Adi Shankaracharya – A timeless spirit of Bharat

The cultural history of Bharat is the stream of lives of many great souls. The heart of Hindu civilization is the spiritual renaissance through intellectual and creative powers. Great and exceptional men and women appeared and gave extraordinary concepts on life and its purpose, in Bharat. Whether it resulted from Bharat’s spiritual longing or the yearning for the growth and development of its national culture Adi Shankaracharya was born. According to scholars he belonged to the period between 788 and 820 A.D. born in Kerala.

Adi Shankaracharya lost his father at the age of three. He was brought up by his mother Aryamba.  At the age of five, his Upanayana (a Hindu educational sacrament) was performed, and he was sent to the Gurukula (school)on the banks of river Purna. Under the guidance of his Guru, he studied the Vedas and all other subjects. Adi Shankaracharya stayed in the Gurukula for eight years where he made such a thorough study of all the subjects that he had them at his fingertips. More than any other subject, he was greatly interested in the Vedanta, the most advanced part of the Vedas and the highest culminating point of all knowledge.

Adi Shankaracharya tirelessly worked throughout his life spreading the true message of Hinduism to the masses. That’s why he is known as “Adi.”

Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya eliminated all the aberrations and misconceptions of Vedic culture. His knowledge and interpretations of the ancient Hindu holy texts kept the flame of Sanatana Dharma from being extinguished. He travelled through the length and breadth of Bharat interacting and winning debates over different philosophies. The glory of Vedic religion began to resonate everywhere again. The divine writings in the Upanishads once again became widespread. The Advaita approach of Jnana(knowledge) and Bhakti(devotion)where everything at the end merges into Bhakti revitalized the entire Hindu (Sanatana) Dharma.

The essence of the Advaita philosophy can be understood in the hymn- ―Brahmasatyam Jaganmithya, Jeevobrahmivanapara meaning Universal Spirit is the only reality and nothing else is real. In this Universal Spirit Brahman is the intelligent and material cause of the jagat’s(world’s) origin, existence, and dissolution is the absolute truth (reality)… Whatever is seen in this world is part of that universal spirit. Adi Shankaracharya further preached that ―Aham Brahmasmi(i am the universe) and Tatvamasi‘‘(you and the Brahma are the same) though the Universal Spirit and the individual soul seem to be different, both of them are the same. In simple words, the individual self, or Atman, is identical to Brahman, and the goal of human life is to realize this truth and attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Adi Shankaracharya enlightened the world with his Advaita philosophy through his commentaries on Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Brahmasutra, and Mandukhyakarika of Gaudapada. He also wrote many original works, including the Vivekachudamani and the Atma Bodha.

The history of spiritual, and religious life is as significant as social life in shaping the consciousness of the people, Central University of Karnataka has published two volume comprehensive book “An Outline of History and Culture of India” written by Prof S.V.Seshagiri Rao. Elaborating on the life and cultural significance of Adi Shankaracharya, Seshagiri Rao writes in his book, “Apart from reviving the Sanatana Dharma reflected in Vedas as Advaita Vedanta, Adi Shankara transformed the Hindu society from ritual centric to bhakti centric. For this purpose, he composed all 76 stotras in praise of the gods and goddesses of Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shaktya traditions. They were rendered in captivating musical Sanskrit in an inhabitable style. They include Ganesh pancharatnam, Annapurna shatkam, Kalavbhairavashtakam, Bhajagovindam, Sivandalahari, Kanakadhara Stotram, Pandurangashtakam, Meenakshipancharatnam.”

Reflecting on Adi Shankaracharya’s efforts at bringing cultural unity, Seshagiri Rao writes, “The Dharma propounded by Vedas was in deep crisis at that time. It was pushed into a corner for over a thousand years. There was all round confusion due to Jaina, Boudha, Kapila Sankhya… the ritual-centric Purva Mimamsa. To revive Sanatana Dharma Adi Shankara adopted a grand strategy to face these challenges. He had confronted the greatest brains of these philosophies of his time in debates and convinced them about Advaita Vedanta. The learned and aged scholars surrendered before the amazing intellect of young Adi Shankara and became his ardent disciples. It was Adi Shankara who erased the perception that Hindu Dharma belongs to the North and was transported to the soft South. When the Hindu dharma was in deepest crisis, it was this saint from deep south close to Kanyakumari, who revived the Sanatan dharma as Advaita Vedanta.

Seshagiri Rao further writes, “Shankaracharya consolidated his extraordinary achievements by establishing four Pithams(centers for study and propagation of Advaita Vedanta) deliberately on the boundary of the nation, signifying the paramount importance of geography for the revival of Sanatana Dharma. These played a major role in the preservation and dissemination of his teachings. The institution of Shankara maths was a great idea rooted in the concept of cultural unity. Adi Shankara had established: 1. The Dakhinamnaya (southern) or Sarada Pitham at Sringeri on the banks of the Tunga River in the dense forest of Sahyadri mountains in Karnataka, 2. The Paschimamnaya (western) or Kalika Pitham at Dwarka, on the west coast in Gujrat, 3. The Uttaramnaya (northern) Pitham or Jyotir Math at Badrinath in the Himalayas, and 4. Prachanmaya (eastern) Pitham or Govardhan Math at Puri on the East Coast. Later he founded the Kamakoti Pitham at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. The jurisdictions of these Pithams were clearly demarcated so that the entire territory of ancient India was covered. The institution has been enlightening People for the past several centuries. Adi Shankara thus institutionalized a great legacy totally delinking with royal patronage.

Last seen in the Himalayas by his Disciples behind the Kedar Nath temple, in today’s world of outer conflicts, who would believe that the great Saint Adi Shankara from the South breathed his last at Kedarnath in the north? Even through his last movements on this Bharat bhumi (Mother India) he conveyed a profound historical message embracing Bharat’s ultimate fundamental unity.”

Adi Shankaracharya authored more than 300 texts including commentaries, religious texts, and philosophical explanations of ancient Hindu Vedic theology. And the modern Hindu thought finds its source in them. Adi Shankaracharya’s relevance lives on and will continue to influence generations of scholars, philosophers, and spiritual seekers worldwide, besides Hindu men and women of Bharat.

(The writer is a Ph.D. in Sociology and an independent commentator)