Instruments of Hinduism Revival: Adi Shankaracharya

Adi Shankara is a well-known Hindu philosopher. He was the one who eradicated superstition and badness from Hinduism. He learned Upanishads and Vedas deeply to come- up with simple and renowned interpretations. Hindu scriptures were re- written well with him. Shankaracharya is also known as Bhagavatpada Acharya (Guru at the feet of God). He was the one who clearly stated the main difference between Buddhism and Hinduism. According to him, Hinduism believes in the existence of Soul while Buddhism doesn’t. He is the founder and the first Acharya of Advaita Sidhantha or non-dualism. He is also considered as an Avatar (incarnation) of Lord Shiva.

Shankaracharya Jayanti comes on the 5th day of the month Vaisakh (In Hindu calendar). His works are widely read with devotion and special pujas are done on this day.

This year, Shankaracharya Jayanti comes on 21 April.

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Birth and Childhood

It is believed that he was born in the year 788 AD. It was Kalady his birthplace which is now in Kerala. At the time of his birth, Kalady was a part of Chera Kingdom. Kalady is on the banks of Churni (now Periyar). Kaippilly Sivaguru Namboodiri was his father and Aryambya Antharjanam, his mother. His parents had no child for a long time. It is said that Lord Shiva himself appeared in the dream of his mother and told that he would take birth as her child and then Shankaracharya was born. Boy, Shankara was very brilliant right from his childhood. So he was called with the name Eka- Shruti- Dharan means one who can grab anything only by hearing once. He was taught all Hindu books (epics and puranas) from a Gurukuhl. Shankaracharya then concentrated himself to learn all Hindu philosophies and as a result he became a real source of knowledge.

His father died in his childhood. So upanayanam was postponed. It is written in biographies that Shankara was interested in ascetic life in his childhood also. But his mother Aryambya Antharjanam didn’t permit him to go for it. One day, while Shankara and his mother were bathing in a river, he was caught by a crocodile at once. He tried a lot. But the cruel crocodile seemed it wanted his blood and meat. So the little Shankara cried her mother to permit him to live as a Sage (Sanyasi) or else he would be killed by the crocodile. Thus that poor mother agreed and the crocodile left him alive.

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Ascetic Life

He left his home to live an ascetic life. Hence he met with Govindapada who became Shankara’s teacher soon. He again studied Veda, Sasthra, Puranas, Upanishads, Brahma Sutra and various philosophies under the guidance of Govindapada. During the study there, he authored many books at that very young age.

After the study there, he travelled all over the India, met many Pundits and Acharyas and won many debates with them. During his travel he spread the idea of non- duality and established four mathas which are at Joshimath, Puri, Sringeri and Dwarka.

Advaita Vedanta states about the divine unity of human beings. He said that all human beings are the same irrespective of their physical appearance. He also gave an answer to the chaotic question, “who am I?’. It is Brahma.

He added that in this world all physical things are an illusion and Brahma only is real. By continuous practice of Advaita Vedantha, we can get rid of the unwanted feeling like ego and jealousy.

Shankaracharya’s philosophy can be classified into three steps which are Brahman (paramarthika satta), empirical world of beings and non-beings (vyavaharika satta) and reality (pratibhashika satta).

Most of his legendary works were written before he reached at the age of 16. We can divide them as commentaries on the Bhagavadgita, the Brahmasutra and the Upanishads.

He had a vast number of disciple who wanted live like him as a renowned sage. Padmapada, Sadananda, Tothaka, Sureshvara, Citsukha, Cidvilasayati, Prthividhara, Brahmendra, Bodhendra are some of them. Later his disciples did works on Shankaracharya literature and Advaita Vedanta.

Death

It is believed that he was died at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand at his age of 32. There is a Samadhi Mandir for him behind Kedarnath temple. Kedarnath is a well- known place of pilgrimage for Hindus. There is also a Sanskrit University as a tribute to him in his birth place, Kaladi.

Works

He was a great Sanskrit author. Many (over 300) anonymous books are believed to be written by Adi Shankaracharya. We can’t believe all of them are his works. Maybe his devotees or disciples wrote that with the name, Shankaracharya.

Brahmasutrabhasya is one of his prominent works. He also wrote bhasyas (commentaries) on ten Upanishads which are Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the Chandogya Upanishad, the Aitareya Upanishad, the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Kena Upanishad, the Isha Upanishad, the Katha Upanishad, the Mundaka Upanishad, the Prashna Upanishad, and the Mandukya Upanishad. He also wrote a commentary on Bhagavadgita which was found to be authentic. The Daksinamurti Stotra, the Bhajagovinda Stotra, the Sivanandalahari, the Carpata-panjarika, the Visnu-satpadi, the Harimide, the Dasa-shloki, and the Krishna-staka were also written by Shankaracharya which are poems (shlokas).

Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheswara,

Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Thasmai Shri Gurave Namah

This is how he begins his Gurusthothrm.

The song of the Self

I am Thought, I am Joy, I am He, I am He.

Without hate, without infatuation, without craving, without greed;
Neither arrogance, nor conceit, never jealous I am;
Neither dharma nor artha, neither kama, nor moksha am I;
I am Thought, I am Joy, I am He, I am He.

Without sins, without merits, without elation, without sorrow;
Neither mantra, nor rituals, neither pilgrimage, nor Vedas;
Neither the experiencer, nor experienced, nor the experience am I,
I am Thought, I am Joy, I am He, I am He.

Without fear, without death, without schism, without jati;
Neither father, nor mother, never born I am;
Neither kith, nor kin, neither teacher, nor student am I;
I am Thought, I am Joy, I am He, I am He.

Without form, without figure, without resemblance am I;
Vitality of all senses, in everything I am;
Neither attached, nor released am I;
I am Thought, I am Joy, I am He, I am He.

—Adi Shankara, Nirvana Shatakam, Hymns 3-6

He was a Topic for Movies too.

1. The first film that was completely shot in Sanskrit language was based on Adi Shankaracharya and his works. The name of it was “Adi Sahnkaracharya” itself and it was directed by G.V. Ayyar in 1983. That movie won the national film award for Best Film, Best Cinematography Best Screenplay and Best Audiography.
2. Sri Jagadguru Aadi Shankara was a Telugu film which was released in 2013 about Shri Shankaracharya and the director of this film was J. K. Bharavi