Adi guru Shankaraachaarya was an Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the Doctorine of Advaita Vedanta.He was responsible to slow down the spread of Buddhism through India and revive Hinduism. Shankaraachaarya travelled across the Indian subcontinent to propagate his philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers. He is regarded as the founder of the Dasanami Sampradaya of Hindu monasticism and Sanmata of Smarta tradition.Founder of the Dasanami Sampradaya of Hindu monasticism and Sanmata of Smarta tradition.. He started writing his own analysis of the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita at a young age.
Throughout the course of his early life, Shankara astounded many with his knowledge intelligence. He started writing his own analysis of the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita at a young age. Right from his childhood, he was keen on becoming a monk. Though his idea of becoming a monk was opposed by his mother, Shankara knew exactly what he had to do. Once he accompanied his mother to a nearby river and took a plunge into the river. Suddenly, a crocodile appeared from beneath the river and caught hold of his leg. Shankara then cried out to his mother, saying that a crocodile was pulling him into the river. When his mother felt helpless, Shankara urged her to allow him to die as a monk. As soon as Aryamba gave her consent, the crocodile spared Shankara’s life and went back into the river. Shankara was miraculously unharmed and went on to become a monk as his mother had already given him the permission to do so.
Birth and Life History
Shankara was born into a poor Brahmin family at Kaladi, present day Kerala, India. There is a lot of confusion regarding the birth-date of Shankara as different sources have proposed several different dates. According to The most accepted sources he was born 507 BC. Adi Sankara is believed to have died aged 32, at Kedarnath in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand ..Read More
Shankara and His Philosophy, Major works
Adi Guru Shankaracharya was an Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the Doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He was responsible to slow down the spread of Buddhism through India and revive Hinduism.He established four major mathas in different region of India- Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, Sringeri. He established them to propagate the Philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and spread the Hinduisms worldwide.. Read More
Guru Parampara
The Advaita Guru Param para is traced from God Himself as Narayana/Sadasiva through Vedic seers, Adi Sankaracharya and his four disciples, Suresvara, Padmapada, Hastamalaka and Totaka. All Dasanami Sannyasis trace their own guru paramparas ultimately through one of these four disciples of Sankaracharya… Read More
Four Mathas (Monastaries) By Shankaracharya
The monasteries founded by Shankaracharya had a great influence in reforming Hinduism. Four Mathas (Monastaries) By Shankaracharya are : 1. DWARAKA IN THE WEST (Gujarat), 2. PURI (GOVARDHAN MATH) IN THE EAST (Odisha), 3. SRINGERI IN THE SOUTH (Karnataka) and 4. BADRIKASHRAMA IN THE NORTH (Uttarakhand) … Read More
