Sri Adi Shankaracharya Temple

Overview

Sri Adi Shankaracharya Temple is Located at Kalady, Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala. at the very location where he was born and lived the earlier parts of his life. It is situated on the banks of the River Periyar and is also dedicated to other Gods and Goddesses including Goddess Saradamba.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya (or Sankaracharya, or Shankara, or Sankara) appeared in the spiritual scene of India, when the country was passing through a phase of tremendous spiritual identity crisis. This chaos was further catalyzed by the emergence of new faiths. Sri Adi Shankaracharya is recognized as one of the greatest Indian philosophers and his philosophy of Advaita is considered as the very foundation of Hinduism.

About The Temple

The temple complex consists of a Keerthi Mandapam, a Geeta Upadesam center and a Paduka Mandapam. There are a few other shrines dedicated to Gods and Goddesses.The top floor of the mandapam hosts a magnificent statue of Sri Adi Shankaracharya along with his four disciples. The walls of the temple are elaborately adorned with paintings depicting the life and works of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

The design of the temple is in the Shodaskona form i.e. it has 16 edges representing the 16 divine arts. The Goddess Saradamba temple depicts Goddess Saradamba in the Ashtapadma form. The Ashtapadma represents the eight petals of the Hrudaya kamal.

The three popular ghats adjacent to the temple are Crocodile Ghat, Samadhi Ghat of mother Aryadevi and Kalady Kadavu. The other major pilgrimage sites of Kalady are as follows: Adi Shankara Keerthi Sthampa Mandapam- Eight storey memorial constructed by Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt. The Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram- It is adjacent to the Sri Krishna Temple and has been modeled on the Ramakrishna Ashram in Belur Math.

Brindavan of Aryamba- This is the holy spot where Aryamba, mother of Sri Adi Shankaracharya, was cremated. Sri Krishna temple- Located in the western side of the Sringeri Mutt, the Sri Krishna Temple is built in the typical Kerala style of architecture. Nayathodu Sankara Narayana Temple. Thekke Madhom- Founded by Sri Shankaracharya and is located adjacent to the Sri Krishna Temple.

Cultural Significance

The Sri Adi Shankaracharya Temple at Kalady is of tremendous cultural significance, as it symbolizes the great Sri Adi Shankaracharya and his massive contribution to Hinduism. The temple commemorates the great deeds of the Sadguru and his tireless efforts directed towards the upliftment of human spirituality. The Sri Sadvidya Sanjivini Rig Veda Pathshala is also a very unique institution, disseminating the knowledge of the Vedas and the Shastras in the traditional method.

About The Deity

Two shrines, dedicated to Sri Adi Shankaracharya as Dakshinamoorthi and to Goddess Saradamba as the guardian deity of Sringeri respectively, are located in Kalady. The shrine dedicated to Goddess Saradamba is looked after by the Sringeri Shankara Mutt. The other major deities at the Temple of Sri Adi Shankaracharya are Brahmi, Varahi and Vinayaka or Lord Ganesha. The temple also hosts the Samadhi of Aryamba, mother of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

Legend and Stories

Sri Shankaracharya was born to a Nambudiri Kerala Brahmin couple Sivaguru and Aryamba. At the mere age of 16 he had mastered the Vedas and was predicted by astrologers to become a Sarvajana or an all knowing saint. Later he established four mutts across the country i.e. Joshimath, Sringeri, Dwaraka and Puri. He was also given the honorific title of Jagadguru.

He played a very significant role in rescuing Hindu religion from superstitious degeneration. His philosophy of Advaita is considered to be the very foundation of Hinduism. His commentaries on the Vedas and the Upanishads are of significant relevance. Adi Shankaracharya was a master metaphysician, dexterous logician, ingenious philosopher and a massive moral and spiritual force. The philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya can be described in the verse: “Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na parah—Brahman (the Absolute) alone is real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman.

Scriptural references

There are numerous legends associated with Sri Adi Shankaracharya. Some of them are as follows:

As per legend, he once diverted the course of the River Poorna to facilitate his aged mother’s daily ablutions. This is conspicuously evident from the unusual turn that the course of the river has taken near the Sringeri Mutt.

As per another legend, one day Shiva Sharman Namboodiri, father of Adi Shankaracharya and also the priest of the nearby Manickamangalam Temple, requested Shankaracharya to visit the temple and offer milk to the Devi. He obeyed his father’s request and offered the milk to the Devi. However, he noticed that the measure of the milk remained unchanged. He started to cry on this observation and to appease the crying child the Devi drank the milk. References to this story can also be found in the Soundarya Lahari.

