Original subtitles

ADI SHANKARACHARYA (The Philosopher)

[EXPLANATORY NOTE]:

The VEDAS constitute the oldest sacred literature of Indo-Aryans.

They contain the spontaneous spiritual aspirations of man.

The origins of the Vedas are shrouded in mystery.

They date back to extreme antiquity.

The orthodox Hindu regards the Vedas as revealed scripture.

The UPANISHADAS contain the essence of the Vedas.

They are the concluding portions of the Vedas.

They belong among the most remarkable literature in world.

They expand, in poetic outpourings,

the view of man's identity of "ATMAN", the individual self,

and "BRAHMAN", the universal self which pervades the world.

This monism, which is implicit in the Upanishadas,

was elaborated into a doctrine of non-dualism

by great Indian Philosopher, Shankara.

SHANKARA was born in 780 A.D.

He is referred to as Shankaracharya.

"Adi" denotes the "First" in terms of being "the founder".

"Acharya" means "a revered teacher".

Not much is known about Shankara's personal life except through tradition.

It affirms that Shankara was born in Kerala State of South India

He renounced the world at very young age

to become a religious medicant.

The film is based on detailed research,

and made in consultation with and approval of religious scholars.

It is also the first Indian feature film made in the Sanskrit language.

SANSKRIT is the literary language of ancient India

and also the language of Vedas.

Even today it is a spoken language among some scholars.

[River Purna flowing in the town Kaladi of Kerala state, South India]

[Ceremonial offerings of water to the sun[

[Other faiths opposed to Hinduism seek to disturb its disciplines.]

[Shankara's father, Shivaguru, offers morning prayers to sun]

[Shankara's mother, Aryamba, carries pot of water to her home]

In worship, the use of colour is symbolic.

White denotes truth,

Red denotes sacrifice,

Green denotes prosperity,

[A Vedic prayer is performed in the style pertaining to Kerala State]

Aryamba waters the sacred Tulsi a ritual among Hindu wives

Shivaguru,approaching the temple, hears verses from the Bhagwat-Gita

He realises that the time has come for him to leave the world.

He prepares to detach his mind from his human form.

Have you rendered your daily duty to Kesava, the deity of the temple?

Indeed I have.

The temple opitomises the body.

Darkness is ignorance.

Vedic Om, the absolute, is the supreme truth.

Shivaguru watches the flames and visualises his own funeral pyre

May my breath mingle with the immortal fire

Holy Fire, the devourer of speech, sight and mind !

Shivaguru visualises the initiation of Shankara into Brahmanism

and his ceremonial seeking of alms from his mother.

Son, I am departing

Where to, Father ? - Unto Eternity

Why ? - This body is mortal

Where is Eternity ? - Within oneself

Then you are not really leaving ?

You are right

Son, death is a friend. Do not be afraid of him

Recite the verse I taught you

Like water that descends from the skies and flows into seas ...

... offerings to all Gods, reach the Supreme Deity

Death in the form of a boy sits cross-legged beside Shankara

I am Death and your dear friend

Welcome. Abide with me

Still talking ! It is time

Handing over grass-shoots signifies transfer of authority

[Funeral chants]

Shankara receives initiation into Brahmanism

Wisdom in the form of a boy sits and observes

Chanting of "Gayatri", a holy mantra

Shankara recalls his Father's words

The body is mortal. I go to Eternity

This is wisdom. Can he stay with us ?

Many are here. Why can he too not join us ?

Shankara, do you remember me ?

Yes, I do. Come, be with us

The Upanishadic imagery of two birds, the crow and the dove

The crow is the doer, the active one

The dove is the "atman" (inner self), the passive observer

[The Sanskrit school located in the Temple grounds]

Why are you late today ?

Who are these boys ? - My friends, Wisdom and Death

Mother gave me permission. I brought them here.

I am Wisdom, sir

I am Death, sir

Be seated, Wisdom and Death

But Wisdom and Death do not have human forms

If you are so named, so be it. Be seated

I have a physical form, yet I am ignored

#A poor man's home#

A verse from the scripture, the Bhagawata, is heard

The wisdom of truth is like the nectar ...

