఛదగంధిమదుడు. శ్రేష్ఠమైన ఏనుగు యొక్క గండస్థలం నుంచి ఎల్లప్పుడు ఒకరకమైన ద్రవం స్రవిస్తూ ఉంటుంది. దాన్ని మదజలం అంటాం. అలా స్రవిస్తేనే అది మదపుటేనుగు అవుతుంది . ఆ ద్రవం వాసన ఏడాకుల అరటిచెట్టు కాండం నుంచి కారే ద్రవం వాసనను పోలి ఉంటుంది. వినాయకుడు గజముఖుడు కదా! ముఖంతో పాటు వాసన కూడ సంక్రమించింది.
ఇక ఆఖరి లక్షణం ఏమిటంటే ఆయన అష్టతనుతనయుడు. అంటే ఎనిమిదిశరీరాలుగల శివునికి కుమారుడు. చూశారా! ఆయన తండ్రికి తగిన కొడుకు ఎలా అయ్యాడో. ఆయన గుణాలతోనే ఆయన్ని ఒకసారి స్తుతిద్దాం.
ఏకరద! ద్వైమాతుర! నిస్త్రిగుణ! చతుర్భుజోపి పంచకర!
జయ షణ్ముఖ నుత! సప్తచ్ఛదగన్ధిమదాష్టతనుతనయ!....


28 /02 /13.


Thought of the day (28 / 2 / 13)
(The gems of our tradition)
Dr. Durgaprasada Rao Chilakamarti


విద్వానేవ విజానాతి
విద్వజ్జనపరిశ్రమం
న హి వంధ్యా విజానాతి
గుర్వీం ప్రసవవేదనామ్

ఒక పండితుని యొక్క గొప్పదనం మరొక పండితుడు మాత్రమే తెలుసుకోగలడు. సామాన్యుడు తెలుసుకోలేడు. అది నిజమే. ప్రసవవేదన బిడ్డల తల్లికి తెలుస్తుంది గాని గొడ్రాలికి తెలియదు కదా!

विद्वानेव विजानाति
विद्वज्जनपरिश्रमम् |
न हि वन्ध्या विजानाति
गुर्वीं प्रसववॆदनाम् ||

A scholar alone understands the exertion of a scholar but not a common man . Only a lady who begets a child understands the pangs of delivery but not a barren woman.


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