The life history of Adi Sankara part 3

Photos from top:Torana Ganapathi Shrine 2.Sri.Chjandramouleeswara Lingam 3.Torana Ganapathi in gold Kavacham 4.Sri. Balasubramanya swami.Photo courtesy  - Sri.Sringeri mutt.Adi Sankara established four mutts in north,south  east & west of India.Joshi mutt,Sringeri mutt,Jaganath mutt (Puri) & Dwaraka mutt.He placed Sri.Trotakacharya,Sri.Sureswara  Acharya,Padma Pada & Hastamalaka as the  first heads of these mutts respectively.Of these,Sri. vidyaranya from Sringeri mutt is the  most famous sanyasin who  founded  Vijayanagara empire.The historical sacred throne of sringeri is called Vyakhyana Simhasana or seat of learning .Sri.Adi Sankara organized ten orders of sanyasins under the name Dasanami.The sanyasins end their names like Saraswathi,Bharati,Puri,Theertha,Giri,Vana & Aranya.Sankara was going along the street to take bath in Ganges.At that time a chandala was passing along the street with his dogs.sankara'S disciples shouted & asked the man  to clear off the road.The Chandala  asked  Adi sankara ."O Venerable Guru,you are preaching Advaita & yet you make a great difference between man & man.Is advaita only theory".Sankara was very much moved by these words & thought  to himself that Lord Siva himself assumed this form to teach him a lesson.Then he composed five slokas called"Manisha panchaka".Every sloka ends thus, he who practiced Advaita  is my true guru be a chandala or bhramin .Adi Sankara gave each mutt a "Chandramouleeswara Lingam" which is shown in the photo which he got From God Siva Himself . The other idols were installed by  the later acharyas .Will be concluded in the next postings.