ADI SHANKARACHARYA

 Source:   Adi Shankaracharya - Shlokam 

 Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, a village in Kerala, India, to a Namboothiri brahmin couple, Shivaguru and Aryamba and lived for thirty-two years. Adi Shankara’s parents were childless for many years. They prayed at the Vadakkunnathan temple (also known as Vrishachala) in Thrissur, Kerala, for the birth of a child. Legend has it that Shiva appeared to both husband and wife in their dreams, and offered them a choice: a mediocre son who would live a long life, or an extraordinary son who would not live long. Both the parents chose the latter; thus a son was born to them. He was named Shankara (Sanskrit, “bestower of happiness”), in honour of Shiva (one of whose epithets is Shankara). 

आदि शङ्कराचार्य was an 8th-century Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought in Hinduism. In the space of the thirty-two years that he was given in the form of a mortal body, he plumbed the depths of the great legacy of Hindu philosophy, systematised and developed the Advaita doctrine into an imperishable school of thought, revived and reformed Hinduism, toured the length and breadth of India, from Kaladi in Kerala to Kedarnath in the Himalayas, and set up the four mathas to ensure Hinduism’s preservation and propagation. Hinduism has not seen a thinker of his calibre, or witnessed, before or since, the indefatigable energy he displayed in pursuing the goals he set out to achieve. 

Source:   Works of Adi Shankaracharya and Advaita Vedanta - Bhashyas, Prakarana Granthas, Devotional Hymns and Advaita Vedanta Texts 

Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya was the greatest exponent of the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta and a savior of Vedic Dharma. Salutations to Adi Shankaracharya, who is an ever shining star on the sky of Indian philosophy. 

The existence of Vedic Dharma in India today is due to Adi Shankara. The forces opposed to Vedic religion were more numerous and powerful at the time of Sankara than they are today. Still, single-handed, within a very short time, Adi Shankara overpowered them all and restored the Vedic Dharma and Advaita Vedanta to its pristine purity in the land pure knowledge and spirituality.

Adi Shankaracharya occupies a very important position in the history of Indian philosophy. It can be affirmed, without any fear of contradiction, that Bharata Varsha would have ceased to be Bharata Varsha several centuries ago and would never have survived the murderous sword, the devastating fire and the religious intolerance of the successive invaders, if Adi Shankara had not lived the life he lived and taught the lessons he taught. And those lessons are still pulsating in every cell and in every protoplasm of the true aspirant and the true Hindu. 

Sri Adi Shankaracharya - Sri Sringeri Sharada PeethamSri Sringeri Sharada Peetham 

Life of Adi Shankaracharya – Stories, Teachings and Stotras 

The Life of Adi Shankaracharya - Online with Amma