Story of Jagadguru Adisankara
The founder of Advaita Vedanta, Sri Adi Sankara is one of the most revered gurus all over the world. The concept of Nirguna Brahman, i.e.Brahman without attributes, someone who dedicated his life to the service of others and lays his aspirations and ambitions at the Lord’s lotus feet, was conceived by him with the grace of the almighty.
Born in Kaladi, in Kerala, during the rule of the Chera Kings, Adi Sankara travelled far and wide. In the recent landslide in Kedarnath, the place where he lived is said to have got affected as well.
Born to a Namboodari couple, he imbibed brahmin culture from childhood and dedicated himself at the feet of Lord Dakshinamurthy (Lord Shiva) for the rest of his life.
The concept of Advaita is an inherent part of Tamil culture beyond the boundaries of caste and religion. The Sringeri Mutt is one of the oldest and the most revered of monsteries in Tamil Nadu and across India.
The Advaita philosophy of Adi Sankara talks of non-duality between the Atman and the Brahmin. This comes close to the paradigm of ‘Tattvam Asi’ as defined by saints and monasts around the world. The definition of ‘oneness’, of everything being one was the core of this philosophy.
Tamil culture as seen from the perspective of Advaitam is quite unique in nature. Despite differences in castes and religions, the philosophy of Adi Sankara is highly respected across Tamil Nadu by one and all.
A sign of Tamil heritage and Tamil pride, the Sankara Mutts are places where peace, love and oneness are preached. The veda pathasahalas across the Mutts teach little children about the greatness of Hindu shastras, which makes it even more pure and serene.
