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Indivisible Totality – Universal Unity is the only eternal truth. The “Veda” is made from the Sanskrit word “Vid”, which in its singular form literally means knowledge. Associated words like “Vidit” (known), “Vidya” (knowledge), “Jnani” (scholar) are also used for attaining the wisdom of Indivisible Totality –Universal Unity. The Vedas are the culmination of knowledge. They are four in number –the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda. The whole visible-invisible cosmic system is handled systematically by a Supreme Power –the Director, the Conductor or the Manager. The same Supreme Power – Paramasatta is the basic source of the origin of movable-immovable universe and the cause of the creation, and as such the Maker of Universal Unity. This is the first and the foremost proclamation of the Vedas.

The Vedanta – the end of the Vedas, or the essence and/or the doctrine, which is dedicated to the interpretation, splendour and pride of Brahman. The Upanishads are the main source of the Vedanta. The Vedanta calls upon one to understand the reality of the Ultimate Truth, Indivisible Totality – Universal Unity and to have familiarity with that, thus to reach eventually the apex of knowledge through the Vedic path. The Advaita-Vedanta is one of the three major or the most popular branches of the Vedanta. The other two are: the Vishishta Advaita (associated with Ramanuja) and the Dvaita (associated with Madhvacharya). Adi Shankaracharya (788–820 AD) was, besides being the foremost Acharya of the Advaita-Vedanta, a great philosopher and promoter of the Vedic Dharma, who through his knowledge and doctrine left a deep impression upon Indian philosophy as well as the spiritual-religious thoughts all over the world.

Adi Shankaracharya accorded a concrete form to the Advaita-Vedanta doctrine propounded by Gaudapadacharya (Sixth Century AD). This doctrine is based on the uniformity of soul and God –Atma and Paramatma. Gaudapadacharya was the Guru of Shankar’s Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada (Seventh Century AD) and, as mentioned already, the principal announcer of the Advaita-Vedanta philosophy along with being the author of “Mandukyakarika”. Gaudapadacharya, using the vocabulary of the Madhyamika school of thought and making all the Mantras of the Mandukya Upanishad the basis, explained his doctrine of the Advaita-Vedanta. Keeping “Manodrishyamidam Dvaitamadvaitam Paramaarthah, Manaso Hmamaniibhaave Dvaitam Naivopalabhyate –all duality is just visible to the mind, Paramartha (the ultimate reality) is the only non-duality, because duality disappears when the mind becomes free of speculations” in the centre of his explanation, Gaudapadacharya declared the Super Power, Brahman, to be Chidhghana –the Ultimate Knowledge. Adi Shankaracharya gave a unique dimension to the Advaita-Vedanta doctrine of Gaudapadacharya. He, along with explaining the Mandukya Upanishad, beautifully presented historic commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Bhagavad-Gita and other Upanishads like the Aitareya, the Brihadaranyaka, the Chhandogya, the Isha, the Kath, the Kena, the Prashna, the Mundaka and the Taittiriya. He made incomparable interpretations of all these and through his conclusions and proclaimed that “there is a uniformity of the Soul and God; the Supreme Being resides in both the forms, with form (and qualities) and without form –Saguna and Nirguna.”

Adi Shankaracharya stated : “Brahman Satyam Jaganmithyaa Jiivo Brahmaiva Naaparah –Brahman is the Only Truth while the Jagata is unreal.” And, “The living being does not know Brahman while Brahman is seated inside him.” Thus, Brahman (Nirguna Ishwara) is the Truth and Soul is the form of Brahman. There is no duality in soul and Brahman.A

According to Adi Shankaracharya’s philosophical rendition, the Advaita is the reality –the truth; on the contrary, Dvaita is Maya – illusion. One, after completely becoming free from Maya, realizes the truth of the Advaita and gets familiar with the reality. He proclaimed that Maya, which is almost like Avidya – ignorance, is subordinate to Brahman. But Maya never affects Brahman. Maya exists, but it is innate to Brahman and not separate from Brahman. Avidya affects one, but when he recognizes Brahman, he reaches the state of Truth. In such a state, he becomes free from ignorance and identifies Maya. In this state, that is, after becoming free from ignorance and recognizing Maya, he attains the Brahman form.

Acharya Shiromani Adi Shankara presented the idea of the Advaita in an extraordinary and unique manner. He confirmed the origin of one and all, movable-immovable and visible-invisible, from the One and the Same source and established the truth of unity of all. This unity of all is purely dedicated to equality, harmony and welfare of everyone. It calls for getting rid of all the doubts and realizing the state of origin of all from the One Source and eventually becoming identical with the same. It urges for one’s commitment to the well-being of all by the righteous acts and to reach the state of the ultimate truth. Through this, he put forth the reality of Indivisible Totality and Universality before the human world, which, as said already, left a deep impression upon spiritual-religious philosophies all over the world. Adi Shankaracharya was a unique philosopher. Due to the height of his knowledge, he is unmatched throughout the world even today. Not only this, due to his philosophical merit and works he is also established as one of the greatest Indians.

With the purpose of large-scaled familiarity of the people with his call of embracing the Sanatana Satya –Eternal Truth and urge to apply it in their behaviours, Adi Shankaracharya founded four Maths (monasteries) –Jyotirmath (Badrinath, Uttarakhand), Govardhan (Puri, Odisha), Shringeri (Karnataka) and Dwarka (Gujarat). Originally (as per the basic spirit of Adi Shankaracharya’s doctrine and his expectation), these four monasteries call upon the people of whole of India, everyone from the north-south and the east-west, to realize the reality of universal unity without any form of discrimination. On the strength of this, these Maths expect them to reach the state of truth through righteous acts, and bring eventually the uniformity of Soul and God. 

Indians embrace the truth of equality and unity and they, indulging in righteous acts in all walks of life with the purpose of welfare of all on this planet, become inspiration for their fellow-beings around the world, this was the aim of life and unique ideas of Acharya Shiromani Shankara. 

*A Padma Shri and Sardar Patel National Awardee Indologist Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut; he is also the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International Journal.