Disciples of Sankara

Padmapada- is perhaps best known for the time he was washing Sankara's clothes on one side of the river while Sankara was on the other side. Sankara called to him to come quickly. Padmapada instantly responded and walked across the water. as he did, lotus petals appeared below his feet and supported him crossing the river. So devoted to Sankara was he that his only thought was to obey his master and come attend to him. Thus he was known thereafter as Padmapada (lotus-footed).

Hastamalaka was brought to Shankara when he was a young boy. His parents told Shankara that the boy has never spoken a word. Shankara asked the boy who he was. Miraculously the boy answered, 'I am not the earth, ether, woman or man, I am pure consciousness.' amazed, the parents brought the boy home only to find he became dumb again. Shankara suggested the boy stay with him thereafter. Because the boy was able to explain deep philosophical truths as clear as an amalaki fruit in one's hand, he was named Hastamalaka.

Totakacharya is the essence of pure devotion, devoid of intellectual capacities. He never could understand the deep intellectual discourses Shankara conducted with the other disciples. Yet one day while washing his masters clothes in the river, Shankara would not begin the discussion until Totakacharya was present. The other disciples could not understand why as Totakacharya would not benefit from these talks anyway. Suddenly from the river bank they heard Totakacharya chanting self-composed poetry about his love for Shankara, reflecting the wisdom shared by the intellectual disciples. Self-realization is not only for the intellectual but for all devotees of God.

BhashyasAdi Shankara wrote Bhāṣya (commentaries) onBrahmasūtra Aitareya Upaniṣad (Rigveda) Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (Śukla Yajurveda) Īśa Upaniṣad (Śukla Yajurveda) Taittirīya Upaniṣad (Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda) Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda) Kaṭha Upaniṣad (Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda) Kena Upaniṣad (samaveda) Chāndogya Upaniṣad (samaveda) Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad (Atharvaveda) and Gauḍapāda Kārika Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (Atharvaveda) Praśna Upaniṣad (Atharvaveda) Bhagavadgīta (Mahabhārata) Vishnu Sahasranama (Mahabhārata) Sānatsujātiya (Mahabhārata) Gāyatri Maṃtra

Prakarana GranthasVivekacūḍāmaṇi (Crest-Jewel of Wisdom) Upadeśasāhasri (A thousand teachings) Śataśloki Daśaśloki Ekaśloki Pañcīkaraṇa Ātma bodha Aparokṣānubhūti Sādhana Pañcakaṃ Nirvāṇa Śatakaṃ Manīśa Pañcakaṃ Yati Pañcakaṃ Vākyasudha Tattva bodha Vākya vṛtti Siddhānta Tattva Vindu Nirguṇa Mānasa Pūja Prasnottara Ratna Malika (The Gem-Garland of Questions and Answers)

Dakshinamurty

Lord Hayagriva

Goddess Saraswati

Bhagawan Veda Vyasa

Bhagawan Sri Krishna

Sri Rama Krishna Prama Hamsa

Swami Vivekananda

Sri Ramanujacharya

Sri Madhvacharya

Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati

Paramahamsa Yogananda with his guru Sri Yukteswar

Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi