The controversy over the birth era of the great Indian philosopher Adi Shankaracharya continues. May 6, 2022 marked the 1234th birth anniversary of Adi Shankara- also known as Jagatguru Shankaracharya. European historians and many left-leaning Indian historians wrongly proclaimed the 38th Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Peetha i.e. Abhinava Shankara of 8 th CE (Common Era) as the first Adi Shankara. By doing so, they erased about 1000 years from the first Shankaracharya who was born in the 5 th century BCE (before common era ) only to imply that Christ preceded Shankara. This is unpardonable distortion of history which needs to be corrected.
There is enough proof that Adi Shankara lived in 5 th century BCE, and there is evidence to show that Abhinava Shankara lived in 8 th century CE.
Adi Shankara lived before Christ
Below, I quote an extract from a Kannada book written by Sri. Sachchidanendra Saraswathi Swamiji titled ‘Sri Shankara Bhagavatpadavruthantha Saara Sarwaswa’ (Adhyathmaprakasha Karyalaya Holenarasipura 573211 year 1963). This is a comprehensive work covering the life and works of Adi Shankara, his travels throughout the country, the people he met, and the mathas he founded. Swamiji has referred to various texts depicting the traditions and history of mathas like Gururatnamalika, Punya Shloka Manjari and Shankara Digvijayas depicting the life and works of Shankara. Swamiji has referred to Jainism books
and books about Shankara in various languages like Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi and English. His interpretations and judgments with regard to critical issues are very mature, well thought out, bold and convincing.
The following verse in Sanskrit (page 18 of the above book) is an extract from Pracheena Shankara Vijaya: “2593 years after the beginning of Kali Yuga (Kaliyuga started in 3102 BCE) in Nandananama Samvatsara, Vaishakha Shuddha Panchami and in Punarvasu Nakshatra, Shankara was born to Shivaguru who named his son Shankara.” This date matches exactly with 509 BCE.
From Brihad Shankar Vijaya the time of attainment of Siddhi by Shankara can be summed up. The following Shloka (page 20) substantiates the same. In Yudhishtira Shake 2663 (corresponding to 477 BCE) after a life of 32 years and after receiving royal patronage from King Rajasena, Shankarendra
finally attained Shivathwam.”
There are some more Sanskrit verses in the book to support the fact that Adi Shankara lived in BC era. The author has extensively quoted scholars like Prof. T.S Narayana Shastri, Prof. K.S.Ramaswami and Prof N. K.Venkatesha Pantulu to support this claim.
When did Shankara live and work?
Prof. P.N. Oak in his article that appeared in Deccan Herald in 1966 titled ‘When did Shankara Live and Work’ says: “Shankara lived only for 32 years. Which 32 years? Did he live from 788 to 820 CE as advocated by western scholars? Or from 509 BCE to 477 BCE as held by Indian scholars?
According to Indian scholars, the Kanchi Peetha, where Shankara settled down after a monastic career was founded by him in 482 BCE. Ever since, it has an unbroken lineage of succeeding pontiffs. From 482 BCE the Dwaraka Peetha has an unbroken line of succession of nearly 70 pontiffs, the Puri over 140 acharyas and the Kanchi 68 acharyas. All this supports the claim that Shankara lived in 5 th century BCE.”
Further, there is a copper plate inscription of King Sudhanva addressed to Shankara himself. It is reproduced on page 20 of a work written by a head of Dwaraka Peetha in the year 1966. The inscription is dated 2663 of the Yudhishtira era corresponding to 478 – 477 BCE. Shankara visited Nepal during the reign of Vrishadeva Verma between 2609 – 2664 Kali eras. This too supports the claim
by Hindu scholars that Shankara lived in 5 th century BCE.
Evidence from other sources
History of Kashmira’ by Brig Rathan Kaul (Gyan Publishers, New Delhi, 2014.) upholds the BCE date of Shankara. Prof. Swaminathan concurs with the date of 5 th century BCE for Shankara based on the evidence in Tamil literature. (https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/indian- religions/hinduism/mysterious sundara-pandya-adi-shankra/)
A case of mistaken identity
Swami Tapasyananda in the preface of his translation of the work ‘Shankaradigvijya by Madhava Vidyaranya’–) into English mentions that Shankara lived in 5 th century BCE and describes how Abhinava Shankara is mistaken for Adi Shankara.
There are several commonalities between the lives of the two philosophers but also some differences. Abhinava Shankara was the 38 th Acharya of the Kanchi Peetha. He too travelled extensively in India. Adi Shankara was born in Kalady Kerala whereas Abhinava Shankara in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. Adi Shankara attained Shivattvam in the Himalayas while Abhinava Shankara in Kanchi. Adi Shankara lived for only 32 years whereas Abhinava Shankar lived up to a ripe age of 85 years as stated by himself in Daivaparadhana Kshamapana Sthotra. (Tapasyananda, 2008).
Both Adi Shankara and Abhinava Shankara were exceptionally great scholars. India’s misfortune it is it that it enabled western historians to paint Abhinava Shankara as Adi Shankara.
Conclusion
Wikipedia mentions two dates in BCE and two in CE for Adi Shankara. Unfortunately, historians without referring to the controversy regarding the birth era of Shankara, stick to the 8 th century CE date. None of the mathas accept this. There was and is only one Adi Shankara, and his birth era is BC or Before Christ.