Govinda Bhagavatpada
Encyclopedia
.
Govinda Bhagavatpada was the Guru
of the Advaita philosopher, Adi Shankara
. We know little of his life and works, except that he is mentioned in all the traditional accounts (Shankara Vijayams) as the teacher of Adi Shankara
. He was the disciple of Gaudapada
(IAST
). He is mentioned in the first verse of Adi Shankara's Prakaraņa grantha (treatise) Viveka Chudamani
. He is named after Gaudapada in the Guru Parampara (lineage) of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham.
As per the Madhavīya Shankaravijaya, after leaving Kerala
, Adi Shankara reached the banks of the river Narmada
where he met Govinda Bhagavatpada. The Madhavīya Shankaravijaya states that Adi Shankara once calmed a flood from the Reva River
by placing his kamanḍalu (water pot) in the path of the raging water, thus saving his Guru
Govinda Bhagavatpada who was immersed in Samādhi
in a cave nearby. Govinda Bhagavatpada is said to have asked Adi Shankara who he was. Adi Shankara then replied with a verse composed extempore, that brought out clearly the Advaita philosophy in regard to the Self. Shankara was then initiated as Govinda Bhagavatapada's disciple, thus formally entering sanyasa.
Adi Shankara was then commissioned by his Guru to write a Bhashya
(commentary) on the Brahma Sutra and spread the Advaita philosophy far and wide.
Govinda Bhagavatpada was the Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
of the Advaita philosopher, Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
. We know little of his life and works, except that he is mentioned in all the traditional accounts (Shankara Vijayams) as the teacher of Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
. He was the disciple of Gaudapada
Gaudapada
Gaudapada was a very early guru in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy...
(IAST
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is a transliteration scheme that allows a lossless romanization of Indic scripts as employed by the Sanskrit language.-Popularity:...
). He is mentioned in the first verse of Adi Shankara's Prakaraņa grantha (treatise) Viveka Chudamani
Viveka Chudamani
The Vivekachudamani is a famous work by Adi Shankara that expounds Advaita Vedanta philosophy. In Vivekachudamani, Shankara describes developing Viveka—the human faculty of discrimination—as the central task in the spiritual life and calls it the "crown jewel" among the essentials for Moksha...
. He is named after Gaudapada in the Guru Parampara (lineage) of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham.
Meeting Adi Shankara
- See Life of Adi Shankara for the biography of Adi Shankara
As per the Madhavīya Shankaravijaya, after leaving Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Adi Shankara reached the banks of the river Narmada
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
where he met Govinda Bhagavatpada. The Madhavīya Shankaravijaya states that Adi Shankara once calmed a flood from the Reva River
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
by placing his kamanḍalu (water pot) in the path of the raging water, thus saving his Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
Govinda Bhagavatpada who was immersed in Samādhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
in a cave nearby. Govinda Bhagavatpada is said to have asked Adi Shankara who he was. Adi Shankara then replied with a verse composed extempore, that brought out clearly the Advaita philosophy in regard to the Self. Shankara was then initiated as Govinda Bhagavatapada's disciple, thus formally entering sanyasa.
Adi Shankara was then commissioned by his Guru to write a Bhashya
Bhashya
Bhashya - It is especially used with reference to a text or religious work.A typical Bhashya would be an interpretation of a Sutra or other classical work...
(commentary) on the Brahma Sutra and spread the Advaita philosophy far and wide.
See also
- Shri GaudapadacharyaGaudapadaGaudapada was a very early guru in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy...
- Adi ShankaraAdi ShankaraAdi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
- Advaita VedantaAdvaita VedantaAdvaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...
- Sringeri Sharada PeethamSringeri Sharada PeethamSringeri Sharada Peetham is the southern Advaita Vedanta matha. It is located in Shringeri. It is claimed that it is the first of the four original mathas established by Adi Shankara.-Location:...
- Shri Gaudapadacharya Math