Shankara (bestower of happiness)

shankara was born in kerala 

to a couple that were not able to 

bear children easily 

one night Shiva appeared to the couple 

in a dream and gave them a choice

they could have a child that was 

of regular development and mind 

that would live a long life 

or an extraordinary child that 

would live a short life

the couple chose the latter and to them

a bright child was born in which they 

named shankara (bestower of happiness)

this child was bursting with knowledge of 

the scriptures from an early age 

as well as possessed a quick intellect  

the boys father did not live long and soon after 

he died, Shankara went to the river Poorna to bathe 

prior to this he had been asking his mother to take 

the vows of sannyas and she had said no 

worried that her son would be taken up into this life 

too early and she would lose him there ..

when he went to bathe in the river 

a crocodile appeared and took hold of his leg

his mother happened to come by at this time 

and was very distressed at this scene

she told her son immediately that he could be 

a renunciate in order for the crocodile to let go 

of his leg ..

(it is said that a crocodile has not been seen in the 

river again...)

so shankara after taking the vows of a renunciate 

began to roam the plains of india

he carried with him a mat to sleep on and a 

gourd for drinking and eating and this was all..

he slept in the forests and on the hard earth

in which he did not dream or suffer...

he woke refreshed and within great peace 

always

one day he was wandering and a man that 

was an untouchable  came towards him

with a pack of four dogs with him

shankara gestured to him to move aside as this 

was the custom in those days 

and the man said, "do you mean for my body that is 

made of skin and bones to give way or my pure soul that is atman?"

shankara was so very taken aback by this 

he realized right away that this man was shiva embodied and the four 

dogs were the four vedas and he prostrated 

deeply at this mans feet and said, sir i am in great gratitude 

for your presence today and thank you so much 

for your words that are like gems 

and he went on to write about this encounter speaking to the idea 

that once a man has realized the truth there is no caste that can 

bind him nor are these rules suiting any more for such a man 

that is free

shankara went on to strip advaita vedanta clean of it's false coverings 

and bring back the original teachings to shine 

he did so with grace and a stunningly quick mind that was settled 

in the beauty of the non-dual reality..

he set up monasteries along the way that were to be havens that hold 

the pure teachings and went on to 

challenge the norms of the day that were very 

much layered over with false ways and ideas...

though it is unknown where his final resting place is 

one can be sure he was not attached to the body and left 

in the same pure state that he lived in while in body ..

he was a mighty presence on this earth and accomplished 

great feats in such a short period of time 

another great soul that walked the earth 

*in the world, but not of it*

and by doing so lit the way for those sincere ones 

seeking to enter the knowing beyond all knowledge..