.. S:¢rac:ay:ü ..
 Introduction\footnotePlease direct
all your suggestions, corrections, and additions to mgiridhar@ucdavis.edu.
The text can be found in the html format at the author's home page,   
http://www.geopages.com/RodeoDrive/1415/shan.html

Let us offer our praNaams to Adi Shankara, one of the greatest 
philosophers, mystics, and poets to grace bhaaratavarshha and this planet.

According to various historians, Adi Shankaracharya was born 
at a time when Buddhism held sway
in India, and the philosophy of Buddhism had come to be interpreted as
a denial of God. Hinduism was divided into various sects and the ritualistic
practice had taken a predominance over actual philosophical practice.

Shankara, in his indisputable style, set out on a difficult
mission and changed the outlook of the country and its people by 
revamping the vast hindu literature into simple, easy to understand
language. 


 The life of Shankara


Among numerous biographies of Shankara, the earliest one is by Chitsukha 
titled brihat-shankara-vijaya. However, the most widely 
cited biography is the one by aanandagiri titled praachiina shankara vijaya.
Another one of the well known biographies is titled sankshepa shankara
vijaya and is by Advaitist maadhavaachaarya. The composer of the biography is 
usually identified with the sage vidyaara.nya, who wrote one of the 
best manuals on advaita metaphysics titled panchadashii 15 chapters. 
There are many wonderful stories regarding Shankara and his  
life.\footnoteSome of the stories may be mythical and readers discretion
is advised.

Vidyaadhiraaja lived in a small village of Kaladi in Kerela, 
South India. His only son, Shivaguru, was inclined to asceticism and 
spirituality.  However, on Vidyaadhiraaja's instistence, Shivaguru married 
Shivataarakaa (also known
as Aryamba) from a nearby village. In spite of a virtuous life, they were 
not blessed with a child for a long time. However the prayers
at the vrishabhachaleshwara temple at Trichur borne fruit and Lord 
Shiva appeared as an old man in a dream to Shivaguru and gave him a 
choice of hundred sons who would be happy or a single son who would 
become a great sage but condemned to a short and severe life. 
Shivaguru chose the latter. On the same day, Lord Shiva appeared 
in the dream of Aryamba in all His brillance riding the Nandi bull and 
told her that her son would become a great sage. After the couple 
awakened and told each other about their dreams, they heard the voice of 
Lord Shiva together exclaiming, `I will be born as your son.' 
Shortly thereafter, the couple
was blessed with a wonderful son and they named him Shankara. 
According to historians, Shankara was born in the year Nandana 
(26th year of the sixty year cycle or sa.nvatsara) in the lunar month of 
Vaishaakha 
(corresponding to May/June) under the Zodiac sign of the Archer on 
Monday in the year 805 AD.\footnoteThe exact
dates of Shankara's birth and mahaa-samadhi  
have been debated among various historians,
but the dates mentioned here are based on astronomical data given in
brihat-shankara-vijaya.

Once Aryamba was shocked to find a large cobra coiled around the 
neck of Shankara. While she was watching, it turned to a garland. It is 
said that Shankara could read, write, and speak Sanskrit at the age of one. 
Once some children were arguing about the number of seeds inside a melon. 
Young Shankara said that the number of seeds inside that melon would 
correspond to the number of gods who created the universe. 
When the children cut open the melon, they found only one seed !!
Once, Shankara
was collecting alms from various families in the village. A lady,
who was in abject poverty possessed only a piece of amla fruit but seeing
Shankara gave him her food. Shankara, taking pity on the woman 
composed kanaka (amla) dhaaraa (shower) stotra to Shrii at her
doorstep and golden amlas rained upon the lady.

