Vivekachudamani

Vivekachudamani - Crest Jewel of Discrimination 

Sri Adi Shankara is the author of Vivekachudamani, which can be translated as "Crest-Jewel of discrimination". By distinguishing the real from the illusion, the truth can emerge. In 580 verses, Shankara has shown man's attachment to the unreal illusion and the path to liberation. The basis of his philosophy is the non-dualistic Advaita Vedanta.

Sri Adi Shankara lived during the late 7th and early 8th centuries in India. His guru (teacher) was Govindapada. Shankara had numerous disciples who accompanied him during his wanderings in India. During these wanderings he met scribes from various spiritual sects and religions whom he was eager to meet in spiritual discussions. He established the path to attain salvation by removing all obstacles and closed to all questionable interpretations. 

He has commented on many of the sacred scriptures of Hinduism such as; Brahma-sutras, Bhagavadgita and the Upanishads, but he has also written a number of his own books to illuminate Advaita Vedanta. Shankara died early, he was then 32 years old.

Shankara's non-dualistic Advaita Vedanta emerges from a presence in Ātman and appears as a timeless eternal wisdom. However, Shankara has used some words and expressions from the zeitgeist in which he lived during the late 7th and early 8th centuries in India. I have tried in my comments to use the words and comments of today without disturbing the timeless truths that exist beyond the words. My comments are written in italics.