HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS : 20-4.

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20. Sankara Jayanthi-4.

The Founder of the School of Monastic philosophy,  Who is regarded as the Avatara of Lord Shiva.


His victory over other systems of philosophy was not due to a stubborn grip onto his own faith and reasoning without considering the pros and cons of others.

He had mastered even the minutest intricacies of the other theories.

The underlying currents of his thoughts were the foundations of the other systems.

It is for this reason alone that his philosophy was recognized with much reverence by all the other schools of thought, despite differences in their superstructure.


The secret of his conquest and the charm therein lay in his most apt and reasonable illustrations in every case.

He never based his arguments on theoretical axioms and untestified hypotheses, but entirely on integral experience.

Further, all his arguments were based upon the Vedas as well, which are genuine and authoritative.


Shankara never entered into hot discussions to substantiate his case or disprove others’ theories.

With his gigantic intellect he poured out his masterly exposition in simple and clear terms with the same supreme authority of the Gita, Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras, the self-evident validity of the Sruti Pramana, and so on.


Swami Sivananda
 To be continued  .....


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