Adi Shankara
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Adi Shankara (also known as Adi Shankaracharya, c. 788 – 820 CE) was one of India’s most influential philosophers and spiritual reformers. He unified and revitalized Hindu thought at a time when it was fragmented by sectarianism and ritualism. His teachings reshaped Indian philosophy for centuries and still influence global discussions on consciousness, reality, and the self.
🌄 Early Life
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Birthplace: Kalady, Kerala (South India).
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Parents: Sivaguru and Aryamba, both devout Brahmins.
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Prodigy: Shankara was composing poetry and philosophy by the age of eight.
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Renunciation: He became a monk (sannyasi) in childhood, after convincing his mother through a famous legend—when a crocodile caught him in the river, he asked for her blessing to renounce the world; once granted, the crocodile released him.
🧘♂️ Mission and Travels
Shankara wandered across India, debating scholars and reviving the core ideas of Vedanta (the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads). His goal was to unite Hindus under a pure, philosophical understanding of Brahman—the ultimate reality—free from superstition or blind ritual.
He established four mathas (monastic centers) in the four cardinal directions of India:
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Sringeri (South)
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Dwaraka (West)
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Puri (East)
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Badrinath (North)
These centers still function today, preserving his teachings.
🕉️ Core Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta means “non-dualistic end of knowledge.”
Shankara taught that there is only one ultimate reality: Brahman, and everything else—individual selves, gods, the universe—is a manifestation or illusion (maya) of that singular reality.
Key ideas:
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Brahman: Infinite, eternal, unchanging consciousness—the only true reality.
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Atman: The inner self or soul. Shankara declared Atman is Brahman—the self and the ultimate reality are one.
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Maya: The illusion of separateness and multiplicity. Our senses make us believe in distinctions (me vs. you, good vs. bad), but they’re all expressions of the same essence.
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Moksha: Liberation comes from realizing that you are not the body, mind, or ego—but Brahman itself.
📚 Major Works
Shankara wrote over 400 texts, though only some are authenticated. His most significant contributions are commentaries (Bhashyas) on Hindu scriptures:
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Brahma Sutra Bhashya — cornerstone of Advaita philosophy.
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Bhagavad Gita Bhashya — his interpretation of Krishna’s teaching as pure non-dualism.
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Upanishad Bhashyas — detailed commentaries on several Upanishads.
He also composed devotional and poetic works like:
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Bhaja Govindam (“Seek Govinda”) — a hymn urging spiritual awareness over material pursuits.
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Atma Bodha (“Knowledge of the Self”)
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Vivekachudamani (“Crest-Jewel of Discrimination”)
⚔️ Debates and Legacy
Shankara debated rival schools like:
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Mimamsa (ritual-based orthodoxy)
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Buddhism (which denied a permanent self)
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Samkhya and Yoga (which accepted dual realities of spirit and matter)
His sharp reasoning and compassion reportedly converted many opponents. He reframed Hinduism as a rational, unified philosophy, preventing its decline and giving it intellectual coherence.
✨ Influence Today
Shankara’s ideas continue to shape:
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Indian spirituality: Many modern teachers (e.g., Ramana Maharshi, Vivekananda) draw from his Advaita.
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Global philosophy: His non-dualism parallels Western mysticism and modern physics’ exploration of unified fields.
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Art and culture: His hymns are sung daily in temples, and his logic is studied in universities.
🕯️ In Essence
Adi Shankara’s teaching can be summed up in one simple truth:
“Brahman is real; the world is illusion;
the individual soul is not different from Brahman.”
He invited humanity to look beyond illusion and see the unity behind all existence.