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Sankara’s Date on Calender

Diverse dates to different Calender notings prevail to fix Sankara’s period, prominent among them are mentioned below.

i)                    Sankara’s Jayanti is celebrated all over India on Vaishaka Sukla paksa pancami – 5^th day after New Moon – Paurnami, Nandana Year. This year is mismatch to the historians modern dating scheme – 788 CE.

ii)                  Dvaraka Matha records the birth of Adi Sankara on Vaishaka Sukla Paksa Pancami day of the Year 2631 of Yudhistra Sakha - according to Vimarsa commentary on Guruvamsavali. This falls on 509 BCE.

iii)                Pracina Sankara Vijaya – as treated by Atmabodha in his Susama,

applying the Katapayadi formula thus:

 ‘Analasevadhibananetre’ may be decoded as follows,

Anala = 3; sevadhi = 9; Bana = 5; Netra = 2. Hence the code number is 3952 reversing which we get 2593 which corresponds to 509BCE.

iv)               Reference from Brhat Vijaya of Citsukha

‘ekatrimsestha varse tu hayate nandane subhe | mesarasim gate surye vaishake masi shobane|| sukla pakse ca pancabhyam tithyam bhaskaravasare | punar vasugate candre lagne karkatakahvaye ||’

Sankara was born in the year 2631 (applying katapayadhi) of Yudhistra Era of Nandana on Pancami day, Vaishaka month, Punarvasu constellation and in the Kataka lagna. Sunday. This corresponds to 509 BCE.

v)                 Reference from a Jaina work – Jaina Vijaya

Sankara’s siddhi is noted in the Jaina work which mentions

‘Rsirbhanastatha bhumirmattyaksau vamamelanat | ekatvena labhetankastamraksastatra vatsare ||’

Rsi = 7; Bana = 5; Bhumi = 1;  martrtyaksau – 2. Reversing this gives 2157 corresponds to 477 BC , So birth 477 BCE + 32 = 509 BCE. Matches the traditional account.

vi)               Reference from Punya sloka Manjari

Sankara’s Siddhi is mentioned on Ekadasi of bright fortnight of Vrsa Month – Adhivrsu Ratnaksi kali 2625 by katapayadhi is 5262 resulting in 477 BCE and hence Janana is 509 BCE

[Tandalam Narayana Svami Iyer and Kuppusvami . A on Age of Sankara]

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Sringeri’s stand on the date of Adi Sankara

            Sri Saradha Pitha – Sringeri initially asserted the traditional dates attributed to Sankara. However some of its recent publications seems to reflect the historian’s theory who cliam a modern date to Sankara. The newsletter oft late from the Matha carry the date 788 CE as Sankara’s period, although there has not been any specific announcements regarding the issue. Early publications of the Matha bears the mention that Sankara lived in about 44 BC. In the Jagatguruparampara published in the closing pages of Sringeri Sovenier in 1963 mentions that the year of Suresvaracarya’s mukti as 773 CE. It is also mentioned that the date of initiation of Nitya Bodha ganacarya, the third acarya of the Pitha into Samnyasa Asrama is given as 757 CE. The Matha thus send out highly distorted assertions on the date of its own first Pithacarya giving ample scope for the disciples for a lot of speculation and confusion. [A.Kuppusami gives details about the Sovenier]

Kamakoti Puri and Sri Sankara

            The present day Kanci town has its own legacy and it finds place in most antique classic Tamil literature and other vernaculars of the region. Kamakoti Puri is mentioned even in the Bhagavata Purana and Kamakottam is mentioned by name by Adiyarkkunallar who wrote a commentary on Cilapadikaram. This also bears the mention of Karikala Cola – a prominent Tamil ruler who is said to have worshipped at the temple of Kamaksi. Sankara according to most hagiographies established a matha (establishing Kamaksi Pitha may be doubted) at Kanci. Assuming that the Cola constructed temple upon Adi Sankara’s influence then it may be claimed that Sankara lived around 1^st B.C. [A. Kuppusami; 1973]

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Traditional Theory II

           Researchers who uphold the traditional dating theory are divided among themselves in fixing the date of Adi Sankara. Following are the cases held.

i)                    Dr. Heras. S. J, (as Kuppusami mentions) the author ‘Hindu America’ published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, opines that King Asoka, by the evidence of large number of edicts, is a Hindu King and not a Buddhist. Prof R.C Majumbar follows that “with the exception of Mahindra, the apostle of Ceylon, none of the sons or grandsons of Asoka are known to have embraced Buddhism’. The reaction against Buddhism reached its climax with Pusyamitra over throwing the Maurya-s. The deline of the Mahayana Buddhism after Asoka may with all extent be attributed to Sankara, and that he must have lived few years after Asoka.

ii)                   Professor Mahendala assigns Patanjalai the author of Mahabhasya to 2^nd BC. When all works of Sankara in their colophons mention Govindabhagavatpada as the preceptor of Sankara and Govindbhagavatpada known to be the disciple of Gaudapada who inturn was a disciple of Patanjali himself; leaving a comfort period of fixing Sankara not later than 1^st BC or ‘0’BC.

iii)                 Prof. Bhattacarya holds the view that the six orthodox systems with its sutra-s of Indian Philosophy have been spread from 5^th BC, as Prof Dasgupta fixes the date of Vedanta Sutra-s of Vyasa in about 200BC. Hence it is highly improbable that Sankara flourished in about 8^th CE  considering the lineage of Vyasa.

