The Man Who Reformed Sanatana Dharma
A Brief biography of Adi Shankaracharya
शङ्करं शङ्कराचार्यं केशवं बादरायणम्।
सूत्रभाष्यकृतौ वन्दे भगवन्तौ पुनः पुनः॥
Salutations again and again to Lord Shiva in the form of Śrī ŚHankarācārya and Lord Vişnu incarnated as Veda Vyasa or badarāyana, who were the authors of sutra and bhāṣya.
First of all, I am sorry for writing such a long post, but I am trying my best to include most of the major incidents, journeys, and works of Acharya Shankara. His life’s work is immeasurable. Even the briefest description can easily become a 3000 words long article.
Sectarian strife due to differences in religious views can be defined as the tiny yet perilous termites that keep feeding on the very foundation of a society. Well, hilariously, unity and this diversity are nothing but two different sides of the very same coin. The urge to prove to be better and greater makes us ignorant and blind. Sanatan Dharma got this infection too. But a divine entity came to save us all from the dark age.
That divine entity, Adi Shankaracharya, became the beacon of hope during those doom days, but we, the so-called ‘Hindus,’ know nothing about this great man’s works, sacrifices, and contributions.
Jagadguru Adi Shankara, the 8th-century-born Indian philosopher, taught us the intricate beauty and depth of Advaita Vedanta. This theologian consolidated the scattered school of thoughts and doctrine of the then Sanatan Dharma and unified it through his works, great religious debates, and finally, the four Peethas of Shankaracharya.
Madhaviya Shankara Digvijaya
The biographies of Acharya Shankara, or the documentation of his trail of victory, are often described as ‘Shankara Digvijaya.’ Though there are a lot of different books on the journey of Bhagavadpada, Madhaviya Shankara Digvijaya can be considered authentic.
This book can be considered one of the best depictions of the life of Adi Shankara. It also shows the infinite wisdom of the author as well. In his later life, Sri Madhava became Sree Vidyaranya and the head of Acharya Shankara’s Sringeri Peetham.
Adi Shankara and the then-Hinduism
To understand the contribution of Acharya Shankara, we must travel back to around 700 CE. During that period, Sanatana Dharma was going through a dark era. The underlying ego of every sect and school of thought was damaging the innate harmony of Hinduism. And other religions started taking advantage of that inner brawl. When the entire India was suffering from this contagious detestation, Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, near Kochi, Kerala. His father’s name was Shivaguru, and his mother was Aryamma.
Adi Shankara was more than a so-called child prodigy. From the wisest Gurus to common people, everyone used to be astounded to witness his enormous aptitude. The boy learned his mother tongue, Malayalam, at such a young age that his parents and Guru were amazed. Boy Shankara used to be engrossed in his deep thoughts of Shastras and Spirituality. After noticing his tendencies, his father decided to do his Upanayana sanskar at a very young age.
After his father’s demise, he was the only family his mother had. But the boy had an innate longing to be an ascetic. When his mother came to know about this, she refused to give him permission. She could not accept his little boy Shankara leaving her at such a young age.
One day 8-year-old Shankara went to the Purna river with his mother. But all of a sudden, he got attacked by a crocodile. His mother tried to save her boy, but the crocodile started dragging him away. His mother knew that, as per the astrological chart, Shankara did not have a long life. But the sight was horrifying for a mother. At that very moment, Shankara asked his mother to allow him to be an ascetic; otherwise, the crocodile would keep hauling him. Without any further thought, his mother reluctantly permitted him. And to everyone’s utter amazement, the crocodile had actually gone away. What a miraculous child!
From Shankara to Shankara Bhagavadpāda: The Journey
The Boy Who Became A Monk
After the crocodile encounter, his mother let him be an ascetic. But his mother just had one request. She asked him to be there at her deathbed and to perform her last rites in the coming future. After promising his mother, Shankara left his home. He had a long journey ahead of him.
Shankara had to start his quest for his spiritual guru. He knew that an enlightened monk was living near Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh). When other boys were enjoying being pampered by their mothers, Shankara chose to be an ascetic. We can not even fathom the thought today.
Shankara and His Guru Govindapada
Boy Shankara was in pursuit of his Guru. A guru who will lead him to the right path, a path to enlightenment. It is believed that after leaving Kalady, he took the route toward Tungabhadra and arrived at Sringeri. From there, he went to Gokarna and then eventually to Omkareswar.
Guru Govindapada was living there with his disciples at that time. Shankara visited his cave to be initiated and become his disciple. Govindapada was not a common monk, and he was known to be the incarnation of Patanjali Muni. He decided to test Shankara’s wisdom and asked him, “Who are you?”
Shankara replied,
Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham
I am the eternal Consciousness (Shiva)
At that very instant, Shankara composed one of the most revered compositions, which is known as “Nirvana Shatakam” or “Atma Shatakam.”
Guru Govindapada was a realized soul, and he knew that Shankara was not a mere ordinary boy. But it was his duty to test him. Shankara’s reply pleased him, and he accepted Shankara as his disciple. Shankara’s answer was the very crux of Advaita Vedanta. During his time with his Guru, Shankara composed Vishnu Sahasranama. Under his Guru’s guidance, the boy Shankara transformed into Acharya Shankara.
The Four Mahavakyas of Advaita Vedanta
Guru Govindapada’s teachings of Advaita Vedanta had four pillars or Mahavakyas. These four Mahavakyas were from four Vedas. These four teachings or Mahavakyas were:
Tat Tvam Asi: ‘That Thou Art.’ You are the Divine Consciousness. (Chhandogya Upanisad, Sama Veda)
Aham Brahmasmi: I am that eternal Parambrahma. I am Divine (Brihadaranyaka Upnisad, Yajur Veda)
Prajnanam Brahma: ‘Consciousness is absolute.’ This never-ending wisdom is Parambrahma. (Aitereya Upanisad, Rig Veda)
Ayam Atma Brahma: This ‘Self’ is the Brahman. (Mandukya Upanisad, Atharva Veda)
Acharya Shankara
Shankara served his guru for four years. In that little time, he became the tutor of his fellow guru-bhratas (other disciples). After testing him in every possible way, Guru Govindapada himself honored him with the title Acharya. And thus began the journey of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.
Adi Shankaracharya and Kashi
As per his Guru’s command, Acharya Shankara reached Varanasi after a long journey on foot. Kashi was the beacon of spiritual wisdom from ancient times. It was the land of realized souls and various schools of thought, the spiritual capital of India. That very Kashi and the people of Kashi yielded in front of the prowess of the enlightened young monk. Soon entire Kashi was talking about the wisdom of the young intellectual giant. Even the Buddhist monk started admiring his views and knowledge. But Shankaracharya’s wisdom was about to be tried again.
Adi Sankaracharya’s Statue at Kashi Viswanath Gate
Acharya Shankara and the Chandal of Kashi
One day when Adi Shankara was going to Manikarnika with his disciple trotting behind, a Chandal (untouchable who engages in cremation works) stopped him on his way. He was going to the temple and being interrupted unsettled him. His disciples asked the Chandal to move aside. But the Chandal was unwavering, and he refused to do so. He was taxing Acharya Shankara’s patience. He asked Chandal to move aside, but Chandal asked him to answer his questions first. Acharya was baffled, but he allowed the Chandal to ask.
The Question Of The Chandal
Then the Chandal asked,
“O, the wise one, why are you asking me to move away? Are you asking my body to move away or my soul? If everybody is being nurtured by the same food provided by Mother Nature, then how are we different from each other? And if that Cosmic Eternal Consciousness is there inside us as our very soul, then what is the difference between you and me? How can you even say that you are Brahmin and I am an untouchable Chandal? Why did you ask me to move?”
Adi Shankaracharya’s Realization
Adi Shankaracharya was wise enough to recognize the real identity of that Chandal standing in front of him. Without wasting any more time, he submitted himself at the feet of that Chandal. His devotees and followers could not comprehend what was happening, why their Acharya was so dazed and yielding at the feet of an untouchable.
