The period of Adi Shankara's advent

The period of Adi Shankara's advent

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Adi Shankara, the potent symbol and illustrious savant of national unity and spiritual renaissance decisively altered the prevalent theological sojourn by his incomparable and overpowering intellect and his matchless spiritual penance and enlightenment. Not only the land of India but also the entire world today prostrates Adi Shankaracharya's wisdom, intellect and the principles that he enunciated.

However, the world of scholars is still in doubt as to the exact period of the advent of this towering spiritual visionary and leader. It is imperative that ancient records and manuscripts preserved safely in the Muths established by Shankara himself be accorded primary in the determination of this issue. These Peeths have the lineage of all the succeeding Acharyas as well as the period of their incumbency in their respective hallowed seats. A focused and intensive research on Bhagwatpad Adya Shankaracharya yields the following life-sketch

Advent- Vaishakh Shukla Panchami, 2631 Yudhishtir Samvat, Kalyabd 2593,509 BC.

Upanayan- (initiation into Brahminhood by the sacred thread)- Chaitra Shukla Navami, 2636 Yudhishtir Samvat, Kalyabd, 2598.

Sanyas- Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, 2639 Yudhishtir Samvat.

Attainment of Knowledge- (from guru Govindpad) Phalgun Shukla Dwiteeya,2640 Yudhishtir Samvat

His first arrival in Kashi- Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi 2643 Yudhishtir Samvat, 497 BC.

Shankara's arrival at Manikarnika, his countenance of and dialogue with Lord Vishwanath (Shiva), who appeared in the guise of a chandal, praise of Shri Vishwanath through the Manishapanchak and the inspiration for his journey to Shri Badri Ashram took place during this divine period. In fact, Lord Shiva Himself decreed: C:BFLByKBJlDEH:tJ_y Asmadadi padamveemabhajastva ''Thou hast attained My Seat'' (Shankar Digivijay; Sarg 6/45).

B'D|LTDTFLG LG[:O --- ;"QEFIODb'GF LJBbFT' /Z_-LB-^;-`$*? Durmatimatani nirasya... sootrabhashyamadhuna vidhadhatu ''Do thou undertake the composition of this divine treatise now in order to quell all false creeds.'' (Shankar Digvijay; Sarg 6/48)

Composition of Bhashyas (treatises) - [from Badrikashram] until Jyestha Badi Amavasya,2646. Adi Shankara also established the Jyotirmuth during this very period.

The Digvijay Sankalp - 'Adi Shankara's resolve to propagate Vedic philosophy and achieve victory. The Jagadguru made his resolve from Dashashwamedh, Kashi on Ashwin Shukla Dashami. This is a Vijay muhoorta, an auspicious date to commence any victorious endeavour. This momentous event was in Yudhishtir Samvat 2647 or Kali Samvat 2609 or 493 BC.

The great Adya Shankaracharya composed all his epoch-making treatises at the mere age of 16. (IFF]8Z] S\TJFG= EFIOD=) Shoadashey kritavan bhashyam.

It was also at the age of sixteen that Shree Bhagwan Himself, as Vyas, in the guise of a Brahmin, appeared before Shankara and engaged him in a discourse for eight days. Adi Shankara, bestowed with divine vision, immediately recognized Bhagwan who had come as Ved Vyas. (CFRFO|DFX]LT DXl;'[F]SO_ jOF;F] LX J]BFgT[X:OJ]ÙFF /Z-LB-;U| &`!)? Acharyamaheti maheesuroyam Vyaso hi Vedantarahasavetta (Shankar Divivijay; Sarg 7/10)

Adya Shankara then proceeded to initiate Kumaril, the strident defender of the Vedas in the Supreme knowledge of the imperishable, indestructible, omnipotent, eternal Almighty Brahman, who is verily the ultimate, the supreme happiness and contentment, at the holy seat of Prayag. Receiving this divine wisdom from Shankara, Kumaril Bhatt became one with the Shantam Advaitam (the tranquil Oneness of the Absolute)

