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Kancheepuram

Kancheepuram is a celebrated place of pilgrimage. It is popularly known as

Kanchi. Kancheepuram is situated about 74 kilometers southwest of
Chennai by road. Kancheepuram has a railway station, which stands
midway between Chengalpattu and Arakkonam Junctions.

Kanchi is one of the seven Mokshapuris -sacred cities by living in which or

by death therein man gets emancipation from birth and death.

Five important sacred places of Siva worship in South India are collectively
called "Panchabhuta- Kshetras". Of these five, Kanchi is the Prithvi-
kshetra.
Kamakshi Vilasam, a section of the Markandeya Purana points to Kanchi
as the "Nabhisthanam" -navel of the Universe. (Vide Chapters X and XI).

Kanchi has been a center of literary pursuits and advanced learning.

Inscriptions at Kanchi point to the existence of Ghatikastan during Pallava
regime. Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham has established a Deemed
University - Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya at
Kancheepuram with an International Library. Various disciplines are taught
at colleges affiliated to the University.

Kancheepuram is a city of temples: Some of the most important temples in

Kancheepuram are for Sri Kamakshi Ambal, Sri Ekambaranatha, Sri
Varadaraja, Sri Kailasanathar, Sri Vaikunta Perumal, Ulakalantha Perumal,
etc.

Sri Adi Sankara, after his various tours through most parts of India, settled
down at Kanchi to spend His evening years. He caused to remodel the city
and reconstruct the three principal temples -Sri Kamakshi, Sri Ekamranatha
and Sri Varadaraja. At Kanchi he established a Math for himself and
founded a line of successors after him on the Peetha. At present the
presiding Pontiff is Pujyasree Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal, the 69th
Acharya of the Peetha, and Pujyasree Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati
Swamigal has been initiated into sanyasa and nominated successor
Acharya.

Sri Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya

In this mundane world, conflict between good and evil has been a
legendary phenomenon from time out of mind. When this conflict turns
acute and causes a crisis in the basic culture of the land, divine force
intervenes to set things right. We find a number of anecdotes about
demons endowed with tremendous might, causing harm of non-mean
degree, not only to human beings but to the celestials as well. The Puranas
speak of the avataras (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu who destroyed the
demons and established the path of righteousness - Dharma. More than
2500 years ago, an avalanche of heretic and non-Vedic sects, with horrible
religious practices threatened to wipe away the ancient Veda-Dharma. In
the Bhagavad Geeta, Lord Krishna has told Arjuna that, whenever there
arises danger to Dharma, He (Krishna) will incarnate in this world to
eradicate adharma and re-establish Dharma. In consonance with His
words, the Lord has made partial incarnations during the course of the
present Kali Age. And such an incarnation is the partial incarnation of Siva
as Sankara Bhagavatpada, which happened some twenty-five centuries
ago, on the prayer of celestials to Lord Siva to redeem Bharata-desa from
the clutches of non-Vedic and heretic sects.

Sri Sankara Bhagavadpadacharya was one of the greatest philosophers

and spiritualists of, the world. He was a discerning dialectician, a
consummate commentator and a celebrated poet. His miraculous
achievements, within a short span of life of thirty-two years, speak of his
super-human aspect. Sages and scholars, who have shone through the
centuries after his time, have regarded him as an incarnation of the Divine.
Many a thinker and many a scholar of different climes and times has been
attracted by the philosophic discipline of Advaita (Monism), effectively
propagated by Sankara. Even modern thinkers and scholars of repute have
paid eulogistic tributes to Sankara's genius.

There lived a pious Brahmin couple -Sivaguru and Aryamba -in the village
of Kaladi in Kerala. Even after years after their marriage they had no issue.
So they went to Tiruchivaperur (modern Trichur in Kerala) and stayed there
for a number of days and worshipped Vrshachalesvara, the presiding deity
of the temple there, praying for a male offspring. Sankara biographies
narrate that both Sivaguru and his wife had identical dreams, at night of the
last day of their stay in Tiruchivaperur, in which the Lord asked them if they
desired to have a single son endowed with good qualities, wisdom and
intelligence or sons wicked and idiotic by nature and that the couple left the
decision of the choice to the Lord Himself.

