Biography of Adi Shankara Bhagavtpada, the great Indian philosopher

1. THE PRECEPTOR
Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada
Nimal C Namboodiripad

2. Chapter A
Religion and worship are as old as man himself. Different beliefs and
superstitions, in the early days, led to the deifying of the sun, moon, water,
fire and other natural phenomena which had a direct effect on the lives and
well-being of the people. While some did rites to appease these in order to
obtain material benefits, others did so to attain salvation. But in Hinduism, in
the early stages itself, the followers were of the firm belief that there was
something beyond all these that they saw. Nevertheless, they had nothing to
go by to concentrate upon the invisible entity that was God. Therefore, they
imputed human forms and specific qualities to the Absolute Truth. They
invoked something they could comprehend by their five senses and by
worshipping those tried to open the door to the path of Mukthi.
Hinduism can be considered the earliest of all known religions. India with its
early civilisations bred and extended it far and wide. Many great works of
philosophy and devotion were written and propagated. These literary
masterpieces explained the revealed wisdom of the great Rishis. From these
it is clear that science and religion existed side by side, in perfect harmony.
As a result, unlike many other religions, Hinduism did not put any deterrents
in the path of the steady progress that the people were achieving in all walks
of life.
Later, religious practices which sprang up through pure devotion and faith
deteriorated into base animal sacrifices and other degenerate ways of
showing our love of God. The repercussions of this on the foremost religion
of the world was great. Disgusted at the inhuman ways of worship people
sought out other ways to attain salvation. Hinduism broke up into different
sects within itself and some broke away from it completely. Jainism and
Buddhism began to gain popularity in India, where once the only religion was
Hinduism. It seemed that nothing could stop this chain fission. A great
reform movement was needed. Something had to be done to patch up the
pieces and weld it into a solid mass. But who was there to solve the jigsaw
like puzzle? It had to be someone with superhuman powers, one who had the
blessings of the Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God.

3. Chapter B
Adi Shankara who brought blazing brilliance to a world immersed in the
darkness of ignorance was born at Kalady in the year 788 AD. Kalady was a
little village nestled on the banks of the river Periyar in the northern part of
Travancore kingdom. Shankara’s parents Kaippilly Sivaguru Namboodiri and
Aaaryamba(nee Melpazhur) were a deeply religious couple. When Aaryamba
did not conceive even at a very advanced age, the couple decided to offer
prayers to Lord Shiva for the purpose. They performed severe austerities
at the shrine of Lord Vadakkumnatha, Thrissur. Legend has it that one day
Vadakkumnatha appeared before Sivaguru in a dream. He was ready to
bestow any blessing on the devotee. When the wish was known, Lord Shiva
said “Your wish shall be granted, but you have to select one of the two
alternatives. Either you will have an all-knowing, but short lived son or one
who would live very long but without any special virtue or greatness.” Wisely,
Sivaguru accepted the first. Lord Vadakkumnatha blessed him and asked him
to go home. A curious fact is that Sivaguru died when Shankara was just
three and he was thus unable to enjoy the greatness and genius of his son.
Soon enough, Aaryamba became pregnant and a baby boy was born. This child
who was the incarnation of Lord Shiva Himself was to become the greatest
philosopher on earth. In his fifth year Shankara had his initiation ceremony,
the Upanayana. Now he could be taught the Sastras and the Vedas. Shankara
was highly intelligent and learned the holy scriptures by just hearing them
once. He studied the Vedas, logic, Yoga philosophy, Samkhya philosophy and
Mimamsa. But even from a very early age his interest was in the non dualistic
doctrines of the Upanishads. He wanted to be a Sannyasin, but his mother
vehemently opposed the idea. It seemed that his wish would not bear
fruition. One day at the age of eight, while he was having his ritual dip in the
Periyar river, a crocodile caught hold of his leg. Shankara told his horror-
stricken mother that his worldly life was at an end. If she wanted, he could
prolong his earthly existence by accepting Sannyas. As soon as he got her
approval, the crocodile assumed his true form of a supernatural being and
disappeared. This happened at the crocodile ghat which lies by the side of
the Kalady Sankara Mutt established by the Acharyas of the Sringeri Mutt.

