WITHOUT MV MOTHER'S

PERMISSION*

ONE mv SHE WILL RELENT.

WAIT*

O SON! WHAT IS THE USE OF MV

PER* MISSION NOWi

BUT FULFIL sour WISH IF VOU

MUST I GIVE VOU PERMISSION
TO BECOME A SANVASI*

AT THAT MOMENT THE

CROCODILE LET GO AND
DISAPPEARED INTO THE
DEPTHS OF THE RIVER.
[VOU HAP TO LIVE. SOU HAVE
GREAT TASKS AHEAP OF VOU.

SHANKAPA DiP NOT GIVE UP

HOPE ,

/ mLL NOT GO

HE DID NOT HAVE TO WA/T

LONG . OVE EVENING AS HE WAS
BATHING IN THE RIVER -
THREE CANS LATER SHANKARA
LEFT HOME IN SEARCH OF A
GURU, TO BE FORMAL tV
INITIATED AS A SANUASE

MOTHER, I PROMISE,

I WILL COME RACK WHEN ViOLI

NEED ME.

HE TRAVELLED NORTHWARDS
TILL HE REACHED THE BANKS
OF THE RIVER NARMADA,
THERE. IN A CAVE. LIVED THE
SAGE GOVIND BHAGAVAPfACM
AND HIS DISCIPLES.
>
SHANKARA GAVE HIS ANSWER
IN JUST TEN VERSES AND
GOV7NP &HAGAVADPACM VMS
H/OIILV IMPRESSED.
I, VEQAWA5A , URGE YOU TO
MOVE QNWARpS — ON VQUR
GREAT MISSION OF UNITV. I A

AT KASHI* VISHNU SHARMAN* A

SOUTH INDIAN SCHOL AR OF
THE CHOLA KINGDOM, CAME TO
SHANKARA .

VISHNU SHARMANy WHO

BECAME HIS CLOSEST
DfSCJPLEy WAS ADMITTED INTO
SHAhJKARA'S ORDER Of
SANYAStS

WILL VOU ACCEPT ME AS A

PISCIPLE VENERABLE GURU ?
VE5. VOU SHALL BE KNOWN AS *
SAN AN DANA.

LATER EftPMAPAWl,

AFTER THREE YEARS WITH HIS

GURU HAP MISSED* SHANKARA
HAP A VISION.

SHANKARA TOLD HIS GURU OF

THE VISION.

n
AT KASHi* SHAHKAUA MQT O
KtLH TAUGHT PHtLQSOPM%BUT
WORSHIPPED REGULARLY AT
&FFE8EMT TBMPttSJOO. WKMUZ

AMOUG THE PEl/OTEES AT

KASHI WAS A FAMOUS POE 7,
KACAAJAAm, WHO RECtTEP HIS
l/ERSES TO SHAAJKARA.

THEM HE WEA/TOM IM VERSE

FORM TO REQUEST SHAAJKARA
TO ACCEPT HfM AS HtS DtSOPLE.

PQAH BE MV REFUGE, MASTER

SMANKARA

MAV COMPLETE FULFILMENT^,

r
u

ONE CAY AS SHANKARA AND H/S

DISCIPLES WERE RETURNING
FROM THE RIVER CANOA, AFTER
THEIR RATH AT NOON,

AN OUTCASTE CAME FROM THE

OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

WHAT SHALL t MOVE ? MV

hiODV OF COMMON CLAV OW
MV SOUL OF ALL-PERVAPtNG

U
THROUGHOUT Ht$ STAY AT
KASHi. SHAA/KAEA MET SAGES
AAJP DISCUSSED AMD DEFINED
HINDUISM WITH THEM*

SHANKARA SPOKE TO THE

TEACHER

IaJK
THE SOUL IS NOT AWAKENED
©V PEG?-FECTING MERE BOOK
LEARNING. WORSHIP THE LORD
GOVINPA, AND LET NOT THE
SOUL BECOME NUMB.|]|| BHAJA
GGV1NDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM

TRUE HAPPINESS DOES NOT LIE

IN...

