A Tradition of World Teachers [image: Inline image 2]
The Holy Tradition - painting by Raj Varma "The Shankaracharyas and their devotees have a heightened concern for apostolicity. This concern has an obvious theological implication, for unbroken lineage in Advaita symbolizes the eternal in humankind, in history and in the cosmos. The teaching of the Shankarcharyas is the continuation, it is believed, of Sanatana Dharma in its Advaita expression from generation to generation. The guru of this religious center is the spiritual head of the Danda Sannyasis, numbering over 1,000, and as such engages in the role of a Rajaguru which, as we shall see, distinguishes him from the others." - William Cenkner So, let's review the SBS Parampara: Narayana Padma Bhava Vasishtha Shakti Parashara Badarayana Shudadeva Gaudapapda Govinda Shankara Trotaka Brahmananda Shantananda Vishnudevananda Vasudevananda Are we agreed so far? So,let's review the SBS Parampara: Narayana. An archetypal solar personification of the divine single, imperishable, cosmic, idea. The reality underlying and inhabiting all life, Consciousness, Chit identified with Jaggadishu Vishnu, the symbol of spiritual enlightenment (Gayatri Mantra - Rig III.62,10). Narayana, the Absolute, the Self in solitude, alone existed, in deep meditation on the seat called Sesha. From his hara, issued a lotus called Padma Bhava, the 'Lotus Born', Brahma, the creator of mind, who 'thought' the first thought, in which essentially, every object in existence is a idea in the mind of Brahma. Thus, ours is a universe composed of free thought forms, which is an 'Ideal' existence for Atman. Brahma sat down on the lotus seat and cognized all the mantras and the bijas and with the heat of tapas produced by transcending the most subtle of thought forms, reposed in pure bliss consciousness, sat-chit-ananda. Then, the 'Spirit Naar', came over the waters and Brahma conceived his mind-born sons. Vasishtha. The first historical teacher of the order re-discovered the seventh mandala of Rig Veda (RV VII.18). Author of Yoga Vasishtha, one of two of the holiest books of the order, the other being the Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana. Vasishtha was the first human teacher of yoga and meditation and one of the most prominent rishis of the Vedic tradition. A householder sage, who was married to Arundhati, Vasishtha was one of the mind-born sons of Brahma emanating as vital breath or prana, thus Vasistha is considered to be the founder of the yoga of unity consciousness. Shakti. Daughter of Vasistha, an incarnation of Saraswati. Shakti is not mind-born of Brahma, but freely emanated from the cosmic energy-intelligence-time. She is called auspicious by the wise, but feared by the ignorant. For this age Shakti appeared on Earth as Shiva-Shakti in the form of Nataraja, who performs the cosmic tandava dance, thus becoming the bhagavan who transcended relative duality through performance of action born of unity. Parashara. The teacher of Maitreya, the coming avatar. Parashara, a famous rishi in the Vedas, and the son of Shakti, was the father of Vyasa. Parashara cognized Rig Veda I. 65-75 and IX.97 and received Jyotish from Soma, the moon god. A householder, Parashara was married to Adrishyanti. Badarayana. Son of Shakti, sometimes called Vyasa. Author of Vedanta Sutras, the most famous of the two holy books of the order. A householder, who collected and arranged the scriptures, later became the first sannyasin, and the founder of the Indian system of dialectics based on the Upanishads. Shukadeva. A Sage who studied under Brihaspati. Shuka became a brilliant scholar whose guru was Janaka. Shuka was born under the inspiration a very bright, beautiful, multi-colored parrot, hence the symbol of the order is a rainbow over the tree of knowledge. Shuka was a householder who became a sannyasin and while performing tapas on Mt. Kailash to Lord Shiva, Shuka achieved cosmic consciousness. Shuka was so brilliant that he taught the Vedas, the Srimad Bhagwatam, and the entire Mahabharata to the celestial musicians, the Gandharvas. Gaudapapda Acharya. Author of the famous karika on Mandukya Upanishad, which is based on Arya Asanga's vijnanavada - the consciousness only school. The great Gauda enumerated the turiya, the fourth state of consciousness, which is the coherent basis and applied science of Adwaita Vedanta., The first post-Upanishadic teacher and expositor of the Advaita Vedanta. Govindapada Maha Yogindra. Disciple of Gaudapada, guru of Adi Shankara, did not write any treatises nor commentaries, he taught orally and by example, his reputation resting solely on his achievements as a maha-yogiraj, a teacher of yoga, the highest yoga possible, that is, meditation that is transcendental in its purest form. Adi Shankaracharya. Auspicious incarnation of Lord Shiva. Founder of the Holy Tradition of Masters who make available the whole field of theoretical and practical experience of transcendental consciousness. Founder of the Dasanami Order and author of Brahma Sutra Bhasya. Adi Shankaracarya established four mathas in India, and placed them under the leadership of his four chief disciples. The heads of these four and other monasteries of the Dasanami order have come to be known as Shankaracaryas themselves, in honor of the founder. According to Cenkner, they are the leaders of the ten orders of the Dasanami Sannyasins associated with Advaita Vedanta. The northern Shankaracarya seat is at Jyotirmath (also known as Joshimath) near Badrinath. Shankara reached God Consciousness at Badrinath at age 32. Trotaka Giri Acharya. Direct desciple of Adi Shankara. The first Shankacharya of Jyotirmath, Badrikashram, which is where the Adiguru Shankaracharya attained enlightenment. It was here that Shankara wrote his famous Bhasya on Brahma Sutra. The 'math' at Jyotir was the first math to be established by Shankaracharya. The image of Shri Badri Narayana here is fashioned out of a Saligramam stone. Shri Badri Narayana is seated in yoga posture under the badari tree with Conch and Chakra in two arms in a lifted posture and two more arms rested on the lap in Yoga Mudra. There is a shrine to Adi Sankara, and the procedures of twice daily meditation on the formless Brahman, daily pujas, rituals, and the performance of bhajans, in honor of Lord Naryana performed here on a daily basis have been prescribed by Adi Sankara himself. Brahmananda Saraswati: [image: Inline image 1] Sri Guru Dev, Yogiraj His Divinity Swami Brahmananda Saraswati Maharaj, Jagadguru Shankacharya of Jyotirmath, Badrikashram, Himalayas. Infinitely Bestowed. Worthy of Worship. Vedanta Incarnate and Founder of Yogic Flying based on Siddha Yoga. Supreme Spiritual Guru of the World Plan and Prime Inspiration for construction of the World's Tallest building, New Jyotirmath, based on Stapathya Veda, in order to insure Invincible Peace through Coherent Radiating supported by Ayerved and expressed through Ghandarved - spontaneous activity in support of the three gunas born of nature as experienced in and through the primordial vibration sound current of Sat Naam: "Om Namo Naryana" - the Ordered of Infinity of Ordered So Ordered. On Sun, Jan 5, 2014 at 7:49 PM, Richard Williams <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: > Ati-Rudrabishek - Pandits with Shankaracharya Vasudevanand Saraswati. > > [image: Inline image 1] > > > On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 2:22 PM, Richard Williams <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> Our Spiritual Tradition in Sanskrit Narayanam Padmabhavam Vasistham >> Shaktim cha Tatputra >> Parasharam cha Vyasam Shukam Gaudapadam Mahantam >> Govindayogindram Athasya Shishyam >> Srisankaracharyam Athasya Padmapadam cha >> Hastamalakam cha Shishyam tam Trotakam >> Varttikaram anyan Asmad >> gurn Santatam anato smi >> >> shrutismritipuranam Alayam Karunalayam >> Namami Bhagavatapadam Shankaram Lokasankaram >> >> Shankaram Shankacharyam Keshavam Badarayanam >> Sutrabhashyakritau vande Bhagavantau punah punah >> Yadvarre Nikhilanimpaparishat Siddhim >> Vidhatte 'Nisham Shrimatshrilasitam >> Jagadgurupadam Natvatmatriptim Gatah >> Lokagyanpayodapatnadhuram Shrisankaram Sharmadam >> Bramahanandasaraswatim Guruvarum Dhyayami >> Jyotirmayam >> >> Transliterated from the Sanskrit by Borje Mullquist >> >> nârâyanaM padmabhavaM vashiSThaM shaktim ca tatputra >> parasharam ca vyâsaM shukam gauDapadaM mahântaM >> govinda yogîndra mathâsya shiSyam | >> shrî shankarâcâryamathâsya padmapâdan ca >> hastâmalakan ca shiSyam taM troTakam >> vârtikakâram anyânasmad >> gurûn santatamânato 'smi || >> >> shruti-smRti-purâNânam âlayam karuNâlayam | >> namâmi bhagavat-pâdam shankaraM lokashankaram || >> >> shankaraM shankarâcâryaM keshvaM bâdarâyaNam | >> sûtra-bhâSya-kRtau vande bhagavantau punaH punaH || >> >> yad-dvâre nikhilâ nilimpa-pariSad siddhiM >> vidhatte 'nisham shrîmat-shrî-lasitaM >> jagadgurupadaM natvâtmatRptiM gatâH | >> lokâjñâna payoDa-pâTân-dhuraM shrî shankaram sharmadaM >> brahmânanda sarasvatîm guruvaraM dhyâyâmi >> jyotirmayam || >> >> >> On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 9:39 PM, Richard Williams >> <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: >> >>> Our Mantra Yoga tradition begins with the Lord Narayana, the first >>> meditator, who thought the first thought and set in motion this science of >>> sound vibration. The thought sounds or mantras were cognized in ancient >>> India by the rishis, that is, the seers of the science of sound, the first >>> psychic pioneers of consciousness. >>> In the Mantra Yoga tradition the first yogi was Yajnavalkhya, who >>> cognized the first bija mantra, and passed this teaching to his daughter >>> Shakti. >>> >>> According to the Tantras, bija mantras are shorthand for a complete >>> description of the universe in the mind of Sri Saraswati, the Goddess of >>> Wisdom, Learning and Knowledge. So, sounds, ergo language, was the primal >>> vibration of Vac, that is, the Lord of human speech, who formed the first >>> bija mantras. >>> >>> In a long line of illustrious masters comes this Mantra Yoga tradition >>> from Vasistha and Parashara. >>> >>> So, lets review the TMer sampradaya: >>> >>> The TM teachers puja to SBS clearly states the desciplic succession from >>> Shakti via the Jyotirlinga hence to Badarayana, to Gauda, to Govinda, hence >>> to Shankara, founder of the Jyotirmatha, hence to Trotaka and on down to >>> Brahmanand Saraswati and hence to Shantanand, hence down to Vasudevananda >>> Saraswati, the current Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath. >>> >>> Narayana >>> Padma Bhava >>> Vasishtha >>> Shakti >>> Parashara >>> Badarayana >>> Shudadeva >>> Gaudapapda >>> Govinda >>> Shankara >>> Trotaka >>> Brahmanand >>> Shantanand >>> Vishnudevananda >>> Vasudevananda >>> >> >> >
