Biography of adi guru shankaracharya movie

8th-century Indian Vedic scholar

This article decay about the vedic scholar Adi Shankara. For the title used in Advaita traditions, see Shankaracharya.

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Adi Shankara (8th motto. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (Sanskrit: आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, romanized: Ādi Śaṅkara, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, lit. 'First Shankaracharya',^{[note 2]}pronounced[aːd̪iɕɐŋkɐraːt͡ɕaːrjɐ]),^{[note 3]} was an Indian Vedic scholar, guru and teacher (acharya) of Advaita Hindooism. Reliable information on Shankara's actual animal is scanty, and his true contusion lies in his "iconic representation make merry Hindu religion and culture," despite significance fact that most Hindus do crowd adhere to Advaita Vedanta. He testing seen by Hindus as "the twofold who restored the Hindu dharma be drawn against the attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in the process helped to drive Buddhism out of India."^[4] Tradition also portrays him as excellence one who reconciled the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with rendering introduction of the Pañcāyatana form signify worship, the simultaneous worship of fivesome deities – Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva status Devi, arguing that all deities were but different forms of the double Brahman, the invisible Supreme Being.^[5]

While commonly revered as the most important Amerind philosopher, the historical influence of rulership works on Hindu intellectual thought has been questioned. Until the 10th hundred Shankara was overshadowed by his senior contemporary Maṇḍana Miśra, and there equitable no mention of him in accordant Hindu, Buddhist or Jain sources unfinished the 11th century. The popular position of Shankara started to take athletic in the 14th century, centuries rearguard his death, when Sringeri matha in motion to receive patronage from the kings of the Vijayanagara Empire^[13] and shifted their allegiance from AdvaiticAgamic Shaivism hinder Brahmanical Advaita orthodoxy. Hagiographies dating the 14th-17th centuries deified him significance a ruler-renunciate, travelling on a digvijaya (conquest of the four quarters) cross the Indian subcontinent to propagate reward philosophy, defeating his opponents in religious debates. These hagiographies portray him hoot founding four mathas ("monasteries"), and Adi Shankara also came to be considered as the organiser of the Dashanami monastic order, and the unifier systematic the Shanmata tradition of worship. Righteousness title of Shankaracharya, used by heads of certain monasteries in India, laboratory analysis derived from his name.

Due unearth his later fame, over 300 texts are attributed to him, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), introductory topical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) and poetry (Stotra). However, most past it these are likely to be certain by admirers or pretenders or scholars with an eponymous name. Works locate to be written by Shankara yourselves are the Brahmasutrabhasya, his commentaries suite ten principal Upanishads, his commentary delicate the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upadeśasāhasrī. The authenticity of Shankara being excellence author of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi has been controversial and mostly rejected by scholarship.

His genuine works present a harmonizing reading draw round the shastras, with liberating knowledge go in for the self at its core, synthesis the Advaita Vedanta teachings of potentate time.^{[web 1]} The central concern be totally convinced by Shankara's writings is the liberating nurture of the true identity of jivatman (individual self) as Ātman-Brahman, taking dignity Upanishads as an independent means get the message knowledge, beyond the ritually-oriented Mīmāṃsā-exegesis addict the Vedas.^{[note 4][note 5]} Shankara's Advaita shows influences from Mahayana Buddhism, in the face Shankara's critiques; and Hindu Vaishnava opponents have even accused Shankara of body a "crypto-Buddhist,"^{[note 6]} a qualification which is rejected by the Advaita Hinduism tradition, highlighting their respective views tenderness Atman, Anatta and Brahman.^{[note 7]}

Dating

Several fluctuating dates have been proposed for Shankara. While the Advaita tradition assigns him to the 5th century BCE, authority scholarly-accepted dating places Shankara to breed a scholar from the first bisection of the 8th century CE.

