Sage Sankara, is one of the greatest thinkers of all time. This world owes him a deep debt of gratitude. He not only consolidated the classical values of life but also spiritual wisdom. Unfortunately, few philosophers in the world are as misunderstood and misinterpreted as Sage Sankara. Ironically, most of the harm came from his admirers and followers of the Advaitic sect because they propagated rituals as a means to attain the lower knowledge which is meant for those who believed in the physical existence (universe or waking) as reality.
One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from the ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (Jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings. Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices.
Sage Sankara wisdom (Advaita) —Without a parallel Sage Sankara's wisdom is lofty, sublime, and unique. It is highly interesting, inspiring, and elevating. No other wisdom can stand before it in boldness, depth, and subtle thinking. Sage Sankara’s philosophy is complete and perfect.
Sage Sankara was a mighty, marvelous genius. He was a profound thinker of the first rank. He was a sage of the highest realization. His wisdom has brought solace, peace, and illumination to countless persons in the world. The western thinkers bow their heads at the lotus-feet of Sage Sankara. His wisdom has soothed the sorrows and afflictions of the most forlorn persons and brought hope, joy, wisdom, perfection, freedom, and calmness to many. His wisdom commands the admiration of the whole world.
Biographical anecdotes about his childhood about the crocodile story and the story in Sage Sankara's life of going to Benares and occupying the body of another man and then having sexual intercourse with his wife is a myth created by orthodoxy hiding the real fact the reason best-known to the orthodoxy. Sage Sankara had the scientific spirit and when told by Saraswathi the woman that he was talking emptily about sex, being a Sanyasi, he at once went to learn the truth by having actual intercourse himself and thus learning by experiment and observation.
Thus, all the myths about Sage Sankara are nothing to do with the seeker of truth because the seeker is concerned only with the wisdom of the Sage Sankara.
Sage Sankara:~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad)
Sage Sankara:~ The Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life, and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. (Chap.3.4.50; Sage Sankara's commentary to Brahma Sutras)
Sage Sankara's work has got two aspects: the practical and the spiritual. He gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the populace, but pure wisdom only to the few who could rise to it. Hence, the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.
Sage Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never told them to give their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the truth.
Sage Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. He was no fool in writing. Sage Sankara did more than write books or initiate Sanyasin: He brought India into unity as a nation. He told people to Worship what they wish, remain in their particular religion, caste and creed, but remember also you are part of a larger whole.
The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced. The orthodox pundit seeing Sage Sankara will see differently from the A Gnani seeing the same Sage Sankara. Each one of them interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The Orthodox see Sage Sankara as the founder of their religion and also as a guru of the Advaitic orthodox sect. A man of truth sees Sage Sankara not as a guru but as a Gnani. The orthodoxy believes in their experience of birth, life, death, and rebirth, and the world as reality. Whereas Gnani sees the world is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Thus, the Gnani see no second thing other than consciousness.
The one who treads the path of wisdom gains the knowledge of reality beyond form, time, and space. A Gnani has delved into, and he transcended consciously all identification with the experience form, time, and space.
Similarly, orthodoxy has to be bifurcated from philosophy. To know the Nondualistic wisdom of Sage Sankara, one has to be free from all superstitions and dogmas and orthodoxy and scriptural knowledge. The seeker has to be more rational and scientific in his attitude.
According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the Purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the Karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the Jnana Kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.
Sage Sankara is the only sage who has final authority on the Advaitic truth. The Advaitic truth is rational truth and scientific truth without dogma.
Remember:~
Sage Sankara is Jagadguru for the ignorant populace and Brahma Gnani for the seeking world.
Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with orthodox belief systems. Sage Sankara is the only sage who has final authority on the Advaitic truth. The Advaitic truth is rational truth and scientific truth without dogma.
Remember:~
Religion is nothing to do with Advaita. Advaitic sect belongs to religion. Advaita is pure spirituality. Advaitic sect is dualistic is nothing to do with the Advaitic truth which is hidden by the illusion. Mixing religion and spirituality is like mixing oil and water.
Religion is regarded as sacred and real by the common people, by the wise as false, and by the politicians as useful.
Religion and its sects are based on form, time, and space whereas Spirituality is based on the Atman the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.
Religions hold birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. From the ultimate standpoint, the world in which we exist is an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.
The seeker must know the difference between religion and spirituality.
Many people think the religion itself as spirituality.
Spirituality leads to discovering the truth which is hidden by form, time, and space.
Advaita is universal. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the Self. The world in which you exist is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Knowledge of the single stuff is Advaitic wisdom.
Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with the orthodox belief systems. Some philosophers in the past dissented from this interpretation of Vedanta philosophy, holding that the incarnated Souls were separate from the Divine Essence and only finally merged with it after the cycles of birth.
All these theoretical philosophies are based on the imagination based on the false ‘Self’ (ego or you) within the false experience (waking).
Orthodox people argue that Sage Sankara had a Guru. Sage Sankara himself’ was Guru.
Yes, for orthodox people Sage Sankara is Jagadguru but for the seeker of truth, he is a Brahma Gnani
The traditionally religious people are so entangled in orthodox religiosity; it is very difficult for them to free themselves from narrow-minded prejudices and dogmas and superstitions. These educated orthodox people are more ignorant than illiterate. They strongly stuck to their inherited orthodox baggage meant for the ignorant populace. Even though their own Sage has said that orthodoxy is meant for the ignorant populace they ignore and they are like blind led by another blind follow the inherited blind belief.
Even Swami Vivekananda was Ramakrishna Paramahansa's disciple. Swami Vivekananda himself’ said: ~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.”
Remember:~
There are two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know the ultimate truth or Brahman. The Guru and Guru paramparas are meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, there is no need to follow any parampara and follow any Guru those who wish to realize the truth which is beyond the form, time, and space.
We should not mix religion with spirituality because religion is based on the ego and spirituality is based on the Soul. Religion is concerned with its paramparas, not truth whereas spirituality is concerned only with the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. Religion is not spirituality.
Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad)
Thus, the above passage proves that all those who were the sanyasin robes are wearing it for the sake of bread belongs to the religion; they are nothing to do with the ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. There is no need to criticize and condemn the Gurus, yogis, and swamis because they are needed for the welfare of ignorant masses in the dualistic world.
So he wore a Guru's robe only for the sake of the ignorant. So he was identified as Guru with parampara by religious people. For the truth seekers, Sage Sri, Sankara is a Brahma Gnani.
Sage Sankara clearly indicates in Viveka Chudamani (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).
When Sage Sankara says, the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man.
Thus, it proves that religious Gurus and yogis are not Gnanis because they identified themselves as holy people.
From the Advaitic perspective, A Gnani never identifies himself as a Guru or a Yogi or someone disciple. The one who accepts himself as a Guru or someone’s disciple is not a Gnani.
The seekers of truth need not identify Sage Sankara as a holy man or Jagadguru but a Brahma Gnani.
Ashtavakra Samhita: ~ "The man of knowledge (Gnani), though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.
All the Guru Parampara is for religious people. There is no need for a Guru who wants to tread the path of wisdom.
The Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.
A Guru is needed in the religious and the yogic path. There is no need for a Guru to acquire ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar
