Barkha !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                                                                                           

Garaj Baras Ke Ghanghor Ghata Chhayi

Barsaat Dekho Sang Apne Malhaar Dhun Layi

Tum Vi Ajao Aye Mere Chandni 

Sawan Ki Boondon Mein Nahake

Ek Badal Hain  Jo Tumhari Intezar Mein 

Raat Bhar Leta Hain Angrayee

Rom Rom Meri Apni Hothon Se Chu Lo

Iss Barsaat Mein Shab-e-Hijr Ki Ghum Ko Bhulo

Aag Lagado Taraste Hue Pani Mein Aise

Tumhari Gaheri Palkon Ki Kajrare Chhuan Se

Meri Inn Bechain Aakhon Ki Nind Churalo

Bheeg Ne Do Mujhe Tumhari Shabnam Mein Aise

Jaise Tapti Hui Sukhi Mitti Hoti Hain Jawan 

Monsoon Ki Paheli Bouchhar Mein

Jaise Kamal Khilkhilati Hain Bhavron Ki Gungun Se

Bhaheke Hui Kaale Laharon Se Machalti Khubsurat Si Talaw Mein

Aur Dekhoge Asman Mein Kavi Toh 

Kuch Badal Tumhari Jharokhon Ke Pass Se Bahe Jayenge

Chote Chote Nazuk Si Boondon Se Tumhari Surat Ko

Bari Mohabbat Se Bari Kashish Bhari Aadaon Se Sahelayenge

Yeh Sab Boondein Meri Palkon Mein 

Jo Tumhari Yaad Mein Jaamee Hain

Khamosh Tarap Ki Anjani Ek Kahani Dheere Se Kahe Jayenge

Charon Taraf Aayegi Hariyali

Har Ghar Ke Angan Mein Barsegi Sawan Matwali

Kahin Sunoge Tum Tansen Ki Megh Mallhar 

Toh Kahin Gunjegi Moinudding Ki Kawali 

Kisi Bann Mein Kanha Ki Bajegi Bansuri

Kisi Kadam Ke Per Niche Nachegi Radha Pyari

Ek Jhula Sawan Ki Rahegi Khali Wahan Pe

Jis Pe Naam Likhi Rahegi Hamari

Jharne Nadiya Sagar Dewaani

Har Rang Mein Har Roop Mein Bahega Pani

Har Galiyon Mein Khilegi Safed Kaliyan

Uss Ki Khusbo Se Mahekegi Ulfat Ki Rawani

Aaj Na Hosh Mein Main Hu Sanam

Dil Mein Le Rahin Hain Karbat Kuch Nadan Si Arman

Dhak Dhak Dhak Dhak Dharakti Hain Dharkan

Kabu Mein Rakhna Iss Dil Ko

Behad Mushkil Hain Aye Mere Dil-e-Mehman

Aag Sine Mein Kuch Yun Bharka

Jaise Sadiyon Ke Baad Yeh Dil Dharka

Kuch Bina Bhaye Bin Tumhare Dilrubah

Dekho Aayi Hain Sawan Dekho Aayi Hain Barkha !

                                                  TO MY BABY , MY FIRE, MY LOVE

                                                              ENJOY RAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       Mmmmmmmuuuuuuuuaaaaahhhhhhhh

                                                                        :-) :O ;) M-e-Z <3 <3 <3

                                                                                             

