Adi Shankara
Date of birth	circa 788 CE/AD
Place of birth	Kalady, Kerala, India
Birth name	Shankara
Date of death	circa 820 CE [1]
Place of death	Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India
Guru/Teacher	Govinda Bhagavatpada
Philosophy	Advaita Vedanta
Titles/Honors	Introduced Advaita Vedanta, Hindu Revivalism, Founded Dashanami Sampradaya, Shanmata
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This article contains Indic text. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kalady ( Malayalam: കാലടി is a village located east of the Periyar river in the Ernakulam Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kedarnath (केदारनाथis a Hindu holy town located in the Indian Uttarakhand ( Hindi: उत्तराखण्ड or उत्तराखंड Uttar + Akhand i India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Govinda Bhagavatpada ( IAST Govinda Bhagavatpāda was the Guru of the Advaita philosopher Adi Shankara. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Dashanami Sampradaya ( IAST Daśanāmi Saṃpradâya) literally Tradition of Ten Names, is a Hindu monastic tradition established by Adi Shanmata ( IAST Ṣaṇmata) is the system of worship founded by Adi Shankara, the 8th century CE Hindu philosopher The Brahmic family is a family of syllabaries (writing systems used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central Asia and East Asia, Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated

Adi Shankara (Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍, Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर, Ādi Śaṅkara, pronounced [aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə]); (possibly 788 – 820 CE, but see below),^[2] also known as Śaṅkara Bhagavatpādācārya ("the teacher at the feet of God"), and Ādi Śaṅkarācārya ("the first Shankaracharya in his lineage")^[3] was the first philosopher to consolidate the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, a sub-school of Vedanta. Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below Ishvara ( Sanskrit: Īśvara sa ईश्वर Malay: Iswara, Thai: Phra Isuan) is a philosophical concept in Hinduism Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation His teachings are based on the unity of the soul and Brahman (not to be confused with Brahmin, which is a class designation), in which Brahman is viewed as without attributes. In Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva (जीव jīva alternate spelling jiwa) is a living being or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Nirguna Brahman, (literally the attributeless Brahman, Devanagari: निर्गुण ब्रह्म refers to Supreme Reality which pervades through the In the Smārta tradition, Adi Shankara is regarded as an incarnation of Shiva. Smartism (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit) is a denomination of the Hindu Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva

Adi Shankara toured India with the purpose of propagating his teachings through discourses and debates with other philosophers. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country He founded four mathas ("monasteries") which played a key role in the historical development, revival and spread of post-Buddhist Hinduism and Advaita Vedanta. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Adi Shankara was the founder of the Dashanami monastic order and the Shanmata tradition of worship. Dashanami Sampradaya ( IAST Daśanāmi Saṃpradâya) literally Tradition of Ten Names, is a Hindu monastic tradition established by Adi Shanmata ( IAST Ṣaṇmata) is the system of worship founded by Adi Shankara, the 8th century CE Hindu philosopher

His works in Sanskrit, all of which are extant today, concern themselves with establishing the doctrine of Advaita (Sanskrit: "Non-dualism"). Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Nondualism implies that things appear distinct while not being separate Adi Shankara quotes extensively from the Upanishads and other Hindu scriptures in forming his teachings. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic He also includes arguments against opposing schools of thought like Samkhya and Buddhism in his works. Sankhya, also Samkhya, ( सांख्य, IAST: sānkhya - 'enumeration' is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Buddhist philosophy deals extensively with problems in Metaphysics, phenomenology, Ethics, and Epistemology.

Life

The traditional accounts of Adi Shankara's life are called the Shankara Vijayams, ("Victory of Shankara"). Shankara Vijayams ( IAST Śaṃkaravijayaṃ) are traditional biographies of the Advaita philosopher Adi Shankara. These are poetic works containing a mix of biographical and legendary material, written in the epic style. The most important among these biographies are the Mādhavīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Mādhava, c. A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος meaning "life" and gráphein (γράφειν meaning "to write" is an account 14th century), the Cidvilāsīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Cidvilāsa, c. between 15th century and 17th century), and the Keraļīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of the Kerala region, extant from c. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; 17th century). ^[4][5] According to these texts, Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, a village in Kerala, India, to a Namboothiri brahmin couple, Shivaguru and Aryamba and lived for thirty-two years. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kalady ( Malayalam: കാലടി is a village located east of the Periyar river in the Ernakulam India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Nambudiri Brahmins ( Malayalam: ml നമ്പൂതിരി ml-Latn nambũdiri, also transliterated Namputiri, Namboothiri) are the Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism.

Birth and childhood

The birth place of Adi Shankara at Kalady

Adi Shankara's parents were childless for many years. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kalady ( Malayalam: കാലടി is a village located east of the Periyar river in the Ernakulam They prayed at the Vadakkunnathan temple (also known as Vrishabhachala) in Thrissur, Kerala, for the birth of a child. Vadakkkunnathan Temple, also known as Thenkailasam and Vrishabhachalam, is one of the largest and ancient Shiva temples in Kerala. For the district with the same name see Thrissur district. Thrissur / Trichur / Trissur ( Malayalam: തൃശ്ശൂര്‍ ^[6] Legend has it that Shiva appeared to both husband and wife in their dreams, and offered them a choice: a mediocre son who would live a long life, or an extraordinary son who would not live long. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Both the parents chose the latter; thus a son was born to them. He was named Shankara (Sanskrit, "bestower of goodness"), in honour of Shiva (one of whose epithets is Shankara). Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva ^[7]

His father died while Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanaṃ, the initiation into student-life, was performed at the age of five. Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name "sacred thread ceremony" is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual As a child, Shankara showed remarkable scholarship, mastering the four Vedas by the age of eight. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Following the customs of those days, Shankara studied and lived at the home of his teacher. It was customary for students and men of learning to receive Bhikṣā ("alms") from the laity; on one occasion, while accepting Bhikṣā, Shankara came upon a woman who had only a single dried amalaka fruit to eat. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy. Amla redirects here For the cricketer see Hashim Amla. The Indian gooseberry ( Phyllanthus emblica, syn Rather than consuming this last bit of food herself, the lady gave away the fruit to Shankara as Bhikṣā. Moved by her piety, Shankara composed the Kanakadhārā Stotram on the spot. Legend has it that on completion of this stotra, golden amalaka fruits were showered upon the woman by Lakṣmi, the Goddess of wealth. In Hinduism a Stotra is a hymn of praise These hymns praise aspects of the divine such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth ^[8]

Sannyasa

From a young age, Shankara was inclined towards sannyasa ("monastic life"). "Sanyasi" redirects here For the motion picture see Sanyasi (1975 film Sannyasa, ( Devanagari: संन्यास His mother was against his becoming a monk, and refused him formal permission. However, once when Shankara was bathing in the Periyar River near his house, a crocodile gripped his leg and began to drag him into the water. The Periyar River is the longest river in the state of Kerala, India, with a length of 244 km A crocodile is any Species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the Subfamily Crocodylinae) Only his mother was nearby, and it proved impossible for her to rescue him. Shankara asked his mother to give him permission to renounce the world then and there, so that he could be a sannyāsin at the moment of death. This mode of entering the renunciatory stage is called Āpat Sannyāsa. At the end of her wits, his mother agreed. Shankara immediately recited the mantras to make a renunciate of himself. A mantra ( Devanāgarī मन्त्र (or mantram is a religious or mystical syllable or poem typically from the Sanskrit language Miraculously, the crocodile released him and swam away. Shankara emerged unscathed from the water. ^[9]

With the permission of his mother, Shankara left Kerala and travelled towards North India in search of a Guru. Geography Northern India lies mainly on continental India and a very small part of it lies on the Indian peninsula A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others On the banks of the Narmada River, he met Govinda Bhagavatpada, the disciple of Gaudapada. The Narmada नर्मदा Gujarati નર્મદા or Nerbudda (Narbada is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent Govinda Bhagavatpada ( IAST Govinda Bhagavatpāda was the Guru of the Advaita philosopher Adi Shankara. Gaudapada ( c. 8th century CE) was a very early Guru in the Tradition of Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy When Govinda Bhagavatpada asked Shankara's identity, he replied with an extempore verse that brought out the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Govinda Bhagavatapada was impressed and took Shankara as his disciple. ^[10] Adi Shankara was commissioned by his Guru to write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras and propagate Advaita Vedanta. The Brahma sūtras, also known as Vedānta Sūtras, constitute the Nyāya prasthāna, the logical starting point of the Vedānta philosophy (Nyāya The Mādhavīya Shankaravijaya states that Adi Shankara calmed a flood from the Reva River by placing his kamaṇḍalu ("water pot") in the path of the raging water, thus saving his Guru, Govinda Bhagavatpada, who was absorbed in Samādhi ("meditation") in a cave nearby. The Narmada नर्मदा Gujarati નર્મદા or Nerbudda (Narbada is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent Samadhi ( Sanskrit: sa समाधि is a Hindu and Buddhist technical term that usually denotes higher levels of concentrated meditation or

On his mission to spread the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, Adi Shankara travelled to Kashi, where a young man named Sanandana from Choladesha in South India, became his first disciple. Varanasi ( Sanskrit: वाराणसी Vārāṇasī, pronunciation) also commonly known as Benares ( or Banaras (बनारस Padmapadacharya (fl 8th century CE) was an Indian Philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union In Kashi, Adi Shankara was on his way to the Vishwanath Temple, when he came upon an untouchable with four dogs. Kashi Vishwanath temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is in the holy city of Varanasi, India. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. When asked to move aside by Shankara's disciples, the untouchable replied: "Do you wish that I move my ever lasting Ātman ("the Self"), or this body made of food?" Understanding that the untouchable was none other than god Shiva, and his dogs the four Vedas, Shankara prostrated himself before him, composing five shlokas known as Manisha Panchakam. The Ātman ( IAST: Ātman Sanskrit: आत्मन्‍ is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the Soul Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. A Sanskrit term shloka (श्लोक also spelt sloka specifically denotes a metered and often rhymed poetic verse or phrase Maniishhaa panchakam is a set of five verses (slokas composed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya, the Hindu philosopher ^[11][12]

On reaching Badari in the Himalayas, he wrote the famous Bhashyas ("commentaries") and Prakarana granthas ("philosophical treatises"). WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a Nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state Afterwards he taught these commentaries to his disciples. Some, like Sanandana, were quick to grasp the essence; the other disciples thus became jealous of Sanandana. In order to convince the others of Sanandana's inherent superiority, Adi Shankara summoned Sanandana from one bank of the Ganga River, while he was on the opposite bank. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent Sanandana crossed the river by walking on the lotuses that were brought out wherever he placed his foot. Adi Shankara was greatly impressed by his disciple and gave him the name Padmapāda ("lotus-footed one"). Padmapadacharya (fl 8th century CE) was an Indian Philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. ^[13][14]

Meeting with Mandana Mishra

One of the most famous debates of Adi Shankara was with the ritualist Mandana Mishra. Mīmāṃsā, a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" (compare Greek ἱστορία) is the name of an Astika ("orthodox" school Maṇḍana Miśra (c 8th century CE) was a Hindu philosopher, who wrote on the Mīmāmsā and Advaita systems of thought and was Mandana Mishra's Guru was the famous Mimamsa philosopher, Kumarīla Bhaṭṭa. A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others Mīmāṃsā, a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" (compare Greek ἱστορία) is the name of an Astika ("orthodox" school for the Anglo-Indian military term see Batta Kumārila Bhaṭṭa (Devanagari कुमािरल भट्ट, fl Shankara sought a debate with Kumarīla Bhaṭṭa and met him in Prayag where he had buried himself in a slow burning pyre to repent for sins committed against his Guru: Kumarīla Bhaṭṭa had learnt Buddhist philosophy incognito from his Guru in order to be able to refute it. Allahabad ( Hindi: इलाहाबाद Urdu: الہ آباد Ilāhābād) is a city in the north Indian state of Uttar Buddhist philosophy deals extensively with problems in Metaphysics, phenomenology, Ethics, and Epistemology. Learning anything without the knowledge of one's Guru while still under his authority constitutes a sin according to the Vedas. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. ^[15] Kumarīla Bhaṭṭa thus asked Adi Shankara to proceed to Mahiṣmati (known today as Mahishi Bangaon, Saharsa in Bihar)^[16] to meet Mandana Mishra and debate with him instead. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Saharsa is a city and a Municipality in Saharsa district in the Indian state Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India.

Adi Shankara had a famous debate with Mandana Mishra in which the wife of Mandana Mishra, Ubhaya Bhāratī, was the referee. After debating for over fifteen days, Mandana Mishra accepted defeat. ^[17] Ubhaya Bhāratī then challenged Adi Shankara to have a debate with her in order to 'complete' the victory. This debate was to be on the subject of kāmaśāstra ("science of sex-love"). In Indian literature, Kamashastra refers to the tradition of works on Kama. But Adi Shankara, being a sannyasi, had no knowledge of this subject; thus, after requesting for some time before entering into this fresh debate, he entered the dead body of a king by his yogic powers and acquired the knowledge of kāmaśāstra. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Later, Ubhaya Bhāratī concedes defeat in the debate and allows Mandana Mishra to accept sannyasa with the monastic name, Sureśvarācārya as per the agreed rules of the debate. Yoga patta is the name given to Dasanami sannyasin in the Smarta tradition of monasticism of Adi Shankara. Sureśvara (also known as Sureśvarācārya) c 750 CE) was an Indian philosopher, who studied under Śankara. ^[18]

Missionary tour

Sharada temple at Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri

Adi Shankara then travelled with his disciples to Maharashtra and Srisailam. Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state Sringeri ( Kannada: ಶೃಂಗೇರಿ also written as Shringeri, Śŗngeri and Śŗngagiri is a taluk located in Chikmagalur district in Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details -->Srisailam is a holy town and Mandal situated in Nallamala hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, In Srisailam, he composed Shivanandalahari, a devotional hymn to Shiva. Shivanandalahari ( IAST Śivānandalahiri) is a devotional hymn composed by Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher, on Shiva Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam says that when Shankara was about to be sacrificed by a Kapalika, the God Narasimha appeared to save Shankara on Padmapada's prayer to him. In Hindu culture Kapalika means bearer of the skull-bowl and has reference to Lord Bhairava's vow to take the Kapala vow Narasimha ( IAST Narasiṃha Sanskrit नरसिंह (other spellings are Narasingh, Narasinga) is an Avatara of Vishnu Padmapadacharya (fl 8th century CE) was an Indian Philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. So Adi Shankara composed the Laksmi-Narasimha stotra. ^[19] He then travelled to Gokarṇa, the temple of Hari-Shankara and the Mūkambika temple at Kollur. Gokarna may refer to Gokarna India Gokarna Nepal The Mookambika Devi ( Kannada ಮೂಕಾಂಬಿಕಾ ದೇವಿ Temple of Kollur) dedicated to Mookambika Devi is one of the most prominent shrines for people Kolluru (Kannada:ಕೊಲ್ಲೂರು) is a tiny hamlet situated 40km Kundapur Town about 140 km away from Mangalore City in Karnataka state in At Kollur, he accepted as his disciple a boy believed to be dumb by his parents. He gave him the name, Hastāmalakācārya ("one with the amalaka fruit on his palm", i. Yoga patta is the name given to Dasanami sannyasin in the Smarta tradition of monasticism of Adi Shankara. Hastamalakacharya ( IAST Hastāmalakācārya) (BC 5th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher Amla redirects here For the cricketer see Hashim Amla. The Indian gooseberry ( Phyllanthus emblica, syn e. , one who has clearly realised the Self). Next, he visited Śṛngeri to establish the Śārada Pīṭham and made Toṭakācārya his disciple. Sringeri ( Kannada: ಶೃಂಗೇರಿ also written as Shringeri, Śŗngeri and Śŗngagiri is a taluk located in Chikmagalur district in Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state Totakacharya ( IAST Toţakācārya) (c 8th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher ^[20]

After this, Adi Shankara began a Dig-vijaya (missionary tour) for the propagation of the Advaita philosophy by controverting all philosophies opposed to it. He travelled throughout India, from the South to Kashmir and Nepal, preaching to the local populace and debating philosophy with Hindu, Buddhist and other scholars and monks along the way. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia.

With the Malayali King Sudhanva as companion, Shankara passed through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha. The Malayali people (also spelled Malayalee; Malayalam: മലയാളി are the inhabitants of Kerala or their descendants Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. Vidarbha (Marathi विदर्भ is the eastern region of Maharashtra state made up of Nagpur Division and Amravati Division. He then started towards Karnataka where he encountered a band of armed Kapalikas. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India In Hindu culture Kapalika means bearer of the skull-bowl and has reference to Lord Bhairava's vow to take the Kapala vow King Sudhanva, with his army, resisted and defeated the Kapalikas. They safely reached Gokarna where Shankara defeated in debate the Shaiva scholar, Neelakanta. Gokarna may refer to Gokarna India Gokarna Nepal Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism.

Proceeding to Saurashtra (the ancient Kambhoja)^[21] and having visited the shrines of Girnar, Somnath and Prabhasa and explaining the superiority of Vedanta in all these places, he arrived at Dwarka. Saurashtra (also Soruth and Sorath) is a region of western India, located on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Dwarka, also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a Municipality Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara of Ujjayini, the proponent of Bhedābeda philosophy, was humbled. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti All the scholars of Ujjayini (also known as Avanti) accepted Adi Shankara's philosophy.

