Shankara's history

Sankaran Kartik Jayanarayanan kartik at ECE.UTEXAS.EDU
Mon Dec 10 22:02:00 CST 2001


In the Namboothiri website at http://www.namboothiri.com/articles/faq/ it
is stated:

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Q-16. Are Adi Sankaran's Vedam and Gothram known? You trace the mother to
Melpuzha Mana. You merely name the father as Kaipilli Sivaguru. (Prof.
Mahadevan, Howard University, USA)

Ans: Sri Sankarachaaryar was a Rigvedi - Aswalaayanan. He belonged to
Kaippilly Mana near Kaladi. His Gothram is not known but can be found out.
His Ammaath (mother's house) was Melpazhur Mana, also a Rigvedi -
Aswalaayanan. Melpazhur Mana's Gothram is Angirass, and Pravaram,
Bharadwajam. Owing to his father's death, his mother's brother conducted
his Upanayanam.
-------------

I have heard that Shankara belonged to the Yajur veda. Are all the details
given above correct?

Thanks,

Kartik



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