365bet

Bhagavatpadabhyudaya by Lakshmana Suri (study)

by Lathika M. P. | 2018 | 67,386 words

This page relates ‘Conclusion� 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’s work.

Conclusion

ṣmṇa Sūrin was an orthodox Sanskrit scholar who lived in the Renaissance period. This age gave birth to many philosophers and social reformers like Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna ʲṃs, Dayananda ī etc. They were well versed in the glorious past of India. This age also witnessed the spiritual awakening of India. The study of Sanskrit language and Indian heritage became prominent in that period. ṣmṇa Sūrin was born in a middle class family of Tamilnadu. His family members got western education, though he was also acquainted with western education. But he followed traditional method of learning and teaching of Sanskrit. He tried to popularise Sanskrit language and literature among the common people. The core area of his study was Vedanta especially Śṅk philosophy. Like Śṅk, ṣmṇa Sūrin believed that to create the feelings of oneness among the people could be done by Vedanta Philosophy,which was the crust of Śṅk’s ideology. He gave importance to the feeling of ‘unity in diversity�. He used legendary style in depicting of Śṅk’s life, by simple Sanskrit language. While going through the text of ṣmṇa Sūrin it is found that he did not use any historical facts and figures to decipher his ideas. He quoted Śṅk’s stotra in 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ, which was not seen in any other Śṅkdigvijayās. It is evident that he was an ardent devotee of Śṅk. In 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ he had given due consideration of tāntric vidya of Śṅk. The salient features of ṣmṇa Sūrin’s 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ is the honesty of the writer to give references of other Digvijayās as and when the idea put forwarded by him seem to be controversial to others idea, which shows that he had made sincere effort and hard work to pen his work. Most of the Śṅkdigijayās were written by scholars who renounced worldly life. Contrary to ṣmṇa Sūrin led a worldly life and was closely associated with social life. In 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ we can see the references to 貹Ծṣa and 󲹲ٲīٲ. He pictures Śṅk as a human being rather than an amazing incarnation of Lord Ś. The main intention of ṣmṇa Sūrin in writing 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ is to strengthen the ideas of unity and spread the merits of Sanskrit language in Southern parts of India. In order to create self-reliance to the common people he made an attempt to understand classical culture of India by the general public. ṣmṇa Sūrin picturised the dynamic and unbelievable life of Śṅkcārya in his magnum opus of 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ. Although it was written in the style of Ѳ屹ⲹ it cannot fulfil the ṣaṇa of Ѳ屹ⲹ.

Śṅk, the most eloquent and eminent philosophers of ancient India, is silent about himself. Nowhere in his works does the Āⲹ give us any information about himself or his own family, or about his teachers or his own times or his life mission. His disciples also tell us nothing directly about their revered master. In the case of Śṅk, there has been no historical facts on the surface for biographers to see and record. The Āⲹ too must have believed that a man’s value depends not on what he learns or what is position or fame is, and even on what he does, but on what he is and inwardly becomes. But the inner life is always a closed book. All these factors must have led to the fictitious and legendary outpourings in the biographies of the Āⲹ, having the title “Śṅkvijaya� (a work describing the visit, victories and achievements). The Āⲹ is perhaps the only one, or one among the very few ancient Indian philosophers centring whom so many biographies of legendary nature have originated. It is these biographies that happen to be the basic source materials for our study of Śṅk’s life.

The biographers attribute some supernatural powers and miracles to the Āⲹ. We assume that some valuable works on Śṅkvijaya likely to be lying hidden in some obscure corners of the some libraries which contain manuscripts on Śṅkdigvijaya by different authors. Some are of the view that only five of them are available at present in printed form. Śṅk’s real life is enveloped in a shroud of mystery. Scholars and critics have analysed his books by concentrating on certain aspects of his works. The traditional biographers of Śṅk have described the pathetic condition of Dharma, on the eve of Śṅk’s birth. The Ā’s own work tell us little about their authors.

As to the biographical details of different Śṅkvijayās, wide variations have cropped up. There is no way now of settling these differences, although they can give fertile grounds for endless and inconclusive discussions for learned men. On these circumstances, 󲹱 վṇy’s Śṅkdigvijaya which has stood the test of time, may be taken as sufficient authority to give the laymen much of the available information about Śṅk. 󲹲ٱܻ岹ⲹ follows this work to a large extent. But it is also inspired by the general spirit of Indian Renaissance which unearthed the glorious of ancient Indian and its great merit.

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: