Introduction

Life moves on a trail where we can find lanterns strewn along the lanes, take them for direction to see the world lit by benevolent men and women of supreme of dedication, some are small in stature, but big at heart, be it words of these thinkers or a meek man with nothing extraordinary happening to be seen around us. But their lives can Kindle a fire within you; there is a lot to be learned from anyone and any teachings of a religion or the non-religious who stands up for equality and instil hope to humankind.

You have a history of religious evolution, spread and prevalence in the following chapters, which gives you a rough idea of how they became their ideology and theories for living a peaceful one on a superior being we call G.O.D.

Their words and deeds have inspired us to dream of a better world, lives to pursue to its fullest along the endless trails we tread. I have realized that in life there will come, a time when we will be stranded at the crossroads of what is wrong and easy and what is right but challenging, the decision we make at that moment will define the rest of our lives, It may be the most instinct in the world to turn and walk away in the face of adversity, but instead, these men and women would persevere and push themselves beyond their limitations and fears and always choose the path of truth, dignity and grace …no matter the consequences.

I am neither contemning anyone nor exalting any religious views as a compiler; here I try to shed some light into History and teachings of some enlightened ones which as their messages are timeless.

These are a few thoughts which came to me in the daunting times of COVID 19; the need looming large in acts of mercy and coexistence. My mind wafted in these times of sadness to know the lives of people and teachings to be shared with you. It recalled the road we travelled along. Many inspirers, who were a guiding light as lanterns on the lanes seen as beacons of hope.

But are they fading away….

Deviating halfway down the journey, we need to ask:

“Did we travel on the right path?”

“Will we inspire good minds to join us in the journey and embrace the unreached?”

“Will we ever try to live by the laws of nature...?”

“Attach yourself to what is spiritually superior, regardless of what other people think or do. Hold to your true aspirations no matter what is going on around you.”

– Epictetus

History of the world appraised Racism, a bane of humanity and practised slavery for ages. India had Caste system, slavery, untouchability, and above all, with a selfish motive, we corrupted the human mind by devilish teaching and denied justice and knowledge for suppressions. It prevailed In India for centuries in the name of superstition by few religions in various degrees. These evils ways left a deep blemish on India’s Soul… Through the selfless work of some men and women it is now a far cry from those ages past just over a century, and today we have learned tolerance, acceptance and fair Harmony

Are we now in a state of mind? which do not dream of a new world, not able to dream for a better world and to reach at a point not even needing to dream, a life drained of its real purpose? They’re at that point few humans finds a Holy Discontent enveloping them, wise or shallow, rich or poor. That is the point anyone can go in search of a new world. There every metaphor of life-changing thoughts diverts into the world seeking changes and its course; they are the reformers whom we respect, venerate, adore, and follow.

These are the Enlightened ones who tread our land on foot as one among us, they practised what they thought is useful to humankind, their words and deeds have today inspired many Individuals and simple minds, who caught the wind reached, faraway land with their healing hands, suffered for being right, and merciful for making, our land a beacon of hope.

They have taught us, and took up missions with the unsurpassable will, led us to fight for justice, and create fair Harmony among people, Religions, and attain social coexistence.

The underlying thread connecting all the great minds were as said in the Bible, Mathew 9 verse: 3 “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” It is compassion above every rule of nature.

Our lives are like streams , a trickles one day which weave along a Pathless Path until we find a Path in the our journey until we find a PATH. Then on infinite are the ways if you open your minds eye, some stumble upon them at a moment of departure from a realization. So, we have arrived on this world one day to depart, where only the voice of the heart rules our action besides following that pure sanctifying voice within will lead you to a serene path, which you have never tread before. Each soul is potentially Divine, enlighten it with work of worship. You are transformed into a higher platform of acceptance of all truths, which we reach in our life if we choose to live a life unguarded and pure.

“There is no wealth but life.”

– John Ruskin

You cannot travel on the path until you become the path itself.

– Buddha

Great Tagore give me thoughts of our fragility, which walk with life every day. When we reach our final resting place over the body lost in time, we could vouch with the following words…

Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure, This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life.

This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales, and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new.

At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable.

Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass, and still thou pourest, and still there is room to fill.

– Githanjali

Some people are born different, to walk a unique path-a journey they never chose or even wished for -a road chosen for them.

With six religions, six ethnic groups, 6400 castes, India continue to be a nation of tolerance under the umbrella as way of life, which adapt and assimilate. This compilation is a Tribute to all its Revelation, beliefs and acceptance which brings us all together.

A declaration of the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in Gita – “who so ever comes to me, through whatsoever form, I reach thee; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me”

– Swami Vivekanada

The Trails of Religiosity

Religion (from O.Fr.. religio) “respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods, sense of right, moral obligation, sanctity”, “obligation, the bond between man and the gods”) is derived from the Latin religiō, the ultimate origins of which are obscure.

So if you mix all the rainbow colors together, it will be white again.. In additive color mixing, like light, all the colors combined create white. Consider a prism and imagine the process in reverse. In subtractive color mixing, like paint, all the colors combined create a dull shade.

Evil, Justive. Love and Forgivness are preached by all relgions. It’s our free will to Choose between God or Evil. The problem of evil is not so much that it is so pervasive and so strong out there, but that it is a fact that it is deep inside you and me too …

RZM

“There is no concept of heresy or apostasy in Hinduism. Hinduism grants absolute freedom for an individual to leave or choose his or her faith; on the Path of God. A true Hindu can be universal in every way as it absorbs all truths as one.”

Christians believe that through the risen lord we enter eternity as he paid the price for our sins, In Union with his resurrection we are given another life as we shed from the old to the new .... A Savior comes seeking the sinner, as every soul is so valuable.

Gods equipment is sufferings!

When you turn to the gospel writers and the teaching of Jesus he reminds you and me that he took our suffering took our wound and our transgressions, not only that how he equips us, how he empowers us, how he indwells in us to walk through this lonely life and this journey. We all may be weeping of a broken relationship; over the lines you have crossed or financial difficulties and physical maladies that you are nurturing it may be our homes we are weeping over, struggling to find some positive responses from our dear and near ones at a time like this. Suffering is a real part of life. Life is punctuated by suffering. Christ in you is the hope of glory, Christ in you can turn your darkest disappointments into his appointments not to conquer in spite of it, but through it…

Through the process of suffering you will understand how finite you are and how desperately you need the presence of god to carry you through.

The attempt through this book is to seek various world views and deeds to find the true soul in you to nurture for making this world a better place.

Chapter 1

Hinduism in South India

Hinduism in South India refers to the Hindu culture of the people of South India. The Hinduism in South India is characterized by Dravidian customs and traditions.

The Dravidians made great contributions to development of Hinduism. South India was the birthplace of many Hindu saints and reformers. The Brahmins (Hindu priest’s class) of ancient South India (Tamilakam, Telengana, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra) were classified as Pancha-Dravida (The Five Dravidians). The Hindus in South India are followers of various Hindu branches such as Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Brahmanism and others. Hinduism was the state religion of most of the South Indian kingdoms. During the Ancient and Middle Ages were built in South India one of the greatest Hindu temples. South Indian kings such as the Cholas spread Hinduism overseas to parts of Southeast Asia. The activities of South India across the Palk Strait led to survival of Hinduism in Sri Lanka. The Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka are followers of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, which is mainly practiced in parts of South India. Some Hindu festivals are celebrated mostly or exclusively in South India and Sri Lanka. In South India are also numerous Hindu pilgrimage sites that is visited annually by thousands of devotees. The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh is considered to be the most-visited holy place in the world.

The Cauvery river that flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is also known as the “Ganges of South” and is one of the most sacred river of the Hindus.

Hinduism in Ancient South India

The Vedic culture in South India has been in some respects the best preserved of ancient Vedic culture and traditions. In North India during late ancient and medieval periods, Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam flourished alongside the Hindu majority. Every intermixing influenced North Indian culture, in particular Islam. The influence of Islam, specifically Sufism, and Sikhism are widespread in the modern-day North Indian society, clearly palpable in linguistics, music, attire, etc. Much of this influence can be attributed to close to a millennium of Muslim rule across North India. Unlike in the North, South India had less outside inlfuence until the advent of European imperialists. As such the original Hindu traditions are relatively better preserved in South India than in North India.

Tamil literature and Tamil epics and classics have many references to Vedic gods and culture. The Tolkaappiyam, 1st century BCE grammar book, mentions non-Vedic, early-Vedic (Indra, Varuna) and Puranic (Vishnu) gods. The Paripadal (8; 3; 9 etc.), one of the “Eight Anthologies” of poetry (or ettuttokai), has homages to Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, the twelve Adityas, the Ashvins, the Rudras, the Saptarishis, Indra, the Devas etc. The Kural, written by Tiruvalluvar, mentions gods like Indra and Lakshmi

The Fifth century CE Tamil epic Silappathikaram, begins with invocations to Chandra, Surya, and Indra, and has homages to Agni, Varuna, Shiva, Subrahmanya, Vishnu-Krishna, Uma, etc. The epic states that “Vedic sacrifices [are] being faultlessly performed” and has many references to Vedic culture and Vedic texts. In the Buddhist work Manimekhalai, the submersion of the city Puhar in Kumari Kandam is attributed to the neglect of the worship to Indra.

Vedic legends

According to the Puranas, the Dravidians are descendants of the Vedic Turvasha people. According to the Matsya Purana, Manu is considered as a south Indian king. In Hindu tradition the creation of the Tamil language is credited to the Rig Vedic sage Rishi Agastya

Sankaracharya

Painted by Raja Ravi Varma

Adi Shankara – also known as Shankaracharya – was one of the most important Hindu mystic and philosopher from India.

Born: 788 AD, Kalady Died: 820 AD, Kedarnath

Adi Shankara also known as (Adi) Shankaracharya and was a Hindu philosopher from in present day Ernakulum district, Kerala, India who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta.

Shankara was born in Kalady in present day central Kerala during the days of Keralite Chera Kingdom, to a Nambudiri Brahmin couple. His father’s house name was Kaipilly Mana/Illam and his mother’s house name Melpazhoor Mana/Illam.

According to lore, it was after his parents, who had been childless for many years, prayed at the Vadakkunnathan temple, Thrissur that Shiva appeared to both husband and wife in their dreams, and offered them a choice: a mediocre son who would live a long life, or an extraordinary son who would not live long. Both the parents chose the latter; thus a son was born to them. He was named Shankara (Sanskrit, “bestower of happiness”), in honour of Shiva (one of whose epithets is Shankara). His father died while Shankara was very young. Shankara’s upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, had to be delayed due to the death of his father, and was then performed by his mother. As a child, Shankara showed remarkable scholarship, mastering the four Vedas by the age of eight.

