Canto V—The Blessing of Vyāsa

Once Śaṅkara was seated on the banks of the Gaṅgā and teaching his disciples.^[1] At that time sage Vyāsa disguised as an old Brahmin came there and asked about his teachings. Śaṅkara’s disciples claimed that their teacher was the master of all Upaniṣads and established the doctrine of non-dualism. Hearing this words Vyāsa asked a question about Śaṅkara in connection with a Sūtra of Vyāsa. Śaṅkara was humbly ready to give an answer to Vyāsa’s question. The Brahmana thereupon quoted to the first Sūtra-from the third chapter of Brahmasūtras and asked Śaṅkara to explain it. Then Śaṅkara replied-‘In the light of the conversation between Gautama and Jabali in the Thandila Śruti, the meaning of this Sūtra is that at the time of death the Jīva departs clothed in the subtle essence of the bhutas or element’. Vyāsa argued with Śaṅkara about the Sūtra. This prolonged debate reminded others, about the old argument in between Ādiśeṣa and Bṛhaspati in learning. At last Padmapāda said these Brahmana is none other than Vyāsa. Vyāsa himself was the knower of essence of all Vedanta and the author of these Sūtras. He is an incarnation of Mahāviṣṇu. Padmapāda added that his Guru Śaṅkara is Śiva himself. He says that we are only His servants. They realised that the Brahmin visitor was Vyāsa himself.

Śaṅkara responded with great pleasure that “your life and work mitigated the banefulness of this age of Kali. If you approve of the commentary I have produced on thy aphorisms which deal exhaustively with Truth transcendental and temporal, then design to pardon my lapses and reveal thy true nature to me”. At these words, the sage revealed his real form with matted locks like a heap of golden wires, with a radiant complexion resembling that of rain cloud surrounded by streaks of lighting, and with fingers held in Cinmudra indicative of the granting of all favours. With a water pot made of lusterous material in hand, his frame spread its pleasant luminosity all round like the moon in the light embrace of night, or like the Tamala tree with bright white flowers all over it. His head was encircled by a string of twenty-seven pearls, and if they were the twenty seven stars (Nakṣatrās), the wives of the moon, assembled to honour the sage who was the greatest friend of the Lunar dynasty of kings. With his matted locks, markings of holy ashes, stuff, Rudrākṣa beads and tiger skin, he looked in every way fit it be a companion of God Śiva. By the use of sharp goad of Advaita philosophy he had brought under control the mad elephant of egoism and with the cords of his aphorsims he had tied the numerous cows of Vedic passages to the post of his philosophy. The sage, reputed as teacher of teachers and invisible to mortal eyes now stood there, accompanied by his disciples, casting his benign glance around to the great joy and relief of the devotees.

Śaṅkara praised Vyāsa in this manner. “We have gained the ultimate destiny of human life. It is according to your vow that you devote your life to serve others. It is because of that you came and gave us ‘Darśan’ to make us happy. You produced the profound Paurāṇika literature which consist of 18 Purāṇas and it is actually the revelation of the teaching of the Vedas. Nobody can produce works in such a small verse, full of noble and important truth. As you found that an ordinary student cannot comprehend the vastness of sacred literature, you divided it into four divisions with different critical revisions. You are blessed with the knowledge of present, past and future. That is why you could compose the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa which speaks about past and future. The moon Mahābhārata dawned out of you who are a milk ocean. The Mahābhārata removes the darkness of ignorance from the spiritual and mundane life. The Vedas, Śāstrās, Vedaṅgās, the Mahābhārata and the Purāṇās originated from you. All these Śāstrās are either produced or edited by you. You are the wish-yielding Kalpataru which is sprung out of an island. The Vedic versions are the branches of kalpataru and they have spread everywhere. One of the branches is the ‘Śuka Purāṇa’ (told by a parrot Śuka). Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa are the puruṣārthās which appears in Śuka Purāṇa which are beneficiary to the people. You are the novel Kṛṣṇa, more powerful than the original incarnation. The Lord Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana mountain to give shelter to the few people of cowherd. But you hold the God Śiva himself in your heart for the well being of the people at large. Śrī Kṛṣṇa protected the grazing cows in the forests but you are protecting the cows of Vedas in your mouth. Kṛṣṇa needed the help of a battle to destroy Narakāsura but you removed the miseries of Jīva in the hell by a mere look. Vedas explain the story of Mahāviṣṇu using expressions like ‘neither existent nor non existent neither within nor without”.

The spiritually illuminated sat on a seat and began to speak to Śaṅkara who was standing by his side humbly. He said that he knew the depth of his knowledge. Śaṅkara was equal to him in learning. He was like his son Śuka.