... of the fruit of the Tree of Veda

Mother, give me alms

Wait, I am coming

May the Goddess looks kindly on me shower her blessings in plenty

Lady, why weep ? You are like a mother to me

My husband brings a mere handful

He says : hoarding food is a sin

The wise who control past, present and future ...

... understand the universe

... as plainly as a berry seen in the palm of the hand

Take some alms -No, I will not

Why ? - To hoard food is a sin

So I will not touch your stock

Distribute your food supply to the poor and needy

How an I to believe that the self does not change?

Observe this boy. When he moves, he cannot stand

When he stands, he cannot move. Is that not so, my child ?

I am not aware of my body

I am thinking of the lady we saw

Did you hear ? The boy is here, his mind elsewhere!

We will meet later

Sir, can a human being attain equanimity ?

By becoming a Sanyasin (a monk)

Shankara decides to renounce the world to become a monk

I will be a monk and be exalted. It may trouble Mother, though

Mother, I want to become a monk

See, the milk is dripping. Wipe it

Mother, I want to become a monk

Where is Wisdom ? Go play with him

Mother, I want to become a monk

That is no easy matter. Please don't say that again

Shankara recalls the words of his Teacher.

Paths of action and of renunciation are ways sanctioned by scripture

Very few accept the latter when so young.

The revered teacher Govinda was the only exception

Such men are rare

Who are you ? When did you begin to steal ?

Stay where you are. I shall punish you

What is this punishment ?

He can't touch the cloth, nor can he jump over it

Shall I untie it ?

Come down

Vow that you will never steal again - I promise

Eat - it is for you

Call this a punishment ?

Physical punishment is never a lasting one

The psychic one endures

How can you trust him ?

"Trust in Self" is the path of the scriptures

A noble secret, a great tradition

Alas, a tradition we are fast losing

Shankara, get up. It is late

Why are you here ? - Waiting for you

Where is Wisdom ? - Meditating, there

#Gokarna, North Karnataka#

Shankara is drawn to the saffron robe

Saffron denotes renunciation. Monks wear saffron robes

Shankara wants to be a monk

Let him become one, but let him live long

Mother prayed for you

You are a monk now

I saved him from the jaws of the crocodile

You possess all the virtues. May fortune smile on you.

"The play #Nachiketa# will be performed in the Krishna Temple"

[A ballet in the style of Kerala State]

Nachiketa waits for three days in the house of the Lord of Death

Making a respected guest wail bodes ill for the host

The Lord of Death returns

I made you wait for three days

In return I grant you 3 boons. Ask for them

May my father shed his anger against me and welcome me back

Granted

Reveal the secrets of the holy fire to me

Granted

Third and the most important

Is there life after death ? Learned men debate and disagree

Please, you reveal the truth to me

Dear boy, I shall give you wealth, grant you long life and happiness

But please don't ask this question

I want neither wealth nor pleasures. I wish to know the secret of life

You are the one to tell me. Instruct me.

You have experienced it

Experience is superior to logic

Contemplate and be firm. You are blessed

The drum and the proclamation is meaningless

There is no truth here

Truth must be sought in the heart, with devotion and dedication

I am leaving to seek Govindapada. Look after Mother

Should you not inform her ? - I go with her blessings

Who will perform my funeral rites ? It is the sacred duty of a son

Mother, I will return to perform the rites

#The Kerala- Karnataka border#

The trees of blind belief falls on a believer

A group of believers bury him alive

Shankara sees social injustice. He views the cosmos in its entirety

Tell me, who are you ?

You, so fierce in form, O supreme power

I bow before you. Have mercy

I know not what you intend to do

Unperturbed, Shankara moves on

Vishnu, an old friend, calls out to Shankara

I became a monk with Mother's consent

Do you like austere penance ?

Remember the verse from the Bhagwat Gita ...

Duty is its own reward

May I follow you ?

If we are together we will succeed

#State of Madhya Pradesh, Central India#

These symbols of imperfection aspire for perfection

Are you still awake, shivering with cold ?

#Omkareswar, Central India#

Hindu tradition dictates that one is first a disciple, then a householder

Then comes the practise of austerity, leading finally to renunciation

A bachelor can also be a monk. I prefer this approach

#The holy river, Narmada#

Govindapada's hermitage must be near

The River Narmada turns violent

Shankara suppresses it by prayer

You are the primal force

Supreme and oldest among all

The root cause of the Universe

You are the Knower, And the Known, too.

