As the crowning glory of the 60-day Chaturmasya Vratam being observed by Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati, 70th head of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitam, in Chennai, a Sadas of Advaita Sabha and Agnihotri Sammelanam were held this past week. Sri Vijayendra Saraswati’s stay at Asthika Samajam, Venus Colony, was marked by meetings of scholars of different streams, cultural activities and discourses. It has to be mentioned that the Acharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Pitam has chosen to observe Chatur Masya Vratam in Chennai, 60 years after Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, 68th head of the Pitam, did way back in 1959.
Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati’s Anugraha Bhashanam and the elaborate pujas he performed daily and on festive occasions such as Gokulashtami drew thousands of followers to the camp. His stay gave pundits and the lay an opportunity to approach him for blessings and counsel. The Swamiji responded by making himself available almost round-the clock. From lofty brainstorming sessions to simple lectures, music discourses, namasankirtanam, puppetry and Bhagavatamela, the Chaturmasya camp brought an invigorating change to the mundane routine of the Chennaiite. As icing on the cake, the parched city is drenched in welcome spells of rain, giving a healing touch to the residents reeling under a harsh summer.
Sanskrit Day was celebrated by The Madras Sanskrit College, The Samskrita Academy, The Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, Savitri Ammal Oriental Higher Secondary School and Ramaratnam Nursery & Primary School at the Asthika Samajam, Venus Colony, Chennai, under the auspices of the Chatur Masya Camp of Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati. The Acharya is with Sri Sripada Satyanarayana Murthy, Vidwan Janardana Hegde, Dr. V Ramakrishna Bhatt and Dr. V.S. Karunakaracharyar, who were honoured for their service rendered to Sanskrit language and teaching.
In keeping with the Kamakoti Pitam’s long tradition of convening vidwans for high-level discussions, the Sadas of Advaita Sabha was conducted on September 5 and 6. The Advaita Sabha was founded in 1894 by the 66th pontiff of the Math, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati. At the first conference, he convened in 1895, renowned pundits, including Mannargudi Raju Sastrigal, had gathered for debates, which spanned several days.
What is the objective of the Sadas? There are two aims, according to Sri Ramana Sarma, who explained the salient features of the meet. “Adi Sankara established the Maths to propagate Advaita through the three vital arms of Vedanta — Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutram. Referred to as Prastana Trayam, they are universally accepted as the bedrock of the Hindu philosophy and Adi Sankara wrote the meaning (Bhashyam) for all. His disciples, whom he appointed as heads of the Maths, himself decorating the Kamakoti Pitam, spread the message across the vast land.
Sri Jayakrishna Dikshitar performing Namasankeerthanam at Asthika Samajam
Landmark treatises
Scholars of the later period, such as Amalananda Saraswati, Vachaspati Misra, Madhusudana Saraswati and Adayapalam Appayya Dikshitar took it forward by authoring landmark granthas. These scholars clarified concepts, which they thought were misunderstood by their counterparts belonging to other streams of the faith.
Only scholars, trained by gurus proficient in the subjects, become eligible to participate in the Sadas. Sankara firmly believed that scriptures have to be handed down from a learned teacher to the disciple. The students pass tough exams in ten subjects, including Tharkam, Vyakaranam and Mimasam, to qualify.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Sadas’s concern for the common man, who can practise the principles of Vedanta even when immersed in worldly life. Sri Sarma cites King Janaka (Maharishi) as an example The elevation is gradual, attained by constant contact with philosophy — through reading or listening. Adi Sankara did not stop with writing complex philosophical texts. He broke them down to simple forms, which can be understood by the masses, the vehicle used being Upanyasam (discourse). The Sadas at the Asthika Samajam was conducted in two parts — debates in Sanskrit in the morning and lectures by well-known orator B. Sundarakumar, which were attended by hundreds of people, in the evening.
“For the first time, Malayalam was introduced in deference to the wishes of pundits from Kerala,” informs Sri Ramana Sarma. The Sadas takes place twice in a year — one during Chatur Masyam and in March next. There is a plan to conduct one more to encourage scholars. The participants were suitably honoured at the end of the conference.
