[Chaturamnaya] Kalady’s Rediscoverer & Rediscovery - 10

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Continued from previous post)
 
https://www.sringeri.net/2010/06/28/articles/sri-adi-shankaracharya-the-connection-between-sringeri-travancore-and-kalady.htm
 
Sri Adi Shankaracharya & the connection between Sringeri, Travancore and Kalady
Monday, June 28th, 2010
 
— Padmanabha Dasa Sri Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma,
The Maharaja of the erstwhile state of Travancore.
 
This year is filled with the auspicious, heart-warming, and mind enchanting occasion of the 100th year of the consecration
at Kalady, the Janmabhoomi Kshetram of Sri Adi Shankaracharya. It marks a spiritual awakening of the memory of coming to
earth of Sahasra-jyoti like splendor. It was at Kalady that the birth of Sri Shankaracharya took place. It was the
great Acharya who arrested and paved the path for the resurgence of the country’s Dharma and restored it to its
resplendent glory.
 
Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Sringeri
 
During the course of Adi Shankaracharya’s marvelous Vijaya Yatra over all of India, he decided to establish a Peetham
at Sringeri having seen there an unusual and soul-stirring sight – that of a manduka(frog) sitting on the banks of the
river Tunga at midday and a cobra sheltering this frog from the scorching sun by spreading its hood over the frog like
an umbrella. A glance at the great epics will tell us that Sringeri was the abode of the Sage Rishyashringa. On being
invited by Dasharatha, Sage Rishyashringa performed for Dasharatha the Putrakameshti Yaga. It was the performance of
this Yaga that brought about the descent of the Lord in the form of Dasharatha’s son, Sri Rama. Sri Adi Shankaracharya
chose such a hallowed place as Sringeri that has been in existence from the time of Lord Sri Rama, for establishing his
first Peetham – the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham. As is well known, he appointed Sureshwaracharya to head the Peetham.
The marvel is that Sureshwaracharya was formally a householder (named Vishwaroopa and having a honorific title
Mandana Mishra) and was defeated in a debate by Adi Shankaracharya, and out of conviction and admiration for the
great Acharya, became his disciple. We know that Adi Shankaracharya through his travels and teachings integrated India
as a single cultural and religious entity. Sri Adi Shankaracharya established his four Amnaya Peethams and appointed
its heads. He placed Sureshwaracharya (hailing from the north) at the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham at Sringeri
(in the south), Hastamalakacharya (hailing from the south) at the Poorvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham at Puri (in the east),
Totakacharya (hailing from the south) at the Uttaramnaya Sri Jyotish Peetham at Badrinath (in the north) and
Padmapadacharya (hailing from the southern Chola region) at the Paschimamnaya Sri Kalika Peetham at Dwaraka (in the west).
 
To be continued …
 
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