But Adi Shankara identified Lord Shiva from the insightful questions. It was Lord Shiva who was taking his test in the disguise of the Chandal. Acharya conceded there is no difference between ‘You’ and ‘Me’ and ‘Him,’ everyone is the manifestation of that eternal consciousness we call Paramatma.
That is why Acharya surrendered in front of Lord Shiva after realizing his misstep. That Eternal Divinity is Omnipresent. At that moment, Acharya realized the crux of Advaita Vedanta in a most practical way from the Adi Guru Himself.
After the test of Maha Bhairva, Acharya composed one of his best compositions, Kalbhairava Ashtakam.
Prasthanatraya
According to common faith, after the encounter with Lord Shiva himself and as per His command, Adi Shankaracharya started working on Bhasyas of Vyasa‘s Brahmasutra, Bhagavad Gita, and Upanisads. These three works of his are called Prasthanatraya.
From Kashi to Badrinath
To keep working on Prasthanatraya and other books, Acharya needed solitude. So he left Kashi and started his journey toward Badrinath. After crossing almost 3000km on foot, he finally reached Badrinath with his devotees. Acharya himself plunged into the mighty Alakananda river and discovered the divine idol of Badrinath. It was he who specified the present worship rituals of Lord Badri Vishal.
Cave Of Veda Vyasa And Adi Shankara
After reaching Badrinath via Rishikesh, Adi Shankaracharya started living in Sri Veda Vyasa‘s cave. It is believed that he stayed there for four years and completed Prasthantraya. Apart from that, he composed a lot of prayers for Lord Shiva, Mother Goddess, Sri Ganesha, etc. Prakarana Granthas were also composed during this period.
One day a hermit visited him and started questioning his work. Acharya patiently answered his questions and said, “O the wisest sage, Vyasa, I bow down to you. Let me leave this mortal body behind if you believe my work is complete. I want to be merged with the eternal Divinity.” Veda Vyasa, in disguise as that hermit, smiled at the intuitiveness of Adi Shankara. He said, “You have a duty towards Sanatana Dharma. You have to unite the scattered sects of our Dharma through Advaita. Then only you will be free to leave your mortal body.”
The only way to reunite the different sects of Hinduism was to demonstrate the very essence of Santana Dharma and, i.e., the innate oneness. And only through Advaita’s doctrine was it achievable. Adi Shankaracharya started the unification of the sects through Shatrarth (intellectual debates between different schools of thought).
His journey to unify Sanatana Dharma is known as Shankara Vijayam. Usually, all scholars were busy proving themselves right to satisfy their ego or be superior. But for Adi Shankara, it was a way to save the Santana Dharma from internal conflicts. To evade the darkness which was spreading like Cancer. In no time, Adi Shankara gained fame by overpowering most of the prominent spiritual gurus and intellectuals.
Adi Shankaracharya and Kumarila Bhatta
To unite the scattered sects of Sanatana Dharma and establish the ideology of Advaita or non-dualism, he first visited Prayag. Acharya Shankara intended to defeat one of the most prominent Vedic ritualistic intellectuals, Kumarila Bhatta.
After reaching Prayag, Adi Shankara came to know that Kumarila Bhatta was about to enter an ablaze pyre to end his life. He conspired against his Guru, and he was doing it for redemption. Sri Shankara rushed to that very spot and tried to dissuade him.
Kumarila identified the already famous Adi Shankara and praised his writings. He also declined to reverse his decision. Kumarila Bhatta asked Adi Shankara to visit his disciple Mandana Mishra and invite him for a philosophical debate. He also informed Acharya that Mandana Mishra was the only hindrance to his victorious journey.
The Great Debate Between Adi Shankaracharya and Mandana Mishra
Though most of the scholars of India have yielded in front of Adi Shankara’s intellectual prowess, a few of them were not that easy to waver. Manada Mishra was one of them. The scholarly debate between Mandana Mishra and Adi Shankaracharya can be deemed one of that era’s most crucial happenings.
