Advaita Guru Paramparā
In the Indian religious and philosophical traditions, all knowledge is traced back to the Gods and to the Rishis who saw the vedas. Thus, the advaita guru-paramparā (Lineage of Gurus in Non-dualism) begins with the Daiva-paramparā, followed by the Ṛṣi-paramparā, which includes the vedic seers Vaśiṣṭha, his son Śakti, his son Parāśara, his son Vyāsa, (the famous redactor of the vedas, he is also traditionally identified with Bādarāyaṇa, the composer of the Brahmasūtras), and Vyāsa's son Śuka. After Śuka, we turn to the Mānava-paramparā, which brings us to historical times and personalities.[1]
Guru Parampara Sloka
For Advaita Guru Paramparā (Lineage of Gurus of Advaita), the following well known Sanskrit śloka among Smārtas provides the list of the early teachers of the Advaita Vedānta.,[2][3]
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— अद्वैत गुरु परंपरा स्तोत्रम् |
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— Advaita-Guru-Paramparā-Stotram |
There is another famous sloka of Advaita Guru parampara which is as follows:-
Sada Shiva Samarambham
Sankaracharya Madhyamam
Asmat aacharya Paryantham
Vande Guru Paramparaa
Thus, starting from the Great Lord Shiva, through Sankaracharya and my aacharya, the guru parampara eternally flows….
List of Gurus in Parampara
The above advaita guru paramparā verse salute the prominent gurus of advaita, starting from Nārāyaṇa/Shiva through Adi Sankara and his disciples, up to the Acharyas of today. The paramparā thus lists:
- Nārāyaṇa/Sadashiva
- Padmabhuva (Brahmā)
- Vaśiṣṭha
- Śakti
- Parāśara
- Vyāsa
- Śuka
- Gauḍapāda
- Govinda bhagavatpāda
- Śankara bhagavatpāda
- Padmapāda, Hastāmalaka, Toṭaka, Vārtikakāra (Sureśvara) and others (i.e., the disciples of these four).
Yuga
Each Yuga has its own gurus or Acharyas:[4]
- In the Satya or Krata Yuga: Lord Narayana, Lord Sadashiva and Lord Brahma.
- In the Treta Yuga: Vasishta Maharishi, Shaktri Maharishi and Parashara Maharishi.
- In the Dvapara Yuga: Veda Vyasa and Sri Shuka Acharya
- In the Kali Yuga: Sri Gaudapada Acharya, Govinda Bhagavatpada charya, Shri Shankarāchārya, and the subsequent lineage.
References
- ↑ http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/advaita-parampara.html
- ↑ http://www.vidya-ashramvidyaorder.org/index.V.html | Under Page: BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ABOUT SANKARA AND GAUDAPAD
- ↑ Book: Shri Gowdapadacharya & Shri Kavale Math (A Commemoration volume). P. 38.
- ↑ Book: Shri Gowdapadacharya & Shri Kavale Math (A Commemoration volume). P. 62.