Months after Sivaguru and Aryambal had returned to Kaladi, a male child
was born to Aryambal, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Vaisaka
month of the cyclic year Nandana (509 B.C.). Though many dates are
assigned for the birth of Sankara, this date may be said to be fairly well
established by research scholars on the basis of literary, architectural and
astrological sources of information. The parents gave the name "Sankara"
to the child. The life story of Sankara is told in many purely biographical
works and also short sketches of the Great Acharya are had in works
devoted to other topics. But since all works, which narrate the history of
Sankara, have been produced, many centuries after his lifetime, the
historian of Sankara has to depend on the lot of traditional information that
has gathered round Sankara's name and fame.

Sri Jadunath Sircar, an eminent indian historian, Member of the Royal

Asiatic Society of Great Britain, in his "History of Naga Sanyasins",
published by Sri Panchayati, Akhara Mahanirvani, Dharagunj, Allahabad
says: "The modern historian of Sankara is left only with the legend of
Sankara as developed by pious tradition and he must try to judge the
narratives in the weight of probability and the known facts about India in the
age of Sankara´.

Sri B. Suryanarayana Row, M.R.A.S., founder-editor of the Astrological

Magazine, Bangalore, in his µHistory of the Never to be Forgotten Empire of
Vijayanagar¶, has written (in the preface): "Tradition, when strongly
supported by internal and external evidence in literature and inscriptions,
ought not to be neglected or rejected, simply because, in the light of
present knowledge, certain events appear incredible. The true spirit of
profound enquiry must be the guide to Indian history."

Swami Tapasyananda of Sri Ramakrishna Math, in the introduction to his

English translation of Maadhaveeya Sankara-Vijaya, observes "We have
today only a lot of traditions about Sankaracharya and he is a foolhardy
man, indeed, who dares to swear by anyone of these traditions as truly
historical and the others as fabricated."

Sri Vidyanand Saraswati, in his forward to the English translation of the

"Age of Shankar" of Udayavir Sastri, observes, "It is really unfortunate that
Indians had to learn their own history from foreign scholars. These scholars
with insufficient data and superficial knowledge of our tradition wrote
textbooks on Indian history, which were mainly responsible for a great deal
of erroneous views about our past. To understand, to recapture and to live
up to the best of our traditions, it is necessary for a scholar to discover for
himself the truth enveloped in obscurity made hazy in the name of
research."

Having had his upanayanam at the age of five, Sankara was sent to a local
patasala for studying the Veda. One forenoon, during his rounds for
collecting biksha (alms), Sankara happened to stop in front of a poor man's
house and uttered the usual word of request for biksha -"Bhavati
bikkshamdehi". The lady of the house came out and saw the lustrous little
brahmachari. She went in and searched for something for offering to the
boy. But there was nothing in the house to offer. She picked up a dry amla
fruit and dropped it in Sankara's bowl. The boy looked at the woman and
noticed the lines of poverty and sorrow writ large on her face. He began
singing the praise of Sri Mahalakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, in fine
Sanskrit verses. And lo! Mahalakshmi stood above the house. Sankara
requested the Goddess to provide the means for the livelihood of the
inmates of that house. The Devi caused a shower of gold amalakas on that
house. The eighteen verses of Sankara's prayer to Lakshmi go by the
name "Kanakadhara Stotram". This very first poem of Sankara breathes
with his compassion and concern for the poor and the needy. At the age of
eight Sankara finished the study of the Veda. The idea of becoming an
ascetic was revolving in his mind. One morning when he was bathing in the
river flowing by the side of his house, a crocodile caught one of his feet and
began to drag him into the deep. Sankara shouted for help. His mother
came running to the bank of the river. Sankara told his weeping mother, "In
accordance with my doings during past births I have to die. But I may
continue to live if I become an ascetic, since change of asrama causes a
new birth. Hence grant me permission to become a sanyasi quickly".
Aryamba reluctantly agreed, as she desired to have her son alive at least
as an ascetic. Sankara took to apat-sanyasa (becoming an ascetic in time
of danger) by uttering the pertinent mantras. Suddenly the crocodile left
Sankara's foot, turned into a gandharva (good spirit) and flew up after
praising Sankara.

Aryamba asked Sankara to come home. Sankara told her that from that
day, the wide world was his home and whoever offered him alms was his
mother. Aryamba asked him as to who would perform her funeral rites if
she died in his absence. Sankara consoled his sobbing mother saying that
he would be by her side whenever she chose to think of him and that he
would perform the due rites on her death.

Initiation into regular Sanyasa

Leaving his old mother in the care of near relatives, Sankara left Kaladi and
began to travel towards the north, in search of a preceptor to get himself
initiated into regular sanyasa. Months later he reached the bank of the
Narmada. He learnt from the people living nearby that a great yogi lived in
a cave near the riverbank and that he was spending most of his time in
penance. Soon Sankara went near that cave and stood before the entrance
to the cave singing about the yogin in some couplets. The yogi, Sri Govinda
Bhagavatpada, recipient of the Mahabhashya from the lips of Sri
Gaudapada, asked from within the cave, who was standing near the cave.
The reply of Sankara was in the form of 10 slokas ending with the refrain
"Sivahkevaloham", These ten slokas constitute the famous Dasasloki of the
Acharya. Immensely pleased, Govindamuni came out of the cave. Sankara
who was struck by the divine personality of Govinda Bhagavatpada fell at
his feet. After some conversation, Govinda Bhagavatpada accepted
Sankara as his disciple and initiated him in all the Mahavakyas, Some of
the biographies say that Sankara lived on with his 'guru' for about 3 years
and learnt the spiritual truths and the disciplines under Govinda
Bhagavatpada. After mastering all that had to be learnt from the 'guru',
Sankara was granted permission to leave, and the guru told him, that
Sankara should preach Advaita Vidya, and also write an authoritative
commentary on the Brahma Sutras. He instructed Sankara to go to
Benaras, which was the spiritual centre of gravity of India, to do this work.
Accordingly in course of time, Sankara returned to Kasi, crossing the
Vindhya Mountains, after a prolonged journey of months.

Sankara at Kasi

Taking leave of his preceptor, Sankara left the Narmada bank and in
course of time reached Kasi, also known as Varanasi, situated on the bank
of the sacred Ganga, as desired by his preceptor. Sankara's stay at Kasi
was for about four years. During this period, a number of disciples gathered
around him to learn the Advaita Vedanta. A prominent one of them was
Sanadana, a native of the Chola country. It was during these years that
Sankara wrote the famous commentaries on Vyasa's Brahmasutras, the
principle Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Geeta. Besides the bashyas on
Vishnusahasranama and the Lalita Trisatistotra are also said to have been
written by him during his long stay at Kasi. One day, when Sankara was
seated at the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanaasi, Sage Vyasa came here,
disguised as an old Brahmin. He saw a young ascetic sitting amidst
numerous disciples and looking like Siva with his attendants, as Indra in the
middle of celestials and as Brahma surrounded by sages. Vyasa asked the
disciples who the boy ascetic was. They replied "Oh! Old man! This is
Sankara, the preceptor steeped in bliss. Having dissolved heretic sects in
many places, having produced a commentary, with clear and decisive
interpretations on the Brahmasutras, and having taught Advaita philosophy
to discerning students, he shines as Rudra on the bank of the Ganga."
Then Vyasa got near the group of disciples and sat before Sankara. A long
and heated debate ensued between the two on the purport of some of
Vyasa's Brahmasutras. At a particular stage, Sankara learnt from a hint of
his disciple, Padmapada, that the old man was Sage Vyasa in disguise and
bowed before him. Immensely satisfied with Sankara's exposition of the
Brahmasturas, Vyasa blessed Sankara and departed along with Brahma
who had gone over there to grant an extension of life to Sankara.

During the long stay at Kasi, one morning Sankara was returning with his
disciples from the temple of Visvesvara. An outcaste, leading four dogs,
stood on the way. Sankara asked him to clear away from the path. But the
outcaste did not move and asked Sankara, "From which, do you want and,
what, to go where? Do you want this body, which has been similarly built
out of food? Do you want one living consciousness to go away from
another? What do you say, Oh! Learned Brahmin? Which do you want to
differentiate; this body of matter or the living Chaitanya?"

