Sankaracharya- Encyclopaedia of Saints of India (Part-18)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Sri Sankaracharya was one of the brightest minds in the firmament of medieval Hindu philosophy and a mighty force in the restitution of numerous thoughts and beliefs. In fact, he was deeply attracted towards asceticism at an early age. He was a erudite scholar, a very fine orator and could discuss anything with deep knowledge and confidence. He wrote on the principles of Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutra. He opined that there is but one God and He alone is real, All else is Maya (illusion). The theme contains thirteen chapters and the appendix. They include his early life, tours of various regions of India, master and disciple, his philosophy, amidst the Himalayas, divine purpose, Vedanta philosophy, his teach- ings and last years of his life.

This work would be useful for teachers, scholars and students in India and abroad.

Contents include: Early Life; From Kaladi to Kashi; Tours of Victory; Master and Disciple; Fulfilment of a Mission; Philosophy of Sankara; Amidst the Himalayas; Kashmir, Assam and Gauda; Divine Purpose Fulfilled; Vedanta Philosophy; Literary Works; His Philosophical Teachings; Last Years.

Dr. S.R. Bakshi, Ph.D., D.Litt. is an eminent scholar of Modern Indian History and is the author of several works on Indian nationalism and freedom movement. His recent works include 'Encyclopaedic History of Indian Culture and Religion' (in 5 Vols.), The Great Marathas' (in 5 Vols.), The Great Rajputs' (in 6 Vols.), 'B.R. Ambedkar: His Political and Social Ideology' (in 2 Vols.), 'Encyclopaedic History of The Sikhs and Sikhism' (in 6 Vols.), The Great Moghuls' (in 8 Vols.), and 'Development of Women, Children and Weaker Sections' (in 5 Vols.). Dr. Bakshi is member of several academic institutions having deep bearing on historical research.

Dr. Sangh Mittra, LL.B. Ph.D. from Lucknow University, is Dy. Director (Research) in Indian Council of Historical Research. Her Ph.D. thesis on 'Iconographic Study of Minor Brahmanical Deities in Northern India' is published along with more than 20 Research Papers in reputed historical journals. She is Life Member of several academic institutions and a reputed examiner of Ph.D. thesis of Universities of North India. Besides she has actively participated in numerous national and international Seminars.

Sankaracharya was a well-known saint and scholar, spiritual leader and intellectual giant, religious reformer and founder of a sect. Indeed he was surely one of the keenest minds in the firmament of medieval Hindu philosophy, and a mighty force in the restitution of numerous thoughts and beliefs.

Born in 788 A.D. in a small village, Kaladi in the South, in the Malayalam speaking part of the country, he was deeply attracted towards asceticism at an early age. He became a monk much against his mother's will as she wanted to him to marry and lead a peaceful domestic life. At a fairly young age, he was well-conversant with the knowledge of Sanskrit, studied the scriptures and went into their minutest details. He was a very fine orator and discussed anything with deep knowledge and confidence.

He wrote on the principal Upanishads, on the Bhagavad Gita and on the Brahma Sutra. Later on, he established major centres in the four cities of Sringeri, Dwarka, Badrinath and Puri, one in each of the cardinal directions. In fact these were the places where monks gathered to study and propagate ancient wisdom.

According to Sankara's interpretations of scriptures, there is but one God, and He alone is real. All else is mere Maya (illusion) arising from our ignorance of the true nature of Brahman. On ultimate recognition, there is no difference between our individual souls and the supreme one. He stated that prayers to personal gods are fine as long as we live in a world of Maya. But when, through yoga, one reaches the state of higher consciousness, the distinctions dissolve, and all is One in the cosmic sea. This insistence on the identity of the Brahman and its manifestations is referred to as advaita (non-dualism).

**Contents and Sample Pages**