Universal relevance of Adi Sankara and his philosophy

His commentaries on the Upanishads were a cogent and vibrant philosophy which spoke out against harbouring enmity against not only fellow humans, but also all creatures. 

Adwaitham erases the distinction postulated in Dwaitham which conceives God and Man as different entities. Adwaitham postulates the oneness of God and Man and by extension lays a resounding base for equality of all Men. 

Establishing his philosophy during turbulent times, Adi Sankara had the ability to engage in debates in a manner that earned him the respect of even his strident opponents. Hailed as Stapana Acharya, Adi Sankara exhorted people to use their senses well. One should not merely exist like animals, but  prove that he is better than beasts through various means. Living as a family unit, eating and staying content are common to all life forms. However, if man is content with just these three, there is really no real meaning to such an existence, said Adi Sankara. There is the very profound episode of his early life when Sankara as a mere slip of a boy is confronted by a very learned sage who asks him “Who are you?” 

To this Sankara’s response is based on what he is not, highlighting the irrelevance of materialistic possessions, emotional bonds and mental dispositions. 

People today chase money as the primary goal. However, one should bear in mind that if money were to be a river, will one’s life turn into a boat and move on it? This is not to say that money is not important. In fact, Adi Sankara composed the 21-verse Kanakadhara stotram dedicated to Lakshmi. 

There is an interesting history behind this composition. During his daily rounds seeking alms, he was faithfully offered a dried gooseberry by a pious woman. It did not take him long to realise that she was extremely poor. One day, he is said to have recited the Kanakadhara stotram outside her humble house, and soon wealth poured into the family. Having money is important to lead one’s life, but pursuit of wealth should be limited, and kept within boundaries. If a boat has a hole, you cannot make it move it forward, no matter how hard you try. Water will start filling up, no matter how hard you try to bail it out. 

The only solution lies in plugging the hole. Similarly, mere accumulation of wealth serves no purpose in man’s life, if he fails to turn his thoughts towards God. 

Adi Sankara was a thinker , philosopher and an excellent debater. He undertook padayatra from Kaladi to Kashmir, in order to turn man’s mind to the consequence of a materialistic existence. He  has composed a number of hymns on deities such as Anjaneya, Vinayaga. 

He also composed Sivananda Lahiri and Bhaja Govindam. In the latter, he again reiterates the foolishness of man in getting bogged down by worldly pleasures, which are fleeting by their very nature. In another composition, Soundarya Lahiri , he calls himself the child of Dravida desam. However, he belongs to the entire world.