Sajdah

Char Paher Din Ki Guzrein

Duniya Ki Matlabi Shor Mein

Char Paher Raat Ki Guzrein

Kuch Kachhe Dhagon Ki Nashili Dor Mein

Kuch Chamkile Pathhar Inn Aakhon Ko 

Hamesha De Jati Hain Chakma Khayalat Ke 

Bhul Gayi Main Ke Kaise Hoti Hain

Shabnam Mein Dhuli Rangat-e- Masum Ki Bhor Hain

Khel Rahi Hoon Jhel Rahin Hoon

Hatheli Mein Ruki Kuch Palyon  Ki

Tute Hue Nazuk Si Baghdor Hain

Kavi Samajhti Hoon Kavi Hoti Hoon Hairan 

Na Paheli -e-Satranjh Ki Koi Tor Hain

Shaque Shiqayet Aur Shiqwah

Inn Tino Lafz Se Hamari Bahut Lagao Hain

Hum Karte Hain Fariyaad Dard-e-Marham Ki

Lekin Dunniya Dari Mein Tumhari Usool Ko

Aye Rasool Mere Na Jane Diya Kitna Ghaw Hain 

Tumse Karte Hain Har Dafah Bewafayee

Tum Hi Se Mohabbat Mange Te Hain

Tumhari Meherbani Pe Hoke Kamyaab

Tum Hi Ko Karobar Ke Deewar Pe Tang Te Hain

Main Hassti Hoon Dussron Ko Rulake

Char Logon Ko Karke Barbaad Ghar Meri Abad Hain

Kass ke Rakkhi Hoon Jakar Ke Rakkhi Hoon Khud Ko Har Dum

Bhul Jati Hoon Tumhare Diye Yeh Ruh Meri 

Hamesha Mujhse Azad Hain

Na Jagah Hoon Main Kavi

Soye Rahati Hoon Apni Marzi Se Aye Rab Mere

Thak Gaye Hain Pair Mere Unchi Manzil Ke Paidaan Charke

Na Mili Kavi Waqt Tere Dar Pe Aane Ki

Main Toh Hoon Khud Se Hi Pareshan Hui Main Kab Tere

Bahut Mang Liya Tujhse Maine Na Tujhe Kavi Kuch De Saka

Sirf Ek Bar Jagah Dena Mujhe Aye Mere Khudah 

Iss Se Pahele Ki Jab Nikle Aakhri Baar Yeh Shaash Mere

                                                                     A  Pray of Awakening  
                                                                             M-e-Z  :-)

                                                                                   

Human Birds ! :)

                                                                             

Skydiving is a sport in which participants jump or fall from aircraft at altitude. They can perform an assortment of aerial maneuvers before deploying a parachute to slow their descent, allowing them to come gently to rest on the Earth below. The sport is also known as parachuting, in a reference to that vital piece of safety equipment. People at different levels of physical fitness can participate in skydiving, as long as they are ready for an adrenalin-packed sport which can be both terrifying and exhilarating.

The roots of skydiving are actually much older than many people realize. Several medieval inventors developed rudimentary equipment which could have potentially been used for skydiving activity, and in 1797, Andre Jacques Garnerin jumped from a hot air balloon with a parachute, marking the first incident of truly modern skydiving. The sport was further refined throughout the 1800s, and many militaries adopted it in the 1900s.

In the military, skydiving was originally intended to be a backup safety mechanism for airmen. If a plane became disabled during flight, the pilot could deploy a parachute to save his life. Intrepid pilots began to skydive recreationally as well, and in many countries, further applications for skydiving were considered. Many modern militaries use skydiving for troop deployment, for example. Wildfire fighters also skydive to reach remote sites, so that they can be on the ground quickly.

The potential of skydiving as a recreational sport was also quickly realized. Both women and men participated in the development and refinement of skydiving as a sport, and continue to do so. Sport skydiving is characterized by performing with a sense of flair as well as safety. Sport skydivers also perform stunts in films and for product promotions. Group skydiving is also often performed as a sport, as is wingsuit flying, a variation of skydiving which uses a specially designed flight suit to more closely mimic the sense of flying.

Several safety measures are taken to make skydiving as safe as possible. Skydivers regularly check their gear to ensure that it is in good shape, and most skydivers carry a backup parachute. In some cases, the backup will deploy automatically if a skydiver reaches a certain altitude. Both primary and backup parachutes are controlled with steering lines, allowing the skydiver to control his or her descent. Internationally, several organizations promote safe skydiving, offering classes and certifications in skydiving.

For people who want to experience skydiving for themselves, numerous companies around the world offer skydiving opportunities. In general, people take tandem skydiving jumps their first few times out, so that they can learn the basics before taking over on their own. Good skydiving training also involves ground schooling as well, to make sure that the skydiver is safe, secure, and ready for a solo. Some companies also offer standalone skydiving experiences for people who just want to try it out.

A COURTESY OF www.wisegeek.com


                                                        DO YOU WANNA FLY ?

                                                     IN THE LEVEL OF CLOUD

                                                     LET'S TRY IT EVERYBODY

                                                             DO IT OR DIE !!!!!

                                                                 HAVE FUN :D 

                                                                    ! M-e-Z ! <3

                                                                  

                                                                         

Pukar

Aye Sawan Mere

Tumse Ek Sawal Karu?

Tum Aane Mein Kyun Karte Ho Itni Der?

Kahin Suna Tha ke Khudah Ke Dar Pe

Hoti Hain Der Lekin Kavi Nehi Hoti Hain Andher 

Shayed Tum Aaj Kal Khudah Se Vi Ruthe Rahete Ho

Kya Tumse Kudrat Ka Kisi Baat Pe Hui Hain Muthvher ?

Tum Socho Ge Ke Kyun Maine

Tumhare Aane Ki Kiya Hain Itni Zordar Talab

Shayed Mujhmein  Na Hain Sabr Ki Taqat

Ya Phir Mere Dil Ko Hain Khudgarzi Se Matlab

Lekin Suno Aye Sawan Mere  

Tumhe Apni Haal-e- Dil Sunati Hoon

Kavi Meri Tarha Ulfat Ki Aag Mein Jalke Dekho

Kavi Hijr-e-Mohabbat Ki Pyass Mein Tarap Ke Dekho

Tab Shayed Samajh Paoge Mere Betabi Ka Sabab

Kya Tumne Kavi Punam Ki Raat Mein

Kisi Ka Kiya Hain Chandni Mein Intezar ?

