Sankara's portrait

[N. Ganesan]

>>I read C.Sivaramamurtis book and as far as I can see it's only a
>>*hypothesis* that the triad is vyAsa, jaimini and sha.nkara.
>>C.Sivaramamurti seems to have decided that since the panel
>>represented an ekadandin, that must be sha.nkara. A hypothesis only,
>>but not completely unjustified I would say. Especially considering
>>the fact that the ekadandin seems to be a youth, while the other two are
>>very old. But, definitely the young person in the sculpture
>>represents an advaitin. None one other than advaitins carry ekadaNDa [...]

> From the booklet, C. Sivaramamurti, Bhagavatpada Sri Sankaracharya,
Sankara Academy of Sanskrit Culture and Classical Arts, New Delhi,
1972, it appears that the eminent author has identified a mid-8th
century Sankara sculpture. Could not find any word in the book to
the effect that it's only a hypothesis. Few quotes from the book:

The President of India's Message begins, p. vii:
"                                               December 23, 1971
With his deep knowledge of Indian art, Sri C. Sivaramamurti, has
written with great perception on his discovery of a portrait sculpture
of Bhagavatpada Sri Sankaracharya in a Pallava temple of Kanchipuram.
...   (Signed) V. V. Giri".

Foreword by V. Ramaswami, President of the Academy, p. ix
"It is fascinating account of his discovery of a portrait of Sri
Sankara of the 8th century A.D. ..."

Prefatory Note by C. Sivaramamurti, p. xi
"I little knew that this blessing of his was the harbinger of my
discovery of 'Sankara in a contemporary portrait sculpture
of his in the 8th century Airavatesvara temple at Kanchipuram,
also known as IravathaNezvara. This was just very recently, and
this short paper on Bhagavatpada Sri Sankaracharya is based on
this sculpture which I consider not only an important find
but almost a revelationby the great Master himself".

[Note: Pages numbered p. 1-13 are *not* present in the book.]
List of Illustrations, p. 14:
"Fig. 18 DakshiNAmUrti flanked by Vyasa and Sankara on one side
and Jaimini on the other, Pallava, 8th century A.D.,
IravathaNezavara temple, Kanchipuram".

In the Chapter called Sankara's portrait, p. 38:
"Recently I had an opportunity to examine a number of photographs
from Kanchipuram, when by great good fortune I lighted on a
very important one giving the youthful portrait of Bhagavatpada,
*of his own date*, the 8th century A.D. from a Pallava shrine in
Kanchipuram, the Airavatanezvara, popularly styled IravaNesvara
(Fig. 18)."

  The Kanchi Airavateshvara panel has 3 men on each side of
  Dakshinamurti. It is highly significant that Sivaramamurti does
  *not* discuss the other three at all. Only 3 out of 6 men are
  analyzed and  given the names Vyasa, Jaimini & Sankara. While
  looking at the  panel, it looks like an aging teacher surrounded
  by two students is represented in the panel on each side. All the
  four (2+2) students are with hands held in prayer mudra towards
  their teacher.

  Rajasimha who built the Kailasanatha talks of his mission to
  bolster Shaiva Siddhantam. It is significant no mention
  of Sankara in Tamilnadu or Kerala for several centuries after
  his death. In the 1000s of inscriptions prior to 10th century
  no study of vedanta or advaita is ever mentioned!

  As for DaNDins, it figures in Classical Tamil texts; tri-daNDins
  later Srivaishnavas figure in Kalittokai as MukkOl munivar;
  In all kOvai genre, a std. motif is sorrowful mothers seeking
  help from mukkOl munivars to locate the young girl who has eloped.
  taNTi figuring in tirumantiram, Dandin at the Pallava court,
  taNTi aTikaL of the Saiva Nayanmar group, taNTi, a relative of
  the kAvyAdarza Dandin who wrote the tamil alankAra grammar come
  to mind.

   Given the above, the DaNDin student worshipping his teacher,
   along with three other students, need not be Adi Sankara.
   Contrary to Sivaramamurti's assertion, the Kanchi sculpture
   may not be the *contemporary* portrait of Sankara.

   Regards,
   N. Ganesan



______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com