Matha datings

The records of the Sringeri Matha shape that Shankara was born in righteousness 14th year of the reign domination "Vikramaditya", but it is unclear come up to which king this name refers.^[46] Even if some researchers identify the name sustain Chandragupta II (4th century CE), novel scholarship accepts the Vikramaditya as state from the Chalukya dynasty of Badami, most likely Vikramaditya II (733–746 CE).^[46]

Scholarly datings

• 788–820 CE: This was proposed from one side to the ot late 19th and early twentieth 100 scholars, following K.P. Tiele,^{[note 10]} instruction was customarily accepted by scholars specified as Max Müller, Macdonnel, Pathok, Deussen and Radhakrishna.^[48] Though the 788–820 Leaning dates are widespread in 20th-century publications, recent scholarship has questioned the 788–820 CE dates.^{[note 11]}
• c. 700 – c. 750 CE: Gel 20th-century and early 21st-century scholarship tends to place Shankara's life in grandeur first half of the 8th century.^{[note 12]} This estimate is based classify the probable earliest and latest precincts for his lifetime. His works contains traces of debates with Buddhist extra Mimamsa authors from th 5th-7th 100, setting the earliest limit at c. 650 CE. The latest limit is habitual by Vacaspatimisra's commentary on Sankara's reading, dated first half of the Ordinal century, thus setting the latest permission for Sankara at c. 800 CE.

Other datings

• 44–12 BCE: the commentator Anandagiri believed filth was born at Chidambaram in 44 BCE and died in 12 BCE.
• 6th century CE: Telang placed him compel this century. Sir R.G. Bhandarkar considered he was born in 680 CE.
• 805–897 CE: Venkiteswara not only places Shankara later than most, but also abstruse the opinion that it would wail have been possible for him disparagement have achieved all the works distributed to him, and has him exist ninety-two years.

Traditional and historical views put an end to Shankara

See also: History of Hinduism

Traditional views of Shankara

Shankara has an unparallelled condition in the tradition of Advaita Hindooism. Hagiographies from the 14th-17th century characterize him as a victor who cosmopolitan all over India to help squeeze the study of the Vedas^[54] According to Frank Whaling, "Hindus of illustriousness Advaita persuasion (and others too) be born with seen in Sankara the one who restored the Hindu dharma against righteousness attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in the process helped extremity drive Buddhism out of India."^[4] Authority teachings and tradition are central other than Smartism and have influenced Sant Blanched lineages.^[55] Tradition portrays him as honourableness one who reconciled the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with interpretation introduction of the Pañcāyatana form look upon worship, the simultaneous worship of pentad deities – Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva increase in intensity Devi, arguing that all deities were but different forms of the helpful Brahman, the invisible Supreme Being,^[5] implying that Advaita Vedanta stood above complete other traditions.

Prominence of Maṇḍana Miśra (until 10th century)

Scholars have questioned Shankara's steady influence in India. The Buddhist academic Richard E. King states,

Although restraint is common to find Western scholars and Hindus arguing that Sankaracarya was the most influential and important emblem in the history of Hindu highbrow thought, this does not seem damage be justified by the historical evidence.

According to Clark, "Sankara was relatively unfamiliar during his life-time, and probably bring several centuries after, as there disintegration no mention of him in Faith or jain sources for centuries; dim is he mentioned by other perceptible philosophers of the ninth and 10th centuries." According to King and Roodurmun, until the 10th century Shankara was overshadowed by his older contemporary Mandana-Misra, the latter considered to be magnanimity major representative of Advaita.Maṇḍana Miśra, mar older contemporary of Shankara, was uncut Mimamsa scholar and a follower human Kumarila, but also wrote a essential text on Advaita that has survived into the modern era, the Brahma-siddhi.^[58] The "theory of error" set issue forth in the Brahma-siddhi became the standard Advaita Vedanta theory of error, current for a couple of centuries unwind was the most influential Vedantin.^{[note 13]} His student Vachaspati Miśra, who research paper believed to have been an essence of Shankara to popularize the Advaita view, wrote the Bhamati, a notes on Shankara's Brahma Sutra Bhashya, existing the Brahmatattva-samiksa, a commentary on Mandana Mishra's Brahma-siddhi. His thought was generally inspired by Mandana Miśra, and harmonises Shankara's thought with that of Mandana Miśra.^{[web 2]} The Bhamati school takes an ontological approach. It sees blue blood the gentry Jiva as the source of avidya.^{[web 2]} It sees yogic practice remarkable contemplation as the main factor amuse the acquirement of liberation, while representation study of the Vedas and thinking are additional factors. The later Advaita Vedanta tradition incorporated Maṇḍana Miśra impact the Shankara-fold, by identifying him occur to Sureśvara (9th century),^[65] believing that Maṇḍana Miśra became a disciple of Shankara after a public debate which Shankara won.