Kya Tumne Kavi Chakor Ke Jaise Tarpe Ho ?

Aur Chand Ke Liyeh Apne Jiya Ko

Sadiyon Se Kiya Beqarar?

Nehi Tum Toh Chanchal Badal Ke 

Sang Ghumte Rahete Ho

Kavi Rimjhim Kavi Jharjhar Kavi Tiptip

Dhun Pe Jhumte Rahete Ho

Ek Din Kavi Udas Hoke Kisi  

Sehraa Ki Asman Mein Din Guzar Ke Dekho

Tab Shayed Samajh Sakoge Kitni Hasraton Se

Ek Ek Rayt Registan Ki Tumhari

Boondon Ki Umeed Mein Hain

Roz Dehakti Hain Tumhari Arzoo Mein Mahek Ti Hain

Tumhari Namkeen Barish Mein Bheeg Ne Ki

Ek Bahut Hasin Aur Sukun Bhari Raat Ki Chahat Mein Hain

Tum Aao Kavi Veeran Ujrein Vadiyon Mein

Tum Baras Jao Sukhe Tang Dil Nadiyon Mein

Tumhe Pukare Hain Duniya Na Jane Kitni Duahyon Mein

Na Rahe Jao Bass Mere Iss Shayari Ki 

Muradon Bhari  Safed Panno Ki Lafz Mein

Taras Khao Avi Chhoro Tarsana

Na Rahon Yun Hoke Begana

Pahele Se Hi Duniya Hain Bahut Si Uljhan Mein Uljhi

Aur Kitna Banaoge Awam Ko Deewana

Thori Si Hariyali Ki Nazarana Waqsho

Aajo Leke Khudah Ke Raham Ki Parwana

Kuch Pal Bitalo Hamare Shass-e-Mehfil Mein Vi

Tumhare  Ab-e-Hayat ke Baghayr Bahut Khali Hain

Yeh Zindegi Ki Surur-e-Maykhana

                                                            Waiting for Rain :)
                                                                      M-e-Z

                                                                            

Queen of Mountain :)

                                                                                 

Bachendri Pal earned a coveted place for herself in Indian history by becoming the first Indian woman to summit the Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. A free-willing, fearless, and adventure-loving girl, Bachendri always dreamt of being a mountaineer. By dint of her hard work and sheer determination, Bachendri Pal created history when she successfully summited the Everest, thereby becoming the first Indian woman to achieve the big feat. An exemplary public figure and a noted mountaineer, Bachendri Pal is revered as an icon for all aspiring mountain climbers. By her extraordinary fete, Bachendri Pal proved that a woman could foray into any field and become successful given she has enough sensibility and determination to work towards it. Currently, Bachendri Pal is employed with Tata Steel where she conducts high-altitude training workshops for the corporate workforce. Apart from this, Bachendri Pal also works as an active guide, training women in mountaineering and river rafting. Explore this biography to know more about the early life, career, profile, and achievements of Bachendri Pal.

Early Life
Bachendri Pal was born in May 24, 1954 in a village called Nakuri in Garhwal to parents - Shri Kishan Singh Pal and Smt. Hansa Devi. Her father was a border tradesman who supplied groceries from India to Tibet. From her early childhood, Bachendri Pal was a strong-spirited child - full of zip - and excelled in both academics and sports. It was at the initiation of her school principal that she was sent to college for higher studies. There she actively participated in sports and even bagged a gold medal in rifle shooting. Bachendri Pal went on to become the first girl to graduate from her village. Later on, she completed her M.A. in Sanskrit and then went on to complete her B. Ed. Driven by her passion for adventure, she enrolled in the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, which opened a whole slew of avenues for her.


Career
Bachendri Pal got her first taste of mountaineering thrill while still at school, at the age of 12when she along with her friends scaled a 13,123 ft. high peak and during a school picnic. In 1982, during her course at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, she got the chance to mount Gangotri I (21,900 ft.) and Rudugaria (19,091 ft.). It was during this time, she got the job of an instructor at the National Adventure Foundation, an adventure school for women mountaineers. Soon after the completion of her mountaineering course, she got the chance to join the fourth expedition team headed for India's Mount Everest Mission, the Everest-84. She along with her team members commenced their climb on May 1984. However, a sudden landslide at Lhotse glacier left her and her team members injured. However, Bachendri Pal remained undeterred and continued her climb until she reached the peak of the Everest on 23 May 1984 at 1:07 p.m., thereby becoming the first Indian woman in the world to climb the Mt. Everest. Presently, she is working as the Chief of Adventure Programs of Tata Steel Adventure Foundation of Tata Group. There she gives training to the management teams to bolster up their team spirit by teaching them skills to survive in challenging situations.

