Birth of Adi SankaraAdi Sankaracharya was born in the year 805 (AD) and is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers, mystic and poet of all times. His parents were Shivaguru and Shivataarakaa (also known as Aryamba). Sankaracharya's father died at an early age and he was brought up by his mother.

Birth place of great saint

Kalady is the birth place of Adi Sankaracharyathe great Indian Philosopher 2 shrines in memory of Sankaracharya - one for Dakshinamoorthy and the other for the GoddesSharada. Kalady, 45 Kms from Cochin The Sri Ramakrishna Adwaitha Ashram is located here. Kaladi is connected to Kochi by road. Distance: 45 KM via Aluva in Kerala

Adi Sankara

� Adi Sankara (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as Śaṅkara Bhagavatpādācāryaand Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, was an Indian philosopher who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, the most influential sub-school of Vedanta. His teachings are based on the unity of the soul and Brahman, in which Brahman is viewed as without attributes.

Adi Sankara's and his

Philosophy

His works in Sanskrit, all of which are extant today, concern themselves with establishing the doctrine of Advaita(Non- dualism). He also established the importance of monastic life as sanctioned in the Upanishads and Brahma Sutra, in a time when the Mimamsa school established strict ritualism and ridiculed monasticism.

Contribution to Hindu

Philosophy

In this short span of life he travelled the four corners of the Indian subcontinent and established the four most revered places of worship which are thriving even today.

Bhajagovindam enlightens the

realities on Life and Death

In 33 simple, sweet and

lucid Slokas, giving easy

and homely analogies

and illustrations for easy

understanding, Sri

Sankaracharya dissects

the human psyche by

explaining the fallacy

and futility of the human

life, if one does not take

shelter under Dharma or

Truth or God.

Bhajagovindam recited by

Enlightened Souls

Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool ! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean.

Adi Sankaracharya Teachings

The philosophy and

teachings of Adi

Sankaracharya were

based on the Advaita

Vedanta. He preached

'Non-Dualism'. It

means that each and

every person has a

divine existence,

which can be

identified with the

Supreme God.

In short span of life guides

masses of HumanityIn a short life-span of thirty-two years, Sankaracharyatravelled all over India, establishing monasteries, reforming worship procedures in temples, writing philosophical treatises, debating with leaders of other religious traditions and instructing students who flocked to him for spiritual guidance.

Jeevatma Unites with

Paramatma

� Advaita Vedanta

considers the

consciousness of the

Self- Jeevatma - as

continuous with and

indistinguishable

from the

consciousness of the

Supreme or

Brahman-

Paramatma.

Attains Maha Samadhi

� Sankaracharya

attained Maha

Samadhi at the age

of 32 in the year 837

AD.

Adi Sankara Traditions are

ImmortalAdi Shankara founded

four Maṭhas to guide

the Hindu religion.

These are at Sringeri in

Karnataka in the south,

Dwaraka in Gujarat in the

west,

Puri in Orissa in the east,

and

Jyotirmath (Joshimath) in

Uttarakhand in the

north.