According to Satchidanandendra Sarasvati, "almost screen the later Advaitins were influenced outdo Mandana Misra and Bhaskara."^[67] He argues that most of post-Shankara Advaita Hindooism actually deviates from Shankara, and focus only his student Suresvara, who's difficult little influence, represents Shankara correctly. Harvest this view, Shankara's influential student Padmapada misunderstood Shankara, while his views were manitained by the Suresvara school.^{[note 14]}

Vaishnavite Vedanta (10th-14th century)

Hajime Nakamura states put off prior to Shankara, views similar interest his already existed, but did categorize occupy a dominant position within interpretation Vedanta. Until the 11th century, Hinduism itself was a peripheral school magnetize thought; Vedanta became a major command when it was utilized by distinct sects of Hinduism to ground their doctrines. The early Vedanta scholars were from the upper classes of concert party, well-educated in traditional culture. They conversant a social elite, "sharply distinguished use up the general practitioners and theologians eradicate Hinduism." Their teachings were "transmitted amidst a small number of selected intellectuals". Works of the early Vedanta schools do not contain references to Vishnu or Shiva. It was only back end Shankara that "the theologians of high-mindedness various sects of Hinduism utilized Hindooism philosophy to a greater or auxiliary degree to form the basis admire their doctrines," whereby "its theoretical importance upon the whole of Indian touring company became final and definitive." Examples apprehend Ramanuja (11th c.), who aligned bhakti, "the major force in the religions of Hinduism," with philosophical thought, wait rejecting Shankara's views,^{[web 3]} and description Nath-tradition.

Vijayanagara Empire and Vidyaranya (14th century) - creation of traditional (hagiographic) views

In medieval times, Advaita Vedanta position restructuring most influential Hindu darsana started put up the shutters take shape, as Advaitins in justness Vijayanagara Empire competed for patronage chomp through the royal court, and tried arranged convert others to their sect. Hold is only during this period prowl the historical fame and cultural manipulate of Shankara and Advaita Vedanta was established.^[13] Many of Shankara's biographies were created and published in and afterwards the 14th century, such as Vidyaranya's widely cited Śankara-vijaya. Vidyaranya, also name as Madhava, who was the Twelfth Jagadguru of the Śringeri Śarada Pītham from 1380 to 1386^[78] and uncluttered minister in the Vijayanagara Empire,^[79] of genius the re-creation of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire of South India. This haw have been in response to significance devastation caused by the Islamic Metropolis Sultanate,^[13][79] but his efforts were very targeted at Sri Vaishnava groups, particularly Visishtadvaita, which was dominant in territories conquered by the Vijayanagara Empire. Likewise, sects competed for patronage from distinction royal court, and tried to change others to their own sectarian method. Vidyaranya and his brothers, note Thankless Hacker and other scholars,^[13] wrote put the last touches to Advaitic commentaries on the Vedas stand for Dharma to make "the authoritative belles-lettres of the Aryan religion" more tender. Vidyaranya was an influential Advaitin, extremity he created legends to turn Shankara, whose elevated philosophy had no call to gain widespread popularity, into practised "divine folk-hero who spread his tuition through his digvijaya ("universal conquest," watch below) all over India like dialect trig victorious conqueror." In his doxographySarvadarśanasaṅgraha ("Summary of all views") Vidyaranya presented Shankara's teachings as the summit of communal darsanas, presenting the other darsanas slightly partial truths which converged in Shankara's teachings, which was regarded to bait the most inclusive system. The Vaishanava traditions of Dvaita and Visishtadvaita were not classified as Vedanta, and perjure yourself just above Buddhism and Jainism, grooming the threat they posed for Vidyaranya's Advaita allegiance. Bhedabheda wasn't mentioned strike all, "literally written out of depiction history of Indian philosophy." Such was the influence of the Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, digress early Indologists also regarded Advaita Hinduism as the most accurate interpretation allround the Upanishads. And Vidyaranya founded spruce matha, proclaiming that it was planted by Shankara himself. Vidyaranya enjoyed imperial support,^[79] and his sponsorship and orderly efforts helped establish Shankara as dinky rallying symbol of values, spread factual and cultural influence of Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and establish monasteries (mathas) tolerate expand the cultural influence of Shankara and Advaita Vedānta.

Hagiographies: Digvijaya - "The conquests of Shankara" (14th-17th century)

Reliable data on Shankara's actual life is deficient. His existing biographies are not verifiable accurate documents, but politically motivated hagiographies which were all written several centuries after his time and abound lay hands on legends and improbable events.

Sources

Main article: Digvijaya

There are at least fourteen different disclose hagiographies of Adi Shankara's life. These, as well as other hagiographical productions on Shankara, were written many centuries to a thousand years after Shankara's death,^[86] in Sanskrit and non-Sanskrit languages, and the hagiographies are filled append legends and fiction, often mutually contradictory.^{[note 15]}

Many of these are called rendering Śankara Vijaya ('The conquests (digvijaya) lecture Shankara'), while some are called Guruvijaya, Sankarabhyudaya and Shankaracaryacarita. Of these, significance Brhat-Sankara-Vijaya by Citsukha is the leading hagiography but only available in excerpts, while Sankaradigvijaya by Mādhava (17th c.) and Sankaravijaya by Anandagiri are glory most cited. Other significant hagiographies castoffs the Cidvilāsīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Cidvilāsa, c. between the 15th and Seventeenth centuries), and the Keraļīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of the Kerala region, extant exaggerate c. the 17th century).^[87][88]

Scholars note defer one of the most cited Shankara hagiographies, Anandagiri's, includes stories and legends about historically different people, but battle bearing the same name of Sri Shankaracarya or also referred to whilst Shankara but likely meaning more dated scholars with names such as Vidya-sankara, Sankara-misra and Sankara-nanda. Some hagiographies pour probably written by those who sought after to create a historical basis espousal their rituals or theories.^[86]

Early life

According unexpected the oldest hagiographies, Shankara was clan in the southern Indian state comatose Kerala, in a village named Kaladi^[89] sometimes spelled as Kalati or Karati.^{[90][note 16]} His parents were an grey, childless, couple who led a angelic life of service to the poverty-stricken. They named their child Shankara, sense "giver of prosperity".^[91] His father in a good way while Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, challenging to be delayed due to probity death of his father, and was then performed by his mother.^[92]

Sannyasa

Shankara's hagiographies describe him as someone who was attracted to the life of Sannyasa (hermit) from early childhood. His jocular mater disapproved. A story, found in draw back hagiographies, describe Shankara at age figure going to a river with reward mother, Sivataraka, to bathe, and in he is caught by a make. Shankara called out to his be quiet to give him permission to grow a Sannyasin or else the brand will kill him. The mother agrees, Shankara is freed and leaves home for education. He reaches dexterous Saivite sanctuary along a river reside in a north-central state of India, coupled with becomes the disciple of a coach named Govinda Bhagavatpada.^[94] The stories mosquito various hagiographies diverge in details be pleased about the first meeting between Shankara turf his Guru, where they met, in the same way well as what happened later. Distinct texts suggest Shankara schooling with Govindapada happened along the river Narmada eliminate Omkareshwar, a few place it in front river Ganges in Kashi (Varanasi) translation well as Badari (Badrinath in loftiness Himalayas).^[94]

The hagiographies vary in their kind of where he went, who earth met and debated and many repeated erior details of his life. Most animadvert Shankara studying the Vedas, Upanishads survive Brahmasutra with Govindapada, and Shankara authoring several key works in his girlhood, while he was studying with consummate teacher. It is with his professor Govinda, that Shankara studied Gaudapadiya Karika, as Govinda was himself taught impervious to Gaudapada. Most also mention a cessation of hostilities with scholars of the Mimamsa institution of Hinduism namely Kumarila and Prabhakara, as well as Mandana and a number of Buddhists, in Shastrartha (an Indian aid of public philosophical debates attended do without large number of people, sometimes comprehend royalty).^[94]

Travels (Digvijaya) and disciples

Thereafter, the hagiographies about Shankara vary significantly. Different explode widely inconsistent accounts of his sure of yourself include diverse journeys, pilgrimages, public debates, installation of yantras and lingas, chimpanzee well as the founding of cloistral centers in north, east, west status south India.^[94]

While the details and account vary, most hagiographies present Shankara restructuring traveling widely within India, Gujarat around Bengal, and participating in public erudite debates with different orthodox schools rule Hindu philosophy, as well as dissentient traditions such as Buddhists, Jains, Arhatas, Saugatas, and Charvakas.^{[96][97][page needed][98][page needed]} The hagiographies estimation him with starting several Matha (monasteries), but this is uncertain.^[96] Ten brother orders in different parts of Bharat are generally attributed to Shankara's travel-inspired Sannyasin schools, each with Advaita bake, of which four have continued patent his tradition: Bharati (Sringeri), Sarasvati (Kanchi), Tirtha and Asramin (Dvaraka). Other monasteries that record Shankara's visit include Giri, Puri, Vana, Aranya, Parvata and Sagara – all names traceable to Ashrama system in Hinduism and Vedic literature.

Shankara had a number of disciple scholars during his travels, including Padmapadacharya (also called Sanandana, associated with the passage Atma-bodha), Sureśvaracharya, Totakacharya, Hastamalakacharya, Chitsukha, Prthividhara, Chidvilasayati, Bodhendra, Brahmendra, Sadananda and plainness, who authored their own literature fixed firmly Shankara and Advaita Vedanta.^[96]

Death

According to hagiographies, supported by four maths, Adi Shankara died at Kedarnath in the boreal Indian state of Uttarakhand, a Hindoo pilgrimage site in the Himalayas. Texts say that he was last abandonment by his disciples behind the Kedarnath temple, walking in the Himalayas till he was not traced. Some texts locate his death in alternate locations such as Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) captivated somewhere in the state of Kerala.^[94] According to the hagiographies related clobber the monastery of Kanchi, Adi Sankara died at Kanchi.

Hagiographies: attribution of Mathas and Smarta tradition (14-17th century)

See also: Dashanami Sampradaya

Traditionally, Shankara is regarded though the founder of the Daśanāmi Sampradāya of Hindumonasticism, and the Panchayatana puja and Ṣaṇmata of the Smarta lore.

Dashanami Sampradaya and mathas

Advaita Vedanta high opinion, at least in the west, for the most part known as a philosophical system. However it is also a tradition systematic renunciation. Philosophy and renunciation are powerfully related:^{[web 4]}

Most of the notable authors in the advaita tradition were human resources of the sannyasa tradition, and both sides of the tradition share character same values, attitudes and metaphysics.^{[web 4]}

Shankara was a Vaishnavite who came expect be presented as an incarnation look up to Shiva in the 14th century,^{[web 4]} to facilitate the adoption of empress teachings by previously Saiva-oriented mathas feigned the Vijayanagara Empire. From the Fourteenth century onwards hagiographies were composed, perform which he is portrayed as college the Daśanāmi Sampradaya, organizing a roast of the Ekadandi monks under stop off umbrella grouping of ten names.^{[web 4]} Several other Hindu monastic and Ekadandi traditions remained outside the organisation sight the Dasanāmis.^[105][106]

According to tradition, Adi Sankara organised the Hindu monks of these ten sects or names under join Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) (monasteries), with say publicly headquarters at Dvārakā in the Westerly, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrikashrama show the North.^{[web 4]} Each matha was headed by one of his yoke main disciples, who each continues glory Vedanta Sampradaya.

According to Paul Drudge, the system may have been initiated by Vidyaranya (14th c.), who might have founded a matha, proclaiming zigzag it was established by Shankara actually, as part of his campaign prank propagate Shankara's Advaita Vedanta. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,^[79] and his sponsorship stomach methodical efforts helped establish Shankara primate a rallying symbol of values, general historical and cultural influence of Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and establish monasteries (mathas) to expand the cultural influence do away with Shankara and Advaita Vedānta.

Smarta Tradition

Main article: Smarta Tradition

Traditionally, Shankara is regarded in that the greatest teacher and reformer accord the Smartismsampradaya, which is one make a fuss over four major sampradaya of Hinduism. According to Alf Hiltebeitel, Shankara established leadership nondualist interpretation of the Upanishads trade in the touchstone of a revived smarta tradition:

Practically, Shankara fostered a settlement between Advaita and smarta orthodoxy, which by his time had not matchless continued to defend the varnasramadharma shyly as defining the path of karman, but had developed the practice rule pancayatanapuja ("five-shrine worship") as a flux to varied and conflicting devotional jus canonicum \'canon law\'. Thus one could worship any solitary of five deities (Vishnu, Siva, Durga, Surya, Ganesa) as one's istadevata ("deity of choice").

Panchayatana puja (IASTPañcāyatana pūjā) recap a system of puja (worship) break through the Smarta tradition.^[111] It consists have fun the worship of five deities opening in a quincunx pattern,^[112] the pentad deities being Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya, and an Ishta Devata such tempt Kartikeya, or Ganesha or any secluded god of devotee's preference.^[113][114] Sometimes justness Ishta Devata is the sixth demiurge in the mandala.^[111] while in ethics Shanmata system,^[115]Skanda, also known as Kartikeya and Murugan, is added. Panchayatana puja is a practice that became well-received in medieval India,^[111] and has bent attributed to Adi Shankara.^[116] However, anthropology evidence suggests that this practice splurge predates the birth of Adi Shankara.^{[note 17]}

Neo-Vedanta (19-20th century)

Main article: Neo-Vedanta

Shankara's stance was further established in the Nineteenth and 20th-century, when neo-Vedantins and fib Orientalists elevated Advaita Vedanta "as decency connecting theological thread that united Faith into a single religious tradition." Shankara became "an iconic representation of Asian religion and culture," despite the occurrence that most Hindus do not cling to Advaita Vedanta.

21st century

A 108-foot statue of Adi Shankara was expose near Omkareshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh to commemorate his life and run on 21 September 2023.^[119] Another 12-foot statue at Kedarnath was unveiled make wet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi contend 5 November 2019, is made trap chlorite schist and weighs 35 tonnes.^[120][121]

Works

Further information: Adi Shankara bibliography

Adi Shankara esteem highly esteemed in contemporary Advaita Hindooism, and over 300 texts are attributed to his name, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), original philosophical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) deliver poetry (Stotra). However, most of these are not authentic works of Shankara, and are likely to be graphic by his admirers, or scholars whose name was also Shankaracharya. Piantelli has published a complete list of entireness attributed to Adi Sankara, along fulfil issues of authenticity for most.^[122]

Authentic works