At the age of 8, Shankara was inclined towards sannyasa, but it was only after much persuasion that his mother finally gave her consent. According to legend, he received her consent in a very interesting manner too. While bathing in the river Poorna one day, a crocodile caught hold of his leg and appeared to be about to devour him. Shankara appealed to his mother, who had arrived at Poorna, asking for permission to become a sanyasi at least in these last moments of his life. His mother finally gave consent, only to have the crocodile let go of young Shankara. A crocodile had never been found in Poorna ever since Shankara then left Kerala and travelled towards North India in search of a guru. On the banks of the Narmada River, he met Govinda Bhagavatpada the disciple of Gaudapada at Omkareshwar. When Govinda Bhagavatpada asked Shankara’s identity, he replied with an extempore verse that brought out the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Govinda Bhagavatapada was impressed and took Shankara as his disciple.

His works in Sanskrit establish the doctrine of advaita, the unity of the ātman and nirguna brahman, brahman without attributes. His works elaborate on ideas found in the Upanishads. He wrote copious commentaries on the Vedic canon (Sutra, principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita) in support of his thesis. He was the intelectul arm of Hinduisam who used his teachings and could reorganize and consolidate the scattered Hindus under the arm of its Virtues. But by doing so a superiority of Brahmins and caste system mutated which later had many impacts on the whole Hindu religion.

The main opponent in his work is the Mimamsa school of thought, though he also offers arguments against the views of some other schools like Samkhya and certain schools of Buddhism.

Shankara travelled across the Indian subcontinent to propagate his philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers. He established the importance of monastic life as sanctioned in the Upanishads and Brahma Sutra, in a time when the Mimamsa School established strict ritualism and ridiculed monasticism. He is reputed to have founded four mathas (“monasteries”), which helped in the historical development, revival and spread of Advaita Vedanta of which he is known as the greatest revivalist.

Adi Shankara is believed to be the organiser of the Dashanami monastic order and the founder of the Shanmata tradition of worship.

Adi Shankara then travelled with his disciples to Maharashtra and Srisailam. In Srisailam, he composed Shivanandalahari, a devotional hymn in praise of Shiva. The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam says that when Shankara was about to be sacrificed by a Kapalika, the god Narasimha appeared to save Shankara in response to Padmapadacharya’s prayer to him. As a result, Adi Shankara composed the Laksmi-Narasimha stotra. He then travelled to Gokarṇa, the temple of Hari-Shankara and the Mūkambika temple at Kollur. At Kollur, he accepted as his disciple a boy believed to be dumb by his parents. He gave him the name, Hastāmalakācārya (“one with the amalaka fruit on his palm”, i.e., one who has clearly realised the Self). Next, he visited sringeri to establish the Śārada Pīṭham and made Sureśvarācārya his disciple.

After this, Adi Shankara began a Dig-vijaya “tour of conquest” for the propagation of the Advaita philosophy by controverting all philosophies opposed to it. He travelled throughout India, from South India to Kashmir and Nepal, preaching to the local populace and debating philosophy with Hindu, Buddhist and other scholars and monks along the way.

With the Malayali King Sudhanva as companion, Shankara passed through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha. He then started towards Karnataka where he encountered a band of armed Kapalikas. King Sudhanva, with his Nairs, resisted and defeated the Kapalikas. They safely reached Gokarna where Shankara defeated in debate the Shaiva scholar, Neelakanta.

Proceeding to Saurashtra (the ancient Kambhoja) and having visited the shrines of Girnar, Somnath and Prabhasa and explaining the superiority of Vedanta in all these places, he arrived at Dwarka. Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara of Ujjain, the proponent of Bhedābeda philosophy, was humbled. All the scholars of Ujjain (also known as Avanti) accepted Adi Shankara’s philosophy.

He then defeated the Jainas in philosophical debates at a place called Bahlika. Thereafter, the Acharya established his victory over several philosophers and ascetics inKamboja (region of North Kashmir), Darada and many regions situated in the desert and crossing mighty peaks, entered Kashmir. Later, he had an encounter with a tantrik, Navagupta at Kamarupa.

Advaita Vedanta is, at least in the west, primarily known as a philosophical system. But it is also a tradition of renunciation. Philosophy and renunciation are closely related:

Most of the notable authors in the advaita tradition were members of the sanyasa tradition, and both sides of the tradition share the same values, attitudes and metaphysics.

Advaitins are non-sectarian, and they advocate worship of Siva and Vishnu equally with that of the other deities of Hinduism, like Sakti, Ganapati and others. Nevertheless, contemporary Sankaracaryas have more influence among Saiva communities than among Vaisnava communities. The greatest influence of the gurus of the advaita tradition has been among followers of the Smartha Tradition, who integrate the domestic Vedic ritual with devotional aspects of Hinduism

According to Nakamura, these mathas contributed to the influence of Shankara, which was “due to institutional factors”. The mathas which he built exist until today, and preserve the teachings and influence of Shankara, “while the writings of other scholars before him came to be forgotten with the passage of time”.

According to the tradition in Kerala, after Sankara’s samadhi at Vadakkunnathan Temple, his disciples founded four mathas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom, Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom.

