Jagadguru
Shankaracharya

Jagadguru Shankaracharya was the very first or “Adi” Jagadguru who appeared on this earth about 2,500 years ago (500 B.C.). He re-established the greatness of Vedic Sanatan Dharm in India with the aim of propagating the Vedic religion, and diminishing the effects of the prevalent, spurious doctrines and false religions. His philosophy is known as advaitvad or absolute monism (non-dualism), and it forms the basis for the teachings of the path of gyan.

Shankaracharya identified God as formless, without attributes, a non-performer of actions and without any kind of internal or external distinctions. He described the nature of God as pure and eternal existence, unlimited knowledge and Divine bliss. He further claimed the world to be an indescribable illusion and that the soul is the combined effect of God and Maya (Illusion). He stated the soul’s original nature to be the same as God Himself.

With His own unique interpretations of the Vedas, Shankaracharya positioned Himself between a theist and an atheist, and at times He appeared to be a supporter of both. He adopted this stand to lay the foundation for future theistic evolution.