All about Adi Sankara - 6

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]