When was Adi Shankara born and where did he live?
Adi Shankara was born in the village of Kaladi in the southern Indian state of Kerala. He died in the 8th century, though the exact date of his death is not specified in the text.
Common questions about Adi Shankara
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was Mandana Mishra and how did he influence Adi Shankara?
Mandana Mishra was a Mimamsa scholar and follower of Kumarila who wrote the seminal text Brahma-siddhi. He overshadowed Adi Shankara for centuries, and his student Vachaspati Mishra later harmonized Shankara's thought with Mandana Mishra's ideas.
When was the legend of Adi Shankara created and by whom?
The legendary figure of Adi Shankara was created in the fourteenth century by the Sringeri matha. This transformation occurred when the matha received patronage from the emperors of the Vijayanagara Empire and shifted their allegiance to Brahmanical Advaita orthodoxy.
What texts are authentically attributed to Adi Shankara?
Works known to have been written by Adi Shankara himself include the Brahmasutrabhasya, commentaries on ten principal Upanishads, his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upadesasahasri. The commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad and Gaudapadas Madukya-karika has been questioned by scholars.
Why was Adi Shankara accused of being a crypto-Buddhist?
Hindu Vaishnava opponents like Ramanuja and Bhaskara accused Adi Shankara of being a crypto-Buddhist because his philosophy shows strong similarities with Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. These critics argued that his views on Atman, Anatta, and Brahman undermined theistic Bhakti devotionalism.
When were the statues of Adi Shankara unveiled in Madhya Pradesh and Kedarnath?
A 108-foot statue of Adi Shankara was unveiled near Omkareshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh on the 21st of September 2023. Another 12-foot statue at Kedarnath was unveiled by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 5th of November 2019.