...PRACTISING RITUALS IN

ING THE PRESENCE OF THE ONE

REAL IT V IN ALL«

if
AT LAST HE DECIDED TO LEAVE
KASHI AA/P WENT NORTH ON
HIS MISSION Of PEACE AND
UNITV, TO HAMDWAP AND THEN
TO RISHIKESH .

AT RISHIKESH WHEN HE WENT

TO THE TEMPLE TO WORSHIP-
SHANKARA WENT TO THE BANKS
OF THE GANGA AND —

K
SHANKARA NEXT WENT TO THE
HILL-TRIBES AND TALKED TO
THEM ABOUT REFORMING
THEIR WAVS. ■■"sropj CEASE
VDUK EVIL

WAVS AND TBV TO SEEK T(?UE

HAPPINESS WHICH IN

MANY OF THEM WERE

REFORMED AW FOLLOWED HIM
AS HE PROCEEDED

AFTER SOME TIME THE PRIESTS

RETURNED.

UA\
BHAGAVAN!

JAI

BHAGAVAN i

MASTER! MASTER! THE IMAGE

HAS BEEN FOUND AND HAS
BEEN REINSTALLED IN THE
FROM THERE HE WENT
FURTHER NORTH

TO GANGOTR! AND UTTARA

KASHI, WHERE HE HAS IASITED
BY A SAGE.

I HAVE COME FOG SOME

CLARIFICATION ON VEPAN-
SHANKARA FOUND THE IDOL
AND HIMSELF INSTALLED IT IN
THE TEMPLE WITH DUE
CEREMONY.
SHANKARA THEN WALKED
WESTHARD THROUGH THE
HIMALAYAS TO KEDARNATH

FOR SEVEN LONG DAYS THEY

DISCUSSED HIS DOUBTS. AT THE
END OF THE SESSION -
MAV HOUR LIFE-SPAN BE
DOUBLEP ANP THE WORLP
BENEFIT BV VOUR WORK.
SANANQANA!

MIRACULOUS:

WONDERil |

SANANDANA walked straight over

THE RIVER AND LO! lotuses
sprang UP beneath his feet to
support him on the water.
LOTUS-FOOTED! HE IS

. PAPMARADA!

SUCH WAS THE FAITH OF

SANANDANA IN SHANKAR A .

SHANKAGA AND HIS DISCIPLES

THEN RETURNED TO BADRI
NATH AND LIVED THERE FOR
SOME TIME.

ONE DAV SHANKARA CALLED

OUT TO HIS DISCIPLE
SANANDANA WHO WAS ON THE
OPPOSITE BANK OF THE GANGA .

I’M COMING, GURUDEVA !

AT BAPRINATH SHANKARA
FOUNDED THE JH'OTI MATH
AMP APPOINTED
THOTAKACHARVA AS ITS HEAP.

SHANKARA THEN RE TURNER TO

KASHI. THERE, AT PRAVAG, HE
MET KUMAR!LA BHATTA, THE
PURE RITUALIST.

BUT KUMAR!LA WAS OLP AMP

ABOUT TO GIVE UP HIS LIFE. SO
—

MAV THIS NORTHERN

SHANKARA TRAVELLER TO
MAHISHMAT! WHERE MANPANA
MISHRA UVEP. BUT MANPANA
WAS NOT HAPPV TO SEE HIM.

SALUTATIONS, O SUPREME
UPHOLDER OF THE VEDAS!

BLESSED AM I TO KNOW VOU.

MAV MV DISCIPLE MANPANA
MISHRA

INAUSPICIOUS! INAUSPICIOUS!

WHV ARE LOU HERE, SANVASI ?

VOU DO NOT

10
I ACCEPT VOUR 1 VERDICT,
MOTHER.

I NEED TO BE WISE ^ IN THE

WAVS OF THE WORLD. GIVE ME
TIME.
SHAA/KARA THEN TURNED 10
MANCANA'S WIFE,.SABASIAVTI.