Sankara was struck dumb at this, as the very purpose of all his teachings,
that the Self alone is the sole Reality, had been summarised by the
Chandala in a single verse. Sankara immediately understood the Vedantic
purport of the Chandala's question and also conjectured that the Lord
Himself had come in the form of a Chandala to test if Sankara had realised
the truth that he had been teaching. He then uttered in reply, those
immortal slokas which go by the name of "Manishapanchaka". These
represent the high watermark of Sankara's teaching, where the consistency
of a remorseless dialectician, Sankara declares, that he, who has realised
the oneness of the Brahman, and he who has intuited the Truth of this
doctrine, is fit to be even Sankara's master, even though he, be a Chandala
or a high caste Brahmin by birth. Even as he was about to conclude the
small poem, the outcaste and his dogs disappeared and Lord Visvanatha
was seen above the place, blessing the Acharya. When Sankara left Kasi,
the King of Kasi, scholars and people bowed before him and bid him
farewell.

Biographies narrating in full the story of Sankara speak extensively

regarding the long tours of Sankara to many parts of the country. These
digvijaya travels may be said to have begun from the time of Sankara's
leaving the sacred city of Kasi. Biographies of Sankara tell about Sankara's
visit to Prayag, Badrinath, Kashmir and to a number of places in the south
such as Chidambaram, Madhyarjunam, Jambukesvaram, Srirangam,
Rameswaram, Tirupati and to many other sacred spots lIke like Dwaraka in
the west coast and Puri Jagannath on the eastern coast.

Sankaras' Kailasa Yatra

Sankara's yatra to Kajlasa, the abode of Lord Siva, is one of the most
notable events in the history of the Acharya. During the course of his
peregrination in the Himalayan region, Sankaracharya desired to have
darshan of Sri Paramesvara having his abode in Kailas. Sankara managed
to reach Kailas quickly because of his yogic power. He had darshan of Lord
Paramesvara and Devi Parvati. According to tradition, Sankara adored
Paramesvara by singing two hymns, known as "Sivapadadi-kesanta
stotram" and "Sivakesadipadanta stotram", Immensely pleased with
Sankara's prayers, Paramesvara blessed Sankara, presented him with five
sphatika (crystal) lingas and instructed him to arrange for the worship of the
Ifngas Iingas for the sake of the welfare of the universe, indicating also the
mode of worship. Paramesvara also handed over to Sankara the palm-leaf
manuscript of Soundarya Lahari, which is noted as Siva's own hymn in
praise of the Parasakti.
Kailas to Kanchi

From available biographical information, it is learnt that Sankaracharya

placed one of the five sphatika lingas got at Kailas, the Mukti Linga in the
temple at Kedarnath, and that he consecrated the Vara Linga at
Neelakanta Kshetra in Nepal. With the other three, he returned to the
south. He placed the Bhoga Linga for being worshipped at the Sarada
Peetha in Karnataka and he sent the Moksha Linga to Chidambaram for
being worshipped In the temple of Sri Nataraja in that sacred place, He
kept the Yoga Linga for his own personal worship and for his successors at
Kanchi.

References to the places where the five-sphatika lingas were established

for worship are found in Anantanandagiri's biography and in Markandeya
Samhita. The Sivarahasya points to Sankara's hastening to the earth with
the lingas and worshipping them in his own asrama at Kanchi. The people
of Kanchi, under the leadership of King Rajasena, offered a grand welcome
to Sankara at the outskirts of Kanchi City, It is said that the Acharya stayed
at the Mukti Mandapa in the small Visvesvara temple, on the bank of the
Sarvateertham tank for some time.

Bhagavatpada Sankara got Kanchi city remodeled and also caused the
reconstruction of the three principle temples of Kanchi viz., the temples of
Sri Ekamranatha, Devi Kamakshi and Sri Varadaraja with the assistance of
Rajasena, ruler of Kanchi. Sankara consecrated the Srichakra before Devi
Kamakshi and thereby secured Her bounteous grace on devotees having
Her darshan.

Sri Sankaracharya's Sarvajnapeetharohana at Kanchi

A significant event in the history of Sankaracharya is his occupying the
Sarvajna Peetha -the Throne of Omniscience at Kanchi. Cidvilasa's
Sankaravijaya -Vilasa, Govindanantha's Sankaracharya Charitam and
Rajachudamani Dikshita's Sankarabhudaya, narrate the Acharya's
ascending the seat of Omniscience at Kanchi, in South India.

