Mukti-Lingam in the Kedarnath Temple

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear friends,

Three days ago, Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modiji has inaugurated the statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath. I understand that Adi Shankaracharya went to Kedarnath and there he left his physical body behind (probably in care of his disciples) and then he went to Kailash, with his astral-body"  to have a darshan of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. He returned to Kedarnath with five "Sphatika-Lingas", and then out of these five Shiva-Lingas he  installed the "Mukti-Linga" in Kedarnath.

Next he installed he installed the "Bhoga-Linga" in Sharada Peeth. I have a request here. If anybody in this august group knows, kindly tell us where is the Bhaoga-Linga at present. Is it in the Original Kudali Shringeri Math, near Shimoga or it is  in the later Tunga Shringeri Math.

I gather from a friend that Adi Shankaracharya took the last Shiva-Lnga, that is the Yoga-Linga, with him to Kanchipuram, where he took his final samadhi.

Awaiting your kind reply,

Sunil KB

[Vinodh]

Sri Sunil ji,

I will share with you what Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi of the Kanchi matam has said about the above topic. Below are a few excerpts verbatim from the "Voice of God" book Vol 5 (pages 708-737), which is a translation of the book "Deivatthin Kural" that is a collection of his various speeches.

On Acharya and the five spatika lingams:

"... he went to Kailas to have dharshan of Parvathi and Parameshwara. It is said that he went there by Yogashakti. ...

... Parameshwara gave Acharya five spatika lingams. This has been mentioned both in Siva Rahasyam and Markandeya Samhithai which are part of Itihasa-Puranam. In Siva Rahasyam it has been stated that this incident happened in Kasi. But the lingams have been referred to as Kailasa Lingam. The names of the lingas have been mentioned in both identically as Yoga Lingam, Bhoga Lingam, Vara Lingam, Mukthi Lingam, and Moksha Lingam. In Markandeya Samhithai it has also been mentioned where they were installed. Yoga Lingam was installed in the Mutt at Kanchi, Bhoga Lingam in the Mutta at Srungeri, Vara Lingam in Nilakanta Kshetram in Nepal, Mukthi Lingam in Kedarnath and Moksha Lingam in Chidambaram. ...

... In accordance with Parameshwara's command Acharya installed four lingams in Srungeri, Kedar, Nilakantam, and Kanchi. When he was nearing the time for 'siddhi', he gave the 'moksha lingam' to Sureshwaracharya and told him to install it in Chidambaram. This is what is found in Ananda Giriyam. ...

... There are historical narratives which talk about his having installed the Yoga Lingam which he had received from Parameshwara in Kailas as Chandramoulishwara in the (Kanchi) Mutt. About this Yoga Lingam there is reference even in Sri Harsha's Naishadham."

On Acharya's Videha Mukthi in Kanchi:

" ... Almost all books speak of Acharya having been in Kanchipuram. Both in Ananda Giriyam, (Srungeri) Guruvamsa Kavayam it has been mentioned that it was from Kanchi he sent out his six sishyas all over and established the Shanmatha. Sankaraabhyudham, Govindanaadhiyam, Chitvilaasiyam and Guru Rathnamaala say that Acharya ascended the Sarvajna Pitam. From Sushama, 'Bruhath Sankara' and 'Praachina Sankara Vijayam' books also this fact is known. Although according to Vyasaachaliyam he ascended the Sarvajna Pitam in Kashmir the trend of his life history shows that he had lived in Kanchi. By way of clearing this confusion, Kanchi region itself has the name 'Kashmiram' as made clear in Govindanaadhiyam. ...

... In Siva Rahasya, Markandeya Samhithai which are Itihasa Puranas and in some Sankara Vijayam books and other books pertaining to Acharya it is said that Acharya ended his avathaaram and attained siddhi in Kanchi. There are also some Sankara Vijayam books which say that it was in Kedarnath, Badrinath he attained 'siddhi'. 