Pervader of all. the greatest refuge for all

The eternal, ever-flowing one !

Victory to the boy who quelled the turbulence of Narmada !

He comes to learn from the renouwned monk, Govindapada

I am Shankara, son of Shivaguru, a brahmin from the South

I need your initiation to resolve the enigma of existence

You have a body made of five senses

And it is perishable

But #atman# (the Individual Self) is imperishable

You will be an ascteic of the highest order

A chant in praise of the #atman#

These are the aphorisms of the sage, Badarayana. Study them in depth.

Sir, these are all torn. - No one cares for them

I tried to preserve them but failed

Sir, may I restore and edit them ? -Please do so.

Perhaps it is the desire of our great sages that you do so

Comment on these texts and spread their wisdom among the people

You will have my help whenever you need it

Everything is self

How does one believe it ?

How does one believe him ?

Earth is, after all Truth. I shall swear by it.

It is not my own wisdom. The wise ancients said so

Listen to the story of Satyakama. He asked his mother, Jabala

I wish to be initiated to Brahminism. Tell me my lineage

Jabala answers

In truth, I do not know who your father was

You are Satyakama, son of Jabala. Tell your teacher. It will suffice

Revered sir, I know not my lineage

I am Satyakama, son of Jabala

None but a learned person can speak so, I shall initiate you

Such was the faith of the ancients in truth. Believe me

Excuse us, excuse us

#Shankara in Banaras, the holy city#

Letters combine to form words. The letter is imperishable

Grammar is essential for understanding meaning

Hear the sound of a vessel falling. Learn "dunkritakara" from it

Vishnu (the friend believed drowned) - Shankara !

Please accept me a disciple

Yes, you will be a Padmapada

A verse in praise of Shankara

I fall at your holy feet

A fine verse, coming from a fool

Due, of course, to your blessings

You are sweet and pure, since your heart is pure

When death strikes, grammar forsakes

When limbs are weak and hair is grey. Doddering, old & toothless too !

Man never gives up desires

Worship the Lord ! Worship the Lord !

The King of Banaras comes to see Shankara

Grace the court by your presence

Thank you. I shall come later. I have a task to complete

I have to convey the message of the scriptures to the people

Use these chariots and horses for your travel

I prefer to walk while I can

The cycle of birth and death. Life is an ocean, hard to cross

Merciful lord, save me !

The whole world praises you

May you excel forever

Death, you know I won't live long

Nor do I wish a long life

Move away ! An untouchable !

Let us keep away

From whom ? From my body ? Or from my Inner Self ?

The body is of the Earth, and so, untouchable

The Inner Self is pure and Eternal

Knowledge is the Universal Self. All worldly creations are illusions

Whoever knows this truth, whatever his caste, is my teacher

Shankara observes a boy on several occasions

Earth is the real Truth

After unsuccessful attempts, the boy looks straight at the sun

Shankara meditates on an Upanishadic verse on the Eye

"The living breath residing in the body is a Prince waited upon by...

... the select Gods

God of Wrath is in the red of the eye. Rain God is in the Eye's moisture

Lord of Light is in the Pupil. Lord of Speech is in the Iris

Goddess of life is in the White of the Eye

He who knows this Truth is free from wants, and liberated

Revered sir, this boy was born dumb and seems insane at times

My friend, who are you ? Where are you from ?

I am knowledge, bright and pure, as the clear sky

This boy perceives the eternal truth of self, without effort

I will accept him as my disciple

Badarayana, on whose aphorisms Shankara commented, approaches

Are you Shankara, the disciple of Govinda ?

Be seated. What can I do for you ?

I hear that you commented on the aphorisims of Badarayana ?

Explain one of them. - Which one ?