HE, WHO FAILS TO DEFEND HIS

CJWN BELIEFS, MUST ACCEPT
THE OTHER'S CREED. SARASWA
H HERSELF SHALL BE THE
JUDGE.

BUT SARASiAMT! !M
TERi/ENEL>.

HOW CAN A SANVASi,

WHO HAS NO EXPERIENCE AS A

CITIZEN AND A HOUSEHOLDER,
CLAIM COMPLETE
KNOWLEDGE?
SHANKARA WAS UNPERTURBED.

VOUC AGED AND VENERABLE

GURU KUMARILA DIRECTED ME
HERE. HE WANTED TO
DISCOURSE WITH VOU ON THE
ETERNAL TRUTH.

IF IT IS MV GURU’S WISH, WE
WILL BEGIN DISCUSSIONS
STRAIGHT-AWAV.

Ii
SHAAJKA&A THEM LEFT H/S
AMAZED DISCIPLES AM? WENT
TO A SECLUDED SPOT AMON6
THE HILLS * THERE HE TURNED
TO FACE THE FAITHFUL PA DMA
PAPA.

ISN*T MOTHER GARASWATI

WRONG? IN WHAT WAV CAN
THE EXPERIENCES OF A CITIZEN
AND A HOUSEHOLDER HELP IN
THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM ?
THEV ARE, IN FACT 1 OBSTACL
ES TO SPIRITUAL PERFECTION *

NO* fVU7MAR4UA. SPIRITUAL

PERFECTION MUST BE
ATTAINED IN THE BATTLEFIELD
OF LIFE ITSELF.

MASTER,

SHAMKARA ASSUMED A ADG/C

POSTURE ,

MV SOUL TAKES FLIGHT TO

ANOTHER BOPV, TILL ITS
RETURN GUARD

22
THERE, IT BROUGHT TO UFE
THE KING OF t/AMGA
PESHA.WHO WAS OKI HIS

PEATHBEP. ~ ~ „ lr . [ 1
OOP has seen GOOD TO US.
REWARD THE DOCTORS AND
ALL ATTENDANTS.

THE KING CAME OUT ON THE

&ALCONV ANP SHANKARA
BEGAN EXPERIENCING HIS LIFE
OF JOVS ANP SORROWS.

SHAAJKARA EXPERIENCED THE

RESPONSIBILITIES AND
IMDRRIES OF A KING, me POUTS
HAP TO BE GUARDED, THE
KINGDOM DEFENDED AND THE
EVIL-DOERS

PUNISHED .
AT SEVERAL GUTTERING
DURBARS, HE EXPERIENCED
THE JOMS AND LUXURIES OF
LIFE TOO .
1*
SO SHAN KARA'S SPIRIT LEFT
THE RING’S BODY. . .

WHEN SHANKARA HAD

GATHERED ENOUGH
EXPERIENCE OF A WORLDLY
LIFE , ITS GOOD AND EF1L -

/ SHALL NOtA/ RETURN TO

SARASWA I AND MY DEBATE
WITH MANDANA MISHRA .

SHAN KARA THEN LEFT

PADMAPADA AND RETURNED TO
PRESENT HIMSELF BEFORE
MANDANA MISHRA.
»
ARRANGEMENTS WERE MAPE
FOR THE TWO SCHOLARS TO
BEGIN.

VOU MAV BEGIN THE DEBATE

NOW, WISE ASCETIC. AS THE
FLOWEBS IN EITHER GARLAND
FADE, I WILL KNOW WHOSE
FAITH HAS FADED.

THE OEBATE WENT ON FOR A

FEW PAYS. THEN -

I HOLD THAT WORSHIP AND

RITUALS MAKE FOR HAPPINESS
HERE AND

HEREAFTER,

RITUALS OO NOT BRING THE

HIGHEST HAPPINESS.
COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE
THROUGH THE VEDAS IS THE
ONLV ANSWER. FOR* SUCH
KNOWLEDGE REVEALS THE ONE
REAL I TV.

26

AT THAT MOMENT THE fLOWE

HE IN MANDAAJA’S GARLAND
WILTED AND FADED.