It is difficult to appreciate differing opinions being expressed concerning the history of Acharya who had come only for bringing about unity. He did not write his autobiography or leave a 'will'. But those who came after him drew their own conclusions based on different evidences. The basic truth is that all of us are his bhakthas, sishyas and children. More important than conducting any research is that all of us should have bhakthi to him and love devoid of even a tinge of enmity. If anything does harm to this all the research can be withdrawn. (laughing) If some one asks 'which is the place where Acharya attained siddhi?', just as we say about 'siddha purushas' that one person had attained 'samadhi' in three or four places we can also say about Acharya!

The belief is that Acharya attained mukthi in Kanchipuram which is a 'mukthi kshethra'. What is mukthi for him? He was the very form of mukthi. He was always 'Jivan Muktha'. Even so one day he had given up his mortal coils and disappeared from our sight. I am referring to Videha Mukthi. In some of the books it is mentioned that he attained such a mukthi in front of Kamakshi. In Bruhas Sankara Vijayam it is said : Devyaah purah parathare purushevililye - in front of Ambal he became one with 'Brahma tatva'. In Prachina Sankara Vijayam also it has been mentioned in the same manner:

Kamakshyaat savithe sa jaathu nivisan unmuktha loka spruho

Dheham swam vyapahaaya dhehya sukamam dhaama prabethe param

Sa jathu kamakshyaah savithe nivisan - one day he went to Kamashi temple and was standing near Ambal.

Unmuktha loka spruha - At such a time he had given up all attachment to the world. 

Dheham swam vyapahaaya - standing near Ambal he gave up his body.

Dhaama prabethe param - He returned to his own highest place. What is that highest place? It is being Brahma Swarupam.

In Keraliya Sankara Vijayam also this has been said and in addition it is said 'even after attaining the supreme state (Paramapadham) of limitless Jyothi, the very form of bliss, Sri Sankaracharya contines to remain in the temple of Ambal in Kanchipuram as 'Moksha Dhatha'. It appears that the reference here is to Acharya's idol in Kamakshi temple. ..." 

Om tat sat 🙏

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[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Vinodhji,

Anandagiri in one of his commentaries mentioned one verse from Manu Smriti. which says that the Brahmains should worship Lord Shiva, the Kshatriyas should worship Lord Vishnu, Vaisjya should worship Lord Brahma, and the Shudras should worship Lord Ganesha. Some of the  Vaishnava brahmins seem to have removed this verse of Manu from the Manu Smriti, not knowing the further developments. Some poor brahmins prayed to Mother Lakshmi to help them tide over their financial difficulties. Then Mother Lakshmi is said to have advised the brahmins to worship Lord Vishnu also, assuring that she is automatically worshipped when one worships Vishnu. Further Lord Krihna said in purana that one should also worship Mother Uma for Mukti, and Lord Sun for health. As we are all shudras by birth (janmanaa Jaayate shudra) and we become Dvija by the samskaras, we all have to worship Lord Ganesha.  Adi Shankara started the panchayatana puja and that is how he made the worshipping places common to all of us in spite of the different professions among the Hindus. Lord Katikeya or Lord Skanda or Lord Murugan had taken special care of the brahmins of the South to make them good brahmins, and he is also worshipped along with the Panchayatana.

Thus it was quite understandable why Adi Shankara at his last stage of his life worshipped Moher Lalita (one form  of Mother Uma) and took his samadhi in Kanchipuram, the Kashi of the South. Before the deha-tyaaga of Adi Shankara, Shri Sureshvaracharya came fron Dwarka to Kanchipuram, to take over as a sort  of warden for the young disciple of Adi Shankara in Kanchipuram. Later on the mathadhipati of Shringeri requested  Shri Sureshvaracharya to relieve him from the responsibilty of looking after the Shringeri math so that he can spend his days in Kanchipuram. That is why many people may  be wondering why Dwarka math, Kanchipuram Math as well as the Shringeri math claim Shri Sureshvaracharya to be their mathadhipati.

My 2 cents towards clarifying a few confusions in the Devi Puja among the Advaitins and also on history of the Shankara mathas.

