[Advaita-l] Conference on that Date of Adi Sankaracharya in October, 2002

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> 
> I am referring to the book (published in the beginning of the twentieth century), which says that Adi Sankara was born 13 years after the reign of Vikramarka and that this book  incorporates the information obtained from the source connected to the Mathadhipati of the Sringeri math.. I gathered that Dr. A.K.Shastri does not believe in that. If that is so the book by Sastri is of no use. Is it not true that Dr. shastri does not believe in that ? All this information is available in the Google.
>  


Book published in the beginning of the 20th century, is still not specific enough. A book,
at least within the last 2-3 centuries, has an author, a year of publication, a publisher,
an editing effort behind it, etc. Within the book, there are page numbers and biblio
references. Given the millions of books around in this world, it is impossible to throw
out a generic description and expect answers from someone who has no clue what
you are really referring to. All this would not need to be told to a serious researcher
into dates and historical details. Which only leaves me all the more convinced that
this thread has only been a political exercise from the beginning.

 

In any case, I also find your logic extremely flimsy. Why do you think that Dr. Shastri
does not agree with the Sringeri record about Adi Sankara's birth being 13 years into
the reign of a king named Vikrama/Vikramanka/Vikramaditya? And that too, without
having read the book? I don't think I have ever managed to convey that impression
when talking about Dr. Shastri's book. I presume you are basing your statement on
what someone posted on some discussion thread(s) at www.tamilbrahmins.com. I can't
find anything else via Google searches on this subject. I would expect a serious
researcher to use these searches wisely and to examine the contents of search results
critically. You are welcome to make your own opinions on Dr. Shastri's book, but if so,
do base them on facts and read the book first. Do not go by half-formed assumptions,
third-party innuendo and what Swami Tapasyananda's translation of Madhaviya aptly
describes as "bazaar-gossip". 

So let me start all over again. I hate to use all-caps, but I have to here. NOBODY HAS
DISPUTED THAT THE SRINGERI RECORD IDENTIFIES THE BIRTH OF ADI SANKARA AS
HAVING HAPPENED 13 YEARS INTO THE REIGN OF A KING NAMED VIKRAMA. NOT PROF.
A. K. SHASTRI, NOT THE CURRENT AUTHORITIES AT SRINGERI AND NOT ANYBODY ELSE.


What is in question for historians is the identity of this king Vikrama and which dynasty
he belonged to. Sringeri Mathadhipatis do not really care what historians have to say
about this, but they have accepted it as probable that this king was from the south
Indian Chalukya dynasty. On that basis, they have accepted that the 8th century date
for Adi Sankara tallies well with their own records and that they don't have to assign an
incredible 800 years period for sureSvara. I fail to see what is so difficult to understand
about this. I am tired of repeating this all over again. Yes, this does represent a change
from the earlier ASSUMPTION that this king Vikrama was the originator of the Vikrama era.
You want to make much of the fact that Sringeri Matha reports have changed from 44
BCE. In my book and in the eyes of any serious scholar, it is a strength to re-examine
your assumptions carefully and critically and change them if needed. You may think
otherwise, and you may want to privilege those whose attitude is, "This is my story and

I'm sticking with it" no matter the mountain of evidencec to the contrary, but that only
exposes a deep problem in your research methodology.

Again, I fail to see why this discussion of Sankaracharya's date keeps degenerating in
your mind to the veracity or otherwise of Sringeri records. I have indicated, at least
thrice, that I have no wish to continue the discussion in this vein, but you keep asking
me, by name, for something or the other. I am at a loss to know whether you are indeed
interested in information or only in justifying your predetermined notions about the Sringeri
record. I refuse to answer any more 

 

> I am still awaiting your brother's address so that I can see the book of Sastri myself. If your brother does not have the book kindly do let me know so that I shall try to find the book elsewhere.
>  


I sent you a private email yesterday with details of contact information in Mumbai. I will
be there in early February myself, in case you would like to get more reference material.
In the meantime, you are indeed welcome to search for this book and other references
elsewhere. 

 

Good luck,

Vidyasankar

Vidyasankar
 		 	   		  
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