(adi Sankara) 12 Madana Misra (1) Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Next Sankara went to see
Mandana Misra at Mahishmati.
He was the Chief Pundit
In the Mahishmati Court.

The Pundit was in favour
Of Karma Mimamsa order
And he disliked Sanyasis
Not in Karmic lines.

He was performing ceremony
When Sankara sought entry,
But he closed the door
Not allowing any stranger.

Sankara by his power,
Entered thro’ the door.
The Pundit got wild.
But Sankara was mild.

The ceremony was over,
And after the dinner,
For a debate both sat,
With a good start.

The Pundit’s wife Bharati,
Was an avatar of Saraswati.
As a judge she took over
To say who was the winner?

“If Sankara fails in the test
He should marry at last
And if the Pundit loses
He should take sanyas, ”

This was the condition laid.
And the debate started.
For days, it went non-stop.
Her routine she had to keep.

So, she gave them each
A garland to watch
Whose one faded fast
That man deemed lost.

Seventeen days passed.
Pundit’s garland faded,
So, he was declared lost.
But Bharati didn’t accept.

She said, “As his wife,
I’m part of his life.
Until you defeat me
Victory you’ll not see.”

She failed in her turn
Until she asked question
On the subject ‘Kama Sutra’
All sex related matter.

As Sankara was a sanyasi
He couldn’t answer this.
He asked her for time
One month she gave him.

(Continued….)










.