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*SRI ADI SHANKARACHARYA*

Shankara was born to Aryamba and Shivaguru, in 788 C.E. at Kalady in Kerala, on the banks of the Poorna river. Shivaguru passed away when Shankara was yet a child. The mother Aryamba brought him up and performed his Upanayana according to tradition. The boy proved to be a prodigy and completed his Vedic education and Sanskrit studies very early in life. His faith in God even as a young brahmachari was intense, and events that unfolded began exposing his divine avatara.

On one such occasion when he had gone to beg for alms, as a Brahmachari is ordained to, he came across a house with a lady in utter poverty. On seeing him, she expressed with great sorrow that she was unable to offer even a small quantity of food. With utmost humility, she offered the only dried amalaka (gooseberry) left in the house. The young boy moved by the miserable condition of the lady composed a hymn on Lakshmi (known as Kanakadhara Stotram) praying for the relief and uplift of the family.Goddess Lakshmi instantaneously showered the house with gold amalakas.

Once Shankara’s aging mother fell unconscious while returning from a bath at the river. Shankara invoked the river and prayed that she change her course and flow near their home so as to help his mother. The following morning, the people of Kalady were struck with awe when they found that the river indeed had changed its course, giving in to the young brahmachari’s earnest appeal.

Shankara felt the call of sanyasa but Aryamba was unprepared to part with her only son. One day when Shankara was bathing in the river Poorna, a crocodile caught his leg and started dragging him in. He appealed to his mother to give him permission to take sanyasa. Aryamba knew that she would have the satisfaction of at least having her son alive even if he were in the robes of a Sanyasin. She consented to Shankara’s request and lo! The crocodile released its hold on him. Shankara entrusted his grieving mother into the care of his relatives. In order to pacify his mother, Shankara promised her that he would come to her whenever she thought of him and also perform her last rites when she died.

Shankara then left Kalady in search of a Guru. This first small step was a giant leap for Sanathana Dharma. His accomplishments in his short life of 32 years seem incredible. He, almost alone, revived the Hindu dharma through his teachings of Advaitha. It would not be an exaggeration to say that if Sanathana Dharma is being followed today by about 1.2 billion people, a lot of credit should go to Shankara.

*From Purna to Narmada to Ganga*

The young boy Shankara, despite having mastered all Sastras by then, resolved to seek Upadesham from a Guru and get his self-acquired knowledge made wider, holy and pure by a spiritual teacher. He found his Guru on the banks of the river Narmada, in Govinda Bhagavatpada who imparted to the little boy his Upadesha through the four Mahavakyas. Over a period of time, the great Guru then taught Shankara the Vedanta Sutras of Vyasa, the essence of Vedanta philosophy.

Before long, Shankara completed his formal studies and the Guru told his gifted disciple to go to Kashi (Varanasi), where all learned men converged and blessed him to bring out commentaries on the Brahma Sutras. By this time the boy Shankara had been acclaimed as Shankaracharya.

He went to Kashi and made it his home. Within a short time, many persons who were ripe enough to understand the subtle teachings of the Vedas were drawn towards Sri Shankaracharya. Of these, the first disciple of the Acharya was an illustrious Sanandana,later known as Padmapada on initiation into Sanyasa.

It is said that Lord Shiva appeared before the Acharya and advised him to write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras and spread the Knowledge of Truth in the world. He also wanted him to appoint competent disciples as guardians of the Vedic path in different parts of the country.

Acharya commenced his unparalleled works soon. It was during his stay in Kashi that he wrote his commentaries on Gita, Upanishads and Brahma Sutras, which are the authorities on the Vedanta Sastras and are known as Prasthanatraya. These Bhashyas (commentaries) are monumental works covering the import of the Vedic teachings and supplemented with clear reasoning and lucid exposition.

He left Kashi for Badrinath, and held discussions with the sages there. Then, he wrote in his twelfth year, his most profound commentary on Vedanta Sutras of Vyasa.The system of Vedanta, which Shankara propounded through these works, is what is known as *Advaita or Non-dualism.*

After this, he returned to Kashi and wrote commentaries on Sanatsujatiya, Nrisimhatapani, Vishnu Sahasranama and Lalitha Trishathi.

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