All about Adi Sankara - 2

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.