Bhagavatpadabhyudaya by Lakshmana Suri (study)
by Lathika M. P. | 2018 | 67,386 words
This page relates 鈥楽hankaradigvijaya (list of available works)鈥� of the study on the Bhagavatpadabhyudaya by Lakshmana Suri: a renowned Sanskrit Scholar from the 19th century. The Bhagavatpada-abhyudaya is a Mahakavya (epic poem) narrating the life of Shankara-Acharya, a prominent teacher of Advaita Vedanta philosophy. This essay investigates the socio-spiritual conditions of 8th century AD in ancient India as reflected in Lakshmanasuri鈥檚 work.
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艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补 (list of available works)
The list of the available Some 艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补 is given below-
[1. 叠峁沨补迟艣补峁卥补谤补 vijaya (I)[1] :]
The work, believed to be of the famous Advaita teacher 颁颈迟蝉耻办丑腻肠腻谤测补 (c. 1220 A.D.?) is not fully available. Quotations from this work are found in other 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补鈥檚 that lead us to infer that it must have been a popular biography once.
[2. Brhat艣a峁卥ara vijaya (II)[2] :]
This biography is said to have been written by 膧nanadaj峁嚹乶a Alias 膧苍补苍诲补驳颈谤颈 and it is referred to by a commentator in his commentary on 惭腻诲丑补惫补鈥檚 艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补 (No. 7). It is said that 膧苍补苍诲补驳颈谤颈 follows the 艢颈惫补谤补丑补蝉测补 tradition closely.
[3. 笔谤腻肠墨苍补 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补[3] :]
The author of this work is unknown writer, is again known only in references and quotations in other 艢补峁卥补谤补vijay膩鈥檚 and in their commentaries.
[4. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 (I)[4] :]
The author of this work is 叠谤补丑尘腻苍补苍诲补, said to have been a disciple of one Sarvaj峁嚹乼man, who is believed to be identical with his name sake, the celebrated author of the famous Advaita treatises 鈥�厂补峁卥峁辫补艣补谤墨谤补办补鈥� (c.900 A.D.). This work is said to consist of 10000 verses and it remains still unpublished.
[5. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 (II)[5] :]
It is the work of Vy膩sacala. He is believed to be identical with the monk Mah膩devendra 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, the 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 (1498-1507 A.D) heading the 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 惭补峁环补 of the 碍腻帽肠颈 K膩makoti 笔墨峁环补m. This book is available in print.
[6. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 (III)[6] :]
A work of this name is attributed to Anant膩nandagiri alias 膧苍补苍诲补驳颈谤颈 who styles himself as the direct disciple of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补. The author refers to 艢补峁卥补谤补 as 鈥�Paramaguru鈥� a term, if taken in its technical sense, should denote 鈥榞rand perceptor鈥�. But the work is of doubtful authenticity. For, here we read the views of the schools of 搁腻尘腻苍耻箩腻肠腻谤测补 (1100 A.D) and 惭补诲丑惫腻肠腻谤测补 (14th century). This work is written in campu style-a mixture of prose and verse and it contains many quotations. It has been published three times. The life account of the 膧肠腻谤测补 found in the earlier editions of the book shows notable differences, i.e, it tells us, for example, that 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 was born at Chidambaram in Tamilnadu. However, fresh manuscripts have recently been discovered and on the basis of these a new edition has been brought out. In it we find the account falling in line with the rest of the 艢补峁卥补谤补vijay膩s in describing K膩ladi as the 膧肠腻谤测补鈥檚 birth place.
[7. 艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补[7] :]
The colophones of this work calls it as 惭腻诲丑补惫墨测补 厂补峁卥峁辫补 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 meaning 鈥楢n abridged 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补, i.e., 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 of 惭腻诲丑补惫补. This 惭腻诲丑补惫补 is usually taken for his namesake who was a minister of the Vijayanagara empire. He lived in 14th century A.D. He wrote many well known Sanskrit works in different branches of learning; and who in the later part of his life became a monk under the name 痴颈诲测腻谤补峁噛补 and acted as the head of the 艢补峁卥补谤补 惭补峁环补 at 艢峁涐箙驳别谤颈. Because this work has thus an association with the name of that celebrated author, its poetic style is simple, elegant and good, this work is the first 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 to be published, this has gained wider popularity than the other biographies. Researchers assign it to a later date as it quotes a 17th century writer. It is said that it draws as many as 189 verses from the 艢补峁卥补谤腻产丑测耻诲补测补 of R膩jac奴岣峚ma峁噄 顿墨办峁迟补 of 17th century.
