‘ShaNmata’ is mentioned by Thyagaraja

‘ShaNmata’ is mentioned by Thyagaraja

The famous Pancharatna kriti of Thyagaraja, ‘Endaro mahanubhaavulu..’, in one of its charaNams, mentions the term ‘ShaNmata’ with a prefix ‘shiva aadi’. The meaning can be read in this site: http://www.shivkumar.org/music/endaromahanubhavulu-new.htm
The six schools of devotional practice culminating in Para Brahman realization are: Saivam, Saaktam, Vaishnavam, Sauram, GaaNaapatyam and Kaumaaram. It is significant that this term ‘ShaNmatam’ is found in a text that is not related to Shankaracharya or Advaita. Thyagaraja, even though a great devotee of Sri Rama, was not a bigoted follower. That he was of a very broad vision is known from his many other compositions too. Here he says that those are exalted men who are endowed with the knowledge of the core scriptures including the Veda, Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Bh.Gita, etc. and the paths of bhakti which are devoted to Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Ganesha, Kumara and Surya. In his vision, if someone is opposed to this view is not a ‘mahaanubhaava’.
Charanam-9: These are the great men who have derived boundless happiness by gathering the ocean of knowledge contained in Bhagvatam, Ramayana, Geeta, Vedas, Shastras by pondering over the secrets of the six religions orders under the class Sauram and Koumaram, by understanding the mind of the countless devas, by living a full life through the joy derived from music based on bhava, raga and laya.]

Bhaagavatha: Bhaagavatham
Ramayana: Ramayana
Geetha adi: Bhagavadgeetha
Sruthi: Vedas
Sastra: Sastras
Puraana: Purana’s
Marmamula: secrets
Siva adi Shan mathamula: six schools of devotion
Ghudamulan: secrets
Muppadi mukkoti: 33 crores
Sura antharangamula: devatha’s minds
Bhaavambulan: meaning
Eringi: Knowing
Bhaava: Meaning
Raga:Raga
Laya adi: Laya
Sowkhyamu che: state of well being
Chirayuvul: long life
Kaligi:have
Niravadi: no gap
Sukhathmulai: happiness
Thyagaraja aapthulaina: Friends to Thyagaraja
Vaaru: They

चरणम् 9भागवत रामायण गीतादि श्रुति शास्त्र पुराणपुमर्ममुल शिवादि षण्मतमुल गूढमुलन मुप्पदिमुक्कोटि सुरान्तरङ्गमुल भावम्बुल नॆरिंगि भाव राग लयादि सौख्य-मुचे चिरायुवुल् गलिगि निरवधि सुखात्मुलैत्यागराजाप्तुलैन वार-

Thyagaraja’s attitude is found reflected in a galaxy of persons of the Sanatana Dharma. Madhusudana Saraswati’s verse in the Bh.Gita 15th chapter commentary:शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः। भवन्ति यन्मयाः सर्वे सोहमस्मि परः शिवः।।3।
‘I am that Supreme Śiva which is what the Śaivas, Sauras, Gāṇeśas, Vaiśṇavas, Śāktas meditate upon.’
Annamācārya reflects in this song: http://karnatiklyrics.blogspot.in/2011/06/entha-matramuna..html
//The Vaishnavas worship you with reverence as Vishnu. The Vedic philosophers tell that you are the Supreme Consciousness. The Shaivas believe that you are Śiva & the Kapalikas praise you as Adibhairava. The Shakteyas consider you as the manifestation of the supreme power Shakti. People chant your praise in a number of ways. Ignorant people assume that you are insignificant.The wise recognize your infinite greatness.// [Iit is noteworthy that Sri Annamācārya excludes the vaiṣṇavas from Vedāntins, just as Śankara has excluded the Pāñcarātra/bhāgavata school from the Vedānta darśana in the BSB:
koluthuru mimu vaishnavulu, koorimitho vishnudani palukuduru mimu vaedaantulu, parabrahma anuchu
By ‘Vedāntins’ he obviously refers to Advaitins for they alone hold the Supreme Reality to be ‘Brahman’ beyond all names and forms. Those who hold the highest tattvam to be ‘Viṣṇu’ (the deity identified as Lakṣmipati, etc.) are not vedantins as per this composer. None other than a true Vedantin can compose a verse that gives that lofty message that finds correspondence with Madhusudana and Pushpadanta and several unknown authors.
Pushpadanta, in his Shivamahimna stotram, for which Madhusudana Saraswati’s Hari-Harapara commentary is available, says:
त्रयी साङ्ख्यं योगः पशुपतिमतं वैष्णवमिति
प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने परमिदमदः पथ्यमिति च।
रुचीनां वैचित्र्यादृजुकुटिल नानापथजुषां
नृणामेको गम्यस्त्वमसि पयसामर्णव इव॥ ७॥The different practices based on the three Vedas, SaMkhya, Yoga, Pashupata-mata, VaishhNava-mata etc . are but different paths (to reach to the Greatest Truth) and people on account of their different aptitude choose from them whatever they think best and deserved to be accepted . But as the sea is the final resting place for all types of streams , You are the only reaching place for all people whichever path,straight or zigzag, they may accept . (7)
The highly catholic view of Jayantha Bhatta, of the 9th Century, is very commendable. His another work ‘AagamaDambara’, a drama, is also full of such concepts. For the verse composed by him, in the era contemporaneous with Shankara and prior to Ramanuja, see image in the post here:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/bvparishat/ZWhU0NzwZ-4/qr7INZ5nBQAJ
Thus, we have the idea of worshiping any deity of one’s ishTa, preference, and attaining the Supreme, enshrined in the scriptural lore. It has been given expression to by innumerable Vedantins. Shankara’s Prapanchasara is one example.
warm regardssubrahmanian.v