Philosophy and religious thought

Advaita (“non-dualism”) is often called a monistic system of thought. The word “Advaita” essentially refers to the identity of the Self (Atman) and the Whole (BrahmanAdvaita Vedanta says the one unchanging entity (Brahman) alone exists, and that changing entities do not have absolute existence, much as the ocean’s waves have no existence in separation from the ocean. The key source texts for all schools of Vedāntaare the Prasthanatrayi–the canonical texts consisting of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras.

Adi Shankara was the first in the tradition to consolidate the siddhānta (“doctrine”) of Advaita Vedanta. He wrote commentaries on the Prasthana Trayi. A famous quote from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, one of his prakarana granthas that succinctly summarizes his philosophy is:

Brahma satyaṃ jagat mithyā, jīvo brahmaiva nāparah

Brahman is the Supreme Cosmic Spirit in Hinduism. The concept is central to Hindu philosophy, especially Vedanta; only truth, the spatio-temporal world is an illusion, and there is ultimately no difference between Brahman and Atman(individual self).

Advaita Vedanta is based on śāstra (“scriptures”), yukti (“reason”) and anubhava (“experience”), and aided by karmas (“spiritual practices”). This philosophy provides a clear-cut way of life to be followed. Starting from childhood, when learning has to start, the philosophy has to be realised in practice throughout one’s life, even up to death. This is the reason why this philosophy is called an experiential philosophy-the underlying tenet being “That thou art”, meaning that ultimately there is no difference between the experiencer and the experienced (the world) as well as the universal spirit (Brahman). Among the followers of Advaita, as well those of other doctrines, there are believed to have appeared Jivanmuktas, ones liberated while alive. These individuals (commonly called Mahatmas, great souls, among Hindus) are those who realised the oneness of their self and the universal spirit called Brahman.

A well known verse, recited in the Smartha tradition, in praise of Adi Shankara is:

Śruti smṛti purāṇānāṃālayaṃ karuṇālayaṃ|

Namāmi Bhagavatpādaśaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaraṃ||

I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the world auspicious

Mistaking pervade Hindu philosophy, which is full of metaphors of concealment and obscuration. Many serve as examples of maya, the reality that substantially and unarguably presents itself to us but whose true nature remains elusive because of the limitations of our consciousness. Push aside this slippery, illusory world and something pure and constant is revealed: god, the divine, or the universal spirit—Brahman. Although the varieties of Hinduism defy doctrinal unity, maya and Brahman are essential parts of a philosophical vision that many people now identify with the religion. In large part, we owe this vision to Adi Shankara, the great religious thinker—perhaps the nearest that Hinduism might have to a theologian—who, roughly twelve hundred years ago, transformed Hindu beliefs and practices, established temples and schools across the subcontinent, and in many ways laid the foundations of modern Hinduism, which is now the third largest religion in the world. In Europe, the eighth century was the era of Charlemagne’s bloody expansion of Christendom, through campaigns against the Saxons, Saracens, Moors and Slavs, and of his ascension to Rome’s Christian imperium. Shankara’s roughly contemporaneous efforts to establish a monastic order and assert his religious vision in India were vastly different: his was an intellectual struggle, prosecuted through debates across the subcontinent. At the heart of Shankara’s interpretation of Hinduism is an idea that remains as powerful as it is paradoxical—nirguna Brahman, a god without qualities.

Sringeri Temple Complex: a Haven of Tranquility

Adi Shankara Stupa at Kalady Kerala Birth Place

Nestled in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats in Chikkamagaluru District, in Karnataka, is the temple town of Sringeri. The Vidyashankara and Sharada temples in the town stand out for their magnificent architecture and religious significance. The temple complex, located on the left bank of the Tunga River, has a rich history that goes back to the 8th century CE. Let us explore its past.

On the banks of the Tunga River, a most unusual sight caught his attention. He spotted a cobra spreading its hood over a frog that was in labour, to shield her from the scorching mid-day sun. Struck by the sanctity of the place, which was clearly capable of infusing love between natural adversaries, he chose this location to establish the first of the four mathas that he set up.

Snake protecting a pregnant frog|Wikimedia Commons

The scene is captured in stone inside a small shrine on the banks of the Tunga River and the event is dated to the early years of the 9th century CE.

The first place of worship established by Adi Shankaracharya was a shrine housing the image of Sharada Devi. Over time, Sringeri emerged as a place of traditional learning, with the contributions of the erudite acharyas or pontiffs of the monastic order. They were instrumental in bringing forth commentaries on the Vedas and in further expounding the philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya.

An Empire is Born

In the Deccan of the 14th century CE, rapid changes were taking place with the advent of the Delhi Sultanate in areas that were controlled by the Kakatiya, the Hoysala and the Pandian dynasties. These powers fell one by one to the Turko-Afghan armies from Delhi, led by the Khilji and the Tughlaq sultans, leading to the rapid collapse of centres of authority in the early 14th century CE.

The Tunga River|Author

The Kampilis, who succeeded the Hoysalas in Karnataka, established themselves under their founder, Mummadi Singa of Malnad. He established himself in the Tungabhadra region in the fortress of Anegondi (Koppal district, Karnataka) in the early 14th century CE. The kingdom he founded included Raichur and Badami.

Upon his death in 1324 CE, his successor, Kampilidevaraya, consolidated Singa’s conquests with the administrative assistance of Bukka, the son of one Sangama, and the military support of Bukka’s four brothers. However, the kingdom was shortlived and perished along with Kampilidevaraya in 1327 CE, at the hands of Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s army.

