Shankaracharya

Adi Shankaracharya, commonly known as Shankaracharya or Shankara, was an Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, a non-dual interpretation of the Vedas. Traditional accounts place his birth in the town of Kalady in present-day Kerala, to parents Shivaguru and Arya; he is said to have left home early to study and undertake a widespread tour of scholarly centers to defend his position against various rivals. Historians date him to the 8th–9th centuries, though exact years are uncertain.

Shankaracharya authored and commented on foundational Hindu texts: a commentary (Bhashya) on the Brahma Sutras; commentaries on the Upanishads; and the Bhagavad Gita; and he systematized Advaita Vedanta in a comprehensive body of work. His notable texts include Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Upadeshasahasri, Vivekachudamani, Atmabodha, Aparokshanubhuti, and numerous prakarana granthas.

Key philosophical positions: Brahman is the only reality; the world and individual souls are expressions of Maya and appearances; liberation (moksha) comes through realization that Atman equals Brahman; discernment (viveka) leads to non-attachment.

Shankaracharya also founded or re-established the monastic order of Dashanami Sannyasins and established four mathas (monasteries) in the four corners of India to preserve and propagate the teachings: Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the south (Sringeri, Karnataka); Govardhan Matha in the east (Puri, Odisha); Jyotir Matha in the north (Joshimath, Uttarakhand); and Dwarka Matha in the west (Dwarka, Gujarat).

His reforms aided the spread of Vedanta across Hinduism; his synthesis of Advaita Vedanta remains influential in Hinduism and Indian philosophy. The dating and details of his life are debated among scholars, but he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Hindu reformers and philosophers.