It is clear that the saint Adi Shankara had a special place in his heart for Srisailam ( temple town in Andhra Pradesh). He composed a 100 verses on Lord Shiva called "Shivananda Lahari". Being a devotional work, it essentially talks about Shiva's exploits. Needless to say, Kailasa, the eternal abode of Lord Shiva is mentioned in these verses. Apart from Kailasa, there is no explicit mention about any other place. We can indirectly interpret a verse here or a verse there, to perhaps refer to places like Mylapore and Mayuram. But no definite confirmation is possible. In such a work, one particular place is singled out for special mention - Srisailam. Like a pendant in a necklace, exactly at the center of the 100 verse composition, in verse 50 and verse 51, Shankara talks about Srisailam. The placement of these two verses is not casual. It is as important as the Chapter 9 is to the Geeta with 18 chapters or "namah shivaya" is to the Vedic hymn Shri Rudram- bang at the center! It cannot be overlooked. It is said that Adi Shankara composed the Shivananda Lahari at Srisailam.
Lord Shiva at Srisailam is called Mallikarjuna. This temple is part of a triad of temples- in each of which, the "sthala vriksha" (temple-tree) is the "Arjuna" tree. Hence, the trailing "Arjuna" associated with the names in the three places. The Arjuna tree itself gets its name from the Pandava Prince Arjuna, who is said to have propitiated Lord Shiva at Srisailam. While Shiva is called "Mallikarjuna" at Srisailam, we have "Madhyarjuna" at Tiru-idai-marudur (close to Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu) and "Pudarjuna" at Tiru-pudai-marudur (Tirunalveli, Tamil Nadu). In Tamil, "marudu maram" is the name of the "Arjuna Tree". Hence, the similar sounding names.
While Srisailam is on the banks of the River Krishna, Tiruvidaimarudur is on the banks of the River Kaveri and Tiru-pudai-marudur is on the banks of the River Tamraparani. A closer scrutiny on the selection of the rivers throws an interesting point. Krishna is "black" in color. Tamra is "red". Kaveri can be taken as "white". In Hindu iconography, these 3 colors are significant and well known. "White" stands for "knowledge/intelligence" (satva), "Red" stands for "activity" (rajas) and "Black" stands for "cessation of both knowledge and activity, a state of stillness" (tamas). These 3 colors represent the "three gunas"- and the entire "material world" is often explained as a combination of these three basic building-blocks- "intelligence-activity-stillness". Through the selection of these 3 rivers, it's as if Shiva exists as the Lord of the gunas, who throws out the entire material world....from his own being. He lords over the gunas, transcends them as it were, as the "indwelling spirit" and "enlivens" the material world...from the tiny microbe to the mighty man!
Adi Shankara found the shiva-linga at Srisailam beneath the Arjuna tree. A mallika-creeper entwined itself around the shiva-linga and the Arjuna tree. A bee buzzed around the mallika-flower. Shiva and Shakti exist as one composite whole: inseparable from each other. If He is the Arjuna tree, She is the Mallika creeper twirled around Him. If He is the Mallika-flower, She is the bee, buzzing around Him. Shiva is "Mallikarjuna" and Shakti is "Bhramaramba" (bee!) at Srisailam.
In the Shivananda Lahari, in verse 50, Adi Shankara compares Shiva to a Mallika flower and Shakti to a bee. Each epithet in this verse can be interpreted in both ways. It fits equally well for the flower-bee pair as well as for Shiva-Shakti pair! Such is the mastery of the poet. In verse 51, Shiva is compared to a drone (male-bee) and Shakti to a female-bee. Again, the epithets lend themselves for a dual interpretation. Verse 50 ends with "Seve shri giri mallikarjuna mahalingam shivaalingitam"- I worship that Mallikarjuna who is ever present at Srisaila (shri giri) and who is hugged by Shivaa (Shakti). Verse 51 ends with "shrishaila vaasee vibhuh"- I worship that Shiva who has a general-presence everywhere (vibhuh)....... and when it comes to Srisailam, he not only has a general presence, but a special-presence too! The interested reader can look up these verses.
The temple at Srisailam is pretty. About a half-hour of curvy roads takes us to the hilltop with the temple. All around us are rolling hills framed with copious vegetation. Down below, in the valley, is the River Krishna. What should have been a river in full, majestic flow, now stands arrested by the dam built over it. It is sad. Today, pilgrimage centers are such. They are overrun with people and haphazard urbanization has reduced many of them to a piteous state, where cleanliness and aesthetics take the last possible seat. The mind has to connect the dots...and imagination has to come to our rescue to restore the grandeur that these places once had.
The temple is compact- the outer wall is fort-like and filled with bas-relief work of elephants and depictions of Shiva. The carvings are age-old, but there appears to be a recent effort to catalogue the stone-tiles. A few of the carvings are labeled- "Shiva with Chandra and Surya" and "Ardhanareeshvara". The majority stand unlabeled.
Once inside the temple, you head to the main-sanctum. Unlike other temples in the South, you can enter the main garbha-griha. The Shiva Linga is at ground level and submerged to the base, with just a little jutting over it. You can take your own abhisheka jalam, bend down and pour it over the idol and touch your forehead too! As the reader would be aware, this shiva-linga is part of the "12-jyotir lingas" which dot the length and breadth of the country. In addition, Srisailam is also one of the 52 Shakti-Peethas. The combination- the seat of the jyotir-linga and a Shakti-peetha makes Srisailam unique.
At Tiruvidaimarudur, (mentioned earlier) the linga is actually "mahalinga"- gigantic. Not so at Srisailam. The linga is small. But then, the Lord is "anor-aniyaan" (smaller than the smallest) as well as "mahato- mahiyaan" (bigger than the biggest)- to show that space and size do not limit Him. He exists as the Subject- the one who lends content to even concepts like space and size.
We pass through other shrines - "Sita worshipping the sahasra-linga" and lingas propitiated by the Pandavas. A series of steps takes us to the shrine of "Bhramaramba"- Devi/Shakti as the "bee". The steady crowd ensures that there's time just for a few seconds- to register the form of Devi with beady-eyes and bedecked with jewels. Adi Shankara composed the "Bhramaramba-Ashtakam" (a set of 8 verses) on this deity. Each verse ends with the refrain "shrishaila sthala vaasineem bhagavateem shri maataram bhaavaye"- I worship that Divine Mother who is ever present at Srisailam".
As we head out of Srisaila, curvy roads soon give way to dense jungle. We head towards Kurnool. The road cuts through the forest, with thick vegetation on either side. This is the "Nallamala" Forest, one of the densest forests in the country. We don't spot any big-game- just hoards of restless monkeys. But the boards on either side of the road tell a different story- this is the home of the tiger, the leopard, the python, the bear and the badger. We don't spot them, but may be, may be, those eyes.... lurking....behind those bamboo trees, have spotted us.....and have allowed us to move on.....just for today!
Our thoughts are still at Srisailam....and with Adi Shankara.
1300 years ago....perhaps a lot more, He visited this place, he sat on this stone, he composed these verses.... and left it for posterity. Today, we get to visit the same place...stand face-to-face with the same idol and have his words on our lips. How long have these temples been standing? How many people have visited them? Generations have come and generations have gone. These temples stand as silent sentinels....stretching from a timeless past. What is human life...such as ours...against that cosmic scale? Just a blip....one faint flicker from a fire-fly....and yet, that fire-fly entertains a hope, a vain hope..... to try and light up the entire night sky!!
P.S -1: The Shankara Vijayam attributed to Vidyaranya mentions Shankara's visit to Srisailam and the Pandava Prince Arjuna's association with the place.
PS-2: Adi Shankara mentions Srisailam in a completely unrelated work- Yoga Taravali. It is clear that he was captivated by the place.
Lord Shiva at Srisailam is called Mallikarjuna. This temple is part of a triad of temples- in each of which, the "sthala vriksha" (temple-tree) is the "Arjuna" tree. Hence, the trailing "Arjuna" associated with the names in the three places. The Arjuna tree itself gets its name from the Pandava Prince Arjuna, who is said to have propitiated Lord Shiva at Srisailam. While Shiva is called "Mallikarjuna" at Srisailam, we have "Madhyarjuna" at Tiru-idai-marudur (close to Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu) and "Pudarjuna" at Tiru-pudai-marudur (Tirunalveli, Tamil Nadu). In Tamil, "marudu maram" is the name of the "Arjuna Tree". Hence, the similar sounding names.
While Srisailam is on the banks of the River Krishna, Tiruvidaimarudur is on the banks of the River Kaveri and Tiru-pudai-marudur is on the banks of the River Tamraparani. A closer scrutiny on the selection of the rivers throws an interesting point. Krishna is "black" in color. Tamra is "red". Kaveri can be taken as "white". In Hindu iconography, these 3 colors are significant and well known. "White" stands for "knowledge/intelligence" (satva), "Red" stands for "activity" (rajas) and "Black" stands for "cessation of both knowledge and activity, a state of stillness" (tamas). These 3 colors represent the "three gunas"- and the entire "material world" is often explained as a combination of these three basic building-blocks- "intelligence-activity-stillness". Through the selection of these 3 rivers, it's as if Shiva exists as the Lord of the gunas, who throws out the entire material world....from his own being. He lords over the gunas, transcends them as it were, as the "indwelling spirit" and "enlivens" the material world...from the tiny microbe to the mighty man!
Adi Shankara found the shiva-linga at Srisailam beneath the Arjuna tree. A mallika-creeper entwined itself around the shiva-linga and the Arjuna tree. A bee buzzed around the mallika-flower. Shiva and Shakti exist as one composite whole: inseparable from each other. If He is the Arjuna tree, She is the Mallika creeper twirled around Him. If He is the Mallika-flower, She is the bee, buzzing around Him. Shiva is "Mallikarjuna" and Shakti is "Bhramaramba" (bee!) at Srisailam.