4. Supernatural feats were child’s play for Shankara. Once, as a Brahmacharin
he went to the Punnorkottu Mana. The old couple there were very poor but
kind hearted. They wanted to give something to the boy as Bhiksha, but had
only a gooseberry with them. They offered this to him with apologies that
they could not give more. Touched at this gesture of the couple, Shankara
recited the “Kanakadharastavam” to propitiate Goddess Lakshmi. The divine
Mother had to shower him and the couple with Her blessings, a shower of
golden gooseberries. From that day on the house came to be known as
Swarnath Mana.
As Shankara’s mother grew older, she was beset more and more with
afflictions. One day she was unable to go to the river for her daily bath.
Shankara immediately changed the course of the river through his yogic
power. The river now followed by Shankara’s house and his mother was able
to do her ablutions comfortably. Since he had changed the course of the
river by drawing a line with his toe, the place was henceforth known as
Kalady.
Soon after his mother gave her approval of his idea of becoming a Sannyasin,
he left Kalady. As he did so he promised his mother that he would visit her
again before she died She was afraid of being alone at her deathbed. During
his sojourn at Sringeri, Shankara divined by Yogic power that his mother was
dying and by the same reached her bedside. He sang the
“Bhujangaprayatham” and placed her soul at the lotus feet of the
Omnipotent.
As Shankara had become a Sannyasin without the rituals society prescribed
at the time he was considered something of an outcast and his neighbours
refused to help him cremate his mother. Only two men came forward to his
help. One held his mother’s leg while they placed her on the funeral pyre. His
family got the name Kaappilly(different from Kaippilly). The other held her
head and his family got the name Thalayattumpilly. (Incidentally both
Kaappilly and Thalayattumpilly Illoms, exists, prosperously, even now. The
other families slowly went into oblivion. With Shankara the last of the line
accepting Sannyas, Kaippilly also did not have a heir and ceased to exist).
Unable to get anyone to do the rituals, Shankara himself lit the pyre with
fire created in his own right hand with Mantras. Now there is a memorial at
this place built by the Acharyas of the Sringeri Mutt. Just as he was

5. leaving on his pilgrimage, he heard someone calling him back. When he
changed the course of the river to help his mother Shankara had
inadvertently made it flow by the side of a Lord Krishna temple. Now,
Krishna was, for most of the year, immersed in water and wanted Shankara’s
help. Shankara transferred the temple to the banks, safe from the swirling
waters. It still stands near the Kalady Mutt. The Sringeri Mutt renovated it
later.
After Shanakra’s departure Aaryamba spent her time paying homage to the
tutelary deities of the Kaippilly Mana, Manickamangalam Durga and possibly
the Shiva temple nearby. She also went on regular visits to pray to Lord
Vadakkumnatha. When infirmity and old age caught up with her, she was
unable to do so and was immeasurable saddened. Then in a dream she saw
Lord Shiva directing her to worship a linga on the top of a hillock. She would
be lead to this hillock by a frisking silvery white deer which would have the
figure of Lord Nataraja hanging on his neck. Next morning, Aaryamba found
to her surprise and relief the linga which she worshipped henceforth. A
temple was built at this place and later it came to be called as Vellimanthulli.

6. Chapter C
Shankara travelled from Kalady to the banks of Narmada. There he met
Govindabhagavatpada. Govindabhagavatpada was the disciple of
Gaudapadacharya. Gaudapadacharya’s commentary of Mandokyopanishad was
based on the Advaita philosophy. Govindabhagavatpada taught Shankara all
that he knew about Advaita philosophy. Then at the great man’s insistence,
Shankara left for Kasi.
On his way, he met Sanandana, a young man from the Chola kingdom who
wanted to renounce everything in this world and attain the Brahman.
Shankara accepted him as a disciple and taught him the worship of
Narasimha to give him enough spiritual power to attain his goal.
At Varanasi, Shiva appeared before Shankara in the form of a Chandala.
Shankara prostrated before Him on recognising Him and asked for His
blessings. Shiva then commanded Shankara to write a commentary on the
Brahmasutra. On reaching Badari, Shankara had discussions with many great
scholars as a preparation for his great enterprise. Then he wrote the
commentaries of the Dasopanishads, beginning with the Isa; the
Bhagavatgita; Sanatsujatiya, Narasimhatapani and Vishnusahasranama.
Once, while passing along the banks of the Ganga, he wanted to show some of
his disciples the greatness of Sanandana. He called him from the opposite
bank of the river. Sanandana immediately started crossing the river. On
placing each foot, a Padma, lotus, came up to support him. That miracle gave
him the name, Padmapada.
A Brahmana wanted to have s debate with Shankara. The arguments went on
for six days and neither looked like winning. By this time Padmapada had an
inkling of the identity of the visitor. It was Vyasa himself who had come to
meet Shankara.
He went through Shankara’s commentary of his own work Brahmasutra and
blessed him with an increased span of life so that he may defeat all the
perverse doctrines of all kinds of people intent on arrogant controversy.

