SANKARA CHARYA

Shankaracharya

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This article is about a title used in Advaita tradition. For the philosopher shankara, see Adi Shankara.

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Shankaracharya, (IAST: Śaṅkarācārya, Shankara acharya) is a commonly used title of heads of mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition. The title derives from Adi Shankara, a 9th century CE reformer of Hinduism. He is honored as Jagadguru, a title that was used earlier only to Lord Krishna. The popular view among historians is that there were four mathas established by Ādi Śankara:

• the Uttarāmnāya matha, or northern matha at Jyotirmath
• the Pūrvāmnāya matha or eastern matha, the Govardhana matha, at Puri
• the Dakshināmnāya matha, or the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, the southern matha, at Shringeri
• the Paśchimāmnāya matha, or the Dvaraka Pitha, the western matha, at Dwarka .

Sri Adi Shankara established a fifth math in Kanchipuram, with jurisdiction over the four mathas and that Sankaracharya ascended a sarvagna-pitha at Kanchipuram and he died in Kanchi.^{[citation needed]}
Like other religions and sects, some rivalry exists between some groups who claim to have been initiated into the Shankaracharya Order.
The existence of such multiple mathas occurs because a Guru/or descendant of the shankaracharya lineage could have had many disciples. This could have resulted in the branching out of the parent institution. It is also possible that a Guru might have died without naming a successor, leading to the formation of rival groups.
Jyotirmath and Govardhan matha have a broken lineage and were later revived.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Voyage in India 3 Further reading 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Early life

The Shankaracharya was born in the year 788 A.D in Kaladi, Ernakulam, Kerala, of a poor Brahmin couple, Shivagur and Aryamba. He was given the name Shankara, which is one of the popular titles for the great God, Shiva. Tradition holds that Shankara was born due the blessing of Lord Shiva. His father Shivagur was a priest in a Shiva temple. His father died when Sankara was only 3 years old. At the age of 8, Shankara left his house to seek a Guru after taking his mother's blessings. He promised his mother that he would return for her cremation ceremony when she died. Shankara exhibited extraordinary intelligence in his boyhood, mastering all the then-current theologies and philosophies by the age of 17. Travelling to Bhrugu Kutch, a part of Gujarat state on the bank of river Narmada, he found the great saint Patanjali ( "Govindpad") as his Guru.

Voyage in India

Once, he chanted "Jalakarshan" mantra to save villages from over flooded Narmada by putting a pot at the entrance of his Guru's cave. After this incidence his Guru sent him to Kashi Vishvanath temple explaining the gist of all Veda and its principles. Following his mentor's words he went there and taught students like Vishnusharma and Totakacharya. He created saga of "Chandal" and "Manisha Panchak". At a very young age of 11 he started towards Badrinath as a savior for Badrinath temple which was frequently attacked by Chinese emperors.

Further reading

The Shankaracharya tradition is described in Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's commentary on Verse 2, Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad-Gita.^[1]

• Sri Shankaracharya : life and philosophy : an elucidative and reconciliatory interpretation, by Swami Mukhyananda, 4th ed.; ISBN 81-7505-283-X; Kolkata; Advaita Ashrama, 2006

See also

• Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham
• Swāmī Abhinava Vidyā Tīrtha: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Bhāratī Tīrtha: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Bhāratīkṛṣṇa Tīrtha: respected scholar; mathematician; first Śaṅkarācārya to visit the West
• Swāmī Brahmānanda Sarasvatī: Śrīvidyā siddha; highly-respected Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmāyā Pīṭha, Śaṅkara Matha, Badrināth
• Swāmī Candrasekhara Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Kṛṣṇabodha Āśrama: Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmāyā Pīṭha, Śankara Matha, Badrināth
• Swāmī Saccidānanda Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Saccidānanda Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Saccidānanda Śivābhinava Nṛsiṁha Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Swarūpānanda Sarasvatī: Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmāyā Pīṭha, Śaṅkara Matha, Badrināth
• Swāmī Vidyāraṇya Tīrtha: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri