Shankaracharya was born in a Namboodari Brahmin family of Kaladi village in Kerala. Father Shivaguru, mother Aryamba.
At the age of seven he had mastered all the Sutras. He studied the Veda-sastras under a guru named Govinda Bhagwatpada.
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Shankara made a deep study of the Upanishads and Brahmasutras and advocated the Adaita Siddhanta.
Brahman is the only truth. The rest of the world is an illusion. Life is Brahman and life is non-different from Brahman.
Sankara, who asserted that the Jivatman has no separate existence, asserted that this is the Self as Brahman or "Aham Brahmasmi".
Books composed by Shankara: Shankarabhasya, Ananda Lahari, Soundaryada Lahari, Sivananda Lahari, Viveka Chudamani, Prabuddha Sudhakara and Dakshinamurti Stotra are important books.
Sankara's "Bhaja Govindam" hymn is the most popular.
Sankara's "Bhaja Govindam" hymn is the most popular.
Shankara traveled all over India from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on foot and propagated his Adaita doctrine.
He established four Peethas in the four directions of India for the propagation of his Adaita doctrine.
Peethas established by Shankaracharya.
1) Badrinath - Jyotir Peeth
2) Dwaraka- Kalika Peetha
3) Puri - Govardhana Peetha
4) Sringeri - Sharada Peetha
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