The
Kamakoti Peetam
Kanchipuram,
India
Madhavendra Saraswati was the Shankaracharya
of Kanchi – the one who bore the light of the Adi Shankara down the ages from
eighth century. He was the closest parallelism to the catholic pope in Vedantic
branch of Hinduism yet, he couldn’t have been more different from the pope. His
home was an ancient one room apartment at the Kanchi Math and his belongings
were a floor rug made of dried twigs, an earthen tumbler, a stick that went
well over his head and a sac full of clothes and daily needs. For clothes, he
wore a loincloth and an angavastram. For one hour a day, he would sew clothes
for the deities with his own hands which were sold in market and for which he
was paid five rupees a day. For one hour, he would oversee the accounts of the
instiution, for which he was paid ten rupees a day. His third duty was taking
care of two cows at the Gaushala cowshed in which, he spent two hours a day. He
was paid twenty rupees for this task. In addition, he performed daily pujas at
the temple for two hours, met people for one hour and taught Vedas to the
students for one hour. For this, he was provided a luxury of free stay and
conveyance. For the rest of day, he would be allowed to spend time on his
personal wish. He would usually read, meditate, sleep or do his daily chores in
this time. He was given fifty days of paid leave in a year when he could make
journeys. On his excursions, he was allowed three staff –a driver, an umbrella
man and a flag bearer, who bore his flag with the Sanskrit epitaph :
‘Dharmorakshati rakshita’ – protected righteousness protects.
Shankara sat in his room on the straw mat with his
legs folded in lotus posture ready to receive people who had come from around
the world to meet him. “There is a teacher with a group of students.” He said
to his attendant. “Tell him that I only want to meet him with the student who
comes from deserts of the west. Rest of them, I will meet tomorrow.”
It was the second day of Prof. Kalia’s sabbatical with
his students. As he waited outside the seer’s room for a hearing, the attendant
announced –“A teacher who comes with a student from the deserts of the west.”
Kalia gestured Burak to move in. He told rest of the
students to wait.
As Burak entered the room, he was astonished. He saw
that the seer with an unintelligible name, who he was told was also called
Shakara of Kanchi, and whom for the ease of conversation, they had all
shortened to Kanchi was a face that looked so familiar, that he was in a
dilemma as to where he had seen him.
Madhavendra Saraswati saw the look om Burak’s face. He
smiled and asked them to sit. As they sat,
the seer rose up and approached Burak and touched his head as he said,
“I’ll solve your problems.”
As he touched him, he saw flashes of the past in his mind. He saw his circumambulation of the Ka’aba
turn into a garden with people walking with him. In a flash, he saw the seer
pass him with a group of people following him. As he chanted, he turned around
and smiled at him, before vanishing into a milky white light.
Burak’s eyes widened. He saw the seer smiling before
him. He couldn’t speak anything.
By now Kanchi had moved on to Kalia. “ I am leaving on
vacations tomorrow for Rishikesh. You can accompany me with your group. I shall make the arrangements for you if you
say. It is an unanticipated leave.”
As he opened his mouth to speak, the seer spoke before
him, “come you must.”
Kalia closed
his mouth. He had nothing left to say. It would be difficult to re-plan
everything, especially since the students were there with him, but he would
have to do it anyways.
Burak looked around him. This place was completely
strange for him. It was getting chokingly fragrant –all his senses were
awakened. However his sixth sense knew another thing – it was the time for his
evening prayers.
Shankara understood what was in Burak’s mind and asked
Kalia mildly, “I want to talk to your student alone.” Kalia bowed and left the
room. He dispersed the attendant
thereafter.
“We will do the oblations before the prayers Burak.”
He said as he offered him water.
As burak started his prayers, he felt his surroundings
change once again. Madhavendra was by his side, praying with him – his attire
miraculously changed. After he finished, Burak turned toward the seer and saw
him sitting in meditation.
He was outraged.
“What was all that?” he barked.
“I was just praying along with you.” The seer
answered.
“You were praying my way.” Burak said.
“I don’t even know a word of the language you were speaking.” Shankara
smiled. “If you saw something, maybe it was an indication from the god that he
sees all the prayers the same.”
Shankara was smiling at him all the time. “Our time is
over, I’ll meet you tomorrow morning now.” He said calmly.
Burak stormed out of the room in disbelief.