M3U WIN, VENERABLE ASCETIC.

I AM VOUB HUMBLE DISCIPLE.

SHANKARA. ACCOMPANIED BY
SURESHWARACHARYA AND
SARASWATt. THEN TUQNEp
SOUTH, HALTING AT ALL THE
HOLY PLACES ON THE WAY,
TILL...
... THEY REACHED
GOKARNA.THERE A RICH ANP
RESPECTED MAN FROM A TOWN
NEARBY CAME WITH HIS SON TO
SHANKAR A.
HE IS DUMB AND STUPID.
MASTER, PLEASE CURE HIM.
n
SOUR VENERABLE MOTHER IS
VERS ILL- |

F KNOW. I WILL

rush to kalapi

AMD THE LAP WAS ORDAINED

thf SHAMKARA^ MONASTIC
ORDER.

SOU ARE AN APVANCEP

SOUL.SOUR MONASTIC S NAME
SHALL BE ?
HASTAMLAKACHARVA

CONTINUING SOUTH*
SHAMKARA REACHED
SRtNGERt* WHERE HE
FOUNDED THE SR/ SHARADA
PEETHA AND INSTALLED
SU&ESHWARACHARVA AS ITS
HEAD.

MASTER, l f THE IS EVER-I AM

BLESSEP 8S SOUR HEALING

TOUCH* I AM SOUR

SHAMKARA STAVED ON AT
SRINGC0 FOR SOME MONTHS
THEM ONE PAY HE HAD A
PREMONITION.

JUST THEN SOME SANVAS/S

FROM KALADt CAME TO HIM.
SHAMKARA BLESSED THE BOY
AMD HIS SPEECH WAS
RESTORED. THEM TO THE
ASTONISHMENT OF ALL —

MY MOTHER NEEDS ME. / MUST

HASTEN TO HER

?a
SHANKARA WANTED TO
PERFORM HER FUNERAL RITES.
SO HE LAID ASIDE HIS OCHRE
ROBES , STAFF AND
KAAtANPALU.

BUT WHEN HE ENTERED THE

CHAMBER WHERE THE BODY OF
HIS MOTHER LAY -

WHAT! A SANVASI TO WE SHALL

PERFORM THE RITES HAVE
NOTHING OF A HOUSEHOLDER!

NEVER!NEVER!

BUT UNDAUNTED, SHANKARA

CARRIED THE BODY TO A
CORNER OF THE GARDEN AND
PLACING IT ON A PYRE OF
PLANTAIN STEMS, CREMATED IT.
THE ORTHODOX COMMUNITY
REPENTED AND ADMIRED
SHANKARA’S FILIAL LOVE* *

THE ORTHODOX NAMBUDIRI

COMMUNITY TURNED its BACK
ON SHANKARA AND THE BODY.

* TO THIS DAY THE

NAMBUDIRIS, UNLIKE OTHER
HINDUS, CREMATE THEIR DEAD
IN THEIR BACKYARDS.
AFTER HIS MOTHER'S PEATH,
SHANKARA TRAVELLED TWICE
MORE THROUGHOUT l/UP/4. ON
THE FIRST OF THESE TRIPS,HE
ESTABLISHEP THE MATHS AT
PWARKA IN THE WEST WITH
HASTAMLAKA AS ITS HEAP, ANP
PURI IN THE EAST WITH
PAPMAPAPA AS THE HEAP
SPIRITUAL CENTRES ANP
TEMPLES ESTABLISHEP &V HIM
ALSO FLOURISH AT KANCHI,
FASHUPATINATH ANP OTHER
CITIES.

HIS GOSPEL WAS CARRIEP TO

SOUTH-EAST ASIA WO. BY A
PISC/PLE. SHIVA SOMA , A
NEPHEW OF JAWWRMAN U, THE
KING OF KAMBHOJA
(CAMBOPtA).