The most important one : "How is the body linked to the Earth"

Shankara gives an explaination of the origin of man ...

as put forth in the Upanishadic speculations

The formation of the body from water is explained...

by the principle of five oblations: Faith,Soma,(Moon),Rain,Food, Seed

Give an elaborate explaination

I shall clarify

Shankaracharya recites a verse from the "Chandogya Upanishad"

The Heaven is Fire The Sun, its Fuel

The Rays, its Smoke The Day, its Flame

The Moon, its Embers The Stars, its Sparks

Into this Fire the Gods offer the Oblation of Faith

Out of this, the divine drink, Soma arises

The Rain God is indeed the Fire, The Air, its Fuel

The Cloud, its Smoke The Lightning, its Flame

The Thunderbolt, its Embers The Thunder its Sparks

Into this Fire, the Gods offer the oblation of Soma

Out of this Oblation, Rain arises The Earth, its Fire

The Year, its Fuel The Sky, its Smoke

THe Night, its Flame The Four Directions, its Embers

The Intermediate Directions, its sparks

Into this Fire, the Gods offer

the Oblation of Rain Out of this Oblation, arises Food

Man indeed is the Fire Speech, his Fuel

Breath, his Smoke Tongue, his Flame

Eyes, his Embers The Ears, his Sparks

Into this Fire, the Gods offer the Oblation of Food

Out of this Oblation ... the Seed arises

Woman is the Fire Into this Fire, the Gods offer

the Oblation of the Seed Out of this Oblation

The Foetus arises At the fifth Oblation

the Oblation called Water , comes to be designated as Man

The Foetus covered with membrane,

Lies within the mother's womb

Remains for a prescribed time And then is born ...

into the world -

Very good. Go ahead and complete your work.

Make it free of mistakes

When you have doubts, ask the others

May others write such commentaries too

Some stay away from the World. Some can never stay free

There are others, too, who stay in the world, and yet are free

#Prayag, Uttar Pradesh#

Kumarila, an elder of Shankara and an authority on Veda rituals..

is seen immolating himself

Shankara, I am an expert on orthodoxy and rituals

My aim has been to uphold the Vedas and to thwart the atheists

I committed a mistake, though

This is the punishment I suffer

Why must you suffer this way ?

I lived incognito among the Buddhists to learn their philosophy

My teacher, Dharmapala, decried the Vedic faith

My eyes shed involuntary tears

He then knew my true leanings

Knowing that I had cheated them, the monks pushed me downhill

I fell into an abyss and lost one of my eyes

Had I said, "Eternal Vedas protect me", no harm would've come to me

But I said, "If the Vedas are eternal, then no harm will come to me

I decided to immolate myself to atone for sinning against my Teacher

Learned men praise your commentories.

Would you kindly comment on my work ?

But then, I am dying. Where is the time to talk to you ?

Learned sir, please relent and stop this immolation

My decision is as firm and final as the Vedas

I find you have true knowledge

#Mahishmati, the banks of the River Narmada#

Shankara looks for the house of Mandana Misra

Dear death, don't meet him first

Then there will be no one to comment on my work

There is silence here. Let us look

Welcome to you, divinity personified

I came here to beg for debate, not for rice

Let us eat first

What do you wish ? - I am hungry

What is the diagram for ?

To ensnare you !

Does your parrot like grapes ? - He likes only pepper

You eat only pepper ?

Eat these grapes ! They are sweet

Sweets and fruits are plenty here

Yet, you prisoner, prefer pepper. When will you be released ?

Through Karma, I am told

But when ?

See these ants.

How many more births do they need to be liberated ?

You have a pair of wings and can fly to heaven if you wish

You need only to emerge from the cage. Do you want grapes ?

No, I only want to be released. Please open the cage

Shankara is the sun of the spiritual sky

Before the rays of knowledge, the ordinary sun is pale as a moon

Revered sir, make me your disciple

I accept you. You are Sureshwara

Shankara, the unvanquished scholar, uncrowned king of the spritual world

Sir, would you enter into a debate with me ?

Mother, truth is beyond debate. It is experienced and not discussed

Let us move away from verbalism

Be our foster Mother and lead us

May the revered one be victorious

I am beyond pain and pleasure

Virtue and sin do not touch me

I am supreme knowledge

Why is Vedic religion accepted only in India ?

India is the home of the Vedas

But knowledge of self is open to all

Kashmir, Kamarup (Assam ) and Kanyakumari are the three corners

Banares is the centre

India symbolises the mystic wheel (Tantric Chakra )

Why do you always laugh at me ?