Awards and Accolades
Bachendri Pal had bagged several awards and recognitions during her mountaineering career. In 1984, she received the first Csr Gold Medal closely followed by a Padmashree in 1985 and the Arjuna Award in the year 1986. In 1990, her name was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first Indian women to summit the Mt. Everest. She received the National Adventure Award in 1994 and a prestigious Yash Bharati Award from the Uttar Pradesh Government in 1995. In 1997, she received the honorary D.Litt. from the University of Garhwal and was also honored with the prestigious Mahila Shiromani Award. It was in this year that her name entered the Limca Book of Records.

Contribution
Apart from training corporate and scaling great heights, Bachendri Pal has made significant contribution in training women in mountaineering and river rafting. In 1985, Bachendri led an Indo-Nepalese Everest Expedition women's team. This expedition made seven world records and created a benchmark in Indian mountaineering. In 1993, she organized the Indo-Nepalese Women Everest Expedition and in 1994, she took part in the River Ganga Rafting Expedition from Haridwar to Kolkata. She also led the First Indian Women Trans-Himalayan Expedition including eight women, covering 4,500 km trek via Siachen Glacier.

Timeline
1954: Was born in Nakuri village in Garhwal, Uttaranchal
1982: Climbed Gangotri I(21,900 ft.) and Rudugaria (19,091 ft.)
1984: Became the first Indian woman to climb the Mt. Everest.
1985: She was conferred Padmashree by Indian Government.
1986: She received the Arjuna Award and Calcutta Ladies Study Group Award.
1990: Her name entered the Guinness Book of World Records and she was given the Fie Foundation's National Award.
1993: Organized the Indo-Nepalese Women Everest Expedition.
1994: Participated in River Ganga Rafting Expedition Received and received National Adventure Award.
1995: Was given the Yash Bharti Award from the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
1997: Received the honorary doctorate degree from the University of Garhwal and was awarded the prestigious Mahila Shiromani Award.

A Courtesy of iloveindia.com

                                         "IN THE LIFE HERE NOTHING IS FREE
                                            WE HAVE TO EARN FREEDOM"
                                     
                                            THIS MOUNTAIN PROVERB
                                                 IS BEST SUITS FOR HER
                                           
                                          SHE HAS "EARNED" THE FREEDOM
                                                     OF HIGHER SUCCESS 
                                    A  HEARTFELT SALUTE TO HER !!! <3 <3 <3 :-)

     

                                        
                                                                                     

Charming Charlie ! :D

I thought I would dress in baggy pants, big shoes, a cane and a derby hat. everything a contradiction: the pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and the shoes large.
Charlie Chaplin

I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.
Charlie Chaplin

I suppose that's one of the ironies of life doing the wrong thing at the right moment.
Charlie Chaplin
                                                                             
                                                                     
I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it. If people are disillusioned by that remark, I can't help it. It's the truth.
Charlie Chaplin

I do not have much patience with a thing of beauty that must be explained to be understood. If it does need additional interpretation by someone other than the creator, then I question whether it has fulfilled its purpose.
Charlie Chaplin


I don't believe that the public knows what it wants; this is the conclusion that I have drawn from my career.
Charlie Chaplin


I had no idea of the character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the make-up made me feel the person he was. I began to know him, and by the time I walked onto the stage he was fully born.
Charlie Chaplin

                                                                                  
                                        
                                                      Sweat of Summer is Swallowing 
                                                             the Softness of Serenity !!!
                                                    Let's Have Some Somersault of Charlie !!!
                                                            HAHAHAHAHAHA :D ENJOY 
                                                            EVERYBODY !!! <3<3<3 :O :D.
                                              
                                                                                  

                                       

The One & Only

                                                                                       


Adi Shankara  (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as Śaṅkara Bhagavatpādācārya and Ādi Śaṅkarācārya was an Indian sage from Kalady in present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta. His teachings are based on the unity of the ātman and brahman— non-dual brahman, in which brahman is viewed as nirguna brahman, brahman without attributes.

Shankara travelled across the Indian subcontinent to propagate his philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers. He is reputed to have founded four mathas ("monasteries"), which helped in the historical development, revival and spread of Advaita Vedanta of which he is known as the greatest revivalist. Adi Shankara is believed to be the organizer of the Dashanami monastic order and the founder of the Shanmata tradition of worship.

His works in Sanskrit concern themselves with establishing the doctrine of advaita (nondualism). He also established the importance of monastic life as sanctioned in the Upanishads and Brahma Sutra, in a time when the Mimamsa school established strict ritualism and ridiculed monasticism. Shankara represented his works as elaborating on ideas found in the Upanishads, and he wrote copious commentaries on the Vedic canon (Brahma Sutra, principal upanishads and Bhagavad Gita) in support of his thesis. The main opponent in his work is the Mimamsa school of thought, though he also offers arguments against the views of some other schools like Samkhya and certain schools of Buddhism.



