https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=43.224.157.20Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]2026-08-29T08:13:53ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sure%C5%9Bvara&diff=268926Sureśvara2021-11-02T19:53:11Z<p>43.224.157.20: </p>
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<div>{{use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}<br />
{{Infobox religious biography<br />
| religion = [[Hinduism]]<br />
| teacher = [[Adi Shankara]]<br />
| flourished = ?<br />
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{{Hindu philosophy}}<br />
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'''Sureśvara''' (also known as '''Sureśvarācārya''', was a 9th-century [[India]]n [[Philosophy|philosopher]], who studied under [[Adi Shankara|Śankara]]. Śankara is said to have entrusted to Sureśvara his first monastic institution, the [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]. Sureśvara is believed to have founded the famous [[Naduvil Madhom, Thrissur|Naduvil Matham]] in [[Thrissur]].<br />
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==Life==<br />
Little is known for sure about Sureśvara's life. According to a strong tradition within [[Advaita Vedanta|Advaita Vedānta]], before he became a disciple of Śankara, Sureśvara was known as [[Maņdana Miśra|Maṇḍana Miśra]], a [[Mimamsa|Mīmāmsāka]]. After being defeated in a debate by Śankara, Miśra renounced his life as a householder and became a [[Sanyasa|sannyāsin]]. Whether this Maṇḍana Miśra was the same as the author of ''Brahmasiddhi'' is questioned by modern scholars on the basis of textual analysis.<br />
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Sureśvara was the Advaita tradition's ''[[Vārttikakāra]]'' (commentator), meticulously and critically examining Śankara's work. In his non-commentary work, the ''Naiṣkarmyasiddhi'', he presents Avdaita philosophy clearly and simply.<br />
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==Identification with Maṇḍana Miśra==<br />
Maṇḍana Miśra has often been identified with Sureśvara.{{sfn|Roodurmum|2002|p=29}} Sureśvara (fl. 800-900 CE){{sfn|Roodurmum|2002|p=30}} and Maṇḍana Miśra were contemporaries of Śankara.{{sfn|Roodurmum|2002|p=29}} Both explained Śankara "on the basis of their personal convictions."{{sfn|Roodurmum|2002|p=29}}<br />
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According to Kuppuswami Sastri, it is not likely that Maṇḍana Miśra, the author of ''Brahmasiddhi'', is identical with Sureśvara, but the tradition is correct in describing Maṇḍana Miśra and Śankara as contemporaries.{{sfn|Kuppuswami Sastri|1984}} His critical edition of the ''Brahmasiddhi'' also points out that the name Maṇḍana Miśra is both a title and a first name, which is a possible cause for a confusion of personalities.{{sfn|Kuppuswami Sastri|1984}} Maṇḍana Miśra's brand of Advaita differs in certain critical details from that of Śhankara, whereas Sureśvara's thought is very faithful to that of Śankara.{{sfn|Kuppuswami Sastri|1984}}<br />
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According to Sharma, Hiriyanna and Kuppuswami Sastra have pointed out that Sureśvara and Maṇḍana Miśra had different views on various doctrinal points:{{sfn|Sharma|1997|p=290}}<br />
* The locus of ''[[Avidya (Hinduism)|avidyā]]'':{{sfn|Sharma|1997|p=290}} according to Maṇḍana Miśra, the individual ''[[Jīva (Hinduism)|jīva]]'' is the locus of ''avidyā'', whereas Sureśvara contents that ''avidyā'' regarding ''[[brahman]]'' is located in ''brahman''.{{sfn|Sharma|1997|p=290}} These two different stances are also reflected in the opposing positions of the Bhamati school and the Vivarana school.{{sfn|Sharma|1997|p=290}}<br />
* Liberation: according to Maṇḍana Miśra, the knowledge which arises from the ''[[Mahāvākyas|mahāvākya]]'' is insufficient for [[Nirvana|liberation]]. Only the direct realization of ''brahman'' is liberating, which can only be attained by meditation.{{sfn|Sharma|1997|p=290-291}} According to Sureśvara, this knowledge is directly liberating, while meditation is at best a useful aid.{{sfn|Sharma|1997|p=291}}<br />
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==Works==<br />
*''Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad-bhāṣya-vārttika'' (commentary on Śankara's works on the ''{{IAST|[[Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad]]}}'')<br />
*''Naiṣkarmya-siddhi'' (non-commentary)<br />
*''Sambandha-vārttika'' (commentary on Śankāra's introduction to the {{IAST|Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad}})<br />
*''Taittirīya-vārttika'' (commentary on Śankāra's work on the ''[[Taittiriya Upanishad|Taittirīya Upaniṣad]]'')<br />
*''Manasollasa'' (commentary on ''[[Dakshinamurti Stotra|Dakṣiṇamūrti-Stotra]]'')<br />
*''Pañcī-karaṇa-vārttika'' (commentary on Śankara's ''Pañcī-karaṇam'')<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==Sources==<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
* {{Citation | last =Kuppuswami Sastri | first =S. | year =1984 |title =Brahmasiddhi, by {{IAST|Maṇḍanamiśra}}, with commentary by {{IAST|Śankhapāṇī}}. 2nd ed. | publisher =Sri Satguru Publications | location =Delhi, India}}<br />
* {{Citation | last =Roodurmum | first =Pulasth Soobah | year =2002 | title =Bhāmatī and Vivaraṇa Schools of Advaita Vedānta: A Critical Approach | place =Delhi | publisher =Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited}}<br />
* {{Citation | last =Sharma | first =C. | year =1997 | title =A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy | publisher =Motilal Banarsidass | isbn =81-208-0365-5}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
*John Grimes, "Sureśvara" (in [[Robert L. Arrington]] [ed.]. ''A Companion to the Philosophers''. Oxford: Blackwell, 2001. {{ISBN|0-631-22967-1}})<br />
*[[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]], ''et al.'' [edd], ''History of Philosophy Eastern and Western: Volume One'' (George Allen & Unwin, 1952)<br />
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{{Indian Philosophy}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Suresvara}}<br />
[[Category:Advaitin philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:9th-century Indian philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:Medieval Hindu religious leaders]]<br />
[[Category:Sringeri Sharada Peetham]]<br />
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta]]<br />
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