In today's morning satsang, Paramahamsa Nithyananda offers a moving tribute to Adi Shankaracharya, the greatest sage of the Vedic tradition. Shankaracharya lived only 34 years but founded four monasteries, commented on all major scriptures and composed countless devotional chants. He also originated a number of philosophies, foremost of which is Advaita. Nithyananda also answers questions from devotees, including an inspiring response to why should one become sanyasi. Only In sanyas can one fulfill the ultimate peak of potential and discover the extreme frontiers of spirituality by surrendering completely to the four principles. Since mainstream lifestyle has failed to bring happiness or wisdom to our lives, sanyas can rescue the floundering human race and preserve Planet Earth.
TRANSCRIPTIONS:-
I welcome all of you who are sitting with us around the world. Today is, Adi Shankara Jayanthi. The great being, Sri Adi Shankaracharya was born on today.
One of the greatest philosopher on the planet earth still still, still, he is the unbeaten record. Please understand, almost after 2500 years, somebody can be an unbeaten record in the field of philosophy is not a joke.
He is the only Acharya, went from south and, may be I can say, first. Instead of word one, First Acharya went from south and established the vedic tradition all over the world. Please understand, at that time, the different parts of India was different countries. So, it is equivalent to establishing all over the world. The civilization was such he had the strength, strength. Adi Shankara is still one of the greatest philosophers, walked on the planet Earth, Still an unbroken record. Understand, in the world of philosophy, there is only 2 group:-
--One who accept Shankara
--Who rejects Shankara
But nobody can go beyond Shankara. Thats all.
Who accepts Shankara. Who reject Shankara. Nobody is above Shankara.
I still can't introduce Adi Shankara. Because when I remember him, I am just lost in the ocean of his glory. What he has done, Just 32 years he was in the body, Some biographies say 34. But no biography claims, he lived more than 34 years on the planet earth. So, the maximum possibility is 34 years. Studied the shastras, wrote commentaries on all the major books like prastanatraya, even on the stotras like vishnu sahasranama, composed hundreds and hundreds of stotras of the -level of Bhaja Govindam. And, above all, argued, did vada prativada, transformed millions of people, established 4 peetas -- Shringeri, Dwarika, puri, Bhadrikashrama. Established 4 peetas to keep the dharma alive, still 3 peetas are unbroken, lineage of masters. Only Bhadrikashram peetadhipati, Shankaracharya was killed by Aurangajeb before he initiated the successor. But by that time, the Puri Shankaracharya took charge and initiated the next Shankaracharya. 3 mutts are unbroken lineage. And created the philosophies.
Please understand, I am not saying Shankaracharya created the philosophy. I am using the word 'philosophies'. Because he is so vast. He cant even be contained inside advaitha philosophy. He was a space for the philosophies to happen. The best philosophy happenned out of him is Advaitha. So, Advaitha became his brand. But he is not just Advaiti alone. If you see his devotion, Soundarya Lahari, Oh god! Anybody will be mesmerised by the description of the form he is doing. A person who can describe the form so beautifully, can never be called Only Advaiti. That was also the breeze happenned in his space. No one can imagine, in 34 years, he has done this. Please don't think, "Oh, Swamiji also did it." No. now we have so much of modern equipment supports. All the 500 books published, I myself don't need to sit and write. Because video records are there. What ever I speak is video recorded, it gets transcribed, gets edited and published. But in Shankara's time, every book he wrote, he has to write. Every arguement he conducts, teachings he conducts, satsangs he conducts, he has to speak, there is no audio recording system. When he speaks it gets audio recorded, then transcribed. NO!
So, for the arguments, separate time, and
writing the books, separate time.
Shankara has written 3 types of literatures:
-commentaries on the traditional scriptures, like Brahma sutra bhashya, Bhashya on the dwadashopanishads, and Gita Bhashya. That's the first.
-Next, please understand, next, he established 4 monasteries. It is not a joke to establish a monastery. Even in this modern day, having 55 sannyasis, directly supporting the mission and around thousand two hundred full time volunteers, including rishis and everyone, I am not able to establish monasteries everywhere. It is so much of work. You don't know. 4 peetas in 4 different countries he established. Understand, it was not India at that time. It was Kalinga desha, Chola desha. Those days, Sringeri was under Chola kingdom.
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