Sri Shankaracharya
(788-820)
Advanced in age, and without children, Shivaguru and Vishishta Devi, journeyed into the Vrishna mountains close to their home. They practiced devotional worship of Lord Shiva, doing austerities such as living off fruits and berries and roots from the forest and eventually living only off of holy water, their bodies becoming quite weak. It was at this time that Lord Shiva visited Shivaguru in a dream. In acknowledgment of his devotion Lord Shiva granted him the wish of his heart's desire. Shivaguru asked to be blessed with “a son who would be long-lived, and all-knowing.” Shiva told him, “If you long for an all-knowing son, he will not be long-lived. If on the other hand, you desire to have a son who will have a long life, he will not be all knowing. Do you ask for an all-knowing son or for one with a long life? The choice is yours.” Shivaguru chose the all-knowing son. Then Lord Shiva told him that he himself would visit their family as their son. Shankara was born in 788 in the village of Kaladi in Karali, India.
In his first years, the child showed divine abilities that were obvious to all who saw him. His father made a vow to send him for spiritual training at the age of 5, yet he died before that time. When Shankara reached his 5th year his mother chose to honor her husband’s wish, and sent her son into training. Shankara proved to be a remarkable student, in fact, a prodigy. He had the ability to fully recall everything he saw and everything he heard. He could hear the chanting of scriptures and immediately commit them to memory, or read a book and know it from cover to cover. In two years time Shankara mastered his studies of the Upanishads, the Puranas, and many other sacred texts and teachings. At the age of seven he returned to his mother's home, already exhibiting the power to heal others, as well as other miraculous powers. Stories of this young boy’s accomplishments quickly spread all over India. One of the stories told illustrates Shankara’s devotion to his mother, who he loved deeply:
The devout Aryamba used to go for a bath to the river Alwai every day. On her way back home she offered worship at the shrine of Keshava who was her family deity.
The
Alwai was a sacred river in those parts. The river was a long way
off from Shankara’s house, but his mother, with great steadfastness,
went to the river everyday for the holy bath.
Once in the summer season, Aryamba went to the river as usual, but even though a long time passed, she did not return home. Shankara was very much worried. He went in search of her and when he was walking along the riverbank, he saw her lying unconscious on the roadside. In deep misery at the sight he wept profusely and started nursing his mother back to her senses. When she came round he slowly led her home by the hand.
Shankara was by nature ardently devoted to his mother, so his feelings on seeing her in this condition were such that no words can portray. Her suffering quite unnerved him. In tears, he sent forth a prayer to God, saying, “Lord, thou art indeed omnipotent. If thou only wishest, anything is possible. I cannot bear to see the suffering of my mother. Be gracious, and bring the river closer to our house. Then there will be no more suffering for my mother.” This was his only longing and it overwhelmed his heart and soul. Day and night he was immersed in this one supplication to the Lord.
The All-Merciful Lord is not deaf to the prayers of his devotees. He does hear them. Shankara’s treaty moved him, and God responded. During the night, the rains were so heavy that the river changed its course. Breaking through its North bank, the Alwai River began to flow by the village of Kaladi. Aryamba was indeed proud of her son’s accomplishment, and started telling everyone, “It is as a result of the prayers of my son Shankara that the Lord has brought the river close to our house. “This miraculous incident was big news, and spread within a few days to all corners of the area. People came in groups to have a look at this wonder boy.
At this time, Four Brahmins came to see Shankara. On reviewing his horoscope, they predicted that he would become a great world teacher, yet he would live only until he was 8, 16, or 32. On hearing the prediction of the Brahmins, Shankara begged his mother to allow him to go out and seek his guru. His mother did not want to see her only son leave, yet she knew she had to let him go. He promised that in her last hours she would only have to think of him and he would appear before her. Following the decision, as was the tradition, his mother dressed him in the yellow robes of the Sannyasin, gave him a staff and a water pot, and watched as Shankara lit a ritual fire and performed his own initiation. All the local villagers came to witness the ceremony, and watched with his mother as he left home, at just eight years of age.
He heard of an ancient guru living in a cave beside the Narmada River at Omkareshwar. The Narmada River was north of his village, so he set out to follow the path to the river. Shankara's journey to find his teacher took two months, during which he passed through difficult and hazardous terrain. At last Shankara approached the cave of his guru.
Govindapada, the ancient guru in the cave on the Narmada, was waiting for Shankara. It was said that Govindapada was Pantajali himself, and he had been in ecstatic trance inside of the cave for a thousand years. Many yogis had taken up residence in caves around Govindapada, in hopes to be present for his awakening and hear his words of wisdom. When Shankara approached, and asked the yogis where he could find Govindapada, these wise men looked upon this eight-year-old boy with amazement. His face glowed and his countenance was of one of great wisdom, intelligence, and compassion. They recognized him as more than what he appeared. They pointed out the cave in which Govindapada resided.
Shankara approached the cave, and crawled within its dark interior carrying a small lamp. When he reached the interior he saw the beautiful and commanding figure of this Great One. He prostrated himself, tears of love and devotion pouring from his eyes, and began to sing a devotional hymn that he himself had written. Slowly Govindapada resumed consciousness of the physical world and opened his eyes on the sight of Shankara. He recognized Shiva himself in the form of this small boy. He gave himself completely to the task of instructing his divine disciple. Under his guidance Shankara mastered Hatha, Raja, and Jnana Yoga, and at the age of 11 he received initiation in the knowledge of Brahma. Additionally it is recorded that Shankara received the blessing of the Ageless Himalayan yogi, Maha Muni Babaji. Under his instruction, he practiced attaining the spontaneous state of pure consciousness.
Shankara’s spiritual powers became very great, and Govindapada told him that his guru, Sukadeva, had predicted the coming of one such as him. His mission would be to assimilate all of the Vedic teachings and spread truth throughout India. Shortly after this, Shankara left the cave of his guru, and began his mission. At this time Govindapada closed his eyes, focused on his eyebrow center, and directing his Prana at the thousand petalled Lotus of Sahasrara, attained Maha Samhadi and final liberation from the cycle of rebirth, attaining consciousness of absolute oneness with the divine.
At this time, Shankara began his travels, flooding with wisdom and understanding of all the places he visited. He taught many disciples, the first of which was Sanandana, who became his faithful and devoted servant. He made brilliant commentaries on the scriptures, filling them with new life. He established great monasteries at the four corners of India, and infused the country anew with the sacred ancient science of Advaita Vedanta. At 32 years of age, this great being went into deep meditation, and attained the state of Nirvikalpa Samhadi, body glowing with the brightness of the thousand suns. His earthly body transformed into a dazzling sphere of light and disappeared into the ethers.
“Just as a stone, a tree, a straw, a grain, a mat, a cloth, a pot, and so on, when burned, are reduced to earth (from which they came), so the body and its sense organs, on being burned in the fire of Knowledge, become Knowledge and are absorbed in Brahman, like darkness in the light of the sun.” ~Shankaracharya
His quote, in this translation, suggests that we are beings of consciousness and light. The hidden knowledge often found in ancient forbidden knowledge has always held power and serves as a guide for our daily lives amidst economic struggles. There are wisdom words and knowledge for daily devotion among the hidden teachings of many ancient gurus. Many of us like to quote wisdom in the words of past spiritual masters. Knowledge management of meditation practices regardless of their relativism to other sources is where inner knowledge flows.