7. Travelling towards the Vindhyas, he heard that Kumarila Bhatta, the great
scholar of Karma Mimamsa was in the process of self-immolation. Shankara
had wanted to have a debate with him. So he rushed to the place. The great
Mimamsaka also wanted a debate but stuck to his decision of leaving the
world. Instead, he requested Shankara to have a debate with his disciple
Mandana Misra a scholar second only to himself.
Submitting to this wish, Shankara travelled towards Mahishmati where
Mandana resided. A place and date were fixed for the debate. But who could
judge such a sublime war of words? They asked the great sage Vyasa and
Jaimini to help them. Vyasa suggested Mandana’s wife Ubhayabharati, as she
was really the incarnation of Goddess Saraswati. The loser was to do as
follows. If Mandana lost, he had to accept Sannyas. If Shankara lost he was
to give up his ochre robes and the Bhiksha pot.
Ubhayabharati placed a garland around the neck of each of the contestants.
The man whose garland wilted first was deemed to have lost the debate. The
controversy lasted for several days. Finally, the flowers in the garland of
Mandana began to fade and he accepted defeat. But Ubhayabharati didn’t
want to lose her husband to Sannyas. In order that Advaitha philosophy may
be recognised as the greatest on earth Shankara had to defeat each and
every one challenging him. So when Ubhayabharati did so he had to accept.
In the following debate she asked Shankara a question on Sexology. Of
course, Shankara knew the answer but asked for a month’s notice so that he
may not set a bad example as a Sannyasin and also degrade the teachings of
the Advaitha philosophy. By yogic powers he entered the dead body of a king
and learned everything he wanted. So Shankara who had become a Sannyasin
at a very early age was able to answer all the questions on sex life too and
Bharati returned to heaven as Goddess Saraswati. Mandana Misra, Viswarupa,
accepted Sannyas and became Shankara’s disciple as Sureshwara.
Shankara now passed through the Maharashtra area. During his journey a
Kapalika wanted the Acharya’s head. He had performed rites for hundred
years to get a boon which would enable him to go to Kailasa with his physical
body. The last part was the sacrifice was the head of an all knowing
personality or a great king.

8. Shankara consented and secretly reached the appointed place at the right
time. As the Kapalika raided his axe to cut off the Acharyas’s head, the
vision of the horrible scene flashed into Padmapada’s head. With a roar he
reached the Kapalaika. He had become Narasimha himself and with bare nails
he killed the Kapalika. Even the Gods became afraid of Narasimha’s wrath
boiling over. With hymns Acharya soon soothed his fire.
From Gokarna the next destination was Kollur. In a nearby village there was
a boy who was dumb and behaved like an idiot. When Shankara met him the
boy replied that he was enjoying undivided Bliss and that he did not desire
anything in this world. As the knowledge of the self was to him like an
Amalaka fruit in one’s hand, he became famous under the name,
Hastamalakacharya. He became Shankara’s disciple as he had no sense of I-
ness and had the least attachment to his house and property.
Sri Shankara was confronted by a strange sight at Sringeri. An extremely
poisonous snake was sheltering a pregnant frog from the hot sun. It was
indeed a remarkable phenomenon – a reptile sheltering its prey. Shankara
soon divined the reason for such strange behaviour.
The Sage Rishyasrimgan had found this place of exceptional scenic beauty to
his liking. There was peace and quiet there. He established the
Malahanikareshwar temple and had meditated for centuries, in the solitude
of the mountains. Rishyasrimgagiri became Srimgagiri and later Sringeri. No
wonder such a place produced such strange behaviour. Adi Shankara decided
to establish a Mutt there.
Shankara stayed for more than a decade at Sringeri where he drew a
Srichakra on a rock which later became the position of the Sarada Devi
temple. Saraswati, as Ubhayabharati had earlier consented to adorn the
temple.
During these years of discourse at Sringeri, a new disciple named Giri joined
Shankara. He was very respectful towards the Acharya and served him in
every manner. One day, Shankara had asked his other disciples to wait until
Giri returned from some errand before starting their lessons. They did not
want to do so, since that disciple was considered very dull. Because of his
love for the pupil and as he wanted to reduce the other’s pride, Shankara