[Dasgupta’s assumption on the date of Brahmasutra may easily be contested; for according to Max Mueller who places Mahabharata around 1000 BC. Taking into consideration the mention of Brahma Sutra from the Bhagavat Gita and if it were true that this Brahma Sutra is the same as that of Vyasa’s alias Badarayana then we may clearly discard Dasgupta’s argument]

                        

iv)                 In Kashmir there is hill called Sankaracarya hill. On the top of the hill there is a temple of Sankaracarya. Gen. Cunningham and Mr Coole are of the opinion that this temple was built by Jalaukas, son of Emperor Asoka in about 220 BC. Prof Mahadevan remarks that ‘among the successors of King Asoka one Jalauka who was an ardent Hindu’ and Prof Radha Kumudh Mukherki says that Rajatarangini (Nepal ??) indicates that Jalauka, as Asoka’s son and successor in Kashmir, built this temple. if this was true then Sankara must have lived atleast a century or two earlier leaving the date clearly back to 400 or 500 BC.

v)                  Nepala Rajavamsavali, MSS. Available in Nepal Oriental Mss. Depository also indicates the arrival of Sankara in Nepal during the early reigns of Thakuri reigns leaving the date of Sankara around 500 BC.

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Adi Sankara’s known from Guruparampara Grantha-s

The following works are the strotra grantha-s that speak abouts the Heritage of Advaita. They eventually bear a brief account of Sankaracarya’s life.

1.      Guruvamsha kavya – Kasi Laksmana Sastri [18^th CE] under the direction of Sri Sacchidananda Bharati II, Vani Vilas Press, 15 Cantos.

2.      Bharati Guru Parampara Sannyasins – Sringeri Matha – Also MSS. found in GOML treates by one Dr Hiltzsch.

3.      Dvaraka Guruparampara Stotra – with the comm. Vimarsa by the Mathacarya contains the details of the acarya-s in the Dvaraka Matha.

4.      Kudali Guruparampara Namamala – a brief account on the history of the Kudali Matha tracing its origin back to Adi Sankara (highly apocryphal)

5.      Gururatnamala – a short account on the acaryas of Sri Kanci Matha – authored by revered Saint Sadasive Brahmendra. Early verses give a note on Adi Sankara’s life

6.      Susama – a gloss on Gururatnamala by Sri Atmabodhendra Yati – the work gives a precise note on Sankara’s life and cites Brhat and Pracina Dig Vijaya-s.

Theories on the Dates of Adi Sankara

There are literally multiple theories speculating on the date of Adi Sankara. These are generally reduced to two large domains vide.,

Theory I - Historians are inclined to fix the period of Sankara between 788 – 820 AD

Theory II - The traditional dating theory insists that Acarya lived as early as 509B.C to 477 B.C

Historian’s claim:

            Case 1: After prolonged critical research Justice K.T.Telang arrived at the conclusion that the date assigned to Sankara by Max Muller and Dr Fergusson are entirely untenable. Telang published a full scale article on the subject in the Indian Antiquary – 1884 on the subject in which he places Sankara in the later half of 6^th CE.

            Sir Raymond comments on Telang ‘The arguments by which Telang assigns the great Vedantist Sankaracarya to the later half of 6^th CE is a remarkable feat of perspicuity’  

Case 2: After critical examinations historians have come out with a different set of conclusions based on two different planks

a.      Sivasoma inscription in Combodia – Sivasoma – the teacher of Indravarman who ruled Combodia from 878 CE to 887 CE. This Sivasome ins described as the disciple of Sankara in the inscription and the historians thus this Sankara to be Adi Sankara pushing back his dates few centries and fixing it to 788 CE.

b.      Second evidence upon which historians unduly rely upon is a chronogram, a relevant portion of which reads as ‘nidhinagabhavahnayabde vibhave Sankarodaya’ – Deconding which we get year 3889 ok Kali Era ie., 787-88 CE. 

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Vyasacala’s Sankara Vijaya

            This work runs in 12 canto-s. Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya acknowledges Vyasacala’s Sankara Vijaya.

            Quote

            ‘dhanyo Vyasacalakavivarastatkrtijnasca dhanyah;

            Sarvagamaspadam vande vyasacalam imam kavim’ – Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya Canto I / sl.17

            Assuming Madhava (not necessarily Vidyaranya) in the the 14^th CE, it may well be claimed that Vyasacala’s Sankara Vijaya is certainly prior to this period. Hence the date of Vyasacala’s Vijaya may well be placed in the early 13^th CE; leaving the fact that the work is one of the earliest available Sankara Vijaya’s. Vyasacala is traditionally believed to have assumed the pontificial seat at Kanci. Goverment Oriental Manuscript Library has brought out a printed Critical Edition of this work.

