CHAPTER
10
MUTTS AND YOGIS
Education can be said to be of two kinds - 'Para' and 'Apara'. Para
may be defined as extra-mundane while the opposite, that is, Apara is
mundane. The scriptures enjoin that both are equally worthy of
acquisition, the supreme function of them being relief from worldly
entanglements. Paravidya is said to lead to the realization of Atman
while Aparavidya can enable one to acquire knowledge of the physical
world.
Despite this basic difference, both Para and Apara education
comprise four stages, 'Adhiti' (learning), ' Bodha' (teaching),
'Acharana'(practice) and 'Pracharana' (propagation). It is only when
these four noble stages are integrated, that education's true aim is
fulfilled.
Prior to Sankara there were many asramas where Vedanta and other
philosophical subjects were taught. When Sankara arrived on the
scene, he saw to it that the four-stage system was honed and
intensified. Also for harmonious spread of the movement of Vedanta,
he went about establishing four mutts - on the four sides of India :
Sringeri in Karnataka (South), Govardhan in Gujarat ( West ),
Jyotirmutt in Uttaranchal (North), and Puri in Orissa (East) and
entrusted their management to his own disciples.
These four Mutts represent the four Mahavakyas of which the four
Vedas are the sources. Some elaboration of this idea is called for.
Of the four Mahavakyas, 'Prajnanam Brahma', probably the first, which
means ''Brahman is knowledge, is extracted from the Rigveda. The
other Mahavakyas are as follows :
''Aham Brahmasmi'' (meaning " I am Brahman")
represented by Saradapeetha of Sringeri is extracted from the
Yajurveda. ''Tattvamasi'' (thou art that), represented by
Dwaraka Mutt, is extracted from the Samaveda and, finally, the
fourth one
''Ayamatma Brahma'' (this Atman is Brahman), represented by the
Jyothir Mutt is extracted from the Atharvaveda.
Besides these four Mutts there is a claim that Sankara
founded a Mutt at Kanchi in Tamilnadu. Each of the heads of these
Mutts bears the halo of Sankaracharya.
It is heartening to note that, although there may be minor
differences in the modalities of their day-to-day activities, all the
Mutts are one in propogation of the essential sprit of Advaita.
A notable feature of the Mutts is that the Sanyasins bore ten
different titles as initiated by Adi Sankara. There seems to be a
controversy about this classification, some crediting the Adi Sankara
himself for it and others ascribing the division to
Pridhvidharacharya. The titles of the ascetics are :
तीर्थाश्रमवनारण्यगिरिपर्वतसागरा:|
सरस्वती
भारती च पूरी नामानि वै दश|
Those with the titles Puri, Saraswathi and Bharati are attached to
Sringeri; ''Tirtha'' and ''Asrama'' are attached to Dwaraka; "Vana"
and "Aranya" to "Puri" and ''giri'', ''Parvata''
and "Sagara" to Jyothirmutt. Kanchipeetam has adopted Indra
Saraswathi. Let us now survey these different mutts briefly.
SRINGERI MUTT :
Although all the Mutts enjoy uniform reputation, the Sringeri Mutt
has a special historical significance. An anecdote goes like this :
One Lomapada, king of Angadesa, invited Rishyasringa, an
absolutely unsullied ascetic and staunch celebate, to his kingdom
which was beset with a severe drought. True to his anticipation, as
soon as Rishyasringa stepped into his kingdom, the drought
disappeared miraculously and rain poured heavily. It was this saint
Rishyasringa who did penance at Sringeri and Sankara was greatly
attracted to this marvellous mendicant. That, then, is the
significance of Sringeri.
Right from Sureswaracharya to the present swami, his Holiness
Bharathitirtha Maha Swamy, Sringeri peetha has had a succession of
thirty-six Acharyas, and, not only a majority of them happened to be
Telugus, but, surprisingly, the official language of the Mutt is
Telugu. The Mutt is running primary schools, libraries as well as
all-facility guest houses. The vidya peetha of Sringeri has
affiliated some forty educational institutions and Sanskrit it a
"must" in them.
KANCHI MUTT :
This is one among the seven sakthi peethas and it is also known as
Sarvajnapeetha.
According to tradition, Sankara established this peetham and made
this a centre for the other four peethams.
कांच्यां
श्रीकामकोटौ तु योगलिंगमनुत्तमम्
|
प्रतिष्ठाप्य
सुरेशार्थं पूजार्थं युयुजे
गुरु:||
Right from Adi Sankara to the present Sankaracharya, this Mutt has
been managed by as many as sixty-eight Acharayas, a considerable
number of whom hailed from Andhradesa. The ninth in succession,
Kripasankara, was known as Gangesopadhyaya in his pre-sannyasa life.
His term was considered to be the golden age in the annals of Kanchi
Mutt.
Vidyaghana, the fourteenth Acharya, also hailed from Andhra. Son of
Bapanna Somayaji, this Vidyaghana was an eminent scholar, besides
being a reputed Advaitin, and additionally he was an adept at mantra
sastra.
To avoid monotony, here is a summary of some other prominent Andhra
acharyas. Satchitsukha was the twenty-third in succession. What is
remarkable about this man was that with his amazing debating prowess,
he was able to convert an astronomer-atheist to the spiritual fold.