Shivaguru did not live long thereafter and died when Shankara was five,
and Shankara was raised under the loving care of his mother. 
He started studying arts, sciences based on the Vedas. He was a
prodigy and completed his Vedic studies at the young age of eight. Even at this
early age, he exhibited ascetic tendencies. However, his mother, since she had
no other support, was unwilling to allow her only son to take up sanyasa. Since
the purpose of Shankara's life was much greater than taking care of 
his mother, a `miracle' happened. When Shankara was taking bath in the
Purna river, a crocodile caught hold of his leg and started to drag
him. Hearing the cries of the children nearby, Aryamba rushed to the
scene. Since every Hindu is supposed to enter the phase of Sanyasa
before his/her death, Shankara requested the permission of his mother
to become a Sanyasi. Having no choice, Aryamba gave her consent. 
The crocodile let go of his leg immediately.  Shankara consoled 
his mother, and promised her that he would be at her bedside during the time
of her death.
Soon he became a wandering monk at the age of eight.

He proceeded north and reached the banks of Narmada. He saw a 
group of sannyaasins surrounding an imposing old man, who was deeply 
engrossed in meditation. He folded his hands respectfully, approached 
the old man, prostrated before him and exclaimed `I bow down before my 
guru, Govinda.' Govinda Bhagavatpaada greeted him fervently as a 
long-promised disciple (Legend is that Govinda was promised this disciple 
by his guru, GauDapaada).
During this time, Shankara became acquainted with the foundations of 
Advaita and wrote several shiva hymns, some philosophical treatises, 
and the commentary on brihadaara.nyakopanishad. 

Once Shankara along with other disciples of Govinda were meditating 
in a cave. Due to a massive flood, the level of the water in Narmada 
river rose to the entrance of the cave. Having seen what happened, 
he put a small bowl in front of the cave and chanted a mantra which 
forced all the water into the bowl, and the flood subsided. At this point, 
Govinda remembered the prophecy of Baadaraaya.na that the best commentary 
on brahma suutras would be written by a person who tames the river and 
asked Shankara to write the commentary on the triple cannon(prasthaanatrayii) : 
`brahma suutras', `bhagavadgiitaa' and the major upanishhads.

At the age of fifteen, Shankara reached Kashi and started 
to spread the Advaita philosophy, and started writing the 
commentaries on the Brahma suutras, the upanishhads, and Bhagvadgiitaa. 
During his stay at Kashi, he wrote bhaja govindaM (details are
given in the bhaja govindaM section). 

In a very short time, he had established himself as an authority on
Vedanta philosophy (imagine at the age of fifteen). 
Shankara proceeded to tour the vast country of India
(Bharatavarshha) and to establish his philosophy. This is often referred to as
his
dig-vijaya. His spiritual insights and vast knowledge won him
many debates, and subsequently many disciples.  

Padmapaada was one of his primary disciples. Once Shankara was standing
on the banks of a river. Some of his clothes were on the other side of
the river, where his disciples were standing. Shankara requested these
disciples to fetch his clothes. Since
there was no boat available, the disciples hesistated, except for one 
disciple named Sanandana. He started to walk in the water, and for each 
step he took, a lotus appeared, and the disciple crossed the 
river even touching the water below.  Hence, Shankara named
this disciple, Padmapaada (padma- lotus, paada- feet). 
Shankara also composed Atma-bodha, 
the awakening of the atman, as a favor to this disciple.

At this time, he received the tidings of his mother's grave illness. 
He rushed to the bedside to his dying mother at Kaladi. He tried to explain 
to her the majestic philosophy of Advaita, the image of the illusionary 
world, and nirguNa brahman. However, this frightened the poor woman who 
lacked the philosophical acumen of Shankara. Then the Shankara, the king among 
jnanis,
resorted to bhakti and composed various hymns in praise of Lord Shiva and 
Lord Vishnu. The chanting of these verses calmed her and she reached 
Brahmaloka. He performed the cremation rites for her despite opposition 
from the ritualistic kinsmen. It is said that a visit  to Kaladi is 
unfulfilled unless one 
visits this place of cremation and the spot where 
Shankara was granted sanyas by his loving mother.