Sunil KB

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[Vinodh]

Sri Sunil ji,

It is interesting that you bring up the topic of Acharya's worship of Kamakshi. In fact, Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi also brings up this very topic when talking about Acharya and Kanchi, which I quote below (from Voice of God, Vol 5, pages 719-721):

On Acharya and Kanchi Kamakshi:

"When he was staying in Kanchi, for the welfare of all, he requested the local king to organize the town in the shape of Sri Chakra which is the central 'bindhu' of Kamakshi temple. The king carried out his request. He was a Chola king by name Rajasenan. 

The two outer circles of Sri Chakram will be like the lotus petals which have opened out. Inside also, the angles which are formed in groups will look like lotus petals. 

The reason why he gave importance to the temple of Ambal and also the Ambal Yantra is.....

Although Kanchi is the important kshethra for several murthis its chief importance is only as Devi Kshetra. The Sakthi Pitas are usually said to be three, eighteen, thirty six, fifty one, fifty six, sixty four, ninety six, one hundred and eight, six thousand four hundred etc. Of all these pitams, what is mentioned as one of the important is the Kama Pitam or Kamakoti Pitam of Kanchi. It is Ambal's 'nabhi' (naval) Pitam. Nabhi is at the centre of the body. In the same way Kanchi is the naval for the world. Kanchi means the ornament worn around the hip. This ornament is like the kavacham (armour) for the 'nabhi'. This is what is said in Meru Thanthram, Kamakshi Vilasam, and Kanchi Mahathmyam. Kanchi Kamakshi is the focus point of the Sakthi of all the Ambals in all the kshetras. (laughing) She is the generator for all the bulbs! As if to make this known although in the Kanchi region there are more than fifty Siva temples there is no sannidhi for Amman (Ambal) in any of the temples. In Sundareswarar temple there is Minakshi, in Jambukeswarar temple there is Akilandeswari. In Kapaliswarar temple there is Karpagambal. Here Ambal is all by Herself without any connection with Iswara. In Kanchi, She has a temple for Herself with towers (Gopuram) on all the four sides and Raja Vidhi on all the four sides and shines as Raja Rajeswari, a glory which no god including Ekambarar and Varadharaja [both in Kanchi] has.

She is of the form of Thripurasundari with four hands, with the bow, goad and the noose as mentioned in Sri Vidhya shastram. It is that shastra which Ambal Herself gave Acharya in Kailas and he had completed it as Soundarya Lahari. That Thripurasundari is the Sakthi of Chandramouliswara, the presiding deity of the [Kanchi] Mutt. 

For these reasons Kamakshi was very important for Acharya.

(Laughing) 'What is this? What he preached was the actionless state of Advaita! Ambal is the very personification of Shakthi, action and Maya! How is he concerned with Her?' - It was she who had activated by her Shakthi what remained actionless and made it engage in action. She made 'Sam-bu' who remained actionless as 'Sam-karar' and She has tirelessly worked for the world which he wanted to be rejected as 'mithya'. Therefore it appears that She who brought out all these things from what was one, sends some one to bring them back into the one. If He is doing the great act of taking avathara He gets the shakthi for doing it from Parashakti only. She who brought out many from one has to bring back together the many as one and for this She is acting with compassion. Not only that, whatever spiritual practice one may do it is only She who can unite back the jiva to its original. Therefore it is Her grace which has to open the door for Advaita moksha. Acharya knew well that She would shower Her grace because Acharya was within himself the form of shakthi. He knew by experience that it is the same Maha Maya who grants jnana and is also the Brahma Vidhya Swarupini. 

Because Sri Vidhya and Brahma Vidhya take one to the Advaita of the unity of Siva-Shakthi, Acharya who did a lot of 'jnana marga' also gave importance to 'upasana marga' as Sri Vidhya. 

Whatever may be the Devi Vidhya, since one who is the great shakthi and at the same time the Mother with great compassion, She is the one who grants moksha and therefore in all his important Mutts he included the Shakthi Pitam. For this (Kanchi) Mutt it is Kamakoti Pitam. In Srungeri it is Sarada Pitam. In Puri Mutt it is Vimala Pitam. In Dwaraka it is Kalika (Badrakali) Pitam and for the Badri Mutt it is Purnagiri Pitam."

Om tat sat 🙏

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