Story of Kanakadhara Stotram of Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Adi Sankara was a Brahmachari. A Brahmanchari should beg for his food.

It was 'dwaadasi' (the twelfth day of the fortnight). Holding a 'palasa danda' (branch of the tree palasa) in his hand, wearing 'mounji', 'mekhala', 'kaupeenam' (loin cloth), holding 'a bhiksha pot' in the hand, wearing a tuft on the front side of the head, religious mark on his forehead, he went to each door at Kaladi begging for alms. Great Mahans would seek alms majestically ('gambheera bhiksha') and not shamefacedly.

They are majestic even while seeking alms! Highly lustrous, the young Sankara stood at each door and asked for alms. At each door he was offered something. In one of the homes, a lady, hearing the melodious voice of Sankara rushed out. The young Sankara shone with the luster of the Sun. With eyes like the lotus and holding the 'palasa danda' in one hand and the 'bhiksha paatra' (pot seeking alms) in the other he came to the door of this lady. Looking at this extraordinary child the lady felt that it was verily Siva, the Lord of Kailash, who had come to her door with a 'bhiksha paatra', seeking alms.

She desired to offer something. But there was not a grain at home. All pots were empty. She came to the door again and wished that the child would move to the next door. But Sankara did not move. He stood rooted to the ground. Why? Was it due to hunger? Or, did he desire to grab something from her? No. It was verily the desire to bless her in someway that he stood there.

When Mahans accept something from us, they verily accept our sins and not some article from us!

The lady holding on to the pillar peeped out to see if he was still there. It pained her to see him still there. 'Oh, the child is still here. What do I do? I have nothing to offer.'
She told him, "Please go to the next door. There is not a grain at home."

But Sankara did not move. He had decided to bless her that day.

Sankara said to her, "Mother! I do not need rice. I have already got enough rice from other houses. Just give me something to go with it."

Would Sankara have food only with side dishes? No, it was not so. He had decided to receive something, a bit of something from her, and use it as an excuse to bless her bountifully. The lady ran into the house and searched and succeeded in getting a piece of dried gooseberry. With deep pain and feeling ashamed she came to the door. With tears flowing down her cheek she dropped it into Sankara's pot. Sankara looked up at the lady and lifting the 'palasa danda' high, he chanted,

"Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanth i,
bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam,
angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela,
mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya"

(Kanakadaara stotram)

Look at the wonderful stotram come out of Adi Sankara, a Brahmachari!
The tree known as 'thamalam' is found only along the seashore. It is a rare tree. This is the most widely spread tree. It has countless branches. This tree reminded Sankara of Lord Vishnu, the one with thousands of hands, thousands of legs and thousands of heads. The flower of the 'thamalam' tree is golden in color. These flowers reminded him of Lakshmi of golden hue seated in the heart of Lord Vishnu. Black bees attracted by the golden flowers sit on it. The black bees reminded him of the black pupil of Lakshmi devi. The bee does not sit quiet. It would suck the honey in the flower for a while and then buzz around the flower for a while.

Sant Jnaneshwar sings in an abhang, 'rrunnu jhunnu rrunnu jhunnu re brahmara,' referring to the buzzing sound made by the bee.

This reminded Sankara of the Consort of Lord Venkateswara (Tirupathi) who is seated in the heart of the Lord; she has occupied this place as she does not wish to be parted from her Lord even for a moment. She does not sit quiet. When someone comes up and prostrates to Lord Venkateswara she peeps out to see who it is. She thinks, 'oh, it is our child.' Glancing at the one prostrating she looks up to see if the Lord has taken note of the devotee. She prods Him, as if to say, 'Lord! Look at the child who has come here and bless him." Sankara sings this here. It is a wonderful stotram.

Sankara moved away after singing the stotram; the lady continued to stand at the door, lost as she was in the beauty of the young Sankara's gait. She suddenly heard the sound of something falling down. She rushed inside to find the heavy rain of golden gooseberry in her courtyard!

--  With Regards and Prayers (D. Bhanudas) 89035 36440 Visit: www.vkendra.org See : http://dbhanudas.wordpress.com      See :The Ideal of Self-Confidence