12 Cen CE Marathi Nath tradition ack Shankara

[V Subrahmanian]

Sri Natraj Maneshinde posted:

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Maharashtrian Acharyas of Natha tradition readily embrace the siddhanta of Bhagavatpada

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The teachings of Bhagavatpada Adi Shankaracharya have had a deep impact on the Hindu masses. A glaring example of this can be seen in the bhakti tradition of Maharashtra. 

As known to all, Maharashtra is a stronghold of Natha sampradaya. Many of the Warkari saints including Shri Jnaneshvar Maharaj were initiated into Natha Sampradaya. I m not aware of the tenets of Natha tradition and how similar or different is it with Shaankara Vedanta. But, I am intrigued to note how readily Bhagavatpada’s siddhanta was accepted and revered by the Maharashtraian Acharyas of Natha tradition. Per my limited interactions with a few Maharashtrain friends, I have realized that this synthesis has only grown stronger over the years. 

When we try to trace the beginning of this synthesis , we verily arrive at the early days of Marathi literature. Shri Mukundaraj Kavi is regarded as the ‘Adya-kavi’ of Marathi literature. He belonged to the 12th Century and has composed a Vedantik work in Marathi named ‘Viveka Sindhu’(VS). The work is dated to 1188 AD based on an internal reference furnished by the author himself. Though he hailed from the Natha sampradaya (as revealed by himself in the final chapter of VS), the siddhanta described in the work is completely in agreement with Shaankara Vedanta. The work upholds the Pramanya of Veda and condemns the schools which reject it. The concepts of Tatpadartha/tvampadartha-shodhan, Advidya/Maya and Vivartavada are also discussed in detail. The entire second half of the work is dedicated to Mahavakyartha Vichara on ‘Tattvamasi’ where the Mahavakya is explained in the light of ‘Jahad-ajahallakshana’. Moreover, the author explicitly mentions that he is merely stating Bhagavatpada’s teachings in Marathi. 

प्रणवपंचीकृत्यें ॥ येथेंविस्तारिलींसविश्रुतें ॥ महावाक्यउपदेशग्रंथें ॥ उत्तरार्धीं॥४६॥ 

शंकरोक्तिवरी ॥ मीबोलिलोंमराठीवैखरी ॥ ह्मणूनिनिर्धारावीचतुरीं ॥ शास्त्रबुद्धी ॥४७॥ 

~ श्री मुकुंदराज कवि, विवेकसिन्धु, पूर्वार्ध ७.४६-४७

[I have deliberated on Pranava and Panchikarana in the Purvardha. In the uttaradha, I will be dealing with Mahavakya vichara]

[ Based on Shankaracharya’s preachings(commentaries), I am writing this work in Marathi. Hence, the wise must ascertain it with Shastra-buddhi]

Thus, it is a matter of great joy to all Advaitians that an early Marathi Brahmana belonging to the Natha tradition is preaching Shaankara Vedanta with such great zeal. Also, it is heartening to see that Bhagavatpada and his siddhanta continued to be revered by the succeeding Marathi authors too. Here are a couple instances regarding the same. 

1. Jnaneshwari of Shri Jnaneshwar Maharaj 

तैसा व्यासाचा मागोवा घेतु । भाष्यकाराते वाट पुसतु ।

अयोग्यही मी न पवतु । के जाईन ।

~ ज्ञानेश्वरी १८. १७२२

[As I am following in the footsteps of sage Vyasa and consulting the Bhashyakara (Shri Shankara) which way to go, where can I, though unworthy, reach if not the right place?] 

Given the striking similarity between Jnaneshwari and Shaankara Geeta bhashya, it is beyond dispute that the Bhashyakara referenced here is Bhagavatpada himself. 

2. Ekanathi Bhagavat of Shri Ekanath Maharaj

वंदूं आचार्य शंकरु ।

 जो का ग्रंथार्थविवेक चतुरु ।

सारुनि कर्मठतेचा विचारु ।

प्रबोध दिनकरु प्रकाशिला ॥ 

~ श्री एकनाथ महाराज, एकनाथी भागवत

[ I bow down to Acharya Shankara, who is an adept in bringing out the true purport of the Shastric texts, who has made the Sun of Jnana-marga shine after having set aside the Karma-pradhana interpretations (of the upanishads)]

It fills our heart with great delight to witness this love and reverence that the Maharashtra’s sant-parampara, which is predominantly rooted in Natha tradition, has had towards Bhagavatpada and his siddhanta. 