I will leave you now. I have some work to do

The sun in the sky, and Shankara in my heart, are both memorable

The atmosphere is calm and peaceful

This is Sringeri and the Thunga river

Buddhists stopped animal sacrifices

These ritualaists offer flowers as sacrifice

How does one put an end to it ?

You have realised the futility of rituals

You are truly enlightened

I would be delighted if you commented on my work.

Yes, delighted

Come. Food is ready

Why is it none of you wants to eat ?

They resent Sureshwara commenting on your work

True. They are not happy about it

Why this envy ?

Hastamalakais a better scholar

Experience is more important

Padmapada is better qualified between you four...

What chance is there for Vedic thought to spread ?

Our ancestors were liberal in thought

Due to them, Vedas were preserved

Philosophy will perish soon if people quarrel among themselves

Let Padmapada undertake the task

Pardon us. Let Sureshwara write

My decision is final. Write yourself

We crave your pardon. We were jealous

We should see that the Vedic religion is kept alive

Let us go and eat

I intend sending Padmapada...

Hastamalaka, Totaka and Sureshwara....

to the four corners of India to propagate monism

Where should they go ? - Dwarka, Badri, Puri & Sringeri

And you ?

The whole world is my land. Where the sun sets will be my home

Where I am supposed to be ?

You are Sharada in Sringeri, Kamakshi in Kanchipuram....

... and Annapurna in Banares

I will follow you everywhere

What is it ?

I just remembered my Mother. I am going to see her

Hurry ! Shankara is coming to see his Mother

How is she ? - Waiting only for you

Dear Mother, I am here

Prepare for the funeral

A monk is not allowed to perform funeral rites

But I had promised her - She waited for her beloved son

It is against accepted tradition - I do not care for tradition

You look down on tradition. You are excommunicated

Now starts my real journey to make the masses shed their ignorance

#Kanyakumari, Southernmost India#

Prayer to Goddess Kanyakumari

#Kanchipuram, South India#

What use are gestures ?

To a detached mind, knowledge is all

Remember Raikva of the Upanishadic fame ...

who ignores the king but imparts ....

Knowledge to the more genuine princess

Sir, who are you ?

I am a worshipper of Bhairavi

Human sacrifice was offered to this Goddess

What do you want ?

I want to sacrifice you to Mother Kali

This act will lead me to heaven

Shankara prays to the Goddess. Your will be done

# Shankara is Somnath#

# Narmada River, Marble rocks#

# Prayag, Uttar Pradesh#

# Banaras, Uttar Pradesh#

#Devaprayag, Himalayas#

See how our Teacher hides his ill-health from us !

He never rests...always absorbed in his thoughts & work

He travels endlessly. No wonder he is ill

Let me request him to rest. We will undertake his work

Nothing bothers him. He cares for nothing

Why do you laugh ?

You, the destroyer, want to protect me ! The strangeness of it !

You don't care for your health. But you should think of others

Humanity needs you; several things are to be accomplished by you

Please drink this milk

Do not leave us destitute !

I am alright ! Let me bathe in the Ganges

Your forehead is the crescent moon

A hymn in praise of Ganga

Ganga, dear daughter of the Himalayas

This pure water is the milk of your breasts

You nourish this one ....

your child from the South

He's great among the greatest

Arise, let the drums beat the glory of Monism

Shankara, you are at the top. Is there more to be achieved ?

I have achieved knowledge. Some are torn by worldly sorrows

May they realise their true self. And be relieved of their burden

Your philosophy is subtle and complicated

Only through divine grace that comes through devotion...

can one understand Monism ?

I pray that everyone attains true knowledge of his self

Now, my time has come

I am the Universal Soul, supreme, eternal, and blissful

I know you are fearless, but I am human, let me go away !

Wisdom, see the ice and flowing water

This is the one truth; the doctrine of non-dualism

Wisdom let us become one

The Inner Self and the Universal Self are one and the same

- Death, come join me. - You are ever with me

Please don't hesitate. Death, embrace me

He who has no attachments is verily the Self, the Universal Self

Any one who comprehends this secret ...

and communicates it to my brethren ....

will become One with me

As the water flowing from the sky reaches the sea

That (Universal Self) is infinite & this (Individual Self) is infinite

The Individual Self proceeds from the Universal

Both continue to be Infinite

Let there be peace everywhere