A long time ago, there was a married brahmin couple named Shivaguru and Aryamba. This beautiful couple had been longing for a child for a very long time. They performed tapas after tapas meditating at a Shiva temple in modern Kerala. One fine day, Lord Shiva appeared in front of them to grant the boon and asked if they wanted a child who is smart and wise with a short lifespan or a child who is dumb and ignorant with a very long lifespan. Both the couple agreed on having a child who is wise with a short life span.
In some parts of India, it is also believed that Shankaracharya’s birth is an incarnation of Lord Shiva himself with the purpose of bringing Sanatana Dharma which was facing extinction due to the period of kali yuga and the birth of many other religious beliefs.
The father of Shankara, Shivaguru passed away a few days after the birth of Shankara. His mother Aryamba faced many difficulties socially and financially. Aryamba then sent Shankara off to a Gurukul nearby. By the age of 7, Shankara had mastered the 4 Vedas and was such a wise and brilliant child. No one in the village could win a debate against Shakara on various topics.
After some time, a very young Shankara heard about sannyasa from his mother, from then on he had a great interest in taking sannyasa at a very young age. He also told his mother that he had the intention of being a sannyasa. His mother was really disappointed. One day, Shankara and his mother went to a nearby Purna river to have a bath. Suddenly, a crocodile bites Shankara’s leg and his mother is terrified. Shakara then screams saying “maa, do let me say the sannyasa mantra and let me be a sannyasa. According to guruji haridhos giri,Thennangur,
as he was a reincarnation of lord shiva. Shankara knew it all. Shankara knew in order to save the life of a son, his mother would allow him to do so. He tricked his mother at a very young age. Once Aryamba allowed Shankara to recite the sannyasa mantra three times, the crocodile that was biting his leg left him. When Aryamba called Shankara to go home with her. He refused and did not go home with her. He left home and started walking towards the mountains
As he was wandering in the mountains, he met a realised sage named Gaudapada. He asked him if Guru Gaudapada will initiate him. Then, the guru said he isn’t the right person to be initiating Shakara. Instead, Swami Gaudapada’s disciple, Swami Govinda Bhagavatpada will be the right Guru to be initiating you who is a self realised soul. After sometime of finding Swami Govinda, he reached the ashram of Swami Govindapada. It was near the Narmada river. He then approached one to ask where Swami Govinda was and they brought him to a cave where Swami Govinda Bhagavatpada stays. The entrance of the cave was so small so that no elements will be a disturbance to Swami Govinda whether it is the rain or wind, perfect to meditate.
The first thing Shakara did when he arrived at the cave, he did 3 pradakshina which means he went around the cave 3 times to show respect and love towards his guru. Shankra then sang a beautiful parise to Swami Govindapada. He praised him saying that
“ you are the fully realized student of Swami Gaudapada who himself was the direct disciple of Sukthadeva, the son of Vyasa ”.
“You are also known as the incarnation of Adisesha himself who was the servant of Narayana.
“ Adishesha is said to be having 1000 heads which symbolises all the knowledge of the scripture and of the reality”
“ I bow down to you, O, great guru”
It was said that Swami Govindapada was in Samadhi and he came out of the samadhi hearing the hymn sang by Shankara. Swami Govindapada who was sitting in the cave asked Shankara “ who are you?” To answer this question asked By Swami Govindapada, Shankara then composed beautiful verses “Nirvana Shatakam” which is still being heard and sung all over the world today. This verse is about whatever we think that we are, which we are actually not. Every verse in this Shatakam ends with “Shivoham” which means I am God. Swami Govindapada then realizes that he is the incarnation of Shiva. Swami Govindapada then showed his leg out of the small opening of the cave for Shakara to do a Padapuja which also indicates that Swami Govindapada was ready to accept Shakara as his disciple.
Shankara then performed the padapuja with full devotion. Thus he became his disciple. Some may also ask, why would Shakara need a guru when he has all the knowledge and realized all the truth. The real answer is because it has been written in the scripture that for one to realize and attain his higher state, he should always be guided by a guru no matter how much knowledge he or she has.
Swami Govindapada then taught Shakara the knowledge of the Brahman. So it’s said that he taught Shakara 4 great sayings which are also known as the Maha Vaakyas. In each Veda, there’s a Maha Vaakyas which contains the highest truth. The first Vaakya is ‘pragyanam Brahma which means awakened consciousness is the supreme consciousness. The second will be “aham brahmasmi” which means I am the brahman Third will be “tatvam masi” which means the guru gives the experience of the supreme consciousness. Lastly,” Atma Brahma which means I’m nothing but brahman. After this, Swami Govindapada then taught Shankra the Brahma sutra which was written by Vyasa. Then, Swami Govindapada formally initiated Shakara into being a sanyasi.
One day, in the monsoon season, it has been raining continuously at the Narmada River. The water rose and it was flooded throughout the village. Shakara was performing his sadhana nearby then suddenly realized that the flood went into the cave of his guru while his guru was in a deep samadhi state. Shankara knew that his guru wouldn’t have realized the rise of water. He took his kamandala and said a mantra that could contain all the flood. All the villagers started praising Shakara. After Swami Govindapada woke up from his deep state of samadhi, his other disciples told him about how Shakara contained the flood in his kamandala. Swami Govindapada was really impressed and satisfied with Shankara’s actions. He then told Shankara that Vedanta should be spread to many people through Shakara”s writing. He also said Shankara is ready to spread the knowledge which many will
gain out of it. Shankara refused to leave his guru due to the love and respect he has for his guru. Swami Govindapada also knows that Shakara has a purpose in this birth which was to bring the right teachings of Vedanta.
He then left for Varanasi to spread the teachings of Vedanta. The 11-year-old boy went to Kashi Varanasi on foot. Shankara was then living in Kashi Varanasi near the Kashi
Vishwanath temple. After he was there, many of them were mesmerized by Shankara’s wiseness as a really young boy. There were many people who came to Shankara for blessing and to clear their doubts in any expectations of their life.
Shankara was asked by Lord Shiva to write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras so that everyone in the future could gain out of it. He then went to a cave to write the commentary. Shankara is also known to write many hymns dedicated to the gurus, gods, and goddesses.
For example, Bhaja Govindam, Nirvana Shatakam, Lingashtakam, Saundarya Lahari, and many more. He walked across Bharat spreading his teachings (currently known as India).
Shankara knew that he needed to leave his physical body soon, so before that, he had to some preparation so that his teachings will be continued by his disciples. He opened Char Dhams which is also known as 4 Ashrams in 4 different corners of India. Each of these maths was assigned the task of maintaining and preserving for posterity, one of the four Vedas (the main scriptures of Hinduism) and a Maha Vakya. Shankaracharya reorganized all the Sannyasis in India into ten main groups (the Dashnami Sannyasa Tradition) allocated to different maths. Shankara had 4primary disciples which were Padmapadaacharya,
Totakacharya, Sureshswaracharya, Hastamalakacharya. For of them were leaders of the 4 Ashrams.
One day, when Shankara and a few of his disciples were walking at Kedarnath to spread Vedanta, Shankara just disappeared at the age of 32. All his disciples tried finding him everywhere but they couldn’t find Shankara. That’s when they realize that Adi
Shankaracharya had been one with god. This great saint is the reason Sanathana Dharma is still the oldest living Dharma that exists.
– By Saranya Sivakumar
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