Shortly after the death of his mother, Shankara had to endure the blow 
of another death -- his guru, Govinda. He paid his last respects to 
Govinda and established a temple in his honor. 
He then proceeded to Prayaag, where he met the famous miimaa.nsakaas 
namely Kumarila and Prabhaakara. 
Kumarila was born in a Brahmanic family in South India and devoted
his entire life to struggle against the 'heretical' doctorines of
Jains and Buddhists. It is even said that he disguised himself as
a Buddhist monk and got instruction from celebrated Buddhist teachers,
so that he could get a clear idea of their philosophy. Kumarila was
very much responsible for the decline of Buddhism. It is mentioned in
Brhat-shankara-vijaya that these victories of Kumarila indirectly
contributed to the death of his former teacher, the buddhist Sugata.
Meanwhile, Shankara met Prabhaakara and his son, prthiviidhara.
He won over both of them as disciples after defeating them in 
philosophical debates.
  
Among his various debates, the most famous one was the one with 
another famous miimaa.nsaka, Mandana Misra, 
who was the authority on Karma Kanda (the ritualistic 
portion of the Vedas). Since Shankara 
expoused Jnana Kanda (the path of knowledge), he agreed to have a
debate with Mandana Misra. The loser of the debate would then agree
to become the disciple of the victor. Mandana Misra's scholarly wife, Ubhaya
Bharati, agreed to serve the judge of the debate. Garlands were placed
on both Shankara and Mandana and it was agreed the
person wearing the garland that would fade
would accept defeat. The debate prolonged for fifteen days, and finally 
the garland on Mandana Misra faded and he accepted defeat and 
became a disciple of Shankara and was named Sureswaracharaya.
However his wife continued to be engaged in debate with Shankara. 
Bharati conceded to Shankara on many
points in the debate but, as the story goes, 
when she asked about the marital life and
obligations, Shankara was stumped. Shankara had been an ascetic since
he was eight and he had no answer to her questions. At the same time,
the king of the state, Amaruuka, was on his death bed. In order to answer
her question, Shankara decided to inhabit the body of the king. Requesting
his disciples to take care of his own body, Shankara entered the kings body
and lived like the king, catering to the various wives of the king, attending
to kingly household duties, and 
enjoying the immense riches of the kingdom. Slowly, Shankara was drawn into
the material world and forgot who he really was. At this time, his disciples
became concerned and decided to confront him. The disciples began singing
verses from Bhaja GovindaM. Shankara immediately realized who he was
and dropped the king's body and reappeared in his own body. 
Thus having experienced marital
life for a brief period, he was ready to confront Bharati. Bharati, having
realized this, conceded defeat and became a disciple
of Shankara.

In Kashi, Shankara resided with his disciples in one of the most famous 
ghaaTa, maNikarNikaa (the ear-ring of Shiva). This ghat is probably one of 
the most visited ghats and occupies a honorable place 
in the neighbouring temple of Visvanatha.

Another incident happened at Kashi. During his regular visit to the temple, 
he was blocked by an untouchable with a dog. 
Shankara requested him to move since he wouldn't touch this
person. At that time, the untouchable asked `O Shankara, the expounder of
advaita, even if you are blinded by outward appearances and by maya,
how can you preach the Truth ?' Shankara immediately realized his folly
and offered his praNaams at the feet of the untouchable and composed  
manishhaa panchakam that exemplifies that the atman shines forth equally in a 
Brahmana and an untouchable. The `untouchable' was none 
other than the Lord Shiva himself who wanted to remove the 
last traces of ego in Shankara. 

Shankara continued his digvijaya and travelled around the land
refuting all objectionable practices. To spread his teaching evenly around
the country, he established Maths in four places; at Sringeri in
the south; Badri in the north, Dvaaraka in the west and Jagannath Purii in
the east. He also installed the Shri Chakaras in many temples like
Kamakshi temple of Kanchi, Nara Narayana temple of Badri, and Guhyesvari
temple in Nepal, etc. He appointed his disciples as the head of 
each of these maths and established a lineage of sha.nkaraachaarya. 
He placed Sri Sureswaracharya at the head of the
Math in Sringeri, Sri Padmapaada in Dvaaraka, Sri Totaka in Badri, and Sri
Hastamalaka in Purii. There is some dispute whether Shankara established a
math at Kanchi in the south. 