As per another legend, Lord Shiva appeared in the dream of Sharman Namboodiri and said him that a white deer would be appearing in front of his house the next day. Upon following the deer, he will be able to find an idol, which would help him to worship the idol from his home, instead of travelling to the faraway temple.

As per another legend, once Sri Shankaracharya had prayed so fervently to Lord Shiva in the Nayathodu Sankara Narayana temple that even Lord Vishnu came to reside in the temple.

Another legend states that one day while roaming around the village for alms, Sri Shankaracharya came to the hut of a very poor lady. The lady offered Shankara a lone amla fruit, as she had nothing else to offer. On seeing her plight, Adi Shankaracharya pleaded with Mother Lakshmi to shower prosperity on the poor lady. Immediately, golden amlas began to shower from the roof of the hut. The hymn to Mother Lakshmi is famously known as Kanakadhara Strotam.

As per another legend, to seek the permission of his mother for accepting Sanyas, Shankaracharya created a crocodile with his powers and entrapped himself to it. The crocodile stated that it would release Shankara only if she would allow him to take sanyas. Thus his mother accepted the condition of the crocodile and Shankara was able to take Sanyas.

As per another legend, one day when Shankara was about take his bath, an outcaste appeared before him with four dogs and blocked his path. The enraged Shankara ordered him get away from his path. The outcaste then retorted back, “Whom are you asking to get away, the body or the soul? The soul is pure and omnipresent. Is there any difference in the reflection of the moon seen in the Ganges or in a wine cup? As for the body, it is inert; can it move away?” The mesmerized Shankara then realized that the outcaste was the Lord of Kashi and he soon fell at his feet. He soon started chanting the Advaitic hymn, which was later to become extremely popular as the Manishapanchaka or the Five Verses of Human Wisdom.

Festivals

The major festivals celebrated in the Sri Shankaracharya Temple are as follows:

• Sri Shankara Jayanti
• Sarada Sarannavarathri
• Navarathri
• Rathotsavam

Sevas

General

• Udayastamana Pooja
• Gou Pooja

Monthly Nakshatracharna for one year

• Ashtothara Archana
• rishati Archana
• Sahasranamarchana
• Ganapati Homam

Monthly Nakshatracharna Endowment fund

• Ashtothara Archana
• Trishati Archana
• Sahasranamarchana
• Ganapati Homam

Sri Shakti Ganapati Sannidhi

• Atharvaseersha Pushpanjali
• Ganapati Homam
• Maha Ganapati Homam
• Panchamrita Abishekham
• Appam Naivedyam
• Modakam Naivedyam (21 Nos.)
• Modakam Naivedyam ( 51 Nos.)
• Modakam Naivedyam (101 Nos.)
• Pradosha Pooja
• One day Pooja
• Atharva Seersha Pradosha Pooja
• Sankatahara Chaturti Pooja

Adi Shankaracharya Sannidhi

• Dakshinamoorthy Pushpanjali
• Mrityunjaya Pushpanjali
• Purusha Sukta Pushpanjali
• Ekavara Rudrabhishekham
• Ekadasha Rudrabhishekham
• Eka kala pooja

Sri Sharada Devi Sannidhi

• Sri Sukta Pushpanjali
• Bhagya Sukta Pushpanjali
• Sri Vidya Mantra Pushpanjali
• Bala Tripura Sundari Pushpanjali
• Aikya Madhya Sukta Pushpanjali
• Swayamvara Parvati Mantra Pushpanjali
• Sri Chakra Panchamrita Abhishekham
• Sri Chakra Pooja
• Devi Mahatmya (Saptashathi Parayana)
• One day pooja
• Sapta Mathruka pooja

Aryamba Samadhi

• Thailarpanam to Bhara Deepam

Sarpa Sannidhi

• Sarpa Pooja
• Sarpa Panchamrita Abhishekha

Pada Pooja

• Ashtothram
• Trishadi
• Sahasranamam

Naivedyas

• Payasa Naivedya
• Vadai Naivedya

How To Reach

Airport

The Kochi International Airport at Nedumbassery is located nearby from Kalady-7 kms.

Railways

The nearest railways station is Aluva Railway Station – 22 kms.

Road

The nearest bus stop is Kalady Bus stand – 1 km

Temple Address

Sri Sringeri Shankara Math,
Kalady, Eranakulam District,
Kerala, Pincode - 683574.