Keraliya Sankara Vijaya

            This hagiographical work is written by Govindanatha, a native of Kerala. The work contains 9 chapters and is also known by the names,

1.      Govindanathiyam

2.      Sankaracarya caritam

MSS. Found in Sarasvati Mahal Library, Tanjore (49 folios / Devanagari / good condition); also in Government Oriental Manuscript Library, Chennai. A copy of it is also available (?) at India Office Library, London. Since the author belongs to Kerala much importance is given to this work.

Cidvilasa Sankara Vijaya

            Cidvilasa, a sanyasin, is said to be the author of this work. The work bears the title ‘Sankara Vijaya vilasa’ The work is printed in Grantha & Telugu characters in early 20’s (?). Cidvilasa Vijaya consists 32 chapters and is based on Anandagiri’s Sankara Vijaya and Vyasacala’s vijaya. 9^th Canto of the Siva rahasya is added as appendix to the 16^th sarga of this work.

            In the list of Sankara’s disciples mentioned in Anandagiri’s and Madhaviya Vijaya’s, the name Cidvilasa appears. But it is highly impossible to identify the name with the author of this work. 

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Hagiographies

There are several hagiographical materials on the life and works of Sankaracarya. Earliest among them are,

1.      Pracina Sankara Vijaya – Mukha Sankara

2.      Brhat Sankara Vijaya – Citsukhacarya

These two works are mentioned in the Dindima and Advaitasamrajyalakshmi the two commentaries on Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya.

Some of the well known Sankara Vijaya-s which are available on print are

1.      Anandagiri’s Sankara Vijaya

2.      Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya

3.      Vyasacala’s Sankara Vijaya

4.      Keraliya Sankara Vijaya

5.      Cidvilasa’s Sankara Vijaya

6.      Sadananda Yati’s Sankara dig Vijaya Sara

Anandagiri’s Sankara Vijaya

            Manuscript found in Maharaja Serfoji Sarasvati Mahal Library, Tanjore; Goverment Oriental Manuscript Library, Chennai; Mysore Oriental Research Library, Mysore; Trivandrum Oriental Research Institute and Library, Trivandrum; Rama Taraka Mutt, Varanasi.

            Anandagiri is believed to the direct disciple of Sankaracarya himself. In Advaita Samrajyalakshmi, Acyuta Pandita writes, ‘Anandagiri’s Sankaravijaya is the work of a pet disciple of Sankaracarya’. He also calls Anandagiri’s Vijaya as Brhat Sankara Vijaya.

            Quote:

            ‘Sankarasya bhagavato bhasyakarasyayam SankaraH Anandagiryabhih tasya tat priya sisyasya vakyasaraH’ – Advaitasamrajyalakshmi, comm. on Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya sl.103/16^th Sarga.

            However, this claim is unlikely since academic research reveals that Anandagiri [13^th CE] is the well known tika-kara who wrote commentaries on almost all the works of Sankaracarya.    Anandagiri’s Sankara vijaya contains 74 prakarana-s. A printed version – Calcutta edition is found. There are some marked deviations from the original manuscript.

            Orientalists rely on Anandagiri’s Sankara Vijaya as a reliable account among the hagiographies available on Sankaracarya. H.H.Wison remarks ‘Anandagiri’s work bears internal indisputable evidence of being the composition of a period not far from that at which he (Sankara) may be supposed to have flourished’.

Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya

            Vidyaranya Muni [14^th CE] is traditionally considered as the author of this work. The identity of Vidyaranya with Madhavacarya itself is controversial though. The Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya bears two commentaries

1.      Dindima – Dhanapati Suri [18^th CE]

2.      Advaitasamrajyalakshmi – Acyuta Pandita [19^th CE]

Madhaviya Sankara vijaya is the most popular hagiography that is widely read especially in the southern India. Maharaja Serfoji’s Sarasvati Mahal Library – J.L collection bears the caption ‘Samksepa Sankara Vijaya’.

Orientalists do not consider thus work as Sankara’s authentic life account for it contains more of fancy rhetorics in poetical accents than historical details. Monier Williams remarks Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya as ‘a fanciful account of controversial exploits of Sankaracarya’. Burnell indicates, ‘IIn southern India, the Madhavyia Sankara Vijaya is attributed to Vidyaranya Svami or Saya but it is certainly not worthy of him’.

One Dadhica Pandita Sivadatta Sarma in his preface to the third edition of Sri Harsa’s Naishadiya Carita remarks that ‘Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya does not seem to be a true account of Sankara’s life’. He also comments that the author of Madhaviya Sankara Vijaya is not Saya’s or Madhavacarya, the crest jewel among Pandits. It is some one else by name Nava Kalidasa’. It is also to be noted that many of the verses in this work are copied from the Vyasacala’s Sankara Vijaya – refer Sri Veturi Prabhakara Sastri – Andra Patrika [1921].