A few questions

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

On Fri, 10 Jan 1997, Jaldhar H. Vyas wrote:

[..]

> There is a story about Abhinavagupta and Shankaracharya (who were
> contemporaries) told by Swami Ananda Giri that the two got into some
> argument and Abhinavagupta cursed Shankaracharya with some nasty disease.

Actually, Abhinavagupta of Kashmir Saivism is dated to the 10th century,
and Sankaracharya to the 8th century, so there is not much scope of their
having been contemporaries.

> Padmapadacharya was able to turn back the curse and Abhinavagupta died
> from it.  Does anyone know what the circumstances of the disagreement

The Sankara vijayam of Madhava recounts such a story, but names
Sankaracharya's opponent as Navagupta, and makes him a native of Kamarupa,
i.e. Assam, not Kashmir. Navagupta is described in this work as a Sakta
tantric who was inimical to Sankaracharya.

Vidyasankar