This debate was based on the two distinct sections of the Vedas- The Gyanakanda (the wisdom) and The Karmakanda (The Rituals). It was a debate between Nivritti Marga (the ascetic life) and Pravritti Marga (family and attachment). Mandana was a backer of Vedic Purba Mimamsa, and Adi Shankara was of Advaita Vedanta.
The Religious Debate or Shastrartha
The condition of the debate was if Adi Shankara got overpowered, he had to be a follower of Mishra and get married. And if Mandana Mishra got defeated, he had to leave his wife Ubhaya Bharati and be an ascetic under Ad Shankara’s guidance.
The Consequence Of The Shastrartha
The Shastrartha went on for several months, and to witness such an intellectual exchange, numerous scholars started visiting Mandana Mishra‘s place. Mandana Mishra was about to accept his defeat when his wife and judge of the debate, Ubhaya Bharati, intervened. She said, “I am the better half of my husband; to defeat him, you have to defeat me too.”
Jagadguru accepted the condition, and then Ubhaya Bharati asked the celibate Adi Shankara,
“What do you know about Kama Shastra (Art of seduction)?”
“Do you know how to arouse a woman? Where to touch her for pleasure?”
Everyone was startled to hear such questions, and being celibate, Adi Shankara could not reply.
Instead of accepting defeat, he asked for time. It is said that Adi Shankara willingly left his body and entered the dead body of a King through Parakaya Pravesh Vidya. Once he experienced the art of seduction and physical pleasure, he defeated Mandana Mishra. Later on, Mandana became one of the foremost disciples of Adi Shankara.
Dasanami Sampradaya and Shankaracharya Peetham
Acharya Shankara brought the different sects of Ekadandi sanyasis under one umbrella and created Dasanami Sampradaya. These 10 Sects are Giri, Puri, Tirtha, Saraswati, Aranya, Bharati, Ashrama, Vana, Sagara, and Parvata.
The Four Disciples of Adi Shankara
His four main disciples who became the first Shankarachryas of the four Peethas were,
Totakacharya
Hastamalaka
Padmapada
Suresvara ( Mandana Mishra)
Uttaramnaya Sri Jyotirmath Peetham
Jyotirmath Peetham is in present-day Uttarakhand. The first Shankaracharya of this Peetham was Sri Totakacharya. The Mahavakya of this Peetham is ‘Ayam Atma Brahma,’ and Veda is Atharva Veda. Among Dasanamis, the monastic orders of Parvata, Sagara, and Giri are under this Peetham.
Purvamnaya Sri Govardhan Peetham
Sri Govardhana Peetham is in present-day Puri, near Sri Jagannath Temple. The First Shankaracharya of Govardhana Peetham was Sri Padmapadacharya. The Mahavakya of this Peetham is Prajnanam Brahma and Veda is Rig Veda.
Pashchimnaya Sri Sharada Peetham
The mahavakya or Vedantic mantra of Sri Sarada Peetham is Tat Tvam Asi and the Veda is Sama Veda. The First Shankaracharya of Sri Sharada Peetham, Dwaraka was Sri Hastamlakacharya
Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham
Situated in Sringeri, Karnataka, Dakshinamnaya Sarada Peethamis the cardinal Peetham of non-dualist Vedantic doctrine of Southern India. The first Shankaracharya of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham was Sri Sureswaracharya.The Mahavakya is Aham Brahmasmi and Veda is Yajurveda.
About His Demise
Adi Shankara started stepping towards the Himalayan peaks behind Kedarnath Temple after expounding his last advice to his disciples. He was only 32 years old at that time. His physical body was never found.
Pic: Indian Express
Acharya Shankara‘s memorial behind the Kedarnath temple was destroyed in the 2013 Himalayan Tsunami. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a new idol of Adi Shankaracharya on 5th November 2021.
I bow down to HIS Lotus Feet, I surrender to Him, who is my Guru. His sacrifices and contributions are the reason we are still calling ourselves Hindu.