History and Software
In the last few days, i had a chance to read about Advaita Philosophy and Adi Shankara. Man, i was mighty impressed by this philosophy. I’ve never read about advaita before. Looks like Sankara was far ahead of his times. Much of the credit for reviving Hindusim should go to him.
Later on, I searched for the Mutts apparently established by him and was interested to know the origins and history of those Mutts. This brought me to the origin of Kanchi Mutt.
I’v heard even the venerable Cho mentioning that the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt is about 2500 years old. And then i found some sites which states that Adi Shankara himself was born in 7-8th century AD. My mathematics thus puts the maximum possible Mutt age to about 1400 years.
If indeed it was formed in 4th century BC as the Kanchi Mutt claims, then it could not have been instituted by Adi Shankara.
Moreover there are other theories that suggests that Shankara attained Moksha in Kedarnath and not Kanchi as claimed (by the Kanchi Mutt). The other version also states emphatically that the Kanchi Mutt existed in Kumbakonam as a branch of the Sringeri Mutt.. and parted ways sometime during 1800 s 
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Edhu Unmai? Aahaa, Engengu kaaninum arasiyal!
What is common between history and software?
Well, both gets rewritten often and version control is always a challenge:)
January 21st, 2006 at 7:02 pm
And in both history and software the real people who toiled are often missed out
January 21st, 2006 at 10:07 pm
Regarding politics, you will be surprised at how far it goes. During his Dig Vijayam ,Adi Shankara won the dispute with Kumarila Bhatta, who renounced his Karma Kandic way of life and joined Shankara as a disciple. Kumarila Bhatta was the head of the Karma Kanda sect that believed that Karmic rituals were supreme and were an end in themselves. When Adi Shankara went on hos all-india Dig Vijayam he conquered several folks like these. He is credited with ending a lot of these ritualistic practices and modernizing Hinduism.
The story doesn’t end there - many of Kumarila’s disciples did not get reformed and were still angry about their defeat. Many Advaitins and Vedantic historians say that they pretended to be disciples of Shankara and distorted several of his works (texts) and made the Shankara mutts more ritualistic and Karma Kanda oriented. In tamil it is called “Idai-Serugal” - distortions in the original text made by someone else other than the author.
So you can how far politics extends - but I don’t think that’s grounds for pessimism.
January 22nd, 2006 at 12:17 am
I liked your observation about History and Software. Actually when I saw the title, I was expecting something else :-))
January 22nd, 2006 at 6:37 am
Why History is more complex and harder than a software is because, Software doesnt let in the entire crowd in it. And it has a definitive Version Control. You say its only a challenge, but it has to be achieved. History is free flow. Your blog may be excerpts of History in the future… They may take your words for granted.
History does not change because someone re-wrote it. Software can. After all, you cant change the truth.. and what we believe, just doesnt becomes the real..
January 22nd, 2006 at 8:48 am
balaji,
unmai daan, i shud’ve included that point
rams,
thanks for the info.its not pessimism or something. rewriting history is a universal phenomenon and our sacred religious institutions r no exceptions. thats what i wanted to highlight.
jo,
danks man:)
January 22nd, 2006 at 8:59 am
keerthi,
First things first, history is more challenging ofcourse.
software does let anyone in nowadays. atleast more so than before.. how abt opensource software?
>>your blog may be excerpts of History in the future… They may take your words for granted.
In my opinion, an indivudual’s perspective is that much free from distortion in the long run when compared to an institution’s perspective.
when it comes to version of history propogated by an institution vis a vis the version of an individual, i would go with the latter.
simply bcos, the individual’s perspective is frozen after his lifetime. The chances of it being authentic is more.
the institution’s version is added, modified and deleted by successive people over a course of time. it has its own vested interests.
>>History does not change because someone re-wrote it.
maybe u r talking in the sense the truth is the same. but nobody would know the truth if its re-written.
i will tell u one example. recently MK got Rajaji award and something else related to Krubananda Warriyar and spoke highly of them.
The irony is the same man during their hey days had tormented both Rajaji and Kribananda wariyar. Infact i read somewhere that he had unleashed goondas on waariyar at some point.
if only i had not read that letter, i would’ve believed that things were indeed cordial between MK and Rajaji and Warriyar.
so thats how things work
January 22nd, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt is about 2500 years old great.
January 22nd, 2006 at 9:09 pm
arumai analogy ponga…
January 23rd, 2006 at 8:49 am
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January 23rd, 2006 at 4:47 pm
history can always be questioned but we will nevr find answers that justifies everyone… and the analogy was sooopeer…
January 23rd, 2006 at 8:34 pm
ennaiya ungalukku kalyanathukku parthukittu irukanganu nenaichen…
advaitham…kanchi madam nu….ennamo ponga…ithukkelam innum naal irukku yaa
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:23 pm
jeevan
hehe adhu vera vishayam.
priya
nandri hai:)
NK
exactly.thats why we have so many answers:)
dubukku
adhaan enakku badhila anjelina ambal yavana raani nu suthittu irukeengaley?
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:32 pm
“he Kanchi Mutt existed in Kumbakonam as a branch of the Sringeri Mutt.. and parted ways sometime during 1800 s :(”
my late grandfather who followed these things used to tell the same.
But regarding Adhi Shankara historians still debate on this birth date.
I believe it is before the common era but then i am no historian
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:41 pm
ganesh
me too no historian
but i guess sringeri mutt puts the
Adi shankara date to 7-8th century AD.
Also the benchmark is the time of buddhism. i dont know if buddhism era was before that of Adi shankara
(for he has argued against buddism.its also said he is influenced by buddhism too )
if yes, does that make buddism about much more than 2500 yrs old?
i dont have any conclusive proofs. just that some questions raise their heads
January 24th, 2006 at 1:04 am
yapppov…andha linka padichu thala suthudhu….onga analogy arumai…
January 24th, 2006 at 1:51 am
PK
I am happy you liked the philoshophy of advaita but it doesnt stop there, if only people care to read our indian philosophy ?
Vedanta-I would encourage everyone to read it. Even Swami Vivekananda called it as future religion of mankind just as Dr.Deepak Chopra recommends it
http://www.vivekananda.org/index2.asp
the above link is the right place to start with it.
btw-how did you learn or came to know about these things ?
January 24th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
seri… mudivaa enna daan solraanga?
January 24th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
chakra
hehe. adhai nattamai (read u) dhaan sollanum:D