The Quest for Knowledge

Somewhere around the 8th century, a boy is born to a Namboodari couple in Kaladi. The overjoyed parents name him Shankara. Sadly, the boy loses his father early in life. At the tender age of eight, Shankara leaves home with a desire to be liberated. Considered to be an avatar of Lord Shiva himself, he finds an ideal Guru in Govinda Bhagavatpada. Shankara learns the various doctrines and stays with his Guru for a while.

Still in his teens, the Advaita proponent travels to Central and North India spreading the message “Brahman”, the absolute reality. There he is challenged by Mandana Misra, a distinguished practitioner of the Mimamsa philosophy which emphasizes on the importance of rituals. Shankaracharya requests Misra’s wife Ubhaya Bharati, a lady of great scholarship. to be the judge.

A fierce debate rages on for weeks and months. Finally. Shankaracharya defeats Misra and instructs him to be his disciple. But a surprise awaits him when his wife Bharati tells him that he should defeat her too, as she is the better half of Misra. Shankaracharya agrees.

Bharati asks Shankaracharya questions on pleasures experienced during the union of man and woman; drawing him into the amorous and lustful aspects of human relationships. The sanyasi has no answers and asks for time to get back to her.

Meanwhile, Amaruka, the King of Kashi known for his carnal desires dies. While his disciples guard his body, Shankaracharya’s soul enters Amaruka and the dead king springs back to life. For a few months, the saint experiences the joys of lovemaking. Having learned the subject, Shankaracharya decides to leave. His soul exits the king’s body leaving him dead. The saint returns to his physical form, resumes his debate with Bharati, and gets the better of her. Both husband and wife become his disciples.

The story reveals the extent to which Shankaracharya goes to seek knowledge pertaining to a domain alien to him.

More often than not, we encounter questions falling outside our area of expertise - a new subject altogether. We have no choice but to find the answer as the stakes are high. However difficult it may seem, one must be ready to go to the other end of the world to acquire knowledge.

Uncharted territory though, but a game changer nonetheless.

Pic credit - Quora

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