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Janvi Madhani

Professor Joel Brady

Saints East and West

December 13, 2015

The Progression of Hindu Sainthood: The Modern Saint

Adi Shankaracharya (c. 700-703 A.D.) is the defining spiritual leader, saint, and

proponent of Classical Indian Philosophy. He established the Advaita Vedanta school of thought

that is one of the six branches of Orthodox Hinduism who accept the authority of the Vedas. He

also set the prime example of what it means to be a Hindu monastic. Shankara accomplished all

of this in his short lifespan of thirty-two years. Over a thousand years later, a man named

Pandurang Shastri Athavale took the same thoughts of non-duality (advaita), picked up the same

orthodox scriptures of Hinduisim, and approached the people of India in the same way Shankara

did. If Shankaracharya is a universally accepted saint of Ancient Vedic Hinduism, then

Pandurang Shastri Athavale is the definition of a modern saint who has taken the same

philosophy of non-duality and unity with God as Shankara, and adapted it to modern society

through various social experiments and experiments on the mind.

Vedic Hinduism does not have a specific process of canonization with the help of which

one could affirm the sainthood of Shankaracharya. However, in the article “A Brief History of

Saints,” Lawrence S. Cunningham establishes the definition of a saint across religions by stating

that, “in some religious traditions the keepers of the wisdom tradition of a given religious faith

are seen not as intercessors or repositories of sacred power or bearers of a prophetic message but

as the exemplification of wisdom; they are known simply as the sages. The idea of cultivating a

path of wisdom, done in the context of a disciplined life devoted to the search for wisdom, was a
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concept congenial to Greek Philosophy that saw monasticism as the true philosophical life (bios

philosophikos)” (135). Cunningham then goes on to assert that a life of a sage is also seen as

exemplary and as a consequence, they are models of the ideals of their religious teaching. Hence

it is necessary to think of the sage as an analogous figure to the saint (133). If Shankaracharya

proves to be an exemplification of wisdom, a monastic, and thus a sage, then he can be

considered a saint.

It is palpable that Shankaracharya is an exemplification of wisdom. He is attributed to

have written more than 400 Sanskrit works. The Shankaran corpus consists of three broad

categories: commentaries (bhashya) on Indian philosophy (Darshan shastra), short treatises and

manuals on fundamental Vedantic concepts and principles (prakarana grantha), and hymns,

meditation verses, and poetry (strotras). He was able to read, write, and speak Sanskrit by the

age of one. Shankara, by the age of eight, completed the comprehensive study of the voluminous

Vedas which signified the end Brahmacharyashram – a stage of life which most people acquire

after twenty-five years. His written works and the dialogues of his debates with the top

philosophical scholars of his time, are testament enough to his intellectual prowess and wisdom.

Shankara leapt straight into Sanyasashram, the stage of life associated with renunciation

and monasticism, after the completion of Brahmacharyashram. At age eight, he renounced his

worldly life, his home, and his family and set off on a spiritual journey across India. In the book,

“On Shankara,” George Cronk recounts an episode of Shankara’s life that ties both his intellect

and monasticism into one example to prove his saintliness. At age sixteen, Shankara was invited

for a debate with Mandana Misra, the head philosophical authority on Karma Kanda (the

ritualistic portion of the Vedas). Both argued on an ancient conflict in Indian thought: the

conflict between the “Way of Good Works” (karma marga) presented by Misra and the “Way of
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Spiritual Knowledge” (gnaan marga) defended by Shankara. Shankara debated that good works

were only a stepping stone to prepare you to undertake the path of spiritual knowledge which led

to the ultimate truth of non-duality with God. The debate lasted for fifteen days and Shankara

emerged as the victor, as named by popular opinion and the referee, Misra’s own wife, Bharati.

Bharati had one final question however, before she named him the champion. She asked

Shankara to reveal the scientific secrets of the art of love between the sexes. Bharati aimed to

defeat him knowing he was a celibate monk who would have no knowledge of such things. At

this point, Shankara used an esoteric yogic process (parakaya pravesa) to leave his own body

and enter the body of a dead king. In the king’s body, he experienced all imaginable sexual

favors from the king’s wife. After returning to his own body, he successfully answered Bharati’s

question, won the debate, and held his status as a celibate monastic (10).

