WAS SHANKARA A VAISHNAVA

[P.G. van Oyen / Conversion Productions]

I read with interest the comments on the question whether Shri Adi Shankara could be considered a Vaishnavite. In the first place it is well known that Shnakara wrote a number of hymns for Vishnu whilst in Shankara Digvijaya he is also reported to have worshipped Vishnu regularly. But that is not really the the point because in advaita the rule is: ayamatma brahma: I am all. Maybe it is of interest to refer to verse 389 of Vivekacudamani of Shri Adi Shankara where he says: 

svayam brahmAa svayam vishnuh svayamindrah svayam shivah
svayam vishamidam sarvam svasmAadanyanna kincana

I myself am BrahmAa; I myself am Vishnu; I myself am Indra; I myself am Shiva. I myself am the whole universe. There is nothing else apart from I myself.

Regards and namaste

Paul G van Oyen 

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