शङ्करं शङ्कराचार्यं केशवं बादरायणम् ।
सूत्रभाष्यकृतौ वन्दे भगवन्तौ पुनः पुनः ॥
Transliteration:
Shankaram Shankaracharyam Keshavam Badarayanam
Sutra Bhashya Kritau Vande Bhagavantau Purnah Purnah
Meaning:
I offer my repeated salutations to Bhagavan Vyasa, who is embodied as Shankaracharya and Keshava, the author of the Brahma Sutras and the commentator on the same.
Life and works of HH Adi Guru Shankaracharya
Adi Guru Shankaracharya is one of the most revered and respected personalities in the history of India. He was a philosopher, theologian, and teacher who lived in the 8th century CE. Shankaracharya was born in a Brahmin family in the southern Indian state of Kerala. He is credited with the revival and propagation of the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy, which emphasizes the oneness of the individual self (atman) with the ultimate reality (Brahman). His life and teachings have had a profound impact on Hinduism, and he is considered to be one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time.
Life Sketch
Shankaracharya was born in the year 788 CE in a small village called Kaladi in Kerala. His parents were Shivaguru and Aryamba. According to legend, his birth was the result of his mother’s intense prayers to Lord Shiva. Shankaracharya was a brilliant child and displayed a keen interest in spiritual matters from an early age. He lost his father at a young age and was raised by his mother.
At the age of eight, Shankaracharya became a disciple of Govinda Bhagavatpada, who was a disciple of the great sage Gaudapada. Under his guru’s guidance, Shankaracharya mastered the Vedas, Upanishads, and other sacred texts. He also received the knowledge of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy from his guru.
After completing his studies, Shankaracharya began to travel across India, engaging in debates with scholars and establishing monasteries. He is said to have defeated many scholars and established his authority on the Vedas and Upanishads. He also established four main monasteries in India, which are known as the Amnaya Mathas. These monasteries are located in Badrinath in the north, Puri in the east, Sringeri in the south, and Dwaraka in the west.
Major Achievements
Shankaracharya’s greatest achievement was the revival and propagation of the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy. He wrote many commentaries on the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, and Bhagavad Gita, which are considered to be some of the most profound and influential works in Indian philosophy. His commentaries on the Upanishads, called the Upanishad Bhashyas, are particularly noteworthy.
In addition to his philosophical works, Shankaracharya also established many monasteries and mathas across India. These institutions played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Hinduism during a time of great upheaval and decline. Shankaracharya’s monasteries also served as centers of learning and scholarship, attracting students and scholars from all over India.
Work and Contribution
Shankaracharya’s work and contribution to Hinduism can be divided into three main areas: philosophy, monasticism, and social reform.
Philosophy: Shankaracharya is best known for his philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, which emphasizes the oneness of the individual self with the ultimate reality. According to Shankaracharya, the ultimate reality, Brahman, is beyond all names and forms and can only be realized through direct experience. He also believed that the world is an illusion, and that the individual self is not separate from Brahman, but is an expression of it.
Monasticism: Shankaracharya was a great advocate of monasticism and believed that it was the best way to achieve spiritual liberation. He established many monasteries and mathas across India, which served as centers of learning and scholarship. These institutions provided a safe and supportive environment for monks to study and practice spiritual disciplines.
Social Reform
In addition to his contributions to philosophy and monasticism, Shankaracharya also played an important role in social reform. He believed in the equality of all human beings, regardless of their caste or gender, and worked to eradicate social inequality and discrimination. He also opposed many of the superstitious practices that had crept into Hinduism.
Shankaracharya’s teachings and writings had a profound impact on Hinduism and helped to unify the religion under a common philosophy. He was also instrumental in establishing Hinduism as a major religious and cultural force in India. Shankaracharya’s legacy continues to this day, and his teachings are studied and practiced by millions of Hindus around the world.
Uniting Hindus and Building a United Rashtra
One of Shankaracharya’s most significant contributions was his role in uniting Hindus and building a united rashtra (nation). At the time of Shankaracharya, India was divided into many small kingdoms, each with its own language, customs, and religious practices. There was no sense of national identity, and the people of India were deeply divided along linguistic, cultural, and religious lines.
Shankaracharya realized that the only way to unify India was to create a common philosophy and a shared sense of spiritual identity. He used his influence and authority to spread the teachings of Advaita Vedanta across India, establishing monasteries and mathas in different parts of the country. He also encouraged his disciples to travel and spread his teachings to other parts of India.
Through his efforts, Shankaracharya was able to create a common philosophy and shared a sense of spiritual identity among Hindus. He helped to break down the barriers of language, caste, and culture that had divided India for centuries, and he paved the way for the emergence of a unified Hindu rashtra.
Reestablishing Advaita Vedanta and Sanatan Parmapara
Another important contribution of Shankaracharya was his role in reestablishing the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy and the Sanatan Parmapara (eternal tradition) of Hinduism. During the time of Shankaracharya, Hinduism had become corrupted by many superstitious practices and beliefs. The true teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads had been forgotten.
Shankaracharya saw the need to reestablish the true teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads and to revive the ancient Sanatan Parmapara of Hinduism. He wrote many commentaries on the Upanishads and other sacred texts, which helped to clarify the true meaning of these texts and to reestablish the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy.
Adi Guru Shankaracharya was a visionary and a leader who played a crucial role in shaping the course of Hinduism and Indian history. His teachings and writings continue to inspire millions of people around the world, and his legacy is a testament to the power of spiritual wisdom and the human spirit. Through his contributions to philosophy, monasticism, and social reform, Shankaracharya helped to unite Hindus, build a united rashtra, and reestablish the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy and the Sanatan Parmapara of Hinduism. His life and teachings are a source of inspiration and guidance for all those seeking spiritual enlightenment and the realization of the ultimate reality.
Shankaracharya’s contributions to Indian philosophy and spirituality cannot be overstated. He lived during a time of great change and upheaval in India, and he recognized the need for a new approach to spiritual and philosophical inquiry. His teachings continue to be studied and debated by scholars and practitioners of Hinduism today, and they have influenced a wide range of spiritual traditions around the world.
One of the key principles of Shankaracharya’s philosophy was the idea of Advaita, or non-dualism. This principle holds that there is only one ultimate reality, which is the source of all existence. Shankaracharya believed that this ultimate reality, which he called Brahman, could be realized through a process of self-inquiry and meditation. He taught that the true nature of the self (Atman) was identical with the nature of Brahman, and that by realizing this unity, one could transcend the cycle of birth and death and achieve liberation.
Shankaracharya’s philosophy was revolutionary in its emphasis on personal spiritual experience and direct realization of the ultimate reality. It challenged the traditional rituals and practices of Hinduism and encouraged individuals to seek truth through their own inner inquiry. This emphasis on individual spiritual freedom and self-realization has had a profound impact on spiritual traditions around the world.
In addition to his contributions to philosophy, Shankaracharya was also a great leader and organizer. He recognized the need to establish monasteries and mathas across India, which would serve as centers of learning and scholarship. These institutions helped to preserve and promote the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and the Sanatan Parmapara of Hinduism, and they continue to play a crucial role in the spiritual life of India.
Shankaracharya’s teachings also had a significant impact on social reform in India. He believed in the equality of all human beings, regardless of their caste or gender, and worked to eradicate social inequality and discrimination. He opposed many of the superstitious practices that had crept into Hinduism. His teachings inspired a new wave of social reform in India, which continues to this day.
Ram Saamarthya Yog Peeth Trust ( RSYPT ) family follows HH Adi Shankaracharya parampara.
-SamarthGuru