He then defeated the Jainas in philosophical debates at a place called Bahlika. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Bahlika (बाह्लिक finds mention in Atharvaveda, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas Vartikka of Katyayana, Brhatsamhita Thereafter, the Acharya established his victory over several philosophers and ascetics in Kamboja (region of North Kashmir), Darada (Dabistan) and many regions situated in the desert and crossing mighty peaks, entered Kashmir. This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Daradas were a people who lived north and north-east to the Kashmir valley Later, he had an encounter with a tantrik, Navagupta at Kamarupa. Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric ^[22]

Accession to Sarvajnapitha

Statue of Adi Shankara at his Samadhi Mandir in Kedarnath, India

Adi Shankara visited Sarvajñapīṭha (Sharada Peeth) in Kashmir (now in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir). Sharada Peeth was the famous temple of goddess Sharada ( Saraswati) in Kashmir on the banks of Neelum[[Kishenganga]] river (known as Kishenganga This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir The Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir, usually shortened to Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( AJK) or simply Azad Kashmir (literally "free ^[23] The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam states this temple had four doors for scholars from the four cardinal directions. A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. The southern door (representing South India) had never been opened, indicating that no scholar from South India had entered the Sarvajna Pitha. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Adi Shankara opened the southern door by defeating in debate all the scholars there in all the various scholastic disciplines such as Mimamsa, Vedanta and other branches of Hindu philosophy; he ascended the throne of Transcendent wisdom of that temple. Mīmāṃsā, a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" (compare Greek ἱστορία) is the name of an Astika ("orthodox" school Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya ^[24]

Towards the end of his life, Adi Shankara travelled to the Himalayan area of Kedarnath-Badrinath and attained videha mukti ("freedom from embodiment"). WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kedarnath (केदारनाथis a Hindu holy town located in the Indian WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a Nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state Videha mukti ( literally liberation without the body in Sanskrit) refers to the Moksha (liberation attained by a person after death There is a samadhi mandir dedicated to Adi Shankara behind the Kedarnath temple. However, there are variant traditions on the location of his last days. One tradition, expounded by Keraliya Shankaravijaya, places his place of death as Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur, Kerala. Vadakkkunnathan Temple, also known as Thenkailasam and Vrishabhachalam, is one of the largest and ancient Shiva temples in Kerala. For the district with the same name see Thrissur district. Thrissur / Trichur / Trissur ( Malayalam: തൃശ്ശൂര്‍ ^[25] The followers of the Kanchi kamakoti pitha claim that he ascended the Sarvajñapīṭha and attained videha-mukti in Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu). Videha mukti ( literally liberation without the body in Sanskrit) refers to the Moksha (liberation attained by a person after death Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India.

Dates

At least two different dates have been proposed for Shankara:

• 788–820 CE: This is the mainstream scholarly opinion, placing Shankara in mid to late 8th century CE. These dates are based on records at the Śṛṅgeri Śāradā Pīṭham, which is the only matha to have maintained a relatively unbroken record of its Acharyas; starting with the third Acharya, one can with reasonable confidence date the others from the 8th century down. Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state ^[26] The Sringeri records state that Sankara was born in the 14th year of the reign of "VikramAditya", but it is unclear as to which king this name may refer. Though some researchers identify the name with Chandragupta II (4th. Chandragupta II (very often referred to as Vikramaditya or Chandragupta Vikramaditya) was one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire c. AD), modern scholarship accepts the VikramAditya as being from the Chalukya dynasty of Badami, most likely Vikramaditya II (733–746 CE),^[27] which would place him in the middle of the 8th c. The Chalukya dynasty ( Kannada: ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯರು ʧaːɭukjə was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and Central Vikramaditya II (733 – 744 CE was the son of King Vijayaditya and ascended the Badami Chalukya throne following the death of his father ^[26] The date 788–820 is also among those considered acceptable by Swami Tapasyananda, though he raises a number of questions. ^[28] It is also acceptable to Keay. ^[29]

• 509 – 477 BCE: This dating, more than a millennium ahead of all others, is based on records of the heads of the Shankara Maṭhas at Dwaraka matha and Puri matha and the fifth Peetham at Kanchi. The Dwaraka pīţha or Dwaraka maţha is situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat — which itself is a popular destination of pilgrimage for the The Govardhana Maţha is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state ( India) and is associated with the Jagannath temple ^[30] However, such an early date is not consistent with the fact that Sankara quotes the Buddhist logician Dharmakirti, who finds mention in Huen Tsang (7th c. Dharmakirti ( ca 7th century was an Indian scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian philosophical logic. See also Xuanzang (fictional character Xuanzang ( pronounced Shwan-dzang) was a famous Chinese Buddhist Monk, scholar traveler ). ^[26] Also, his near-contemporary Kumarila Bhatta is usually dated ca. for the Anglo-Indian military term see Batta Kumārila Bhaṭṭa (Devanagari कुमािरल भट्ट, fl 8th c. AD. Most scholars feel that due to invasions and other discontinuities, the records of the Dwarka and Puri mathas are not as reliable as those for Sringeri. ^[26]

Thus, while considerable debate exists, the pre-Christian Era dates are usually discounted, and the most likely period for Shankara is during the 8th c. CE.