Many thanks to Yashas Churchillious for sharing info on Shri Mukundaraj Kavi 🙏 

॥ भव शङ्कर देशिक मे शरणम् ॥

[sunil bhattacharjya]

The Maharashtrian scholars are referring to Abhinava Shankara, the writer of the Shankara bhashya on the Bhagavad Gita,  and not to Adi Shankara. Adi Shankara did not write  the Bhagavad Gita bhashya, as his paramguru Shri Gaudapadacharya, dissuaded from writing the bhashya on the Bhagavad Gita bhashya and asked him to write a bhashya on the Lalita Trishati instead of the Bhagavad Gita.

My 2 cents

skb

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[Ram Chandran]

Dear SKB:

Please be careful when you make your observations and your statement, " Adi Shankara did not write  the Bhagavad Gita bhashya, as his paramguru Shri Gaudapadacharya, dissuaded from writing the bhashya on the Bhagavad Gita bhashya and asked him to write a bhashya on the Lalita Trishati instead of the Bhagavad Gita" needs supporting evidence.  Please check the following and clarify your assessment.  thanks in advance,

Bhagavad Gita Bhashyam of Adi Sankara - Sanskrit Text Only (2 PDFs) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

regards,

Ram Chandran

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms Sri Ramachandran prabhuji

Hare Krishna

 

I was about to ask this doubt to Sri SKB prabhuji.  Traditionally we have firm belief that mUla bhAshyakAra has written bhAshya on prasthAna traya i.e. UP, BS and BG.  Other minor works’ authorship is still debatable.   But here we are seeing something revolutionary thinking doubting the authorship of BG commentary.  Yes as you rightly asked it needs to be proved on the solid evidence otherwise it would remain as mere fantasy thinking. 

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

Bhaskar YR

[putran M]

Namaskaram,

Typically this topic is moderated out by me; it was tied to the other topic of Date of Shankara that was blacklisted last year in our list. I think Ram Chandran-ji allowed for this post and gave a reply. If it continues and proves fruitless as expected, we can stop the thread.

thollmelukaalkizhu

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[Ram Chandran]

Namaskar:

One of our Senior Moderator, Dennisji used to follow the Yellow Card Policy adopted in Soccer Game.  If SKB posts one more irresponsible message then he will not be allowed to post message here.  My personal thanks to  thollmelukaalkizhu for keeping the list in order.  Hari Hari Bol to dear Bhaskarji!

Ram Chandran

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

As I said earlier, no traditional mutt would doubt the authorship of PTB that is including kAnchi mutt though they identifies 5 different types of shankara with different centuries.  Even in kAnchi mutt’s traditional belief the bhAshyakAra is Adishankara, here I don’t think they say Upanishad and BS bhAshyakAra is different from bhagavad geeta bhAshyakAra.  The whole PTB will be attributed to Adishankara only.  And according to them krupAshankara is not PT bhashyakara but he did the shaNmata sthApana, third one is ujjwala shankara who was engaged himself in debates, fourth one is arbhaka shankara (or mUkashankara) he is the sthApanAchArya of kAnchi mutt and fifth and last one is bAla shankara whose biography has been narrated in various shankara Vijaya-s.  But we don’t know, how these five different shankara-s, their different time frame and their respective different works have been supplemented by valid and logical reasoning in kAnchi mutt tradition.  mahA periyaar ( Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati observed anything on this ??  I don’t know.  Whatever it is, it is for the first time I am hearing the doubt about shankara’s bhAshya on geeta.  And Sri SKB prabhuji’s reasoning for his stand is not infallible to conclude anything against traditional stand with regard to this issue. 

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

Bhaskar YR

 

From: adva...@googlegroups.com <adva...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Ram Chandran
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2023 11:15 PM
To: advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [advaitin] 12 Cen CE Marathi Nath tradition ack Shankara

 

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