Sage told Śaṅkara, not to think that it was a debate between himself and him. He praised Śaṅkara by telling that he had heard about his commentary on Vedantasūtra. Sage was very happy to hear that and he came to see him, the commentator. Śaṅkara the full moon of Vedantic wisdom, whose body was shining due to his inward joy spoke to the sage ‘I am very insignificant when compared with your great disciples like Sumantu and Paila. Even then you consider me as worthy as you. What I did is only was an ‘Ārathi’ to the Sūtras to honour it with my commentary. You have to consider me as your disciple and forgive me for this venture of mine. You have to kindly criticise my commentary and correct any mistake you find in it.

Vyāsa’s Blessing Śaṅkara with a Longer Lease of Life

From Śaṅkara, Vyāsa took a copy of Bhāsya and went through it. He was stunned by its clarity and depth. He appreciated its methodology. Vyāsa said that he had gone through his commentary carefully. It was not a foolhardy attempt as he told. When critically estimated his commentary he felt that it would be a foolish thing on the part of him to evaluate it. He added that Śaṅkara was very brilliant and had an unusual mastery over grammar. More over he was the disciple of Govindapāda. Vyāsa knew that Śaṅkara rejected sensuous life and led a life of celibacy. He who took the life of a saṃnyāsa even at an early age, could not be considered as an ordinary man. One who interpreted was as important as the writer himself. Śaṅkara was the incarnation of Śiva who could grasp the meaning of the Sūtras. Many had made commentaries on his sūtras still the time but none of them had been able to know their real meaning as he conceived; only Śaṅkara could do it. He could refute and prove to be false all opposing principles and become famous in the world. By uttering these words, Vyāsa took leave of Śaṅkara with a leaping heart full of joy.

And then Śaṅkara replied that he had already written the commentaries and expounded them and discarded all hostile doctrines. He had almost reached the end of his life of sixteen years span. He wanted to give behind his carnal body in his (Vyāsa) presence. Śaṅkara appealed him to stay for a while to witness that. Deeply moved by these words Vyāsa recalled how he got his sixteen years of life. By birth he got only eight years of life span. It was Agastya who blessed him with eight years as he recogonised his pure and shining Soul. Now Vyāsa, bestowed him with sixteen more years by the blessing of God Śiva, so that he could uproot the doctrines of those who opposed the philosophy of Advaita. He could establish the unity of all existence. Having heard those words from Vyāsa, Śaṅkara declared his indebtedness to Vyāsa for his increased life span and prostrated before him. Vyāsa departed after blessing.

The Ācārya Back to Kāladi at his Mother’s Death Bed

While Śrī Śaṅkara was touring the area of Tuṅgabhadra, The Ācārya saw through his Yogic insight the last day of the mother had come.^[2] Śaṅkara informing his disciples, travelled through air to his native place where his mother lived, in fulfilment of the promise he had made to meet during her last days. Śaṅkara saw that she was very weak. He bowed before her and she at his sight was freed from all her distress. Śaṅkara said his mother ‘you be not sad. I am your side. Please tell me your heart’s desire’. Āryāmba was delighted to see Śaṅkara in good health. She replied that-‘it is, indeed, my great good fortune that I could meet you now. What more can I want!, I do not desire to continue to live on with this old decrepit body. You see that I attain to any higher evolution and then cremate by my body according to the rules of the Śāstrās’. To satisfy his mothers expectation Śaṅkara began to instruct her on the nature of Brahman ‘eternal, self effulgent, immeasurable, free from defects, devoid of mutations like birth, old age and death, devoid of all illusory modifications, partless, unitive, of the nature of consciousness Bliss, all pervading. The Mother then said ‘My dear boy! My mind can find no rest in such an impersonal, abstract, qualityless Being. For my sake, recite the praise of the attractive Divine person and reveal Him to me’. After this incident his heart touched by love and pity, the Ācārya recited an inspired hymn in praise of God Śiva, were upon there came to the scene the emissaries of Śiva with their paraphernalia of trident and the rest. The mother was frightened to see them. At that time Śaṅkara recited hymn in praise of Mahāviṣṇu. Viṣṇu lying on the serpent bed with Śrī sitting at the feet and Bhu and Nila on either side, with Garuda always standing in attendance near by and with a body bedecked with shining ornaments and radiant like a blue mountain refecting the light of the son. This time Śaṅkara recited the hymn in praise of Mahāviṣṇu, the mother saw the above radiant form of pure consciousness within, and died with her mind absorbed in Him. The emissaries of Mahviṣṇu arrived with their divine vehicle with lunar brilliance. The mother was much pleased with them, expressed her thankfulness to the son, and ascended that vehicle with her spiritual body. Passing through the intermediate realms of subltely like, Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya etc. she transcended even the realm of Brahma and attained to Vaikuṇṭa. It is the abode of Mahāviṣṇu. With the idea of doing the cremation and funeral rites of his mother himself, the Ācārya called upon the relatives and neighbours of the family to help him in this. But they all in great disgust laughed at him scornfully and questioned ‘O saṃnyāsin, what competence have you to perform such rites? ‘Though he begged for their co operation on bended knees, they not only turned a deaf year, but refused even fire to cremate the body. Ācārya was extremely angry and he himself made a funeral pyre at the gate of the house with some dry wood, generated fire out of his own right hand, and performed to cremation. Then he cursed the people of Kaladi. May you become incompetent to study the Vedas. May no Saṃnyāsi visit your home for Bhikṣā. He added that may you cremate dead bodies in your on compounds!’^[3]