Mathas

विद्याशंकर मंदिर (Vidyashankara temple) at Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri

Adi Shankara founded four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) to guide the Hindu religion. Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state Sringeri ( Kannada: ಶೃಂಗೇರಿ also written as Shringeri, Śŗngeri and Śŗngagiri is a taluk located in Chikmagalur district in A maţha (also written math, matha or mutt) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of the Hindu and These are at Sringeri in Karnataka in the south, Dwaraka in Gujarat in the west, Puri in Orissa in the east, and Jyotirmath (Joshimath) in Uttarakhand in the north. Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India The Dwaraka pīţha or Dwaraka maţha is situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat — which itself is a popular destination of pilgrimage for the Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. The Govardhana Maţha is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state ( India) and is associated with the Jagannath temple Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jyotirmath ( ज्योतिर मठ) also called Jyotir Math and Joshimath ( जोशी Uttarakhand ( Hindi: उत्तराखण्ड or उत्तराखंड Uttar + Akhand i Hindu tradition states that he put in charge of these mathas his four main disciples: Sureshwaracharya, Hastamalakacharya, Padmapadacharya, and Totakacharya respectively. Sureśvara (also known as Sureśvarācārya) c 750 CE) was an Indian philosopher, who studied under Śankara. Hastamalakacharya ( IAST Hastāmalakācārya) (BC 5th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher Padmapadacharya (fl 8th century CE) was an Indian Philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. Totakacharya ( IAST Toţakācārya) (c 8th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher The heads of the mathas trace their authority back to these figures. Each of the heads of these four mathas takes the title of Shankaracharya ("the learned Shankara") after the first Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya, ( IAST: Śankarāchārya) is a commonly used title of heads of maţhas (monasteries in the Advaita tradition The table below gives an overview of the four Amnaya Mathas founded by Adi Shankara and their details. ^[31]

Philosophy and religious thought

Main article: Advaita Vedanta

The swan is an important motif in Advaita Vedanta. The guru-shishya tradition lineage or Parampara, is a spiritual relationship in traditional Hinduism where teachings are transmitted from a A maţha (also written math, matha or mutt) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of the Hindu and The Mahavakyas are the four "Great Sayings" of the Upanishads, the foundational texts of Vedanta. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect Hastamalakacharya ( IAST Hastāmalakācārya) (BC 5th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher The Govardhana Maţha is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state ( India) and is associated with the Jagannath temple The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" Sureśvara (also known as Sureśvarācārya) c 750 CE) was an Indian philosopher, who studied under Śankara. Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state The Yajurveda ( Sanskrit यजुर्वेदः, a Tatpurusha compound of yajus "sacrificial formula' + veda Padmapadacharya (fl 8th century CE) was an Indian Philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. The Dwaraka pīţha or Dwaraka maţha is situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat — which itself is a popular destination of pilgrimage for the The Samaveda ( Sanskrit: सामवेद sāmaveda, from sāman "melody" + veda "knowledge") is third (in the usual Totakacharya ( IAST Toţakācārya) (c 8th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jyotirmath ( ज्योतिर मठ) also called Jyotir Math and Joshimath ( जोशी The Atharvaveda ( Sanskrit: अथर्ववेद atharvaveda, a Tatpurusha compound of {{IAST|atharvan}}, an ancient Rishi Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the The Hamsa (हंस in Sanskrit and often written hansa) is a Swan or Goose, often considered to be the Mute Swan ( Cygnus Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Its symbolic meanings are: firstly; upon verbally repeating hamsa (the Sanskrit word for Swan), it becomes soham (Sanskrit, "I am That"). Secondly, even as a swan lives in water its feathers are not soiled by water, a liberated Advaitin lives in this world full of maya but is untouched by its illusion. Thirdly, a monk of the Dashanami order is called a Paramahamsa ("the supreme swan")

Advaita ("non-dualism") is often called a monistic system of thought. "Sanyasi" redirects here For the motion picture see Sanyasi (1975 film Sannyasa, ( Devanagari: संन्यास Dashanami Sampradaya ( IAST Daśanāmi Saṃpradâya) literally Tradition of Ten Names, is a Hindu monastic tradition established by Adi Paramahamsa (परमहंस (also spelt paramahansa or paramhansa) is a Sanskrit religio-theological Title of honor applied to Monism is the metaphysical and Theological view that all is one that all reality is subsumed under the most fundamental category of being or existence The word "Advaita" essentially refers to the identity of the Self (Atman) and the Whole (Brahman^[32]). The Ātman ( IAST: Ātman Sanskrit: आत्मन्‍ is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the Soul Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. The key source texts for all schools of Vedānta are the Prasthanatrayi– the canonical texts consisting of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras. Prasthanatrayi, literally three points of departure, ( IAST Prasthānatrayī refers to the three canonical texts of Hindu philosophy, especially the The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Brahma sūtras, also known as Vedānta Sūtras, constitute the Nyāya prasthāna, the logical starting point of the Vedānta philosophy (Nyāya

Adi Shankara was the first in its tradition to consolidate the siddhānta ("doctrine") of Advaita Vedanta. He wrote commentaries on the Prasthana Trayi. Prasthanatrayi, literally three points of departure, ( IAST Prasthānatrayī refers to the three canonical texts of Hindu philosophy, especially the A famous quote from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, one of his prakarana granthas that succinctly summarises his philosophy is:

Brahma satyaṃ jagat mithyā, jīvo brahmaiva nāparah

Brahman is the only truth, the world is unreal, and there is ultimately no difference between Brahman and individual self. The Viveka Chudamani, literally "The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom" is a famous work by Adi Shankara that expounds Advaita vedanta philosophy Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism.