Sixteen verses of the 25th chapter of Cidvilasa's biography describe the

event. An asareeri voice (air noise or divine voice) informed Sankara, when
he was about to ascend the Peetha, that it would be proper for him to
ascend after winning in debate, the scholars assembled there. Sankara
thought for a while. A group of scholars who had come there from some
villages of the Tamraparni valley put some questions to Sankaracharya on
his philosophy of Monism, Maya (the theory of illusion), Devabeda,
Murtibeda, etc. Sankara explained to them the eternal and all-pervading
nature of Brahman, the inability of man to understand the Supreme One
seeming as different entities, because of ignorance, the non-existence of a
second other than the Brahman and the means for attaining emancipation.
The scholars were fully convinced. They bowed before the Great Acharya.
Thereafter Sankara ascended the Sarvajnapeetha amidst the sounding of
musical instruments and the tumultuous shouts of joy of the vast number of
devoted spectators. Showers of flowers fell from above and a fragrant
breeze blew all around.

A great ascetic one of the early Acharyas of the Kanchi Sankaracharya

Math -by name Jnanottama -has written a commentary entitled
"Chandrika", on Sureswaracharya's "Naiskarmyasiddhi". Along with the
commentary "Chandrika", Naishkarmyasiddhi has been edited by Professor
Hiriyanna of the Maharaja's College, Mysore and published as No.33 of the
Bombay Sanskrit and Prakrit Series in 1925 A.D. In the preface to this
edition Professor Hiriyanna observes "The second sloka (at the end of the
commentary) alludes to the author of the Chandrika as the glory of the
Sarvajnasrama by which term we have to understand the Sarvajna Peetha
or the Pontifical seat at the Advaita Matha In Kanchipuram. These remarks
of the learned professor corroborate Sankara's occupying the Sarvajna
Peetha at Kanchi, as described in the biographies noted above.

Kanchi -Sankaracharya's Last Resort

Sankara Bhagavatpadacharya returned to Kanchi, the Southern

Mokshapuri, towards the end of his earthly career and shook off his moral
coils in that sacred city. A number of works state these facts.

Verse 46 of the sixteenth chapter of the ninth section of the voluminous

Sanskrit work "Sivarahasya" (in the printed Canareese edition No.32,
Jayachamarajendra Series of the Mysore Palace, refers to
Sankaracharya's worship of the Yoga, Bhoga, Vara, Mukti and Moksha
lingas, to his success over scholars of other faiths and to his attaining
siddhi (eternal bliss) at his own ashrama in Kanchi.

Markandeya Samhita, an ancient puranic treatise, consists of 100 khandas,

each having sub-sections called parispandas, Sub-section 7 and 8 of the
72nd khanda of this work narrate briefly the history of Sankara. This is
evident from the colophon at the end of the 7th parispanda of the 72nd
khanda as noticed in the Descriptive Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts,
volume VI of the Oriental Research Institute, University of Mysore, 1981,
page 191 (Appendix 1- 332, Serial No.18179, Ms. No. P. 33878/1 -title
"Sankaracharitam". A verse, in the seventh parispanda of the 72nd khanda
01 this work, relates that the Mahatma, Sankara, attained the cit-svarupa,
He attained eternal bliss at Kanchi, after having consecrated Kamakshi.

Anantanandagiri's biography of Sankara (all versions printed and

manuscripts, including the Madras University edition) says "The World
Preceptor (Sankara) desiring to leave for his own abode, sitting once in the
Moskhapuri of Kanchi, absorbed his gross body into the subtle one and
getting reduced into the size of a thumb, attained eternal bliss and remains
at the all-pervading "Cit" to this day". The Brhad Sankara Vijaya, and Sri
Sadasiva Brahmendra's Gurunatramala indicate that Acharya Sankara
attained eternal bliss at Kanchi -the Southern Mokshapuri. The concluding
verse of Rajacudamani Deeksita's "Sankarabhyudaya" refers to Sankara
worshipping Kamesvari (Kamakshi) every day and attaining supreme bliss.
Patanjali Vijayam by Ramabhadra Diksita (Kavyamala Series No.51 ,
Nirnaya Sagar Press, Bombay), has a verse at the end, stating that
Sankara, after having produced the Bhasyas and conquered the directions
(digvijaya) stayed permanently at Kanchi.

A Report on Search for Sanskrit Manuscripts in South India, by Dr. Hutzch,

a German scholar, (published by the Government Press, Madras in 1905 -
No.2146, Part III) contains a list of pontifical preceptors of the Bharati
ascetic order of the Tungabhadra region. Some verses are found in this list
about Adi Sankaracharya. The verses relate that after traveling widely
Sankara reached Kanchi of his own accord, consecrated Kamakshi and
attained final beatitude at Kanchi itself. The Guruparampara Namamala of
the Sankarite institution at the confluence of the rivers, Tunga and Bhadra
(Kudali) also speaks of the Great Acharya's reaching Kanchi of his own
desire, after long and wide travels, of the consecration of Devi Kamakshi
and of his Siddhi there.

