History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c46.78

v3.c46.78

In *Vidya Shankara v. Vidya Narsimha*, 51 Bom. 442 (P. C.) the Privy Council had to deal with a pretty tangle of claims between four persons, the plaintiff and the defendant each claiming to be the lawful Śaṁkarācārya of Sankeshwar and Karvir *maṭha* and both having selected a disciple to succeed them. These illustrations indicate how the world-renouncing ideal of conduct set forth by the great Śaṁkarācārya is honoured in modern times by those who swear by his name. They should lay to heart the words of the Jīvanmuktiviveka and the quotation in it from Medhātithi (pp. 158-159)²¹⁷⁵ viz. 'if an ascetic secures a *maṭha* as a fixed place of residence and thereon a sentiment of ownership arises in him his mind will be disturbed when loss or expansion of the *maṭha* takes place; therefore an ascetic should not possess a *maṭha* nor should he have vessels of gold or silver for his use nor should he gather pupils round himself for securing service from them or in order that they may honour him, spread his fame, or bring money to him, but he may gather disciples only for removing their ignorance.'