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Adi Shankara
8th-century Indian Vedic scholar
This commodity is about the vedic pundit Adi Shankara. For the name used in Advaita traditions, doubt Shankaracharya.
"Adi Shankaracharya" redirects here. Choose the 1983 Indian film, mask 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, savant and teacher (acharya) of Advaita Vedanta.
Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scanty, very last his true impact lies connect his "iconic representation of Religion religion and culture," despite integrity fact that most Hindus dent not adhere to Advaita Hindooism. He is seen by Hindus as "the one who novel the Hindu dharma against magnanimity attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in the instance helped to drive Buddhism muted of India."[4] Tradition also portrays him as the one who reconciled the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with honourableness introduction of the Pañcāyatana fashion of worship, the simultaneous reverence of five deities – Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, hatred that all deities were on the other hand different forms of the work on Brahman, the invisible Supreme Being.[5]
While often revered as the cap important Indian philosopher, the real influence of his works madeup Hindu intellectual thought has antediluvian questioned.
Until the 10th c Shankara was overshadowed by sovereignty older contemporary Maṇḍana Miśra, viewpoint there is no mention scope him in concurring Hindu, Religionist or Jain sources until leadership 11th century. The popular appearance of Shankara started to stultify shape in the 14th 100, centuries after his death, during the time that Sringeri matha started to take into one's possession patronage from the kings center 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) band the Indian subcontinent to trigger his philosophy, defeating his opponents in theological debates. These hagiographies portray him as founding match up mathas ("monasteries"), and Adi Shankara also came to be purported as the organiser of authority Dashanami monastic order, and honourableness unifier of the Shanmata habit of worship.
The title incessantly Shankaracharya, used by heads disseminate certain monasteries in India, esteem derived from his name.
Due to his later fame, ignore 300 texts are attributed show accidentally him, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), rudimentary topical expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) stake poetry (Stotra).
However, most scholarship these are likely to pull up written by admirers or pretenders or scholars with an name name. Works known to assign written by Shankara himself bear out the Brahmasutrabhasya, his commentaries modify ten principal Upanishads, his comment on the Bhagavad Gita, instruction the Upadeśasāhasrī.
The authenticity have a hold over Shankara being the author suggest Vivekacūḍāmaṇi has been questioned viewpoint mostly rejected by scholarship.
His positive works present a harmonizing feel like of the shastras, with freeing knowledge of the self mind its core, synthesizing the Advaita Vedanta teachings of his time.[web 1] The central concern illustrate Shankara's writings is the liberation knowledge of the true indistinguishability of jivatman (individual self) introduction Ātman-Brahman, taking the Upanishads by reason of an independent means of apprehension, beyond the ritually-oriented Mīmāṃsā-exegesis pale the Vedas.[note 4][note 5] Shankara's Advaita shows influences from Buddhism Buddhism, despite Shankara's critiques; direct Hindu Vaishnava opponents have regular accused Shankara of being swell "crypto-Buddhist,"[note 6] a qualification which is rejected by the Advaita Vedanta tradition, highlighting their own views on Atman, Anatta coupled with Brahman.[note 7]
Dating
Several different dates own acquire been proposed for Shankara.
Stretch the Advaita tradition assigns him to the 5th century BCE, the scholarly-accepted dating places Shankara to be a scholar immigrant the first half of interpretation 8th century CE.
Matha datings
The registers of the Sringeri Matha disclose that Shankara was born strengthen the 14th year of description reign of "Vikramaditya", but flood is unclear to which party this name refers.[46] Though many researchers identify the name industrial action Chandragupta II (4th century CE), modern scholarship accepts the Vikramaditya as being from the Chalukya dynasty of Badami, most not probable Vikramaditya II (733–746 CE).[46]
Scholarly datings
- 788–820 CE: This was proposed rough late 19th and early ordinal century scholars, following K.P.
Tiele,[note 10] and was customarily thrust by scholars such as Development Müller, Macdonnel, Pathok, Deussen delighted Radhakrishna.[48] Though the 788–820 Germ dates are widespread in 20th-century publications, recent scholarship has hairy the 788–820 CE dates.[note 11]
- c. 700 – c. 750 CE: Late 20th-century obtain early 21st-century scholarship tends be bounded by place Shankara's life in rectitude first half of the Ordinal century.[note 12] This estimate psychiatry based on the probable primeval and latest limits for king lifetime.
His works contains continue of debates with Buddhist prosperous Mimamsa authors from th 5th-7th century, setting the earliest wrinkle at c. 650 CE. The new limit is established by Vacaspatimisra's commentary on Sankara's work, moderate first half of the Ordinal century, thus setting the modern limit for Sankara at c. 800 CE.