As these elaborations on Shankara’s life prove, he truly was the pinnacle of intellect and

wisdom, a genuine follower of the monastic way of life and thus, a sage and saint. He can even

be labeled a “miracle worker” as the recount of the debate showed. In order to maintain the

purity of monasticism and guard the values of monastic beliefs, Shankara entered the body of a

dead king – constituting a miracle in the modern sense. Cunningham also defines this as being a

mark of sainthood when he determines that, “religious traditions mark out persons who function

in certain analogous ways – whether as models or intercessors or exemplars or miracle workers –

to those who are described as saints” (129).

As a saint of Hinduism in the 8th c, Shankaracharya’s philosophy and the Orthodox

Darshanas (philosophies) emerged as a counter defense to the prevalent and rising unorthodox

darshanas of the time; specifically, Jainism, Buddhism, and Carvaka. All three unorthodox

philosophies are similar in that they reject the religious practices and mysticism of the Hindu
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religion and deny the authority of the Vedas. This was the time period in which Shankara

developed his celebrated Advaita Vedanta. Advaita Vedanta is the school of Vedanta that holds

the concept of Non-Duality. In “On Shankara,” Cronk describes the keynote of Shankara’s

darshana as the Upanashadic declaration, tat tvam asi (Sanskrit for “That thou art”). Cronk

explains Shankara’s interpretation of this declaration, the crux of Advaita Vedanta, in the

following way:

In Shankara’s view, this means that the individual soul or self (jiva) is

essentially one with the Universal Self (Atman), which itself is identical with

Absolute Reality (Brahman). The idea that there are many individual and separate

selves (polypsychism) is a delusion caused by spiritual ignorance (avidya). There

is only one True Self (Atman) (monopsychism).

Since Brahman alone is absolutely and independently real, the entire

world of ordinary experience has no independent existence. Rather, the world is a

mere appearance of Brahman. On the basis of ignorance, the world is taken to be

ultimately real, and its limitations and attributes are then superimposed upon

Brahman. (25)

Natalia Isayeva, in “Shankara and Indian Philosophy,” further explains the Shankaran

concept of non-duality through Shankara’s explanation of maya (illusion caused by the material

world). Shankara explains how maya causes man to have a bloated sense of self-worth in which

he thinks “I did this!” and “This is a result of my action!”. The concept of non-duality holds that

there is no distinction between the body, Atman, and Brahman, so it is not really you – singularly

- performing the actions. Isayeva illustrates this beautifully when she states, “The role played by

the body is explained in Advaita by its auxiliary functions, just like, for instance, the lighted
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lamp may assist perception but does not cause it. Moreover, the assistance of the body is not

even absolutely necessary: during its temporary inaction…various sensations might still arise”

(128). Shankara implies that through the dilution of ego by the recognition of the veil of maya,

one can obtain higher knowledge of non-duality.

Nearly a millennium later, when Shankaracharya’s Advaita Vedanta along with the rest

of the Vedic texts and scriptures were gathering dust, Pandurang Shastri Athavale (1920-2005)

picked up the Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta and reopened the concept of non-duality in a modern

and applicable way. He created a universal family by the name of Swadhyay Parivar, that stands

on the Geeta’s principle of indwelling God. In Chapter XV of the Geeta, Lord Krishna says “I

reside within the heart of everyone and everything (sarvasya chaham hridi sanni vishto)” and

“every soul is a smaller but complete model of my larger form (mamaivansho jiva loke)”.

Athavale interprets this as non-duality with the divine and since everyone has a non-dual form,

ultimately, non-duality with each other and the world on a larger scale. Athavale’s modern

application of this highly profound philosophy stemming from Shankaran Advaita Vedanta, the

Vedas, and the Geeta, can be seen in his various experiments. His adherence to the same

philosophy as Shankaracharya, but his adaptation suited to a modern society will ultimately label

him as a modern saint.