Coming to modern times, there is quite a large number of works, in different

languages, written by erudite scholars mentioning Kanchi as the last resort
of Sankara. The Bengali Visvakosa (Hindi Edition), an encyclopedia, gives
the information under the word Kanchi as the place where Sankara attained
Siddhi. Pandit Mahamahopadhyaya Gopinath Kaviraj has stated that the
temple of Kamakshi at Kanchi is famous and in that temple there is the
stone icon of Sankara and that is the lace where he attained Siddhi. Pandit
N. Bhashyacharya (of Madras) in his "Age of Sankaracharya" (Adyar
Library, Madras, 1890 A.D., page 22) says "Lastly towards the end of his
life he came to the south but had to leave his body and this world at
Kancheepuram at the early age of thirty-two:' Saligram Srikanta Sastry of
Sringeri has taken a copy of the 16th chapter of the ninth amsa of
"Sivarahasya" from the Manuscript Library in Mysore and has rendered it in
Kannada. The English translation of a sentence in the Kannada work is as
follows: "Having come to Kanchi, in his own ashrama, he (Sankara)
absorbed his gross physical frame into the subtle one, became pure,
blissful citsvarupa and attained final Siddhi:'

Apart from all the citations made above, it needs to be mentioned that, In
the Srimukha-Birudavan (the string of honorific epithets) of the
Sankaracharya Math at Kanchi (existing without change from very ancient
times), the following epithet is found:

" Srimacchankar Bhagavatpadacharyanam adhisthane

Simhasanabhishiktanam "

The word "adhisthane " points to Sankara's Siddhi at Kanchi.

It may be noted that the name of Sri Sankaracharya is found only in the
official seal of Kanchi Kamakoti Matha. The word "Kanchidivya kshetre"and
the phrase ..Srimacchankara-Bhagavatpadacalyanam adhisthane ., in the
birudavali indicate Sankara's siddhi at Kanchi.

Monastic Institutions (Mathas) established by Sri Sankaracharya

Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada was not merely a great philosopher and

preceptor, but an adept in organising and a conspicuous national integrator
of a very early period of India's history. He established monastic institutions
for safeguarding our ancient Veda-Dharma and for the propagation of the
Advaita discipline.
From Anantanandagiri (1119- 1199 A.D.) whose work is the earliest
biography of Sankara, down to Mahamahopadhyaya lakshmana Suri
(Author of "Bhagavatpadabhyudayam" -1917) of the last century, a number
of reputed historians, distinguished scholars and researchers have candidly
stated, in their works, that the Great Sankara established monastic
institutions (mathas) at many an important and sacred places that he
visited, during his digvijaya tours. Guhya-Sahasranama (Sanskrit) refers to
five Sankaracharya Peethas (Mathas), -Kamakoti Peetha as presided over
by Sankara himself, to four disciples, Suresvara, Padmapada, Totaka and
Hastamala, to the places of the four other peethas and to five Sphatika
lingas.

The Pracheena Sankara Vijaya refers to Sankara's residence in his own

Matha at Kanchi, after ascending the Sarvajnapeetha.

The Keraliya Sankara Vijaya states that Sankara Desika staying in the
Sharada Matha (The Sankaracharya Matha at Kanchi is known as Sharada
Matha) and directing Suresvara to teach the Bhashyas to disciples. There
is also the reference to the worship of the Yoga Linga to be performed by
the sishyaparampara - continuous line of disciple Acharyas.

Sri Sadasiva Brahamendra in his Guru Ratnamala (Verse 31) indicates that
the Bhagavatpada established the Sharada Matha at Kanchi, famous from
the snow-clad Himalayas to the Southern sea, for the enforcement of
Dharma. In Anantanandagiri's biography of Sankaracharya, it is said that
Sankara established a Math at Kanchi fit for his own residence and his
living there.
Mahamahopadhyaya Lakshmanasuri in his Bhagavatpadabhyudayam says
"The Guru (Sankara) consecrated Sreechakra in front of Sri Kamakshti and
also established a matha there (at Kanchi)".