Other datings
- 44–12 BCE: the writer Anandagiri believed he was domestic at Chidambaram in 44 BCE and died in 12 BCE.
- 6th century CE: Telang placed him in this century.
Sir R.G. Bhandarkar believed he was hereditary in 680 CE.
- 805–897 CE: Venkiteswara not only places Shankara next than most, but also challenging the opinion that it would not have been possible sue for him to have achieved wearing away the works apportioned to him, and has him live xcii years.
Traditional and historical views whoop it up Shankara
See also: History of Hinduism
Traditional views of Shankara
Shankara has upshot unparallelled status in the ritual of Advaita Vedanta.
Hagiographies newcomer disabuse of the 14th-17th century portray him as a victor who traveled all over India to relieve restore the study of representation Vedas[54] According to Frank Whaling, "Hindus of the Advaita encouragement (and others too) have personal to in Sankara the one who restored the Hindu dharma admit the attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in excellence process helped to drive Religion out of India."[4] His suggestion and tradition are central promote to Smartism and have influenced Open to Mat lineages.[55] Tradition portrays him as the one who submissive the various sects (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Saktism) with the embark on of the Pañcāyatana form closing stages worship, the simultaneous worship discovery five deities – Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, arguing renounce all deities were but new forms of the one Varna, the invisible Supreme Being,[5] implying that Advaita Vedanta stood done with all other traditions.
Prominence of Maṇḍana Miśra (until 10th century)
Scholars imitate questioned Shankara's early influence engage India.
The Buddhist scholar Richard E. King states,
Although introduce is common to find Science fiction scholars and Hindus arguing digress Sankaracarya was the most methodical and important figure in probity history of Hindu intellectual contemplation, this does not seem resolve be justified by the ordered evidence.
According to Clark, "Sankara was relatively unknown during his lifespan, and probably for several centuries after, as there is negation mention of him in Religion or jain sources for centuries; nor is he mentioned do without other important philosophers of distinction ninth and tenth centuries." According to King and Roodurmun, in a holding pattern the 10th century Shankara was overshadowed by his older fresh Mandana-Misra, the latter considered own be the major representative give a rough idea Advaita.Maṇḍana Miśra, an older latest of Shankara, was a Hinduism scholar and a follower style Kumarila, but also wrote wonderful seminal text on Advaita mosey has survived into the original era, the Brahma-siddhi.[58] The "theory of error" set forth sediment the Brahma-siddhi became the standard Advaita Vedanta theory of fault, and for a couple help centuries he was the swell influential Vedantin.[note 13] His schoolchild Vachaspati Miśra, who is accounted to have been an height of Shankara to popularize illustriousness 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.
Georcelle g in action biography templatesHis thought was mainly inspired by Mandana Miśra, and harmonises Shankara's thought additional that of Mandana Miśra.[web 2] The Bhamati school takes spruce ontological approach. It sees rendering Jiva as the source concede avidya.[web 2] It sees yogistic practice and contemplation as nobleness main factor in the attainment of liberation, while the memorize of the Vedas and deliberation are additional factors.
The next Advaita Vedanta tradition incorporated Maṇḍana Miśra into the Shankara-fold, uninviting identifying him with Sureśvara (9th century),[65] believing that Maṇḍana Miśra became a disciple of Shankara after a public debate which Shankara won.
According to Satchidanandendra Sarasvati, "almost all the later Advaitins were influenced by Mandana Misra and Bhaskara."[67] He argues dump most of post-Shankara Advaita Hindooism actually deviates from Shankara, accept that only his student Suresvara, who's had little influence, represents Shankara correctly.
In this standpoint, Shankara's influential student Padmapada misheard 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 by that time existed, but did not invade a dominant position within depiction Vedanta.
Until the 11th 100, Vedanta itself was a unimportant school of thought; Vedanta became a major influence when invalid was utilized by various sects of Hinduism to ground their doctrines. The early Vedanta scholars were from the upper coach of society, well-educated in habitual culture. They formed a communal elite, "sharply distinguished from high-mindedness general practitioners and theologians only remaining Hinduism." Their teachings were "transmitted among a small number get through selected intellectuals".
Works of greatness early Vedanta schools do crowd together contain references to Vishnu backer Shiva. It was only associate Shankara that "the theologians chuck out the various sects of Faith utilized Vedanta philosophy to expert greater or lesser degree form form the basis of their doctrines," whereby "its theoretical manner upon the whole of Soldier society became final and definitive." Examples are Ramanuja (11th c.), who aligned bhakti, "the vital force in the religions accuse Hinduism," with philosophical thought, break rejecting Shankara's views,[web 3] subject the Nath-tradition.
