87.2 Sri Shankara Charitham by Maha Periyava – Final liberation

Final liberation

For people like Suka, there are no systems, rules or regulations.

Among the four stages of life, Sanyasam [संन्यासम् –renunciation] is the last. Therefore, it also has rules. There are many (rules) as to what should be done and what should not be done. Suka was beyond rules since he lived as a person who had realized the ultimate truth – as a Brahma Swarupa [ब्रह्मस्वरूप]. He had gone to a stage beyond the Sanyasa Ashrama [सन्यास आश्रम]. For people who have gone beyond the Sanyasashrama there are no rules of caste, or the need to observe the traditions or dictates of Sastra (Aachara) etc. Such people are called ‘Ativarnashrami’ [अतिवर्णाश्रमि], having gone beyond the ashramas, caste order, etc. They are also called, ‘Atyaashrami’ [अत्याश्रमि].  If one has gone beyond ashrama, he must have also gone past the caste order.  Therefore, it is enough to refer to them in this way (Atyashrami instead of Ativarnashrami).

In the Guru tradition, there is a convention of mentioning the name of Dattatreya [दत्तात्रेय] after Dakshinamurthy and before Mahavishnu. The Guru tradition goes thus: Dakshinamurthy, who is the formless Supreme One [परब्रह्मम्], then Datta(atreya) – the combined form of Trimurti, followed by Mahavishnu and Brahma who are part of the triumvirate.  Shiva, the one omitted among the triumvirate, is already included as Dakshinamurthy.  Later in the very middle of this tradition – like the pendant made of precious gem in a necklace – comes Adi Sankara Bhagavat Pada who is Siva himself.

(I) was coming to say that the other person in the Guru Parampara, who was a Ati Varnashrami like Suka, was Datta.  Although he was an amalgam of the triumvirate, unlike Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu and Brahma, who are deities, he (Datta) moved around in the material world as an Avadhoota Sanyasi (अवधूत संन्यासी).  When we say, ‘Sanyasi’, he was not like the usual Sanyasashrami but had similarly given up all his possessions and was always wandering. Actually, he was also not tonsured nor was wearing ochre robes which normally applies to sanyasis, but was Ativarnashrami with matted hair, as a Digambara.

The Ativarnashrami, who is ever experiencing Brahmam within himself, can have any kind of outward appearance.  He can even be a king, ruling over his citizens; He could reside in the same place throughout his life.  He can do anything.  However, Datta and Suka were not like that; like Sanyasis, they had given up all their possessions. They were wandering all the time, without staying put in one place.  As mentioned in the beginning of the sloka, “yam pravrajantam” [यं प्रव्रजन्तम], Suka had undertaken the lifestyle, exclusive to Sanyasis [ परिव्राजक वृत्ति – conduct of not staying in one place, but always moving to another].  So also was Dattatreya.

Among people who can be respected as teachers of Supreme knowledge, are the four brothers of Sanaka [सनकः], Sanandana [सनन्दनः], Sanaatana [सनातनः] and Sanatkumara [ सनत्कुमारः].  Together, these four are referred to as ‘Kumaaraavataara’ [कुमारावतार], one of Bhagavan’s (Vishnu’s) 24 incarnations.  The reason for calling as “Kumara” is that the name of the last of the four is Sanat ’Kumara’.  Another reason is that they are the four sons who are the first off-springs of Brahma – that is, Brahma ‘Kumaras’.  He had created them from his mind [मानस पुत्राः], instantly by his thought. The third reason (for calling as Kumara avataram), is that they remained young forever.  Dakshinamurthy and Suka remain young always.  We call Markandeya, as “Enrum Padhinaru” [என்றும் பதினாறு-forever sixteen].  Whereas these Sanakadi four, remain as five- year old children – Kumaras – forever, without even reaching the stage of being young. Like Suka, they too were not aware of the distinction between male and female and had taken to the Nivrutti [निवृत्ति] mode immediately after birth and became persons of great spiritual wisdom. They had also blessed others with Spiritual wisdom.  When we perform Vyasa puja in the Matam following to the Advaita [अद्वैत] tradition, puja is done to all those who come in the Guru Parampara. They are made into groups of five – panchakam [पञ्चकम्] and puja is performed to them; in each group, all the five are connected to each other.  One of the panchakams for which puja is performed comprises of the Sanakadi four we had talked about just now, along with another Guru called, Sanatsujatha [सनत्सुजातः].  These people also had not gone with the Sastras and had not taken to Sanyasashrama.   They did not have tonsured heads and ochre robes.  They were ever roaming unclothed, just like Suka and Datta.  As they were small children, even common people did not find it wrong.  They should also be included in the Ativarnaashramis.

On the whole, none in the Guru Parampara – upto Suka and including Suka – had occupied the Sanyasashrama, bound by the rules mentioned in the Smrutis.  Notwithstanding that, since they were personification of spiritual wisdom [ब्रह्मज्ञान-Brahmajnana], they were teachers of sacred knowledge [ब्रह्मविद्या – Brahmavidya].

We had seen that in Kali [yuga], it would not be appropriate to preach the superior knowledge, if one remained a householder.  So it is with Ativarnashrama also.  This is the yuga when people go about claiming themselves and masquerading as Ativarnashrami, without bothering about the permanent blissful divine experience a Ativarnashrami should have, but doing whatever they pleased by choosing selectively only that portion which says that there is no need for them to abide by the traditions. Nowadays we hear such things happening here and there, which pains us. This has led to Ativarnashramis facing mistrust, disrespect and ridicule.  That is why, in Kali, recognizing the fact that Ativarnashramis should not come in the order of Guru Parampara, the tradition of people taking to Sanyasashrama, as a rule, started with Gowdapada.