According to some historians, Bukka and his brother Harihara escaped from Anegondi and took up service with the Hoysala ruler, Vira Ballala III. When the Hoysala capital Dvarasamudram (Halebidu) fell to the Tughlaq armies in 1327 CE, Ballala moved his capital to Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) and is supposed to have established the future city of Vijayanagara on the right bank of the Tungabhadra River, across from Anegondi. This version states that the brothers Harihara and Bukka became governors of the new city.

View of Vidyashankara Temple from the west|Author

The account of the origins of the Vijayanagara dynasty is a blend of tradition and history. It attributes the city’s foundations and its subsequent evolution as the capital of a vast empire to the mentorship of the monastic order of Sringeri. The city was also called ‘Vidyanagara’ in honour of the saint-preceptor, Vidyaranya. He was a sanyasi who belonged to the Sringeri Shankaracharya lineage. He was ordained by Acharya Vidyashankara and was second in the line of succession.

During his sojourn as a sanyasi in the Hampi area, he took the brothers, Harihara I and Bukka, under his fostering, spiritual care and, as their philosopher and guide, played a significant role in the events of the time, which led to the foundation of a new empire. We are told that under the aegis of Vidyaranya, and in the presence of the deity Virupaksha, Harihara I (1336 CE – 1347 CE) celebrated his coronation in the new capital on the 18th of April 1336 CE. In the years to come, Vijayanagara would emerge as a formidable military power, competing with its contemporary, the Bahmani Sultanate, for territory and influence.

Rise of the Acharyas

The Vijayanagara rulers granted the matha the rights over secular administration of the land. At their request, the Acharya began conducting a durbar (people’s assembly) during the Navaratri festival, an occasion deemed by the rulers to honour their Guru. Subsequently, the Acharyas came to be known as the ‘Establishers of the throne of Karnataka’ and the matha a widely revered institution.

Vidyashankara and Sharada temples|Author

All rulers of the region, whether Hindu or Muslim, patronised the Sringeri monastic order to enhance their prestige and earn the goodwill of the local people. They included the Mysore Maharajas, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan; the Nizam of Hyderabad; the Peshwas; the Keladi rulers; and the Travancore Rajas.

Just how much the acharyas were revered can be gauged from the response of Tipu Sultan of Mysore to events that occurred during his rule. In 1916 CE, Rao Bahadur Narasimhachar, the Director of Archaeology, Mysore State, discovered a bundle of letters in the Vidyashankara temple. These were the records of Tipu’s reign from 1791 CE to 1798 CE, and are dated according to the Mauludi era, introduced by him between January and June 1784 CE.

They were actually letters written by the royal to the Acharya of the Sringeri Matha, Sri Sacchidananda Bharati III (1770 CE– 1814 CE). It appears from these letters that, in 1791 CE, the Maratha army of the Peshwa, led by Raghunath Rao Patwardhan, raided Sringeri, plundered the monastery and desecrated the image of Sharada Devi. As a result, the Acharya was forced to leave Sringeri and take up residence in Karkala (Udupi District).

Spire rising above the east recess|Author

He informed Tipu about the Maratha raid and requested his assistance in re-consecrating the image of the goddess. Tipu, expressing his indignation, wrote to the Acharya “…People who have sinned against this holy place are sure to suffer the consequences of their misdeeds in Kaliyuga”.

Tipu immediately ordered the governor of Bednur to provide material assistance in cash, grain and other items required for the ritual. He further requested the seer to “…pray for the increase in our prosperity and the destruction of our enemies” after performing the ritual and feeding the Brahmans. Tipu received the holy offerings from the temple and a shawl and in return, he sent cloth and a bodice for the goddess, and a pair of shawls for the Acharya.

The Vidyashankara temple was built under the patronage of Harihara and Bukka, at the behest of their mentor, Vidyaranya. It was named after Vidyashankara, also called Vidyatirtha.

The finial crowning the spire|Author

Architectural Wonder

Traditional accounts date the temple to 1338 CE, although the structure, in its present form dates to 1356 CE, based on inscriptional evidence. It is a unique monument built of reddish granite and combines the best of Chalukyan and Hoysala temple construction techniques. The shrine has two sections or recesses – the west and east sides – which enclose the sanctum and the pillared mandapa (pavillion) respectively. The complete structure rises over an elevated platform, which, in turn, rises over a secondary platform. On the platforms are friezes of horses, elephants, lotuses and on top, panels in series, illustrating Puranic episodes, in addition to narratives of local events.

The eastern recess accommodates a large, pillared mandapa with 12 pillars. Each pillar has a thick, massive central shaft, in the front of which is carved a huge rearing Vyala (mythical fierce animal) mounted on a crouching elephant. Inside the open gaps of each of the Vyalas, the stone mass has been skillfully cut into a round ball which can be rolled inside, but not taken out. The 12 columns are each marked by the 12 signs of the Zodiac or Rasi in the regular order and are therefore called as Rasi pillars. The arrangement of the pillars is such that the rays of the sun fall on each one successively in the order of the 12 solar months.

On the mandapa floor, enclosed by the 12 pillars is inscribed a large circle with converging lines to indicate the direction of shadows cast by the pillars when the sun’s rays fall on them through one of the three door openings. These were unique innovations of the Vijayanagara school. The skilled artisans combined astronomy and architecture to produce these marvels.