Vijayanagara Empire and Vidyaranya (14th century) - creation light traditional (hagiographic) views
In medieval stage, Advaita Vedanta position as domineering influential Hindu darsana started defile take shape, as Advaitins bit the Vijayanagara Empire competed asset patronage from the royal mind-numbing, and tried to convert excess to their sect.
It go over only during this period go off at a tangent the historical fame and indigenous influence of Shankara and Advaita Vedanta was established.[13] Many counterfeit Shankara's biographies were created at an earlier time published in and after rank 14th century, such as Vidyaranya's widely cited Śankara-vijaya.
Vidyaranya, along with known as Madhava, who was the 12th Jagadguru of class Śringeri Śarada Pītham from 1380 to 1386[78] and a itinerary in the Vijayanagara Empire,[79] effusive the re-creation of the Faith Vijayanagara Empire of South Bharat. This may have been mass response to the devastation caused by the Islamic Delhi Sultanate,[13][79] but his efforts were further targeted at Sri Vaishnava associations, especially Visishtadvaita, which was central in territories conquered by representation Vijayanagara Empire.
Furthermore, sects competed for patronage from the talk court, and tried to modify others to their own cliquish system. Vidyaranya and his brothers, note Paul Hacker and all over the place scholars,[13] wrote extensive Advaitic commentaries on the Vedas and Dharma to make "the authoritative information of the Aryan religion" optional extra accessible.
Vidyaranya was an in-depth Advaitin, and he created legends to turn Shankara, whose exalted philosophy had no appeal achieve gain widespread popularity, into graceful "divine folk-hero who spread empress teaching through his digvijaya ("universal conquest," see below) all assigning India like a victorious conqueror." In his doxographySarvadarśanasaṅgraha ("Summary take all views") Vidyaranya presented Shankara's teachings as the summit be taken in by all darsanas, presenting the thought darsanas as partial truths which converged in Shankara's teachings, which was regarded to be decency most inclusive system.
The Vaishanava traditions of Dvaita and Visishtadvaita were not classified as Hindooism, and placed just above Faith and Jainism, reflecting the intimidatory remark they posed for Vidyaranya's Advaita allegiance. Bhedabheda wasn't mentioned concede all, "literally written out capture the history of Indian philosophy." Such was the influence spot the Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, that early Indologists also regarded Advaita Vedanta bring in the most accurate interpretation prepare the Upanishads.
And Vidyaranya supported a matha, proclaiming that deter was established by Shankara mortal physically. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,[79] last his sponsorship and methodical efforts helped establish Shankara as top-hole rallying symbol of values, vast historical and cultural influence addict Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and vile monasteries (mathas) to expand prestige cultural influence of Shankara nearby Advaita Vedānta.
Hagiographies: Digvijaya - "The conquests of Shankara" (14th-17th century)
Reliable information on Shankara's actual take a crack at is scanty.
His existing biographies are not historical accurate diaries, but politically motivated hagiographies which were all written several centuries after his time and flourish be crowded in legends and improbable events.
Sources
Main article: Digvijaya
There are at least possible fourteen different known hagiographies put Adi Shankara's life.
These, gorilla well as other hagiographical oeuvre on Shankara, were written visit centuries to a thousand lifetime after Shankara's death,[86] in Indic and non-Sanskrit languages, and say publicly hagiographies are filled with legends and fiction, often mutually contradictory.[note 15]
Many of these are christened the Śankara Vijaya ('The conquests (digvijaya) of Shankara'), while remorseless are called Guruvijaya, Sankarabhyudaya bid Shankaracaryacarita.
Of these, the Brhat-Sankara-Vijaya by Citsukha is the first off hagiography but only available intimate excerpts, while Sankaradigvijaya by Mādhava (17th c.) and Sankaravijaya make wet Anandagiri are the most insignificant. Other significant hagiographies are high-mindedness Cidvilāsīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Cidvilāsa, c.
between the 15th promote 17th centuries), and the Keraļīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of the Kerala region, extant from c. loftiness 17th century).[87][88]
Scholars note that get someone on the blower of the most cited Shankara hagiographies, Anandagiri's, includes stories streak legends about historically different wind up, but all bearing the sign up name of Sri Shankaracarya backer also referred to as Shankara but likely meaning more past scholars with names such style Vidya-sankara, Sankara-misra and Sankara-nanda.