Eight years after Adi Shankara's (initiation into asceticism) in the Kali Era of 2609, i.e. Shankara's 16^th year, his historic meeting with the 64- year old Kumaril Bhatt, a lion of Vedic learning, took place at Prayag, the foremost among teerthas (sacred places of pilgrimage). This was an epoch- making meeting of two great illustrious souls. Kumaril Bhatt, who had resolved to write a finale to his won existence after adopting to do so in defence of Vedic Dharma, was fortunate to countenance Shankara in the garb of a sanyasin and be initiated into the divine knowledge of the Supreme by Shankara before forsaking his worldly existence at Prayag. This great epoch stands out as a shining beacon in the universal history of spirituality. It is indeed our nation's pristine duty to reverently remember the historic meeting between Shreemad Adi Jagatguru Shankaracharya and Kumaril Bhatt at Prayag. A brief glance at the chronology of the events in the Jagatguru's life will also be illuminating:

Ø Shankara's debate with Mandan Mishra- Margsheersh Badi Truteeya, 2647 Yudhishtir Samvat;493 BC.

Ø Establishment of Sharda Peeth -Kartik Badi Trayodashi, 2648 Yudhishtir Samvat;492 BC.

Ø Shringeri Muth is established -Phalgun Shukla Navami, 2648 Yudhishtir Samvat;492 BC.

Ø Mandan undertakes sanyas (becomes Sureshvaracharya)- Chaitra Shukla Navami, 2649 Yudhishtir Samvat;491 BC.

Ø King Sudhanwa meets Shankara Margsheersh Shukla Dashami, 2459 Yudhishtir Samvat;491 BC.

Ø Sureshvaracharya anointed as pontiff of Sharda Peeth- Magh Shukla Saptami, 2649 Yudhishtir Samvat;491 BC.

Ø Resumes journey of spiritual conquest - Vaishakh Shukla Triteeya, 2659 Yudhishtir Samvat;490 BC.

Events and Accomplishments during Shankara's Digvijay:

Ø Arrival of Totak- Shravan Shukla Saptami, 2653 Yudhishtir Samvat;487 BC.

Ø Arrival of Hastamalam- Ashwin Ekadashi 2654 Yudhishtir Samvat;486 BC.

Ø Establishment of Govardhan Peeth- Vaishakh Shukla Dashami, 2655 Yudhishtir Samvat;485 BC.

Ø Padmapada's anointment here- Vaishakh Shukla Dashami, 2655 Yudhishtir Samvat;485 BC.

Ø Shankara's spiritual conquest- Bhadra Poornamaasi, 2655 Yudhishtir Samvat;485 BC.

Ø Establishment of Kanchi Kamkoti Peeth- 2658 Yudhishtir Samvat, Kali Samvat; 482 BC.

Ø Sharda Peeth in Kashmir-2662 Yudhishtir Samvat, 478 BC.

Ø His Mahanirvan (Shankara quits the mortal world) - Kartik Poornima, 2662 Yudhishtir Samvat, 2625 Kali Samvat; 477 BC.

Shankara's birth and his age :

The above chronology reveals Adi Shankara's age to be 32 years, 6 months and 10 days. The period of the advent of Shankara has been established as 2631 Yudhishtir Samvat. The Yudhishtir Samvat begins 38 years before the Kali Samvat and commences with the coronation of Emperor Yudhishtir (following the Pandavas' final victory in the Kurukshetra war). Yudhishtir ruled for 36 years. The age of Kali begins two years after that. Thus, we see that Adi Shankara's advent took place 509 years before the birth of Christ.

Now deducting 32 years of the great Acharya's life from his date of birth (509-32=477), we arrive at the year 477 BC as the year of his departure from the mortal world. The Kali era begins 3,102 years before the Christian era. Adding 38 to the figure of 3,102 (years) we easily derive the period when the Yudhishtir Era began, which is 3140. Deducting Shankara's date of birth according to the Yudhishtir Era 2631 from 3140, we can determine his date of birth in the Christian calendar, which is 509 BC.

When the Kali Era begins 3102 years before Christ, the Yudhishtir Era (Samvat) begins 3140 years (before Christ). If we wish to ascertain Adi Shankara's date according to the Sharda Peeth's records, we have to deduct the year 2631 of the Yudhishtir Era from the date of its inception i.e. 3140 years before the Christ, we get the year 509 before Christ (3140-2661=509) as Shankara's birth. We may also look at the records of Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth, according to which we have to deduct the year of Shankara's birth according to Kali Era 2593 from the year of its inception i.e. 3102 years before Christ. This calculation 3102-2593=509 BC. The date of 788 Ad, which is falsely propagated, is actually the date of initiation of the 38^th Acharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth, Abhinavshankar.