Pandurang Shastri Athavale, a Chittapavani Brahmin, born in Roha, Maharashtra, in

1920, envisioned a world in which one man embraced another, despite differences in economic,

social, or political standings, based on the Geeta’s concept of, sarvasya chaham hridi sanni

vishto, indwelling god in every creature. This concept is consistent with Shankara’s Vedic ideal

of non-dualtiy with the Supreme and thus, non-duality with one another. Athavale’s vision does

not just stop with his interpretation however, he has applied it to a much grander and universal
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scale through the use of prayogs, experiments, and the creation of a spiritual family, Swadhyay

Parivar.

His first experiment, and perhaps his most revolutionary, is on the human mind. Trikaal

Sandhya, is the grateful remembrance of God during three key times of the day; when a person

wakes up, when they eat, and before they go to sleep. Athavale has explained that during these

three key stages of a day, one can intellectually join with God and experience his nearness, if he

so choses. Athavale rationalizes that through this process and experiment, man truly experiences

the proximity of the God within him and this ultimately changes his actions, behavior, and

thoughts correspondingly. Athavale goes on to explain that the understanding of this unity with

God, ultimately brings man to the understanding of non-duality with the world and with his

neighbors as well.

Trikaal Sandhya is a part of one of his larger experiments called Pancha Sutri. Pancha

Sutri encompasses Trikaal Sandhya, Surya Namaskar (a devotional form of yoga), Morning

Prayer, Evening Prayer, and regular study of the scriptures. Morning Prayer is particularly of

interest in this case since it consists of hymns, strotras, written by Shankaracharya himself, and

incorporated by Athavale in this five-pronged experiment. Athavale explained the importance of

singing the strotra, Atmashatakam, specifically in the morning because of the power of its

verses. In this hymn, Shankara negates the different identities that the jiva takes on throughout

the entirety of this life and the next, to ultimately say that jiva is not separate from shiva (God).

In the final verse, Shankara explains the true identity of the jiva:

Aham nirvikalpo nirakara roopo, vibhur vyapya sarvatra sarvindriyana

Sadame samatvam na muktir na bandha, chiddananda roopo shivhom shivoham

(v.8.)
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“I am without a body or a form. I have no desires or wishes. I reside in all of the

bodily senses. I am omnipresent. I always have stability of mind. I am free from

everything and have no attachments. I am a form of of the joyful, content

Supreme being, who is the emblem of truth knowledge and eternal bliss. I am

consciousness and bliss. I am Shiva. I am Shiva.” (as cited in Athavale 4)

Athavale aimed to give people the opportunity to remind themselves of their true [non-dual]

form by choosing this specific strotra, to be sung as a part of the Morning Prayer. This way,

one’s true identity would always linger in the back of one’s consciousness throughout the day,

and thus the material world with all of its attachments and complex relationships would not

phase him. In this way, Athavale’s experiments bring about understanding of a man’s non-dual

relationship with God and give him a new outlook with which to approach the day, and the

material world.

One of Athavale’s many experiments, expounds specifically on the concept of non-

duality with the natural world. It is named Vriksh Mandir, meaning the Temple of Trees.

Athavale teaches one the relationship of unity between oneself and nature. “The philosophy of

the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagwad Geeta, which affirms the all-pervasiveness of God,

translates into Love for Man, Love for God, and Love for all Creation. Just as God is within us,

so also is God within nature and therefore, not only should man respect nature, but also revere it.

