AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF SHANKARACHARYA, WHEN
LORD SHIVA TAUGHT A LESSON ON UNTOUCHABILITY.....
One day,while Shankaracharya was returning from his morning
ablutions from Ganga in the early hours of dawn, a low cast
hunter(chandala means dog meat eater) was seen blocking his
way with his four dogs, a pot containing meat in his hand.
Shankara and his disciples accosted him and asked him to to
move away, to give way. Others are not supposed to touch a
Swamiji after taking bath. The nonchalant Chandala asked
what it was that Shankara wanted to move away from
the path -- the chandala's body or his soul ?
ablutions from Ganga in the early hours of dawn, a low cast
hunter(chandala means dog meat eater) was seen blocking his
way with his four dogs, a pot containing meat in his hand.
Shankara and his disciples accosted him and asked him to to
move away, to give way. Others are not supposed to touch a
Swamiji after taking bath. The nonchalant Chandala asked
what it was that Shankara wanted to move away from
the path -- the chandala's body or his soul ?
Chandala told," If it is body, my body which you want to keep
distance, is made up of Pancha Bhuthas(Five Elements),
so also your body. If it is soul,which is Pure Awareness that is
present in me is present in you also.You have established that
same Pure Awareness is present in all living beings.Then why
do you ask me to move away & not to touch you ? Is there any
difference in the reflection of sun in the water of holy Ganges
and that which is reflected in a dirty pool in the street of
Chandalas ?"
distance, is made up of Pancha Bhuthas(Five Elements),
so also your body. If it is soul,which is Pure Awareness that is
present in me is present in you also.You have established that
same Pure Awareness is present in all living beings.Then why
do you ask me to move away & not to touch you ? Is there any
difference in the reflection of sun in the water of holy Ganges
and that which is reflected in a dirty pool in the street of
Chandalas ?"
Shankaracharya immediately recognised his folly ,
seeing the Absolute, even in the lowliest of the lowly and
recognising the hunter as no ordinary person fell to his feet.
Chandala vanished from the view & there appeared Lord
Shiva in front of Shankara.He blessed Shankara and directed
him to eradicate all false,superstitious ideologies from the
society.
This incident made Shankara to compose five verses
on the spot, saying that whoever he be, who exhibited such
equanimity in perception was indeed his GURU,even though
he may be a Chandala.Thus establishing that there were no
distinctions in the Pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
ie, SOUL. The five verses are called MANEESHA
PANCHAKAM(meaning five slokas of faith & conviction)
You can read MANEESHA PANCHAKAM at--
seeing the Absolute, even in the lowliest of the lowly and
recognising the hunter as no ordinary person fell to his feet.
Chandala vanished from the view & there appeared Lord
Shiva in front of Shankara.He blessed Shankara and directed
him to eradicate all false,superstitious ideologies from the
society.
This incident made Shankara to compose five verses
on the spot, saying that whoever he be, who exhibited such
equanimity in perception was indeed his GURU,even though
he may be a Chandala.Thus establishing that there were no
distinctions in the Pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
ie, SOUL. The five verses are called MANEESHA
PANCHAKAM(meaning five slokas of faith & conviction)
You can read MANEESHA PANCHAKAM at--
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