Advaita Vedanta is based on śāstra ("scriptures"), yukti ("reason") and anubhava ("experience"), and aided by karmas ("spiritual practices"). Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions ^[33] This philosophy provides a clear-cut way of life to be followed. Starting from childhood, when learning has to start, the philosophy has to be realised in practice throughout one's life even up to death. This is the reason why this philosophy is called an experiential philosophy, the underlying tenet being "That thou art", meaning that ultimately there is no difference between the experiencer and the experienced (the world) as well as the universal spirit (Brahman). Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Among the followers of Advaita, as well those of other doctrines, there are believed to have appeared Jivanmuktas, ones liberated while alive. Jivanmukta (from the Sanskrit words Jiva and Mukti) is someone who in the Advaita philosophy of Hinduism, These individuals (commonly called Mahatmas, great souls, among Hindus) are those who realised the oneness of their self and the universal spirit called Brahman. Mahatma is Sanskrit for "Great Soul" (महात्मा mahātmā: महा mahā (great + आत्मं or आत्मन A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Some of the Translated philosophies of Adi Shankara are - Adi Sanakara Philosophy. Atma_Bodha_translation * Aparokshanubhuti_translation * Vakya_Vritti_translation * Saundaryalahari_ Panchikaranam_translation

Adi Shankara's Bhashyas (commentaries) on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras are his principal and almost undeniably his own works. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Brahma sūtras, also known as Vedānta Sūtras, constitute the Nyāya prasthāna, the logical starting point of the Vedānta philosophy (Nyāya Although he mostly adhered to traditional means of commenting on the Brahma Sutra, there are a number of original ideas and arguments to establish that the essence of Upanishads is Advaita. He taught that it was only through direct knowledge of Brahman that one could be enlightened. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism.

Adi Shankara's opponents accused him of teaching Buddhism in the garb of Hinduism, because his non-dualistic ideals were a bit radical to contemporary Hindu philosophy. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather However, it may be noted that while the Later Buddhists arrived at a changeless, deathless, absolute truth after their insightful understanding of the unreality of samsara, historically Vedantins never liked this idea. Although Advaita proposes the theory of Maya, explaining the universe as a "trick of a magician", Adi Shankara and his followers see this as a consequence of their basic premise that Brahman alone is real. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Their idea of Maya emerges from their belief in the reality of Brahman, rather than the other way around.

Historical and cultural impact

Part of a series on Hindu philosophy

Schools Samkhya · Yoga · Nyaya · Vaisheshika · Purva Mimamsa · Vedanta (Advaita · Vishishtadvaita · Dvaita · Achintya Bheda Abheda)

Persons Ancient Valmiki · Kapila · Patañjali · Gotama · Kanada · Jaimini · Vyasa · Markandeya Medieval Adi Shankara · Ramanuja · Madhva · Nimbarka  · Swaminarayan · Vallabha · Madhusudana · Namdeva  · Tukaram · Tulsidas · Kabir · Vasugupta · Chaitanya Modern Ramana Maharshi · Vivekananda · Narayana Guru · Gandhi · Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan · Aurobindo · Nisargadatta Maharaj · Sivananda · Coomaraswamy · Pandurang Shastri Athavale · Prabhupada · Asaramji Bapu

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At the time of Adi Shankara's life, Hinduism had begun to decline because of the influence of Buddhism and Jainism. Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya Sankhya, also Samkhya, ( सांख्य, IAST: sānkhya - 'enumeration' is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Rāja Yoga ("royal Yoga " "royal union" also known as Classical Yoga or simply Yoga) is one of the six orthodox ( Astika) Nyāya ( Sanskrit ni-āyá, literally "recursion" used in the sense of " Syllogism, inference" is the name given to one of the six orthodox Vaisheshika, or Vaiśeṣika, (Sanskrit वैशॆषिक) is one of the six Hindu schools of Philosophy (orthodox Vedic systems Mīmāṃsā, a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" (compare Greek ἱστορία) is the name of an Astika ("orthodox" school Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the VishishtAdvaita Vedanta ( IAST Viśishṭādvaita Vedanta; Sanskrit: विशिष्टाद्वैत is a sub-school of the Vedānta Dvaita ( Kannada: ದ್ವೈತ Devanagari:द्बैत is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. Achintya-Bheda-Abheda ( acintya bhedābheda in IAST) is a school of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and difference Valmiki ( Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि vālmīki) (ca 400 BCE northern India is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature Patañjali ( Devanāgarī पतञ्जलि (fl 150 BCE or 2nd c For other uses see Gotama Gautama Maharishi ( Hindi: गौतम महर्षि is one of the Saptarishis (Seven Kanada ( Sanskrit: कणाद; also transliterated as Canada as well as other forms was a Hindu sage who founded the philosophical Jaimini was an ancient rishi (sage who was a great philosopher of the Mimansa school of Indian philosophy Vyāsa ( Devanāgarī: व्यास is a central and revered figure in the majority of Hindu traditions Markandeya ( Sanskrit: मार्कण्‍डेय is an ancient Rishi (sage from the Hindu tradition born in the clan of Brigu Rishi Ramanuja ( traditionally 1017&ndash1137 also known as Ramanujacharya, was a Theologian, Philosopher, and Scriptural Exegete. For Madhavacharya the Advaita saint see Madhava Vidyaranya. Shri Madhvacharya (ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರು Nimbarka ( Sanskrit: श्री निम्बार्काचार्य Śrī Nimbārkācārya) is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology Sri Vallabhacharya (1479 &ndash 1531 was a devotional Philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha Madhusūdana Sarasvatī (c1540&ndash1640 was an Indian philosopher in the Advaita Vedānta tradition Nāmdev ( Nām Dev or Sant Nāmdev) (c1270-c1350 CE was a prominent religious poet of Maharashtra, India in the Hindu tradition Tukārām was a prominent Marathi Sant and religious poet in the Hindu tradition in India. Gosvāmī Tulsīdās (1532-1623 Devanāgarī: तुलसीदास may be written as Tulasī Dāsa depending on if the name is transcribed Al-Kabir "the Great" is also one of the 99 names of God in Islam Vasugupta (860&ndash925 was the author of the famous Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST caitanya mahāprabhu) ( Bengali চৈতন্য মহাপ্রভূ (1486 - Sri Ramana Maharshi ( December 30, 1879 – April 14, 1950) born Venkataraman Iyer, was an Indian sage Swami Vivekananda (স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ Shami Bibekānondo; स्वामी विवेकानन्द Svāmi Vivekānanda) ( Nārāyana Guru (नारायण गुरुനാരായണ ഗുരു (1855 - 1928 also known as Sree Nārāyana Guru Swami was a Saint, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, OM ( Telugu:సర్వేపల్లి రాధాకృష్ణ Tamil:சர்வேபள்ளி Sri Aurobindo (শ্রী অরবিন্দ Sri Ôrobindo) ( August 15, 1872 – December 5, 1950) was an Indian Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (birth name Maruti Shivrampant Kambli ( April 17, 1897 – September 8, 1981) was an Indian Swami Sivananda Saraswati ( Sep 8, 1887 — Jul 14, 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a well known Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (ஆனந்த குமாரசுவாமி 22 August, 1877, Colombo - 9 September, 1947, Pandurang Shastri Vaijnath Athavale (પાંડુરંગ શાસ્ત્રી આઠવલે पांडुरंग शास्त्री आठवले ( October Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ( Sanskrit:, abhaya-caraṇāravinda bhakti-vedānta svāmī prabhupāda, Bangla: অভয়চরনাবিন্দ Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Hinduism had become divided into innumerable sects, each quarrelling with the others. The followers of Mimamsa and Sankhya philosophy were atheists, insomuch that they did not believe in God as a unified being. Mīmāṃsā, a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" (compare Greek ἱστορία) is the name of an Astika ("orthodox" school Sankhya, also Samkhya, ( सांख्य, IAST: sānkhya - 'enumeration' is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Ishvara ( Sanskrit: Īśvara sa ईश्वर Malay: Iswara, Thai: Phra Isuan) is a philosophical concept in Hinduism Besides these atheists, there were numerous theistic sects. There were also those who rejected the Vedas, like the Charvakas. Cārvāka is a system of Indian philosophy that assumed various forms of philosophical skepticism and religious indifference