(Vriksh Mandir 6)” When Athavale introduced this understanding of the divinity present in

nature, the people of Swadhyay Parivar wanted to do something about and thus in 1993, the

Vriksh Mandir was born. “They wanted to respond with some special activity reflecting that they

had understood Dada’s [Athavale’s] message of the ‘Indwelling God’ and were able to

practically apply their perception of the divinity in nature. (Vriksh Mandir 7)”
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Close to a hundred Vriksh Mandirs have been created since then in India. A Temple of

Trees spreads over twelve to fifteen acres of land each covered in a vast amount of trees. Each

tree is viewed as a temple housing the divine power and is tended to and taken care of with this

devotional understanding in mind. Couples from the neighboring twenty to twenty-five villages

come by turn, of their own volition, spending their own money on transport, bringing their own

food, and taking out time from their own schedules to serve as pujaris (devotees or priests). They

spend twenty-four hours in the Vrukshmandir watering, fertilizing, pruning and caring for the

trees as an act of worship, as a selfless demonstration of their gratitude and love towards God

(Vrikshmandir 7). In such a manner, Athavale has made it possible to not only think about and

understand man’s unity with God, and thus nature, but also practically implement it. In an age of

scientific and technological development, when the material world overwhelms the common

man, Athavale has made it possible to have a daily experience with the non-duality of God.

Athavale has created innumerable social experiments, but one of them stands out

particularly in relation to non-duality with the community. Athavale created socio-economic

centers called Amrutalayam, meaning the Abode of the Lord. This temple is open to all people

regardless of their religion, caste, creed, or race. They are very simple buildings with only a floor

and a roof, where the villagers of the town meet for prayer every day. An Amrutalyam is built by

the Swadhyayees of a village (when a village has become ninety percent Swadhyayee) giving

their own time, energy, and efficiency. Each day, it is the turn of one couple to be the pujari in

the temple. The couple cleans the temple, prepares garlands for God, and does everything else

needed to keep the temple orderly. Unlike other temples however, to be a pujari in Amrutalayam,

one neither needs to be a Brahmin nor a Hindu. Any Swadhyayee can be pujari regardless of

caste or social status. The people of the town or village meet in the temple every morning and
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evening to pray together. All people come to this temple regardless of their religion or social

differences. A Hindu can recite the Geeta with the same freedom a Muslim the Qur’an or a

Christian the Bible. Amrutalayam is an experiment given by Athavale that unites the community

under the blanket of divine relationship.

Even though the Amrutalayam is a place for remembering God, it is also a place for

personal and social rejuvenation. After the evening prayer, the community addresses individual

and collective problems and attempts to sort them out informally. The quintessence of

Amrutalayam is the concept of offering a portion of one’s income to God. This idea comes from

the understanding that since one is a non-dual form, any earnings one gathers, do not come

singularly from his actions, but are a combination of as Athavale says, “ascending human efforts,

and descending grace of God” (Pravachan). Thus, it is only right to offer a portion of this

income back to the partner who made this income possible. The money gathered from this

offering is then distributed anonymously to those who need it in the community, and the surplus

is used for the infrastructural needs of the village as a whole.

Amrutalayam’s are truly socio-economic centers, in this sense. They unite people across

religions, across castes, across age, across status and across race. They truly bring about a sense

of divine unity within a community. Even with the distribution of money, no one is left feeling

inferior or superior, due to the anonymous nature of the whole process. This unity allows for a

sense of connectedness and ultimately non-duality with ones’ neighbors despite the plethora of

differences that may be between them. Athavale created the first Amrutalayam in 1980, and

today over 300 of them exist in India (Pravachan). Each one of them stands testament to the

power of one man who changed the face of rural India and set an example for the rest of the

world with the potent idea of non-duality with God and with the world.
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Athavale’s radical ideas that cross cultures, religions, age, and time, synthesize the

spiritual life with the modern one. Today, there are millions of people affiliated with Swadhyay

who have jobs ranging from engineer to farmer, and from surgeon to fisherman, but who all

firmly believe that they are united in divinity. Athavale says, “to be is to be related” and with this

simple concept, he has inspired hundreds of thousands of Swadhyayees to selflessly meet people

with love and the understanding that “other is not other but my divine brother.” His experiments

attempt as well as show results of the transformation of a man’s intellect and mind. They allow

for the practical implementation of highly philosophical concepts without having to renounce,

forsake, and abandon the material world. Considering this, Athavale distinguishes himself from

Shankara in one fundamental way. Shankara was a monastic and Athavale was not.

