Quotes by Adi Shankaracharya
Adi Shankaracharya (circa 8th century CE) was a great Indian philosopher, theologian, and spiritual leader, widely regarded as the founder of the Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism) school of philosophy. Born in Kalady in Kerala, Shankaracharya was a child prodigy who displayed exceptional intelligence and spiritual insight from a young age. He renounced worldly life to become a monk and dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge and the unification of Hindu philosophy.
Shankaracharya’s central teaching in Advaita Vedanta is that the ultimate reality (Brahman) is formless, infinite, and non-dual, and that the individual soul (Atman) and Brahman are one and the same. He emphasized that ignorance (Avidya) is the cause of all suffering and that self-realization is the key to liberation (moksha).
He wrote extensive commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Brahma Sutras, establishing the principles of Advaita Vedanta. He also composed numerous devotional hymns and traveled across India to debate with scholars, establishing four mathas (monastic centers) in the cardinal directions to preserve and spread his teachings. Shankaracharya’s philosophy has had a profound influence on Hinduism and continues to shape spiritual thought in India and beyond