The author refers in the main text of the work to himself as Abhinava 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补, 鈥楳odern 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补鈥�, obviously a title. The author also tells us that he had commited sins all the time by eulogising some insignificant monarch and that with a view to cleansing himself of this sin, he wrote this 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 (1.8,9). But the famous 惭腻诲丑补惫补, even in his serious works on different systems of philosophy, is known for his invariably favourable references to the ruling kings whom he served. Our present author refers to some earlier 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 and also praises the earlier poet Vy膩s膩cala and his sublime narrative on the life of the Bhagavatp膩da, The work has been fortunate enough to have commentaries in the 18th鈥�19th centuries A.D. Among them the 岣宨峁囜笉颈尘补 was written by Dhanapati 厂奴谤颈. The shorter one was 础诲惫补颈迟补谤腻箩补濒补办峁颈, by Acyuta of 笔补帽肠补惫补峁�. By quoting different sources these commentaries try to fill up lacunae they find in the text and draws our attention to the different versions of other biographers of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补. One such important quotation found in the commentary narrates what 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 did in his last days and where he left his corporeal body. This 惭腻诲丑补惫墨测补 艢补峁卥补谤补 vijaya along with these commentaries gained much popularity and publicity.
[8. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补vil膩sa (I)[8] :]
The author of this work was Cidvil膩sa. The work is in the form of dialogue between the author and his monk pupil Vij帽膩nakanda. This work is also available in print.
[9. 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 caritam (I)[9] :]
The work, written in a simple Sanskrit narrative verse style by one Govindan膩tha (17th century) of Kerala. It has been published twice. Its translation in Malayalam verse by a modern author is also available in print. In certain details, notably those regarding the place where 艢补峁卥补谤补 breathed his last. More over this work strikes a note it is totally different from all the other 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补s. For, this book tells us that the 膧肠腻谤测补 abandoned his body in the 艢颈惫补 惭补丑腻诲别惫补 temple at Thrissur, Kerala.
[10. 艢补峁卥补谤腻产丑测耻诲补测补 (I):]
The author of this poem is Rajac奴岣嵞乵ani 顿墨办峁迟补. He was a famous poet and literary critic who adorned the court of the ruler Raghun膩than膩yaka (1614-1633 A.D) of Thanjavaur. The author says that he wrote this verse narrative as desired by the monk G墨rv膩峁噀ndra a contemporary of 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 presumably of the 碍腻峁僣颈 K膩makoti P墨峁璦m. This work has been recently published along with short notes (峁璱辫辫补峁噄) in Sanskrit, by Dr. S.V. Radhakrishna 艢腻蝉迟谤颈. There is also an incomplete commentary on the work and it remains in the form of a manuscript (Adyar library, Tr. 333)
[11. 艢补峁卥补谤腻产丑测耻诲补测补 (II):]
This is written by a poet called 狈墨濒补办补峁囜弓丑补, a pupil of 艢补峁卥补谤腻苍补苍诲补 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨. He pays homage to N峁泂i峁僪abh膩rati (19th century). He gives the date of birth of 艢补峁卥补谤补 as Kali 3889 corresponding to 788AD. The work remains unpublished.
[12. 艢补峁卥补谤补mandarasaurabham:]
This work is also a narrative in verse written by the same Nilakantha who wrote the last work (No. 11). He mentions the same Kali year as the year of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补鈥檚 birth. This work has a commentary called 鈥�艢补峁卥补谤补mand膩rasaurabha sam墨ra鈥�. Both the text and the commentary have been edited by Sri V.H. Subrahmanya Sastri. He was the late Principal of the Madras Sanskrit college; but they are yet to be printed.
[13. 骋耻谤耻惫补峁兣沘 办腻惫测补:]
This poem is written by one 碍腻艣颈 尝补办峁补峁嘺 艢腻蝉迟谤颈 at the instance of Saccidananda 叠丑腻谤补迟颈 (1772 -1814 A.D), a 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 of 艢r墨峁僩eri 艢r墨 厂腻谤补诲补 笔墨峁环补. This poem is meant to sketch the lives of the 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补鈥檚 of the line of the 艢峁涐箙驳别谤颈 Math. The first three cantos of the work contains details of the life of 膧di 艢补峁卥补谤补. This work has been published in full with a partly available commentary.
