Sankara's Farewell to Mother

Guided by love and duty, Adi Sankara returns to Kalady, fulfills his mother's last wishes and begins a timeless legacy

- SUBRAMANIAN CHIDAMBARAN

In Sringeri, one day, Acharya had a premonition that the end of his mother was close. Hence, he quickly left Sringeri for Kalady along with Citsukha, his childhood friend. On the way, Acharya discussed with Citsukha the various aspects of yoga, yogic powers and siddhis. Soon they reached Kalady and went home, where Aryamba was on her deathbed. Her joy knew no bounds as she beheld her dear son Sankara who she was seeing now after nearly 16 years! Had she not held herself all these years without seeing her beloved son, her only support in life? She had directed all her grief, worries and anxieties into religious and spiritual pursuits. She had realised that the Lord alone is her refuge and had started progressing on the spiritual path guided by the sastra and the upadesas she had received from her husband and other elders. These 16 years she lived as a tapasvini, a renunciate, giving up all her desires, withdrawing all her senses from the sense objects and trying to establish herself in the peace within. When Sankara saw Aryamba, he could conspicuously sense the spiritual maturity in her. However, her many years of dualistic living before had created certain blockages to her attainment of the ultimate realisation. Sankara helped her overcome these by remaining close to her in her last moments and guiding her through the process. Finally, having burnt all her vasanas and with no desire left within, having annihilated the mind completely, Aryamba went into nirvikalpa-samadhi and shed her mortal