Scenes from Shiva Purana and the Vishnu Dashavatara - east recess|Author

The outer wall exhibits a series of pilasters with capitals and the interspaces between them accommodate niches, which contain 60 sculptures, making the temple a museum of sculpture and iconography. The sculptures, besides being Shaiva, Vaishnava and Sakta, include the Buddha and Jina, rendering the scheme eclectic. The spire is an upward continuation of the inner wall enclosing the sanctum. It is a tall, cylindrical tower of three upper storeys of gradually diminishing circumference raised over the sanctum, which terminates in the griva, or neck, that carries the shikara with the finial on top.

Worship is conducted according to the Panchayatana type. This mode of prayer also reflects the philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya, who attempted a reconciliation of the religious practices of the various sects of Hinduism. Hence Shiva, the main deity, is worshipped as Vidyashankara Linga. Surrounding the Linga are images of Ganapati, Durga, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva with their consorts Saraswati, Lakshmi and Uma, respectivelys

Sringeri is 90 km by road from Chikkamagaluru and 325 km from Bengaluru via Chikkamagaluru. From Mangaluru, the temple town is just 105 km via Udupi, a route that climbs the scenic Western Ghats.

Author Ganesh Iyer | Live History India Website

Kedarnath Temple

Kēdārnāth Mandir (Kedarnath Temple) is a Hindu temple (shrine) dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, Kedarnath is located in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open to the general public only between the months of April (Akshaya Tritriya) and November (Kartik Purnima, the autumn full moon). During the winters, the vigraha (deity) from Kedarnath temple is carried down to Ukhimath and where the deity is worshiped for the next six months. Kedarnath is seen as a homogenous form of Lord Shiva, the ‘Lord of Kedar Khand’, the historical name of the region.

The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 22 kilometres (14 mi) uphill trek from Gaurikund. Pony and manchan service is available to reach the structure. According to Hindu legends, the temple was initially built by Pandavas, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva.

Kedarnath 2020

Pandavas visit Kedarnath after Mahabharata war

History and legends of origin

The temple, at a height of 3,583 m (11,755 ft), 223 km from Rishikesh, on the shores of Mandakini river, a tributary of Ganga, is a stone edifice of unknown date It is not certain who built the original Kedarnath temple and when. The name “Kedarnath” means “the lord of the field”: it derives from the Sanskrit words kedara (“field”) and natha (“lord”). The text Kashi Kedara Mahatmya states that it is so called because “the crop of liberation” grows here.

According to a theological account, the god Shiva agreed to dwell here at the request of Nara-Narayan After the Kurukshetra War, the Pandava brothers, came here to meet Shiva on the advice of the sage Vyasa, because they wanted to seek forgiveness for killing their kin during the war. However, Shiva did not want to forgive them: so, he turned into a bull and hid among the cattle on the hill. When the Pandavas managed to track him, he tried to disappear by sinking himself head-first into the ground. One of the brothers, Bhima, grabbed his tail, forcing him to appear before them and forgive them. The Pandava brothers then built the first temple at Kedarnath. The portions of Shiva’s body later appeared at four other locations; and collectively, these five places came to be known as the five Kedaras (“Panch Kedar”); the head of the bull appeared at the location of Rudranath.

The Mahabharata, which gives the account of the Pandavas and the Kurukshetra War, does not mention any place called Kedarnath. One of the earliest references to Kedarnath occurs in the Skanda Purana (c. 7th-8th century), which contains a story describing the origin of the Ganges river. The text names Kedara (Kedarnath) as the place where Shiva released the holy water from his matted hair

According to the hagiographies based on Madhava’s Sankshepa-shankara-vijaya, the 8th century philosopher Adi Shankara died at Kedaranatha (Kedarnath); although other hagiographies, based on Anandagiri’s Prachina-Shankara-Vijaya, state that he died at Kanchi. The ruins of a monument marking the purported death place of Shankara are located at Kedarnath Kedarnath was definitely a prominent pilgrimage centre by the 12th century, when it is mentioned in Kritya-kalpataru written by the Gahadavala minister Bhatta Lakshmidhara

According to a tradition recorded by the English mountaineer Eric Shipton (1926), “many hundreds of years ago”, the Kedarnath temple did not have a local priest: the priest of the Badrinath temple used to hold services at both the temples, travelling between the two places daily

Tribute to extraordinary minds who served the needy battled religious bigotry, social Injustice, and freedom Curbs while it crafted the divesre yet one mosaic that is our nation.

Sree Rama Paramahamsa

August 16 is the remembrance day of the nineteenth century great Guru Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886).

Born into a poor Brahmin family in Hooghly district of Bengal province, Gadadhar Chattopadhyay started his pilgrimage at the age of twelve.

It was in Puri that he learned the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita.

When his father died, he came to Calcutta in 1852 to help his brother. In 1855, he became a priest at the Dakshineswara Kali Temple.

In 1859 he married Sharda Devi, 14, aged 32, but they did not live as husband and wife.

In 1865, he became a Ramakrishna after accepting asceticism from a Naga monk named Thotapuri, as he had been experiencing the divine from a young age.

Ramakrishna’s fame spread rapidly as he spoke stories and parables in the Bengali vernacular. As Kunchan Nambiar sang, Ramakrishna taught that Kanaka and Kamini are the causes of man’s destruction. There were many disciples.

