Sanyasam of sankaran (Adi Sankara)

SANYASAM

Adi sankara, born as Sankaran to Sivaguru and Aryambal knew he has to take to sanyas but could not do so, because of the importance he gave to the plea of his mother, as she wanted him to support the family, in the absence of his father.    Sivaguru, father of sankarar died, when sankarar was only four years old, which the astrologers' of the period had predicted.   Sankaran duly joined a gurukula and learnt all by the age of eight. He came back to Kaladi, after the gurukula and helped his mother at her advanced age.  Aryambal wanted to conduct the marriage for Sankaran but he did not like the idea.  He was not only born as a son to sivaguru family to fulfill their aspirations and had in his mind the service to whole mankind.   At that period, veda marga had a setback and people lived with various beliefs thinking that this life is eternal and left the path of veda marga and lived as they liked.    There were religions who could not firmly answer whether  a strong yes or a strong no to presence of atma.  Their spiritual practices were very weird.  Such religions were opposed to Veda Marga.  Brahma and the devas knowing this approached Siva the Dakshinamoorthy and said to him about the danger that was engulfing the veda marga.      Lord Siva decided to accede to the request of the brahma and the devas and decided to be born as a avathara purusha.  Thus, while fulfilling the request of Sivaguru and his wife, he himself was born as Sankara to them.   Hence sankara born for guiding people to the right path and veda marga did not like to get married and wanted to take sanyas.  He was also telling his mother that he would like to take sanyas.  But sankara was firm that he would take sanyas with the permission of his mother only and did not want to set an example as a boy not doing what the mother said.   Days rolled by and Agasthiyar and Naradhar were wondering why sankara was not taking to sanyas and delaying the same.   They would take roopa of a Brahmin and meet and ask Sankara why he was delaying the prupose of the avadhara and it was time that he started early the same. Even as Sankara was persisting his mother about taking to sanyas, one day he performed a miracle making people around wondering who this boy was?  One day, Sankara took his mother to Poorna nadhi for taking bath and she felt tired and could not walk due to her age and felt the river was far away, though it was nearer only.   Seeing this, Sankara made her to take rest under a tree and even after that as she walked could not reach the river as she felt tired again.   This time, Sankara signed through his eyebrow to the river Poorna, and the river changed course and the waters flew towards sankara.   Aryambigai was immensely happy over that and took bath in the river.   Even today, poorna nadhi is near Kaladi and can see the change of course of water.    People revered Sankara for the wonder that he had done and knew that he was not an ordinary human being to do that.   People thronged to see Sankara from all over after that and to get his blessings.    Hearing about that, King Satyavanthan, who had no child, came to pray and get the blessings of Sankara and soon he was blessed with a child.  It was not the intention of sankara to perform miracles and to surprise people but wanted the people to turn to Bakthi marga.    So he was performing some miracles now and then to induce the people to take to Bakthi marga.    Even as the days rolled, Aryambigai did not give up the idea of conducting the marriage of sankara and he was firm in his idea of sanyas.   But a day came when aryambigai, had to tell Sankara to take Sanyas.  One day, Aryambigai and Sankara went to Poorna nadhi to take bath.  In the river, Sanakara's leg was held and pulled by a crocodile and Sankara shouted calling his "mother".   Aryambigai asked Sankara what had happened and Sankara told he might get a 'durmarana' a bad death and if he leaves all desires by entering sanyas, he could escape the yama and this would also make her to leave all wordly 'bandha' that is relationships.  You should only help said Sankara.  In her anxiety for sankara to survive death,  she acceded to the request of Sankara and permitte to take sanyas.  Thus he took "Aapath sanyasam".   A wonder happened then, the crocodile holding leg of Sankara took the shape of male and he said he was a Gandharva named Sukkiragi and due to his bad deeds, once Naradha gave a curse to turn into a crocodile.    Naradha also told the Gandharva the curse will be over, when you hold the leg of Lord Siva when bathing in Poorna nadhi,    The Gandhara after prayers to the Lord disappeared.   The people around could not see what was happening.   They only knew that Sankara successfully had come out of the river and escaped the jaws of the crocodile.    

When Aryambigai asked Sankara to come to the house, he replied, that he had already taken Sanyas and told that the entire world was his house and would go in search of a Guru to take to sanyas following the procedure existing at that time.   Aryambigai asked sankara that he was her only child, and who would perform the last rites of her.   He said, the moment she thought of him he would appear and do the needful.  

Then he entrusted what little he had and the mother, to the relatives who lived there.   He left Kaladi and went in search of his guru thereafter.


The spot where the river changed course towards Sankara is the place in which the Aarattu of Lord Krishna idol is being done nowadays.    Muthala kadavu (crocodile ghat) is the second ghat and between aarattu spot and sankara mutt.  The third ghat is the place where the final rites where conducted for Aryambigai and the same is within the temple complex of sri sringeri mutt.

The ghat location where aryambigai's final rites were conducted near the poorna river as it is today near the sankara mutt.