Adi Shankaracharya (part 15 of 16)

This documentary tells the story about life of Adi Shankaracharya - the founder of the non-duality (Advaita Vedanta).The first and only Indian movie to be made in Sanskrit. Directed by GV Iyer. With Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, MV Narayana Rao, Manjunath Bhatt.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• advaita
• vedanta
• hindu
• sankara
• shankara
• shankaracharya
• non-dual
• adyashanti
• maharshi
• ramana
• gayatri

[ajayjeev]

No one can emulate Adi Shankara Bhagavatpadal. We can adore, respect and follow him with our limited intellect and sensory capacity. Advaita Vedanta is the Science of all Sciences. Atma Vidya is not available by reading through books. Only by Vichara it is obtained. Bhakti can lead to Chitta Suddhi leading to Vichara stage.After that it is our own path into Brahman

[saivishnubhatla]

@ramans11 : who are we small mortals to comment the acts of Adi shankara himself ….heis the incarnation of the Rudra himself….

[xXBlackxRebelXx]

yathra means travelling to a destination in sanskrit. medina is called yathrib, coincidence? or perhaps not.

[krohit99]

@ramans11

When a sannyasi such as Adi Sankara uses the word "I", know what it is only being used to convey the thought in a manner a lay person would grasp it. There is a difference between him saying "I" and common people like us saying "I". When we say "my body", we have a strong attachment to our body. When Adi Sankara says "my body", he is simply referring to the body which his soul has chosen in this life. It only has a utility value, nothing more nothing less.

[krohit99]

@preeana

It really means sacrificing our physical senses. On the physical plane, its a ritual where oblations are made to the holy fire. On a more transcendental plane, one can interpret this as sacrificing the physical senses/indriya into the holy fire of 'prana' (prana-agni). This means turning our outward senses inwards and controlling them to attain 'samyaka'. I hope this clarifies your doubts. Whatever you do, don't take what is told to you at face value. Challenge and question everything

[krohit99]

@preeana

2. Animal sacrifice is indeed paapa karma. If you can, oppose it. No vedic scripture talks about doing animal/human sacrifice, not even Samkhyavada, inclusive of all the Tantras. The problem lies in misinterpretation and is not about scriptural fallacy. Shastras are 'shaashvata', 'apaurushiya' and 'paramasatya'. For example, a common misunderstanding is a ritual 'gaumedha'. Some people interpret this as animal/cow sacrifice. However, 'gau' here refers to our senses and not cow

cont..

[krohit99]

@preeana

it is good to see your willingness to challenge traditions which are futile.

1. As someone above mentioned, they only take skin from dead animals and not kill them. The reason for using skin of a tiger or a deer is that while an ascetic does his sadhana in the forest, the skin ensures that insects and snakes don't crawl up on his body and disturb him. Scientific reason is that skin of these animals gives out certain chemical fumes which repel insects and reptiles.

[zenmonk82]

@preeana one should obtain animal skin for meditation purposes only through a GURU, so there is no room for ahimsa ( killing animal to get skin for tapasya )

[rajas2h]

2)And yes killing is Hinsa , and just to meditate one doesn't kills. But the thing is to find a dead animal to get his skin.

3)As for sacrificing animals to GOD I too think its not good .Maybe someone wud clear up this point.

[rajas2h]

Hi preeana I am no master or guru to give any authentic reply but from what I read and think there r 2 points I wud say

1)Animal skin is best suited to increase the concentration levels while meditating, skin of Tiger is best followed by that of deer. After that the aasana made from 'Darbha'-a kind of grass is better and then the one made from cloth.But we never sit on bare earth as its good conductor and takes away all the good vibrations developed in us as result of intense meditation..contd..