The turning point came in 1875 when he met Brahmo Samaj leader Keshav Chandra Sen. Through Zen, he met Ishwara Chandra Vidyasagar, Debendranath Tagore and Swami Dayananda, two Bengali renaissance leaders. Ramakrishna also became one of the leaders of the renaissance.

Narendranath Dutta, a prominent disciple, was announced as his successor as Swami Vivekananda. The Ramakrishna Ashrams founded by Swami Vivekananda today spread the ideas of Ramakrishna all over the world.

Published by Mahendranath Gupta in 5 volumes from 1902 to 1932, he translated the book ‘Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamitra’ into English under the title ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’.

In 1886, at Calcutta, Sri Ramakrishna passed away due to throat cancer.

The Great Philosopher: Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda

The GREAT SAGE WHO WOKE INDIA

Arise! Awake! And stop not until the goal is reached!!

Swami Vivekananda (Bengal: 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born in Calcutta to Viswanada Datta and Bhuvaneswari Devi named as Narendra Nath Datta

Narendra’s association with Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple of the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna made him the great Vivekandah and the chief Disciple. Early Life

From 1887 as a 24 year old young man Narendra travelled the from Calcutta to the Tip of India which lasted 5 years where he was seeking the soul on its land, people and its places. He shared company with farmers, laborers, artists, scholars. He slept in huts and open grounds, bazaars under tree shades. He sought god in the faces of the people in pain, living in subhuman conditions, and the saddened.

From the very young age he was a light hearted, compassionate boy, it is said that one day his mother say him giving away the dress he wore through a small window of his, and standing naked, he used to share all his possession with the poor people whom he met along the way.

Narendra love for his father was deeply embedded and he credits his early insight of human values to his father’s teaching, as he once asked his father “what have you kept as a security for my future” His father took him to a mirror and asked him to look to his reflection and said that, see yourself well I have given you a healthy body and a sound mind, think freely, have self-respect and courage, you have more than any wealth as savings. He realized that the it was his profound duty to strive for equality and social security. This was inculcated by his father from childhood.

He once said that a son who does not look after his mother can never be enlightened; he gave such respect to women. He credited his intellectual grooming to his mother.

His travels took him to all corners of India where he was outspoken on issued of poverty, caste systems, lack of education, economic disparity and exploitation.

He strongly believed the fundamental issue of Indian was the lack of social justice and poverty and the suppression of women, empowerment of women and the people in the lower strata of people would put India one great growth.

Vedantha by Swami Vivekananda

A declaration of the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in Gita –”who so ever comes to me, through whatsoever form, I reach thee, all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me”

The Journey

He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century. He was a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India, and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India. Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech which began, “Sisters and brothers of America …,” in which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Spiritual Apprenticeship

Narendra became a member of a Freemasonry lodge and a breakaway faction of the Brahmo Samaj led by Keshub Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore. His initial beliefs were shaped by Brahmo concepts, which included belief in a formless God and the deprecation of idolatry.

At this time, Narendra met Debendranath Tagore (the leader of Brahmo Samaj) and asked if he had seen God. Instead of answering his question, Tagore said “My boy, you have the Yogi’s eyes.” Not satisfied with his knowledge of philosophy, Narendra wondered if God and religion could be made a part of one’s growing experiences and deeply internalised. He asked several prominent Calcutta residents if they had come “face to face with God”, but none of their answers satisfied him.

With Ramakrishna

Narendra’s first introduction to Ramakrishna occurred in a literature class at General Assembly’s Institution when he heard Professor William Hastie lecturing on William Wordsworth’s poem, The Excursion. While explaining the word “trance” in the poem, Hastie suggested that his students visit Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar to understand the true meaning of trance. This prompted some of his students (including Narendra) to visit Ramakrishna. In November 1881, when Narendra was preparing for his upcoming F. A. examination, Ram Chandra Datta accompanied him to Surendra Nath Mitra’s, house where Ramakrishna was invited to deliver a lecture. At this meeting, Ramakrishna asked young Narendra to sing. Impressed by his singing talent, he asked Narendra to come to Dakshineshwar. Narendra did not consider this their first meeting, and neither man mentioned this meeting later.

In late 1881 or early 1882, Narendra went to Dakshineswar with two friends and met Ramakrishna. This meeting proved to be a turning point in his life. Although he did not initially accept Ramakrishna as his teacher and rebelled against his ideas, he was attracted by his personality and began to frequently visit him at Dakshineswar. He initially saw Ramakrishna’s ecstasies and visions as “mere figments of imagination” and “hallucinations”. As a member of Brahmo Samaj; he opposed idol worship, polytheism and Ramakrishna’s worship of Kali. He even rejected the Advaita Vedanta of “identity with the absolute” as blasphemy and madness, and often ridiculed the idea. Narendra tested Ramakrishna, who faced his arguments patiently: “Try to see the truth from all angles”, he replied.

Narendra’s father’s sudden death in 1884 left the family bankrupt; creditors began demanding the repayment of loans, and relatives threatened to evict the family from their ancestral home. Narendra, once a son of a well-to-do family, became one of the poorest students in his college. He unsuccessfully tried to find work and questioned God’s existence, but found solace in Ramakrishna and his visits to Dakshineswar increased.

One day Narendra requested Ramakrishna to pray to goddess Kali for their family’s financial welfare. Ramakrishna suggested he go to the temple and pray it himself. Following Ramakrishna’s suggestion, he went to the temple thrice, but failed to pray for any kind of worldly necessities and ultimately prayed for true knowledge and devotion from the goddess. Narendra gradually grew ready to renounce everything for the sake of realizing God, and accepted Ramakrishna as his guru.

