DEIVATHIN KURAL # 136 (Vol # 5) Dated 02 Mar 2012

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 136 (Vol # 5) Dated 02 Mar 2012

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavaaL of Kanchi Kaamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of the last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. Today we are proceeding from the second para on page No 852 of Vol 5 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that here in 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly)
856. Even the general opinion in Karnataka, influenced by Buddhist and Jain calendar calculations that our AachaaryaaL’s Avatara is 44 B.C., is nearer the actual 509 B.C. When such is the case, how can you accept 788 A.D., just because the Britishers have so decided? It is not correct on my part sitting as a Mataadipathy in one of these very Matam to be saying any further. If what I have spoken already is too much, it is only because you as followers of this Matam and Me as the Head of this Matam are of one family by this relationship. Then there are some more evidences based on what we have heard by word of mouth traditionally. Let me tell you about them, which further reinforce the point that our AachaaryaaL’s Avatara is 6/5th Century B.C. only.
857. Haalan – PoorNavarman: Many Proofs and Evidences. By doing a wholesome study of the PuraNas and seeing the genealogy of royal dynasties, it is noticed that from 1,500 B.C. till 1,200 B.C. Mourya-s were in power; then till 900 B.C. Sunga-s ruled; followed by Saatawahana-s of the Andhra Royal Dynasty till the 8th Century B.C. Though their kingdom was in the Deccan Plateau, since their rule was extending up to North India, they were rulers of Magadh also. If our AachaaryaaL’s time was 6 /5th Century B.C., then it must have been the Saatawahana rule only. This is so confirmed from ‘Guru Ratnamala’. After that incident in Kaasi when the presiding deity Viswanatha came before our AachaaryaaL as an untouchable, he shifted to Prayag. There the sloka 21 says, ‘though supported by the Haala Raaja, he started from Kaasi.’ Haalan was a Saatawahana King at that time as agreed by Pundits of Puranas and the Orientalists. Here it should be noted that Orientalists put him as a king of the 1st Century B.C. At least it is clear that his reign was extending up to Kaasi in the north! As elsewhere AachaaryaaL has said that there was no ‘Saarvabouman’ in his time, meaning a King whose reign was spread in the whole of India; at least it was spread in the area between Godavari and the Ganges. So possibly Kaasi was under him and not Prayag. His fame was more as a poet than a ruler. In the Prakruta Language he has written a book of seven volumes of a 100 slokas each containing stories of social relevance of his time.
858. From our Puranas can you tell us anything more precisely, than the fact that he belonged to a dynasty that ruled from 8th Century B.C. for some 500 years? If that is your question, my answer is, ‘Yes, it can be more specific!’ Such a research has been done by one K.G.Natesa Sastry in a magazine known as ‘Jignyasa’. Amongst the Kings who ruled over Magadh from the start of the Kali Yuga, Haalan is the 74th in line as revealed by his research. Starting from the dynasty by Bruhadrata, known as Baarhadrata Vamsa, each king and his tenure has been accounted for. In that line the 74th was from Andhra. It also matches with AachaaryaaL’s time of around Kali Yuga 2,600. On an average if each king were to rule for some 35 years, 74 multiplied by 35 gives you 2,600. This average of 35 is quite acceptable, say the experts. (In Kali Yuga, first Baarhadrata Vamsam had 22 kings; 23 to 27 were Pratyoda Vamsam; 28 to 37, totalling 10 were from Sisunaaga Vamsam; 38 and 39 were from Nanda Vamsam; 40 to 52 were 12 Mouryas; 52 to 61 were Sunga Vamsam; 62 to 65 were four kings from KaNva Vamsam; and then from 66 till 97 were all from Andhra, the Saatawahana Vamsam, in which the 74th was Haala Raaja!)
859. Over and above this unexpectedly there was another discovery! In Vayu Purana it is said that, ‘tata; samvatsaram poorNo halo raajaa bhavishyati’, meaning that ‘then PoorNa aka Haala Raja will be the King!’ As Brahmins add a ‘Sarman’ to their names, Kings add a ‘Varman’ and so, this PoorNa Haala Raja must have been known as ‘PoorNa Varman’ of our earlier discussion! Do you remember that earlier discussion? Let me remind you. In the Bhashyam for the Brhma Sutra, at one place, our AachaaryaaL has said, “Before Poorna Varman a son of an infertile woman ruled over the Kingdom”, as an example to bring out how you cannot compare an existing real thing to a non-existing unreality! That had been picked up by the researchers trying to find out the identity of that PoorNa Varman, though it could have been any Tom, Dick or Harry, isn’t it? This Haala Raja is that self same Poorna Varman, the King of the Andhra Saatawahana Vamsam. As per our calculation the PoorNa Varman and our AachaaryaaL are of the same period – 5th Century B.C. and thus their discovery confirms our traditional belief, trust and faith!
860. The Evidence from Buddhist and Jain Books. Now, if what we have said so far, happens to be confirmed by the books of Buddhists and Jains, then the value is that much more and our point of view becomes incontrovertible and unquestionable beyond any challenge, isn’t it? That our AachaaryaaL’s Date of Avatara is 509 B.C. and that he lived in the mortal human form till 477 B.C. is confirmed to have been supported by books of these two religions as found by modern day researchers! I mentioned there being a book known as ‘Nepal’s Raja VamsavaLi’. This book is available from the Buddhists, in which it is mentioned that our AachaaryaaL visited Nepal and that time Vrusha Deva Varma was the King of Nepal and his time has been given as Kali Yuga 2,600, i.e., 5th Century B.C. exactly!
861. Let me come to the book of the Jains’. There is a book on the life of their foremost leader, named ‘Jina Vijayam’. I mentioned the name of one Kolhapur Saastry when we were discussing the likely time of KaaLidaasa. He has analysed this book from all angles and has fixed the dates of many important personages of relevance to our discussion. In it the names of Kumarila Bhatta, Sudhanva and our AachaaryaaL are all mentioned. Being a book of the Jains, the comments are all quite critical of them. Certainly it would not have been the intention of the author to show them to be of very old vintage! But if the dates mentioned in it are matching with our own calculations, I am sure that you will take them as proof of our standpoint isn’t it?
862. Kumarila Bhatta’s date of birth has been mentioned in ‘Jina Vijayam’ as, ‘rishi vaaras tataa poorNe martyaakshou vaama meLanaat’ in Sanketa Sankhya. ‘Rishi’ indicates ‘sapta rishis’ (Cassiopeia) and so number 7. So also ‘vaara’ means the week and so, indicates the number 7. The word ‘poorNa’ means the round cipher or zero. The word ‘martyaakshou’ means, ‘eyes of the human beings’ and that is, the number 2. So, we have the number 7702 and by ‘vaama meLanam’, meaning ‘reading it back’, we have 2077. I had told you that Jains were following a system known as Yudhishtira Sakam, which starts in the year 468 of Kali Yuga. As per this, year 2077 of Yudhishtira Sakam is the same as Kali Yuga 2545, which is again 557 B.C. Thus Kumarila Bhatta would be 48 years elder to our AachaaryaaL when they met. The book also says that, when our AachaaryaaL was about 15 years of age met Kumarila Bhatta in his old age.
863. Actually at that time our AachaaryaaL was 16 and the book has reduced it by one year. Let me quote the sloka, “paschaat panchadase varshe sankarasyaagate sati I Battaachaarya – kumarasya darsanam krutavaan siva: II” It is surprising that even the book which is derogatory of our religion and beliefs, is mentioning our AachaaryaaL’s name as ‘Siva:’! AachaaryaaL’s date of demise is also given in that book – “rishir baaNas tataa boomer martyaakshou vaama meLanaat I ekatvena labetaangas taamraakshas tatra vatsara: II” The meaning is as follows, ‘Rishi’ indicates the sapta rishies – 7; BaaNa means five, as there are five missiles known as ‘pancha baaNaan’it indicates the number – 5; Boomi means the earth, which is only one and so indicates the number – 1; martyaaksham means human eyes, that is – 2. That makes it 7512 and when turned around, it becomes 2157 of Yudhishtira Sakam, which is the same as 2625 of Kali Yuga, which corresponds to 477 B.C., the year of dropping of the mortal coil by our AachaaryaaL! In the list of names of 60 years known as ‘Prabhavaati’ the year’s name has been noted as ‘Taamraaksham’. ‘Taamiram’ is the metal copper, which is red or blood coloured, which in Sanskrit is ‘Rakta’. That indicates the year ‘Raktaakshi’. Our AachaaryaaL was born in the year Nandana and passed away 32 years later, in the year Raktaakshi.
864. Thus it is all perfectly matching with the point of view of the Sankara Matams of Kanchipuram, Dwaraka, Jyotir Matt and Puri, based on information by word of mouth, traditional belief, and the books of Hindus, Jains and Buddhists; that the period of our AachaaryaaL’s Avatara was from 509 to 477 B.C., without an iota of doubt! All other calculations are fallacious or cooked up. (An Additional Input. People of Vedavyasa Itihasa Samsodana Mandiram, Bombay had formed a committee of experts who have carried out a ‘Study of Indian History and Culture’ and brought out a book by that name of 18 parts. As per their calculations of time, Buddha was 1888 to 1805 B.C.; Chandra Gupta Mourya’s reign was from 1534 B.C. and Sri Aadi Sankara Bhagawat PaadaaL’s time frame is 509 to 477 B.C. only.)
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.