Shrimad Aadya Shankaracharya had become a learned in all the Shastra at a very young age. As a result he developed the feelings of renunciation. His heart was always filled with emotions of the welfare of all right from his early childhood. He was just a child when he took permission of his mother to renounce the world & set out on foot in search of Guru to attain Self-Realization. He started his journey from Kerala in India, kept on travelling for 2 months. and then reached Omkarnath near the Narmada river. There he came to know that a Yogi had been sitting in Samadhi for hundreds of years. The heart of this sincere spiritual aspirant was filled with joy.

Getting to know of the intense desire of this young person to meet the Guru, the old group of Sanyasi (who have renounced the world) said to him: "O boy! You are great! Great is your endurance & devotion towards Guru! Here the Great Yogi Shriman GovindaPadacharya is sitting in Samadhi. Knowbody knows since when he is sitting there. Waiting to get discourses from him, even we are becoming old now."

As directed by the old Sanyasi, the child Shankar entered the dark cave where Guruji was sitting with a lamp in his hand. There he saw a long-living man sitting in padma aasan. His skin had dried & his hair appeared like roots. His body had become like a skeleton but still it was glowing.

To take the shelter in the pure lotus-feet of whom, the young Shankar had been travelling so long, seeing him Shankar's heart was filled with divine ecstacy. He also became stationed in a meditative position. His chest was filled with the continuously falling tears of devotion. In the meditative mood he started singing praises of Gurudev.

"O Lord! There is no end to your greatness. I beg of shelter at thy divine feet with the desire to realize the self. Please arise out of your Samadhi & accept this poor disciple."

Thus the cave was echoing with prayers of Shankar. There could be seen a little shivering in the still body of the great Yogi. In a second the Yogi released his long breath & opened his eyes. The Samadhi of thousands of years was given up at the arrival of a truely capable disciple. The news about this incident spread everywhere. The men & women desiring to see the Yogi converted Omkarnath to a pilgrim place.

SatGurudev Shri Govindapadacharya accepted the child Shankar as his disciple. Consequently, taught him Hath Yoga, Raja Yoga & Gyana Yoga. Going through the series of spiritual practices, established Shankar on the highest state of spiritual experience of the one & only. The final stage of Advaita Vedanta was inaugarated. The candle of the Brahma was lighted in his body. This child Shankar became the Jagatguru Shimad Aadya Shankaracharya. Who does not know the invalueable contribution given to the Indian culture by this gem of a person?

Salutation to the devotion of Shankar towards Guru!