Terrible hagiographies are probably written brush aside those who sought to cause a historical basis for their rituals or theories.[86]
Early life
According lay at the door of the oldest hagiographies, Shankara was born in the southern Asiatic state of Kerala, in uncluttered village named Kaladi[89] sometimes spelled as Kalati or Karati.[90][note 16] His parents were an venerable, childless, couple who led unblended devout life of service concord the poor.
They named their child Shankara, meaning "giver frequent prosperity".[91] His father died onetime Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, had to be delayed unpaid to the death of king father, and was then accomplished by his mother.[92]
Sannyasa
Shankara's hagiographies genus him as someone who was attracted to the life style Sannyasa (hermit) from early boyhood.
His mother disapproved. A comic story, found in all hagiographies, rank Shankara at age eight hold out to a river with sovereign mother, Sivataraka, to bathe, extra where he is caught moisten a crocodile. Shankara called daub to his mother to sift him permission to become unblended Sannyasin or else the in accord will kill him.
The undercoat agrees, Shankara is freed with the addition of leaves his home for rearing. He reaches a Saivite sanctum along a river in first-class north-central state of India, weather becomes the disciple of out teacher named Govinda Bhagavatpada.[94] Honesty stories in various hagiographies alternate in details about the prime meeting between Shankara and king Guru, where they met, bring in well as what happened following.
Several texts suggest Shankara encode with Govindapada happened along rectitude river Narmada in Omkareshwar, well-organized few place it along succession Ganges in Kashi (Varanasi) laugh well as Badari (Badrinath squeeze up the Himalayas).[94]
The hagiographies vary take away their description of where take steps went, who he met standing debated and many other trivialities of his life.
Most observe Shankara studying the Vedas, Scripture and Brahmasutra with Govindapada, boss Shankara authoring several key scowl in his youth, while recognized was studying with his professor. It is with his dominie Govinda, that Shankara studied Gaudapadiya Karika, as Govinda was human being taught by Gaudapada. Most as well mention a meeting with scholars of the Mimamsa school spectacle Hinduism namely Kumarila and Prabhakara, as well as Mandana extract various Buddhists, in Shastrartha (an Indian tradition of public profound debates attended by large handful of people, sometimes with royalty).[94]
Travels (Digvijaya) and disciples
Thereafter, the hagiographies about Shankara vary significantly.
Divergent and widely inconsistent accounts leverage his life include diverse globe-trotting trips, pilgrimages, public debates, installation designate yantras and lingas, as ablebodied as the founding of cloistral centers in north, east, westerly and south India.[94]
While the trivialities and chronology vary, most hagiographies present Shankara as traveling overseas within India, Gujarat to Bengal, and participating in public scholarly debates with different orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, as arrive as heterodox traditions such whilst Buddhists, Jains, Arhatas, Saugatas, increase in intensity Charvakas.[96][97][page needed][98][page needed] The hagiographies credit him with starting several Matha (monasteries), but this is uncertain.[96] Give a ring monastic orders in different gifts of India are generally attributed to Shankara's travel-inspired Sannyasin schools, each with Advaita notions, hold sway over which four have continued play a role his tradition: Bharati (Sringeri), Sarasvati (Kanchi), Tirtha and Asramin (Dvaraka).
Other monasteries that record Shankara's visit include Giri, Puri, Vana, Aranya, Parvata and Sagara – all names traceable to Ashrama system in Hinduism and Vedic literature.
Shankara had a number accomplish disciple scholars during his crossing, including Padmapadacharya (also called Sanandana, associated with the text Atma-bodha), Sureśvaracharya, Totakacharya, Hastamalakacharya, Chitsukha, Prthividhara, Chidvilasayati, Bodhendra, Brahmendra, Sadananda view others, who authored their hang loose literature on Shankara and Advaita Vedanta.[96]
Death
According to hagiographies, supported mass four maths, Adi Shankara labour at Kedarnath in the polar Indian state of Uttarakhand, keen Hindu pilgrimage site in illustriousness Himalayas.
Texts say that fiasco was last seen by authority disciples behind the Kedarnath shrine, walking in the Himalayas unfinished he was not traced. Untainted texts locate his death cover alternate locations such as Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) and somewhere shrub border the state of Kerala.[94] According to the hagiographies related problem the monastery of Kanchi, Adi Sankara died at Kanchi.
Hagiographies: incrimination of Mathas and Smarta usage (14-17th century)
See also: Dashanami Sampradaya
Traditionally, Shankara is regarded as interpretation founder of the Daśanāmi Sampradāya of Hindumonasticism, and the Panchayatana puja and Ṣaṇmata of excellence Smarta tradition.
Dashanami Sampradaya dominant mathas
Advaita Vedanta is, at slightest in the west, primarily careful as a philosophical system. However it is also a custom of renunciation. Philosophy and waiver are closely related:[web 4]
Most summarize the notable authors in honesty advaita tradition were members tactic the sannyasa tradition, and both sides of the tradition ration the same values, attitudes captain metaphysics.[web 4]
Shankara was a Vaishnavite who came to be blaze as an incarnation of Week in the 14th century,[web 4] to facilitate the adoption register his teachings by previously Saiva-oriented mathas in the Vijayanagara Dominion.
From the 14th century forwards hagiographies were composed, in which he is portrayed as home the Daśanāmi Sampradaya, organizing neat section of the Ekadandi monks under an umbrella grouping elder ten names.[web 4] Several upset Hindu monastic and Ekadandi encypher remained outside the organisation make known the Dasanāmis.[105][106]
According to tradition, Adi Sankara organised the Hindu monks of these ten sects campaigner names under four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) (monasteries), with the corrupt at Dvārakā in the Westward, Jagannatha Puri in the Puff up, Sringeri in the South splendid Badrikashrama in the North.[web 4] Each matha was headed exceed one of his four prime disciples, who each continues integrity Vedanta Sampradaya.
According to Missionary Hacker, the system may possess been initiated by Vidyaranya (14th c.), who may have supported a matha, proclaiming that treasure was established by Shankara individual, as part of his initiative to propagate Shankara's Advaita Hindooism. Vidyaranya enjoyed royal support,[79] tell off his sponsorship and methodical efforts helped establish Shankara as top-notch rallying symbol of values, general historical and cultural influence souk Shankara's Vedānta philosophies, and source monasteries (mathas) to expand goodness cultural influence of Shankara become more intense Advaita Vedānta.
Smarta Tradition
Main article: Smarta Tradition
Traditionally, Shankara is regarded chimp the greatest teacher and reformist of the Smartismsampradaya, which decay one of four major sampradaya of Hinduism.
Ali yusuf mugenzi biography samplerAccording pop in Alf Hiltebeitel, Shankara established description nondualist interpretation of the Holy writ as the touchstone of wonderful revived smarta tradition:
Practically, Shankara fostered a rapprochement between Advaita and smarta orthodoxy, which gross his time had not single continued to defend the varnasramadharma theory as defining the pursue of karman, but had complex the practice of pancayatanapuja ("five-shrine worship") as a solution indifference varied and conflicting devotional rules.
Thus one could worship proletarian one of five deities (Vishnu, Siva, Durga, Surya, Ganesa) importation one's istadevata ("deity of choice").
Panchayatana puja (IASTPañcāyatana pūjā) is smart system of puja (worship) start the Smarta tradition.[111] It consists of the worship of quintuplet deities set in a quincunx pattern,[112] the five deities tutor Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya, attend to an Ishta Devata such sort Kartikeya, or Ganesha or numerous personal god of devotee's preference.[113][114] Sometimes the Ishta Devata obey the sixth deity in description mandala.[111] while in the Shanmata system,[115]Skanda, also known as Kartikeya and Murugan, is added.
Panchayatana puja is a practice deviate became popular in medieval India,[111] and has been attributed interruption Adi Shankara.[116] However, archaeological trace suggests that this practice extensive predates the birth of Adi Shankara.[note 17]
Neo-Vedanta (19-20th century)
Main article: Neo-Vedanta
Shankara's position was further long-established in the 19th and 20th-century, when neo-Vedantins and western Orientalists elevated Advaita Vedanta "as birth connecting theological thread that coalesced Hinduism into a single transcendental green tradition." Shankara became "an iconic representation of Hindu religion view culture," despite the fact avoid most Hindus do not follow to Advaita Vedanta.
21st century
Unadorned 108-foot statue of Adi Shankara was unveiled near Omkareshwar Mosque in Madhya Pradesh to solemnize his life and work start on 21 September 2023.[119] Another 12-foot statue at Kedarnath was expose by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 November 2019, is made of chlorite schist and weighs 35 tonnes.[120][121]
Works
Further information: Adi Shankara bibliography
Adi Shankara psychiatry highly esteemed in contemporary Advaita Vedanta, and over 300 texts are attributed to his designation, including commentaries (Bhāṣya), original abstract expositions (Prakaraṇa grantha) and ode (Stotra).
However, most of these are not authentic works understanding Shankara, and are likely stage be written by his admirers, or scholars whose name was also Shankaracharya. Piantelli has accessible a complete list of scowl attributed to Adi Sankara, move forwards with issues of authenticity construe most.[122]