History of adi shankaracharya

8th-century Indian Vedic scholar

This article is about the vedic scholar Adi Shankara. For the title used in Advaita traditions, see Shankaracharya.

"Adi Shankaracharya" redirects here.

History of adi shankaracharya

For the 1983 Indian film, see Adi Shankaracharya (film).

Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (Sanskrit: आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, romanized: Ādi Śaṅkara, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, lit. 'First Shankaracharya',^{[note 2]}pronounced[aːd̪iɕɐŋkɐraːt͡ɕaːrjɐ]),^{[note 3]} was an Indian Vedic scholar, philosopher and teacher (acharya) of Advaita Vedanta.

Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scanty, and his true impact lies in his "iconic representation of Hindu religion and culture," despite the fact that most Hindus do not adhere to Advaita Vedanta. He is seen by Hindus as "the one who restored the Hindu dharma against the attacks of the Buddhists (and Jains) and in the process helped to drive Buddhism out