Adi Shankara held discourses and debates with the leading scholars of all these sects and schools of philosophy to controvert their doctrines. He unified the theistic sects into a common framework of Shanmata system. Shanmata ( IAST Ṣaṇmata) is the system of worship founded by Adi Shankara, the 8th century CE Hindu philosopher In his works, Adi Shankara stressed the importance of the Vedas, and his efforts helped Hinduism regain strength and popularity. Many trace the present worldwide domination of Vedanta to his works. He travelled on foot to various parts of India to restore the study of the Vedas.

Even though he lived for only thirty-two years, his impact on India and on Hinduism was striking. He reintroduced a purer form of Vedic thought. The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age) is the period in the History of India during which the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, were being His teachings and tradition form the basis of Smartism and have influenced Sant Mat lineages. In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect Smartism (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit) is a denomination of the Hindu Sant Mat was a loosely associated group of teachers that became prominent in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century ^[34] He is the main figure in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the He was the founder of the Daśanāmi Sampradāya of Hindu monasticism and Ṣaṇmata of Smarta tradition. Dashanami Sampradaya ( IAST Daśanāmi Saṃpradâya) literally Tradition of Ten Names, is a Hindu monastic tradition established by Adi A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Shanmata ( IAST Ṣaṇmata) is the system of worship founded by Adi Shankara, the 8th century CE Hindu philosopher In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect He introduced the Pañcāyatana form of worship. Panchayatana puja ( IAST Pañcāyatana pūja) is the system of worship in the Smarta Sampradaya of Hinduism. This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see

Adi Shankara, along with Madhva and Ramanuja, was instrumental in the revival of Hinduism. For Madhavacharya the Advaita saint see Madhava Vidyaranya. Shri Madhvacharya (ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರು Ramanuja ( traditionally 1017&ndash1137 also known as Ramanujacharya, was a Theologian, Philosopher, and Scriptural Exegete. These three teachers formed the doctrines that are followed by their respective sects even today. An acharya ( acariya in Pali) is an important religious teacher ( Guru) who teaches by his own example (from Sanskrit 'achara' behavior They have been the most important figures in the recent history of Hindu philosophy. Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya In their writings and debates, they provided polemics against the non-Vedantic schools of Sankhya, Vaisheshika etc. Polemics (pəˈlɛmɪks/ /poʊ- is the practice of disputing or controverting religious, philosophical, or political matters Sankhya, also Samkhya, ( सांख्य, IAST: sānkhya - 'enumeration' is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Vaisheshika, or Vaiśeṣika, (Sanskrit वैशॆषिक) is one of the six Hindu schools of Philosophy (orthodox Vedic systems Thus they paved the way for Vedanta to be the dominant and most widely followed tradition among the schools of Hindu philosophy. Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation The Vedanta school stresses most on the Upanishads (which are themselves called Vedanta, End or culmination of the Vedas), unlike the other schools that gave importance to texts authored by their founders. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Vedanta schools have the belief that the Vedas, which include the Upanishads, are unauthored, forming a continuous tradition of wisdom transmitted orally. Thus the concept of apaurusheyatva ("being unauthored") came to be the guiding force behind the Vedanta schools. However, along with stressing the importance of Vedic tradition, Adi Shankara gave equal importance to the personal experience of the student. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect Logic, grammar, Mimamsa and allied subjects form main areas of study in all the Vedanta schools. The development of Indian logic can be said to date back to the anviksiki of Medhatithi Gautama (c The Sanskrit grammatical tradition of vyākaraṇa is one of the six Vedanga disciplines Mīmāṃsā, a Sanskrit word meaning "investigation" (compare Greek ἱστορία) is the name of an Astika ("orthodox" school

A well known verse, recited in the Smarta tradition, in praise of Adi Shankara is:

श्रुति स्मृति पुराणानामालयं करुणालयं|
नमामि भगवत्पादशंकरं लॊकशंकरं ||
Śruti smṛti purāṇānāṃālayaṃ karuṇālayaṃ|
Namāmi Bhagavatpādaśaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaraṃ||
I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the world auspicious.

