Rajesh Pathak
Adi Shankaracharya did many incomparably great works for Hinduism and more particularly for nation at large, and one of them being establishing of four Mathas (religious shrines) in the four different directions of the country viz. Rameshwaram, Dwarka, Badrinath and Jagannathpuri. What can better underline their significance than these words of Mahatma Gandhi, “Our seers in the ancient time constructed Setubandh (Ramsetu) in the south; created Jagannath in the east ; in the north they built Haridwar. They all were established for the pilgrims. But do you know why? You will agree that they (seers) were no ignorant. They knew that God could be worshipped at home also. They learnt that who have realised the truth, Ganga flows in his heart. But they visualised that the nature did create Bharatvarsha as an indivisible nation. Therefore, after contemplation they had understood that Bharatvarsha is a nation. And only keeping this in view they established sacred places in the different parts of the Bharat.”(Mahatma Gandhi: Hind Swaraj, Chapter 9)
Yet this is not all. His life has lot to teach, one can learn what he or she wants to learn from it. Though many legends are linked with his life but one that just sparks the conscience of an individual to the realisation is regarding so-called caste-based purity and impurity. This goes as follows: One day when along with his disciples Shankaracharya was on his way to take routine daily bath in Ganga he came across a Chandala (out-caste) heading towards him in utter insolence, with his four dogs in a row behind him. Afraid lest he should be defiled by his contact, Shankaracharya yelled, “O Chandala! Away—move yourself away to make the way for us.” Discerning the intention of Shankaracharya, Chandala answered, laughing aloud derisively, “Whom are you saying to move—soul or physical body? Soul is all pervading and immutably pure by nature. Therefore neither it can be moved nor can anybody be defiled by it. If you are calling body to move then, being inert, how could it do so itself? And, moreover, in what manner your body is different from the other ones’? You are falsely proud of yourself being steadfast in union with Brahma (Super-Being). Metaphysically is there any distinction between Brahmin and Chandala? Is the image of Sun formed in the water of Ganga different from the one formed in the wine? Is it your Brahmagyan (divine wisdom)?”
Hearing these eye-opening sermons from Chandala, Shankaracharya got stunned and ashamed of himself. It occurred to him that it must be a Devlila (an act of God) to teach him what the true realisation of Divinity is. And, then and there he began to pray before Chandala—“Who knows all beings one and equal, and behaves accordingly—He only is my Guru. I pay many-many salutations to His feet!” Suddenly, Chandala and dogs disappeared and Shankaracharya saw Divine-being, Mahadev (Shiva), appeared before him, showering his blessing on him.
