01-03-2009, 05:33 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->       Adi Sankara Bhashya : An Archaeologistâ Journey III
                         T.Satyamurthy
       Kerala the birth place of Adi Sankara was always so tolerant to all faiths
including the religious Schools that had reached here through sea route. There was no such religious animosity and all the religious faiths co existed side by side with out conflict or rancor. They made lasting contributions to the process of cultural synthesis and reconciliation. Adi Sankara having born and brought up in such an atmosphere had to reconcile with all such Thoughts that prevailed at that time and established the supremacy of Advaita which could accommodate any such religious Preaching. Let us see two such religious practices that had their root there and analyze their influence in Sankara Bhashyas.
      The natives here subscribed to a strange mixture of primitive rites and practices. They had a variety of local deities to whom they made offerings and early archaeological monuments also indicate that Tree and ancestor worships were common among them. As part of ancient Sangam Tamilagam it was nothing but the early Tamil Society of the main land. At the same time as the result of Keralaâs commercial contacts with foreign land, other religions like Christianity and Judaism were also introduced and they helped considerably in shaping the composite culture of the land. Numismatic evidences recorded in Kerala also attest that the commercial activities had started here much earlier than the beginning of the Christian era.
       Christian faith is believed to have been introduced in Kerala in the first century C.E,** i.e., three centuries before it gained official recognition in Rome. Local tradition ascribes its origin here to St. Thomas, the Apostle, who is said to have landed at Maliankara, a place adjoing Kodunkallur in 52 C.E,. It is said that he had converted certain Nambudri families and founded seven churches in Malabar Coast.
Many historians regard this as unreliable evidence; but Cosmos Indicopleustus, a Byzantine monk of 6th C.E testifies the evidence of Christianity in Kollam.
However inscriptional evidences are found only during 9yh century. C.E. During the age of second Chera empire, the Teresapalli copper plate executed in 849 C.E., by Ayyan Adikal Thiruvadikal, then Governor of Venad, under Sthanu Ravi (844-885.C.E,) issued a historic document granting several rights and privileges to the Christians of Kollam. It proclaims the sprit of religious tolerance and also the adaptation of common principles in any religion. It is again confirmed that in a copper plate grant (1225 C.E) Veera Raghava Chakravarthi, Iravi, the ruler of Mahodayapuram granted many privileges and headship of a merchant guild.
        It is clear from the above that the influence of foreign religion was felt in Kerala much earlier than anywhere in India, at least during the middle of the last first millennium C.E.
          Similarly the Jewish immigration to Kerala was the direct effect of early commercial contacts with Israel. According to their tradition some 10,000 Jews and
Jewesses came to Keralacoast in 68 C.E. in order to escape from religious persecution at home. They are also said to have landed in Kodunkallur and founded a settlement. Their population multiplied in Kerala due to the spread of Christianity in western world and to prevent severe persecution at heir own land they took asylum in Kerala. They were originally prosperous business community and were encouraged by the local Rulers. The famous Jewish copper plate grant of the Ruler Bhaskara Ravi Varman records the royal gift of certain permanent Rights and privileges to the community. Interestingly, it happens to be the inscription in copper plate in Vattezhutu characters in which originally ancient Tamil was written.Â
          It is obvious that like Christianity Jewish community also lived in the place of Adi Sankara and lead their religious life with out animosity. Even though there was turmoil in western world both the communities lived harmonious life in Kerala. Their philosophical thoughts and Doctrines were also spread in the country.
          The above scenario in Kerala show definitely that the influence of such philosophical thoughts of foreign origin could have been there. Adi Sankara in his Bhashyas endeavors to annul all such speculations that contradict the Vedic Preaching. Among the six chief systems (SHAD DARSNA), all other systems like Mimamasa, Sankhya, yoga, Nyaya and Vaishesika were not regarded as the way to attain real truth.*** He annuls their arguments by proving that Jnana or Real Wisdom is Supreme and hence Vedanta is the system that is acceptable by all.
           Such a great Acharya, who judiciously set aside even the orthodox Schools which had not accepted Jnana (Wisdom) as the Supreme, could have certainly mentioned about the religious thoughts of foreign origin in his Bhashyas. Being a witness to all such influences in Kerala, (if at all there) at that time he could have mentioned them in his Bhashyas. Not only he analyzed the speculations of above systems he traveled through out India and had set aside many such Schools that had not accepted Wisdom or real knowledge as the goal to attain liberation. In the absence of any such reference in  his Bhashyas on Christianity or Jewish thoughts we are restrained to conclude that the preaching of Adi Sankara might be earlier than the entry of these religions to Kerala i.e. earlier than the beginning of the Common Era .However let us probe into other archaeological evidences and scitific dating in the future Issues.   Â
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    ** Beginning OF Christian Era is mentioned as Common Era.  Â
    *** For details see No, II of the Series.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
.... to be continued.
                         T.Satyamurthy
       Kerala the birth place of Adi Sankara was always so tolerant to all faiths
including the religious Schools that had reached here through sea route. There was no such religious animosity and all the religious faiths co existed side by side with out conflict or rancor. They made lasting contributions to the process of cultural synthesis and reconciliation. Adi Sankara having born and brought up in such an atmosphere had to reconcile with all such Thoughts that prevailed at that time and established the supremacy of Advaita which could accommodate any such religious Preaching. Let us see two such religious practices that had their root there and analyze their influence in Sankara Bhashyas.
      The natives here subscribed to a strange mixture of primitive rites and practices. They had a variety of local deities to whom they made offerings and early archaeological monuments also indicate that Tree and ancestor worships were common among them. As part of ancient Sangam Tamilagam it was nothing but the early Tamil Society of the main land. At the same time as the result of Keralaâs commercial contacts with foreign land, other religions like Christianity and Judaism were also introduced and they helped considerably in shaping the composite culture of the land. Numismatic evidences recorded in Kerala also attest that the commercial activities had started here much earlier than the beginning of the Christian era.
       Christian faith is believed to have been introduced in Kerala in the first century C.E,** i.e., three centuries before it gained official recognition in Rome. Local tradition ascribes its origin here to St. Thomas, the Apostle, who is said to have landed at Maliankara, a place adjoing Kodunkallur in 52 C.E,. It is said that he had converted certain Nambudri families and founded seven churches in Malabar Coast.
Many historians regard this as unreliable evidence; but Cosmos Indicopleustus, a Byzantine monk of 6th C.E testifies the evidence of Christianity in Kollam.
However inscriptional evidences are found only during 9yh century. C.E. During the age of second Chera empire, the Teresapalli copper plate executed in 849 C.E., by Ayyan Adikal Thiruvadikal, then Governor of Venad, under Sthanu Ravi (844-885.C.E,) issued a historic document granting several rights and privileges to the Christians of Kollam. It proclaims the sprit of religious tolerance and also the adaptation of common principles in any religion. It is again confirmed that in a copper plate grant (1225 C.E) Veera Raghava Chakravarthi, Iravi, the ruler of Mahodayapuram granted many privileges and headship of a merchant guild.
        It is clear from the above that the influence of foreign religion was felt in Kerala much earlier than anywhere in India, at least during the middle of the last first millennium C.E.
          Similarly the Jewish immigration to Kerala was the direct effect of early commercial contacts with Israel. According to their tradition some 10,000 Jews and
Jewesses came to Keralacoast in 68 C.E. in order to escape from religious persecution at home. They are also said to have landed in Kodunkallur and founded a settlement. Their population multiplied in Kerala due to the spread of Christianity in western world and to prevent severe persecution at heir own land they took asylum in Kerala. They were originally prosperous business community and were encouraged by the local Rulers. The famous Jewish copper plate grant of the Ruler Bhaskara Ravi Varman records the royal gift of certain permanent Rights and privileges to the community. Interestingly, it happens to be the inscription in copper plate in Vattezhutu characters in which originally ancient Tamil was written.Â
          It is obvious that like Christianity Jewish community also lived in the place of Adi Sankara and lead their religious life with out animosity. Even though there was turmoil in western world both the communities lived harmonious life in Kerala. Their philosophical thoughts and Doctrines were also spread in the country.
          The above scenario in Kerala show definitely that the influence of such philosophical thoughts of foreign origin could have been there. Adi Sankara in his Bhashyas endeavors to annul all such speculations that contradict the Vedic Preaching. Among the six chief systems (SHAD DARSNA), all other systems like Mimamasa, Sankhya, yoga, Nyaya and Vaishesika were not regarded as the way to attain real truth.*** He annuls their arguments by proving that Jnana or Real Wisdom is Supreme and hence Vedanta is the system that is acceptable by all.
           Such a great Acharya, who judiciously set aside even the orthodox Schools which had not accepted Jnana (Wisdom) as the Supreme, could have certainly mentioned about the religious thoughts of foreign origin in his Bhashyas. Being a witness to all such influences in Kerala, (if at all there) at that time he could have mentioned them in his Bhashyas. Not only he analyzed the speculations of above systems he traveled through out India and had set aside many such Schools that had not accepted Wisdom or real knowledge as the goal to attain liberation. In the absence of any such reference in  his Bhashyas on Christianity or Jewish thoughts we are restrained to conclude that the preaching of Adi Sankara might be earlier than the entry of these religions to Kerala i.e. earlier than the beginning of the Common Era .However let us probe into other archaeological evidences and scitific dating in the future Issues.   Â
          Â
                 Â
    ** Beginning OF Christian Era is mentioned as Common Era.  Â
    *** For details see No, II of the Series.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
.... to be continued.