[Advaita-l] Did Sankara have non-brahmin disciples?

[ravi chandrasekhara]

Pranam,

Satish brought out good and relevant answers.  But how do we know who is a jnaani, so we can tread on spiritual path ?  It appears only jnaanis (like Adi Shankara, etc) can know this answer.  I'll point out illustrations of those who appear contradictory to shastra:

1.ISKCON, Arya Samaj, etc do not follow all of shastra and at times contradictory to veda-adhikara.
2.Gayatri Pariwar (founder is a Braahmana) gives initiation into Gayatri Mantra for anyone.
3.Swami Nityananda (don't know of which varna) had relationship with a girl.  While not a legal crime as it was consentual mutually, it was a dharmic crime.

Another issue is that a spiritual guru is recommended to be a Brahmanistha and a shrotriya.  But is not a shrotriya a Braahmana ?

Any thoughts.

Ravi Chandrasekhara