In the time of the curse Vedic study declined in that place and Saṃnyāsin never took Bhikṣa in the homes of these people. They were also obliged to follow the custom of cremating dead bodies in their own house compounds. Insulting great ones brings unhappiness, one should not insult or trouble another man upon seeing that such person has a calm nature. At times of insult, he may become very angry. That is like just as fire can come out of pieces of a sandal wood tree when struck, inspite of its parts being cool and sweet-smelling. This curse may look contrary to the high ideal of a Saṃnyāsin. But the actions of men of transcending greatness should never be condemned (as they are like fire which can consume anything in it). Sage Paraśurāma is seem to have killed his own mother, and a sage of the line of Bhṛgu is said to have cursed some children to become the food of wolves.

Śaṅkara at Prayāga

When Vyāsa departed, Śaṅkara felt sad. Vyāsa was such a person who could radiate universal love. Śaṅkara who was an illuminated sage, could reduce his grief through meditation. Then he started a spiritual conquest to win Bharata. According to commentary, written by Kumārila Bhaṭṭa, he first moved South to mountain Vindhya where sage Agastya resided. Then he decided to win over Kumārila the strong upholder of the ritualistic interpretation of Vedas. He stopped at prayaga first and bathed on the confluence of Yamuna and Gaṅgā (Viṣṇu and Śiva) to expiate the sins. Then he praised the Triveni and worshiped himself in its holy water along with his disciples. He bathed on Triveni and meditated on the shores of river. There he heard that Kumārila who had established the superiority of Vedas, and by whose deeds the Devās once again got their food of sacrificial offerings was about to enter in to the suicidal fire made of paddy husk inorder to be cleaned of the sin of betraying his teacher. He was a master of the Vedas, a deep scholar, and an accomponished dialectician. His wheel of fame was resolving in all the three worlds.

Kumārila was about to end his life by self immolation by entering in to a fire fed paddy husk.^[4] Śrī Śaṅkara met Kumārila Bhaṭṭa and asked him, the reason for this self inflicated punishment. At that time Buddhism was becoming powerful. Buddhists criticised Vedas and converted people to the path of atheism. Kumārila Bhatta wanted to learn the secrets of Buddism. But during the course of his stay with them the other students came to know that Kumārila was not a Buddhist and regarding him as a spy decided to kill him. One day when Kumārila Bhaṭṭa was sitting on the top of the seven storyed building the students pushed him down from the top. While falling he uttered a śloka saying ‘if the Vedas are pramāṇa he (authority) should not suffer any harm from this fall.’

After this incident, Kumārila realised that he did not suffer any damage at all except that one of his eyes was injured by stone. Kumārila got angry that the Vedas failed to save him from injury. He heard at that time, that is the injury to his eye was caused because of his doubting the Vedas in his statement. The ‘if’ denotes an ‘iota of doubt’. Then Kumārila realised his mistake. Since then he propagated against Buddhist tenets and indulged in reviving his teachings. Kumārila Bhaṭṭa told Śaṅkara that by self immolation he was paying for the sins he had committed for lying to the Buddhist teacher that he was a Buddhist and learning their doctrines. By teaching him the doctrines the Buddhist scholars have become Kumārila’s Guru. It is regarded that cheating the Guru is the greatest sin according to Dharmaśāstras. Kumārila belonged to Mīmāṃsa school and believes the importance of Karma. He decided to burn himself as a punishment. Kumārila asks Śaṅkara to meet Maṇḍana Miśra who was his disciple. He is lived in ‘Māhiṣmati’ and convince him of the excellence of Vedanta and bring him to the path of Advaita. And then Kumārila left his material body. Śrī Śaṅkara told the followers of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa that from then onwards any action they performed should be done as an offering to God.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide Lakṣmaṇa Sūrin, Bhaghavatpādābhyudaya, p.57, The summary of the Section is based on chapter V.

[2]:

Ibid., p.65

[3]:

Ibid., p.69

[4]:

Ibid., p.73