ADI SHANKAR

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unifying the fragmented country. Over a thousand years ago (780 AD),

Shivaguru and Ayamba lived in the village of Kaladi, in Kerala, India. They

were a pious and

benevolent couple who earnestly desired to have children. On a visit to the

Shiva temple of Trichur, they spent the day worshiping Shiva devoutly before

retiring early. That night, both of them had the same dream in which Shiva,

disguised as a sage, said to them, “I am pleased with your devotion. You can

choose to have either one extraordinary son with a short life or many ordinary

sons.” The couple replied, “Lord, give us one extraordinary son.” Months later,

Ayamba gave birth to a son who was predicted to become an extraordinary person.

The child was named Shankara, another name for Shiva. Shankara was only five

years old when he had his sacred thread ceremony. After that, following the

custom of the times, he went to live and study with his guru, a learned

teacher. Shankara learned of his father’s death on a visit home. He saw his

mother weeping and shared her grief. Ayamba grew feebler after Shivaguru’s

death and Shankara spent more time caring for her. On one occasion, Ayamba

expressed her concern, “Will I ever be able to go to the river to take a bath?”

Shankara consoled her by stating that she need not go a long distance to the

river because the river would come to her. Then, he and his friends, with great

effort, changed the course of the river to flow by their house. After this great

show of devotion, his mother was delighted and blessed her son. As a teenager,

Shankara was distressed by the fragmentation of the country. He felt that he

should become a sanyasi, or monk, and travel across India preaching spiritual

unity. As a first step toward this goal, he visited King Rajashekhara of Kerala

and talked with the royal poets. The king was deeply impressed and invited

Shankara to stay and join the group. Shankara

declined, setting his clear goal of becoming a traveling monk. Determined to

fulfill this goal, Shankara asked his mother’s permission to become a sanyasi.

She refused, saying, “I am all by myself and old. Who will look after me? You

should marry and settle here.” Shankara was deeply troubled. He was committed

to what he knew was his life’s goal but he would not leave home without his

mother’s permission. He wondered what he should do. He did not have long to

wait. One evening, as Shankara was bathing in the river, a crocodile caught his

leg. It appeared he would be dragged to his death. His mother was on the bank

and was greatly alarmed. Shankara shouted, “Mother, I want to die as a sanyasi,

please give me your permission now!” His mother could not refuse her son’s final

request, so she agreed. At that moment, the crocodile released Shankara and

disappeared into the river. Shankara came out safely from the river. His

relieved mother blessed him and said,

“Son, you have great tasks ahead of you. I will not stand in your way.” Shankara

accepted his mother’s blessing and left home at the age of twelve. He promised

to return at any time she needed him. As Shankara traveled northward, he came

to Narmada and met the famous sage Bhagvadpada and his disciples. The sage

greeted Shankara cordially and asked him about his beliefs and conclusions.

Bhagvadpada was greatly impressed with Shankara’s bold and direct answers. The

sage could discern a clear mind and a depth of knowledge. He agreed to ordain

Shankara as a Paramahamsa Sanyasi, the highest order. Sometime after that,

Shankara was meditating when alarmed villagers cried for his help. The river

Narmada was flooding and water was near the hermitage. Shankara placed his

meditation staff at the edge of the rising water and the water began to recede.

The amazed villagers paid reverence to the power of this holy person. After

three years with his guru, Shankara had

a vision in which the legendary sage Vedavyasa told him, “I want you to move

onwards on your great mission of uniting India.” Shankara obtained his

teacher’s permission to leave and proceeded on his life-work. When he reached

Kashi (Varanasi), Shankara was well received by scholars and poets. Many were

attracted to his teaching of Advaita, the oneness of each individual with the

creator. His fame increased as he visited temples and talked with many

scholars. Shankara began attracting disciples and he established a monastic

order. While in Kashi, Shankara and his disciples were returning to the

monastery from their daily bath in the Ganges when an outcast approached from

the opposite direction. The disciples called out for the outcast to move aside

so they might pass without touching him. The outcast calmly replied, “What

shall I move - my body which is made of earthly elements or my soul which is

all-pervading consciousness?” At that moment, Shankara had a vision in

which it was revealed to him that the outcast was Shiva in disguise. He suddenly

realized the one reality in all. He stopped his disciples and said, “He is

indeed my guru, regardless of his low birth.” This intuitive flash of insight

strengthened Shankara’s convictions and he boldly taught his Advaitic message

to the sages and Brahmins who had believed in rituals only. He said, “True

happiness does not lie in the practice of mere rituals. Try to understand the

presence of the one reality in all.” This teaching gave a new and larger

meaning to the narrow definition of religion and was eagerly received by many

who heard it. When at last Shankara left Kashi, he traveled north to Hardwar

and Rishikesh. At the temple in Rishikesh, he found the sacred idol missing.

The priests had hidden the idol in the Ganges river to protect from the raids

of the hill-tribes, but later could not find it. With divine insight, Shankara

went to the river and instructed the priests to look

again. To their utter surprise, the image was found and was ceremonially

installed. Shankara next visited the hill-tribes and taught them his powerful

message. Many of them reformed their ways and some followed him as he proceeded

on his journey. At Badrinath, Shankar once again found the idol missing. The

priest pled Shankara to find the idol, which he did, and ceremonially installed

it. Shankara and his followers proceeded westward through the Himalayas to

Kedarnath and Amarnath. From there he went north to Gangotri, the source of the

river Ganges. At this time, Shankara was only sixteen. His knowledge of the

Vedas was extensive and many sages came to him for clarification and were drawn

to his powerful teaching. Shankara returned to Badrinath where he stayed for

some time writing and giving discourses. His disciples were truly dedicated to

him, serving his needs and carrying out his wishes. Many of the Brahmins

rejected Shankara’s teachings because of

his indifference to their high social standing and their spiritless, ritualistic

approach to religion. One of the highly respected Brahmins was Mandana Mishra,

whom Shankara challenged to a debate on eternal truth. Mishra accepted the

challenge and they agreed to take Mishra’s wife, Saraswati, as the judge since

she was known to be learned and impartial. Saraswati observed, “How can a

sanyasi, who has no experience as a citizen, and a householder, claim complete

knowledge?” Shankara replied, “I accept your verdict, Mother. I need to be wise

in the ways of the world. Give me time.” Saraswati granted Shankara one year

time to gain experience and return to continue the debate. Shankara secluded

himself in a cave with only his faithful disciple Padmapada. When Shankara

explained to Padmapada that he must obtain the experience of a householder,

Padmapada objected, “In what way will the experience of a householder help in

obtaining spiritual perfection? In

fact, it will be an obstacle.” “No, Padmapada,” replied Shankara, “spiritual

perfection must be obtained in the battlefield of life itself.” Then Shankara

revealed his plan. Padmapada, listened carefully. “I shall soon enter into

samadhi through my yogic powers. My soul will take flight to another body to

gain the experiences of a householder. Until I come back and reenter my

soulless body, guard me carefully.” Saying this, Shankara went into a state of

samadhi and his soul traveled to a town in Vanga Desha, today’s Bengal. There

the king was on his deathbed. When the king’s soul left its mortal body,

Shankara’s soul entered into it. The king’s body revived and no one could tell

the difference. Shankara began to experience the life of a householder, the joy

and the sorrow. Shankara experienced the responsibilities of a king; the kingdom

had to be defended and law-breakers had to be punished. He made decisions both

great and small that affected other people’s

lives. He was also able to experience the luxuries of a king without becoming

involved and attached. When Shankara obtained the needed experience of a

worldly life, its good and evil, he made plans to return to his own body. Upon

his departure, the king’s body weakened and was declared dead. At the same

time, Shankara’s body came to life. Padmapada bowed in reverence as he

witnessed the soulless body return to its former state. Shankara returned to

Mandana Mishra and plans were made to resume the debate. Both of them were

given garlands and the agreement was that the competitor whose garland withered

first would be the loser. The debate went on for a few days until they reached

the topic of Eternal Truth. Mishra said, “I hold that worship and rituals make

for happiness here and hereafter.” Shankara calmly replied, “Rituals do not

bring the highest happiness. Complete knowledge through the Vedas is the only

answer for such knowledge reveals the one

Reality.” As this was spoken, the flowers in Misra’s garland wilted and faded.

Mandana Misra understood the message. He accepted Shankara as his guru. Mishra

was ordained and named Sureshwaracharya. Shankara, accompanied by his

followers, including Sureshwaracharya and Saraswati, journeyed south stopping

at all the holy places. At Gokama, a rich man brought his deaf and dumb son for

Shankara’s blessing. Everyone was astonished as the boy’s speech was restored.

The boy was ordained into Shankara’s monastic order. At Sringeri, Shankara

founded the Shradha Peetha and put Sureshwaracharya in charge. They stayed at

Sringeri for several months until Shankara had a premonition and said, “My

mother needs me. I must hasten to her side.” Shankara returned to his home in

Kaladi and found his mother in poor health. He comforted her and imparted to

her the divine knowledge he had learned in his short life. Ayamba died

peacefully with an enlightened soul. Shankara

carried the body to a corner of the garden and, placing it on a pyre of plantain

stems, cremated it. Orthodox Brahmins in the community objected to a sanyasi

performing what they considered the rites of a householder, even though

Shankara was her only heir. However, they later repented and praised Shankara

for his filial love. After his mother’s death, Shankara traveled twice

throughout India. He enjoyed the patronage and protection of kings and

scholars. Many, including members of royal families, gave up their wealth and

position to become his disciples. He produced a wealth of learned and

devotional literature. Shankara was above the discriminations of sex, wealth,

and caste. Shankara died at the young age of thirty-two, ending his

extraordinary earthly mission. He witnessed during his lifetime the awakening

of spiritual India and the strengthening of Vedic truth. The gospel of Shankara

– the brotherhood of all humanity, the oneness of truth – lives on, ever active

and luminous. The lives of Vivekananda, Chinmayanada, and many thousands of

others were inspired by the dedicated teaching of Adi Shankara. If India can

ever be united, it will be by the common bond of Vedic knowledge. A few of

Shankara’s sayings: Just as a piece of rope is imagined to be a snake in the

darkness so is Atman (soul) determined to be the body by an ignorant person.

Neither by yoga, nor philosophy, nor by work, nor by learning but by the

realization of one’s identity with Brahman is liberation possible, and by no

other means. A father has his sons and others to free him from his debts; but

he has none but himself to remove his bondage.

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