Mahadevendrasaraswathi, the twenty-eighth Acharya of the mutt, was
followed by Bodhendrasaraswathi.
A highly memorable Acharya, Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, the
68th in the line of the Mutt, toured the length and breadth of India
(like Adi Sankara himself) not once but (a stupendous strain in
itself) several times, and propagated Advaita. He was an embodiment
of Brahma Jnana. His greatness was discussed thoroughly in a number
of books published by reputed authors : P.Umamaheswara Sastry,
(author of Chadrasekahravijayamaharatnaharam), Kalluri Venkata
Subrahmanya Deekshita (author of Gurukeerthilahari), and
Jatavallabhula Purushottam (author of Jagadguruprasasti). The
universal and eternal teachings of Sri Chandrasekharendrasaraswathi
Mahaswamigal are as follow.
Cultivate friendly attitude to conquer the minds of men ;
Look at others as yourself;
Give up war; give up jealousy;
Don't commit aggresion without reason;
Mother Earth is like Kamadhenu to fulfil
wishes ;
The Lord God is like father, showering mercy
;
People of theworld !!
Live with descipline;
Live with charity;
Live with mercy;
May all people attain greater well-being.
DWARAKA MUTT :
Hasthamalaka, a disciple of Sankara was the founder-organiser of
the mutt. In selecting Dwaraka, Sankara had a sanctimonious purpose.
The sage Rishyasringa (about whom we have already studied earlier)
moved from Sringeri to Dwaraka where he performed a rigorous and
long-lasting penance along with his wife Santha. Rishyasringa, it may
be repeated, was endowed with an uncanny power of materialising
auspiciousness whereever he went. The most notable among the Andhra
Acharyas was Anandagiri.
Dwaraka has grown into a holy piligrim centre on the West coast.
Further, this Mutt has become a seat of higher studies and
reasearch in Sanskrit and Advaita Vedanta. Among its multifareous
activities may be mentioned its benevolent acts such as cow
protection and promoting and encouraging Advaita Vedanta.
JYOTHIR MUTT :
Another significant mutt is Jyothir Mutt, established by Sankara in
the North-West Himalayan region, 6000 feet above sea level. A number
of educational institutions are affiliated to this mutt where
Sanskrit is compulsory in the curriculam.
PURI :
This mutt is in Orissa. Paradoxically, it is at once ancient and
modern teaching both ancient subjects like the sastras as well as
modern subjects like ((mathematics, science, literature and social
sciences.
Like the Adi Sankara the pioneer, the Acharayas of all these
Sankara mutts have earned immaculate reputation of simple living and
high thinking. And, as for their activities, although each mutt has
its unique tradition, they are all one in propagating and enriching
the fundamental concepts of Advaita.
Aside from the five principal Mutts (about which we have had a
bird's-eye view) there are a large number of thier subsidaries.
YOGIS :
It is not out of place here to touch upon the contribution of Yogis
in the propagation of Advaita Vedanta. The holy books of our
tradition unanimously admit the unavoidable necessity of a living
guru or saint for attaining the highest goal of life, i.e., self
realization. The Upanishads stress the need for a guru for attaining
Brahmajnana.
तद्विज्ञानार्थं
स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत्समित्पाणि:
श्रोत्रियं
ब्रह्मनिष्ठम् |(मुण्डक
उपनिषद्/१/२/१२)
The same idea is found in the Gita also.
तद्विद्धि
प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन
सेवया|
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति
ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्व
दर्शिन:||
(Bhagavadgita IV - 34 )
The subustance of this command may be understood as follows :
Acquire Brahmajnana through prostration, inquiry, and sercive to an
unusually qualified guru.
According to Swamy Rama, an internationally renowned saint, a
father usually trains his children to grow and live happily and
profitably in the physical world. But a spiritual father gives
supreme jnana which cannot be imparted by a father or anyone else.
( Living with Himalayan Yogis - P. 26)
That is why our tradition gives utmost importance to teachers of
enduring knowldge. The Upanishads describe such a teacher as elevated
not only intellectually but spiritually also.
India is a land which has given birth to such high stature saints,
also called Yogis, as their soul is always in association with that
of the Supreme Soul. Among them some, including a few Andhras, are
traditional while the others are non-traditional. Some are
independent while the others are attached to a particular Mutt. Some
are men while the others are women. Some are high-born while the rest
are of low caste. Similarly, some are writers while the others are
mere preachers. But irrespective of their status, position, caste,
creed and sex, most of them have already attained perfection in the
realisation of the supreme truth while others are still in their
pursuit. The unique quality of them is simple living and sublime
thinking. Despite their personal differences basing on their
traditions their unifying factor is spirituality. They have achieved
the four goals of Advaitavidya, viz ., study, preaching, practice and
propagion. Interestingly, their blessings, or even their mere
presence, have led their followers to advaitic fold, some sort of
supreme bliss. Andhradesa has a glourious record in this spiritual
sojourn.
There are literally hundreds of yogis (spiritualists) even among
Andhras. Although the writer could procure a complete list of them
after much search, he has deemed it prudent not to test the patience
of the reader with the more
or less monotonous list. If, however, any body is intrested in
getting to know those names, he will only be too pleased and will
supply the information.
***
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