See also: History of Hinduism

Works

For more details on this topic, see Works of Adi Shankara. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Adi Shankara, a Hindu philsospher of the Advaita Vedanta school wrote many works in his life-time of thirty two years however many works thought to be

Adi Shankara's works deal with logically establishing the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta as he saw it in the Upanishads. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings He formulates the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta by validating his arguments on the basis of quotations from the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic He gives a high priority to svānubhava ("personal experience") of the student. His works are largely polemical in nature. Polemics (pəˈlɛmɪks/ /poʊ- is the practice of disputing or controverting religious, philosophical, or political matters He directs his polemics mostly against the Sankhya, Buddha, Jaina, Vaisheshika and other non-vedantic Hindu philosophies. Sankhya, also Samkhya, ( सांख्य, IAST: sānkhya - 'enumeration' is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Buddhist philosophy deals extensively with problems in Metaphysics, phenomenology, Ethics, and Epistemology. Vaisheshika, or Vaiśeṣika, (Sanskrit वैशॆषिक) is one of the six Hindu schools of Philosophy (orthodox Vedic systems Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya

Traditionally, his works are classified under Bhāṣya ("commentary"), Prakaraṇa gratha ("philosophical treatise") and Stotra ("devotional hymn"). The commentaries serve to provide a consistent interpretation of the scriptural texts from the perspective of Advaita Vedanta. The philosophical treatises provide various methodologies to the student to understand the doctrine. Methodology (also called manner) is defined as "the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline" The devotional hymns are rich in poetry and piety, serving to highlight the relationship between the devotee and the deity. Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity "

Adi Shankara wrote Bhashyas on the ten major Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. The Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads is headed by 10 Mukhya Upanishads The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Brahma sūtras, also known as Vedānta Sūtras, constitute the Nyāya prasthāna, the logical starting point of the Vedānta philosophy (Nyāya In his works, he quotes from Shveshvatara, Kaushitakai, Mahanarayana and Jabala Upanishads, among others. Bhashyas on Kaushitaki, Nrisimhatapani and Shveshvatara Upanishads are extant but the authenticity is doubtful. ^[35] Adi Shankara's is the earliest extant commentary on the Brahma Sutras. The Brahma sūtras, also known as Vedānta Sūtras, constitute the Nyāya prasthāna, the logical starting point of the Vedānta philosophy (Nyāya However, he mentions older commentaries like those of Dravida, Bhartrprapancha and others. ^[36]

In his Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Adi Shankara cites the examples of Dharmavyadha, Vidura and others, who were born with the knowledge of Brahman acquired in previous births. The Brahma sūtras, also known as Vedānta Sūtras, constitute the Nyāya prasthāna, the logical starting point of the Vedānta philosophy (Nyāya Vidura ( Sanskrit: विदुर vidūra) was half-brother to Dhritarashtra and Pandu. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. He mentions that the effects cannot be prevented from working on account of their present birth. He states that the knowledge that arises out of the study of the Vedas could be had through the Puranas and the Itihasas. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" Indian epic poetry is the Epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent. In the Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashya 2. The Taittiriya Upanishad is one of the older " primary " Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. 2, he says:^[37]

Sarveśāṃ cādhikāro vidyāyāṃ ca śreyah: kevalayā vidyāyā veti siddhaṃ

It has been established that everyone has the right to the knowledge (of Brahman) and that the supreme goal is attained by that knowledge alone.

Among the independent philosophical treatises, only Upadeśasāhasrī is accepted as authentic by modern academic scholars. Many other such texts exist, among which there is a difference of opinion among scholars on the authorship of Viveka Chudamani. The Viveka Chudamani, literally "The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom" is a famous work by Adi Shankara that expounds Advaita vedanta philosophy The former pontiff of Sringeri Math, Shri Shri Chandrashekhara Bharati III has written a voluminous commentary on the Viveka Chudamani. Chandrashekara Bharathi III (born as Narasimha Shastri; 1892-1954) was the Jagadguru (literally teacher of the world, in Sanskrit; assigned

Adi Shankara begins his Gurustotram or Verses to the Guru with the following Sanskrit Sloka, that has become a widely sung Bhajan:

Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwara. Guru Sakshath Parambrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha. (tr: Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Siva. Guru is directly the supreme spirit — I offer my salutations to this Guru. )

Film

In 1983 a film named Adi Shankaracharya was premiered , the first film ever made entirely in Sanskrit, directed by G. V. Iyer. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Ganapathi Venkatrama Iyer (also known as G V Iyer) was a well known Indian film director ^[38], ^[39]

Notes

References

• Keay, John (2000). India: A History. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3797-0.  
• Swami, Tapasyananda (2002). Swami Tapasyananda was a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Mission. Sankara-Dig-Vijaya: The Traditional Life of Sri Sankaracharya by Madhava-Vidyaranya. India: Sri Ramakrishna Math. ISBN 81-7120-434-1.  
• Greaves, Ron (March 2002). Ron Geaves is a professor of religion at Liverpool Hope University in England "From Totapuri to Maharaji: Reflections on a Lineage (Parampara)". . 27th Spalding Symposium on Indian Religions, Oxford

External links

Works

• Complete Works of Adi Shankara
• Advaita Vedanta Anusandhana Kendra
• Complete works of Adi Shankara
• Advaita Vedanta Library
• Some major works of Adi Shankaracharya
• Adi Sankara's Books

Historical

• Guru Parampara of Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Archived from the original on 2006-06-19. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros.
• Guru Parampara of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
• Sankara's date supporting the 788–820 CE date
• Material supporting the 509–477 BCE dates (PDF)

Life and teachings

• Brief life history of Adi Shankara with informative additional links
• Adi Śańkara — short introduction to his life & philosophy (by Peter J. King)
• Biography of Shankara by Swami Sivananda
• Another biography of Sankara from kamakoti.org

Mathas

• Shringeri Sharada Peetham
• Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham