Adi Shankaracharya

Sivaguru and Aryamba is brahmin couple. This childless couple went to Trichur and prayed for a child at the Shiva temple. Lord Shiva appeared in Sivaguru dream and told them "I am extremely happy with your devotion and you will give what you want. you want, short lived son who is extremely intelligent great or many sons who would be ordinary person. Sivaguru choose short lived Son. Adi Shankaracharya was born to this couples.

As Shankara grew up, he attraced everybody with his intelligence and kindness. At the age of three, he was given "Aksharabyas", i.e., the learning of writing and reading. At the age of four, he lost his father. At the age of five, he was initiated in Brahmacharyam i.e., the holy thread ceremony was conducted and he was sent to Gurukul for learning of scriptures. As per the practice the brahmachari has to go from house to house and take alms and submit this to his guru. On a Dwadasi day Sankara happened to go to the house of a very poor lady jand asked for the alms. The lady did not have a single grain of rice in her house to give. However she had kept a single Amla fruit for herself as it was a Dwadasi day. She unhesitatingly gave this Amla fruit to Sankara as she could not send a Brahmachari empty handed. Sankara was moved by her selflessness and the poverty of the lady and prayed to Goddess Lakshmi in a beautiful sloka which is called "Kanaka Dhara Stotram". On completion of this stotram, Goddess Lakshmi appeared in person and showered a rain of golden coins on the poor lady's house.

One day, the rishis came to him and reminded him of his duty to the land in spreading spiritualism. Sankara agreed it was time to become a Sanyasi and go all over the country to kindle religious ferver. One day when Sankara was taking bath, a crocodile caught hold of his leg. Sankara called out to his mother. Aryambal came running and to her horror she found her son in the grip of the crocodile and she cried that se did not know how to help her son. Sri Sankara informed his mother that his life was nearing to an end, but if he became a Sanyasi, he could start a new life as a sannyasi. Thus Sri Sankara obtained permission from his mother to become a sannyasi.

he took sannyasa when he was eight years old. Having completed his study under his guru Govinda Bhagavatpada, a prominent disciple of Goudapada who wrote the Mandukya Karikas, Shankara traveled to various holy places in India. He was actively involved in debates with leaders from other schools of thought to clarify the message of the Vedas. These debates won him, disciples and followers, wherever he went.

Shankara traveled the entire country with his disciples. He destroyed the false notions of religion and spirituality that people had come to believe and enlightened the nation with his insightful analyses and logic.

Shankara established mathas in the four corners of India to carry forward the wisdom of the Vedas. Sringeri in South India, Puri in the east, Dwarka in the west and Badri in North India. These mathas exist even today as proof of the invaluable contribution Shankara made to Indian culture.