[Chaturamnaya] Excerpts from Sri Sankara Digvijaya - 7

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Continued from previous post)
 
 
http://svbf.org/newsletters/year-2014/excerpts-from-shri-shankara-digvijaya-iii/
 
2nd sin of Kumarila Bhatta : As a Purva Mimamsaka, Kumarila Bhatta refuted the existence of Ishvara, albeit in an attempt
to emphasize the importance of the Vedas and to establish the Vedas as self-certifying, self-validating and self-existent
(svatah-siddha and svatah-pramana) to protect them from dwindling in adherence. Nevertheless, he recognized this as a sin
as well and confessed to the Acharya that self-sacrifice is the only expiation for this sin and declined the Acharya’s
offer to restore him to life.
 
Greatness of Kumarila Bhatta : Kumarila Bhatta, on his funeral pyre, wanted to hear Shankara Bhagavatpada’s scriptural
commentaries and upon which, immediately wished to be initiated into Brahma-Vidya and accepted sannyasa. Given he was an
uttama adhikari (a disciple with superior qualifications),  Bhagavatpada’s graceful teaching immediately separated his
sense of individuality and he realized his oneness with the all-pervading Brahman. He then requested Bhagavatpada to meet
his disciple Mandana Mishra at Mahishmatipura.
 
Dealing with difference of opinion : At a time when Purva Mimamsakas considered Vedantins their sworn enemies and refused
to even encounter them, Kumarila Bhatta’s cordial and reverential attitude towards the Acharya and his eventual surrender
to Bhagavatpada’s feet show how noble his character is and how we should approach such personages of higher knowledge and
qualification than ours, even if our own notions of right or wrong differ from theirs, respect them, learn from them and
eventually evolve ourselves to nobler planes.
 
In Part B, we will see Bhagavatpada’s encounter with Mandana Mishra and Mandana’s eventual surrender to him, to glean more insight into the do’s and don’ts in our own life.
Om Shantih Shantih Shantih
For further reference :
1. Shankara Digvijaya of Madhava – Vidyaranya by Swami Tapasyananda, Ramakrishna Mutt
2. Shri Shankara Vijayam of Swami Vidyaranya by T. Shivacharanam, Vyasasramam, Kalahasti
 
 
(To be Continued)
 
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