Shankara Jayanti

5/6/2022 (Online)

The Centre conducted its first public event on the occasion of Indian Philosophers Day which is observed on Śaṅkara Jayantī (the traditional birthday of Śri Ādi Śaṅkarācārya) on 06/05/2022 (Vaiśākha Śuddha Pañcamī). The event constituted a special lecture by Ms. Manjushree Hegde, research scholar, IIT Madras. Her primary area of interest is Advaita-Vedānta which she studied traditionally under Brahmaśrī Aśvatthanārāyaṇā Avadhāni. The lecture was titled ‘Upadeśasāhasrī: A Thousand Teachings.’ The aim of the lecture was to introduce the audience to Upadeśasāhasrī, which is the only clearly authentic work of Śaṅkarācārya that is not in the form of a commentary. After briefly introducing the structure of the work, Ms. Hegde took up one specific chapter, the Mūtrāśaṅka Prakaraṇa. Ms. Hegde succinctly explained the verses and introduced the audience to the special technique of Śaṅkarācārya – that of adhyāropa and apavāda – which he uses throughout his works. The event was held online over ZOOM platform and was attended by more than 80 people. It began at 3 pm and ended at around 4.15 pm IST