In the Shivananda Lahari, in verse 50, Adi Shankara compares Shiva to a Mallika flower and Shakti to a bee. Each epithet in this verse can be interpreted in both ways. It fits equally well for the flower-bee pair as well as for Shiva-Shakti pair! Such is the mastery of the poet. In verse 51, Shiva is compared to a drone (male-bee) and Shakti to a female-bee. Again, the epithets lend themselves for a dual interpretation. Verse 50 ends with "Seve shri giri mallikarjuna mahalingam shivaalingitam"- I worship that Mallikarjuna who is ever present at Srisaila (shri giri) and who is hugged by Shivaa (Shakti). Verse 51 ends with "shrishaila vaasee vibhuh"- I worship that Shiva who has a general-presence everywhere (vibhuh)....... and when it comes to Srisailam, he not only has a general presence, but a special-presence too! The interested reader can look up these verses.
The temple at Srisailam is pretty. About a half-hour of curvy roads takes us to the hilltop with the temple. All around us are rolling hills framed with copious vegetation. Down below, in the valley, is the River Krishna. What should have been a river in full, majestic flow, now stands arrested by the dam built over it. It is sad. Today, pilgrimage centers are such. They are overrun with people and haphazard urbanization has reduced many of them to a piteous state, where cleanliness and aesthetics take the last possible seat. The mind has to connect the dots...and imagination has to come to our rescue to restore the grandeur that these places once had.
The temple is compact- the outer wall is fort-like and filled with bas-relief work of elephants and depictions of Shiva. The carvings are age-old, but there appears to be a recent effort to catalogue the stone-tiles. A few of the carvings are labeled- "Shiva with Chandra and Surya" and "Ardhanareeshvara". The majority stand unlabeled.
Once inside the temple, you head to the main-sanctum. Unlike other temples in the South, you can enter the main garbha-griha. The Shiva Linga is at ground level and submerged to the base, with just a little jutting over it. You can take your own abhisheka jalam, bend down and pour it over the idol and touch your forehead too! As the reader would be aware, this shiva-linga is part of the "12-jyotir lingas" which dot the length and breadth of the country. In addition, Srisailam is also one of the 52 Shakti-Peethas. The combination- the seat of the jyotir-linga and a Shakti-peetha makes Srisailam unique.
At Tiruvidaimarudur, (mentioned earlier) the linga is actually "mahalinga"- gigantic. Not so at Srisailam. The linga is small. But then, the Lord is "anor-aniyaan" (smaller than the smallest) as well as "mahato- mahiyaan" (bigger than the biggest)- to show that space and size do not limit Him. He exists as the Subject- the one who lends content to even concepts like space and size.
We pass through other shrines - "Sita worshipping the sahasra-linga" and lingas propitiated by the Pandavas. A series of steps takes us to the shrine of "Bhramaramba"- Devi/Shakti as the "bee". The steady crowd ensures that there's time just for a few seconds- to register the form of Devi with beady-eyes and bedecked with jewels. Adi Shankara composed the "Bhramaramba-Ashtakam" (a set of 8 verses) on this deity. Each verse ends with the refrain "shrishaila sthala vaasineem bhagavateem shri maataram bhaavaye"- I worship that Divine Mother who is ever present at Srisailam".
As we head out of Srisaila, curvy roads soon give way to dense jungle. We head towards Kurnool. The road cuts through the forest, with thick vegetation on either side. This is the "Nallamala" Forest, one of the densest forests in the country. We don't spot any big-game- just hoards of restless monkeys. But the boards on either side of the road tell a different story- this is the home of the tiger, the leopard, the python, the bear and the badger. We don't spot them, but may be, may be, those eyes.... lurking....behind those bamboo trees, have spotted us.....and have allowed us to move on.....just for today!
Our thoughts are still at Srisailam....and with Adi Shankara.
1300 years ago....perhaps a lot more, He visited this place, he sat on this stone, he composed these verses.... and left it for posterity. Today, we get to visit the same place...stand face-to-face with the same idol and have his words on our lips. How long have these temples been standing? How many people have visited them? Generations have come and generations have gone. These temples stand as silent sentinels....stretching from a timeless past. What is human life...such as ours...against that cosmic scale? Just a blip....one faint flicker from a fire-fly....and yet, that fire-fly entertains a hope, a vain hope..... to try and light up the entire night sky!!
P.S -1: The Shankara Vijayam attributed to Vidyaranya mentions Shankara's visit to Srisailam and the Pandava Prince Arjuna's association with the place.
PS-2: Adi Shankara mentions Srisailam in a completely unrelated work- Yoga Taravali. It is clear that he was captivated by the place.
Nicely written. Informative. I had been looking fir three arjun kshetras and read this. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words!!!
ReplyDelete