Narrator:
Hinduism has six core philosophies. The fifth philosophy is Jaimini's (Purva) Mimamsa & the sixth is Badarayana's Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta.
The young Sanyasi, Adi Shankara, a Vedantic scholar, goes to Mahishmati intending to debate with the Mimamsa scholar, Mandana Mishra. Mandana Mishra was performing the Sraddha ceremony of his expired father.
Scene:
Mandana is performing the Sraddha ceremony in a closed house. Adi Sankara walks to the outside of the house.
Sankara thinks aloud:
The house is locked. According to a Sanyasi's Dharma, I shouldn't enter a locked house. However, I need to meet Mandana & debate him, as requested by Kumarila Bhatta. For the greater good, I'll enter the house.
Scene:
Mandana looks in surprise at the Sanyasi.
Mandana thinks aloud:
Only those who don't wish to engage with the rigors of the world & the Vedic rituals will take up Sanyasam. And here is this young boy who hasn't had experience with this world who has already taken up Sanyasam. A Sanyasi shouldn't enter a closed house. Also, a Sanyasi shouldn't come during a Sraddha ceremony. Why is he here?
Mandana to Sankara, sarcastically:
Kuto Mundi?
Narrator:
This means: Where have you come from, O clean shaven one?
Sankara noted the sarcasm. He deliberately misunderstands Mandana's question with an alternate meaning.
How far have you shaved?
Sankara, sarcastically:
Agalan Mundi
Narrator:
This means: Shaven up to the neck
Mandana thinking aloud:
This Sanyasi has misunderstood my question.
Mandana:
Margam Prichate Maya?
Narrator:
This means: I am asking the path.
This has two meanings.
I am asking the path that you came from, which Mandana meant.
Or can mean:
I am asking the path, where the path is considered an entity being addressed a question.
Sankara:
Kim kaha Patha?
Narrator:
This means: So, what did the path tell you?
Mandana, angrily:
Patha prokta tava Matuh Vidhava
Narrator:
This means: The way said that your mother was a widow
Sankara:
Tha Thevahi
Narrator:
This means: May be it is true
This implies that the 'path' was talking about Mishra's own mother.
Mandana, extremely angrily:
Sura Pita?
Narrator:
This means: Are you drunk?
This also means: Is liquor yellow?
Sankara, calmly:
Sura Shweta na Pita
Narrator:
This means: Liquor is white, not yellow
Mandana, with anger & sarcasm:
Tatha hi, tvam janasi varnam!
Narrator:
A Sanyasi is not supposed to drink alcohol.
This means: So, you know the colour of liquor?
Sankara, calmly:
Maya varnat etavat janami, tvam ruchim api jasyati va
Narrator:
This means: I know the colour, but maybe you know the taste as well.
Brahmanas aren't supposed to drink alcohol. Mandana was a Brahmana.
This pokes fun at Mandana's demeanor while also implying that since Mandana first asked Sankara if he was drunk, he knew what it was.
Scene:
Other people intervene.
Intervener:
Why don't you just ask this Sanyasi what he wants & give him Bhiksha?
Narrator:
Bhiksha means alms.
Mandana:
What Bhiksha can I give you?
Sankara:
Vaada Bhiksha
Narrator:
This means a Bhiksha or debate.
Mandana:
I agree.
Intervener:
We need a judge for the debate. How about the learned Pandita, Ubhaya Bharati, wife of Mandana?
Sankara:
I agree.
Mandana:
I agree.
Scene:
Sankara & Mandana face each other for debate. Bharati presides over the debate as a judge.
Bharati:
Let both of you wear a flower garland. The one whose flowers wither faster would lose the debate. The one who is able to keep his mind steady & perfectly under control would not generate inner heat that would cause the flowers to wither faster. The one who is more egoistic will allow emotions to flare up during the debate resulting in the flowers wilting faster.
Scene:
Sankara & Mandana wear a garland.
Mandana:
It is important to lead a good life, performing rituals and worshipping Bhagawan. Just do your karma & duty, and be a good person. That is sufficient to attain Moksha.
Sankara:
What you say is good to help start calming the mind. But this is not the end goal. This is a stepping stone to prepare the mind for Dhyanam (meditation). Ultimately, it is only through Dhyanam that you can realize the truth of this world and yourself.
Mandana:
What is the true nature of the world?
Scene (to the side of the debate):
A rope lies on the ground. A person is walking.
Walking person:
It is night. What is around me?
Scene:
The walking person steps on the rope. He shrieks: snake & jumps back.
Walking person:
I'm going to climb a tree & wait out the night.
A short pause.
Walking person:
It is now morning. Let me get down. Oh, here is what I stepped on last night. It is just a rope & not a snake. I just assumed it to be a snake in the darkness.
Sankara:
When the mind is uncontrolled & in darkness, the world appears to be a snake, but that is not its true nature. Once you realize your self after Dhyanam & see the light, you perceive the world as it actually is, like a rope. The nature of the world did not change, only your perception changed.
Mandana:
So, what is the nature of God?
Sankara:
श्लोकार्घेन प्रवक्ष्यामि यदुक्तं ग्रन्थकोटिभिः।ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः।
I expound in half a verse, what has been spoken of in a million texts: Brahman is the true reality and the world is a misunderstanding of this truth; the Jiva (soul) is no different from Brahman.
Brahman is all pervading and is in everything. Brahman is your own self & the world regardless of how you perceive it. God is like a rope misunderstood to be the snake & also the actual rope itself. Dva means two. Advaita means that there is no two, there is only one, and that is Brahman. Through Dhyanam, you can realize the true nature of your Jiva (also called self & Atman).
Narrator:
The debate goes on for 8 days. Finally, Mandan's garland of flowers have withered but Sankara's remain fresh.
Bharati:
Sankara has won the debate with Mandana.
Scene:
Mandana falls at Sankara's feet.
Mandana:
Dear Guru, thank you for enlightening me. What should I do?
Sankara:
Take up Sanyasam and become by Sishya.
Mandana to Bharti:
Bharti, by Dharma, a married man has to get his wife's permission for Sanyasa. Will you grant me permission?
Bharti to Mandana:
Sankara has defeated you in debate. I will grant you permission on one condition.
Bharti to Sankara:
A wife is half her husband. Unless you defeat me in debate as well, Mandana is not yet fully lost. Do you agree? Will you debate me?
Sankara to Bharti:
I agree
Scene:
Sankara & Bharti now debate.
Narrator:
The debate goes on for 17 days. Realizing that Shankara is unbeatable in Vedic philosophies & knowing fully well that he is a Sanyasi, she asks him a question from the Kama Shastra specific to pleasing women. Shankara is silent. He is a Sanyasi. He doesn't know.
Bharti to Sankara:
Without householder experience, how could you claim that renunciation, meditation, self-realization & Vedanta to be the best path?
Sankara:
Please give me time to answer your question.
Bharti:
Please take your time.
Narrator:
After some dramatic episodes, Sankara finally returns and answers Ubhaya Bharti. Bharti admits defeat and allows Mandana to take up Sanyasam & follow Sankara. Mandana becomes Sureshwaracharya, the first Peethadipathi of the Shringeri Matam.
Sources:
http://vedham.blogspot.com/2018/04/when-shankara-first-met-mandana-humor.htmlhttp://bharatbhumika.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-timeline-of-adi-sankaracharya.html
https://historyunderyourfeet.wordpress.com/page/10/
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