The Teerthank of Kalyan (Gorakpur), published in 1957 speaks of "Sri

Sankaracharya-dvara-sthapita panchapradana peethah" and gives the
names of the pancha (five) peethas -Jyotirpeetha, Kamakotipeetha, etc. In
the "Jagadguru Arika" of the Prabhat (Mangalore 1958), mention is made of
five Mathas at Owaraka, Puri, Kanchi, etc.

"Light of the East" (Vol. II, No.14, July 1894) refers to several Mathas
established by Sankaracharya while touring through India and states
particularly of "a Math at Gangotri (from where the river Ganga rises)
besides the Joshi Math" (at Badrinath). "The bulletin of the Institute of
Traditional Cultures"; 1957, published by the University of Madras refers to
five mathas established by Sri Sankaracharya. Besides these, "A History of
South India" written by Professor K. A. Neelakanta Sastry, published by
Oxford University (1955) and 'World Religions -A Study in Synthesis" state
that Sankara established Mathas at five important centres- Dwaraka,
Kanchi Puri, Badri and Sringeri.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Bombay) has published a short work by name

"Indian Chronology", written by Or. O.S. Triveda, Ph.O. {1959). The work is
a mere compilation of dates of historical events and personages from
ancient times, In page 91 of the work, dates are given for establishment of
five institutions by Sankaracharya. There it is stated that the Kamakoti
Peetha at Kanchi was founded on Vaisakha Sukla Full Moon in Kali Saka
1620 = 482 B.C., with Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada himself as the first
Acharya.
In the "Chronology of Nepal History" (reconstructed), by Sri Kota
Venkatachalam, it has been stated that Sankara founded five institutions.
Besides dates are assigned for the establishment of the five institutions at
Puri, Dwaraka, Badrinath, Kanchi and Sringeri.

In "Contribution of the South to the Heritage of India", published by the

Ministry of Information (Govt. of India) it has been said, "Sankara set up
monastical institutions to safeguard the spiritual interests of the race. Of
these, five are the most important".

In the Report of the Hindu Religious Endowments Commission, 1962,

(page 15), under the heading "Sankaracharya and Establishment of Mutts",
the following is seen:

"It was Adi Sankaracharya, who first began to establish Hindu Mutts
(Mathas) as we know them today. He propounded the theory of absolute
Monism, i.e., the Advaita, non-dualistic school of philosophy, combated the
doctrines of Buddhism and Jainism and re-established the religion of the
Vedas and the Upanishads. According to tradition; he inaugurated several
mutts (mathas) or seats of learning in four corners of India, namely,
Sharada Peetha in Mysore and the Kamakoti Peetha in Kanchi in the
South, Badrinath in the Himalayan region in the North, Jagannath or
modern Puri in the East and Dwaraka in Western Gujarat".

Mahamahopadhyaya, Padmavibhushan Gopinath Kaviraj observes in page

113 of his work "Bharatjya Samskriti aur Sadhana" that Sankara founded
many institutions and for his own residence Acharya Sankara founded a
seat in the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha. Professor Baladev Upadhyaya, former
Head of the Purana and Itihasa Section of the Benares Hindu University,
has written a biography of Sankara in Hindi (published by the Hindustani
Academy of Allahabad, 1963). In the 16th pariccheda (Chapter) of the work
having the heading "Mathom Kei Vivarana" (details about maths), he says
"By him (Sankaracharya) in Southern Bharat, at Kanchi, one of the seven
Mokshapuries, a matha has been established".

Sri S. Subrahmahya Ayyar, Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court
and Justice V. Bhashyam Ayyangar, in their judgement in the appeal case
(1903) reported in I.L.R.27, Madras (435) have observed, "No less than
seven Mutts being among the most celebrated ones owe their origin to the
great Advaita Philosopher, Sri Sankaracharya". Justice P. Satyanarayana
Rao and Justice Rajagopalan, in their judgement in C.M.P.2591 of 1951
(reported in 1952, 1.M.L.J. 557) have declared, "Tradition has it that he
(Sankaracharya) founded four mutts - Sringeri in Mysore, Badrinath in the
Himalayas, Jagannath Puri in the East and Dvwaraka in the West. He
himself assumed the headship of the Sarvajna Peetha at Kanchi."

