HariKiṅkara śaṅkaraīśapade

There is no difference between Bhagavan Krishna and His pure self-less devotees, their grace is exactly the same! We can explain this simply by quoting the Gita ‘Prahladachasmi’, ‘Devarshina-chaNarada’, ‘Pandavana Dhanajayah’. Further in the Padma Puran,it's written –‘Sant ah Ninda Namna paramah Aparadham vitanute yad khyati yadam kathyam u sahate tadvigarhaum'.As in the Gita,‘Manusim Tanum Ashritam’.It’s God’s own potency which converts into Nam,Devotees and Guru .There’s no difference between Hari and Harinama as per the scriptural conclusion .As also in Abrahamic faith,the pure son of God Says 'I & My Father Are One!' 'The Word Was God!'

  In the medieval India, the Societal Phenomenons were vicious .Kingdoms were fighting against kingdoms( Including Invaders' attack) ! In the Eastern and North Eastern India, the degraded Buddhism at that time had practically no solution for societal reformation .Mainly in North Eastern India the religion of Tantras had a dangerous influence on masses.Tantric malpractices like animal sacrifice,illicit Sexual union and also,caste based untouchability were considered as of greater religious merits!During the Reconstruction of the Kamakhya temple(Kamroop),more than Hundred human heads were offered to the Goddess!The Saktis of Kamrup such as Dikkaravasini and Tamreswari,all these Deities were celebrated  through sacrificing animals,birds,human skulls;the Mahamaya Goddess is commonly known as the kesaikhaithi-Gosani,the eater of raw human blood and flesh!Human sacrifice was one of the black chapter in the history of Mankind !During that critical time,Srimanta Sankara appeared in the Fifteenth century AD.

  Sri Sankardev never claimed any divinity through his literature;He described himself as a servant of Sri Krishna!In Namghosa and Gurubhatima, SriMadhavdeb described Sankara as a great teacher,friend,Kalpataru of devotees and a part of Lord Narayana.According to the Charits Sri Brahmananda of Baneras(Disciple of Sri Vishupuri) accepted Sankara as Divine .In the Nandi sloka of Rupa Goswami’s Bidagdha Madhava,it’s written–Bhakta vatarena Bhagavaten Sri Sankardeven.It’s hard to conclude wheather it’s Sankardeva or Lord Shiva he referred to ! But,in texts like Laghubhagvatmrita ,Lord Shiva is classified as one of the Purusha and Gunavesha Avataras.Hence, Bhakta vaterna and a single ‘Dev’ can not be applicable to Mahadeva Shiva.As in the famous Bhujanga Prayata–Mahadeva devesa devadideva (Verse 9) !The Great Rupa Gosvami was well versed in all the scriptures !

 

  Here’s I’m not trying to dilute the Servant Position (Krishnar Kinkara Sankara) of Mahapurush Sankara,as it is a great offence to question the conclusion of Saints ! His teachings are indifferent from the conclusions of Sukadeva and Sridhara .But ,Still Sankar's eka sarana Bhakti is unique and fulfillment of all other Vaishnava Jalapas. Whatever gunas are present in Krishna ,the same was manifested in Sankara ! Pravabo sarva Vidyam Sarvagyo Jagadishvaro. The Six attributes ofKrishna–namely(Sarajaijya) splendor,fame,power,wisdom,dispassion& wealth were present in Sankara. Further 64 qualities of Krsna written in the puranas were manifested in His devotee Sankardev too . Like Krishna,Sankara was also a master of musical instruments,He even  introduced a new form of Dance (Sattriya) and Music (Borgeet) with different ragas and Talas!Sankara was a poet,a playwright ,a painter, a philosopher,importantly a social reformer too !From a Spiritual  dress code to an architecture of prayer houses,his polymath attributes are unique ! It's he who wrote‘Karatala-kamla' just at the age of 12; Gunamala,the condensed form of the Bhagavata was written by Him just over a single night. His physical strength was unparalleled ,the young Sankara could swim all across River Brahmaputra in rainy seasons (6th Indian Longest River) ,his might is well discussed in the charitas through the leelas such as Sandha mardana.He traveled all over India for twelve long years and even in his hundredth year he traveled for six months .His dispassion was great,many example are there -rejecting the post of Dekagiri Gomasta (post of the chief of the Bhuyan clan),equal to the Brahmanas and sudras,unattached by worldly miseries even when His own family member was beheaded by the Ahom King !His Bodily attributes are written in the Guru Bhatima(Madhavdeva's work) ,so all these qualities are none other than those of Sri Hari himself ! 

 

Brahmanas,Kayasthas,Kaibartas,naga,miki,Bhutiya,Garo,Muslim people from all different background found Dharma in Sankara’s Eka sarana. He was a master in language too,composed poetry in three languages- Brajavali,Assamese(kamrupi) and Sanskrit .Under his direction ,the famous Bridavani Vastra (now preserved in V& A Museum London &M.G Paris Museum) was woven in sixteenth century !Why only 15th/16th Century personalities !Sankara’s teachings has influenced many modern era scholars,writers ,reformers and freedom fighters. As in Mahatma Gandhi's view :

 ''A great Vaisnava revival under Sankardev in the sixteenth century has made Assamese people kindly, tolerant and humane. There is no sign anywhere of that form of untouchability which is to be found in South India. Assam, indeed, is fortunate for Sankardev has five centuries back, given the Assamese people an ideal, which is also the ideal of Ram-Rajya.''

 

  But Sankara claimed neither any divinity nor demand any worship for Him ! It’s only Krishna whom the Mahapurushia Vaishnavas worship via Sravana Kirtana in the association of other devotees , As in Srimad Bhagavata- 

  ‘ Yatha Tarumulenesechaena triptanti tat skandahbhujohpasakha

     Pranoupaharasha yathaindriyanang tatheba Sarvarhanaachuyutenga.

The Uniqueness of Srimanta Sankardeva is that He grants the Dasya Hari Bhakti (Devotion) to the Vaishnavas. The best example is that of Sri Madhavdeva,who was originally a Sakta Tantravadi ,upon Sankara’s grace he became a celibate devotee of Sri Krsna. There are many other examples ; He who can Grant unselfish pure devotion can’t be an ordinary mortal !  May he grant us the Rasamayi Hari Bhakti . 

 

Guptam Hari yashachaiba vipulam kirti devatam

 Hari Sankara rupen nija Bhakti pracharyate (Kurukhetra)

       

Dharma sangsthapanarthay sambhabami Yuge Yuge ( Bhagvat Geeta)

Sravana Kirtana Bhakati Pradhana

Prakash koila Sankara ( Ananta Kandali's Kumar Haran)

Sankarese Suddhamat  Ishvara Bhaktir Tatva

Pracharila Shastrasar Jani (Madhavdeva's Namghosa)

yad yad vibhutimat sattvam
srimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam
mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam ( Bhagvata Geeta)

                                        

                                        Guru Asana of a Satra (Bhagavata Altar)

                        Courtesy : Narua Kuji Satra,Marigaon.. 

Painting Courtesy :

Wikisource ,Citra Bhagavata illustration Satriya School, Assam, c. 1539 A.D.