Scholars pay tribute to advaita acharyas

Scholars and academicians discussed the fascinating features of Advaita philosophy at the one-day national seminar on “Advaita Acharya Chatushtayam” organised by the Department of Oriental Studies, School of Humanities and Sciences, SASTRA University, here recently.

The aim of the seminar was to create awareness among the present generation about the life and contribution of four great Advaita acharyas — Sri Appayya Dikshitar, Sri Neelakanta Dikshitar, Sri Govinda Dikshitar, and Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

Inspiring personality

In his lecture on Sri Appayya Dikshitar, renowned Sanskrit scholar Dr. Mani Dravid of the Madras Sanskrit College explained how the “Dikshitendra” contributed to various fields, including vedanta, siva-advaita, mimamsa, vyakarana, kavya-vyakhyana, and alankara through his 104 immortal works in Sanskrit.

Appayya Dikshitar was a minister in the court of Bomma Naick and built temples for Sri Virupakshiswara and Sri Kariamanicka Perumal at Adyappalam. Dr. Dravid explained how even his subconscious outpourings, during psychical tumult, took the form of an exemplary devotional poem called Atmarpanastuti with 50 verses.

A talk on Sri Neelakanta Dikshitar was delivered by Dr. R. Krishnamurthy Sastrigal, former Principal of the Mylapore Sanskrit College. He explained how Sri Neelakanta Dikshitar maintained ministership in the court of King Thirumalai Nayak of Madurai without sacrificing the authorship of innumerable works like

Sivalilarnava ,

Shanti Vilasa ,

Nalacharitra Nataka ,

Gangavatarnam ,

Nilakantha Vijayachampu , and

Kalividambanam .

Sri Atmabodha Tirtha Swamigal, who spoke on Sri Govinda Dikshitar, termed him as a scholar, philosopher, statesman, and musicologist.

Sri Govinda Dikshitar served as a minister for three successive Nayaks of Thanjavur —Sevappa Nayak, Atchuta Nayak, and Raghunata Nayak.

Sri Ganesha Sharma held forth on Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

Registrar of the SASTRA University G. Bhalachandran and convener of the seminar N. Kannan spoke.