Western historians and writers have propagated this date as the period of Adi Shankara's advent. The reason for this preposterous mix-up could possibly be that in 788 AD, Abhinavshankar won great acclaim as a scholar and luminous guardian of the Muths, spreading their glory far and wide. This led to the establishment of his fame as a Shankaracharya. Within the span of a century, many of his devotees while penning his eulogy mentioned the year Abhinavshankar's ascendancy to the Kanchi Peeth (788 AD) as the year of Adi Shankara's birth. This erroneous entry then came to stick in public memory as the period of Adi Shankara's advent.

It is indeed amusing to say the least that those who lay claim to research into this extremely significant topic have not been able to even find out Adi Shankara's birth place. Abhinavshankar's birthplace Chidambaram was earlier declared to be the birthplace of Shankara. It was Narasingh Bharati, a later Shankaracharya of Shringeri who revealed the village of Kaladi to be the real birthplace of Adi Shankara.

Other opinions and researches:

1) The Sanskrit Chandrika, (or the Zend Avesta) the holy book of the Zoroastrians mentions year of Adi Shankara's advent as 406 years before the Vikram Era or 460 BC.

2) Renowned Western historian Dr. Vincent's opinion is that Adi Shankara was born 420 years before the Vikram Era or 477 BC.

Although the above two dates researched by foreigners may vary with each other and significantly with the real date of Adi Shankara's birth, it is important to note that both are unanimous about Shankara's preceding Christ by centuries.

The towering social and political reformer Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati has in his epoch making book Satyarth Prakash, on the basis of records available during his time, stated in Satyarth Prakash eleventh chapter (Samullas) that Adi Shankara's period was 2200 years ago. Dayanand too accepts Shankara's birth well before Christ.

Acharya Kumaril Bhatt, the renowned luminary of the Poorva Meemansa School of philosophy, met Adi Shankara. This is a historic event. According to the Jin Vijay:

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Rishirvarasthatha poorna martyakshau vamamelanat; Ekeekruta labheytankaha krodhi syattatravatsaraha

Bhattacharya kumarasya karmakandaikavadinaha gyegaha pradurbhavastasmin varshey Youdehishtiray shakey.

Before we attempt to grasp the meaning of this shloka, it is necessary for us to be acquainted with historical periods and traditions from a purely Indian perspective.

a) The Era of Kali begins from 3102 BC.

b) The Hindu Era of Yudhishtir (Yudhishtir Samvat) commences 36 years before the Kali Era i.e. 3138 BC.

c) The Jain Yudhishtir Samvat begins in 468 Kali or 2634 BC.

Let us now analyse the Shloka

Rishi =7, Var (days)=7, Poorna (whole)=0 Martyashau=2 makes 7702. Written backwards (ankanam vadamelanat) we arrive at the figure of 2077, which is the Jain Yudhishtir Era.

When we deduct 2634 from 2077 Yudhishtir Samvat Jain, we get 557 BC, which is the year of Kumaril Bhatt's birth.

Adya Shankaracharya's first biographer and his disciple Chitswukhacharya writes in the Brihat Shankar Vijaygranth that Kumaril was 48 years older than Adi Shankara. Deduct 48 from Kumaril's year of birth of 557 BC and we have Shankara's birth year as 509 BC.

The Jain Vijay also explains the year of Shankara's departure from the world thus-

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Rishirvanasthatha bhoomirmartyakshau vamamelanat; ekatvena labheytankastamraksha tatrayvatsaraha.

Meaning :-Rishi=7, Van=5, Bhoomi=1, Martyakshau=2. This figure of 7512 written backwards shows 2157 Yudhishtir Samvat. Deducting 2157 from 2634, we get 477 BC, which is the year of Adi Shankara's quitting the mortal world.

The Punya Shlok Manjari says that the year of Acharya Shankara's departure is 2635 Kali. 3102-2634=477 (BC).

The Jain and Punya Shlok Manjari's composers Chitsukhacharya, Bhagwatpad Adi Shankara's fellow-student writes in this context-

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Tataha sa dashamay masey sampoorna shubha lakshaney,

Shadvinshey shatakey

shreemaduyudhishtirashakasya vai

Ekatrinasheytha varshey tu hayanay nandaney shubhey,

Mesh rashim gate soorye vaishakhey masi shobhaney

Shuklapakshey cha panchamyam tithyam bhaskaravasarey,

Punarvasugatay chandrey lagney karkatakavhaye

Madhyahney chabhijinnamamuhoortey shobhaney kshitey.