HE VISITED ASSAM. NEPAL,

KASHMIR, TIBET ANP BALTRIA
TOO ON THESE TOURS.
THROUGHOUT, HE LNJOYEP
THE PATRONAGE ANP
PROTECTION OF KINGS ANP
SCHOLARS. AT SRINAGAR. HE
HONOURED AN EMINENT LAPY
SCHOLAR BY PLACING A
*TARANG/I ON HER HEAP. TO
THIS PAY IN SRINAGAR THE
tARANGA SIGNIFIES

SCHOLARSHIP.
*A SPECIAL HEAP-PRESS
RESEMBLING' A TURBAN

30
AT THE AGE OF 32 SHANKARA
ENDED HIS STUPENDOUS
EARTHLY MISSION,

THE GOSPEL OF SHANKARA -THE

BROTHERHOOD Of ALL
HUMANITY, THE ONENESS OF
TRUTH - L IRES ON , EVER AND
LUMINOUS,

IN THE CULTURAL LEADERS OF

INDIA LIRE RAMAKRISHNA
MRAMAHAMSA, V1VEKANANDA,
SRI AURO&NPO, RAMANA
MAHARSHh GURU NANAK ,
TVAGARAJA AND MAHATMA
GANDHI .

Stylng* * of Adi Shlnhafl

Jutl *t 1 place Qf rope I* lnnglp*d to

b* t

• nikl (In the darkness) aq l» A

|ntan fioui| delator m*d to be the
body by in ignorinl

Mwfliif by Yogi, nor philosophy. nor

by worl, HT by learning but by the
raeltirtion Of One's identify with
Brahman .* llberaltOfi poiaibla, end
bt no other mean*

Whan the mind b*com#a purdied

like a mirror. Wisdom la revealed in
It. Cora ■ho Old ftiar afore ba
Taken to purify the Til I nd

Tbs world it lilted with

atLsohtnanla and aversions and if
changing IlM a dream. It appears
loba racial long if on# is ignorant,
bul bocomaa unreal when on* is
IMin

Atman 11 Ih* ruler of tha body

(matter), and ia Internal: lb* body li
tha ruled, and la ailarnal; and yet
!ha people aaa lhaia two it onal
Whit alia can b* called ignorance
but this?

' Thai# an good souls, calm and

m*gn#ni-maul, who do good Id
others as tfoos tha d»* spring, and,
who having ihemaeivas crossed Thu
difficult ocean of birth and death,
help others also to cross tha awn a,
without my motive whatsoever

1 A father has gol his tuns and

other* to free ban from hts debis,
but he hai got non* but himself to
remove his bondage.

8a not blindly attached to friend or

foo. Id ■on or kinsman, to peace or
war If you sspire for Vishnu's
realm, look upon all things as of
equal worth or opportunity.

Illustrated Classics From India

Adi Shankara

Shankara'3 life may be compared to

a brilliant flash of lightning that
eradicated many areas of darkness
in the life of man. He had an
intellect that probed fearlessly, a
mind that questioned constantly
and a heart that I ell deeply, Out of
these God given gilts, and thirty two
years of tireless seeking, arose a
great system of philosophy, Advaita,
and an inspiring body of devotional
literature,

Shankara travelled throughout

India, preaching that the Self or
Brahman is one - undivided and
imperishable. The rest is Mays or
illusion. We are told of his historic
debate with the sage, Madana
Misfire, when the latter withdrew
defeated An even greater story tails
us how Shankara, the learned
Brahman, bowed to the superior
wisdom of a lowly out caste,
accepting him as a Guru,

He established several maths to

spread hfs philosophy. Then, as
now, the disruptive forces of
religion, race, caste and language
threatened to weaken the fabric of
the one nation that is India. Now, as
then, the teachings of a man like
Shankara, who believed in the One
Undivided Self, reinforces a sense
of unity among Indians,

Editor: Anant Pai

Script: Fatima Shri P, Narasimhayya

Illustrations; Souren Roy Cover:
Khalap

Related Titles

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu *
Madhwacharva Kabir * Ramanuja •
Jnaneshwar

I SB* B1 - T'SCfl-l 57-0

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