9. with his psychic powers instantaneously made Giri an outstanding scholar.
When Giri came back he was reciting a great hymn in the metre Totaka and
for this reason he was henceforth known as Totakacharya.
After cremating his mother Shankara started on a Digvijaya. He defeated
many reputed scholars and most of them became his disciples. He journeyed
throughout India teaching the Advaitha philosophy. He refuted and
devastated the principles of various sects like Buddhism, Jainism, the
Saktas, Pasupatas, Kshapanakas, Kapalikas and Vaishnavas who had inflicted
wounds on the body of the Vedic religion by perverse interpretations and
wayward ideals.
At the insistence of his disciples, to prove beyond doubt that Advaitha
philosophy was the pinnacle and also to save the true spirit of the Vedas, he
decided to try to grace the throne of Omniscience, the Sarvajnapeetam, at
Kashmir. Defeating several great scholars, he did so with great ease.
Now, with his aim in life over, he left for Badari and thence to Kedara. After
his thirty second birthday in 820 AD, he had his Videhamukthi at Kedarnath.

10. Chapter D
This world is nothing but an illusion. What we consider real is just Maya. It is
like a dream. As long as we do not wake up, the things seem to happen before
us. But when we regain a sense of the surroundings, we perceive that what
we see is just a Mithya. This is what Shankaracharya teaches us.
According to Shankara, the real path to eternal Bliss is the Jnana Marga,
the path of intuitive knowledge. The Absolute Truth or God is beyond
comprehension with our five senses. To attain Brahman, we have to turn our
eyes inwards, obliterating everything else from the mind. The knowledge
that the microcosmic and macrocosmic souls are one comes with this inner
vision. It is like an earthen pot, the space inside it and the sky outside seem
to differ just because the pot puts a boundary to the space inside. But if
the pot is broken we realize that the space inside it is one and the same as
the one outside.
The Vedanta has its foundation in the Jnana Marga. Hence to teach the
Vedanta and to revive the sagging spirit of the Vedas Shankara established
four Mutts at the four corners of the land. Each of these Mutts was
allotted a Veda, one of the four limbs of Hinduism. The Ashramas at Sringeri,
Dwaraka, Badari and Puri have Yajur, Sama, Adharva and Rig respectively as
the chief Veda.
These Mutts were put under the care of his four main disciples. Thus the
Acharyas of Sringeri are the successors of Sureswara, Dwaraka of
Padmapada, Badari of Totaka and Puri of Hastamalaka. As Sureswaracharya
was really an incarnation of Brahma, the Lord of Wisdom, the Sringeri Mutt
became renowned for the scholasticity of its Acharyas. Today, graced by
the omniscient Jagadguru His Holiness Bharati Theertha Swamigal this
Vyakhyana Peetha is the true seat of transcendental wisdom.
Besides the commentaries, Shankara wrote philosophical works like the
Vivekachoodamani and even devotional poems such as Anandalahari,
Sivanandalahari and Sowndaryalahari. He wrote a book on rituals too;
Prapanchasaram. The ordinary mortal is incapable of comprehending the true
meaning of Advaitha and has to worship the Brahman in some form or the

11. other. Shankara’s books help them attain the supreme pedestal of an
Advaithin. All paths lead to the same end, the knowledge that we are not
different from God. That we are God –“Aham Brahmasmi”. This is what
Shankara taught us. No wonder he is considered the guru of the world – the
Jagadguru.

12. The author takes the sole blame for any mistakes found in this book. The
book was published as part of the 12th Centenary Celebrations of Adi
Shankara in 1988 but is presently out of print.
The author Nimal C Namboodiripad is a Physics graduate and an MBA from
Cochin University of Science & Technology. He was the sub editor of the
Malayalam Monthly of the Mutt for a brief period of time. He was Professor
of Marketing in the Management Department of the Adi Shankara Institute
of Engineering & Technology(ASIET) run by the Sringeri Mutt during the
period 2005-08. Presently he is a Marketing Executive in a private firm.
Coming from a family Chittoor Mana, whose ancestry can be easily traced
back to the 1600s, he is deeply interested in the cultural traditions of India,
especially Kerala. He maintains a blog chittoornamboodiri.blogspot.com and
can be contacted at nimalcn@gmail.com