In 1885, Ramakrishna developed throat cancer, and was transferred to Calcutta and (later) to a garden house in Cossipore. Narendra and Ramakrishna’s other disciples took care of him during his last days, and Narendra’s spiritual education continued. At Cossipore, he experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Narendra and several other disciples received ochre robes from Ramakrishna, forming his first monastic order. He was taught that service to men was the most effective worship of God. Ramakrishna asked him to care for the other monastic disciples, and in turn asked them to see Narendra as their leader. Ramakrishna died in the early-morning hours of 16 August 1886 in Cossipore.

Mahatma Gandhi said, when I read Vivekandha’s writing, my love for India and patriotism is lit ten time and aglow, Rabindranath Tagore once said, to know our Mother land, know Vivendha swami, you will only find creativity and thought raising you to greater heights of tolerance.

Jawaharlal one quoted, Vivekanda is lit by a light which shone with radiance unparallel, and his words will prevail in centuries to come.

Parliament of the World’s Religions

The Parliament of the World’s Religions opened on 11 September 1893 at the Art Institute of Chicago as part of the World’s Columbian Exposition. On this day, Vivekananda gave a brief speech representing India and Hinduism. He was initially nervous, bowed to Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of learning) and began his speech with “Sisters and brothers of America!”
At these words, Vivekananda received a two-minute standing ovation from the crowd of seven thousand. When silence was restored, he began his address, greeting the youngest of the nations on behalf of “the most ancient order of monks in the world, the Vedic order of sannyasins, a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance”. Vivekananda quoted two illustrative passages from the “Shiva mahimna stotram”: “As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take, through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee!” and “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths that in the end lead to Me.” Despite the brevity of his speech, it voiced the spirit and sense of universality of the parliament.

Parliament President John Henry Barrows said, “India, the Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his auditors”. Vivekananda attracted widespread attention in the press, which called him the “cyclonic monk from India”. The New York Critique wrote, “He is an orator by divine right, and his strong, intelligent face in its picturesque setting of yellow and orange was hardly less interesting than those earnest words, and the rich, rhythmical utterance he gave them”. The New York Herald noted, “Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation”. American newspapers reported Vivekananda as “the greatest figure in the parliament of religions” and “the most popular and influential man in the parliament”. The Boston Evening Transcript reported that Vivekananda was “a great favourite at the parliament… if he merely crosses the platform, he is applauded”. He spoke several more times at the Parliament on topics related to Hinduism, Buddhism and harmony among religions until the parliament ended on 27 September 1893. Vivekananda’s speeches at the Parliament had the common theme of universality, emphasizing religious tolerance. He soon became known as a “handsome oriental” and made a huge impression as an orator.

“The more we come out and do well to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.”

In 1890s He appealed to the Youth Of India to Be strong and courageous and work hand in hand to wipe away the prevailing poverty, ignorance and superstition by regaining knowledge of Indian Heritage and Tolerance.

He stated that the starving India needs food, not Religion and Rituals to override the prevailing backward state of our country.

He strongly opposed Caste System, Untouchablity, and the high-class priesthood as a parasite on lower class religious intolerance.

He predicted that India will rise to freedom through empowerment of the lower caste through great insights into our literary works; he urged the youth to wake up from the bane of slavery and distraction and fight against the British and also take up social responsibilities as any citizen’s primary duty.

He changed the perception of a yogic life as not a person running away from his duties and living in a detached life.

His life was the true example of any countrymen who strived for the society in upliftment of his brethrens which influenced an age.

Lecture tours in the U.S. and England

“I do not come”, said Swamiji on one occasion in America, “to convert you to a new belief. I want you to keep your own belief; I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist; the Presbyterian a better Presbyterian; the Unitarian a better Unitarian. I want to teach you to live the truth, to reveal the light within your own soul.” After the Parliament of Religions, he toured many parts of the US as a guest. His popularity opened up new views for expanding on “life and religion to thousands”.

During a question-answer session at Brooklyn Ethical Society, he remarked— “I have a message to the West as Buddha had a message to the East.”

On 1 May 1897 in Calcutta, Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission for social service. Its ideals are based on Karma Yoga, and its governing body consists of the trustees of the Ramakrishna Math (which conducts religious work). Both Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission have their headquarters at Belur Math. Vivekananda founded two other monasteries: one in Mayavati in the Himalayas (near Almora), the Advaita Ashrama and another in Madras. Two journals were founded: Prabuddha Bharata in English and Udbhodan in Bengali. That year, famine-relief work was begun by Swami Akhandananda in the Murshidabad district.

Vivekananda earlier inspired Jamsetji Tata to set up a research and educational institution when they travelled together from Yokohama to Chicago on Vivekananda’s first visit to the West in 1893. Tata now asked him to head his Research Institute of Science; Vivekananda declined the offer, citing a conflict with his “spiritual interests”. He visited the Punjab, attempting to mediate an ideological conflict between Arya Samaj (a reformist Hindu movement) and sanatan (orthodox Hindus). After brief visits to Lahore, Delhi and Khetri, Vivekananda returned to Calcutta in January 1898. He consolidated the work of the math and trained disciples for several months. Vivekananda composed “Khandana Bhava–Bandhana”, a prayer song dedicated to Ramakrishna, in 1898.