Question

How did Shankaracharya's philosophy influence the Bhakti tradition of South India?

Answer 1

Instructions:

There should be at least 5 points here.

• Write about Shankara’s life- Early life and education
• Write about Shankaracharya’s philosophy- Brahman and advaita
• Mention Shankaracharya and the Vedas and how he cleansed them.
• Write about Shankaracharya’s works.

Solution:

• Shankaracharya was born in Kerala in the 8th century and is regarded as an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Shankara, from an early age was an expert in texts like the Vedas, Puranas, the epics and more. Under the tutelage of Swami Govindpada, Shankara received training in yoga and the knowledge of the Brahman.
  
• Thus, Shankara became Adi Shankaracharya who advocated the philosophy of advaita or non-dualism. This was the doctrine which preached the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God, which was the ultimate reality. He preached that this Brahman, or ultimate reality, was formless and without any features. In order to understand Brahman and attain salvation, one had to renounce the world and pursue a path of knowledge.
  
• Shankaracharya is also known as Bhagavadpada Acharya because he cleansed the Vedic teachings of its ritualistic excesses and brought in the concept of Vedanta. Vedanta was based on advaita or the non-dualism in human beings. Shankaracharya restructured old religious traditions into accepted formats and stressed on worship as mentioned in the Vedas .
  
• Shankaracharya’s Brahmasutrabhashya contains commentaries on the Brahmasutra are mentioned here. It also underlines the core principles of Shankaracharya’s advaita philosophy. Bhaja Govindam was written in praise of Govinda, or Lord Krishna. It is a devotional poem written in Sanskrit.