His next journey was to Kashmir where he again held his 
philosophical acumen and truimphed in various debates including debates on 
tantric practices which were prevalent at that time. This was
followed by a visit to Nepal, where he had a vision of Sri Dattatreya
(the author of Tripura Rahasya, Avadhuta Gita, and the guru of
Patanjali (of the yoga sutras)).

Atleast three versions exist on his maha-samadhi event from this world.
A place near the shrine at Kedarnath is supposedly his
place of disappearance. Another version says that he merged with
Mother Kamakshi in Kanchipuram. Yet a another version insists that he 
climbed Mount Kailasa and disappeared. It is generally agreed upon that he 
attained maha-samadhi either on the month of vaishaakha(april) or 
pausha (dec/jan) of the year raktaakshin (58th year of the 
sixty year cycle, sa.nvatsara) in the year 837 AD.

[Disclaimer :
The reader
is advised that the attribution and mythological tales given above vary
between various biographies. The
manuscripts of both the prAchIna and brihat Sankaravijayams are
currently unavailable. 
Further, some of the stories like the one on bhaja govindaM are not found
in digvijayams.
Similar to the dates, there exists a controvercy regarding
the establishment of Kanchi matha by Shankara.  With the
controvercies and opinions projected by scholars, the reader
is requested to pay attention to the positive side since
the message of Shankara's works
is more important than his exact life details].



 Shankara and his philosophy, major works.


His advaita philosophy is recognized all over the world. His stronghold
was so great that all the later philosophies which evolved in India
had either to agree with him or refute him in order to establish their
philosophy.

Shankara wrote on almost all major vedic literature. Nearly 400 works have
been attributed to him and this
is a partial list of his contributions.\footnoteThose texts, available
in ITRANS or Devanagari format, are indicated as `available' or as
`work in progress.'  
Contact mgiridhar@ucdavis.edu for details or if
you want to encode any text.


Major works :


\noindent --Commentary on brahmasuutra.
--Commentary on bhagvad giitaa.
--Commentary on the following upanishhads :
iisha, aitareya, katha, kena, chaandogya, taittiriiya, prashna,
brihadaaraNyaka, maaNDuukya and muNDaka.
--The authorship of the commentary of 
shvetaashvataropanishhad attributed to Shankara is slightly doubtful.
--Commentary on vishhNusahasranaama 
--Commentary on sanat.h sujaatiiya 
--Commentary on lalitaatrishati 


Minor philosophical works :


\noindent --upadeshasaahasrii (Thousand teachings, basis of upanishhads) 
--viveka-chuuDaamaNi (crest jewel of discrimination, available) 
--aatma-bodha        (awakening of atman) 
--aparokshaanubhuuti (not invisible realization)  
--shata-shlokii (a hundred slokas) 
--Commentary on yoga sutras, upa-commentary to Vyasa's commentary on
yoga sutras.  
--Commentary on aapstambha suutra.
--sarva-darshana-siddhaanta-sa.ngraha (attribution is doubtful) (collection
of the essence of all schools) 


Verses :


