01-03-2009, 05:38 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Â Adi Sankara â Archaeologistsâ Research âVI
               Â
                Tamil Heritage and Shanmatha of Adi Sankara
                                By
                            T.Satyamurthy**
                         Â
Having established Tamil as the mother tongue of Adi Sankara, let us probe into the influences of heritage of Tamilakam on the philosophical foundations of the great Preceptor. Besides setting aside the thoughts of heterodox schools of the period he could successfully bridge the gaps in between the traditionalistsâ approach and establish one Vedic religion acceptable by all. The story of matrix of such religion is very interesting and the religious systems that prevailed in Tamil country formed a basis for Adi Sankara to carry out the mantle effectively. He had successfully uprooted the non Vedic thoughts by the modus operandi of contemporary missionary system which we will take for study at a later stage.
It has already been mentioned elsewhere (Pt.1V) that the Tamil Sankamage Society had divided the entire geographical region into five fold types and each and every variety of land was believed to be presided by particular deity. . Sankamage Basic farms were hill tracks, pastoral region, littoral, coastal and Dry lands and the presiding deities were Muruga (Subrahmanya of later period), Vishnu, Indra, varuna and Durga respectively and they were worshiped in one form or other. In spite of the fact that Western Ghats formed a natural stone wall bifurcating the main land and Kerala, the birth place of Adi Sankara, the social set up of the main land and Kerala were not different. Changes and challenges in the main land had echoed in the hinterland also. The Tamil Sankamage Society lived harmoniously with out any sectarian feeling among them. The socio religious
Mould never had any conflict on the basis of the worshipful deity. Rather the Society had accepted all such good things that shower prosperity to the common man. Thus we see in Silapadikaram the late Sankamage Tamil work that annual festival to please Indra, the deity of littoral region was celebrated at Kaveripumpattinam, the coastal city even though Varumna is the lord of coastal region. Animosity in the name of Gods was unknown to them.
Further their catholicity of religion was so broad that equal importance was given to Vedic Rituals also. Many Sankamage Pandya kings patronized Vedic rituals for the welfare of the Society. The Pandyan Kingdom was illustrious for two fold splendor i.e., the growth of paddy to the extent that instead of Bullocks, Elephants were used for thrashing the corns from paddy crop and the smoke that arose out of sacrificial fire. The narration of the latter glory was so dramatic that one could not see the sun in the sky as the sacrificial smoke masked it. Their patronage of Vedic rituals was well supplemented by recent Archaeological discoveries. Dr.R.Krishanamurthy, Editor of Dinamalar Tamil Daily discovered recently inscribed coins of Perivazhzudi the Sakam Pandya King. His discoveries include a commemorative coin issued by the king in honor of Asvamaedha yaga performed by him. The said coin has the kingâs name on the obverse and the depiction of Asvamaedha Yaga (Horse sacrifice) on the reverse. There were coins of similar types issued by other kings from Gupta Dynasty but the Sankamage Pandya coin pre runs all other such coins indicating the importance accorded by the Sankamage Pandya for such Vedic rites.
Yet another Sankam literature Kalitogai places five great Forces that guide humanity viz, Balaraman, Surya, Kamadeva, Mayon (Kannan) and Siva as Kuttru. They were all compared with five trees of the land in order make them more familiar with common man. In spite of the manifold Forces heading the religious needs of the people, there was pleasant blend of the worship of their Deity of their Choice, including performance of Vedic rites.
Adi Sankara as the intelligent observer of this harmonious set up of Tamil Society had carried out this methodology to the entire India and perpetuated them into a Pan Indian Way of life. While setting a unified pan Indian religious system he could take clues from the native Society and reformed the Systems in the entire subcontinent. In his contemporary time many such sects remained secluded, considering their own system as uncompromising Sect of par excellence. Among the same Sect itself there were ramifications. The Pasupatas of Kashmir and Lakulisa cult of west considered Siva as supreme God but divided over the Author of the cult. Similarly the Sakti cult of Kashmir and tantric Saktism of East considered Sakti as all pervasive and supreme but divided over the attitude of worship. The worshippers of Sun in western India and Eastern India at places like Modera in Gujarath and Konark in Orissa also divided claiming the origin of such worship from their own territotry.The north south divide over origin of Subrahmanaya or Muruga was also well known.
After his pilgrimages from far south to far north of the sub continent, Adi Sankara could establish a religious pathway of all popular religious sects of the country into one system of Shanmatha (Six fold) accommodating all such popular Sects viz, Ganapatyam,Souram,Vaishanavam,Saktam,Kaumaram and Saivam amicably and lead a harmonious life. With this success in unifying the religious sects into one fold he could unitedly eschew the heterodox schools of thought from the country. No doubt that he inspired this unique coordination from his early Tamil society in which he was an important Associate.
His Shanmatha had royal approval and the Artists of early Pallava period exhibited them in lower rock cut temple at Trichirapalli. In this rock cut temple at the foot hills of Thayumanava Koil, Thiruchirapalli one can see on the central rear wall, the rock cut sculptures of Ganesa, Subramanian, Surya and Devi as Durga. Two shrines cut in the lateral walls had Siva lingam and Vishnu figures, thus accommodating all six fold religion in place. This is one of the earliest depictions of Shanmatha of Adi Sankara in stone datable to 7th CE.
Let us probe into the philosophy of early Tamil Saints and Adi Sankara in the forth coming issue.
  **Former Director of Archaeology, Government of KeralaÂ
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<b>CONCLUDED</b>
               Â
                Tamil Heritage and Shanmatha of Adi Sankara
                                By
                            T.Satyamurthy**
                         Â
Having established Tamil as the mother tongue of Adi Sankara, let us probe into the influences of heritage of Tamilakam on the philosophical foundations of the great Preceptor. Besides setting aside the thoughts of heterodox schools of the period he could successfully bridge the gaps in between the traditionalistsâ approach and establish one Vedic religion acceptable by all. The story of matrix of such religion is very interesting and the religious systems that prevailed in Tamil country formed a basis for Adi Sankara to carry out the mantle effectively. He had successfully uprooted the non Vedic thoughts by the modus operandi of contemporary missionary system which we will take for study at a later stage.
It has already been mentioned elsewhere (Pt.1V) that the Tamil Sankamage Society had divided the entire geographical region into five fold types and each and every variety of land was believed to be presided by particular deity. . Sankamage Basic farms were hill tracks, pastoral region, littoral, coastal and Dry lands and the presiding deities were Muruga (Subrahmanya of later period), Vishnu, Indra, varuna and Durga respectively and they were worshiped in one form or other. In spite of the fact that Western Ghats formed a natural stone wall bifurcating the main land and Kerala, the birth place of Adi Sankara, the social set up of the main land and Kerala were not different. Changes and challenges in the main land had echoed in the hinterland also. The Tamil Sankamage Society lived harmoniously with out any sectarian feeling among them. The socio religious
Mould never had any conflict on the basis of the worshipful deity. Rather the Society had accepted all such good things that shower prosperity to the common man. Thus we see in Silapadikaram the late Sankamage Tamil work that annual festival to please Indra, the deity of littoral region was celebrated at Kaveripumpattinam, the coastal city even though Varumna is the lord of coastal region. Animosity in the name of Gods was unknown to them.
Further their catholicity of religion was so broad that equal importance was given to Vedic Rituals also. Many Sankamage Pandya kings patronized Vedic rituals for the welfare of the Society. The Pandyan Kingdom was illustrious for two fold splendor i.e., the growth of paddy to the extent that instead of Bullocks, Elephants were used for thrashing the corns from paddy crop and the smoke that arose out of sacrificial fire. The narration of the latter glory was so dramatic that one could not see the sun in the sky as the sacrificial smoke masked it. Their patronage of Vedic rituals was well supplemented by recent Archaeological discoveries. Dr.R.Krishanamurthy, Editor of Dinamalar Tamil Daily discovered recently inscribed coins of Perivazhzudi the Sakam Pandya King. His discoveries include a commemorative coin issued by the king in honor of Asvamaedha yaga performed by him. The said coin has the kingâs name on the obverse and the depiction of Asvamaedha Yaga (Horse sacrifice) on the reverse. There were coins of similar types issued by other kings from Gupta Dynasty but the Sankamage Pandya coin pre runs all other such coins indicating the importance accorded by the Sankamage Pandya for such Vedic rites.
Yet another Sankam literature Kalitogai places five great Forces that guide humanity viz, Balaraman, Surya, Kamadeva, Mayon (Kannan) and Siva as Kuttru. They were all compared with five trees of the land in order make them more familiar with common man. In spite of the manifold Forces heading the religious needs of the people, there was pleasant blend of the worship of their Deity of their Choice, including performance of Vedic rites.
Adi Sankara as the intelligent observer of this harmonious set up of Tamil Society had carried out this methodology to the entire India and perpetuated them into a Pan Indian Way of life. While setting a unified pan Indian religious system he could take clues from the native Society and reformed the Systems in the entire subcontinent. In his contemporary time many such sects remained secluded, considering their own system as uncompromising Sect of par excellence. Among the same Sect itself there were ramifications. The Pasupatas of Kashmir and Lakulisa cult of west considered Siva as supreme God but divided over the Author of the cult. Similarly the Sakti cult of Kashmir and tantric Saktism of East considered Sakti as all pervasive and supreme but divided over the attitude of worship. The worshippers of Sun in western India and Eastern India at places like Modera in Gujarath and Konark in Orissa also divided claiming the origin of such worship from their own territotry.The north south divide over origin of Subrahmanaya or Muruga was also well known.
After his pilgrimages from far south to far north of the sub continent, Adi Sankara could establish a religious pathway of all popular religious sects of the country into one system of Shanmatha (Six fold) accommodating all such popular Sects viz, Ganapatyam,Souram,Vaishanavam,Saktam,Kaumaram and Saivam amicably and lead a harmonious life. With this success in unifying the religious sects into one fold he could unitedly eschew the heterodox schools of thought from the country. No doubt that he inspired this unique coordination from his early Tamil society in which he was an important Associate.
His Shanmatha had royal approval and the Artists of early Pallava period exhibited them in lower rock cut temple at Trichirapalli. In this rock cut temple at the foot hills of Thayumanava Koil, Thiruchirapalli one can see on the central rear wall, the rock cut sculptures of Ganesa, Subramanian, Surya and Devi as Durga. Two shrines cut in the lateral walls had Siva lingam and Vishnu figures, thus accommodating all six fold religion in place. This is one of the earliest depictions of Shanmatha of Adi Sankara in stone datable to 7th CE.
Let us probe into the philosophy of early Tamil Saints and Adi Sankara in the forth coming issue.
  **Former Director of Archaeology, Government of KeralaÂ
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>CONCLUDED</b>