[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Vidwan Sri S K Ramachandra Rao in praise of Shankaracharya

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms
Hare Krishna

Late Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao was heading the Kalpataru Samshodhana foundation here in Sringeri Mutt, Bangalore an ardent disciple of HH Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati interestingly writes in his preface to “ Shankara and Adhyasa Bhashya” as follows :

//quote//
Shankara is one of the most misunderstood thinkers of India.  Later writers claiming to be his followers have misrepresented him and his critics have damned him relying almost entirely on these later writers.  Padmapaada’s panchapaadika (and glosses over it), vimuktaatman’s Ishtasiddhi and to an extent Vaachaspati’s Bhaamati have been responsible for the presentation of Shankara’s thought which was attacked by Raamaanuja and Maadhva.  Had these Acharyaas confined their attention to shankara’s own writings, much of the controversy would certainly have been avoided, and sectarian differences would greatly have been minimized.
//unquote//

This is his very first para in that preface.  And in the fourth para after acknowledging and appreciating the contributions of later vyAkhyAnakara-s, he observes as follows :

//quote//
Many Ideas (like mUlaavidyA, vivarta, mahAvAkya, six fold pramaana, avidyA lesha) which are now major details of Advaita cannot be found in shankara’s own writings.  They belong to the development of thought that is post shankara.  There is a need to examine whether these ideas were necessary to explain some basic conceptions of shankara or they have served to camouflage and distort the original thought.  Did shankara really dismiss the world as an illusion?? We do not find evidence for it in vedanta sutra bhaashya at any rate.
//unquote//

And now, no need to rush the socalled traditional opinion on SKR and his observation, as one can easily expect pattern of those thoughts from the desk of traditionalists 😊

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar