Further reading: Abee J. Dubois, A. Hindu Manners,
Customs and Ceremonies. Translated and edited by
Henry K. Beauchamp, 3d ed. (Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1959); W. J. Wilkins, Hindu Mythology, Vedic and
Puranic, 2d ed. (Calcutta: Rupa, 1973).
Shankar, Sri Sri Ravi See ART OF LIVING
FOUNDATION.
Shankara (seventh century C.E.) founder of
Vedanta philosophy
Shankara was the great seventh-century philo-
sophical genius who created the first widely
known school of VEDANTA. He is also known as
Shankaracharya.
Shankara was born in Kerala to a family of
Nambudiri BRAHMINS, a strict Vedic group. Legend
has it that when he was eight years old he wanted
to become a renunciant, but his mother would not
hear of it. Not long afterward, he was attacked by
a crocodile. He cried out to his mother to allow
him to renounce the world a moment before
death so that he could reach liberation from birth
and rebirth. His mother consented, and Shankara
was miraculously released from the mouth of the
crocodile.
He then proceeded to tour India and debate
all those whom he encountered. Eventually he
became known as the most brilliant philosopher
of his time. Following the lineage of his GURU’s
guru Gaudpada, he argued that the BRAHMAN of the
UPANISHADS was the only reality. He saw the world
as a mere trifle, an illusion, or MAYA, unreal from
the point of view of the ultimate.
Shankara wrote commentaries on the VEDANTA
SUTRA, the Upanishads, and the BHAGAVAD GITA. In
a thoroughgoing analysis he found that they all
expressed the understanding that only the path
of knowledge, the true knowing of the brahman,
could lead to liberation. Devotion and works
were only secondary pursuits. He initiated a tra-
dition of renunciant yogis (the SHANKARACHARYA
ORDER) who sought the full realization of the
brahman in a state of being, consciousness, and
bliss (SAT-CHIT-ANANDA). Shankara’s name is also
connected strongly to SHAIVISM and to the wor-
ship of the GODDESS, through texts that were later
attributed to him.
Shankara’s system of Vedanta is known as the
ADVAITA, or non-dual, VEDANTA, or more properly,
Kevala (absolute) advaita Vedanta.Further reading: S. N. Dasgupts, History of Indian
Philosophy, 5 vols. (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975);
Swami Gambhirananda, trans., Eight Upanisads with
the Commentary of Sankaracarya, 2d ed. (Calcutta:
advaita Ashrama, 1965–66); Karl Potter, Encyclopedia
of Indian Philosophies. Vol. 3, Advaita Vedanta Up to
Sankara and His Pupils (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,
1981).Shankaracharya Order (est. seventh
century C.E.)
The Shankaracharya Order is an order of renun-
ciants said to have been founded by the great
seventh-century VEDANTA philosopher SHANKARA
(also known as Shankaracharya). It is formally
known as the Dashanami (10 Names) Order,
because its renunciants or SANNYASIS all take one
of 10 names: Aranya, Ashrama, Bharati, Giri,
Parvata, Puru, Sarasvati, Sagara, Tirtha, and Vana.
They also add the affix ANANDA (transcendent
bliss). Examples would be Brahmananda (he who
has realized the bliss of BRAHMAN) Sarasvati and
Agehananda (he who has realized bliss in home-
lessness) Bharati.
Shankaracharya’s aim was to establish a rigor-
ously disciplined, intellectually capable group of
mendicants who could challenge and defeat the
Buddhists of his time and who would debate the
theistic Hindus who clung to Vedic orthodoxy.
He established four centers or MATHS in four
parts of India for this purpose: the Vimala Pitha
at Puri in Orissa, the Jyoti Matha in BADRINATH
in the HIMALAYAS, the Kalika Pitha in DVARAKA inK 402 Shankar, Sri Sri Ravi