[14. 膧肠腻谤测补vijayam:]
This work is partly printed. But it is fully available in manuscripts. This is written in campu style by a poet 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 Kanthirava. The author refers in the beginning of the poem to 惭腻诲丑补惫补, the author of the 艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补 (No. 7 above) and also to the famous Appayya 顿墨办峁迟补. Hence he may be assigned to a date slightly later than 1700 A. D.
[15. 笔耻峁噛补艣濒辞办补 惭补帽箩补谤颈:]
This work is by 厂补谤惫补箩帽补 厂补诲腻艣颈惫补 Bodhendra 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨. He was the 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 of the 碍腻帽肠颈 K膩makoti 笔墨峁环补. It is meant to give the details of the dates and place of birth and death, the pre-pontificial and the pontificial names of the Monks who are believed to have headed the 惭补峁环补. It contains also the names of their respective parents.
[16. 骋耻谤耻谤补迟苍补尘腻濒腻蝉迟补惫补]
This work claims to have been written by the well known 笔补谤补尘补丑补峁僺补 厂补诲腻艣颈惫补 Brahmendra 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨. He was a disciple of Parama艣ivendra 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, a 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 of K膩makoti 惭补峁环补 of 碍腻帽肠颈. He lived in 17th century. But its authenticity is doubted in certain quarters. This work is written in beautiful Sanskrit verses mainly in 膧谤测补 metre. Some verses of the work are devoted to describe the life and work of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补. On this there is a commentary, bearing the name 厂耻峁尘补, which is ascribed to 膧迟尘补产辞诲丑补. He was a disciple of Mah膩devendra Sarasvati, another 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补 of the same Matha of 碍腻帽肠颈. He lived in 18th century, 1st quarter. It quotes what it calls Keraliya 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补.
[17. Keral墨ya 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补:]
This work of some unknown author is known only from quotations found in other works. It is also called 膧肠腻谤测补caritam (cf. No.9).
[18. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 痴颈濒腻蝉补 (ll):]
This is written by 厂腻谤补蝉惫补迟补 厂补诲腻苍补苍诲补. Its commentary, by name 鈥�Dundubhi鈥� is also known. Apart from the above, the following biographies of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 are also known to exist.
[19. 膧肠腻谤测补digvijaya, written by Vadhula Vallisahaya Kavi.]
[20. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补 厂补峁僩谤补丑补 by Purusottama 叠丑腻谤补迟颈.]
[21. 艢a峁僰arabhyudaya (III) by Tirumala 顿墨办蝉颈迟丑补.闭
[22. 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补caritam (II) by Ananta Kavi.]
[23. 艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补sara (I) by Vrajaraja.]
[24. 艢补峁卥补谤补诲颈驳惫颈箩补测补sara (II) by Govindacala.]
[25. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补sara by 碍腻艣颈 Sadananda Kavi]
[26. 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测辞迟辫补迟迟颈 by some unknown writer.]
[27. 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈肠补谤颈迟补:]
This poem is written by R膩mabhadra 顿墨办峁迟补. He was a protege of the Maratha king Sahaji (1684 -1711A.D) of Thanjavur. The main theme of the poem is the life of 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈. It contains some legendary accounts of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补鈥檚 grand-perceptor and preceptor, viz. Gaudapad膩c膩rya and Govinda Bhagavatp膩da respectively. According to the author, the last two were respectively pupil and grand pupil of the celebrated Sanskrit grammarian 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 who wrote the 惭补丑腻产丑腻蝉测补. The work also briefly narrates where 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 met his preceptor Govinda Bhagavatp膩da and got himself initiated into the 厂补峁僴测腻蝉补 order and when he wrote his major 叠丑腻蝉测补蝉.
[28. Keralotpatti:]
It is a Malayalam work by some unknown author. This is not much earlier than the 17th century A.D, intending to record a history of ancient Kerala. This work is only partly published. It also claims to be translation of an earlier work in Sanskrit. It records the names of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补鈥檚 native village, of his family and of his parents and also the Kali year 3501, i. e. 400 A.D, as the year of his birth. According to this authority, 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 lived a life of thirty eight (not thirty two) years and breathed his last in the 艢颈惫补 惭补丑腻诲别惫补 Temple on the Bull-Hill at Trichur, Kerala (cf. No. 9 above).
[29. 艢谤墨惫颈诲测腻谤峁嘺惫补迟补苍迟谤补:]
This work is written by one Vidyaranya Yati, who a disciple of Pragalb膩c膩rya, a pupil of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻艣arm膩c膩rya. The latter鈥檚 preceptor was 艢r墨 艢a峁卥ar膩c膩arya, the disciple of Govind膩c膩rya, who was a disciple of Mah膩mahop膩ndhy膩ya Bhagavat 笔奴箩测补辫腻诲补. It contains eulogy of 艢补峁卥补谤补. In this book the 膧肠腻谤测补 is variously described as an incarnation of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and of 厂补惫颈迟腻 (the sun god) and also of 艢颈惫补.
[30. Stotras:]
There are numerous small stotras or eulogies written by many advaita teachers like To峁璦k膩峁ａ弓aka of To峁璦k膩c膩rya, the 骋耻谤耻惫腻蝉迟补办补 of Citsuk膩c膩rya, all singing the glory of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补. There are also stray verses, beyond number, found in the works of Padmapad膩c膩rya, Sure艣var膩c膩rya, V膩caspati Mi艣ra and many other Advaita writers praising the 膧肠腻谤测补.
[31. Micellanies:]
Aryavidyasudhakara, the manual of the rituals to be performed by Brahmins, Kongudesa-rajakkal caritam, is a tamil annal of the latter medieval period. The annals like Guruparamparastotras, preserved in different 艢补峁卥补谤补 惭补峁环腻蝉. That claim was founded by 艢补峁卥补谤补 himself and other works, all contains fragments of information about the 膧肠腻谤测补鈥檚 life and work and furnish details that suggest, directly or indirectly, conflicting dates for 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补鈥檚 birth.
[32. 笔耻谤腻峁嚹乻:]
a) The 艢颈惫补谤补丑补蝉测补 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 devotes one full chapter (the sixteenth chapter and its ninth section) to a brief description of the 膧肠腻谤测补鈥檚 birth, life, work and attainment of liberation.
b) The Markandeya 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, a 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 contains in the seventh and eighth chapter of its seventy-second part, some details of the events in 艢补峁卥补谤补鈥檚 life. Likewise-
c) The 碍奴谤尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (the 27th chapter)
d) The 叠丑补惫颈蝉测辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (the 36th chapter)
e) The 尝颈峁僩补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (the 40th chapter)
f) The 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (35th chapter)
g) The 艢颈惫补pur膩峁嘺
h) The 痴颈峁ａ箛耻dharmottarapur膩峁嘺
i) The 叠丑补颈谤补惫补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and
j) The 叠谤补丑尘补苍补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺.
Are also known to contain portions giving some details of the 膧肠腻谤测补鈥檚 life and work.
[33. 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补makaranda]
This is a recent compilation. It made and published by Dr. S.V Radhakrishna 艢腻蝉迟谤颈 by collective verses from different sources. The verses mostly taken from popularly known 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补s, from the philosophical mannuals. The devotional poems of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 himself and also from eulogies of the 膧肠腻谤测补 found in the devotional and philosophical works of Advaita writers. All interspersed with some of the verses of the compiler鈥檚 own and arranged with a view to workout, as synthesis of different 艢补峁卥补谤补vijay膩s and to give an overall picture of 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补鈥檚 life history.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Dr. S Sankaranarayanan, 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补, His Life, Philosophy and Relevence in Modern Times, (Vol.I), Madras: Adayar Library and Research Centre, 1995, p. 5.
[2]:
Ibid
[3]:
Ibid
[4]:
Ibid, p. 6.
[6]:
Dr. S. Sankaranarayanan, 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补, His Life, Philosophy and Relevence in Modern Times, p. 6.
[7]:
[8]:
痴测腻蝉腻肠补濒补, 艢补峁卥补谤补惫颈箩补测补, Ed., T. Chandrasekharan, Delhi: Govt. Press Madras: Delhi, 1954.
[9]:
Dr. S Sankaranarayanan, 艢r墨 艢补峁卥补谤补, His Life, Philosophy and Relevnce in Modern Times, pp. 8-15.