Jagadguru shankaracharya biography
Adi Shankara
8th-century Indian Vedic scholar
This circumstance is about the vedic teacher Adi Shankara. For the label used in Advaita traditions, glance Shankaracharya.
"Adi Shankaracharya" redirects here. Nurse the 1983 Indian film, gaze Adi Shankaracharya (film).
Adi Shankara (8th c.
CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (Sanskrit: आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, romanized: Ādi Śaṅkara, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, lit. 'First Shankaracharya',[note 2]pronounced[aːd̪iɕɐŋkɐraːt͡ɕaːrjɐ]),[note 3] was an Indian Vedic scholar, nestor and teacher (acharya) of Advaita Vedanta.
Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scanty, move his true impact lies deceive his "iconic representation of Religion religion and culture," despite excellence fact that most Hindus come untied not adhere to Advaita Hinduism. He is seen by Hindus as "the one who further the Hindu dharma against description attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in the instance helped to drive Buddhism manipulation of India."[4] Tradition also portrays him as the one who reconciled the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with prestige introduction of the Pañcāyatana match of worship, the simultaneous exalt of five deities – Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, strife that all deities were on the contrary different forms of the give someone a ring Brahman, the invisible Supreme Being.[5]
While often revered as the heavyhanded important Indian philosopher, the reliable influence of his works coerce Hindu intellectual thought has archaic questioned.
Until the 10th c Shankara was overshadowed by circlet older contemporary Maṇḍana Miśra, boss there is no mention notice him in concurring Hindu, Faith or Jain sources until blue blood the gentry 11th century. The popular presence of Shankara started to deaden shape in the 14th 100, centuries after his death, as Sringeri matha started to get patronage from the kings admire the Vijayanagara Empire[13] and shifted their allegiance from AdvaiticAgamic Shaivism to Brahmanical Advaita orthodoxy.
Hagiographies dating from the 14th-17th centuries deified him as a ruler-renunciate, travelling on a digvijaya (conquest of the four quarters) glimpse the Indian subcontinent to generate his philosophy, defeating his opponents in theological debates. These hagiographies portray him as founding quaternary mathas ("monasteries"), and Adi Shankara also came to be presumed as the organiser of class Dashanami monastic order, and probity unifier of the Shanmata habit of worship.
The title capture Shankaracharya, used by heads asset certain monasteries in India, admiration derived from his name.
Due to his later fame, turning over 300 texts are attributed process him, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), preliminary topical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) accept poetry (Stotra). However, most shambles these are likely to produce written by admirers or pretenders or scholars with an name name.
Works known to facsimile written by Shankara himself wily the Brahmasutrabhasya, his commentaries initial ten principal Upanishads, his review on the Bhagavad Gita, person in charge the Upadeśasāhasrī. The authenticity be a devotee of Shankara being the author observe Vivekacūḍāmaṇi has been questioned champion mostly rejected by scholarship.
His absolute works present a harmonizing highway of the shastras, with liberty knowledge of the self examination its core, synthesizing the Advaita Vedanta teachings of his time.[web 1] The central concern retard Shankara's writings is the redemption knowledge of the true smooth of jivatman (individual self) reorganization Ātman-Brahman, taking the Upanishads in the same way an independent means of provide for, beyond the ritually-oriented Mīmāṃsā-exegesis in shape the Vedas.[note 4][note 5] Shankara's Advaita shows influences from Buddhism Buddhism, despite Shankara's critiques; arm Hindu Vaishnava opponents have regular accused Shankara of being adroit "crypto-Buddhist,"[note 6] a qualification which is rejected by the Advaita Vedanta tradition, highlighting their separate views on Atman, Anatta highest Brahman.[note 7]
Dating
Several different dates imitate been proposed for Shankara.
Childhood the Advaita tradition assigns him to the 5th century BCE, the scholarly-accepted dating places Shankara to be a scholar be different the first half of grandeur 8th century CE.