Shankara was a monastic in the most orthodox way possible. He renounced the material

world at the tender age of eight, became a sannyasin, and remained celibate for his whole life.

He had no home or possessions. He took a spiritual journey around the perimeter of India during

which he established four monasteries in the four corners of the country to promulgate Advaita

Vedanta, composed many philosophical treatises, and engaged in many philosophical debates.

Over the span of this journey, he revived the deteriorating faith in Hinduism, wrote countless

hymns displaying his love and union with God, and inspired the people of that time to recognize

their true spiritual identities as well. There is no doubt of Shankara’s sainthood, but can the same

be said of Athavale?

Athavale’s philosophy stems from the same Vedic sources as Shankara’s. His application

of it however, is very different. While Shankara definitely digested the philosophy he defended,

he lived in the 8th c, a time where people were a lot more spiritually minded and conscious than

the 20th c, in which Athavale primarily worked. This means that for Shankara to take the
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thoughts of the Vedas to the people of India, he was facing a more receptive crowd. Granted that

it was also during Shankara’s time period in which the minds of the people had become

conflicted over Jainism, Buddhism, and Carvaka, people were still more receptive. They had the

capability to accept Shankara’s thoughts based on the example he showed through the life he led.

This conclusion can be made, because this was also how the Jainism, Buddhism, and Carvaka

philosophies gathered followers. People were receptive and malleable to spiritual ideas and

philosophies in Classical India.

Athavale worked in the 20th c, however. In a period of technological, scientific, and

economical development, if he wanted to show people a path of spirituality, he would have to

adapt his ways to answer the call of the time. If Athavale became a monastic, then it is doubtful

that his ideas or his life would have had such a powerful effect. Athavale was married, he had a

family, and he had possessions, but at the same time he wholly embraced the idea that his

identity was not a separate entity to that of God. Athavale demonstrated how living within the

material world, instead of abandoning the idea of God altogether, it was possible to obtain

spirituality. Athavale showed a true synthesis of spirituality and modernity through his social

experiments and experiments on the mind.

Shankara and Athavale both embraced non-duality with God. Shankara provoked people

through his words to recognize their identity. He does so famously in his hymn,

Charpatpanjarika, and specifically this stanza:

Kastvam ko ham kuta aayatah ka me janani ko me taatah

Iti paribhavaya sarvamasara vishwam tyaktva swapna vicharam (v.12)

“Who are you and who am I? Where have we come from? Who is my

mother? Who is my father? If we try to search for answers to these questions

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we realize these relationships are all just imaginary creations.” (as cited in

Athavale 127)

In a world when people only believe rational and scientific thoughts, Athavale’s experiments

demand that the world accept the irrefutable truth of their spiritual identity. Even though he has

personally never claimed sainthood, his life gives the modern world no chance of skepticism. He

has never claimed that he is a miracle worker or an intercessor. The late Minister of Iran, Majid

Rehnema has coined Athavale’s work of Swadhyay as a “silent yet singing revolution.” Athavale

was recognized by the world when he was honored with the Templeton Award for Progress in

Religion in 1997; an honor previously bestowed upon Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. His

life and his works are evidence enough that he has achieved a level of spirituality that is

comparable to that of Shankaracharya. Thus, if Shankaracharya is an accepted saint of Classical

India, then Pandurang Shastri Athavale can be defined as a saint of modern times.
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Works Cited

Athavale, Pandurang Shastri. Prarthana Preeti. Mumbai: Sat Vichar Darshan, 2008. Print.

Cronk, George. On Shankara. United States: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2003. Print.

Isayeva, N. V. Shankara and Indian Philosophy. Albany, NY: State U of New York, 1993. Print.

Kher, Rajendra, and Prakash Joshi. The Silent Reformer. Pune, Maha, India: Vihang Prakashan,

2009. Print.

Pravachan. Perf. Pandurang Shastri Athavale. Sat Vichar Darshan, 1990. Video Discourse.

Yogeshwar Krushi. Bombay: Sat Vichar Darshan, 1996. Print.