Adi Shankaracharya

By: Yashvi Goyal

 Adi Shankara was an 8th century Indian Hindu philosopher and theologian whose teachings had a profound influence on
the growth of Hinduism. Also known as Shri Adi Shankaracharya and Bhagavatpada Acharya (the guru at the feet of Lord),
he was a religious reformist who critiqued the rituals-oriented schools of Hinduism and cleansed the Vedic religious
practices of ritualistic excesses. Adi Shankara is best remembered for his remarkable reinterpretations of Hindu scriptures
and his commentaries on the Vedic canon (Brahma Sutras, Principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita). He was an exponent
of the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy which refers to the recognition that the true Self, Atman, is the same as the
highest Reality, Brahman. His teachings on the philosophy have tremendously influenced various sects of Hinduism and
have contributed to the development of the modern Indian thought. Born into a poor family in southern India, Adi Shankara
was inclined towards spirituality and religion from a young age. He mastered all the Vedas and the six Vedangas from his
guru and travelled widely, dispersing spiritual knowledge and spreading the tenets of Advaita Vedanta. In spite of dying at
the young age of 32, he left an indelible mark on the development of Hinduism.
Shankara’s intense desire to become a
monk
 Shankara wanted to be a Sanyasin even from his childhood; his mother nevertheless opposing the very idea all the time.
One day while taking a bath in Poorna river near his house, a crocodile caught Shankara’s leg. Shankara tried hard, but, he
could not free his leg of the firm grip of crocodile. His mother was there with him, helpless, as she could not do much to
free his leg. Shankara told his mother that if she gave him permission to become a monk, at once the crocodile would
leave its grip on his leg, and his life will be saved. Just to save his life, Shankara’s mother had to yield to this proposal.
And in a split second, the crocodile freed his leg and swam away. After receiving his mother’s permission and blessings,
Shankara at the age of eight became a wandering monk and began his search Northward in search of a Guru.
 Meeting with Govinda Bhagavatpada
 At the age of eight, Adi Shankaracharya left his home and walked towards North in search of a Guru. When he reached the southern banks of
Narmada, the river was flooded. Govinda Bhagavatpada was inside a cave on the northern banks of Narmada River. Sensing the presence of his
Guru in the cave, Adi Shankaracharya immediately composed the now famous Narmadashtakam – a hymn praising the greatness of Narmada
River. Immediately, the swelling of Narmada River stopped and the river entered the kamandalu of Adi Shankara. Govinda Bhagavatpada asked Adi
Shankara Who Are You? Adi Shankara answered in ten slokas now famous as Dasa Sloki.

The first shloka - I am not earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind, nor senses organs, nor am combination of these, because they
don’t always exists, that remains even in sleep after everything is taken out. Hence, I am that one, simply Shiva the self.

The long wait of Govinda Bhagavatpada for his disciple ended that moment. He accepted Adi Shankara as his disciple and initiated him into Sanyasa
and blessed him with the four mahavakyas from the Upanishads.
Shankara in North India

 Shankara came to Varasani to spread his philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. He began his life’s mission of
writing commentaries on the PrasthanaTraya. Many scholars started to visit him to clear their doubts
and to gain knowledge. He also argued with spiritual leaders from various schools of thought and
convinced them to his doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. Soon he began to attract more and more disciples
there. At the age of twelve, Shankara proceeded to Badrinath with his disciple Padmapada.

 At Badrinath, he continued to write his Bhashya on PrasthanaTraya, and also wrote several treatises.
 Mandana Misra was a perfect and adept ritualist who preached widely. The
young and charming advaita vedantin, Adi Shankara, on his country wide
tour was eager to debate with Mandana Misra, who was by then already
Famous Debate very old. Mandana Misra reasoned that since he had spent more than half
his life learning and preaching mimamsa, it would be unfair to debate with a
with Mandana youngster in his twenties who barely had any experience. Hence, with the
intention of being fair on Shankara, Misra allowed Shankara to choose his
Mishra own judge. Shankara had heard greatly about Misra’s righteousness and
appreciated him for his act of fairness. But he was quick to decide that none
but Mandana Misra’s wife herself can be the most appropriate judge for this
debate. To make the dispute more purposeful, they agreed to a wager. If
Shankara looses in debate, He would become disciple of Mandana Misra and
get married in the life. If Manadana Misra looses, he should become Sanyasi
and disciple of Shankara. This was the bet of the debate. Thousands of
scholars gathered everyday to watch and learn. Mandana Misra, at a ripe
old age, still remained a man with very sharp intellect and a very solid grasp
of logic, but he was slowly losing. Despite being such a young man,
Shankara’s realization of the ultimate Brahman and his knowledge of Maya,
enabled him to win over Misra’s arguments easily. Misra was a very
accomplished ritualist, yet he seemed to lack some understanding of higher
spiritual truths that Shankara seemed to have experienced already. At the
end of a long period, Mandana Misra was almost ready to accept defeat,
when his wife, Ubhaya Bharati, declared that in order to defeat a man in
debate the opponent should also defeat his wife.
Establishments of 4 mutts

 After performing funeral rites for his mother, Shankara went on to ‘Digvijaya’ in all the four directions
of India, won over the scholars from all the schools of thought like Sakthas, Bhairavas, Vaishnavas,
Jainas, Madhyamikas, Lingayats, Pasupathas, Kapalikas etc., and established the supremacy of Advaita
Vedanta.
 Shankara established four Mutts in the four corners of India and appointed each one of his four chief
disciples as the head of these Mutts (Ashrams/Peetham).

1) Shringeri Mutt / Sharada Peetham in South India: At Shringeri, Karnataka, headed by

 Vedanta, however, is not a mere view of Reality; it is also a way of life—not ordinary life, but spiritual
life. Its aim is to enable human beings to solve the existential problems of life, transcend human
limitations, go beyond suffering, and attain supreme fulfilment and peace. Advaita Vedanta says the
one unchanging Reality alone exists and that changing entities do not have Absolute existence, much
as the ocean ‘s waves have no existence in separation from the ocean. The waves rise within the ocean
and there would be no waves without the ocean. In the same manner, the transient world rises within
Reality and owes its existence to Reality. The philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, the non-dual
characteristic of the supreme Lord, the Almighty God Parmatman in Hinduism confirms that the
Creator God does not have a dualistic nature. What is changing must always be unreal. To summarize
the philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya there is just one verse:

―Brahma Sathyam Jagan Mithya, Jeevo Brahmaiva Na Aparaha‖