12-29-2006, 04:47 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-acharya+Dec 29 2006, 12:02 AM-->QUOTE(acharya @ Dec 29 2006, 12:02 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->One aspect of our Hindu society that I am intrigued about is the role of the Shankaracharya. What role does he play, how much in line with the scriptures is his role?
Is it a social mandate or a mandate by scriptures?
Why is it that one finds no mention of a Shankaracharya in the Ramayan and Mahabharat?
How authoritative is the voice of the Shankaracharya in Hindu society?
[right][snapback]62523[/snapback][/right]
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Acharya,
Sunder's reply is based on the assumption that you are referring to the first of them, the Adi Sankara.
However, from your post, it seems you are referring to the heads of the mathas that the Adi Sankara established. Well, their role is to run the mathas. It is a mandate specified by the tradition of these mathas. Why should this require a social or a scriptural mandate?
As for their prominence and larger role in Hindu society today, that may be derived from the large number of devotees that they attract in South India, and the extraordinary personal traits of many of these heads in the last century and a half.
These are not the only mathas in Hinduism though. There exist many other sects, which run their own mathas, some of them very prominent like the Ahobila mutt.
In Hindu society, the voice of a Sankaracharya (i.e., the current or past head of any of the mutts established by the Adi Sankaracharya) is important (not necessarily <i>authoritative</i>) to many South Indian Shaiva devotees.
Sunder and others, please correct me here if I am rong.
Is it a social mandate or a mandate by scriptures?
Why is it that one finds no mention of a Shankaracharya in the Ramayan and Mahabharat?
How authoritative is the voice of the Shankaracharya in Hindu society?
[right][snapback]62523[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Acharya,
Sunder's reply is based on the assumption that you are referring to the first of them, the Adi Sankara.
However, from your post, it seems you are referring to the heads of the mathas that the Adi Sankara established. Well, their role is to run the mathas. It is a mandate specified by the tradition of these mathas. Why should this require a social or a scriptural mandate?
As for their prominence and larger role in Hindu society today, that may be derived from the large number of devotees that they attract in South India, and the extraordinary personal traits of many of these heads in the last century and a half.
These are not the only mathas in Hinduism though. There exist many other sects, which run their own mathas, some of them very prominent like the Ahobila mutt.
In Hindu society, the voice of a Sankaracharya (i.e., the current or past head of any of the mutts established by the Adi Sankaracharya) is important (not necessarily <i>authoritative</i>) to many South Indian Shaiva devotees.
Sunder and others, please correct me here if I am rong.