\noindent --dakshiNaa-muurtiistotra (praise of Shiva, work in progress) 
--guruvaashhTakaM (eight poems to the Guru) 
--bhaja govindaM (praise of VishhNu, available with translation, includes
charpaTapaJNjarikaa and dvaadashapaJNjarikaa and comments) 
--shivaanandalaharii (wave of bliss of Shiva) 
--saundaryalaharii (attribution doubtful) (wave of bliss of Devi, work in progress) 
--bhavaanyashhTakaM (eight verses to bhavaani, na taato na maataa) 
--annapuurNaa-stotra (praise to the giver of food) 
--vishhNu-shhaT-padi (six verses to VishhNu, avinayamapanaya vishhNo) 
--shriiga.ngaa stotraM  (Praise to river/goddess Ganga, devi sureshvarii
 bhagavati) 
--shriiga.ngaashhTakaM (bhagavati tava tiire)
--devii-aparaadha-kshamaapaNa-stotra (praise to Devi for forgiveness, available) 
--vedasaara-shiva-stotra (praise of Shiva as the essence of Veda) 
--shivanaamaalyashhTakaM (eight lines in praise of Shiva) 
--shiva-aparaadha-kshamaapana-stotra (praise to Shiva for forgiveness) 
--kaupiina-paJNchakaM (five verses on the loin cloth of an ascetic) 
--nirvaaNa-shhaTakaM (six verses on liberation, available) 
--shivamaanasapuujaa (mental worship of Shiva, available with translation) 
--shriigovindaashhTakaM (eight verses on the glory of Govinda, 
satyaM GYaamanantaMavailable) 
--prapa.nchasaaratantraM (work on tantra)
--paJNchikaraNaM
--shivaashhTakaM (tasmaai namaH 
 \ \ \ \ paramakaaraNakaaraNaaya) 
--shivapaJNchaakshara stotraM (available) 
--lalitaapaJNchakaM(praataH smaraami 
 \ \ \ \ lalitaavadanaaravindaM) 
--miinaakshiipaJNcharatnaM (udyadbhaanusahasra- 
 \ \ \ \ koTisadRishaaM) 
--aanandalaharii (bhavaanii stotuM tvaaM) 
--shriilakshmiinRisi.nhastotraM (shriimatpayonidhiniketana) 
--achyutaashhTakaM (achyutaM keshavaM raama) 
--kRishhNaashhTakaM (shriyaashlishhTo vishhNuH) 
--shriikRishhNaashhTakaM (bhaje vrajaikamaNDanaM, available) 
--yamunaashhTakaM (kRipaapaaraavaaraaM) 
--shriiyamunaashhTakaM (muraarikaayakaalimaaM) 
--praataHsmaraNaM (numbers in prenthesis are the number of shloka-s.)  
1) parabrahmaNaH (praataHsmaraami hRidi 
 \ \ \ \ sa.nsphuradaatmatattvaM 4) 
2) shriivishhNoH (praataH smaraami 
 \ \ \ \ bhavabhiitimahaarttishaantyai 3) 
3) shiiraamasya (praataHsmaraami 
 \ \ \ \ raghunaathamukhaaravindaM 6) 
4) shriishivasya (praataH smaraami 
 \ \ \ \ bhavabhiitiharaM sureshaM 4) 
5) shriidevyaaH (chaaJNchalyaaruNa 2) 
6) shriigaNeshasya (praataH smaraami 
 \ \ \ \ gaNanaathamanaathaba.ndhuM 4) 
7) shriisuryasya (praataH smaraami khalu 
 \ \ \ \ tatsaviturvereNyaM 4) 
--saadhanapaJNchakaM (vedo nityamadhiiyataaM) 
--dhanyaashhTakaM (tajGYaanaM prashamakaraM) 
--paraapuujaa (akhaNDe sachchidaanande) 
--ratnamaalaa 
--hastaamalak 
--prabodha sudhaakar 
--upadesha paJNchaka 
--yatipaJNchaka 
--dashashlokii 
--maayaapaJNchaka 
--jiivanamuktaana.ndalaharii 
--yogataaraavalii 
--adhyaatmapaTal 
--svaatmaprakaashikaa 
--maniishhaapaJNchaka 
--advaita paJNcharatnaM 
--advaitaanubhuutii 
--brahmaanuchi.ntanam.h 
--sadaachaaraanasusa.ndhaanam.h 
--anaatmashriivigarhaNaprakaraNam.h 
--svaruupaanusa.ndhaanaashhTakam.h 
--tattvopadesha 
--ekashlokii 
--prauDhaanubhuuti 
--brahmaGYaanaavaliimaalaa 
--laghuvaakyavRitti 
--nirvaaNama.njarii 
--vaakyavRitti 

 The End