(2) Swochchasthey Kendra sansthey cha gurau mande kujay ravou,

Nijatungagatey shukre ravina sangatey budhay; prasoota tanayam sadhvi girijeva shadananam.

It is absolute clear that Adi Shankaracharya was born in 2631 Yudhishtir Samvat, i.e. Kali 2593 that is 509 BC.

1) The former pontiff of the Dwarka Peeth in his work Vimarsh (Page 29) had published the copper inscription that King Sudhanwa had issued. This inscription also mentions 478 and 477 BC as its time. This particular copper inscription contains the royal edict of

Kind Sudhanwa who was Shankara's contemporary. A few lines from this royal edict may be useful in this context.

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Nikhila yogachakravarti shreemachchankarabhagwatpadapadmayoho Yudhishtiraparamparya-pariprapta bharatvarshasya anjalibaddha poorvikeyam rajanyasya vigyapti.... Yudhishtir shakey 2663 Ashwin shukla

Acharya Yogishwar, the 38 pontiff of the Govardhan Peeth has declared 509 BC to be Adi Shankara's date of birth in his work. The Dwarka and Kanchi Peeths and Puri Muth mention the date of the Acharya's birth according to the ancient Shankar Vijay Granth in the following Shloka-

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Tishye praatyanalashevadhi bananetrey ya nandaney dinamanavdudagadhwabhaji

Radhe diteyrudu vinirgatamangalagneytyahootavan shuvaguruhu sa cha shankareyti.

Anal=3; Shevadhi=9, Ban=5; Netra=2; add upto 3952. Written backwards this conveys the Kali Era year of 2593. As mentioned, the Kali Era begins in 3102 BC. Deducting 2593 from this date, we arrive at 509 BC. The other analyses are also derivable from astrology.

2) The Kanchi Kamkoti Peeth describes the day, date, year and details of the guru parampara. This also includes the Punya Shlok Manjari (which was composed by the 54^th Acharya of Kanchi Acharya Sarvagyan Sadashiv Bodhkrut), the Guruatnamalika of Sadashiv Brahmendra, disciple of Parama Shivendra Saraswati and the beautiful commentary upon it composed by Atmabodhkrut.

3) Jin Vijay and other texts of adversaries

4) Shlokas of Brihat Shankar Vijay composed by Chitsukacharya.

5) Shankar Vijay Vilas by Chidvilasayati

6) Shankar Vijay Vilas by Vyasgiri

7) Shankar Vijay Vilas by Sadanand

8) Shankar Vijay Vilas by Madhav

9) The ancient tradition of the Shringeri Muth

10) Adya Shankaracharya's entire life and work as narrated by Shri Kota Venktachalam

11) Raja Sudhanwa's royal edict inscribed on copper

12) Ancient Indian history (traditional and indigenous)

13) Vedant Darshan Ka Itihas (Pt.Udayveer Shastri)

14) Chronology of Nepal's History Kota Venkatachalam

15) The Cambridge History of India E.J. Rapson

16) The Oxford Student's History Vincent A. Smith of India.

our research and argumentative analysts, based upon the above ancient texts, treatises and some modern contemporary materials as well firmly establishes the birth year of Adi Shankara as 2631 BC Yudhishtir Samvat Kaliyabd 2593 or 509 BC beyond and doubt. We have no hesitation whatsoever in declaring this to be only true year of Adi Shankara's advent.

It is certainly not our case that these sources of genuine and irrefutable evidence were not known or unavailable to European historians. But they were either willfully ignored or deliberately suppressed. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, eminent astrological and Vedic / Upanishads and Puranic texts were looked upon as unauthentic by Westerners, although they could put forth no rational reason for this prejudice of theirs, excepting, as well have already proved, a definite committed Christian agenda of colonialism. Secondly, Western intrinsic psyche conditioned by Christianity refused to accept the existence of anything that preceded their Messiah. Though all the so-called researches and studies by European historians have been proven baseless when put to rigorous test and their native mental slaves, craving for Western degrees, awards and accolades also stand thoroughly discredited. Unfortunately, their corrupting influence and presence continues to straddle the present Indian political and academic spectrum. There is therefore a crying need to re-examine our history on the basis of our own Shastras and ancient texts, using indigenous reference works and evidence and proclaim the true and authentic history of India to the world. This is the prime national duty that awaits us.

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