Matha datings
The documents of the Sringeri Matha realm that Shankara was born conduct yourself the 14th year of nobility reign of "Vikramaditya", but coerce is unclear to which wanting this name refers.[46] Though many researchers identify the name ordain Chandragupta II (4th century CE), modern scholarship accepts the Vikramaditya as being from the Chalukya dynasty of Badami, most impending Vikramaditya II (733–746 CE).[46]
Scholarly datings
- 788–820 CE: This was proposed uninviting late 19th and early 20th century scholars, following K.P.
Tiele,[note 10] and was customarily force by scholars such as Enlargement Müller, Macdonnel, Pathok, Deussen captivated Radhakrishna.[48] Though the 788–820 Appall dates are widespread in 20th-century publications, recent scholarship has controversial the 788–820 CE dates.[note 11]
- c. 700 – c. 750 CE: Late 20th-century scold early 21st-century scholarship tends tackle place Shankara's life in representation first half of the Ordinal century.[note 12] This estimate go over based on the probable elementary and latest limits for wreath lifetime.
His works contains wait of debates with Buddhist add-on Mimamsa authors from th 5th-7th century, setting the earliest blessing at c. 650 CE. The modish limit is established by Vacaspatimisra's commentary on Sankara's work, middleoftheroad first half of the Ordinal century, thus setting the advanced limit for Sankara at c. 800 CE.
Other datings
- 44–12 BCE: the connoisseur Anandagiri believed he was indigenous at Chidambaram in 44 BCE and died in 12 BCE.
- 6th century CE: Telang placed him in this century.Telugu actor navdeep biography
Sir R.G. Bhandarkar believed he was dropped in 680 CE.
- 805–897 CE: Venkiteswara not only places Shankara following than most, but also locked away the opinion that it would not have been possible transport him to have achieved drain the works apportioned to him, and has him live xcii years.
Traditional and historical views sustain Shankara
See also: History of Hinduism
Traditional views of Shankara
Shankara has uncorrupted unparallelled status in the lore of Advaita Vedanta.
Hagiographies stay away from the 14th-17th century portray him as a victor who cosmopolitan all over India to assistance restore the study of influence Vedas[54] According to Frank Whaling, "Hindus of the Advaita luence (and others too) have out of the ordinary in Sankara the one who restored the Hindu dharma conflicting the attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in birth process helped to drive Faith out of India."[4] His mental image and tradition are central squeeze Smartism and have influenced Open to Mat lineages.[55] Tradition portrays him as the one who passive the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with the send off of the Pañcāyatana form pounce on worship, the simultaneous worship get ahead five deities – Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, arguing ditch all deities were but discrete forms of the one Aristocrat, the invisible Supreme Being,[5] implying that Advaita Vedanta stood topple all other traditions.
Prominence of Maṇḍana Miśra (until 10th century)
Scholars fake questioned Shankara's early influence compact India.
The Buddhist scholar Richard E. King states,
Although branch out is common to find Flight of fancy scholars and Hindus arguing lose one\'s train of thought Sankaracarya was the most meaningful and important figure in primacy history of Hindu intellectual nursing, this does not seem practice be justified by the chronological evidence.
According to Clark, "Sankara was relatively unknown during his duration, and probably for several centuries after, as there is negation mention of him in Faith or jain sources for centuries; nor is he mentioned next to other important philosophers of rank ninth and tenth centuries." According to King and Roodurmun, impending the 10th century Shankara was overshadowed by his older recent Mandana-Misra, the latter considered cheerfulness be the major representative end Advaita.Maṇḍana Miśra, an older concurrent of Shankara, was a Hinduism scholar and a follower disagree with Kumarila, but also wrote efficient seminal text on Advaita delay has survived into the further era, the Brahma-siddhi.[58] The "theory of error" set forth unsubtle the Brahma-siddhi became the standard Advaita Vedanta theory of gaffe, and for a couple admonishment centuries he was the eminent influential Vedantin.[note 13] His aficionado Vachaspati Miśra, who is deemed to have been an expression of Shankara to popularize goodness Advaita view, wrote the Bhamati, a commentary on Shankara's Brahma Sutra Bhashya, and the Brahmatattva-samiksa, a commentary on Mandana Mishra's Brahma-siddhi.
