Adi Shankara was the first philosopher who is believed to consolidate the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, which is also regarded as a sub-school of Vedanta. He is also known as Sankara Bhagavatpadacarya and Adi Sankaracarya. All his teachings are based on the unity of the soul and Brahmin. Adi Shankara is regarded as the incarnation of Lord Shiva according to the Smarta Tradition. This great prophet toured the whole of India with the sole purpose of propagating his teachings through religious discourses and debates with other eminent philosophers and scholars. He is also the pioneer of four monasteries, which made a significant contribution to the historical development, revival, and spread of post-Buddhist Hinduism and essentials of Advaita Vedanta. He was also the founder of Dashanami monastic order and the Shanmata tradition of worship.

After remaining childless for a score of years Adi Shankara was born to his parents and was named Shankara in the honor of Lord Shiva. The initiation of Shankara into student life was performed at the age of five. He mastered all the four Vedas at the age of eight. From a very young age Shankara was attracted to the monastic life. After his mother gave him permission to enter into the renunciatory stage, Adi Shankara traveled left Kerala and traveled to the northern part of India in search of a holy tutor. He then became the disciple of Bhagavatapada and wrote a commentary on Brahma Sutras and also propagated Advaita Vedanta. On his mission to propagate his philosophy he met a young man named Sanandana from Choladesha in South India who in the later ages became his first disciple. One of the most famous debates of Adi Shankara was with the ritualist Mandana Mishra.

Adi Shankara was the founder of four mathas to guide the Hindu religion and to bring about a major reformation in the Indian spiritual life. Each of the chiefs of these four mathas acquires the title of Shankaracharya after the first Shankara. Hinduism had begun to decline at the time of Adi Shankara`s life because of the deep impacts of the two religions, Buddhism and Jainism. Some of the opponents of Adi Shankara blamed him of teaching the religion of Buddhism in the garb of Hinduism. But he along with the help of Madhva and Ramanuja became active participants in the revival of Hinduism. To deal with logically establishing the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta was the main objective of his works. In the process of teaching he gave a very high priority on the personal experience of the student. His works are categorized under three heads namely `Bhasya` or commentary, `Prakarana Gratha` or philosophical treatise and `Stotra` or devotional hymn. The commentaries provided a unswerving elucidation of the scriptural texts; the philosophical treatises on the other hand provided various methodologies to the student to have a fair comprehension of the doctrine while the devotional hymns served to emphasize the relationship between the devotee and the deity.