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There have been lot of discussions on the date of Adi Sankara and a lot have been written on topic. Kanchi Paramacharya (1894—1994) had given a long explanation for dating him in fifth century BCE. But people attached to Sringeri Mutt believes that Shankara lived around 788 CE.
My argument is based on Sangam Tamil literature and Sundara Pandya. I have written about it in Tamil and posted it in this blog on 21st March 2012.
Adi Shankara’s favourite simile is rope mistaken for a snake. He used this allusion umpteen times in all his works. No one has used this like him. Greek Philosopher and founder of scepticism Pyrroh 360-270 BCE used this simile. Famous historian K A Neelakanta Sastri has commented on it saying that it was unusual for a Greek philosopher to use it. I think that he copied it from Adi Shankara. The reason for my conclusion is that he accompanied Alexander the Great. All of us knew Alexander’s unquenchable thirst for Hindu Philosophy. Swami Vivekananda, Paramahamsa Yogananda ,Sathya Sai Baba and many scholars have dealt with this subject.
More over this simile is used by Uuttiyaar, a Sangam Age poet. He used this simile in Akananuru (verse 68).: “A thunderbolt struck the Asoka Tree mistaking the swing rope for a snake”. Another poet Kutavaayir Keerathanaar used a similar comparison in verse Akam.119. This is to show that it is a typical Indian analogy. Sandam Tamil Books are dated between first century CE and Third Century CE.
Sundara Pandya mystery is not solved until this day. He was a great Sanskrit Scholar and written a book on morals like Valluvar. Sankara had taken some slokas from him and used them in his commentaries. This Sundara Pandya and Murthi Nayanar of Periya Puranam are not historically documented. Murthy Nayanar was garlanded by an elephant which is blind folded and made him King of Madurai when the ruling king died suddenly.
I quote these two anecdotes to show that there are gaps in Indian History which are not filled satisfactorily. And Sankara’s age also remains a mystery until this day. I have an unacceptable suggestion for the Sankara Mutts in different parts of India. Since Abi Nava Sankara did exactly what Adi Sankara did, there erose a big confusion. But the Mutts were happy in saying Sankara did this Sankara did that. Their policy was ends justify means. So they did not bother to clarify which Sankara did what. If they come forward boldly and put all Sankara’s writings to Linguistics Test, we will know which Sankara did what.
Now Tamil Scholars admit there were Three to Six Avvaiyars, based on linguistics and language and style.
The reason I am mentioning this issue in this article is my very first page of research notes on V C has list of similes and imageries’
Here is a list I wrote on 5-9-1994 in my V C book:
Dream – waking
The eighth century Tamil Siddha used many images of Adi Sankara
Mirage, eclipse, magnet, mirror, sword, marine travel, black smith, carpenter, clouds, shark, toys, plants, animals , birds etc
Following numbers are VC Sloka numbers
Hot axe test – sloka 332; it is in Upanishad
Red hot iron – 133, 349/50, 191, 361
Solar and lunar eclipse- 300, 547,139
Biggest numbers- 2, 55
Tamil poets Tiru Valluvar and Tirumular used big numbers.
Moon earth relationship – 38
Moon- 54, 522; Bharati used it in Veera Suthanthiram poem
Forest fire -39
Clouds/sky – 500
Kula parvatha / sacred mountains- 501
Tirumular mentioned them as well
Mirage – 404, 422, 498
Poet Kalidasa too used mirage many times
Atharva veda – 231
Snake/ rope- 12, 404, 302, 110,406, 138 , 302
Kalidas and Guru Nanak also used Rope- Snake illusion.
Snake shedding its skin- 549
Jar- clay 155, 229, 190, Jar- akaasa/ vacumn/ sky
Poison- 77, 82
Devadatta – 248, 249, 532
Tirumular , Buddha used it
Mirror – 291
Oldest tamil poet Tolkaappiar also used drop of water on the tip of a grass .
Worm changing into insect-137, 358/ 359 Cocoon – butterfly
Python – 542
Sangam tamil literature described may pythons that devoured mani animals.
Debt to departed souls – 51
Tamil poets mentioned it. Tiru valluvar, Sangam poets Pothiar mentioned it.
Patient – diet – 53
Tiru valluvar mentioned it
Floating wood/log- Purananuru poem 192 in Tamil
GOLD/ JEWELLERY- 262, 361
Tiruvalluvar used it.
Sword of Wisdom – 307, 147
Tirumular, Bharatiyar and Tamil used this.
Crocodile – 84
Tiger- 176, 518
It can be compared with Tirukkural 273
Actor- 291, 555
Tiru valluvar used it
Dream – 285, 170, 171
Desire is fire- 168
These imageries and similes help us to estimate the age or time of a poet or saint.
–subham—
Tags- Viveka Chudamani (VC), similes, imageries , Part 15, Research notes,
Tamil and Vedas 