Thread by @AdiShloka

IISri Adi Śaṅkarācārya-श्री आदि शङ्कराचार्यII
Sōpānaṁ 40 : Śrī Kālahasti, Śeshagiri & Kāñchipuram

Acharya & the group resumed their journey & passing through different lands, They reached Śrī Kālahasti, The Mandirā with the element Air as the Liṅga.

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After worshipping the Bhagavān & Devi at Kālahasti, the group proceeded towards Śeshagiri.

The mountain ranges here resemble ĀdiŚeṣa in a reclining Posture.
The Murti in the Mandirā known variously as Saptagirisha, Venkateshwara,
& the Bhagavān on the banks of Pushkarini,

has been worshipped as Shiva, Vishnu, Devi & Kartikeya at various times in History.
Whatever it may be, everyone felt that Bhagavān Venkaṭāchalapati, residing in the expansive mountain ranges, had a
Divine,
Celestial & Incomparable Splendour.

Some of them asked Acharya about

the identity of the Murti.
Acharya said :

नारायणय नरकंतके पुरंतकाय पुरुषाय भुमरे।
देवये चा तस्ये ललिताम्बिकाय त्रिकार्तिकेय नमोस्तु तस्मय॥

“All Divinity are present in this Form. This Form is the Purusha that is revealed in the Vedas.
So everyone can worship the Form as his

personal beloved form of the Bhagavān.
This Auspicious & Magnificent form of the Bhagavān will be very Powerful in the years to come.”

The Exquisite beauty of Śeshachala fascinated Acharya. From there the entire cavalcade (Digvijaya Vahini) moved towards Kāñchi.

Śrī Kāñchipuram :

Kāñchipuram is said to be the Spiritual Navel of the Earth.
This is one of the Seven Mokshapuris, places that confer Liberation.
There 100s of Divine Mandirās here.
Divine Mother Kāmākṣī,
Ekambareswara
&
Sri Varadaraja Swami :

Shakti Shiva & Vishnu - This Trinity have their abode here.
It was then ruled by Pallava dynasty who frequently quarrelled with Chalukya Kings.
When Nandivarma Pallava, the King of Kāñchi, heard that Acharya was arriving at Kāñchi along with the Chalukya King, Sudhanwa,

he came to receive them with the royal escort. Acharya blessed the King.
Acharya stayed at the ancient Ekamravanam outside the city where divine Mother herself performed austerity.
Divine Mother Kāmākṣī is the Devi of Kāñchi.
As the people led Unrightfully life, the Devi had

assumed a fierce form.
Acharya, The Master of Brahmavidya, also took steps to reform the traditions of Upāsanā one by one.
If the Path of Worship & the Murtis are not Pure,
The Mind of the Seeker will Not be Established in the Satvaguna
&
such a Mind will not attain Jñāna.

The Bhagavān has declared in Đ Gītā :

सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं।

Several Vidyas (methods) have been mentioned in the Upaniṣhads to make us ripe for Self-Knowledge.

Therefore Acharya decided to propitiate the Devi Kāmākṣī.
King Nandivarma Pallava made d necessary arrangements.

Tantriks were brought & Acharya gave them proper instructions.
There are Two Categories of Tantra : Kowja & Samaya.

Acharya instructed that the Vāmāchāra Kowja is not auspicious,
& that Tantra must be practised in accordance with the Vedas without compromising Ethics.

Sureshvara told Padmapada, “Padmapadacharya! Our Acharya knows everything.
There is nothing that he does not know.
The Devi of Knowledge is always at his service.
नमो नमः सद्गुरुभय।
Acharya wrote a book called ‘प्रपञ्चसार~Prapañcasāra’ as a guide to help the worshippers & to

Purify Tantric practices.

Acharya made them install a Yantra in the Garbhagṛha of Kāmākṣī Devi.
Not only that,
The 8 Kalis who go out & receive the sacrificial offerings made to Kāmākṣī, were bound by Mantras,
&
placed in the 8 directions of the Sriyantra, within d precincts

of the Mandirā.
Kāmākṣī is ‘Parabrahmamahishi’, a term for Mahāmāya. She is one who destroys Kāmā (Desire).
The Bhagavān who is realised only when Desire (Kāmā) is destroyed is ‘Kāmeshwara.
When Desire (Kāmā) is turned towards Paramātmā,
it is Bhākti or experience of D Divine.

Then the Desire pertaining to the World get Destroyed.
That is the End of Desire.
The End of Kāmā is Kāmā-Koti.
The Word ‘Koti’ means ‘End’.

In ShivaKāñchi,
The Mandirā of Ekambareswara was renovated & homes for Brahmins were constructed on all Four sides.

The Divine Murti of

Varadaraja Swami in VishnuKāñchi was also renovated & daily worship was established.

Debate in Kāñchi :

Here too a debate took place in a large assembly where many great scholars participated.
Đ Sougatas,
Kshanikavijnavadis
&
Đ Vainasikas from the Buddhists,
&
Đ Digambaras

& The Swetambaras from the Jains presented Sunyavada,
Kshanikavijnanavada,
Syadvada & other such theories.

A Charvaka told Acharya,
“When alive, one must take care of the Body with proper Nourishment & Exercise.
This life alone is True.
There is no Life hereafter. One who lives

comfortably & dies, is the Liberated one.”

Acharya replied, “Aha! It is all pleasing to hear. But the Body is indeed the result of Kārma.
So it lives according to Kārma ; courts diseases, & dies, all according to Kārma".

3 types of illusions are embedded in it :

~ Atmavabhranti : Đ Illusion that the Body is the Self,
~ Gunadanabhranti : Đ Illusion that it can always remain healthy by exercises,
~ Doshapanayabhranti : Đ Illusion that it is possible to Eliminate all its Defects.

“ A person was tending a number of goats ~ some white &

some black.
The black goats, which were Stronger, Snatched away the food of d White goats & became Healthier.
The Man took away the goats that prided themselves as Healthier, & sacrificed them.
This was all that was Achieved.
Although one remains healthy, Death comes in the end.

However much the Body is nurtured,
However much its Health is taken care of,
No one can ward off Disease, Old age, etc,.

All Material achievements end in Death, like the sacrificial goats.
Those who do Not know the Self beyond Death are indeed Pitiable.”

In this manner,

Acharya gradually awakened them.
Acahrya did not merely Defeat them in debate, But also showed them the Path to Liberation with great Compassion.

Those who accepted the authority of the Vedas easily accept the doctrine of Self-Knowledge, as well as Advaitic Knowledge.

Acharya himself said,

अति गंभीर मध्यम आत्मायथात्मयं मुक्तिबंधन अग्रमंतरेन उत्प्रेक्षितुमपि अश्क्यं।

“ It is Impossible for the Human Intellect without the help of the Agamas ( Upaniṣhads ) to even infer d deeply Profound
& Enlightening Knowledge that expounds the real Nature

of Đ Self & Liberates”.
Đ Buddhists have spoken about d illusionary & dream-like nature of d World & its Misery,
They stopped short of d Ultimate Reality of Đ Self,

Hence Gaudapāda remarks:
नैतात बुद्धेना भाषीतम।

“Buddha has not spoken clearly about d Principle of Đ Self”.

Listening to such advice,Đ Mīmāṃsakas developed genuine interest in Vedānta.

After this Vādasabha, all d scholars invited Acharya to be seated on a hallowed Peetha & Worshipped him as “Sarvajñā” ~ Đ All Knowing One.

Thus ends the Fortieth Sōpānaṁ.

Iओम् तत् सत्I
IOm Tat SatI