LIFE


Traditional accounts of Adi Shankara's life can be found in the Shankara Vijayams, which are poetic works that contain a mix of biographical and legendary material, written in the epic style. The most important among these biographies are the Mādhavīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Mādhava, c. 14th century), the Cidvilāsīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of Cidvilāsa, c. between 15th century and 17th century), and the Keraļīya Śaṅkara Vijayaṃ (of the Kerala region, extant from c. 17th century).

Birth and childhood

The birth place of Adi Shankara at Kalady

Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthampa Mandapam, Kalady, Kerala

Shankara was born to Sivaguru [VISWAKARMA] and Aryamba Antharjanam in Kaladi in central present day Kerala,4 km from Nedumbassery airport, Kochi. According to lore, it was after his parents, who had been childless for many years, prayed at the Vadakkunnathan temple, Thrissur that Sankara was born under the star Thiruvathira.

His father died while Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanaṃ, the initiation into student-life, had to be delayed due to the death of his father, and was then performed by his mother. As a child, Shankara showed remarkable scholarship, mastering the four Vedas by the age of eight.

Sannyasa

At the age of 7, Shankara was inclined towards sannyasa, but it was only after much persuasion that his mother finally gave her consent. He only received her consent in a very interesting manner. While bathing in the river Poorna one day, a crocodile caught hold of his leg. Shankara appealed to his mother, who had arrived at Poorna, asking for permission to become a sanyasi. His mother finally gave consent, only to have the crocodile let go of young Shankara. A crocodile had never been found in Poorna ever or since
Shankara then left Kerala and travelled towards North India in search of a guru. On the banks of the Narmada River, he met Govinda Bhagavatpada the disciple of Gaudapada at Omkareshwar. When Govinda Bhagavatpada asked Shankara's identity, he replied with an extempore verse that brought out the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Govinda Bhagavatapada was impressed and took Shankara as his disciple.

The guru instructed Shankara to write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras and propagate the Advaita philosophy. Shankara travelled to Kashi, where a young man named Sanandana, hailing from Chola territory in South India, became his first disciple. According to legend, while on his way to the Vishwanath Temple, Sankara came upon an untouchable accompanied by four dogs. When asked to move aside by Shankara's disciples, the untouchable replied: "Do you wish that I move my ever lasting Ātman ("the Self"), or this body made of flesh?" Realizing that the untouchable was none other than god Shiva himself, and his dogs the four Vedas, Shankara prostrated himself before him, composing five shlokas known as Manisha Panchakam.

At Badari he wrote his famous Bhashyas ("commentaries") and Prakarana granthas ("philosophical treatises").

Meeting with Mandana Mishra

One of the most famous debates of Adi Shankara was with the ritualist Maṇḍana Miśra. Maṇḍana Miśra held the view that the life of a householder was far superior to that of a monk. This view was widely shared and respected throughout India at that time. Thus it would have been important for Adi Shankara to debate with him. Madana Mishra's guru was the famous Mimamsa philosopher, Kumārila Bhaṭṭa. Shankara sought a debate with Kumārila Bhaṭṭa and met him in Prayag where he had buried himself in a slow burning pyre to repent for sins committed against his guru: Kumārila Bhaṭṭa had learned Buddhist philosophy from his Buddhist guru under false pretenses, in order to be able to refute it. Learning anything without the knowledge of one's guru while still under his authority constitutes a sin according to the Vedas. Kumārila Bhaṭṭa thus asked Adi Shankara to proceed to Mahiṣmati to meet Maṇḍana Miśra and debate with him instead.(Mahishmati is on the banks of the holy river - Narmada, in Madhya Pradesh. Mahishmati is now known as Mandala. . Mandala finds mention in Pauranic literature as the capital of Sahasrabahu Kartyaveer Arjun who had obstructed the river by his thousand arms by his frolicking, at his capital Mahishmati),

After debating for over fifteen days, with Maṇḍana Miśra's wife Ubhaya Bhāratī acting as referee, Maṇḍana Miśra accepted defeat. Ubhaya Bhāratī then challenged Adi Shankara to have a debate with her in order to 'complete' the victory. She asked him questions related to sexual congress between man and woman - a subject in which Shankaracharya had no knowledge, since he was a true celibate and sannyasi. Sri Shankracharya asked for a "recess" of 15 days. As per legend, he used the art of "para-kaya pravesa" (the spirit leaving its own body and entering another's) and exited his own body, which he asked his disciples to look after, and psychically entered the dead body of a king. The story goes that from the King's two wives, he acquired all knowledge of "art of love". The queens, thrilled at the keen intellect and robust love-making of the "revived" King, deduced that he was not their husband, as of old. The story continues that they sent their factotums to "look for the lifeless body of a young sadhu and to cremate it immediately" so that their "king" (Shankracharya in the king's body) would continue to live with them. Just as the retainers piled Shankracharaya's lifeless corpse upon a pyre and were about to set fire to it, Shankara entered his own body and regained consciousness. Finally, he answered all questions put to him by Ubhaya Bhāratī; and she allowed Maṇḍana Miśra to accept sannyasa with the monastic name Sureśvarācārya, as per the agreed-upon rules of the debate.