The Guruvamsa Kavya of Sringeri (original mansucript copy) speaks of

Sringeri, Dvwaraka, Puri, Badrinath and Kanchi Sankara Maths. Curiously,
this Kavya also mentions five maths founded by Sankara at Kasi.

A good number of works by historians, scholars, some periodicals of repute

and Government records alike have uniformly pointed out to the matha
founded by Adi Sankaracharya, in different sacred centres of our country.

It will be interesting to note that some authentic works produced by

scholars of renown echo the view of Anantanandagiri in the matter of
Sankara establishing monastic institutions at important sacred places which
Sankara chanced to visit and wherever he happened to stay long during
the course of his digvijaya tours.
Sri Sankarapeetha tatvadarshanam, authored and published by Sri Swami
Ramananda Saraswati and three famous scholars of Kasi (1935), speaks
of five peethas as founded by Sankara.

The preface (in Sanskrit) to the Sariraka Meemamsa-Bhashya, printed and

published by Venkatesvara Press, Bombay, gives the names of a number
of mathas founded by Sankaracharya referring to them as "Sri
Sankaracharya Vidyadharma Peethadhipa Paramapara gatah, Matah."

It may be interesting to read about a Sankara Math at the sacred city of

Kasi. This is known as Sumeru Math and as Paduca Math. It is presided
over by an Advaita Dandi Sanyasi. In some authentic works, only one
monastic institution is spoken of. The Sankaracharya Carita by
Govindanatha, and the Sankarabhyudaya of Rajachudamani Deekshita,
there is no mention about any Matha or Peetha except the Sarvagria
Peetha at Kanchi.

The ancient and voluminous work "Sivarahasya´ , gives a brief sketch of

the Acharya's life (Jayachamarajendra Granthamala series, in Canarese
script). Besides manuscript copies of the work are available in many of the
manuscript libraries of India .A verse in the "Sivarahasya" states that
Sankara came to the earth in haste after obtaining the five sphatikaliringas
and attained siddhi eternal bliss at His own Asrama at Kanchi.

The Chengleput District Gazetteer, published by Charles Stuart, I.E.S., in

1879 A.D. gives the following piece of information: "The first of these
wandering controversialists was Sankarachari, who wandered all over
India, establishing the dying religion , Saivite faith and fanning the
persecution before which the last disciple of Sakya fled. He paid particular
attention to Conjeevaram where he worked many miracles and founded a
matham or monastery". (Chengleput District Gazetteer -1879 -
Ethnological, Religious and Social, pages 86 & 87.)

Appendix I

Sri Kota Venkatachalam in his "Chronology of Nepal History",

reconstructed, assigns the following events of the life of Sri Sankara
Bhagavatpada : Kali B.C.

Birth of Sri Sankara (Cyclic year Nandana) 2593 509

Upanayana of Sankara 2598 504

Completed study of the Veda 2601 501

Got his mother's permission to enter the Holy Order of Sanyasa (Kartika
Sukla Ekadasi, Cyclic year Plava) 2603 499

Philosophical study under Govinda Bhaghavatpadacharya 2603-2605

499-497

Sankara, in his 16th year, met Kumarila Bhatta for the first and the last time
in Rudhapura near Prayaga at the time of self-immolation by Kumarila
Bhatta (Kumarila was older than Sankara by 48 years (Cyclic year Kilaka)
2609 493

Sri Sankara founded the Dwaraka Math (Magha SuklaSapthami of the

cyclic year Sadharana with Hastamalaka as its first Acharya) 2611 491

Sri Sankara founded the Jyotir Math on Pusya Suddha Poumima of the
cyclic year Raksasa with Totakacharya as its first Acharya 2616 486

Sri Sankara founded the Govardhan Math of Purl (Jagannath) on Vaisakha

Sukla Navami of the cyclic year Nala with Padmapadacharya as its first
Acharya 2617 485

The Sarada Peetha at Sringeri was founded by Sri Sankara in Pusya

Purnima of the year Pingala with Sureswaracharya , as its first Pitadhipati
2618 484
The Kamakoti Pieetha at Kanchi was founded in Vaisakha Sukla Purnima
of the year Siddharthi with Adi Sankara himself as the first Acharya 2620
482

Niryana of Sankara in his 32nd year on Sukla Ekadasi of the month of

Adhika Rishobha in the Cyclic Year Raktakshi 2625 477