Adi Shankaracharya was a 8th century Indian philosopher who was the founder of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. He traveled across India at a young age establishing four mathas or monasteries to spread the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta and revive Hinduism. Some of his most important works include commentaries on the Brahma Sutras and principal Upanishads. He emphasized that Brahman is the ultimate reality and the individual soul or Atman is identical to Brahman.
2. Adi Shankaracharya
Distinguished Teacher and Founder of Advaita
(Non-Duality) Philosophy
श्रुतितिस्मृतितिपुतराणानामालयं करुणालयम्|
नमािम भगवत्पादशंकरं लोकशङ्करम् ||
Śruti sm ti pur n laya karu layaṛ āṇā āṃā ṃ ṇā ṃ|
Nam mi Bhagavatp daśa karaā ā ṅ ṃ
lokaśa karaṅ ṃ||
I salute the compassionate abode of the
Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as
Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the
world auspicious
3. Life Events
Born during 788 CE to Shivaguru and Aryamba at Kalady, Kerala.
The birthplace of Adi Shankara at Kalady
Mastered the four Vedas by age of 8. Longed for renunciation since
young age.
Sankara was inclined towards sanyaasa from childhood, but it was
only after much persuasion that his mother finally gave her consent.
He then traveled (at age 12) from Kerala to North of India in search
of Guru and met Acarya Govinda Bhagavatpada on banks of River
Narmada.
4. Life Events contd…
Philosophical encounter and discussions with eminent
scholars Mandana Misra.
Returns home to attend to mother’s illness. Custom of
Nambudiris community.
Missionary tours to different parts of India establishing 4
Mathas (Dwarka, Puri, Badrinath, Shringeri).
• Final tour to Himalayan area of
Kedarnath-Badrinath.
• Attains maha samadhi in
Kedarnath in the year 820 CE at
the age of 32.
Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthampa Mandapam, Kalady, Kerala
5. Contributions to Hinduism
Introduced the philosophy of Advaita.
He brought spirituality back in Hinduism.
Hinduism revived at a time when Buddhism
and Jainism were gaining ground in India.
Established four mathas:
◦ Joshimath in Badrinath (North)
◦ Govardhana math in Puri (East)
◦ Sringeri Sharda math in Shringeri (South)
◦ Dwarka Pitha in Dwarka (West)
6. Contributions to Hinduism
He assigned his four main disciples as the heads of the four
institutions.
Wrote Bhaja Govindam (“Worship Govinda”)
Wrote many commentaries andVedantic treatise:
◦ Vivekacudamani, Atma Bodha, Brahma Sutras,Visnu Sahasranama
A famous quote from Vivekac ma iūḍā ṇ , one of his prakarana
granthas that summarises his philosophy is:
- Brahma satya jagat mithy , j vo brahmaiva n parahṃ ā ī ā
Brahman is the only truth, the spatio-temporal world is an
illusion, and there is ultimately no difference between Brahman
and individual self.
7. Thoughts ofWisdom…
Just as a piece of rope is imagined to be a snake (in
the darkness) so is Atman (soul) determined to be
the body by an ignorant person.
Neither byYoga, nor philosophy, nor by work, nor
by learning but by the realization of one’s identity
with Brahman is liberation possible, and by no
other means.
SharadhaTemple at Sringeri Disciples with Shankara
- by Raja Ravi Varma
8. Thoughts of Wisdom…
The world is filled with attachments and aversions and is
changing like a dream; it appears to be real as long as one
is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.
In Srisailam, he composed Shivanandalahari, a
devotional hymn in praise of Shiva.
Laksmi-Narasimha stotra
9. In 1983 a film directed by G. V. Iyer named
Adi Sankaracharya was premiered, the
first film ever made entirely in Sanskrit
language in which all of Adi Shankaracharya's
works were compiled. The movie received
the National Film Awards for
Best Film
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Audiography
and has been known as a master piece.
Film on Adi Sankaracharya
10. Thoughts of Wisdom…
There are good souls, calm and
magnanimous, who do good to
others as does the spring, and, who
having themselves crossed this
difficult ocean of birth and death,
help others also to cross the same,
without any motive whatsoever.
11. Thoughts of Wisdom…
A father has got his sons and
others to free him from his debts,
but he has got none but himself to
remove his bondage.
12. Thoughts of Wisdom…
Be not blindly attached to friend or
foe, to son or kinsman, to peace or
war. If you aspire forVishnu’s realm,
look upon all things as of equal
worth or opportunity.
