Adi Sankaracharya - the great master

[Guest guest]

Pranaam friends,

 

I have some interesting information about the great sage Adi

Sankaracharya and thought it would make interesting reading for

members of this group. Many of you might already be aware of these

facts but for those who are not, it will no doubt be revealing.

 

"Sankara, as he is popularly known to students, was born in 788 AD at

Kaladi (Kerala?) into a Brahmin Nambudiri family. He opted for a life

of Sanyaas (monk celibate) and at a very young age was initiated into

the principles of Advaita. Sankara's Guru Sri Govinda Bhagwatpada

helped him master the deep philosophy and honed his already sharp

intellect to perfection.

 

"Sankara was one of those rare persons endowed with a wonderful and

incredible combination of Jnana, Bhakti and Karma. He traversed the

length and breadth of India many times over, beginning from the young

age of sixteen! He established the four mutts, which are in existence

even today. He was greatly responsible for lifting Hinduism back to

its pristine glory. But for this great saint, the Vedic knowledge

would forever be lost to us.

 

"Sankara's original works like Bhaja Govindam, Vivekachudamani,

Atmabodha, Dakshinamurthy Ashtaka, to name just a few, and his

Bhashyas on the Upanishads, Gita and Brahmasutras and other texts

have proved to be the `filter' in our understanding of these

scriptures. The similes and metaphors used by this great master have

made these works most enjoyable and simple to follow at the same time

removing all misconceptions about the Advaita philosophy."

 

I hope this info is useful to group members. It is obviously not

exhaustive and members may want to add some more interesting things

that they know of about this master and one of the greatest saints

this sacred country has produced.

 

Best regards,

 

kamal