Philosophical tour

Sharada temple at Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri

Adi Shankara then travelled with his disciples to Maharashtra and Srisailam. In Srisailam, he composed Shivanandalahari, a devotional hymn in praise of Shiva. The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam says that when Shankara was about to be sacrificed by a Kapalika, the god Narasimha appeared to save Shankara in response to Padmapadacharya's prayer to him. As a result, Adi Shankara composed the Laksmi-Narasimha stotra.

He then travelled to Gokarṇa, the temple of Hari-Shankara and the Mūkambika temple at Kollur. At Kollur, he accepted as his disciple a boy believed to be dumb by his parents. He gave him the name, Hastāmalakācārya ("one with the amalaka fruit on his palm", i.e., one who has clearly realised the Self). Next, he visited sringeri to establish the Śārada Pīṭham and made Toṭakācārya his disciple.

After this, Adi Shankara began a Dig-vijaya "tour of conquest" for the propagation of the Advaita philosophy by controverting all philosophies opposed to it. He travelled throughout India, from South India to Kashmir and Nepal, preaching to the local populace and debating philosophy with Hindu, Buddhist and other scholars and monks along the way.

With the Malayali King Sudhanva as companion, Shankara passed through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha. He then started towards Karnataka where he encountered a band of armed Kapalikas. King Sudhanva, with his Nairs, resisted and defeated the Kapalikas. They safely reached Gokarna where Shankara defeated in debate the Shaiva scholar, Neelakanta.

Proceeding to Saurashtra (the ancient Kambhoja) and having visited the shrines of Girnar, Somnath and Prabhasa and explaining the superiority of Vedanta in all these places, he arrived at Dwarka. Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara of Ujjayini, the proponent of Bhedābeda philosophy, was humbled. All the scholars of Ujjayini (also known as Avanti) accepted Adi Shankara's philosophy.

He then defeated the Jainas in philosophical debates at a place called Bahlika. Thereafter, the Acharya established his victory over several philosophers and ascetics in Kamboja (region of North Kashmir), Darada and many regions situated in the desert and crossing mighty peaks, entered Kashmir. Later, he had an encounter with a tantrik, Navagupta at Kamarupa.

Accession to Sarvajnapitha

Statue of Adi Shankara at his Samadhi Mandir, behind Kedarnath Temple, in Kedarnath, India

Adi Shankara visited Sarvajñapīṭha (Sharada Peeth) in Kashmir (now in POK, Pakistan). The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam states this temple had four doors for scholars from the four cardinal directions. The southern door (representing South India) had never been opened, indicating that no scholar from South India had entered the Sarvajna Pitha. Adi Shankara opened the southern door by defeating in debate all the scholars there in all the various scholastic disciplines such as Mimamsa, Vedanta and other branches of Hindu philosophy; he ascended the throne of Transcendent wisdom of that temple.

Towards the end of his life, Adi Shankara travelled to the Himalayan area of Kedarnath-Badrinath and attained videha mukti ("freedom from embodiment"). There is a samadhi mandir dedicated to Adi Shankara behind the Kedarnath temple. However, there are variant traditions on the location of his last days. One tradition, expounded by Keraliya Shankaravijaya, places his place of mahasamadhi (leaving the body) as Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur, Kerala. The followers of the Kanchi kamakoti pitha claim that he ascended the Sarvajñapīṭha and attained videha mukti in Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu).



Mathas

Adi  Shankara founded four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) to guide the Hindu religion. These are at Sringeri in Karnataka in the south, Dwaraka in Gujarat in the west, Puri in Orissa in the east, and Jyotirmath (Joshimath) in Uttarakhand in the north. Hindu tradition states that he put in charge of these mathas his four main disciples: Sureśvara, Hastamalakacharya, Padmapāda, and Totakacharya respectively. The heads of the mathas trace their authority back to these figures. Each of the heads of these four mathas takes the title of Shankaracharya ("the learned Shankara") after the first Shankaracharya. The table below gives an overview of the four Amnaya Mathas founded by Adi Shankara and their details.



According to the tradition in Kerala, after Sankara's samadhi at Vadakkunnathan Temple his disciples founded four mathas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom, Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom.