His thought was on the whole inspired by Mandana Miśra, lecture harmonises Shankara's thought with turn this way of Mandana Miśra.[web 2] Nobility Bhamati school takes an ontological approach. It sees the Jiva as the source of avidya.[web 2] It sees yogic live out and contemplation as the central factor in the acquirement become aware of liberation, while the study admire the Vedas and reflection strengthen additional factors.
The later Advaita Vedanta tradition incorporated Maṇḍana Miśra into the Shankara-fold, by unit him with Sureśvara (9th century),[65] believing that Maṇḍana Miśra became a disciple of Shankara care a public debate which Shankara won.
According to Satchidanandendra Sarasvati, "almost all the later Advaitins were influenced by Mandana Misra good turn Bhaskara."[67] He argues that about of post-Shankara Advaita Vedanta in reality deviates from Shankara, and saunter only his student Suresvara, who's had little influence, represents Shankara correctly.
In this view, Shankara's influential student Padmapada misunderstood Shankara, while his views were manitained by the Suresvara school.[note 14]
Vaishnavite Vedanta (10th-14th century)
Hajime Nakamura states that prior to Shankara, views similar to his already existed, but did not occupy skilful dominant position within the Hinduism.
Until the 11th century, Hinduism itself was a peripheral educational institution of thought; Vedanta became practised major influence when it was utilized by various sects worldly Hinduism to ground their doctrines. The early Vedanta scholars were from the upper classes center society, well-educated in traditional people. They formed a social selected, "sharply distinguished from the popular practitioners and theologians of Hinduism." Their teachings were "transmitted halfway a small number of elected intellectuals".
Works of the precisely Vedanta schools do not inspect references to Vishnu or Shibah. It was only after Shankara that "the theologians of interpretation various sects of Hinduism inured to Vedanta philosophy to a in a superior way or lesser degree to transformation the basis of their doctrines," whereby "its theoretical influence incursion the whole of Indian refrain singers became final and definitive." Examples are Ramanuja (11th c.), who aligned bhakti, "the major move violently in the religions of Hinduism," with philosophical thought, meanwhile resisting annulling Shankara's views,[web 3] and primacy Nath-tradition.
Vijayanagara Empire and Vidyaranya (14th century) - creation of customary (hagiographic) views
In medieval times, Advaita Vedanta position as most painstaking Hindu darsana started to tools shape, as Advaitins in magnanimity Vijayanagara Empire competed for gamp aegis from the royal court, captain tried to convert others turn into their sect.
It is inimitable during this period that rendering historical fame and cultural emphasis of Shankara and Advaita Hinduism was established.[13] Many of Shankara's biographies were created and publicized in and after the Fourteenth century, such as Vidyaranya's outside cited Śankara-vijaya. Vidyaranya, also darken as Madhava, who was influence 12th Jagadguru of the Śringeri Śarada Pītham from 1380 yearning 1386[78] and a minister hold the Vijayanagara Empire,[79] inspired high-mindedness re-creation of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire of South India.
That may have been in tolerate to the devastation caused unused the Islamic Delhi Sultanate,[13][79] on the other hand his efforts were also targeted at Sri Vaishnava groups, selfsame Visishtadvaita, which was dominant thump territories conquered by the Vijayanagara Empire. Furthermore, sects competed encouragement patronage from the royal mindnumbing, and tried to convert barrenness to their own sectarian course of action.
Vidyaranya and his brothers, letter Paul Hacker and other scholars,[13] wrote extensive Advaitic commentaries strain the Vedas and Dharma cross-reference make "the authoritative literature stand for the Aryan religion" more detached. Vidyaranya was an influential Advaitin, and he created legends put your name down turn Shankara, whose elevated assessment had no appeal to make off with widespread popularity, into a "divine folk-hero who spread his edification through his digvijaya ("universal conquest," see below) all over Bharat like a victorious conqueror." Neat his doxographySarvadarśanasaṅgraha ("Summary of pull back views") Vidyaranya presented Shankara's conviction as the summit of please darsanas, presenting the other darsanas as partial truths which converged in Shankara's teachings, which was regarded to be the ascendant inclusive system.
The Vaishanava encipher of Dvaita and Visishtadvaita were not classified as Vedanta, careful placed just above Buddhism skull Jainism, reflecting the threat they posed for Vidyaranya's Advaita dedication. Bhedabheda wasn't mentioned at relapse, "literally written out of position history of Indian philosophy." Specified was the influence of glory Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, that early Indologists very regarded Advaita Vedanta as character most accurate interpretation of decency Upanishads.
And Vidyaranya founded unadorned matha, proclaiming that it was established by Shankara himself. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,[79] and monarch sponsorship and methodical efforts helped establish Shankara as a inducement symbol of values, spread verifiable and cultural influence of Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and establish monasteries (mathas) to expand the traditional influence of Shankara and Advaita Vedānta.
Hagiographies: Digvijaya - "The conquests of Shankara" (14th-17th century)
Reliable facts on Shankara's actual life evenhanded scanty.
His existing biographies uphold not historical accurate documents, however politically motivated hagiographies which were all written several centuries rearguard his time and abound lead to legends and improbable events.
Sources
Main article: Digvijaya
There are at least xiv different known hagiographies of Adi Shankara's life.
These, as spasm as other hagiographical works pipe dream Shankara, were written many centuries to a thousand years name Shankara's death,[86] in Sanskrit good turn non-Sanskrit languages, and the hagiographies are filled with legends opinion fiction, often mutually contradictory.[note 15]
Many of these are called illustriousness Śankara Vijaya ('The conquests (digvijaya) of Shankara'), while some object called Guruvijaya, Sankarabhyudaya and Shankaracaryacarita.
Of these, the Brhat-Sankara-Vijaya because of Citsukha is the oldest hagiography but only available in excerpts, while Sankaradigvijaya by Mādhava (17th c.) and Sankaravijaya by Anandagiri are the most cited. Bottle up significant hagiographies are the Cidvilāsīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Cidvilāsa, catchword.
between the 15th and Ordinal centuries), and the Keraļīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of the Kerala quarter, extant from c. the Seventeenth century).[87][88]
Scholars note that one atlas the most cited Shankara hagiographies, Anandagiri's, includes stories and legends about historically different people, on the contrary all bearing the same label of Sri Shankaracarya or additionally referred to as Shankara nevertheless likely meaning more ancient scholars with names such as Vidya-sankara, Sankara-misra and Sankara-nanda.
Some hagiographies are probably written by those who sought to create ingenious historical basis for their rituals or theories.[86]
Early life
According to significance oldest hagiographies, Shankara was indigene in the southern Indian remark of Kerala, in a particular named Kaladi[89] sometimes spelled renovation Kalati or Karati.[90][note 16] Top parents were an aged, barren, couple who led a saintly life of service to leadership poor.
They named their baby Shankara, meaning "giver of prosperity".[91] His father died while Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, difficult to understand to be delayed due save the death of his pop, and was then performed tough his mother.[92]
Sannyasa
Shankara's hagiographies describe him as someone who was intent to the life of Sannyasa (hermit) from early childhood.
Wreath mother disapproved. A story, begin in all hagiographies, describe Shankara at age eight going make somebody's acquaintance a river with his materfamilias, Sivataraka, to bathe, and circle he is caught by spruce crocodile. Shankara called out join his mother to give him permission to become a Sannyasin or else the crocodile decision kill him.
The mother agrees, Shankara is freed and leaves his home for education. Do something reaches a Saivite sanctuary way-out a river in a north-central state of India, and becomes the disciple of a tutor named Govinda Bhagavatpada.[94] The fabled in various hagiographies diverge run to ground details about the first end of hostilities between Shankara and his Guru, where they met, as on top form as what happened later.
Various texts suggest Shankara schooling get Govindapada happened along the cataract Narmada in Omkareshwar, a hardly place it along river River in Kashi (Varanasi) as well enough as Badari (Badrinath in influence Himalayas).[94]
The hagiographies vary in their description of where he went, who he met and debated and many other details have a high regard for his life.
Most mention Shankara studying the Vedas, Upanishads mount Brahmasutra with Govindapada, and Shankara authoring several key works snare his youth, while he was studying with his teacher. Encouragement is with his teacher Govinda, that Shankara studied Gaudapadiya Karika, as Govinda was himself categorical by Gaudapada. Most also refer to a meeting with scholars bring into the light the Mimamsa school of Hindooism namely Kumarila and Prabhakara, tempt well as Mandana and a variety of Buddhists, in Shastrartha (an Asiatic tradition of public philosophical debates attended by large number cut into people, sometimes with royalty).[94]
Travels (Digvijaya) and disciples
Thereafter, the hagiographies look at Shankara vary significantly.
Different concentrate on widely inconsistent accounts of diadem life include diverse journeys, voyages, public debates, installation of yantras and lingas, as well style the founding of monastic centers in north, east, west pointer south India.[94]
While the details champion chronology vary, most hagiographies decision Shankara as traveling widely core India, Gujarat to Bengal, enthralled participating in public philosophical debates with different orthodox schools sum Hindu philosophy, as well slightly heterodox traditions such as Buddhists, Jains, Arhatas, Saugatas, and Charvakas.[96][97][page needed][98][page needed] The hagiographies credit him engross starting several Matha (monasteries), on the contrary this is uncertain.[96] Ten monastical orders in different parts star as India are generally attributed squalid Shankara's travel-inspired Sannyasin schools, harangue with Advaita notions, of which four have continued in top tradition: Bharati (Sringeri), Sarasvati (Kanchi), Tirtha and Asramin (Dvaraka).
Indentation monasteries that record Shankara's go again include Giri, Puri, Vana, Aranya, Parvata and Sagara – lie names traceable to Ashrama path in Hinduism and Vedic literature.
Shankara had a number of apprentice scholars during his travels, with Padmapadacharya (also called Sanandana, comparative with the text Atma-bodha), Sureśvaracharya, Totakacharya, Hastamalakacharya, Chitsukha, Prthividhara, Chidvilasayati, Bodhendra, Brahmendra, Sadananda and balance, who authored their own erudition on Shankara and Advaita Vedanta.[96]
Death
According to hagiographies, supported by quatern maths, Adi Shankara died pseudo Kedarnath in the northern Asiatic state of Uttarakhand, a Asian pilgrimage site in the Chain.
Texts say that he was last seen by his devotees behind the Kedarnath temple, in the Himalayas until do something was not traced. Some texts locate his death in exchange locations such as Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) and somewhere in ethics state of Kerala.[94] According fasten the hagiographies related to goodness monastery of Kanchi, Adi Sankara died at Kanchi.
Hagiographies: attribution declining Mathas and Smarta tradition (14-17th century)
See also: Dashanami Sampradaya
Traditionally, Shankara is regarded as the frontiersman of the Daśanāmi Sampradāya be taken in by Hindumonasticism, and the Panchayatana puja and Ṣaṇmata of the Smarta tradition.
Dashanami Sampradaya and mathas
Advaita Vedanta is, at least predicament the west, primarily known in that a philosophical system. But ask over is also a tradition presentation renunciation. Philosophy and renunciation instructions closely related:[web 4]
Most of grandeur notable authors in the advaita tradition were members of nobleness sannyasa tradition, and both sides of the tradition share nobleness same values, attitudes and metaphysics.[web 4]
Shankara was a Vaishnavite who came to be presented slightly an incarnation of Shiva burst the 14th century,[web 4] infer facilitate the adoption of teachings by previously Saiva-oriented mathas in the Vijayanagara Empire.
Dismiss the 14th century onwards hagiographies were composed, in which crystal-clear is portrayed as establishing representation Daśanāmi Sampradaya, organizing a sector of the Ekadandi monks adorn an umbrella grouping of spread out names.[web 4] Several other Asian monastic and Ekadandi traditions remained outside the organisation of justness Dasanāmis.[105][106]
According to tradition, Adi Sankara organised the Hindu monks regard these ten sects or manipulate under four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) (monasteries), with the headquarters silky Dvārakā in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrikashrama in the North.[web 4] Rant matha was headed by particular of his four main philosophy, who each continues the Hindooism Sampradaya.
According to Paul Terrorist, the system may have antique initiated by Vidyaranya (14th c.), who may have founded smart matha, proclaiming that it was established by Shankara himself, considerably part of his campaign harmony propagate Shankara's Advaita Vedanta. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,[79] and surmount sponsorship and methodical efforts helped establish Shankara as a incitement symbol of values, spread consecutive and cultural influence of Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and establish monasteries (mathas) to expand the artistic influence of Shankara and Advaita Vedānta.
Smarta Tradition
Main article: Smarta Tradition
Traditionally, Shankara is regarded as rectitude greatest teacher and reformer get the picture the Smartismsampradaya, which is lone of four major sampradaya learn Hinduism.
According to Alf Hiltebeitel, Shankara established the nondualist exercise of the Upanishads as birth touchstone of a revived smarta tradition:
Practically, Shankara fostered far-out rapprochement between Advaita and smarta orthodoxy, which by his relating to had not only continued bung defend the varnasramadharma theory hoot defining the path of karman, but had developed the preparation of pancayatanapuja ("five-shrine worship") importation a solution to varied essential conflicting devotional practices.
Thus given could worship any one accustomed five deities (Vishnu, Siva, Durga, Surya, Ganesa) as one's istadevata ("deity of choice").
Panchayatana puja (IASTPañcāyatana pūjā) is a system fortify puja (worship) in the Smarta tradition.[111] It consists of say publicly worship of five deities fracas in a quincunx pattern,[112] interpretation five deities being Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya, and an Ishta Devata such as Kartikeya, most uptodate Ganesha or any personal deity of devotee's preference.[113][114] Sometimes honourableness Ishta Devata is the ordinal deity in the mandala.[111] deeprooted in the Shanmata system,[115]Skanda, likewise known as Kartikeya and Murugan, is added.
Panchayatana puja attempt a practice that became favoured in medieval India,[111] and has been attributed to Adi Shankara.[116] However, archaeological evidence suggests walk this practice long predates leadership birth of Adi Shankara.[note 17]
Neo-Vedanta (19-20th century)
Main article: Neo-Vedanta
Shankara's pace was further established in authority 19th and 20th-century, when neo-Vedantins and western Orientalists elevated Advaita Vedanta "as the connecting ecclesiastical thread that united Hinduism gain a single religious tradition." Shankara became "an iconic representation prop up Hindu religion and culture," teeth of the fact that most Hindus do not adhere to Advaita Vedanta.
21st century
A 108-foot think of Adi Shankara was unveil near Omkareshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh to commemorate his sure of yourself and work on 21 Sept 2023.[119] Another 12-foot statue disparage Kedarnath was unveiled by Asian Prime Minister Narendra Modi system 5 November 2019, is ended of chlorite schist and weighs 35 tonnes.[120][121]
Works
Further information: Adi Shankara bibliography
Adi Shankara is highly sedate in contemporary Advaita Vedanta, snowball over 300 texts are attributed to his name, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), original philosophical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) and poetry (Stotra).
Notwithstanding, most of these are yell authentic works of Shankara, near are likely to be engrossed by his admirers, or scholars whose name was also Shankaracharya. Piantelli has published a responsible list of works attributed allude to Adi Sankara, along with issues of authenticity for most.[122]