திருவானைக்காவல் உள்ள சங்கர மடத்தின் உண்மை வரலாறு

திருவானைக்காவல் உள்ள சங்கர மடத்தின் உண்மை வரலாறு:

The math at Thiruvanaikaval was called Narpathennayira matam (ARE 486 of 1908). “Ascetics, Devotees and Lords of Matams” by Michille L. Folk has this to say about the matha.

“Among the rare exceptions of Chola-period inscriptions at maṭams are two records from the Śaṁkarācāryasvāmin maṭam at Tiruvanaikkaval (Jambukesvaram) in Tiruchirappalli district. Both inscriptions are located on the west wall of the maṭam and record a donation for the building of the Naṟpatteṇṇāyiravaṉ maṭam on the northern side of the temple at Tiruvanaikkaval.

The first inscription is attributed to the rule of Tribhuvanachakravartin Konerinmaikondan. It records that the maṭam was built by Avūruṭaiyāṉ Coḻakoṉ and explains that ascetics were to be fed therein (ARE 486 of 1908).

The second inscription refers to the building of this same maṭam and is dated in the reignal year of the same ruler (ARE 487 of 1908). These inscriptions also indicate that the people of this maṭam were the disciples of Namaśśīvāyadevar of the Śaiva Tiruccattimuṟṟattu Mutaliyār lineage.

12 The editors of the Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy for the year 1909 write that there can be no doubt that the present-day Śaṁkarācāryasvāmin maṭam is the Naṟpatteṇṇāyiravaṉ maṭam of the inscriptions (ARE 1909, 103).

13 On the basis of their examination of other inscriptions, they suggest that the ruler of the inscriptions is later than the Chola king Kulottunga I (r.y. 1070-1120), though it is difficult to determine whether he was Chola or Pandya.

The fact that both inscriptions describe the people who presided over the maṭam as disciples of Namaśśīvāyadevar of the Tiruccattimuṟṟattu Mutaliyār lineage suggests that its earliest date may be the thirteenth century since it is only in the thirteenth century that the word mutaliyār (he who is first) appears in the inscriptions in relation to maṭams and lineage.

In a court case, the Kumbakonam math stated that Sri Sankara adorned the Ambal in Gajaranya Kshetra atThiruvanaikonil and established a matha there. Did Sankara found a matha there? Was the math from 1101 BC (Sivarahasya says so).

Thiruvachaka Mani, Sru K.M. Balasubramanian writes in detail (“Life of J.M. Nallasamy Pillai”) about the saiva mathas and declares as follows:

“Thus it becomes apparent that the present mutt of Sankarcharya swami at Thiuvanaikaval had belonged originally to the saiva mutt at Thiruchattimutram and was presided over by th teachers of the lineage of the mudaliyars of that place.”

Dr. T.V. Mahalingam, in his review of 135 of 36-7 in JOR related to the changes in the management and right of worship in Jambukeswaram temple.Lakshadyayi Sampradaya monks managed for a long time and then was placed in the hands of a grahasta Chandrasekara Guru. This guru died in1605. Inscriptions mention the gurus of this line till 1714(130 of 36-7). The Kumbakonam this saiva math as Lokaguru Sankaracharya Swami Mutt.