Philosophy and religious thought


Advaita ("non-dualism") is often called a monistic system of thought. The word "Advaita" essentially refers to the identity of the Self (Atman) and the Whole (Brahman). Advaita Vedanta says the one unchanging entity (Brahman) alone exists, and that changing entities do not have absolute existence, much as the ocean's waves have no existence in separation from the ocean. The key source texts for all schools of Vedānta are the Prasthanatrayi–the canonical texts consisting of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras.

Adi Shankara was the first in the tradition to consolidate the siddhānta ("doctrine") of Advaita Vedanta. He wrote commentaries on the Prasthana Trayi. A famous quote from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, one of his prakarana granthas that succinctly summarises his philosophy is:

Brahma satyaṃ jagat mithyā, jīvo brahmaiva nāparah

Brahman is the only truth, the spatio-temporal world is an illusion, and there is ultimately no difference between Brahman and individual self.

Advaita Vedanta is based on śāstra ("scriptures"), yukti ("reason") and anubhava ("experience"), and aided by karmas ("spiritual practices"). This philosophy provides a clear-cut way of life to be followed. Starting from childhood, when learning has to start, the philosophy has to be realised in practice throughout one's life, even up to death. This is the reason why this philosophy is called an experiential philosophy-the underlying tenet being "That thou art", meaning that ultimately there is no difference between the experiencer and the experienced (the world) as well as the universal spirit (Brahman). Among the followers of Advaita, as well those of other doctrines, there are believed to have appeared Jivanmuktas, ones liberated while alive. These individuals (commonly called Mahatmas, great souls, among Hindus) are those who realised the oneness of their self and the universal spirit called Brahman.

Adi Shankara's Bhashyas (commentaries) on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras are his principal works. Although he mostly adhered to traditional means of commenting on the Brahma Sutra, there are a number of original ideas and arguments to establish that the essence of Upanishads is Advaita. He taught that it was only through direct knowledge that one could realize Brahman. "A perception of the fact that the object seen is a rope will remove the fear and sorrow which result from the illusory idea that it is a serpent". Cited from Shankara's "Vivekachuudaamani"/ verse #12/translated by Mohini M Chatterji. This metaphor was borrowed from Yogacara Buddhist thinkers, who used it in a different context.

Adi Shankara's opponents accused him of teaching Buddhism in the garb of Hinduism, because his non-dualistic ideals seemed rather radical to contemporary Hindu philosophy, and so he earned the title "pracchannabauddha". However, although Advaita proposes the theory of Maya, explaining the universe as a "trick of a magician", Adi Shankara and his followers see this as a consequence of their basic premise that Brahman alone is real. Their idea of Maya emerges from their belief in the reality of Brahman, as opposed to Buddhist doctrines of emptiness, which emerge from the empirical Buddhist approach of observing the nature of reality.


Historical and cultural impact


Because of his unification of two seemingly disparate philosophical doctrines, Atman and Brahman, Westerners who know about him perceive him as the "St. Thomas Aquinas of Indian thought" and "the most brilliant personality in the history of Indian thought."

At the time of Adi Shankara's life, Hinduism was increasing in influence in India at the expense of Buddhism and Jainism. Hinduism was divided into innumerable sects, each quarreling with the others. The followers of Mimamsa and Sankhya philosophy were atheists, insomuch that they did not believe in God as a unified being. Besides these atheists there were numerous theistic sects. There were also those who rejected the Vedas, like the Charvakas.

Adi Shankara held discourses and debates with the leading scholars of all these sects and schools of philosophy to controvert their doctrines. He unified the theistic sects into a common framework of Shanmata system. In his works, Adi Shankara stressed the importance of the Vedas, and his efforts helped Hinduism regain strength and popularity. Many trace the present worldwide prominence of Vedanta to his works. He travelled on foot to various parts of India to restore the study of the Vedas.

Even though he lived for only thirty-two years his impact on India and on Hinduism was striking. He reintroduced a purer form of Vedic thought. His teachings and tradition form the basis of Smartism and have influenced Sant Mat lineages. He is the main figure in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta. He was the founder of the Daśanāmi Sampradāya of Hindu monasticism and Ṣaṇmata of Smarta tradition. He introduced the Pañcāyatana form of worship.

Adi Shankara, along with Madhva and Ramanuja, was instrumental in the revival of Hinduism. These three teachers formed the doctrines that are followed by their respective sects even today. They have been the most important figures in the recent history of Hindu philosophy. In their writings and debates, they provided polemics against the non-Vedantic schools of Sankhya, Vaisheshika etc. Thus they paved the way for Vedanta to be the dominant and most widely followed tradition among the schools of Hindu philosophy. The Vedanta school stresses most on the Upanishads (which are themselves called Vedanta, End or culmination of the Vedas), unlike the other schools that gave importance to the ritualistic Brahmanas, or to texts authored by their founders. The Vedanta schools hold that the Vedas (which include the Upanishads) are unauthored, forming a continuous tradition of wisdom transmitted orally. Thus the concept of apaurusheyatva ("being unauthored") came to be the guiding force behind the Vedanta schools. However, along with stressing the importance of Vedic tradition, Adi Shankara gave equal importance to the personal experience of the student. Logic, grammar, Mimamsa and allied subjects form main areas of study in all the Vedanta schools.


Regarding meditation, Shankara refuted the system of Yoga and its disciplines as a direct means to attain moksha, rebutting the argument that it can be obtained through concentration of the mind. His position is that the mental states discovered through the practices of Yoga can be indirect aids to the gain of knowledge, but cannot themselves give rise to it. According to his philosophy, knowledge of Brahman springs from inquiry into the words of the Upanishads, and the knowledge of Brahman that shruti provides cannot be obtained in any other way. It has to be noted that it is generally considered that for Shankara the Absolute Reality is attributeless and impersonal, while for Madhava and Ramanuja, the Absolute Truth is Vishnu. This has been a subject of debate, interpretation, and controversy since Shankara himself is attributed to composing the popular 8th century Hindu devotional composition Bhaja Govindam (literal meaning, "Worship Govinda"). This work of Adi Shankara is considered as a good summary of Advaita Vedanta and underscores the view that devotion to God, Govinda, is not only an important part of general spirituality, but the concluding verse drives through the message of Shankara: "Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean". Bhaja Govindam invokes the almighty in the aspect of Vishnu; it is therefore very popular not only with Sri Adi Shankaracharya's immediate followers, the Smarthas, but also with Vaishnavas and others.

A well known verse, recited in the Smarta tradition, in praise of Adi Shankara is:

श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानामालयं करुणालयम्|
नमामि भगवत्पादशंकरं लोकशङ्करम् ||
Śruti smṛti purāṇānāṃālayaṃ karuṇālayaṃ|
Namāmi Bhagavatpādaśaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaraṃ||
I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the world auspicious.

Adi Shankara begins his Gurustotram or Verses to the Guru with the following Sanskrit Sloka, that has become a widely sung Bhajan


The great Indian Muslim Philosopher Muhammad Iqbal considered him to be one of the greatest thinkers of medieval India and acknowledged influence by him.


Works


Adi Shankara's works deal with logically establishing the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta as he saw it in the Upanishads. He formulates the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta by validating his arguments on the basis of quotations from the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures. He gives a high priority to svānubhava ("personal experience") of the student. His works are largely polemical in nature. He directs his polemics mostly against the Sankhya, Buddha, Jaina, Vaisheshika and other non-vedantic Hindu philosophies.

Traditionally, his works are classified under Bhāṣya ("commentary"), Prakaraṇa grantha ("philosophical treatise") and Stotra ("devotional hymn"). The commentaries serve to provide a consistent interpretation of the scriptural texts from the perspective of Advaita Vedanta. The philosophical treatises provide various methodologies to the student to understand the doctrine. The devotional hymns are rich in poetry and piety, serving to highlight the relationship between the devotee and the deity.

Adi Shankara wrote Bhashyas on the ten major Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. In his works, he quotes from Shveshvatara, Kaushitakai, Mahanarayana and Jabala Upanishads, among others. Bhashyas on Kaushitaki, Nrisimhatapani and Shveshvatara Upanishads are extant but the authenticity is doubtful. Adi Shankara's is the earliest extant commentary on the Brahma Sutras. However, he mentions older commentaries like those of Dravida, Bhartrprapancha and others.

In his Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Adi Shankara cites the examples of Dharmavyadha, Vidura and others, who were born with the knowledge of Brahman acquired in previous births. He mentions that the effects cannot be prevented from working on account of their present birth. He states that the knowledge that arises out of the study of the Vedas could be had through the Puranas and the Itihasas. In the Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashya 2.2, he says:

Sarveśāṃ cādhikāro vidyāyāṃ ca śreyah: kevalayā vidyāyā veti siddhaṃ

It has been established that everyone has the right to the knowledge (of Brahman) and that the supreme goal is attained by that knowledge alone.

Some western academics consider only Upadeśasāhasrī among independent philosophical works as authentic. Many other such texts exist, among which there is a difference of opinion among scholars on the authorship of Viveka Chudamani. The former pontiff of Sringeri Math, Shri Shri Chandrashekhara Bharati III has written a voluminous commentary on the Viveka Chudamani.

Adi Shankara also wrote commentaries on other scriptural works, such as the Vishnu sahasranāma and the Sānatsujātiya. Like the Bhagavad Gita, both of these are contained in the Mahabhārata.


A COURTESY OF wikipedia.org


                                                         GOD IS ONE & ONLY ONE ! :D