Shrutsagar 2015 04 Volume 01 11

Author(s): Hiren K Doshi
Publisher: Acharya Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir Koba

Page 9

Beyond Doubt
Acharya Padmasagarsuri
Adi Shankaracharya established his Matha' in Sringeri, in South India after being influenced by what he saw there, before constructing the matha. The great Acharya was looking for a suitable land to establish his monastery. While on the move, he travelled to South India. He was a witness to a very strange and peculiar happening. He saw a cobra spreading the hood over an acutely injured frog, tortured by the hot sun unable to move to the shade of a nearby tree.
He stood bewildered at what he saw before his eyes. The frog has always been a prey of the snake, how then the snake was so kind and compassionate in his behaviour towards its food, its prey. Shankaracharya could not believe what he saw, but it was all true and a common scene for the people and ascetics living in that holy land. Many years ago, an ascetic named Sringeri, practised penance there and was extremely compassionate and equanimous towards all creatures.
The creatures living there were also affected by the presence of the great Yogi and their mutual instinct of enmity turned to love and compassion. Hence the entire surrounding was also sacred and peaceful.
This incident is only 1200 years old. It is not at all astonishing but most natural that before 2500 years whereever Lord Mahavira preached and travelled, must have been such a scred and holy place. Within twelve yojanas i.e. seven miles in all directions from the person of Lord Mahavira the whole surrounding became peaceful since the element of violence was removed from everyone's thoughts and deeds.
The deeds of all creatures became pious and non-violent as the wave-length (thoughts) of each mind would be syncretized by the speech and presence of the Supreme Lord. A person naturally feels
1. monastery,