For about thousand years i.e. 6th century B.C. to 4th century A.D. Buddhism reigned supreme in India. Because of its rise, the old Vedic religion of the Hindus received a great set-back and many of its followers embraced either Buddhism or Jainism.
Consequently the promoters of Hinduism had to reform themselves and at the same time mould their religion according to new requirements. The reformed religion began to regain its popularity from the time of the Guptas and continued to flourish in India up to the 11th &12th centuries.
In order to make Hinduism popular once again some of the great reformers played a very important role. The foremost among them was Sri Sankara popularly know as Aadi Sankaracharya.
He was born in Kaladi village in present Kerala State in about 788 A.D. After completing his education he became a Sanyasi with the permission of his mother and toured throughout the length and breadth of India. He preached Hinduism among the masses. He fought and preached against Buddhism and Jainism with such a great vigour that the followers of both these sects began to hold him in great awe.
He wrote commentaries on Bhagavadgita, Brahmasutras and the Upanishads. These three are called Prasthanathrayee. He also wrote a Bhashya on Vishnusahasranama. He composed many Stotras on various deities of the Hindu pantheon. The most prominent among them are Soundaryalahari, Bhajagovindam and Dakshinamurthy Ashtakam.
But his main contribution to the world is his enunciation and firm establishment of Advaita philosophy which has captured the psyche of majority of Hindus till today. For the propagation of this philosophy he established four Mathas in the four directions Jagannath Puri (east), Dwaraka Puri (west), Badrinath (north) and Sringeri (south).
Such is the importance of the contribution of Aadi Sankaracharya to Hinduism that even the ardent opponents of his Advaita philosophy admire and acknowledge his contribution to Hinduism as a whole. A scholar belonging to the Dwaita school of philosophy once said though we vehemently oppose the Advaita philosophy enunciated by Aadi Sankaracharya, both we, Dwaitins and our opponents Advaitins have to remain as Hindus first in order to oppose each other. Had Sankaracharya not lived in the 8th century and f ought against Buddhism tooth and nail all of us would have been Buddhists by now. We owe the sacred thread we wear to Sri Aadi Sankaracharya. What more proof is necessary of his greatness?
Aadi Sankaracharya ascended the Sarvajna Peeta in Kashmir after defeating adherents of all other schools of philosophy. He died at the young age of 32 at Kedarnath.
Regarding Advaita philosophy, its merits and demerits we shall discuss the same in the next edition.